Page 100 - Gods Plan of the Ages

prophet Jeremiah, Judah and Jerusalem were captured and destroyed. Many of the people
were slaughtered. The remnant were taken captive to Babylon. Those who know the history
of God's people know that His wrath that "shall not be quenched" was satisfied seventy
years later. Yahweh had compassion on His people and restored them to the land of their
inheritance. He strengthened them to rebuild the city walls and the Temple.

Isaiah 54:7-8
"For a brief moment I forsook you, but with great compassion I will gather you. In an
outburst of anger I hid My face from you for a moment, but with everlasting
lovingkindness I will have compassion on you," Says Yahweh your Redeemer.

Yahweh compares His wrath to fire. He speaks of His wrath burning. The wrath of
God must accomplish its work, even as the fires He set in the Temple and the houses of
Jerusalem had to burn until they were spent. Neither Yahweh's wrath, nor the fires of hell,
are eternal. The unquenchable fire will go out when it has accomplished its purpose. In the
end compassion will be renewed. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Yahweh did judge Judah and Jerusalem. His wrath and anger burned against them.
Yahweh's righteous indignation had to be satisfied.

Jeremiah 7:20
Therefore thus says Yahweh God, "Behold, My anger and My wrath will be poured out
on this place, on man and on beast and on the trees of the field and on the fruit of the
ground; and it will burn and not be quenched."

Nevertheless, after the anger and wrath of Yahweh had burned for a season, it came
to an end. Wrath was replaced with compassion. Judgment gave way to mercy.

Psalms 30:5
For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the
night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning.

Isaiah 60:10
Foreigners will build up your walls, and their kings will minister to you; For in My wrath
I struck you, and in My favor I have had compassion on you.

These words of Yahweh recorded by Isaiah were fulfilled in a very literal sense. Not
only was a foreign king the instrument of Yahweh's judgment upon Jerusalem, but another
foreign king was God's instrument of restoration. This foreign king was Cyrus of Persia.

Ezra 1:1-4
Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD by
the mouth of Jeremiah, Yahweh stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he
sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying: "Thus
says Cyrus king of Persia, "Yahweh, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of
the earth and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Let him go up
to Jerusalem which is in Judah and rebuild the house of Yahweh, the God of Israel; He is
the God who is in Jerusalem. Every survivor, at whatever place he may live, let the men
of that place support him with silver and gold, with goods and cattle, together with a
freewill offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.'"