Daily Devotions
Jeremiah
"The bronze pillars that were in the house of the LORD"
Text: Jeremiah 52:17
AN INVENTORY OF THE THINGS TAKEN TO BABYLON
Not all things were totally destroyed when the Temple was razed to the ground. We have a brief inventory of the major items that were brought to Babylon.
“The bronze pillars that were in the house of the LORD,
and the carts and the bronze Sea that were in the house of the LORD,
the Chaldeans broke in pieces, and carried all their bronze to Babylon.
They also took away the pots, the shovels, the trimmers, the bowls, the spoons,
and all the bronze utensils with which the priests ministered.
The basins, the firepans, the bowls, the pots, the lampstands, the spoons,
and the cups, whatever was solid gold and whatever was solid silver,
the captain of the guard took away.
The two pillars, one Sea, the twelve bronze bulls which were under it,
and the carts, which King Solomon had made for the house of the LORD—
the bronze of all these articles was beyond measure.
Now concerning the pillars: the height of one pillar was eighteen cubits,
a measuring line of twelve cubits could measure its circumference,
and its thickness was four fingers; it was hollow.
A capital of bronze was on it; and the height of one capital was five cubits,
with a network and pomegranates all around the capital, all of bronze.
The second pillar, with pomegranates was the same.
There were ninety-six pomegranates on the sides;
all the pomegranates, all around on the network, were one hundred.”
Jeremiah 52:17-23
1. The bronze items
a) The bronze pillars.
b) The bronze Sea (for ritual cleansing ceremonies).
2. The items that were made of silver and gold
a) These were taken away to Babylon too.
b) These were to be kept in storage in Babylon.
3. Special notation of the bronze pillars
a) They were very tall pillars.
b) They were elaborately made.
c) Pomegranates were of symbolic national significance.
d) They were supposed to represent fruitfulness.
i) But fruitfulness is the result of God’s blessings.
ii) Without His blessings, the symbol in itself is without much value at all.