On September 8, 1988, Yellowstone National Park closed to all visitors for the first time in its history. A series of the largest wildfires the park had ever seen had torn through the pristine landscape, wreaking destruction all over. The devastation was nearly unimaginable. Horrifying, really. But if you visit Yellowstone today, you’ll see a vast forest of new growth that has arisen from the ashes of that great fire—an entirely new ecosystem has grown from the fires that engulfed 793,800 acres.
As recounted in the book of Ezra, the rebirth of the great city of Jerusalem after its utter destruction in 586 BC was like a forest coming back to life. Second Chronicles tells us that God “sent word to them through his messengers again and again” (36:15). Why, we may wonder, would God repeatedly call people to repentance? It’s simple, really: “because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place” (v. 15).
Despite God’s unfailing love for His people and their city, they “mocked God’s messengers” (v. 16), refusing to repent until God brought judgment upon them. The Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem, destroyed God’s temple, and carried God’s people into captivity to a land far from their home. Then, we are told, “the land enjoyed its sabbath rests” (v. 21).
Moving forward several centuries, Peter tells us that God “is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). Just as God sent messenger after messenger to His people in Jerusalem, so He calls us today. As we reflect on the fall of Jerusalem, let’s reflect also on what God might be saying to us. We look forward to the new growth God brings, but let’s not neglect the crucial work of turning our hearts toward Him.
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