DESPISED AND DEPOSED

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

“Is this man Jehoiachin a despised, broken pot, an object no one wants? Why will he and his children be hurled out, cast into a land they do not know?”

“O land, land, land, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Lord says: ‘Record this man as if childless, a man who will not prosper in his lifetime, for none of his offspring will prosper, none will sit on the throne of David or rule anymore in Judah.’”

Jeremiah 22:28-30

This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

God’s message throughout the 22nd Chapter of the Book of Jeremiah has been crystal clear:

A high cost will be paid for unrighteousness, particularly when someone willingly and willfully chooses to dishonor and disrespect God through blatant disobedience, disregard for His word, and disrespect of His authority.

And no one is beyond the judgment of God when He is violated and dishonored.

Not even kings.

Prior in this chapter, we have seen God call out two of Josiah’s sons, Shallum (also known as Jehoahaz) and Jehoiakim, for their wickedness, propensity for injustice, and unwillingness to follow their father’s righteous-style of leadership. Both received God’s judgment.

You’ll recall that God told Shallum he would be taken from Judah, never to return again, and that promise came to be when the king was taken captive by the Egyptians and hauled back to Egypt where he would die. Indeed, he never returned to Judah again.

Shallum’s brother, Jehoiakim, also had angered God but his fate was slightly different. He wasn’t taken away anywhere but would perish within the city of Jerusalem, his body dragged outside the city gates and dumped unceremoniously like a common animal like a donkey.

As Jeremiah 22 closes, we find news of a third king, Jehoiachin, falling out of favor with God and getting his due just as his two predecessors had.  Look at these final verses of the chapter:

“Is this man Jehoiachin a despised, broken pot, an object no one wants? Why will he and his children be hurled out, cast into a land they do not know?”

“O land, land, land, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Lord says: ‘Record this man as if childless, a man who will not prosper in his lifetime, for none of his offspring will prosper, none will sit on the throne of David or rule anymore in Judah.’”  Jeremiah 22:28-30

Jehoiachin assumed the throne after Jehoiakim’s death and scriptures tell us he did evil in the sight of God, just as his father had done. It’s little wonder why he only reigned three months (2 Kings 24:8-17) before he was taken away along with his family, attendants, nobles, and officials to Babylon, despised by God and then deposed from Judah, never to return. Such was God’s disdain for Jehoiachin that He removed any future chance for the captive king or any of his offspring. None of them would find prosperity.

Friends, I pray that the world’s national, state, and community leaders are paying attention to this word of God for He is making His expectations for leadership crystal clear.

Any leader who turns from the wisdom and direction of God, a wisdom and direction that will always result in righteous decisions and actions, can expect to receive God’s judgment for God will not tolerate sinfulness in any form, no matter who commits it.

Kings, the most powerful leaders on earth in biblical times, were not exempt and neither will any powerful leader today. For everyone here on earth is subordinate to the true Ruler of all, the King of kings, and Lord of lords.

No one can stand against His judgment when it comes. Anyone who tries will only find themselves despised and deposed, just as Shallum, Jehoiakim, and Jehoiachin were.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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