The Reign And Activity of Jehoachin
May 28, 2019
Commentary
Nebuchadnezzar’s victory over Egypt at this time established Babylon as the strongest nation in that part of the world. This victory placed Judah under Babylonian control. In order to bring Judah securely under his rule Nebuchadnezzar invaded Judah and took some captives to Babylon. According to Daniel 1:1, this was the time Daniel and his three friends were taken captive. After this Judah was plagued by raiding bands from Babylonia, Aramea, Moab and Ammon, who took advantage of Judah’s weakened condition. Actually, God sent these enemies against Judah to punish her for her sins (vv. 2-5).
When Jehoiakim died his son Jehoiachin succeeded him as king. He ruled Judah for only three months at the age of l8 and like his father he did evil in the sight of the Lord. He surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar along with the queen mother and all of the nobles and officials and they were taken captive to Babylon. Also all of the temple and palace treasures, including the gold articles that remained from Solomon’s days were taken. In all, l0,000 people were taken captive including the Prophet Ezekiel (Ez. 1:1-3). Only the very poor people remained.
Mattaniah, Josiah’s son and Jehoiakim’s uncle, was placed on the throne by Nebuchadnezzar. This was the third son of Josiah to rule Judah. Nebuchadnezzar changed Mattaniah’s name to Zedekiah and he had an evil 11 year reign. Through the anger of the Lord he participated in a rebellion against Babylon that would consequently lead to disaster.
Application
No matter how much man thinks he is in control of every situation, it is actually God who is in control and nothing is going to happen that He does not allow to happen.
2 Kings 24:1– 20 (NET)
1 During Jehoiakim’s reign, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked. Jehoiakim was his subject for three years, but then he rebelled against him. 2 The Lord sent against him Babylonian, Syrian, Moabite, and Ammonite raiding bands; he sent them to destroy Judah, just as in the Lord’s message that he had announced through his servants the prophets. 3 Just as the Lord had announced, he rejected Judah because of all the sins that Manasseh had committed. 4 Because he killed innocent people and stained Jerusalem with their blood, the Lord was unwilling to forgive them.
5 The rest of the events of Jehoiakim’s reign and all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 6 He passed away and his son Jehoiachin replaced him as king. 7 The king of Egypt did not march out from his land again, for the king of Babylon conquered all the territory that the king of Egypt had formerly controlled between the Stream of Egypt and the Euphrates River.
8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother was Nehushta the daughter of Elnathan, from Jerusalem. 9 He did evil in the sight of the Lord as his ancestors had done.
10 At that time the generals of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon marched to Jerusalem and besieged the city. 11 King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to the city while his generals were besieging it. 12 King Jehoiachin of Judah, along with his mother, his servants, his officials, and his eunuchs surrendered to the king of Babylon. The king of Babylon, in the eighth year of his reign, took Jehoiachin prisoner. 13 Nebuchadnezzar took from there all the riches in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and of the royal palace. He removed all the gold items that King Solomon of Israel had made for the Lord’s temple, just as the Lord had warned. 14 He deported all the residents of Jerusalem, including all the officials and all the soldiers (10,000 people in all). This included all the craftsmen and those who worked with metal. No one was left except for the poorest among the people of the land. 15 He deported Jehoiachin from Jerusalem to Babylon, along with the king’s mother and wives, his eunuchs, and the high-ranking officials of the land. 16 The king of Babylon deported to Babylon all the soldiers (there were 7,000), as well as 1,000 craftsmen and metal workers. This included all the best warriors. 17 The king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in Jehoiachin’s place. He renamed him Zedekiah.
18 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he ruled for eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah, from Libnah. 19 He did evil in the sight of the Lord, as Jehoiakim had done.
20 What follows is a record of what happened to Jerusalem and Judah because of the Lord’s anger; he finally threw them out of his presence. Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.