Ruins

The remains of a city, town or building after destruction or neglect. In Scripture it mainly describes the aftermath of divine judgment.

Israel's reduction to ruins

As a covenant curse for disobeying God

Leviticus 26:27–33 See also Deuteronomy 13:16, Deuteronomy 28:49–52

But if in spite of all this you do not obey Me, but continue to walk in hostility toward Me, then I will walk in fury against you, and I, even I, will punish you sevenfold for your sins. You will eat the flesh of your own sons and daughters. I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars, and heap your lifeless bodies on the lifeless remains of your idols; and My soul will despise you. I will reduce your cities to rubble and lay waste your sanctuaries, and I will refuse to smell the pleasing aroma of your sacrifices. And I will lay waste the land, so that your enemies who dwell in it will be appalled. But I will scatter you among the nations and will draw out a sword after you as your land becomes desolate and your cities are laid waste.

The ruin prophesied

Jeremiah 9:11; Micah 1:6–7 See also Isaiah 5:5–7, Isaiah 6:11–13; Jeremiah 4:7, Jeremiah 4:20, Jeremiah 4:23–26, Jeremiah 22:5; Ezekiel 6:6–7, Ezekiel 6:14, Ezekiel 21:27; Amos 3:13–15, Amos 7:9

“And I will make Jerusalem a heap of rubble, a haunt for jackals; and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant.”

Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of rubble in the open field, a planting area for a vineyard. I will pour her stones into the valley and expose her foundations. All her carved images will be smashed to pieces; all her wages will be burned in the fire, and I will destroy all her idols. Since she collected the wages of a prostitute, they will be used again on a prostitute.

The ruin described

2 Kings 25:8–15 parallels 2 Chronicles 36:17–19, Jeremiah 39:8–10, Jeremiah 52:12–19

The ruin lamented

Psalm 89:39–41 See also Psalm 74:3, Psalm 80:12–16; Isaiah 64:8–12; Lamentations 2:5–9

You have renounced the covenant with Your servant and sullied his crown in the dust. You have broken down all his walls; You have reduced his strongholds to rubble. All who pass by plunder him; he has become a reproach to his neighbors.

The ruin explained

Jeremiah 44:2–6 See also Ezekiel 33:23–29

“This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: You have seen all the disaster that I brought against Jerusalem and all the cities of Judah; and behold, they lie today in ruins and desolation because of the evil they have done. They provoked Me to anger by continuing to burn incense and to serve other gods that neither they nor you nor your fathers ever knew. Yet I sent you all My servants the prophets again and again, saying: ‘Do not do this detestable thing that I hate.’ But they did not listen or incline their ears; they did not turn from their wickedness or stop burning incense to other gods. Therefore My wrath and anger poured out and burned in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, so that they have become the desolate ruin they are today.

Restoration of Israel's ruins

Restoration of the ruins prophesied

Isaiah 51:3, Isaiah 61:4 See also Isaiah 44:24–26, Isaiah 58:12; Jeremiah 30:18–19, Jeremiah 31:27–28; Ezekiel 36:8–12, Ezekiel 36:33–36; Amos 9:11–12

For the LORD will comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; He will make her wilderness like Eden and her desert like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and melodious song.

They will rebuild the ancient ruins; they will restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations.

Restoration of the ruins fulfilled at the return from exile

Ezra 3:1–13; Nehemiah 1:3–4, Nehemiah 2:11–20; Haggai 1:1–15

Ruins through God's judgment on Israel's enemies

Assyria

Nineveh was the capital of Assyria: Nahum 3:7; Zephaniah 2:13–15

Babylon

Isaiah 13:19–22, Isaiah 23:13; Jeremiah 51:37

Edom

Ezekiel 35:1–4, Ezekiel 35:9; Malachi 1:2–4

Egypt

Jeremiah 46:19; Ezekiel 29:8–12

Moab

Jeremiah 48:1, Jeremiah 48:18

Philistia

Zephaniah 2:4–6

Tyre

Ezekiel 26:3–4, Ezekiel 26:11–14, Ezekiel 26:19–21

Towns and sites ruined

In warfare

Joshua 8:24–29; 1 Chronicles 20:1

In natural disaster

Joel 1:6–12, Joel 1:16–17

Apocalyptic prophecies of ruin

Isaiah 24:1–13, Isaiah 27:9–10; Revelation 16:17–21, Revelation 18:21–23

Repairs to the ruined temple, altar and defences

1 Kings 18:30 See also 2 Kings 12:1–12 parallel 2 Chronicles 24:4–13; 2 Kings 22:3–7 parallel 2 Chronicles 34:8–13

Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people approached him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been torn down.

Proverbial references to ruins

Proverbs 25:28 See also Job 3:13–14, Job 15:27–28; Psalm 102:6; Proverbs 24:30–31

Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who does not control his temper.