Significantly, Jehovah sent zealous prophets to declare his view of what was developing.d Jeremiah related Jehovah’s words: “From the day that your forefathers came forth out of the land of Egypt until this day . . . I kept sending to you all my servants the prophets, daily getting up early and sending them.” But the people did not listen to God. They acted worse than their forefathers! (Jeremiah 7:25, 26) He warned them repeatedly “because he felt compassion for his people.” They still refused to respond. So he allowed the Babylonians to destroy Jerusalem and desolate the land in 607 B.C.E. For 70 years it lay abandoned.—2 Chronicles 36:15, 16; Jeremiah 25:4-11.

The temple was finally rebuilt, but Jerusalem was in a pitiful condition. Her walls and gates were in ruins. So God raised up men such as Nehemiah to encourage and organize the Jews. A prayer that we can read in Nehemiah chapter 9 well summarizes Jehovah’s dealings with the Israelites. It shows Jehovah to be “a God of acts of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness.” The prayer also shows that Jehovah acts in harmony with his perfect standard of justice. Even when he has good reason to exercise his power to execute judgment, he is ready to temper justice with love. His doing this in a balanced and admirable way requires wisdom. Clearly, the Creator’s dealings with the nation of Israel ought to draw us to him and motivate us to be interested in doing his will.