Audio Download

Exiles in the Bible – “Captivity”

[Study Aired October 3, 2024]

4.  The most notable exiles of Israel into Assyrian captivity, and Judah into Babylonian captivity.

The Assyrian siege of Jerusalem (Israel) was in 701 BCE (2Ki 24:10-14) and Judah’s Babylonian captivity was in 587 BCE

These two exiles are very significant events in God’s word that were written for our sakes (1Pe 1:12 , 1Co 10:11). The ten tribes of Israel represent how our flesh (10 tribes, ten being the number of flesh) must go into captivity. The flesh goes into spiritual bondage and can only be delivered by God’s grace. The wood, hay and stubble of (1Co 3:12) are represented by the ten tribes that went into captivity, and coming out of that exile is only the beginning of what typifies our judgement in this life (1Pe 4:17). It is Judah’s Babylonian captivity that typifies for us our religious captivity as Judah represents the head, and Israel the body. Our final deliverance from Judah also represents a now life long journey of overcoming by God’s grace. We could also parallel Israel’s Assyrian captivity and Judah’s Babylonian captivity with Oholah (Israel) and Oholibah (Judah). Oholibah observing her sister’s lewdness, parallels Judah who saw and knew the consequences of Israel’s disobedience and yet was more treacherous than her sister Oholah. This pattern is to tell us that our religious head is the more insidious and difficult spiritual challenge to overcome. Wood, hay and stubble, as I said, represents what was being burnt out of Israel, and it is the gold, silver and precious stones that represent what must be purified in our heavens, typified by Judah’s Babylonian captivity.

1Co 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

Everyone must go into Babylon in order to come out of her, and everyone must be purified by God’s fiery judgements if we are going to enter into the temple of God (Rev 15:8). Ancient Babylon was a culture God caused to be manifest to take Israel into captivity, that represents the world which must initially be in the bondage of sin. We only have to consider the Babylonian head of the great statue found in the book of Daniel that controls all the empires of the world throughout history, to be shown that this head of Babylon represents Satan the god of this world who controls the hearts and minds of humanity (Dan 2:32-35). We all go into captivity by virtue of being born into sinful flesh, but not all are judged at the same time. There is a decent and orderly way in which God is unfolding His glorious plan that will save all of humanity, and He shows us through these captivities the pattern by which all flesh will be judged in time (1Co 15:22 , 1Jn 2:2 , 1Ti 4:10).

No man was able & No man can!

We are all familiar with the verse that says “no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled”(Rev 15:8). ‘No man was able’ is another way of saying “no man can“, and a closer look at the use of the phrase “no man can” will help us understand the only way in which we can come out of our Egyptian or Babylonian exile that flesh just naturally takes us into, being subject to the vanity of this life (Rom 8:20-24 , Heb 6:11 , Rom 7:24-25 , Php 2:12-13).

Rom 8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Rom 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
Rom 8:24 For we are saved by hope: (Col 1:27) but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

Heb 6:11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence (Php 2:12-13) to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
Heb 6:12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.(Luk 21:19)

Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord (Col 1:27). So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Here are some of those verses that explain what “no man can” accomplished, but through Christ we will learn that we are more than conquerors through him (Rom 8:37). These verses below express the absolute impossibility for us to come out of exile, and at the same time encourage us to see that nothing is impossible for God (Mat 19:26 , Mat 17:20 , Heb 6:18) who makes a way where there seems to be none in the sea that represents the flesh of humanity (Isa 43:16 , Mat 17:20).

Job 12:14 Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.[“no man was able” Rev 15:8]

Ecc 3:11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can [“no man was able” Rev 15:8] find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

Dan 2:10 The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king’s matter: [“no man was able” Rev 15:8] therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.

Mat 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. [“no man was able” Rev 15:8]

Mar 3:27 No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; [“no man was able” Rev 15:8]  and then he will spoil his house.

Joh 3:2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. [Joh 14:12] ; [“no man was able” Rev 15:8]

Joh 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. ; [“no man was able” Rev 15:8]

Joh 6:65  And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. [“no man was able” Rev 15:8]

Joh 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. [Rev 22:11-12]

1Co 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. [Psa 127:1] [“no man was able” Rev 15:8]

1Co 12:3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. [“no man was able” Rev 15:8]

1Ti 6:16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; [“no man was able” Rev 15:8] whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

Jas 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. [2Co 10:5] [“no man was able” Rev 15:8]

Rev 3:8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. [Mat 24:24] [“no man was able”Rev 15:8]

I’ve taken the time to mention these verses in conjunction with our study to demonstrate how by God’s power we will come out of exile, through a dying daily process that Christ is the author and finisher of (1Co 15:31 , Heb 12:2).

Next week, Lord willing, we will look at the fifth part of our mini series on the word ‘Exile’ in the bible entitled: “Events in the bible that typify how we must come out of exile by God’s power”.