The southern kingdom of Judah, including Jerusalem, faces a fate similar to that of the north. The Assyrians are no longer the invaders; instead, it's the powerful Babylonian Empire under King Nebuchadnezzar. This king is famous for his conquests in the Book of Daniel, where he's portrayed as an instrument of God's judgment on the sinful and idolatrous people of Judah.
King Jehoiakim of Judah foolishly rebelled against the Babylonians after being under their rule for three years. This led to a wave of invasions and destruction from neighboring peoples. His son Jehoiachin, just 18 years old, was on the throne for only three months when Jerusalem was besieged by the Babylonian forces.
Nebuchadnezzar himself arrived, and on March 16, 597 BC, he captured the city and took King Jehoiachin captive, along with his mother and court. Jehoiachin would remain in exile under Nebuchadnezzar's rule for 37 years. This fulfilled a prophecy by Jeremiah that King Coniah (the abbreviated form of Jeconiah) would be torn off from God's hand and handed over to his enemies.
The Babylonians not only took away the king but also plundered the Temple and royal palace, including golden vessels placed there by King Solomon. The entire population of Jerusalem was carried off, leaving only the poorest of the poor behind. Approximately 10,000 people were taken away, including soldiers, craftsmen, and artisans.
In place of Jehoiachin, his uncle Mattaniah was installed as king, renamed Zedekiah, meaning "Yahweh is my justice." This name change signified subjection to Nebuchadnezzar. Despite their exile, many who were taken away likely adjusted to their new circumstances and made the best of it.
The passage emphasizes that God's people pay for their infidelities in failing to keep God's law. However, it also suggests that every experience can be an opportunity to find God in a new situation and environment. Wherever life takes us, God is always present and can be found in our current circumstances.
God remains true to his word, and we must remember that although his mercy endures forever, he is simultaneously perfectly just, where a tipping of the scales will always favour us, rather than unjustly punish us. God always rewards us much more than what we deserve, and punishes us much less than our actions have merited, but he will remain just.
In today’s gospel, Jesus is once again clearly stating that what he is looking for, therefore, is authenticity. For our own good, we need to be the real deal, so to speak.
As we conclude the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus emphasizes that a true disciple of his is not defined by external actions alone. Merely saying "Lord, Lord" or performing miracles won't suffice. Instead, a true disciple is someone who is deeply connected to God in heart, soul, and mind. This connection comes from listening to Jesus' words and living them out in practice. Listening means paying attention, understanding, and fully accepting what we've heard. When we internalize Jesus' teachings, we naturally live accordingly.
We are reminded in the gospel, and we need to take this to prayer… that trying to live a Christian life only on the surface, without truly embracing Jesus' teachings, is like building a house on shifting sand. It may look good on the outside, but when faced with challenges, it will crumble. On the other hand, building our lives on the rock-solid foundation of Christ’s words and guidance, means we'll be able to weather any storm.
Realising that this entails a journey for all of us, where we will be personally accompanied by our Risen Lord himself, let's pray that we may increasingly embody the qualities of a true disciple as outlined in this part of his sermon today.
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