Seventy Years of Exile

Let's do some arithmetics. I rely on the Old Testament timeline provided by Bible Hub to do the following calculations in order to look at the 70-year Babylonian exile. It is commonly agreed that in 537 B.C., Cyrus decreed that the Jews should return to Jerusalem. Moreover, Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians in 586 B.C. Therefore, the exile lasted for 50 years only. However, prior to 586 B.C. the Babylonians had already begun deporting the nobles since 605 B.C. Therefore, a 70-year exile makes sense.

"to fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had been paid her sabbaths; for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years." (2 Chronicles 36:21)
This verse stirs up my speculation. The Israelites did not observe the law of sabbathetical year (Leviticus 25), 70 in total. Therefore, they were exiled for 70 years to repay the skipping of sabbathetical years.
Before we start calculating, we need to decide what to make of the Jubilee Year, the fiftieth year. Since the land rested in a Jubilee Year similar to that of sabbathetical years, I will count it a sabbathetical year. Therefore, in 50 years, there were 8 sabbathetical years. Now, the Jews were exiled for 70 years to repay for the skipping of sabbathetical years. Therefore 70 sabbathetical years were skipped. A total of 437.5 (70/8*50) years were covered. When did the Jews begin skipping sabbathetical years and jubilee years? 974 (537 + 437) B.C. During this time, David was fleeing from the onslaugh of his own son Absalom! It sounds reasonable. I speculate that after the death of Absalom, David returned to Jerusalem to mourn for his favourite son who tried to overthrow his own father. Meanwhile, David did not observe sabbathetical years anymore since his return to Jerusalem.

What if we do not count Jubilee Years as sabbathetical years? A total of 500 (70/7*50) years would be covered. That is to say, the Jews began skipping sabbathetical years since 1037 B.C. It was roughly 10 years before Saul openly disobeyed Samuel (1 Samuel 15). Saul had been king for about 6 years since he was anointed king in 1043 B.C. That is to say, ever since the appointment of kings, the Israelites no longer observed sabbathetical years. Both versions make sense. Yet, they are only speculations.
The author of Chronicles saw the Babylonian Exile as a repayment of sabbathetical years. This very idea warned the Jewish readers to keep God's commandments because they had to repay every cent they owed (Matthew 5:26) The reading of John is more consoling. God did not send Jesus to judge the world but to save it (John 3:17). Unlike Matthew, John was less legalistic.

Today, at the 2nd Rite of Scrutiny in St. Francis of Assisi Church, I met a few La Salle old students. After leaving LSC for more than 20 years, some of them will be baptized this Easter. They are all grown-ups now. God is marvelous. I am touched and speechless as well. The Word of God is like a seed growing up on its own in their hearts. This is God's working, not mine.

Dear Lord, I praise you. You will not leave anybody unsaved. Amen.