The Kingdom Overturned

Jeremiah’s Remarkable “70 Year” Prophecy

The prophet Jeremiah lived in Jerusalem during these last years of the kingdom of Judah and he constantly pleaded with his people to acknowledge their sins and return to God’s ways. He told them that failure to take his message seriously would result in God sending Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, against them. He would destroy their kingdom and Judah would be taken captive to Babylon for 70 years, after which time they would again return to their city (Jeremiah 25:8–12; 29:10–14).

The first invasion of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar and the transportation of captives to Babylon took place in BC 606. It was in BC 536, exactly 70 years later, that Cyrus, king of the Medo-Persian Empire which succeeded Babylon, made a decree allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 36:19–23).

In BC 586 Nebuchadnezzar made his final assault on Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple, broke down the walls of the city, and took many more captive to Babylon. In BC 516, 70 years later, the Jews rebuilt the Temple again in Jerusalem (Ezra 6:15).

Thus this prophecy was remarkably fulfilled as history has proven.

God’s Prophecy of the Kingdom Overturned Three Times

God’s prophecy to Judah’s last king (Ezekiel 21:25–27)

The last king to reign on the throne of David in Jerusalem was Zedekiah. He was a wicked king, whom Ezekiel called “a profane wicked prince” (v25). He stubbornly refused to listen to the prophets’ warnings, and was taken captive in BC 586 when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem.

Verse 26 “Remove the diadem, and take off the crown” Dramatically Zedekiah is told that his reign will come to a sudden and complete end.

Verse 27 “I will overturn, overturn, overturn it” The prophet emphasises the total ruin of the kingdom through this threefold repetition of “overturn”.

“Until he comes whose right it is” There will not be a king on the throne of David again until Jesus Christ comes to take up that rightful position that God has promised him (see 2 Samuel 7:12–16; Luke 1:31–33).

“I will give it him” Here is God’s guarantee that He will perform this (cp Isaiah 9:6–7; Luke 1:32; Acts 3:20).

The Restored Kingdom Under Christ’s Rule

Jeremiah, living at the same time as Zedekiah the last king of Judah, also spoke of the coming of Jesus Christ to reign on the throne of David over the restored Kingdom of Israel (Jeremiah 23:5–8, 33:15–16).

For these promises to be fulfilled it is necessary for Israel to be regathered and re-educated in the truth concerning the work of the Lord Jesus Christ as their Messiah and King (Jeremiah 30:10–11; 46:27–28; Ezekiel 11:17–20; 37:21–28).

Prophecies Regarding the Regathering of Israel

To the Bible student God’s prophecies regarding Israel are an amazing guarantee that we can trust the Bible. God Himself has said that Israel is His witness in the earth. “Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God” (Isaiah 43:1, 10–13).

Briefly consider some of these prophecies:

  • Before they had entered the land of Israel, while they were still in the wilderness, Moses foretold their scattering among the nations because of disobedience (Deuteronomy 28:63–68). How accurately this prophecy has been fulfilled is clearly set out in the history of the Jews from AD 70 down to this present time.

  • Moses also foretold their ultimate regathering from among the nations (Deuteronomy 30:1–5).

  • The prophet Jeremiah clearly described this scattering and regathering (Jeremiah 30:10–11; 31:10).

  • Jesus likewise foretold the scattering of the Jews as a consequence of the dreadful events of AD 70. Since that time Jerusalem has been under Gentile domination and the Jews scattered into every country of the world. It has only been in the last one hundred years or so that the Jews have begun to return to the land of their fathers. Jerusalem itself was finally retaken by the Jews in 1967 after nearly 2000 years of dispersion.

  • Zechariah the prophet foretold that the Jews would return to their land and have control of Jerusalem before Jesus Christ returns (Zechariah 12:1–11).

  • He foretold that Jerusalem would be in the hands of the Jews, but that it would be the source of international tension and all nations would converge on the Middle East for war prior to Jesus Christ revealing himself to the Jews (Zechariah 12:2–3, 9–10; 14:1–4).

  • Ezekiel the prophet foretold this great war in the Middle East in “the latter days”, when the Jews would be resettled in the land of Israel (Ezekiel 38:8,12). We witnessed the establishment of the nation of Israel in the land in 1948.

  • Israel will return to the land in unbelief of the Messiahship of Jesus Christ. They will only acknowledge this fact after he has been revealed to them and they see the wounds in his hands (Zechariah 12:10, 13:6).

  • The apostle Paul spoke of the time when the Jewish people would have their blindness removed and they would then realise that Jesus was their Messiah (Romans 11:25–27; cp Isaiah 59:20–21).

Adapted from “The Exploring the Bible Course” by David Evans