6th Captivity

At approx. 585 BC, presumably after the murder of the Governor named Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, after all the Jews which were left in the Land fled to Egypt (Jer. 43:1-7) and the Land was made without inhabitant (Jer. 44:2), then, I conclude, some 745 persons re-inhabited the Land against the word of the LORD – this people, I conclude, Babylon carried away captive when they eventually came to Jerusalem because of the absence of Gedaliah (Jer. 52:30). This was in the 23rd year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign.

Jeremiah 52:28-30Sometime after all 6 Captivities (Jer. 52:28-30), Jeremiah gives an account of various captivities, both minor and major, disclosing details that not recorded anywhere else. Hereby, in addition to the rest of the Book of Jeremiah & Ezekiel, we are enabled to comprehend all 6 Captivities suffered by the Kingdom of Judah.

Jeremiah 52:31-34Sometime in or after the 37th year of the 70-year long Captivity (Jer. 52:31), Jeremiah bears witness of the eventual liberation of Jehoiachin from dungeon-to-throne in Babylon.

Ezekiel 38:1-39:29Chronologically subsequent to the former prophecies of Ezekiel and in the same timeframe (sometime between the 5th day of the 10th month of the 12th year & the 10th day of the 1st month of the 25th year, which is 14 years after the City of Jerusalem was smitten; time reference: 33:21 & 40:1), Ezekiel prophesies concerning Gog & Magog in one of the most baffling prophecies ever to grace the eyes of unworthy interpreters of Biblical Prophecy.

Ezekiel 40:1-48:35At the 10th day of the 1st month of what would have been the 25th year of Zedekiah’s reign, which is 25 years since the 3rd Captivity in which Jeconiah was taken captive and 14 years after the City of Jerusalem was smitten (approx. 575 BC; Ezek. 40:1), Ezekiel prophesies yet another baffling prophecy bringing consternation and trouble to the minds of would-be-interpreters throughout all ages. This prophecy, much like the former (Ezek. 38-39), and no doubt related to the former, is profoundly clear if it is approached from a Biblical & Historical perspective. Nevertheless, this approach is hard to come by for impatient handlers of the text. Therefore, Ezekiel’s Temple remains infamous in how men purpose to overlook it, wagging their heads in displeasure, and it is famous in how men will at last discover its meaning in the purpose that God intended according to His good pleasure. In other words, Ezekiel 40-48 is a true masterpiece of the Father who takes pleasure in hiding and revealing the truth (Matt. 11:25-26)!