WEBVTT - 2 Kings 24

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<v Speaker 1>Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your

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<v Speaker 1>walk with Christ, please visit us at Bible Study Headquarters

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<v Speaker 1>dot com. You're listening to the chapter a Day Audio Bible.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm John Stangey, and today we're in Second Kings twenty

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<v Speaker 1>four and we'll be reading from the contemporary English version.

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<v Speaker 1>During Jehoiakim's rule, King Nebuconezer of Babylonia invaded and took

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<v Speaker 1>control of Judah. Jehoiakim obeyed Nebicinezer for three years, but

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<v Speaker 1>then he rebelled. At that time, the Lord started sending

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<v Speaker 1>troops to rob and destroy towns in Judah. Some of

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<v Speaker 1>these troops were from Babylonia and others were from Syria, Moab,

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<v Speaker 1>and Ammon. The Lord had sent his servants the prophets,

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<v Speaker 1>to warn Judah about this, and now he was making

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<v Speaker 1>it happen. The country of Judah was going to be

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<v Speaker 1>wiped out because Manassa had sinned and caused many innocent

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<v Speaker 1>people to die. The Lord would not forgive this. Everything

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<v Speaker 1>else Jehoiakim did while he was king is written in

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<v Speaker 1>the History of the Kings of Judah. Jehoiakim died and

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<v Speaker 1>his son, Jehoiachin became king. King Nebeconezer defeated King Niko

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<v Speaker 1>of Egypt and took control of his land from the

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<v Speaker 1>Egyptian Gorge all the way north to the Euphrates River,

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<v Speaker 1>so Nko never invaded Judah again. Jehoiachin was eighteen years

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<v Speaker 1>old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled

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<v Speaker 1>only three months from Jerusalem. His mother, Nahushta, was the

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<v Speaker 1>daughter of Elnathan from Jerusalem. Jehoiachin disobeyed the lord, just

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<v Speaker 1>as his father Jehoiakim had done. King Nebuconezar of Babylonia

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<v Speaker 1>sent troops to attack Jerusalem soon after Jehoyachin became king.

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<v Speaker 1>During the attack, Nebeconezer himself arrived at the city. Jehoyachin

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<v Speaker 1>immediately surrendered, together with his mother and his servants, as

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<v Speaker 1>well as his army officers and officials. Then Nebeconezer had

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<v Speaker 1>Jehoyachin arrested. These things took place in the eighth year

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<v Speaker 1>of Nebeconezer's rule in Babylonia. The lord had warned that

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<v Speaker 1>someday the treasures would be taken from the royal palace

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<v Speaker 1>and from the temple, including the gold objects that Solomon

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<v Speaker 1>had made for the temple, and that's exactly what Nebeconezer

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<v Speaker 1>ordered his soldiers to do. He also led away as

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<v Speaker 1>prisoners the Jerusalem officials, the military leaders, and the skilled workers.

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<v Speaker 1>Ten thousand. In all, only the very poorest people were

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<v Speaker 1>left in Judah. Nebeconezer took Jehoiachin to Babylon along with

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<v Speaker 1>his mother, his wives, his officials, and the most important

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<v Speaker 1>leaders of Judah. He also led away seven thousand soldiers,

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<v Speaker 1>one thousand skilled workers, and anyone who would be useful

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<v Speaker 1>in battle. Then Nebekonzer appointed Jehoiachin's uncle Matdaniah king of

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<v Speaker 1>Judah and changed his name to Zedekiah. Zedekiah was twenty

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<v Speaker 1>one years old when he was appointed king of Judah,

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<v Speaker 1>and he ruled from Jerusalem for eleven years. His mother, Hamiltal,

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<v Speaker 1>was the daughter of Jeremiah from Libna. Zedekiah disobeyed the lord,

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<v Speaker 1>just as Jehoiakim had done. It was Zedekiah who finally

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<v Speaker 1>rebelled against Nebekonzer. The people of Judah and Jerusalem had

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<v Speaker 1>made the Lord so angry that he finally turned his

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<v Speaker 1>back on them. That's why these horrible things were happening.

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<v Speaker 1>Let's pray, Lord, we thank you for your word, and

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<v Speaker 1>we thank you for the privilege of being able to

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<v Speaker 1>look at it today, even though this portion of scripture

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<v Speaker 1>that we're looking at includes a lot of things that

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<v Speaker 1>you warned the people of Judah were coming upon them

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<v Speaker 1>because of their sin. Lord, you had spoken to them

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<v Speaker 1>by your prophets. You had pleaded with them through the

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<v Speaker 1>prophets to return back to you. But even though there

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<v Speaker 1>were glimmers of hope along the way, they ultimately rejected you,

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<v Speaker 1>and king after king after king did evil in your sight. Lord,

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<v Speaker 1>we know that it's within the heart of humanity to

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<v Speaker 1>rebel against you and to harden our hearts against you.

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<v Speaker 1>And if not for the intervention of your Holy Spirit

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<v Speaker 1>to remove the blinders from our hearts to soften our hearts,

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<v Speaker 1>we would never come to realize our need for your

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<v Speaker 1>son Jesus Christ to save us. But Lord, having recognized

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<v Speaker 1>that need, we pray that we would be grateful each

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<v Speaker 1>day for your mercy that you have shown to us.

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<v Speaker 1>In Christ. We deserve punishment, just like the people of

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<v Speaker 1>Judah deserved it. But Christ took that punishment upon himself

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<v Speaker 1>so that we could live before you as rescued, redeemed

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<v Speaker 1>forgiven men and women who are called your children and

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<v Speaker 1>who no longer live as your enemies. Lord. We're grateful

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<v Speaker 1>for this reality, and we're thankful for the fact that

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<v Speaker 1>you've accomplished this in your might. We love you, Lord,

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<v Speaker 1>and we commit this day to your care, and we

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<v Speaker 1>thank you that you loved us first. And we pray

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<v Speaker 1>this all in Jesus' name. Amen.