God brings His wrath against Judah (2 Kings 21:1-21:18, 24:1-25:30)

Manasseh, Hezekiah’s son, turned from all the good things his father did to go back to worshipping idols and leading Judah to sin against God even more than the godless nations before them. He did so much evil that God, who is holy and righteous, promises to bring a terrible disaster to Judah, punishing them. God will not protect them from their enemies because of the evil they did. This punishment comes through King Nebuchadnezzar from Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar attacks Jerusalem and the king of Jerusalem, Jehoiachin, gives up and surrenders. All the people of Jerusalem are led away into exile and only the poorest people of the land are left. A king chosen by Nebuchadnezzar is left to rule Jerusalem but this new king also rebels against Nebuchadnezzar so Jerusalem is attacked again. This time, the city is destroyed and plundered, all the treasures are taken by the Babylonians.