In family worship, we have been reading through the years of the captivity of God’s people.  After residing in Babylon and Persia, many have now been given permission to return to their homeland and worship God there.  Last night, we were reflecting on what God accomplished through the captivity, which of course came as a result of their disobedience to God’s commands.

First, we noticed that God used the many years of hardships that come with being taken captive and living in a foreign land to draw the people of God back to Himself.  Many turned away from their idolatry and once again turned their hearts to the God of their fathers.

Secondly, many of their neighbors and acquaintances came to know and believe in the one, true God.  We read the stories of kings who saw lions slept with, fires endured, and dreams interpreted, but imagine how many more common people in the streets and markets saw and heard of the power of the God of Israel, as they interacted with His people.

So, the captivity of the people of Israel, which had been such a painful lesson for them, ended in blessing them, as well as the people they dwelt amongst.