Jeremiah 52;12 says, Now in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, which served the king of Babylon, into Jerusalem, Verse thirteen adds, And burned the house of the LORD, and the king’s house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, and all the houses of the great men, burned he with fire: Nebuchadrezzar's troops had entered Isreal and burned the house of the LORD, the king’s house, and all the other houses. Jerusalem was completely destroyed, as Jeremiah had told the people that God said it would be. Verse fourteen continues, And all the army of the Chaldeans, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down all the walls of Jerusalem round about, The walls around Jerusalem were also torn down. The walls had not really been what protected Jerusalem anyway, but God had until the people of Jerusalem turned their back on Him. Nothing in the world today can protect us, even as Christians, if we turn away from following God's will. Verse fifteen states, Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive certain of the poor of the people, and the residue of the people that remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the multitude. Nebuzaradan carried the poor people of Jerusalem and certain others away captive. The priests and prophets of Judah had said Jeremiah was wrong when he told them that God had said this would happen, but they were either killed or carried away captive as well. Not everyone who professes to speak for God actually does, and we as followers of Christ must be able to know who is speaking the truth of God. Verse sixteen adds, But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left certain of the poor of the land for vinedressers and for husbandmen. Some of the poor were left in the land to serve as caretakers of the crops. They were not free as they had been when living in a covenant relationship with God, and neither can we be totally free if we are not living in a covenant relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. Verse seventeen says, Also the pillars of brass that were in the house of the LORD, and the bases, and the brasen sea that was in the house of the LORD, the Chaldeans brake, and carried all the brass of them to Babylon. The Babylonians also broke up and carried away the things of the house of the LORD. Nebuchadrezzar must have felt that he had defeated not only the people of Judah but their God as well. Some countries today may believe that they have defeated God and attempt to remove all things that are associated with Him from their country, but one day they will find out how wrong they are, just as the people of Babylon did. Verse eighteen adds, The caldrons also, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the bowls, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away. The Babylonians took away everything out of the temple, they killed or enslaved God's people, but they did not defeat God. No matter what happens in this world, God is the everlasting Victor. Verse nineteen continues And the basons, and the firepans, and the bowls, and the caldrons, and the candlesticks, and the spoons, and the cups; that which was of gold in gold, and that which was of silver in silver, took the captain of the guard away. This continues to list what the Babylonians carried out of the house of the LORD. Verse twenty says, The two pillars, one sea, and twelve brasen bulls that were under the bases, which king Solomon had made in the house of the LORD: the brass of all these vessels was without weight. Verse twenty-one adds, And concerning the pillars, the height of one pillar was eighteen cubits; and a fillet of twelve cubits did compass it; and the thickness thereof was four fingers: it was hollow. Verse twenty-two continues, And a chapiter of brass was upon it; and the height of one chapiter was five cubits, with network and pomegranates upon the chapiters round about, all of brass. The second pillar also and the pomegranates were like unto these. Verse twenty-three concludes, And there were ninety and six pomegranates on a side; and all the pomegranates upon the network were an hundred round about. These verses simply describe some of the things that the Babylonians took out of the temple. They totally destroyed or plundered the house of the LORD, except for some people who were called His people. No matter what is destroyed or taken from us as followers of Christ today, as long as we remain faithful to God, we will always be victorious.
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