Introduction

The last days of the kingdom of Judah. As most of the kings and priests have been wicked, God brings judgement on them from the surrounding nations.

Verses
1Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father’s place in Jerusalem.
2Joahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.
3The king of Egypt removed him from office at Jerusalem, and fined the land one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.
4The king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. Neco took Joahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt.
5Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He did that which was evil in the LORD his God’s sight.
6Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against him, and bound him in fetters to carry him to Babylon.
7Nebuchadnezzar also carried some of the vessels of the LORD’s house to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon.
8Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which he did, and that which was found in him, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah; and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place.
9Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem. He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight.
10At the return of the year, king Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon, with the valuable vessels of the LORD’s house, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem.
11Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.
12He did that which was evil in the LORD his God’s sight. He didn’t humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the LORD’s mouth.
13He also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God; but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD, the God of Israel.
14Moreover all the chiefs of the priests, and the people, trespassed very greatly after all the abominations of the nations; and they polluted the LORD’s house which he had made holy in Jerusalem.
15The LORD, the God of their fathers, sent to them by his messengers, rising up early and sending, because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place;
16but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and scoffed at his prophets, until the LORD’s wrath arose against his people, until there was no remedy.
17Therefore he brought on them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, old man or grey-headed. He gave them all into his hand.
18All the vessels of God’s house, great and small, and the treasures of the LORD’s house, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes, all these he brought to Babylon.
19They burnt God’s house, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all of its valuable vessels.
20He carried those who had escaped from the sword away to Babylon, and they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia,
21to fulfil the LORD’s word by Jeremiah’s mouth, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. As long as it lay desolate, it kept Sabbath, to fulfil seventy years.
22Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the LORD’s word by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,
23“Cyrus king of Persia says, ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given all the kingdoms of the earth to me; and he has commanded me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is amongst you of all his people, the LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.’ ”

Questions

1. What are we told about the reign of Jehoiakim ?

v 5 and 6 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He did that which was evil in the LORD his God’s sight. Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against him, and bound him in fetters to carry him to Babylon.

2. How is the reign of Zedekiah summarised?

v 12 and 13 He did that which was evil in the LORD his God’s sight. He didn’t humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the LORD’s mouth. He also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God; but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD, the God of Israel.

3. What happened after the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus?

v 22 and 23 ...  the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, 23 “Cyrus king of Persia says, ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given all the kingdoms of the earth to me; and he has commanded me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is amongst you of all his people, the LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.’ ”

Summary Points

  • v 1 to 4 Joahaz is deposed, after only 3 months on the throne, and taken to Egypt
  • v 5 to 10 His brother, Jehoiakim, reigns for 11 years before being taken captive by the Babylonians., They also remove some of the vessels of the LORD's house. His son Jehoiachin is also taken after reigning for three months
  • v 11 to 13 Zedekiah, the last king, reigns for 11 years. He rebels against king Nebuchadnezzar
  • v 14 to 21 The people ignore God's message through his prophets. The city of Jerusalem and God's house are destroyed. The treasures are taken to Babylon together with the people who have not been killed. They serve the kings of Babylon until the kingdom of Persia replaces Babylon 70 years later
  • v 22 and 23 Cyrus king of Persia issues a decree allowing the Jews to return to their land to rebuild the house of the LORD
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