First came the punishments that preceded the exile as God’s voices of warning. These were punishments that showed how the Lord, in love, still calls to repentance. These are also found very clearly in Leviticus 26:1–46 and Deuteronomy 28:1–68. Yet the people did not really repent and beg for mercy. The judges, the leaders of the people, together with the people of God, ignored these punishments of warning. The people of God continued to follow the ways of their own sinful hearts. They did not really listen to the truth with their hearts. They have ignored the call to faith even as the Lord had let it be heard through the prophet Jeremiah, for example. Almost all the people did so. Then the exile actually came, according to the Word of God that they heard.
12 He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us and against our rulers who ruled us, by bringing upon us a great calamity. For under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what has been done against Jerusalem.