Today's Reading:

2 Kings 24
2 Kings 25
2 Chronicles 36:1-21
Jeremiah 52

Yes, we skipped a few chapters of Jeremiah, but we will return to them in a few days, and in 2 Chronicles, the last two verses are saved for another time.

Awel-Marduk was the son of King Nebuchadnezzar. He became the king of Babylon after his father died. He released the exiled King Jehoiachin of Judah from prison (Jeremiah 52:31-34; 2 Kings 25:27-30). He spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat of honor, higher even than the other kings with him in Babylon. Jehoiachin no longer wore prison clothes; he ate at the king’s table, and he was even given allowance. This was a small grace moment at the end of a dark period. After 37 years in prison, the exiled king was shown kindness by a new ruler.

The Babylonian records show that the king released some political prisoners and had showed them mercy. This matched the account given in the Bible. It showed that God had not forgotten the Davidic line (2 Samuel 7). Even while in exile, the line of David was honored. God was still at work through this surprising act of kindness after judgment, destruction, and exile. There was mercy and hope for the future line of David even while in darkness.

This was a powerful parallel to David and his friend Jonathan (Saul’s son). David asked if anyone from Saul’s family was still alive so that he could show them kindness, “for Jonathan’s sake.” He found Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s crippled son, and brought him out of hiding (2 Samuel 9:7, 11, and 13). Mephibosheth was given a permanent seat at the king’s table. This was undeserved grace for both Mephibosheth, who was physically broken, and Jehoiachin, a failed king whose rebellion was the last straw that brought destruction to his people and led to imprisonment for 37 years. Both Awel-Marduk and King David showed kindness for the sake of a previous relationship, or just because they wanted to. They lifted up each person to be raised from shame to honor.

Remember what Jesus said in the humility parable: “When you are invited, take the lowest place… so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place’” (Luke 14:7-10). Jehoiachin was set higher than the other kings. He did not seize the place of honor; it was given. Mephibosheth, who was living in fear, was at the lowest place, and David sought him out, saying, “You will always eat at my table like one of the king’s sons.” He did not push his way up there; he was humbly brought up. Who has been sitting in a hard or low place that you could lift up and treat with unexpected kindness?

 

King Jehoiakim became a vassal to Babylon. The Lord sent Arameans, Moabites, Ammonites, and Babylonians to raid Judah. Jehoiakim died, and his son Jehoiachin took over the reign. Babylon had even conquered Egypt. Jehoiachin only reigned for two months. His son Jehoiachin’s reign lasted for three months before Babylon laid siege to Jerusalem. He and his family surrendered to the Babylonian King, Nebuchadnezzar. They were eventually taken prisoner, during which Nebuchadnezzar cut up the gold Temple items and plundered all of the treasures that Solomon had gathered. Isaiah had prophesied in 2 Kings 20 that all of the treasures would be carried off because Hezekiah had shown it off.

Ten thousand Israelites were sent into exile, leaving only the poor behind. Of the exiled, 7,000 were warriors, 1,000 were skilled workers/artisans, and the rest were elites. Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, was made king by Nebuchadnezzar, and his name was then changed to Zedekiah. For eleven years, Zedekiah was a vassal to Babylon. During his ninth year of reign, Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar and the city was kept under siege for two years. The famine was so severe that the city wall was broken through, and the whole army fled to the Arabah, but Nebuchadnezzar’s army pursued them and overtook them near Jericho.   

Zedekiah was captured, and his sons were killed before his eyes. Then his own eyes were gouged out, as we had read in Jeremiah 39:7. His sons dying would have been the last image he would ever see. The king of Babylon set fire to the Temple, royal palace, and all of the houses in Jerusalem. The poor were left behind to work the land. The Babylonian army broke up the bronze pillars and stands and carried off all of the bronze, including the farming tools.

The book of 2 Kings gave an historical account of the last days of Judah, the Babylonian invasion, the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, with the people going into exile. There was a focus on the sin and failure of keeping the covenant. The book of 2 Chronicles was written much later, after the exile had taken place. It was a reminder to the people that the disaster happened because the people and kings had ignored God’s prophets and warnings. In their sin, they caused the ruin of the Temple. Now they were to see this time as a reminder to enjoy the 70 years of exile like a “Sabbath rest for the land.”

God later raised up His next worldly king over Judah, Cyrus, the king of Persia.

Jehoiakim, King of Judah #18 (south) – A rebellious king of Judah who served as a vassal to Babylon for three years. When he rebelled, Nebuchadnezzar sent raiding parties against Judah. His story reflects the covenant curses of foreign invasion described in Deuteronomy 28:49-52.

Jehoiachin, King of Judah #19 (south) – Reigned only three months before surrendering to Nebuchadnezzar. The city was looted, and the elite of the land were taken into exile. He was a young teenage king who quickly gave up the fight.

Zedekiah, King of Judah #20 (south) – The last king of Judah. He continued in the same evil as the kings before him, and Judah was finally removed from God’s presence. During the long siege, severe famine filled the city. When the wall was breached, Zedekiah tried to escape toward Jericho but was captured. His sons were killed before his eyes, and then his own eyes were gouged out.

Today's Discussion question:

Who has been sitting in a hard or low place that you could lift up and treat with unexpected kindness?

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