I think that most of us understand clearly that Israel went into captivity because of idolatry and Sabbath breaking. (That is very clearly shown in Ezekiel 20.) Satan succeeded in blinding the Israelites to both the true God and His true purpose, even though they were a religious people. You remember what Paul wrote of them in Romans 10:2. He said that the Jews of his day were a people who had a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. They were off base; but they were zealous. They were 'religious.' (We will hear more about the Jews later, in another sermon.)
