Zedekiah – The Last King Before the Captivity

Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the LORD. And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the LORD God of Israel. Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the LORD which he had hallowed in Jerusalem. And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place: But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy. Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: he gave them all into his hand.
II Chronicles 36:11-17

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God had been warning Judah for over a hundred years about what would happen to them if they did not change. God had let them see what happened to the northern tribes when they were captured by Assyria in II Kings 17. He had sent prophet and messengers to warn the people and the leadership but they all refused to be warned. Since they refused to be warned then God would use stronger measures to get their attention and hope that a remnant would come forth. God told Judah that after 70 years they would come back to Canaan if they wanted to. Jeremiah 25:1-14. But there is one thing for sure, when God speaks to us we need to listen to Him lest terrible things happen to us. God does not want to harm us but there comes a time that God, in His love for us, will take whatever means necessary to help us.

Prayer for Today: God help us to learn from Zedekiah and the evil that he did to the nation, to Nebuchadnezzar, and to You. Help us to not be hard hearted and stiff necked when it comes to You. Help us to grow strong in You and to believe You and obey You. Thank You again for granting us this great mercy to learn from this lesson and to obey You always.