II Chronicles: Final Four Kings

Without doubt, the story of Judah's final kings is sad. After Josiah's inspirational searching, his three sons and one grandson showed no godly inclinations. Collectively their reigns lasted less than twenty-three years, brief years that marked Judah's final descent toward God's judgment.

 Joahaz (Jehoahaz), Josiah's son, ruled for only three months. The passage shares no actions or accomplishments. Perhaps he wasn't in power long enough to do anything significant, but the truth that God's promised judgment was hastening is clear. Beginning with Joahaz, every king was taken captive. The same king of Egypt who was involved in the battle that had killed Josiah now entered Jerusalem and removed Joahaz from the throne. Egypt's king imposed a fine on the land and transported Joahaz to Egypt.

 Eliakim, renamed Jehoiakim, was Josiah's next son to reign. "He did evil in the sight of the LORD" (II Chronicles 36:5 NASB). The specific manifestations of that evil are not revealed, but the intensity is. The man did "abominations," and charges were "found against him" (36:8). Again, no specific actions are recorded, but the abominations that God found against him were so great that God again brought judgment. Jehoiakim's refusal to follow God predictably resulted in his demise. This time Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon was the executor of justice; he carried the king away as a chained prisoner and also appropriated "some of the articles of the house of the LORD" for use in his own worship (36:7).

 Jehoiachin (Jehoiakim's son and Josiah's grandson) became the next king. At the young age of eight, it is nearly inconceivable that this king "did evil in the sight of the LORD," but he was sufficiently evil in his brief reign of three months and ten days for God to make note of the evil (36:9). God judged Jehoiachin by again sending Nebuchadnezzar, who took the king captive and removed additional treasures from the temple. All people, even children, have the opportunity to do right and make their own choices. "Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right" (Proverbs 20:11 KJV). Jehoiachin's heart was already bent toward evil, and in light of God's rapidly approaching judgment on Judah, God did not delay in removing this young king who was doing nothing to deter that judgment.

 Zedekiah (Jehoiachin's uncle and a third son of Josiah) was ten when his father died. In the ensuing eleven-and-a-half years, he had watched as each of the three kings who preceded him was taken into captivity. His brothers and nephew had rebelled against God and had been harshly judged. No king had any stronger warning or greater motivation to do right.

 Nevertheless, as the time of God's judgment rushed toward its culmination, God gave abundantly more warning. Over and over again, God gave Zedekiah opportunities to turn to Him. He was the focus of much of the ministry of "Jeremiah the prophet who spoke for the LORD" (36:12). Additionally, "the LORD . . . sent word to them again and again by His messengers, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place" (36:15).

 In spite of these multiple warnings, Zedekiah "did evil in the sight of the LORD" and "did not humble himself" (36:12). He "hardened his heart against turning to the LORD" (36:13). Zedekiah was not alone. "The priests and the people were very unfaithful following all the abominations of the nations; and they defiled the house of the LORD" (36:14). "They continually mocked the messengers of God, despised His words and scoffed at His prophets" (36:16).

 Zedekiah was a proud man. In addition to his rebellion against God, he also rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, who by this point controlled the throne of Judah and "who had made [Zedekiah] swear allegiance by God" (36:13). Zedekiah determined to succeed where his brothers and nephew had failed, and he refused to yield to anyone. In asserting his own might and his own ability to control his life and nation, he rebelled against God's authority and rejected God's opportunities.

 Zedekiah was not necessarily more evil than previous kings, nor was God's judgment based on the king's response alone, but the wickedness and rejection of God during Zedekiah's reign reached the limit. After so many spurned chances and so many rejected warnings, "the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, until there was no remedy" (36:16). God's wrath had been stirred often in the past, yet He had always delayed the outpouring of that wrath through merciful responses to expressions of humility. This time God saw no humility, so He did what He had always said He would do - He brought decisive judgment on a nation that had rebelled against Him for far too long.

 The long-impending and oft-delayed judgment was severe. The Chaldean army arrived, killing indiscriminately of age, sex, or physical condition. God "gave them all into his hand. All the articles of the house of God . . . and the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king and of his officers, he brought them all to Babylon. Then they burned the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, and burned all its fortified buildings with fire and destroyed all its valuable articles. Those who had escaped from the sword he carried away to Babylon; and they were servants to him" for seventy years (36:17-20, emphasis added). Zedekiah's end was worse than the end of any previous king, because it was the end of the kingdom. All was lost. God had said He would do it, and He did.

 The conquest's devastation is heart-wrenching, yet even this sad story reveals the merciful longsuffering and compassion of God. He remained willing to forgive if the people would only humble themselves, and He initiated multiple opportunities for them to do so. To both individuals and groups of people, His invitation still stands: "Come back to Me."