Seventy Years
In Jeremiah 25:3, the prophet proclaims that he’s been at it for twenty-three years, trying to call the nation to repent. In general, people haven’t listened. Jeremiah has already described the the bad things that were going to happen. However, he adds one additional detail this time: the desolation would last seventy years (Jeremiah 25:11). All except some of the youngest would never see the land again after being carried into exile.
This timetable is referenced a couple other times.
The land enjoyed its sabbath rests; all the time of its desolation it rested, until the seventy years were completed in fulfillment of the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah.
2 Chronicles 36:21
The Chronicler connects Jeremiah’s prophecy with the sabbath years. The people were supposed to rest every seven days. That isn’t feasible for land. Instead, the land is to rest every seven years (Leviticus 25:3-4). It seems the land wasn’t getting its rest. The seventy years would make up for centuries of neglect.
The prophet Daniel also heard Jeremiah’s prophecy (Daniel 9:2), recalling it after Darius the Mede rose to the throne.
Jeremiah would continue preaching for many more years after this, too, seeing his prophecies come true as Jerusalem was destroyed around him. Despite the opposition, he doesn’t quit. God gave him a job and (despite wanting to give up at times) he kept on going, staying faithful.
To Ponder…
- How would you respond if you were in Jeremiah’s shoes, delivering a neglected message for 23 years? Would you keep at it that long?
- Which is more important to you: how other people view you or how God views you?