Year in the Bible Week 32

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the Fiery Furnace by Jacob Willemsz. de Wet (c.1650)

God promised he would not destroy the nation in Josiah’s lifetime, but after he died thing got terrible quickly. After Josiah died in poorly-chosen battle with Egypt’s pharaoh Neco (2 Chron 35:20-27). Josiah’s son Jehoahaz never had the chance to rule, because after three months Neco took him to Egypt as a prisoner, and Jehoakim was installed as a puppet king. A couple years later Neco was defeated by Nebuchadnezzar, and now Babylon was the bully. During this important time God is speaking through Jeremiah, as well as Zephaniah, Nahum, and Habakkuk, clearly telling his people that their time is up. Because of the importance of this message, and because of its truth, the Bible timeline is very slowly here.

Throughout Idrael’s history God would destroy anyone who opposed them, sometimes without his people ever having to fight. Still, the nation forgot that all God ever has to do is move the pieces on the board just a little and great victory or great suffering will result. Now God allows the neighboring nations to be carrion birds, picking apart a Jerusalem that is not quite dead, but not strong enough to fight.

The exile of God‘s people from the promised land begins with just a few faithful men, and God is with them. God will be with his people in exile, and Daniel and his friends are the first to experience his protection firsthand. Most of us believe that it was Jesus Christ who was walking with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace. Knowing that Jesus is with us in the fire has given comfort to millions throughout the ages who have gone through trials.

As tragic as the next few chapters will be, I am looking forward to next week’s reading because it contains the verse in the Bible that finally let me give God control over my life, Jeremiah 29:7. We also get Jeremiah 29:11, an anchor for every believer. All praise to God!