punish those who
dwell in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, by the sword, by
famine, and by pestilence, so that none of the remnant of Judah, who have
gone into the land of Egypt to reside there, shall escape or be left to
return to the land of Judah, to which they have a desire to return; for
none shall return except as fugitives. And they who escape the sword shall
return from the land of Egypt to the land of Judah, few in number; and all
the remnant of Judah, who have gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn
there shall know whose word shall be confirmed, mine or theirs."'

I. The Significance of the Destruction of the Hebrew State. The
destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. resulted in a mighty Transformation
of the life and thought of Israel. It marked the final Overthrow of the
old Hebrew kingdoms, and the gradual rise of that new and important factor
in human history known as Judaism. For over three centuries the Jews who
survived the great catastrophe were helpless under the rule of the great
world powers which in succession conquered southwestern Asia. For the
great majority of the Jewish race it represented the beginning of that
long exile which has continued until the present. Scattered from the
desert of Sahara to the distant land of China, and from the Black Sea to
the Indian Ocean, the different groups of exiles quickly began to adapt
themselves to their changed surroundings and to absorb the new knowledge
and the powerful influences which gradually transformed their beliefs and
ideals. While their vision was vastly broadened by this contact, the
danger and horror of being completely engulfed in the great heathen world
bound the faithful more closely together, and in time made Judaism
the solid, unbreakable rock that has withstood the assaults and the
disintegrating forces of the ages. At first the survivors of the great
catastrophe were stunned by the blow that had shattered their nation. They
lived only in their memories of the past and in their hopes for the
future. At last, in the long period of misery and enforced meditation,
they began not only to accept but also to apply the eternal principles
proclaimed by their earlier prophets. Thus amidst these entirely new
conditions they gained a broader and deeper faith and were still further
trained for the divine task of teaching mankind.

II. The Book of Lamentations. After describing the destruction of the
little kingdom established at Mizpah