Jeremiah’s ministry began from the thirteenth year of Josiah’s reign and continued until the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, from about 629 to 588 B.C. During the forty-one years of his ministry, the kingdom of Judah was rapidly declining. The situation outside of the country was that strong neighboring nations, such as Assyria, Egypt, and Babylon, were watching greedily and seeking an opportunity to invade. Within the country all the people, from the king and leaders above to the common people below, forsook God, worshipped idols, and were corrupt in morality. Even though there was a revival during the reign of Josiah, it was only for a brief moment. During the reign of Johoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah, the kings of Judah “did what was evil in the eyes of Jehovah” (2 Kings 23:32, 37; 24:9, 19). This was the background during the time of Jeremiah. Under such a circumstance, he spoke forth God’s words.
Jeremiah’s prophecies concerning the kingdom of Judah contain two main points. First, since Israel did not listen to the word of the prophets to turn from their evil way and the evil of their deeds, Jehovah would send Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon in the north, to destroy them and make them an astonishment, a hissing, and an eternal reproach. Jeremiah also prophesied that Israel would serve the king of Babylon for seventy years (Jer. 25:3-11).
Second, after the fulfillment of seventy years, Jehovah would punish the king of Babylon and make Babylon an eternal desolation (vv. 12-14). The seventy years are counted from 606 B.C., when Nebuchadnezzar first took Jerusalem, until 536 B.C., when Cyrus the king of Persia made a decree for the return of the people of Israel.
After the children of Israel were taken captive for seventy years, God stirred up the spirit of Cyrus the king of Persia and caused him to make a proclamation throughout all his kingdom to encourage the children of Israel to return and build the temple. This fulfilled the prophecy spoken by God through Jeremiah the prophet, “Thus says Jehovah, When seventy years are fulfilled for Babylon, I will visit you and establish My good word to you, to bring you back to this place” (29:10). As a result of the stirring of the hidden God, King Cyrus made a decree, charging the children of Israel who were in captivity to return to Jerusalem and build God’s temple (Ezra 1:1-4; 2 Chron. 36:22-23).
According to the record in the Scriptures, there were three returns of the children of Israel from captivity.
The first return of the children of Israel from captivity was under the leadership of Zerubbabel, a royal descendant of David (Ezra 2:1-2). King Cyrus also brought out the vessels of the house of Jehovah, which Nebuchadnezzar brought from Jerusalem and put in the house of his gods, and returned them to Jerusalem (1:7-11).
Later, under the leadership of Ezra, a descendant of the priestly family, the children of Israel had a second return from captivity. In the kingdom of Persia, Ezra was not a ruler with a high position; rather, he was a priest and a scribe who was skilled in the law of Moses (7:6). Although he did not have any position in Persia, the king granted him all his request and made a decree concerning those who returned to Jerusalem. Ezra trusted in God and was one with God. He was skilled in the word of God, and he also knew God’s heart, God’s desire, and God’s economy. Hence, he had an excellent character and reputation before the king. Ezra was even granted authority from the king to appoint magistrates and judges (v. 25).
The third return was under the leadership of Nehemiah. Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah was not the counselor of the king or a general in the army. He was only a cupbearer, that is, one who served wine to the king. Yet in his living and conduct he built up a wonderful situation, obtaining the respect of the king. He asked the king to send him to Judah that he might rebuild the city of his fathers’ graves (Neh. 2:5). Nehemiah asked the king to grant him letters for the governors beyond the River so that they would let him pass through to Judah. He also asked for a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the Park, which belonged to the king, so that he would give him timber (vv. 7-8). The king granted Nehemiah all his requests.
Under the leadership of Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah the children of Israel returned from captivity and were reconstituted to be the testimony of God, the expression of God on earth, and a people absolutely different from the Gentile nations.
After entering into the land of Canaan, the children of Israel failed God and were eventually divided into the kingdom of Judah and the kingdom of Israel. At the time of the apostasy and degradation of His people, God raised up many prophets who prophesied concerning Israel’s being chastised by God due to their apostasy, their being taken captive to Gentile nations, and their returning to the Holy Land. Most of these prophecies have an initial and partial fulfillment as well as a further and complete fulfillment. Joel prophesied that God would cause an unprecedented plague of locusts to come to the land of Judah. The plague of locusts also indicated that God would cause countless Gentile invaders to swarm in group by group like locusts. Joel also declared that if Israel would turn to Jehovah with all her heart and have a thorough confession, God would send forth His blessings and would bless His land with rich produce, recovering the rains, the early rain and the late rain, at the beginning of the season. Amos prophesied that God would seek out the transgressions of the people of Judah and would punish them, sending fire upon Judah and devouring the palaces of Jerusalem, and that the tabernacle of David would fall. Amos also judged the children of Israel, prophesying that God would punish them, that their mighty men would flee away naked in that day, and that during the time of battle they would fall and be defeated. Hosea prophesied that the northern kingdom of Israel would not obtain compassion and would not be God’s people; they would abide for many days without king, without prince, without sacrifice, without pillar, and without ephod and teraphim. Isaiah, who ministered for the longest period of time, said that Jerusalem would be destroyed, that God’s children would be carried away, that the children of Israel would return from Babylon, and that Cyrus would issue a decree to rebuild Jerusalem and make a proclamation to lay the foundations of the temple. Jeremiah clearly prophesied that the children of Israel would be taken captive and would serve Babylon for seventy years. After the completion of the seventy years, the children of Israel would return to Jerusalem and rebuild God’s temple. According to the record in the Scriptures, there were three returns of the children of Israel from captivity. These returns were under the leadership of three leaders: Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah. Under their leadership, the children of Israel returned from captivity and were reconstituted to be the testimony of God, the expression of God on earth, and a people absolutely different from the Gentile nations.