Our reading through First Kings to Second Chronicles has been a roller coaster of emotions. We’ve read of the beauty of Solomon’s Temple being built. Followed by Solomon’s fall, and the division of the kingdom. There have been godly kings, and evil kings. Battles have been won and lost. Israel was taken captive by the Assyrians, and then Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed as Judah was taken into captivity by the Babylonians.
History has shown that no nation or people can rise higher than their devotion to God. The Northern Kingdom never had leadership from a godly king, they were perpetually serving idols. The Southern Kingdom fluctuated between good and evil kings. They would have revival, then revert back to idolatry.
Despite the dark shadow of Judah being exiled and Jerusalem being destroyed, we have a glimmer of hope: “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The Lord his God be with him, and let him go up” (2 Chr. 36:22–23).
The Persian king asked, “Who is there among you of all his people?” Who among the captives was willing to go back and rebuild the Temple? Who was willing to go back and establish true worship? The reason why Judah was taken into captivity was due to their unfaithfulness to the Lord. If they wanted to go back, however, it was going to be based upon the willingness to put the Lord first.
Restoration begins when we turn from our sinful ways and put the Lord first in our lives. Until we are willing to recognize the reason for our captivity, we will never discover the path to freedom.