Even though Josiah turned the people to the LORD, the evil that was done under King Manasseh could not be overlooked. The LORD was still angry with Judah and punishment of the people was on the horizon. God was pleased with Josiah, but His wrath kindled against Judah.
2 Kings 23:26-27 ESV Still the LORD did not turn from the burning of his great wrath, by which his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked him. (27) And the LORD said, "I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and I will cast off this city that I have chosen, Jerusalem, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there."
Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, went to the Euphrates River to help the king of Assyria. King Josiah marched his army out to meet them in battle at Megiddo where Neco killed him.
2 Kings 23:29-30 ESV In his days Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt went up to the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates. King Josiah went to meet him, and Pharaoh Neco killed him at Megiddo, as soon as he saw him. (30) And his servants carried him dead in a chariot from Megiddo and brought him to Jerusalem and buried him in his own tomb. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made him king in his father's place.
His son Jehoahaz became king, and he was twenty-three years old when he became king. And he reigned in Jerusalem three months when Pharaoh Neco put him in prison. He had demand tribute in the amount of 7,500 pounds of silver and 75 pounds of gold. He then made another one of Josiah’s sons, Eliakim, king and changed his name to Jehoiakin. Jehoahaz was taken to Egypt as a prisoner, where he died.
Jehoiakin was only eighteen years old when he became king and it was during the time of Babylon’s greatness. Babylon had become a world ruling kingdom and they insisted on tribute to be paid by Judah. The Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar, laid siege to Jerusalem and carted off all of the gold in the temple along with all of the sacred furnishings.
2 Kings 24:8-10 ESV Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Nehushta the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. (9) And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father had done. (10) At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up to Jerusalem, and the city was besieged.
2 Kings 24:12-13 ESV and Jehoiakin the king of Judah gave himself up to the king of Babylon, himself and his mother and his servants and his officials and his palace officials. The king of Babylon took him prisoner in the eighth year of his reign (13) and carried off all the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold in the temple of the LORD, which Solomon king of Israel had made, as the LORD had foretold.
Jehoiakin and all his household, all of the leaders and council surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar. All of the best of Jerusalem were taken captive to Babylon. Only the poorest and lowliest people were left in Jerusalem. Then Nebuchadnezzar made Mattaniah, Jehoiakim’s uncle, the next king; and changed his name to Zedekiah.
2 Kings 24:14-18 ESV He carried away all Jerusalem and all the officials and all the mighty men of valor, 10,000 captives, and all the craftsmen and the smiths. None remained, except the poorest people of the land. (15) And he carried away Jehoiakin to Babylon. The king's mother, the king's wives, his officials, and the chief men of the land he took into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon. (16) And the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon all the men of valor, 7,000, and the craftsmen and the metal workers, 1,000, all of them strong and fit for war. (17) And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin's uncle, king in his place, and changed his name to Zedekiah. (18) Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar and brought the Babylonian King’s wrath to Jerusalem again. Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to Jerusalem from the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign until the eleventh year of Zedekiah’s reign; the people were starving from famine. Then Nebuchadnezzar broke through the walls and turned Jerusalem and the temple into rubble. Zedekiah and his sons were captured along with all of his court. They were taken to the King of Babylon and judgment was sentenced. Zedekiah saw his sons executed and then they gouged out his eyes and led him away to Babylon in chains.
2 Kings 25:5-7 ESV But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho, and all his army was scattered from him. (6) Then they captured the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, and they passed sentence on him. (7) They slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him in chains and took him to Babylon.
Prayer: LORD God Almighty we know that you are the God of Justice. You called Israel to be your Holy People. We are called today, to be your Holy People. Fashion our hearts into your righteousness, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment