Blessed in Spite of Their Sin

Though God was punishing Judah for ongoing disobedience, they were protected, and as God had pomised, and those who submitted themselves to the captivity were richly blessed throughout the seventy years.  Jehoiachin had been only eight years old when he became king, and the Jewish leaders constantly rebelled against the Babylonians during his reign.  After only three months, he was deposed and carried off to Babylon.  Finally, thirty seven years after the Nebuchadnezzar first took control, his son, Evil Merodak, or Awil Marduk freed Jehoiaqchin as Jeremiah 52:31-34 describes.  “And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon in the first year of his reign lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison, And spake kindly unto him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon, And changed his prison garments: and he did continually eat bread before him all the days of his life.  And for his diet, there was a continual diet given him of the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life.”

For the rest of his life, Jehoiachin was treated respectfully, and received a living allowance, even though he was a conquered king.  It demonstrates how God cares for and protects his children even when there seens to be no hope.  He blesses his people even when they are rebellious and are far from where He originally intended them to be. As  Paul reminds us in Romans 8:38-39, "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Even our own rebellion will not kill his love for us.