1. The Exile in Babylon “God be merciful to me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13)

2. What is the one thing you think God HATES the most? SIN!

3. o Zedekiah, King of Jerusalem sinned against the Lord. The people followed him and sinned. They turned away from the commandments of God, so the Lord punished them. o As a result, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia came to fight the king of Jerusalem.

4. o They built towers around it and besieged it. The siege lasted for 2 years! o The people in the city suffered from severe hunger, they needed food and there was severe famine. o His army got into the city, looted (stole) and killed many people.

5. o The King of Jerusalem tried to escape but the Babylonian army pursued and captured him. o While Zedekiah looked on, his sons were killed in front of him and then His eyes were taken out and he was placed in chains and taken into Babylon.

6. o The King of Babylon burnt down the temple, the palace, and the houses of all the important people. The city walls were also torn down by his soldiers o He took with him to Babylon those that were left in the Jerusalem into exile and plundered them.

7. o The people suffered oppression for a long time, during this long time of suffering their hearts returned to God. o They cried, “O Lord, have mercy on us…we have sinned against You. Remember your promise, your covenant. O Lord, when will you come back to us and have mercy on us again?”

9. Conclusion Although God is merciful, kind, gracious and overly abundant to us with His Love, He dislikes sin! He is righteous. He loves sinners and gives many chances to repent and return, but when man lives in sin all of his life, the Lord punishes him We are all sinners and we must always humble ourselves and ask the Lord by saying, “O Lord, have Mercy on us sinners!”

10. Questions What did Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon do with the city of Jerusalem? What did Nebuchadnezzar do with the king of Jerusalem and the people of Jerusalem? What did Nebuchadnezzar do with the temple, he King’s palace and all the houses of the people? What caused all these tribulations?