b)
But, that will happen because of personal sinful choice made by the transgressor.
5)
As God preserved and protected the Rechabites, because they had obeyed the commandment of Jonadab their father, He will preserve and protect the remnant that will obey the commandment of their heavenly Father.
3.
Of course, it was the function of the city to provide such protection, but one must still imagine the impact of such drastically increased numbers during a long siege.
C.
The siege of Jerusalem lasted from the winter months in Zedekiah’s ninth year as king to the summer of his eleventh year. This works out to be about eighteen months of an increasingly terrible situation.
II.
Lodging.
A.
Let’s imagine the present day annual Passover crowd that would descend upon Jerusalem.
1.
There would, of course, be rooms in the city, but many would stay in the outlying towns in guest rooms and so forth.
2.
During the siege, even the people in those towns would come into the city seeking shelter.
B.
It is reasonable to assume that the city would soon fill.
1.
It would mostly fill with makeshift shelters to accommodate those unable to find or afford the cost of an inn or a room.
2.
There would be people everywhere you looked. Many would become quickly destitute.
3.
In order to have a place to live some would probably take the life of others to lay hold on their place for themselves or for themselves and their family.
III.
Food and Water.
A.
Jerusalem had an internal water supply.
B.
What people could eat, however, would be limited to whatever supplies the city had stored for such an emergency.