The date 607 BCE for the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians is arrived at from within Scripture itself. That the exiled Jews would spend 70 years in Babylon was prophesied in many places – 2 Chronicles 36:21;
2nd Chronicles 36:21 To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.
Where does it say Jerusalem spent 70 years in babylon? It simply states that a 70 year period ended and that Israel paid her sabbaths during her laying desolate.
Jeremiah 25:11;
And this whole land shall be a desolation, [and] an astonishment; and (((these nations))) shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.
| | Jer 25:18 | [To wit], Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof, and the princes thereof, to make them a desolation, an astonishment, an hissing, and a curse; as [it is] this day; |
| | Jer 25:19 | Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people; |
| | Jer 25:20 | And all the mingled people, and all the kings of the land of Uz, and all the kings of the land of the Philistines, and Ashkelon, and Azzah, and Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod, |
| | Jer 25:21 | Edom, and Moab, and the children of Ammon, |
| | Jer 25:22 | And all the kings of Tyrus, and all the kings of Zidon, and the kings of the isles which [are] beyond the sea, |
| | Jer 25:23 | Dedan, and Tema, and Buz, and all [that are] in the utmost corners, |
| | Jer 25:24 | And all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the mingled people that dwell in the desert, |
| | Jer 25:25 | And all the kings of Zimri, and all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of the Medes, |
| | Jer 25:26 | And all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another, and all the kingdoms of the world, which [are] upon the face of the earth: and the king of Sheshach shall drink after them. |
Jeremiah 29:10;
| | Jer 29:10 | For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. |
Where does it say 70 years applies to Jerusalem only? Ch 25 makes it palin it refers to the whole world. 70 years of Babylonian dominance over the world.
Daniel 9:2. In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
word by the mouth of Jeremiah- included the desolations of Jerusalem and the rest of the world's servitude
539 BCE is a pivotal date – both Scriptural chronology and secular history point to 539 BCE as the date for the fall of Babylon.
secular history yes...the Bible contains no absolute date. However the 70 years from the Battle of Carchemesh to the destruction of babylon goes from 609 to 539
Scripture then shows that the Jews returned to Judea in 537 BCE.
prove it
We give primacy to the scriptures that the exile was 70 years, thus the destruction of Jerusalem must have been in 607 BCE.
baseless assertion. Scripture shows nothing of that sort. Only 70 years of babylonian rule over the world.
So, when deciding when we think Jerusalem was destroyed, we can either accept the Scriptural chronology (with 1914 following from this evidenced by dramatic and irrevocable change in the world situation i.e. “the last days”)
baseless assertion again
or go with uncertain secular sources of evidence which are often subject to change, revision and new archaeological discoveries.
in this case countless verifications archaeologically, astronomically, as well as Biblically show 607 to 1914 to be nonsense
The Scriptures will never change that the exile would be 70 years
The scriptures do not show 70 years of exile.
and everyone agrees with 539 BCE for the fall of Babylon, and 537 BCE as the date of the return from exile.
show one verse proving 537.