Could this disaster have been averted? Yes, if God’s people had listened to His prophets and the good kings. The great prophet Isaiah preached during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah (and may have been killed by Manasseh). He was persuasive and persistent. He assured Judah’s people that, if they would repent, God would restore them to righteousness (Isaiah 1:26).
And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in. (Isaiah 58:12)
Amid the turmoil of invasion, Habakkuk questioned God’s use of wicked Babylon. He learned the vital lesson: “The righteous shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4 cf. Romans 1:17). Isaiah, like Joel and Amos, looked ahead to a brighter future. They predicted the coming of the greatest restorer of all, the Christ.
In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old. (Amos 9:11 cf. Acts 15:16; Isaiah 16:5)