Captivity and Restoration

See Ezekiel, especially Chapter 37.

All through the book of Ezekiel, God warned the Israelites what He was going to do if they didn't change their wicked ways and turn back to Him. He would bring all sorts of devastation to the nation, including allowing them to be captured. But despite all the many warnings, the Israelites wouldn't listen. Instead, they became even more evil and perverse.

Just as God had warned, both the divided nations of Israel and Judah were taken captive. The northern kingdom of Israel fell to the Assyrians first in 722 B.C. The Babylonians invaded Judah in 586 B.C. and destroyed much of Jerusalem, including the temple. Judah's captivity lasted for seventy-five years.

However, just as God promised, He also eventually restored His people. He brought good to the Israelites after they were taken into captivity in Ezekiel's time. Not only were they able to come back to the land of their forefathers after seventy-five years, but they came back as one nation, not two. Israel and Judah were united again.  As He often does, He used a bad situation to bring about good. He does the same with us, but we may not see it until much later. 

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

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