Recently, my Bible reading brought me across a most interesting passage. In Jeremiah 27:6-7 [6] And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him. [7] And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son's son, until the very time of his land come: and then many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of him.
See All..., the Lord declared that He has given the land of Judah and the surrounding countries to Nebechadnezzar. "And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son's son, until the very time of the land come" (v.7). This is known as the Babylonian Captivity but what do these details mean?

I remembered that Daniel, chapter five, refers to Belshazzar as the son of Nebuchadnezzar and that the kingdom of Babylon fell under him and the Babylonians lost their rule over the nations. This became a point of criticism a number of years ago by the scholars when it was discovered that Belshazzar was the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar and the the son was a man named Nabonidus. Of course, in the Bible, the word "son" can refer to a son, a grandson, or even a distant descendant (Jesus being the son of David). Therefore, the Bible record in not at all wrong. The historical accounts just filled in some of the extra details.

But now I see that the Bible record anticipated this discovery all along--and not just in history, but in prophecy told before it happened. Jeremiah told us that all nations would serve Nebuchadnezzar, his son, and his son's son. This specific language would require a son and grandson to rule after Nebuchadnezzar before the fall of Babylon. And, although this fulfillment is not recorded in specific details in scripture, it is still exactly what happened. This family would rule in Babylon "until the very time of the land come" (Jeremiah 27:7And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son's son, until the very time of his land come: and then many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of him.
See All...). This phrase probably refers to the fact that Babylon would rule the nations until the time came for the land of Israel to be restored to the Jewish people. This also happened not long into the rule of the Persians when Cyrus made a decree for the restoration of Jerusalem and Judah to the Jews (Ezra 1:1-4 [1] Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, [2] Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. [3] Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem. [4] And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.
See All...). God certainly has an amazing eye for detail in prophecy and its fulfillment.