The Times of Jeremiah
I have followed the various threads of the 607/587 question from the beginning but it seemed I could never catch up to the fast flowing stream of pro and con information that was and is being put forward. After much consideration I have arrived at point that I should say something that has not been elaborated about the times of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar.
Most of the posts have been directed to the time table of events, the years and months, the length of reigns of kings, the times of battles etc.
I wish to focus my comments on the events themselves, not the when, but what the written accounts say happened or were to happen. This will hopefully clarify some of the muddiness that may exist in the minds of some readers of these posts. Of course, if some choose to continue to grope and grovel as muddy bottom feeders, let them enjoy the dark depths of their domain.
Lately there has been discussion about prophecy, whether some have “failed”. Others claim that if God says it through some prophet then what is said is written in stone and cannot be deviated one iota.
If you wish to further your understanding how prophecy works, read chapter 26 of Leviticus, chapters 28 to 32 of Deuteronomy. There you find that if people follow the commandments they will experience blessings. If they deviate, it is curses. When they deviate and arrive at the realization that they missed the boat, and turn around and change, the blessings will return.
Leoliea gave an excellent example of Jonah preaching the destruction of Nineveh at the end of forty days. It was interpreted, if I remember correctly, that Jonah’s prophecy failed. My thoughts are that, in a sense, that Nineveh was destroyed. Wicked Nineveh ceased to exist, was figuratively destroyed, a new more righteous Nineveh came into existence even before the forty days were over.
Writing from memory (references later if requested) I wish to highlight the recorded events whether recorded in archeology or the Scriptures.
Nebuchadnezzar, near the beginning of his reign controlled an army of cavalrymen and many soldiers. Whether he was king while his father was back at the ranch is superfluous, he was head of an army and as such he was king. He defeated the Assyrian/ Egyptian armies at Carchamesh . After this Judah and the surrounding nations were wide open for an invasion of his cavalry.
Habakkuk 1:6-11 ( NASB) gives a description of his cavalry and the invasion of the land of Judah.
"For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, That fierce and impetuous people Who march throughout the earth To seize dwelling places which are not theirs.
"They are dreaded and feared; Their justice and authority originate with themselves.
"Their horses are swifter than leopards And keener than wolves in the evening. Their horsemen come galloping, Their horsemen come from afar; They fly like an eagle swooping {down} to devour.
"All of them come for violence. Their horde of faces {moves} forward. They collect captives like sand.
"They mock at kings And rulers are a laughing matter to them. They laugh at every fortress And heap up rubble to capture it.
"Then they will sweep through {like} the wind and pass on. But they will be held guilty, They whose strength is their god."
Neb’s war strategy was to swiftly use his cavalry. There was nothing in those days that was faster than cavalry. No messenger on foot could advance faster than cavalry to warn of their arrival in advance. They sweep through like the wind, and pass on. They leave behind a devasted empty land.
How did he feed his army and horses? Judah and surrounds was sheep country. Sheep graze the grass closely to the ground and horses have difficulty grazing on short grass. His army would invade all the land, vineyards, farms, fields for forage and supplies to support his army and horses. His strategy was to take possession of the land first. He used the sword against all “settlers” in the countryside. Many were slain in the field, the lucky ones fled, to where?
They fled to the thickets of the Jordan, where horses couldn’t go. They fled on foot to high rocky ground where the unshod hooves of horses would be damaged. Into the fortified cities, which were few in number, most of the cities were un-walled easily accessible to his army. Only Jerusalem and Lachish and one other, I believe were heavily defended with watchtowers and walls and gates.
Jer 4: 27,29 NASB: For thus hath the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.
The whole city shall flee for the noise of the horsemen and bowmen; they shall go into thickets, and climb up upon the rocks: every city [shall be] forsaken, and not a man dwell therein.
Jer 6:25 NASB Do not go out into the field And do not walk on the road, For the enemy has a sword, Terror is on every side.Jer. 8:13,14, 16 NASB “If I go out to the country, Behold, those slain with the sword! Or if I enter the city, Behold, diseases of famine! I will surely consume them, saith the LORD: [there shall be] no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and [the things that] I have given them shall pass away from them.
Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the LORD our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.
From Dan is heard the snorting of his horses; At the sound of the neighing of his stallions The whole land quakes; For they come and devour the land and its fullness, The city and its inhabitants.
What about the defenced cities?
Jer. 14:18 NASB: 'If I go out to the country, Behold, those slain with the sword! Or if I enter the city, Behold, diseases of famine! The land has become without inhabitant. The inhabitants of the cities have been devoured.
They are good as dead. Only if they go over to the Chaldeans can they preserve their lives. The seventy years of servitude, desolation, exile have commenced. Babylon has swallowed up the land and has much of the population imprisoned in the cities.
At what date did the above invasion take place, you may ask? You decide, but while you are deciding ask yourself what is the motive for asking for the date.
To be continued, more to come, : Next, what does without inhabitant mean?
belbab
