Line up the timelines between the captivity prophets major milestone “visions” and experiences. Do you see patterns 521-1 - 1 - 4

Jeremiah, Daniel and Ezekiel are known the “Captivity Prophets.” The period of time between the First Siege and the Decree of Cyrus is known as the "Servitude of the Nation" and lasted 70 years. The period of time between the Third Siege and the Decree of Artaxerxes was known as the "Desolations of Jerusalem" and also lasted 70 years. The Decree of Artaxerxes was the triggering event that started the "70 Weeks of Daniel."

The Babylonian captivity actually took place in three sieges, but it had been extensively prophesied as in Jeremiah 25:8-12, Therefore the Lord Almighty says this: Because you have not listened to my words, I will summon all the peoples of the north and my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon,” declares the Lord, and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants and against all the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy them and make them an object of horror and scorn, and an everlasting ruin. I will banish from them the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, the sound of millstones and the light of the lamp. This whole country will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years. But when the seventy years are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon and his nation, the land of the Babylonians, for their guilt,” declares the Lord, and will make it desolate forever.”

· 606 BC: The Babylonians began the 1st of 3 deportations of the Jews; the teen-ager Daniel was in this group.

· 597 BC the second deportation group was taken in 597 BC and included the 25 year old Ezekiel.

Ezekiel was called to be a prophet in 592 BC while living in Tel-aviv a few hundred miles from the city of Babylon. Concurrent to Ezekiel being called to be a prophet while in captivity, Jeremiah was an old man and still in Israel warning the people of the destruction of Jerusalem to follow six years later. Daniel would be in the city proper and in high office. Daniel was aware of the prophecies of Jeremiah and mentioned then in Daniel 9. Ezekiel likely heard Jeremiah speak while still in Jerusalem.

Three “Captivity Prophets” ministering to three difference groups of people; Daniel was in the King’s court, Ezekiel was with those tilling the land and Jeremiah was with the remnant in Jerusalem and would not leave for Egypt until later.

While in exile Ezekiel warned the people to accept their captivity just as Jeremiah warned those still in Jerusalem. The prophets said that God was using Babylon as judgment for Israel’s sins. As the temple was still standing and Jerusalem had not been destroyed the false prophets were still telling the people that they were God's people and they would go back home, wrong. These horrific events would not happen until seven years after the group of second siege captives arrived in Babylon.

Added Later:

The following well-known prophecy and its fulfillment after the third siege required the virgin birth of the seed of the woman. Ezekiel 12:13, "My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare: and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there." This prophecy was fulfilled Jeremiah 39:6-7, "There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes and also killed all the nobles of Judah. Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon."

 Daniel knew the 70 years prophesied by Jeremiah was coming to an end and was in prayer when Gabriel disclosed the Seventy ‘sevens’ to him. Daniel 9:24,”Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish[b] transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place.”

Then came the amazing prophecy of the arrival of the Messiah, Daniel 9:25, “Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble.
Daniel 9:26, “After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.” For nearly two thousand years the world has waited upon the 70^th week of Daniel.