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Speaker 1: I'm John Stangey, and today we're in Second Kings twenty
Speaker 1: four and we'll be reading from the contemporary English version.
Speaker 1: During Jehoiakim's rule, King Nebuconezer of Babylonia invaded and took
Speaker 1: control of Judah. Jehoiakim obeyed Nebicinezer for three years, but
Speaker 1: then he rebelled. At that time, the Lord started sending
Speaker 1: troops to rob and destroy towns in Judah. Some of
Speaker 1: these troops were from Babylonia and others were from Syria, Moab,
Speaker 1: and Ammon. The Lord had sent his servants the prophets,
Speaker 1: to warn Judah about this, and now he was making
Speaker 1: it happen. The country of Judah was going to be
Speaker 1: wiped out because Manassa had sinned and caused many innocent
Speaker 1: people to die. The Lord would not forgive this. Everything
Speaker 1: else Jehoiakim did while he was king is written in
Speaker 1: the History of the Kings of Judah. Jehoiakim died and
Speaker 1: his son, Jehoiachin became king. King Nebeconezer defeated King Niko
Speaker 1: of Egypt and took control of his land from the
Speaker 1: Egyptian Gorge all the way north to the Euphrates River,
Speaker 1: so Nko never invaded Judah again. Jehoiachin was eighteen years
Speaker 1: old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled
Speaker 1: only three months from Jerusalem. His mother, Nahushta, was the
Speaker 1: daughter of Elnathan from Jerusalem. Jehoiachin disobeyed the lord, just
Speaker 1: as his father Jehoiakim had done. King Nebuconezar of Babylonia
Speaker 1: sent troops to attack Jerusalem soon after Jehoyachin became king.
Speaker 1: During the attack, Nebeconezer himself arrived at the city. Jehoyachin
Speaker 1: immediately surrendered, together with his mother and his servants, as
Speaker 1: well as his army officers and officials. Then Nebeconezer had
Speaker 1: Jehoyachin arrested. These things took place in the eighth year
Speaker 1: of Nebeconezer's rule in Babylonia. The lord had warned that
Speaker 1: someday the treasures would be taken from the royal palace
Speaker 1: and from the temple, including the gold objects that Solomon
Speaker 1: had made for the temple, and that's exactly what Nebeconezer
Speaker 1: ordered his soldiers to do. He also led away as
Speaker 1: prisoners the Jerusalem officials, the military leaders, and the skilled workers.
Speaker 1: Ten thousand. In all, only the very poorest people were
Speaker 1: left in Judah. Nebeconezer took Jehoiachin to Babylon along with
Speaker 1: his mother, his wives, his officials, and the most important
Speaker 1: leaders of Judah. He also led away seven thousand soldiers,
Speaker 1: one thousand skilled workers, and anyone who would be useful
Speaker 1: in battle. Then Nebekonzer appointed Jehoiachin's uncle Matdaniah king of
Speaker 1: Judah and changed his name to Zedekiah. Zedekiah was twenty
Speaker 1: one years old when he was appointed king of Judah,
Speaker 1: and he ruled from Jerusalem for eleven years. His mother, Hamiltal,
Speaker 1: was the daughter of Jeremiah from Libna. Zedekiah disobeyed the lord,
Speaker 1: just as Jehoiakim had done. It was Zedekiah who finally
Speaker 1: rebelled against Nebekonzer. The people of Judah and Jerusalem had
Speaker 1: made the Lord so angry that he finally turned his
Speaker 1: back on them. That's why these horrible things were happening.
Speaker 1: Let's pray, Lord, we thank you for your word, and
Speaker 1: we thank you for the privilege of being able to
Speaker 1: look at it today, even though this portion of scripture
Speaker 1: that we're looking at includes a lot of things that
Speaker 1: you warned the people of Judah were coming upon them
Speaker 1: because of their sin. Lord, you had spoken to them
Speaker 1: by your prophets. You had pleaded with them through the
Speaker 1: prophets to return back to you. But even though there
Speaker 1: were glimmers of hope along the way, they ultimately rejected you,
Speaker 1: and king after king after king did evil in your sight. Lord,
Speaker 1: we know that it's within the heart of humanity to
Speaker 1: rebel against you and to harden our hearts against you.
Speaker 1: And if not for the intervention of your Holy Spirit
Speaker 1: to remove the blinders from our hearts to soften our hearts,
Speaker 1: we would never come to realize our need for your
Speaker 1: son Jesus Christ to save us. But Lord, having recognized
Speaker 1: that need, we pray that we would be grateful each
Speaker 1: day for your mercy that you have shown to us.
Speaker 1: In Christ. We deserve punishment, just like the people of
Speaker 1: Judah deserved it. But Christ took that punishment upon himself
Speaker 1: so that we could live before you as rescued, redeemed
Speaker 1: forgiven men and women who are called your children and
Speaker 1: who no longer live as your enemies. Lord. We're grateful
Speaker 1: for this reality, and we're thankful for the fact that
Speaker 1: you've accomplished this in your might. We love you, Lord,
Speaker 1: and we commit this day to your care, and we
Speaker 1: thank you that you loved us first. And we pray
Speaker 1: this all in Jesus' name. Amen.