SIMPLIFIED JOURNEY (13): Exile & Return

One of the defining events of Jewish history was the exile to Babylon – from which some of the Jews eventually returned to their home country.

He [Nebuchadnezzar] carried into exile to Babylon the remnant, who escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and his sons until the kingdom of Persia came to power. The land [of Judah] 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.

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation through his realm…. – 2 Chronicles 36:20-22

The proclamation of Cyrus was that all of the Jews who desired, would be able to return to their homeland with