Jehoiachin Series

Jehoiachin

Three Last Kings of Judah-

CCCAG 10-2-22

Scripture- 2 Kings 24:8-17

As most of you probably have figured out by now, I love history.

I know when you say the word “history” most people’s eyes glaze over and they remember this class as their least favorite in school- having to memorize dates, times, and events without truly being taught the significance of what they were studying.

The reason I like history so much is revealed by one of my favorite sayings-“Those who do not learn from history’s mistakes are doomed to repeat them”

That is isn’t just true in world events, but it’s also true in our personal lives.

Mistakes are life’s teachers, and if you have made mistakes, and we all have, they were allowed in your life to teach you a valuable lesson.

Another favorite saying of mine that I learned in the military- when you are doing something very physically difficult and painful there was always a helpful officer or NCO that would remind you that pain is just weakness leaving your body.

Pain in experiencing a negative consequence from a mistake is meant to reinforce the lesson never to do that again.

This is why young children get spanked- to reinforce important lessons and to learn to respect and even have a healthy fear of authority.

The same truth we see in our in our personal lives, is also true

in the rest of life- even at the national or international level.

Those who ignore the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them.

That is why we have been studying these last kings of Judah, and seeing how their actions brought down one of the most powerful nations in history.

It is I my hope, through the study of God’s word, and the history that is revealed, that we as bible believing Christians can stem the tide of judgement that is looming on the horizon and win back our nation.

That America will be one nation under God once again.

I mentioned at the beginning of the series that we were discussing the three last kings of Judah, but not including Zedekiah as he was appointed by the King of Babylon after the nation had already been stripped of it’s power and treasure.

Instead, today we learn about Jehoiachin- the last King of Judah

2 Kings 24:8-17

Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother's name was Nehushta daughter of Elnathan; she was from Jerusalem. 9 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father had done.

10 At that time the officers of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon advanced on Jerusalem and laid siege to it, 11 and Nebuchadnezzar himself came up to the city while his officers were besieging it. 12 Jehoiachin king of Judah, his mother, his attendants, his nobles and his officials all surrendered to him.

In the eighth year of the reign of the king of Babylon, he took Jehoiachin prisoner. 13 As the Lord had declared, Nebuchadnezzar removed all the treasures from the temple of the Lord and from the royal palace, and took away all the gold articles that Solomon king of Israel had made for the temple of the Lord. 14 He carried into exile all Jerusalem: all the officers and fighting men, and all the craftsmen and artisans — a total of ten thousand. Only the poorest people of the land were left.

15 Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin captive to Babylon. He also took from Jerusalem to Babylon the king's mother, his wives, his officials and the leading men of the land. 16 The king of Babylon also deported to Babylon the entire force of seven thousand fighting men, strong and fit for war, and a thousand craftsmen and artisans.

Prayer

There is a saying that has a lot of truth to it- as goes the leader, so goes the people.

That is who the leader is, what they stand for, and how they live is so important to a family, to a company, a military unit, and as we are witnessing today- a nation and a world that looks to America to show strength but all they currently see is weakness.

As the leader goes, so goes the people. The first thing we see about how God viewed Jehoiachin, and therefore the people of Judah is seen in the Prophet Jeremiah’s words about him-

I. He became Despised by God- Prophet Jeremiah

Jer 22:24-30 "As surely as I live," declares the Lord, "even if you, Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, were a signet ring on my right hand, I would still pull you off. 25 I will hand you over to those who seek your life, those you fear — to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to the Babylonians. 26 I will hurl you and the mother who gave you birth into another country, where neither of you was born, and there you both will die. 27 You will never come back to the land you long to return to."