Read 2 Chronicles 36:1-10
These final kings are summed up pretty quickly by the Chronicler. Being they weren’t “good” kings who followed the law and worshipped God, it makes sense this author would be brief.
Even more interesting is how these kings were chosen and the family dynamics that must have been going on during this 22+ year period. Let’s look at that and glean some wisdom on what the message is for us today.
In our last reading, we met King Neco who is a major player in this reading as well. Did you ever wonder if God had told King Neco to do this to Josiah’s son? After all, we’re told God had given him a message. Maybe we haven’t heard the whole story. In any event, the LORD thought enough of King Neco to use him in his plan for something. And, King Neco trusted our God enough to pay attention.
As for that family dynamic – the people didn’t choose Josiah’s oldest son to replace him as king. Josiah’s death had been unexpected, so finding a replacement from his sons would have had to move quickly. No kingdom would want to be without a king for long.
King Neco intervened to put an older brother on the throne and took Jehoahaz back to Egypt with him as a captive. We hear nothing more about Josiah’s younger son from the Chronicler. Instead, King Neco takes it upon himself to even rename the older son of Josiah, and he put Jehoiakim on the throne.
Everything falls apart in Judah over the next eleven years of Jehoiakim’s reign. Prophets, including Jeremiah, were doing everything they could to get the people to listen. You can read more about Jeremiah’s attempts in my reflections on that book.
The LORD had spoken to Josiah that the destruction would wait until he was no longer alive. The prophets warned that if the people didn’t repent, God would lash out and destroy them. Jehoiakim was an evil king for 11 years before a different king, King Nebuchadnezzar, came and took him back to Babylon.
The next succession seemed to have gone off normally with Jehoiakim’s son, Jehoiachin, being named the next king. But three months later, King Nebuchadnezzar became the second outsider to swoop in and declare who would be Judah’s king. Nebuchadnezzar took another king from Judah back to Babylon, and this time he called the shots and named the next king.
Why Nebuchadnezzar chose an uncle and not a son or brother of Jehoiachin we’re not told by the Chronicler. Zedekiah is the name of the last and final king. We will pick up the story in our next reading. For today, let’s focus on God doing the unexpected.
We didn’t expect that foreign kings would get involved in the politics of Judah and pick a king they liked from the royal family. We didn’t expect God would leave his throne in heaven to put on human flesh and live among us either. Jesus is truly our final and only King. God is amazing, isn’t he? Reflect on that today.
Let’s pray. LORD, thank you for how you entered this world by coming in person and how you speak to our hearts today. My mind is so impressed by your mighty power and your tender love for me. Stir up in me the flame of your Spirit so I can be burning especially bright in this dark world. Help me to not judge, only love. Give me the words I need when I need them. I trust your brilliance will shine through me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
