1 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your 2 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:10,720 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at Bible Study Headquarters 3 00:00:11,119 --> 00:00:15,240 Speaker 1: dot com. You're listening to the chapter a Day Audio Bible. 4 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:19,880 Speaker 1: I'm John Stangey, and today we're in Second Kings twenty 5 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:23,680 Speaker 1: four and we'll be reading from the contemporary English version. 6 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: During Jehoiakim's rule, King Nebuconezer of Babylonia invaded and took 7 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:36,239 Speaker 1: control of Judah. Jehoiakim obeyed Nebicinezer for three years, but 8 00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:40,760 Speaker 1: then he rebelled. At that time, the Lord started sending 9 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:45,320 Speaker 1: troops to rob and destroy towns in Judah. Some of 10 00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:49,959 Speaker 1: these troops were from Babylonia and others were from Syria, Moab, 11 00:00:50,280 --> 00:00:54,680 Speaker 1: and Ammon. The Lord had sent his servants the prophets, 12 00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:58,000 Speaker 1: to warn Judah about this, and now he was making 13 00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:01,280 Speaker 1: it happen. The country of Judah was going to be 14 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 1: wiped out because Manassa had sinned and caused many innocent 15 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:10,480 Speaker 1: people to die. The Lord would not forgive this. Everything 16 00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 1: else Jehoiakim did while he was king is written in 17 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:17,840 Speaker 1: the History of the Kings of Judah. Jehoiakim died and 18 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:24,440 Speaker 1: his son, Jehoiachin became king. King Nebeconezer defeated King Niko 19 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 1: of Egypt and took control of his land from the 20 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:31,319 Speaker 1: Egyptian Gorge all the way north to the Euphrates River, 21 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:38,480 Speaker 1: so Nko never invaded Judah again. Jehoiachin was eighteen years 22 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:41,520 Speaker 1: old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled 23 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:46,480 Speaker 1: only three months from Jerusalem. His mother, Nahushta, was the 24 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 1: daughter of Elnathan from Jerusalem. Jehoiachin disobeyed the lord, just 25 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:57,680 Speaker 1: as his father Jehoiakim had done. King Nebuconezar of Babylonia 26 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 1: sent troops to attack Jerusalem soon after Jehoyachin became king. 27 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:09,840 Speaker 1: During the attack, Nebeconezer himself arrived at the city. Jehoyachin 28 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:14,440 Speaker 1: immediately surrendered, together with his mother and his servants, as 29 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:19,240 Speaker 1: well as his army officers and officials. Then Nebeconezer had 30 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:24,200 Speaker 1: Jehoyachin arrested. These things took place in the eighth year 31 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 1: of Nebeconezer's rule in Babylonia. The lord had warned that 32 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:32,960 Speaker 1: someday the treasures would be taken from the royal palace 33 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 1: and from the temple, including the gold objects that Solomon 34 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:40,920 Speaker 1: had made for the temple, and that's exactly what Nebeconezer 35 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:44,880 Speaker 1: ordered his soldiers to do. He also led away as 36 00:02:44,919 --> 00:02:50,280 Speaker 1: prisoners the Jerusalem officials, the military leaders, and the skilled workers. 37 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 1: Ten thousand. In all, only the very poorest people were 38 00:02:55,360 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 1: left in Judah. Nebeconezer took Jehoiachin to Babylon along with 39 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:05,600 Speaker 1: his mother, his wives, his officials, and the most important 40 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:10,239 Speaker 1: leaders of Judah. He also led away seven thousand soldiers, 41 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:14,639 Speaker 1: one thousand skilled workers, and anyone who would be useful 42 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 1: in battle. Then Nebekonzer appointed Jehoiachin's uncle Matdaniah king of 43 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:27,360 Speaker 1: Judah and changed his name to Zedekiah. Zedekiah was twenty 44 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:30,239 Speaker 1: one years old when he was appointed king of Judah, 45 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 1: and he ruled from Jerusalem for eleven years. His mother, Hamiltal, 46 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:41,600 Speaker 1: was the daughter of Jeremiah from Libna. Zedekiah disobeyed the lord, 47 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:46,360 Speaker 1: just as Jehoiakim had done. It was Zedekiah who finally 48 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:52,200 Speaker 1: rebelled against Nebekonzer. The people of Judah and Jerusalem had 49 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 1: made the Lord so angry that he finally turned his 50 00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 1: back on them. That's why these horrible things were happening. 51 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:06,560 Speaker 1: Let's pray, Lord, we thank you for your word, and 52 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:08,960 Speaker 1: we thank you for the privilege of being able to 53 00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:11,840 Speaker 1: look at it today, even though this portion of scripture 54 00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:14,920 Speaker 1: that we're looking at includes a lot of things that 55 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 1: you warned the people of Judah were coming upon them 56 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:22,360 Speaker 1: because of their sin. Lord, you had spoken to them 57 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:25,560 Speaker 1: by your prophets. You had pleaded with them through the 58 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:29,080 Speaker 1: prophets to return back to you. But even though there 59 00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 1: were glimmers of hope along the way, they ultimately rejected you, 60 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:38,080 Speaker 1: and king after king after king did evil in your sight. Lord, 61 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:40,520 Speaker 1: we know that it's within the heart of humanity to 62 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:43,719 Speaker 1: rebel against you and to harden our hearts against you. 63 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:47,120 Speaker 1: And if not for the intervention of your Holy Spirit 64 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:51,120 Speaker 1: to remove the blinders from our hearts to soften our hearts, 65 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:54,360 Speaker 1: we would never come to realize our need for your 66 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:58,520 Speaker 1: son Jesus Christ to save us. But Lord, having recognized 67 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:01,360 Speaker 1: that need, we pray that we would be grateful each 68 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:03,720 Speaker 1: day for your mercy that you have shown to us. 69 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:07,240 Speaker 1: In Christ. We deserve punishment, just like the people of 70 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 1: Judah deserved it. But Christ took that punishment upon himself 71 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 1: so that we could live before you as rescued, redeemed 72 00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:18,440 Speaker 1: forgiven men and women who are called your children and 73 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:22,159 Speaker 1: who no longer live as your enemies. Lord. We're grateful 74 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 1: for this reality, and we're thankful for the fact that 75 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:27,479 Speaker 1: you've accomplished this in your might. We love you, Lord, 76 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:29,359 Speaker 1: and we commit this day to your care, and we 77 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 1: thank you that you loved us first. And we pray 78 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:35,479 Speaker 1: this all in Jesus' name. Amen.