The Consequences of Refusing To Obey

Zedekiah had been made king by Nebuchadnezzar, but was constantly seeking to throw off Babylonians power, despite God telling the Jews to yield. An Egyptian invasion had momentarily forced the Basbylonians to temporarily withdraw, but in the ninth year of his reign, they had returned.  Jeremiah warned the Jews to yield, but he also told them that God had not and would not forsake them, but would one day restore their land and freedom. 

The Jews insisted on fighting, and Jeremiah warned them that their resistance would fail, but that they could live in peace in Jeremiah 34:1-5.  “:1 The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and all his army, and all the kingdoms of the earth of his dominion, and all the people, fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities thereof, saying, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire: And thou shalt not escape out of his hand, but shalt surely be taken, and delivered into his hand; and thine eyes shall behold the eyes of the king of Babylon, and he shall speak with thee mouth to mouth, and thou shalt go to Babylon.  Yet hear the word of the LORD, O Zedekiah king of Judah; Thus saith the LORD of thee, Thou shalt not die by the sword: But thou shalt die in peace: and with the burnings of thy fathers, the former kings which were before thee, so shall they burn odours for thee; and they will lament thee, saying, Ah lord! for I have pronounced the word, saith the LORD.”

God had been very displeased for centuries that rich Jews kept taking advantage of their fellow Jews, making them into slaves, and Jeremiah warned them to set them free, in Jeremiah 34:6-9.  “Then Jeremiah the prophet spake all these words unto Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem, When the king of Babylon's army fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Judah that were left, against Lachish, and against Azekah: for these defenced cities remained of the cities of Judah.  This is the word that came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, after that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people which were at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty unto them; That every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant, being an Hebrew or an Hebrewess, go free; that none should serve himself of them, to wit, of a Jew his brother.”

When it looked like the Babylonians were going to make them all slaves, the people didn’t feel like they had anything to lose, but shortly later they realized wshat freeing the slaves would mean, as Jeremiah 34:10-11 tells us.  “Now when all the princes, and all the people, which had entered into the covenant, heard that every one should let his manservant, and every one his maidservant, go free, that none should serve themselves of them any more, then they obeyed, and let them go.  But afterward they turned, and caused the servants and the handmaids, whom they had let go free, to return, and brought them into subjection for servants and for handmaids.”

Exodus 21:2 commanded, “If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.”  The Jews were being punished for their refusal to keep God’s law, and when they revoked their freeing of the slaves, it angered God, as Jeremiah 34:12-16 tells us.  “Therefore the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondmen, saying, At the end of seven years let ye go every man his brother an Hebrew, which hath been sold unto thee; and when he hath served thee six years, thou shalt let him go free from thee: but your fathers hearkened not unto me, neither inclined their ear.

And ye were now turned, and had done right in my sight, in proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbour; and ye had made a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name: But ye turned and polluted my name, and caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom he had set at liberty at their pleasure, to return, and brought them into subjection, to be unto you for servants and for handmaids.”

Because they changed their minds and refused to let the people go free, Zedekaih and the leaders who had made them into slaves would be enslaved themselves, according to Jeremiah 34:17-22.  “Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ye have not hearkened unto me, in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother, and every man to his neighbour: behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, saith the LORD, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.  And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, which have not performed the words of the covenant which they had made before me, when they cut the calf in twain, and passed between the parts thereof.

The princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land, which passed between the parts of the calf; I will even give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life: and their dead bodies shall be for meat unto the fowls of the heaven, and to the beasts of the earth.  And Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes will I give into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life, and into the hand of the king of Babylon's army, which are gone up from you.  Behold, I will command, saith the LORD, and cause them to return to this city; and they shall fight against it, and take it, and burn it with fire: and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without an inhabitant.

God Never Forsakes Us

Jeremiah was thankful that God had promised Israel would once again occupy the land after a time of captivity.  God pointed out that though they had sinned against him and he would allow them to be made captives, he was still God.  He described what they had done to make him angry and lead to the captivity, in Jeremiahs 32:26-35.  “Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying, Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?  Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and he shall take it: And the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on this city, and burn it with the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to anger.

For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have only done evil before me from their youth: for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith the LORD.  For this city hath been to me as a provocation of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they built it even unto this day; that I should remove it from before my face, Because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger, they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face: though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction.  But they set their abominations in the house, which is called by my name, to defile it.  And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.”

In spite of their wickedness, God still loved Judah and Jerusalem.  Though he would allow them to suffer as a result of their sin, he would one day bring them back and bless them the way he had promised from the very beginning as Jeremiah 32:36-44 describes.  “And now therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence; Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.   Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.

For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them.  And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye say, It is desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.  Men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe evidences, and seal them, and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountains, and in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the south: for I will cause their captivity to return, saith the LORD.”

Having Jeremiah buy his cousin’s land demonstrated faith that God would one day bring them back to that land at a time when it seemed there was no hope.  While Jeremiah would not live to see that day, his children and grandchildren would one day inherit the land.  As the old saying goes, Actions speak louder than words.  While Jeremiah was warning that they would go into captivity, buying the land indicated that he believed they would one day be free again. 

One of the greatest Promises we have as Christians is that, like Israel, no matter how much we have messed up, God still loves us and will never forsake us.  We don’t need to give up as a result of our failures or his chastisement, as Hebrews 13:5-6 tells us.  “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.  So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”

A Promise Of Hope In The Midst Of Despair

Zedekiah and the rulers had not liked Jeremiah’s message that they would be defeated, and he was left in the prison.  A few months after the Babylonians besieged the city, God sent another prophecy advising tham that they would be defeated, in Jeremiah 32:1-5.  “The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar.  For then the king of Babylon's army besieged Jerusalem: and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah's house.  For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Wherefore dost thou prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it; And Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall behold his eyes; And he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and there shall he be until I visit him, saith the LORD: though ye fight with the Chaldeans, ye shall not prosper.”

Though they would be defeated and carried away captive, God directed Jeremiah to buy land to demonstrate that the captivity would not be forever, in Jeremiah 32:6-15.  “And Jeremiah said, The word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Behold, Hanameel the son of Shallum thine uncle shall come unto thee, saying, Buy thee my field that is in Anathoth: for the right of redemption is thine to buy it.

So Hanameel mine uncle's son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the LORD, and said unto me, Buy my field, I pray thee, that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin: for the right of inheritance is thine, and the redemption is thine; buy it for thyself.

Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD.  And I bought the field of Hanameel my uncle's son, that was in Anathoth, and weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver.  And I subscribed the evidence, and sealed it, and took witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances.  So I took the evidence of the purchase, both that which was sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was open: And I gave the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, in the sight of Hanameel mine uncle's son, and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the book of the purchase, before all the Jews that sat in the court of the prison.  And I charged Baruch before them, saying,  Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Take these evidences, this evidence of the purchase, both which is sealed, and this evidence which is open; and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days.  For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land.”

After learning that they would again return to their land, Jeremiah took time to praise God, thanking him for his past blessings and the promise that they would once again possess the land, in Jeremiah 32:16-25.  “Now when I had delivered the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed unto the LORD, saying, Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee: Thou showest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts, is his name, Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings: Which hast set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, even unto this day, and in Israel, and among other men; and hast made thee a name, as at this day; And hast brought forth thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs, and with wonders, and with a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with great terror; And hast given them this land, which thou didst swear to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey; And they came in, and possessed it; but they obeyed not thy voice, neither walked in thy law; they have done nothing of all that thou commandedst them to do: therefore thou hast caused all this evil to come upon them: Behold the mounts, they are come unto the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans, that fight against it, because of the sword, and of the famine, and of the pestilence: and what thou hast spoken is come to pass; and, behold, thou seest it.  And thou hast said unto me, O Lord GOD, Buy thee the field for money, and take witnesses; for the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.”

Worse Than It Needed To Be

Hananiah had prophesied that within two years, the Babylonians would be forced out and the captivies, including Jehoiachin would be returned to Jerusalem.  It never happened, but five years later, in response to constant rebellion by the Jews, the Babylonians again attacked, placing Jerusalem under siege for about a year ans a half, as II Kings 25:1-2 describes.  “And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it: and they built forts against it round about.  And the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah.”

Clearly, Jeremiah had been right that the Babylonisns had not just gone away, so Zedekiah contacted him again after the Babylonians attacked, in Jeremiah 21:1-2.  “The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, when king Zedekiah sent unto him Pashur the son of Melchiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, saying,  Inquire, I pray thee, of the LORD for us; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon maketh war against us; if so be that the LORD will deal with us according to all his wondrous works, that he may go up from us.”

Zedekiah was hoping God would fight for them and defeat the Babylonian Empire.  God’s response was that he would fight against Judah rather than against Babylon, in Jeremiah 21:3-7.  “Then said Jeremiah unto them, Thus shall ye say to Zedekiah: Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, wherewith ye fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans, which besiege you without the walls, and I will assemble them into the midst of this city.  And I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath.  And I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast: they shall die of a great pestilence.  And afterward, saith the LORD, I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, and such as are left in this city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those that seek their life: and he shall smite them with the edge of the sword; he shall not spare them, neither have pity, nor have mercy.”

God was using the Babylonians to punish the Jews for their refusal to obey his commands.  The people would have a choice when the fighting was over.  They could continue to resist God’s punishment by fighting against Babylon and die, or they could yield and he would protect them, as he explained in Jeremiah 21:8-14.  “And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.  He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey.  For I have set my face against this city for evil, and not for good, saith the LORD: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.

And touching the house of the king of Judah, say, Hear ye the word of the LORD; O house of David, thus saith the LORD; Execute judgment in the morning, and deliver him that is spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my fury go out like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.  Behold, I am against thee, O inhabitant of the valley, and rock of the plain, saith the LORD; which say, Who shall come down against us? or who shall enter into our habitations?  But I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, saith the LORD: and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof, and it shall devour all things round about it.”

God was quite clear that they would have to suffer the consequences for their sin.  Because they insisted on resisting God’s judgement, the consequences would be worse than they would otherwise be.  James 4:9-10 advises, “Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”  If we want God’s blessings, we need to willingly submit to him. 

Which Prophet Would They Follow?

Jeremiah’s prophecies went against people’s desires, and a number of false prophets were telling them exactly what they wanted to hear.  People find it easy to accept what goes along with their desires and beliefs without question, even when there is evidence it is not true.   Because of such false prophets, Jeremiah’s message went largely unheeded. 

Jeremiah 28:1-4 tells the story of one such false prophecy.  “And it came to pass the same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, and in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of Azur the prophet, which was of Gibeon, spake unto me in the house of the LORD, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.  Within two full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of the LORD'S house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried them to Babylon: And I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah, that went into Babylon, saith the LORD: for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.”

Hananiah very carefully worded his claims to sound like it was a message from God.  The people were concerned about the Babylonian occupation, and his prophecy that the occupation would end within two years sounded really favorable.  Few stopped to see if it included a short term prophecy as a sign it was true.  Jeremiah agreed the prophecy sounded good, but as he pointed out, the test of whether a prophecy is from God is whether it comes true or not.  If the prophecy did not happen it would clearly indicate Hananiah was not a true prophet, as he says in Jeremiah 28:5-9.  “Then the prophet Jeremiah said unto the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people that stood in the house of the LORD, Even the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen: the LORD do so: the LORD perform thy words which thou hast prophesied, to bring again the vessels of the LORD'S house, and all that is carried away captive, from Babylon into this place.

Nevertheless hear thou now this word that I speak in thine ears, and in the ears of all the people; The prophets that have been before me and before thee of old prophesied both against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence.  The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the LORD hath truly sent him.”  The people would be wise to wait and see if the chaldeans withdrew before following Hananiah’s advice. 

 When challenged about his claims, like many other false prophets, Hananiah doubled down on them, as described in Jeremiah 28:10-11.  “Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from off the prophet Jeremiah's neck, and brake it.  And Hananiah spake in the presence of all the people, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all nations within the space of two full years. And the prophet Jeremiah went his way.”  Rather than argue with him, Jeremiah simply walked away. 

God sent Jeremiah back to warn the people that following Hananiah’s advice would only make things worse for them, in Jeremiah 28:12-14.  “Then the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the prophet, after that Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying, Go and tell Hananiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Thou hast broken the yokes of wood; but thou shalt make for them yokes of iron.  For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; I have put a yoke of iron upon the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him: and I have given him the beasts of the field also.”

As proof that Jeremiah’s prophecy was from God and Hananiah’s was not, God would cause Hananiah to die within a year, as he explained, in Jeremiah 28:15-16.  “Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The LORD hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie.  Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will cast thee from off the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebellion against the LORD.” 

Hananiah had made his prophecy in the fifth month as Jeremiah 28:1 told us.  Two months later, Hananiah died, according to Jeremiah 28:17.  “So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.”

It is important for us to understand that if a person makes a prophecy that dowen’t happen he is a false prophet.  Following his or her teachings will only lead us further from what God wants.  We need to take the time to check out the prophecies before we follow them.  For example, over the years, many have set specific dates as to when the Lord will return which have not happened.  As a result, many people no longer believe in the Lord’s return, and do not take the biblical teachings about judgement seriousle, despite the number of biblical prophecies relating to Christ’s return that have been fulfilled, proving that the biblical prophets were speaking the truth.   

Zedekiah Consults With Jeremiah

Though the political leaders had accused Jeremiah of treason and tried to destroy him, the king had allowed him to be saved.  Knowing he was a prophet of God, Zedekiah was concerned that his prophecies might be true and asked to speak to him privately, In Jeremiah 38:14.  “Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took Jeremiah the prophet unto him into the third entry that is in the house of the LORD: and the king said unto Jeremiah, I will ask thee a thing; hide nothing from me.”

After the attempts to kill him, Jeremiah didn’t trust Zedekiah very much, but upon being assured he would not be killed, jeremiah repeated his warning that to resist Nebuchadnezzars forces would result in the destruction of the city, in Jeremiah 38:15-18.  “Then Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, If I declare it unto thee, wilt thou not surely put me to death? and if I give thee counsel, wilt thou not hearken unto me?

So Zedekiah the king sware secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, As the LORD liveth, that made us this soul, I will not put thee to death, neither will I give thee into the hand of these men that seek thy life.

Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house: But if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand.”

Zedekiah made it clear that though he was king, he didn’t have the support of his people and was afraid that if he surrendered, they would sell him out.  Jeremiah told him they wouldn’t, but that God would not protect them if they fough the Babylonians, in Jeremiah 38:19-23.  “And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.

But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the LORD, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live.  But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the LORD hath showed me: And, behold, all the women that are left in the king of Judah's house shall be brought forth to the king of Babylon's princes, and those women shall say, Thy friends have set thee on, and have prevailed against thee: thy feet are sunk in the mire, and they are turned away back.  So they shall bring out all thy wives and thy children to the Chaldeans: and thou shalt not escape out of their hand, but shalt be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon: and thou shalt cause this city to be burned with fire. “

Fearing the politician’s reaction, Zedekiah swore Jeremiah to secrecy. When he was asked about what they had talked about, Jeremiah told the politicians what the king told him to say.  As a result, Jeremiah was allowed to live, remaining in the prison until Jerusalem fell, eleven years after Zedekiah became king, as Jeremiah 38:24-28 tells us.  “Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, and thou shalt not die.  But if the princes hear that I have talked with thee, and they come unto thee, and say unto thee, Declare unto us now what thou hast said unto the king, hide it not from us, and we will not put thee to death; also what the king said unto thee: Then thou shalt say unto them, I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan's house, to die there.

Then came all the princes unto Jeremiah, and asked him: and he told them according to all these words that the king had commanded. So they left off speaking with him; for the matter was not perceived.  So Jeremiah abode in the court of the prison until the day that Jerusalem was taken: and he was there when Jerusalem was taken.”

The Political Leaders Attempt To Kill Jeremiah

God had directed Jeremiah to warn the Jews that God had placed Nebuchadnezzar in his position and that if they would yield to his authority, God would bless them even though he was a pagan.   If they did not, they would experience further punishment.  His message was much like what Pau wrote in Romans 13:1-5.  “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.  Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.  For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.  Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.”

Jeremiah’s prophecy was very upsetting to the Jewish leaders, even though the signs that it came from God were very clear.  Jeremiah had already been imprisoned for the message, but was still able to get his message out.  The leaders demanded his execution, in Jeremiah 38:1-4, accusing him of treason.  “Then Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashur the son of Malchiah, heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken unto all the people, saying, Thus saith the LORD, He that remaineth in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live; for he shall have his life for a prey, and shall live.  Thus saith the LORD, This city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon's army, which shall take it.  Therefore the princes said unto the king, We beseech thee, let this man be put to death: for thus he weakeneth the hands of the men of war that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words unto them: for this man seeketh not the welfare of this people, but the hurt.”

Afraid to oppose the political leaders, Zedekiah gave them permission to do what they wanted.  Knowing the people believed Jeremiah was a prophet of God and might rebel if they killed him outright, The leaders had him cast into a dungeon where the floor was just mud but there was no drinkable water, hoping he would die there, in Jeremiah 38:5-6.  “Then Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand: for the king is not he that can do any thing against you.  Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire.”

One of Zedekiah’s workers was an Ethiopian slave who had adopted the Jewish religion.  He warned the king that if Jeremiah were left in the dungeon he would almost certainly die, whether from disease as a result of living in the constant filth or of starvation or thirst, and his death would only create more problems.  The king gave permission to pull him out of solitary confinement in the dungeon and put him with the other prisoners in the main yard, in Jeremiah 38:7-13.  “Now when Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs which was in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon; the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin; Ebedmelech went forth out of the king's house, and spake to the king, saying, My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon; and he is like to die for hunger in the place where he is: for there is no more bread in the city.

Then the king commanded Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from hence thirty men with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die.

Ebedmelech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took thence old cast clouts and old rotten rags, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah.  And Ebedmelech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah, Put now these old cast clouts and rotten rags under thine armholes under the cords. And Jeremiah did so.  So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him up out of the dungeon: and Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.”

The Proof of Jeremiah’s Prophecy

In Deuteronomy 18:21-22 God told Israel how to know whether a prophecy was from god or not.  “And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?  When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.”  As a sign that the prophecy, there would be a short term prophecy which could be checked and if it didn’t happen they were to ignore the entire prophecy. 

There were a number of prophets among the captives in Babylon advising the people to rebel and promising they could escape if they did.  In his message to the captives to yield and assimilate into the Babylonian culture, Jeremiah included a sign so that they could know the prophecy was from God.  In Jeremiah 29:20-23, he told them that two of those prophets would be executed by the Babylonians.  “Hear ye therefore the word of the LORD, all ye of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon: Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, of Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and of Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, which prophesy a lie unto you in my name; Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall slay them before your eyes; And of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of Judah which are in Babylon, saying, The LORD make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire; Because they have committed villany in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbours' wives, and have spoken lying words in my name, which I have not commanded them; even I know, and am a witness, saith the LORD.”

The Babylonians had carried away The Jewish leaders, including some of the priests.  One of the priests had sent messages back to Jerusalem instructing oner of the remaining priests to assume the high priest’s position and to arrest anyone who claimed to be a prophet.  He especially demanded that Jeremiah be silenced, blaming him for demoralizing the people and causing them to lose hope, in Jeremiah 29:24-28.  “Thus shalt thou also speak to Shemaiah the Nehelamite, saying,  Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thy name unto all the people that are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying, The LORD hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest, that ye should be officers in the house of the LORD, for every man that is mad, and maketh himself a prophet, that thou shouldest put him in prison, and in the stocks.  Now therefore why hast thou not reproved Jeremiah of Anathoth, which maketh himself a prophet to you?  For therefore he sent unto us in Babylon, saying, This captivity is long: build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them.”

One of the priests read the letter to Jeremiah, and God gave a special prophecy regarding the man who sent it, in Jeremiah 29:29-32.  “And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.  Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying, Send to all them of the captivity, saying, Thus saith the LORD concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite; Because that Shemaiah hath prophesied unto you, and I sent him not, and he caused you to trust in a lie: Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed: he shall not have a man to dwell among this people; neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my people, saith the LORD; because he hath taught rebellion against the LORD.”

God had promised that he would restore Judah to their land after seventy years in Captivity, but because Shemiah had tried to stir up rebellion against God, encouraging them to refuse to assimilate, he would not survive to see the return, nor would any of his family.  Once again we see a warning to those who claim to be anointed by God that they need to make sure they are actually being led by him, and not acting or teaching their own opinions and beliefs. 

God’s Instructions To Those In Captivity

Jeremiah warned the Jews who had been left in Jerusalem that they should yield to the Babylonians.  He also sent a message to those who had been taken captive telling them the same thing, in Jeremiah 29:1-7.  “Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon; (After that Jeconiah the king, and the queen, and the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the carpenters, and the smiths, were departed from Jerusalem;) By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon) saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon; Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished.  And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.”

If they would simply yield, making a life for themselves in Babylon and trusting God, they would be at peace even though they were ruled by the Babylonians.  Prophets and political leaders who tried to impose Jewish customs and laws on the Babylonians were not from God.  God had decreed that they were to stay in Babylon seventy years as Jeremiah 29:8-11.  “For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.  For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD.  For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.

God had brought them into captivity because of their rebellion against him.  If they would seek him in their captivity, he would bless them, and enable them to return to their own land when their time of captivity ended, as he told them in Jeremiah 29:12-14.  “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.  Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.  And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.  And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.”

They already had prophets and political leaders encouraging them to refuse to assimilate and hold protests in hopes the Babylonians would free them.  God warned that following those leaders would cause  racial conflict and religious persecution, because they were rebelling against his will, in Jeremiah 29:15-19.  “Because ye have said, The LORD hath raised us up prophets in Babylon; Know that thus saith the LORD of the king that sitteth upon the throne of David, and of all the people that dwelleth in this city, and of your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity; Thus saith the LORD of hosts; behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.  And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them: Because they have not hearkened to my words, saith the LORD, which I sent unto them by my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but ye would not hear, saith the LORD.”

There is a very important message for Christians today in this story.  God is in charge of everything that happens in our life.  Sometimes he allows bad things to happen to us, but if we allow him to have his way, as Romans 8:28 says, “…we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”  When we rebel and try to make it come out the way we want it, we make things worse for ourselves. 

Zedekiah Becomes King

Nebuchadnezzar had defeated Judah, and carried Jehoiachin away as a hostage, along with much of the treasure in Jerusalem.  He made Matamiah, Jehoiachin’s uncle as king, giving him the name Zedekiah,  leaving a small army of occupation in Jerusalem to maintain order, as II Kings 24:17-18 tells us.  “And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father's brother king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah.  Zedekiah was twenty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.”

II Chronicles 36:12-14 describes the over all attitude ov Zedekiah and the nation of Judah at the time.  “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.”

Jeremiah had told Jehoiakim that God wanted them to surrender to the Babylonians and he would bless them.  In Jeremiah 27:12-22 he told Zedekiah and the people the same thing.  “I spake also to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live.  Why will ye die, thou and thy people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as the LORD hath spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?  Therefore hearken not unto the words of the prophets that speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon: for they prophesy a lie unto you.  For I have not sent them, saith the LORD, yet they prophesy a lie in my name; that I might drive you out, and that ye might perish, ye, and the prophets that prophesy unto you.

Also I spake to the priests and to all this people, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Hearken not to the words of your prophets that prophesy unto you, saying, Behold, the vessels of the LORD'S house shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon: for they prophesy a lie unto you.  Hearken not unto them; serve the king of Babylon, and live: wherefore should this city be laid waste?

But if they be prophets, and if the word of the LORD be with them, let them now make intercession to the LORD of hosts, that the vessels which are left in the house of the LORD, and in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem, go not to Babylon.  For thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the pillars, and concerning the sea, and concerning the bases, and concerning the residue of the vessels that remain in this city, Which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took not, when he carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah from Jerusalem to Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem; Yea, thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that remain in the house of the LORD, and in the house of the king of Judah and of Jerusalem; They shall be carried to Babylon, and there shall they be until the day that I visit them, saith the LORD; then will I bring them up, and restore them to this place.”

Many of the Jewish leaders were determined to try to break Babylon’s power over them.  Jeremiah warned them that God was behind that power and if the prophets who were encouraging them to fight were motivated by God, they would be praying for Judah to be able to keep their land instead of telling them they could win the fight.  To resist would only bring them further into slavery, but if they would yield, God would protect them and they would be allowed to keep their land.  Unfortunately, as Jeremiah 37:2 tells us, nobody paid much attention to Jeremiah.  “But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, did hearken unto the words of the LORD, which he spake by the prophet Jeremiah.” 

Considering what Jeremiah had saild about if the prophets were from God, Zedekiah Asked Jeremiah to begin praying for them, in Jeremiah 37:3-4.  “And Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest to the prophet Jeremiah, saying, Pray now unto the LORD our God for us.  Now Jeremiah came in and went out among the people: for they had not put him into prison.”

Jeremiah’s Prophecy Fulfilled

Jeremiah gave the prophecy warning Jehoiakim and Judah to yield to the Babylonians shortly after Nebuchadnezzar attacked the Assyrian and Egyptian forces in Carchemish.  About three years later, Nebuchadnezzar officially took over Judah, Leaving Jehoiakim as king, as II Kings 24:1 describes.  “In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him.”

Jehoiakim hac destroyed the first copy of Jeremiah’s prophecy, and he ignored the message that if they would simply yield, they would be spared and allowed to keep their land, as Jeremiah 27:8-11 stated.  “And it shall come to pass, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, saith the LORD, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.  Therefore hearken not ye to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, which speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon: For they prophesy a lie unto you, to remove you far from your land; and that I should drive you out, and ye should perish.  But the nations that bring their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him, those will I let remain still in their own land, saith the LORD; and they shall till it, and dwell therein.”

Jehoiakim refused to acknowledge the sins of his grandfather or to listen to Jeremiah’s prophecies.  Three years after swearing allegiance to Nebuchadnezzar, Jehoiakim led a rebellion against him, which was decisively suppressed, as II Kings 24:1-tells us.  “In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him.  And the LORD sent against him bands of the Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servants the prophets.  Surely at the commandment of the LORD came this upon Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did; And also for the innocent blood that he shed: for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the LORD would not pardon.”

Jehoiakim was killed in the fighting, and his son Jehoiachin became king as II Kings 24:6 tells us.  “So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead.”   Jehoiachin continued what his father had started, refusing to surrender to God or to Nebuchadnezzar, as II Kings 24:8-9 tells us.  “Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother's name was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.  And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father had done.”

The war with Babylon was essentially over when Jehoiachin assumed the throne.   Jehoiachin only held the throne three months and ten day before Nebuchadnezzar dethroned him and took him as a hostage, in II Kings 24:10-12.  “At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged.  And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, and his servants did besiege it.  And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign.”

By the eighth year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had conquered everything from the border of Egypt to to part of present day Turkey, and began moving their treasures to Babylon.  He took Jerusalem’s treasure, as well as ten thousand of their leaders and most skilled artisans, leaving only the least skilled behind, as II Kings 24:13-16 tells us.  “And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had said.  And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valour, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths: none remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the land.  And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's mother, and the king's wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.  And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all that were strong and apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.”

Jehoiakim and Jehoiachin’s refusal to obey produced exactly the results God warned them about. 

Historical notes  

Jehoiachin was also called Jeconiah or Coniah, He would remain a slave in Babylon for thirty seven years, before being freed by Evil Merodak or Amel Marduk, Nebuchadnezzar’s son.  The king we know as Nebuchadnezzar was in fact Nebuchadnezzar II.  Nebuchadnezzar I had lived five hundred years earlier. 

Daniel and Mordecai, Esther’s uncle were two of those who were carried away at this time. 

Jehoiakim Rejects Jeremiah’s Message

Because he was in prison, Jeremiah had dictated God’s prophecy to Baruch, who then went and read it to all the people.  At the time, Babylon had just take over the Assyrian Empire, and Jeremiah was warning them not to fight against it because it was God’s will.  Upon hearing what God said, Te leaders were concerned about how the king would react to the prophecy, in Jeremiah 36:11-19.  “When Michaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard out of the book all the words of the LORD, Then he went down into the king's house, into the scribe's chamber: and, lo, all the princes sat there, even Elishama the scribe, and Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, and Elnathan the son of Achbor, and Gemariah the son of Shaphan, and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the princes.  Then Michaiah declared unto them all the words that he had heard, when Baruch read the book in the ears of the people.

Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, unto Baruch, saying, Take in thine hand the roll wherein thou hast read in the ears of the people, and come. So Baruch the son of Neriah took the roll in his hand, and came unto them.  And they said unto him, Sit down now, and read it in our ears. So Baruch read it in their ears.

Now it came to pass, when they had heard all the words, they were afraid both one and other, and said unto Baruch, We will surely tell the king of all these words.  And they asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How didst thou write all these words at his mouth?

Then Baruch answered them, He pronounced all these words unto me with his mouth, and I wrote them with ink in the book.

Then said the princes unto Baruch, Go, hide thee, thou and Jeremiah; and let no man know where ye be.”

Fearing Jehoiakim’s reaction the leaders advised Baruch and Jeremiah to find a safe place before they confronted him.  When Jehoiakim heard the prophecy, he destroyed the book Baruch had written, treating it as unimportant and ordering the arrest of Baruch and Jeremiah again.  As Jeremiah 36:20-26 tells us.  “And they went in to the king into the court, but they laid up the roll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and told all the words in the ears of the king.  So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll: and he took it out of Elishama the scribe's chamber. And Jehudi read it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes which stood beside the king.

Now the king sat in the winterhouse in the ninth month: and there was a fire on the hearth burning before him.  And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth.  Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words.  Nevertheless Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to the king that he would not burn the roll: but he would not hear them.  But the king commanded Jerahmeel the son of Hammelech, and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to take Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet: but the LORD hid them.”

Baruch and Jeremiah were protected by God, and were safe, but destroying the copy of the prophecy did not change it, only bringing more judgement on Jehoiakim for his refusal to listen, as Jeremiah 36:27-31 describes.  “Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, after that the king had burned the roll, and the words which Baruch wrote at the mouth of Jeremiah, saying, Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah hath burned.

And thou shalt say to Jehoiakim king of Judah, Thus saith the LORD; Thou hast burned this roll, saying, Why hast thou written therein, saying, The king of Babylon shall certainly come and destroy this land, and shall cause to cease from thence man and beast?  Therefore thus saith the LORD of Jehoiakim king of Judah; He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David: and his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost.  And I will punish him and his seed and his servants for their iniquity; and I will bring upon them, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and upon the men of Judah, all the evil that I have pronounced against them; but they hearkened not.”

Concentrate on Obeying God

While we do not know the details of Jeremiah’s message in Jeremiah 26 that were so offensive to the political and religious leaders, it is not hard to understand their hatred of his prophecy in Jeremiah 27:1-10.  “In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word unto Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, Thus saith the LORD to me; Make thee bonds and yokes, and put them upon thy neck, And send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the Ammonites, and to the king of Tyrus, and to the king of Zidon, by the hand of the messengers which come to Jerusalem unto Zedekiah king of Judah; And command them to say unto their masters, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say unto your masters; I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me.

And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him.  And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son's son, until the very time of his land come: and then many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of him.  And it shall come to pass, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, saith the LORD, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.

Therefore hearken not ye to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, which speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon: For they prophesy a lie unto you, to remove you far from your land; and that I should drive you out, and ye should perish. “

To political leaders amnd many religious leaders, such a prophecy would seem treasonous.  Jeremiah was encouraging the people to simply yield to Nebuchadnezzar and allow him to have his way.  the message was not onl to Judah, but to all the countries around.  At the time they were still under Egypt’s domination, but as we know from history, four years after Jehoiakim became king, the Babylonians would defeat both the the Assyrian and Egyptian forces, and seize control.  Jeremiah was advising them that god was allowing Babylon to take control, and that there would be no serious problems if they would recognize it as God’s will and simply yield. 

He also warned thast to fight against the Babylonians would result war, famine and disease and ultimately, the loss of their lands.  They should not listen to the politicians and prophets who encouraged them to stand up and fight, because following them would only result in destruction.   Like many people today, many of the leaders of Israel equated patriotism and godliness.  They are not the same thing.  While the Jews were to continue to follow the theachings of the Law, God had designated Nebuchadnezzar to rule the entire area, and fighting against him would amount to fighting against God’s will. 

In much the same way, Christians need to realize that while the move to create a global government is part of Satan’s plan for the Antichrist, God has said it is going to happen to fulfil his prophecies.  As Christians, we are not called on to prevent it happening, but rather to continue to stand for what is right as it happens.  If we try to stop it, we may well find ourselves fighting against God.   As we see this coming to pass, it becomes increasingly important that we stand for the moral and religious beliefs we find in God’s word. 

Revelations 2 and 3 talk about typical churches in the last days.   Christ had only compliments for two of those churches.  He told the church at Smyrna, “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life,” in Revelation 2:10.   In Revelation 3:10-11, he told the church at Philadelphia, “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.  Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.”  Instead of trying to prevent Satan from setting up his world government, we are to focus on doing what God has said and trust him to take care of Satan.   It is not our job to fix the world, but to obey God. 

God Had Warned Jehoiakim To Obey The Law

When Pharaoh Necho II first made Jehoiakim king, God sent Jeremiah to warn him to follow the Lord, in Jeremiah 26:1-6.  “In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word from the LORD, saying,  Thus saith the LORD; Stand in the court of the LORD'S house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD'S house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word:  If so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings.  And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; If ye will not hearken to me, to walk in my law, which I have set before you, To hearken to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I sent unto you, both rising up early, and sending them, but ye have not hearkened; Then will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.  So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD.”

Josiah had followed the Lord fully, and the people had followed Josiah, but they had little loyalty to the Lord himself.  When Jeremiah called on them to follow the Lord, they turned on him, aqccusing him of treason, as Jeremiah 26:8-11 describes.  “Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, Thou shalt surely die.  Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate without an inhabitant? And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.

When the princes of Judah heard these things, then they came up from the king's house unto the house of the LORD, and sat down in the entry of the new gate of the LORD'S house.  Then spake the priests and the prophets unto the princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy to die; for he hath prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears.”

Jeremiah pointed out that his message came from God, and if they would obey, God would bless them, but that killing him would only make things worse, in Jeremiah 26:12-15.  “Then spake Jeremiah unto all the princes and to all the people, saying, The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that ye have heard.  Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you.  As for me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you.  But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof: for of a truth the LORD hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears. “

As so often happens, the priests and prophets were just going through the motions of serving God and they resented the implication that they were not sincere  The people recognized that he was right, and insisted theyhad no justification for killing him, as Jeremiah 26:16-19 tells us.  “Then said the princes and all the people unto the priests and to the prophets; This man is not worthy to die: for he hath spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.

Then rose up certain of the elders of the land, and spake to all the assembly of the people, saying, Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spake to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.  Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? did he not fear the LORD, and besought the LORD, and the LORD repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus might we procure great evil against our souls.”

When a second man, Urijah, made similar prophecies, they proceeded to kill him, even having him extradited from Egypt, as Jeremiah 26:20- 23 describes.  “And there was also a man that prophesied in the name of the LORD, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjathjearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah: And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men, and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death: but when Urijah heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and went into Egypt; And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, namely, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and certain men with him into Egypt.  And they fetched forth Urijah out of Egypt, and brought him unto Jehoiakim the king; who slew him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.” 

When it became apparent, that there was serious support for Jeremiah’s prophecies, the political leaders began to crack down on what they viewed as rebellion.  Fortunately, Jeremiah had strong support from one very powerful political leader, as Jeremiah 26:24 tells us.  “Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.”

Conquered By Egypt, And Then By Babylon

Josiah had ben argueably the best king Israel or Judah ever had, following God to the best of his ability.  When he was killed, the people crowned his son Jehoahaz as king.  Jehoahaz deliberately turned away from God’s standards, copying his ancestors such as Amon, Manasseh, and Ahaz.  His reign only lasted three months, as II Kings 23:31-32 tells us.  “Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.  And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.”

Having defeated Josiah’s forces a Meggido, Pharaoh had gone on to carchemesh, where he successfully thwarted the Babylonian invasion.  On his way back to Egypt, he took control of Judah, forcing them to pay tribute according to II Kings 23:35.  “And Pharaohnechoh put him in bands at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and put the land to a tribute of an hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold.”

As proof of his power, Pharaoh named his brother Eliakim king, changing his name to Jehoiakim, and carrying Jehoahaz to Egypt as a hostage, as II Chronicles 36:4 tells us.  “And the king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and turned his name to Jehoiakim. And Necho took Jehoahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt.”

In order to retain power, Jehoiakim paid the tribute, taxing the people to make the payments.  He followed the same path his brother had taken, and most of the people went along with it.  He would reign for a total of eleven years. As we see in II Kings 23:35-37.  “And Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh; but he taxed the land to give the money according to the commandment of Pharaoh: he exacted the silver and the gold of the people of the land, of every one according to his taxation, to give it unto Pharaohnechoh.  Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Zebudah, the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah.  And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.”

Four years after Pharaoh had successfully defended Carchemesh, the Babylonians attacked the city, seizing control of the Assyrian Empire and expelling the Egyptian forces and claiming their territory.   Eight years after being taken over by the Egyptians, Judah became a Babylonian territory.  Three years later, Jehoiakim rebelled against Babylonian rule, as II Kings 24:1 describes.  “In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him.”

This resulted in an invasion by the combined forces of the Babylonian Empire, fulfilling God’s prophecies, as II Kings 24:2-4 describes.  “And the LORD sent against him bands of the Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servants the prophets.  Surely at the commandment of the LORD came this upon Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did; And also for the innocent blood that he shed: for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the LORD would not pardon.” Though they had stopped doing those sins for a time, they had never repented of them or asked forgiveness, just kind of pushing them under the rug and ignoring them.

During this time, God sent various prophets, including Jeremiah to warn the people not to rebel, but to trust God, as described in Jeremiah 25, 26, 27, 35, 36, and 37.  As a result of the rebellion, Jehoiakim was taken as hostage and his son Jehoiachim became king, as II Chronicles 36:6-8 describes.  “Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon.  Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of the LORD to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon.  Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which he did, and that which was found in him, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead.”

With the taking of Judah, Basbylon controlled everything to the traditional border of Egypt, eliminating Egypt as a threat, as we see in II Kings 24:7.  "And the king of Egypt came not again any more out of his land: for the king of Babylon had taken from the river of Egypt unto the river Euphrates all that pertained to the king of Egypt.”  Several years later, Nebuchadnezzar would invade and conquer Egypt as well.   

Josiah Is Killed

From the very beginning of his reign, Josiah sought to please God.  After they found a copy of God’s Law, he began a concerted effort to get all of Judah to follow God as well, even out doing David in his devotion, as II Kings 23:25 tells us.  “And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.”

A great leader can influence peopl’s behaviou, but he cannot control their attitudes.  Although the people accepted Josiah’s leadership for over thirty years, destroying all the idols and stopping worshipping the false gods, they never truly confessed or repented of their idolatry under Manasseh and Amon.  As a result, they had never been forgiven for that sin, as II Kings 23:26-27 tells us.  “Notwithstanding the LORD turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal.  And the LORD said, I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there.” 

Thae Assyrian Empire was beginning to fade as the Babylonian Empire grew, and had been forced to withdraw to Charchemish on the Euphrates River, far north of israel and Judah.  The Egyptians claimed the city and went to their aid, apparently crossing Jewish territory.  Josiah refused to give them passage, as II Chronicles 35:20 tells us.  “After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against Charchemish by Euphrates: and Josiah went out against him. “

Necho II, the Egyptian pharaoh attempted to negotiate with Josiah, insisting they had no intention of attacking Judah, but Josiah refused to listen, disguising himself, and leading an attack on the Egyptians in the valley of Meggido, as II Chronicles 35:21-22 describes.  “But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? I come not against thee this day, but against the house wherewith I have war: for God commanded me to make haste: forbear thee from meddling with God, who is with me, that he destroy thee not.  Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and hearkened not unto the words of Necho from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.”

The Egyptians were victorious, and Josiah was fatally injured in the fighting and was taken back to Jerusalem, as II Chronicles 35:23-24 explains.  “And the archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his servants, Have me away; for I am sore wounded.  His servants therefore took him out of that chariot, and put him in the second chariot that he had; and they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died, and was buried in one of the sepulchres of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.”

Josiah had been the best king they ever had and all Judah mourned over his death at such a young age.  Jeremiah held a special memorial for him that was to be observed in the future, according to II Chronicles 35:25-27.  “And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the lamentations.  Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his goodness, according to that which was written in the law of the LORD, And his deeds, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.”

Because of their respect for Josiah, the people made his son Jehoahaz king as II chronicles 36:1 tells us.  “Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father's stead in Jerusalem.”