Why the Exile(s)?

As early as the Book of Deuteronomy (29:24-28), Moses warned the people of Israel that perpetual disobedience of God’s laws could lead to the most devastating discipline the nation would ever experience – Exile. The Exile would mean that the people would be uprooted from the very land that God had given them. Giving His people a specific portion of land was so important to God that He detailed the original boundaries of it (as well as each tribe) in the Book of Joshua (13:8-19:51). The land is part of Israel’s identity, so when Israel is removed by exile, it means that other forms of correction and discipline have not been successful, it means that God’s longsuffering and patience have reached a tipping point where exile is the only recourse to get the nation back on track.

 In early 1406 BC1, Joshua led the people of Israel across the Jordan River into the Promised Land. Almost seven hundred years later, past the distressing days of the Judges, past the monarchies of Saul, David, and Solomon, and nearly two hundred years into the divided kingdom, the first exile took place. Samaria, the capital city of the northern kingdom (10 tribes) of Israel, fell to the Assyrians in 723 BC.2 This would be the end of the northern kingdom of Israel; 2 Kings 17:6 states that the king of Assyria took the capital city of Samaria from Hoshea (the last king of the northern kingdom) and deported the people to Assyria. The nation of Israel was warned that this could happen, and if you keep reading the text of 2 Kings 17, God spells out the reason for this calamity (2 Kings 17:7-18). But there’s more. The Assyrian deportation policy did not mean just the removal of a people; it meant replacing them with other people groups, an exchange. 2 Kings 17:24 explains it clearly, “Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel; and they took possession of Samaria and dwelt in its cities.” These deportees from other nations brought into Samaria their customs and religious practices, which God was not pleased with, so He sent lions among these people, killing some, because they did not fear the Lord (2 Kings 17:25). This situation was brought to the attention of the Assyrian king. He remedied the problem by instructing a deported priest to return to Samaria and teach the people the ways of God (2 Kings 17:26-28). Nevertheless, the foreigners continued to make gods of their own, which they included alongside their worship of God (2 Kings 17:41). This practice continued well into the days of Nehemiah and Ezra, who encountered this religious syncretism.

With the northern kingdom of Israel deported to Assyria, would there be any hope for the southern kingdom of Judah (2 tribes) to avoid a similar fate? Unfortunately, the southern kingdom of Judah only lasted an additional 118 years before the Babylonians started deporting them in 605 BC. The good news, however, is that God promised the southern kingdom of Judah that God would bring them back to the land after seventy years (Jer. 25:11-12; 29:10; Dan. 9:1-2). The deportation to Babylon took place in three waves.  The first wave (605 BC) included Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah, and some of the royal captives from the house of Judah (Dan.1:1-6).Daniel and his three friends ministered in the court of Babylon, and as far as history tells us, they never returned to the land at the end of the 70-year Exile. The second wave (597 BC) included the prophet Ezekiel and more royal captives (2 Kings 24:12-16). Ezekiel ministered to the captives who were deported into Babylon; there was a large population of Jewish deportees to the south of the city of Babylon in Chebar (Ezek.3:10-15). The third wave (586 BC) would destroy what was left of Judah, including the destruction of Solomon’s temple, which was the most tragic event of the Exile. Jeremiah, who was never deported and stayed in the land to minister to the remaining population, penned the Book of Lamentations as he watched Solomon’s temple be destroyed. During all the destruction that took place during this third and final deportation, Jeremiah was protected from being killed by Nebuchadnezzar’s orders (Jer.39:11-12).

True to His Word, after the seventy years were finished, God orchestrated the return to the land via a decree by Cyrus (Ezra 1:1-4). There were three deportations to Babylon, and in a like fashion, there would be three returns to the land. 50,000 people, led by Zerubbabel, were part of the first return. The returnees began to lay the foundations for rebuilding the temple but got sidetracked with personal matters (Haggai 1). However, the preaching of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah (Ezra 5:1-6:14) encouraged the people to resume this very important work; the temple would be completed and dedicated in 516 BC (Ezra 6:15). The second wave, which included a much smaller group, was led by Ezra. The priests return, and the instruction of the Law begins (Ezra 7-10). Nehemiah led the third wave of returnees. Under his leadership, the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt, and the government was re-established, with Nehemiah serving as governor for 12 years.

Fast forward to the New Testament. The Apostle Peter calls believers “foreigners and exiles” (1 Peter 2:11) to remind them they are not living in their homeland. Our home is in the presence of God (heaven), but presently, we have been exiled because of sin. Now, while Christ’s death on the Cross has guaranteed our return to heaven, we have a (co)mission to spread the Good News faithfully (Matt.28:18-20). At the appointed time only known by the Father, a decree will go forth, and the return will begin. Never again will we, or the nation of Israel, experience the pains of exile again.