2 Chronicles 36:11-14

So we come to the last in the line of the kings of Judah. The ‘puppet’, Zedekiah, does not offer us any cheer. The sad refrain continues: He did evil in the eyes of the LORD… (12; see also 5 and 9). This short passage tells us four things about his wickedness:

  • He was not humble (12): He was given the chance to repent, but he did not bow to God and to the Word of the Lord that came through His mouthpiece Jeremiah: There wasn’t a trace of contrition in him when the prophet Jeremiah preached GOD’s word to him. The Message.
  • He lifted up his hand against Nebuchadnezzar (13a): In fact, it was more a fist he raised, endangering both himself and his people. Then he compounded his troubles by rebelling against King Nebuchadnezzar, who earlier had made him swear in God’s name that he would be loyal. The Message.
  • He hardened his heart (13b) – and stiffened his neck! Notice that he would not turn to the LORD, the God of Israel. It doesn’t say that he ‘could not’, but that he would not. I am convinced that this is the main reason why people are not Christians. They may say they cannot believe, for a whole variety of reasons, but the truth is they will not believe. They don’t want to turn with all that it will mean for their lifestyles, and make the God of Israel, the God of the Bible, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, their God. They just won’t have Him to reign over them. They want to remain captains of their own ships and masters of their own fates. (Please turn to John 12 and read verses 37 – 41. Consider the fact that behind the could not believe (39) there lies the would not believe (37). ) So Zedekiah hardened himself both inwardly and outwardly against God and His Word, and there were tragic consequences for him and for many others. He became set in his stubborn ways – he never gave GOD a thought; repentance never entered his mind. The Message.
  • He ‘helped’ many other people to go the same way he had gone (14): He was wicked, and led the people deeper into wickedness. He ascended ‘the hill’ of kingship, but he ‘fell down and broke his crown’ and many more ‘came tumbling after. ‘ The evil mindset spread to the leaders and priests and filtered down to the people – it kicked off an epidemic of evil, repeating the abominations of the pagans and polluting the Temple of GOD so recently consecrated in Jerusalem. The Message. If you’re called to leadership, you have to realise that your influence is ‘catching’. Determine to use it to lift people up morally, and not drag them down to the gutter. Sadly, Zedekiah ended up there, and he was not short of company.

While Nebuchadnezzar was taking Jerusalem to Babylon, the Jewish leaders were bringing Babylon to Jerusalem! Warren W. Wiersbe: With the Word, pp. 252, 253

 

Prayer: Lord, whenever I hear your Word, may you find my heart soft and responsive. Make me sensitive to even your faintest whisper. Let me not miss anything you are saying to me.