THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

Jeremiah: Prophet Of Judgment Followed By Blessing

Part XLIV: Judgment On Josiah's Descendants For Inexcusable Sin

(Jeremiah 22:10-30)

I. Introduction

A. When a person has been granted a good role model in his or her growing up years, God holds him more accountable to be upright than others who were not as blessed with such role models.

B. This truth is seen in the accounts of God's judgments of Josiah's descendants, so we view them for our insight:

II. Judgment On Josiah's Descendants For Inexcusable Sin, Jeremiah 22:10-30.

A. The accounts of the three kings of Judah in Jeremiah 22:10-30 all deal with God's heavy-handed judgment on each one due to each man's respective choice to rule in wickedness, Bible Know. Com., O. T., p. 1156-1157:

1. God directed Jeremiah to call Judah's people not to weep for King Josiah who had recently been slain by Pharaoh Necho, but to weep greatly for his son king Shallum (Jehoahaz) who reigned only three months before he was taken captive into Egypt, for he would die where he was held captive and see Judah no more, Jer. 22:10-12; Ibid., p. 1156. Shallum had decided to follow the idolatrous ways of the bad kings before him, and God quickly, intolerantly had him severely judged, cf. 2 Kings 23:31-33; Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, ftn. to 2 Kings 23:31.

2. Then, in Jeremiah 22:13-23, God had Jeremiah pronounce a woe to king Jehoiakim, the older brother and successor of Shallum, for building "elaborate royal buildings with forced labor (vv. 13-14)," Ibid., Ryrie, ftn. to Jer. 22:13-19. For his dictatorial cruelty, God judged Jehoiakim not to be lamented at his death, nor that he would be buried, but that his body would be dragged away and dumped outside the city much like a dead donkey's body would be treated, Jeremiah 22:18-19. So much cedar had been imported from Lebanon and used by Jerusalem's leaders that living there was like living among Lebanon's cedars (Ibid., Bible Know. Com., O. T., p. 1157), but God's judgment was coming on all these leaders as it would on Jehoiakim, and it would produce great suffering for them, Ibid.; Jeremiah 22:20-23.

3. Finally, in Jeremiah 22:24-30, God had Jeremiah predict the captivity of Jehoiakim's son, king Jehoiachin (alias Coniah, Jeconiah; Ibid., Ryrie, p. 1078) after only three months of rule for following in the evil, idolatrous ways of his father before him, cf. 2 Kings 24:8-9. God severely judged this king never to have a descendant ruling on the throne of David after him who would prosper in that role, Jer. 22:28-30.

B. The reason for such divine severity on these three kings arose from the inexcusable nature of each man's rebellion against the Lord in view of the excellent example of king Josiah that each man had been given:

1. Shallum was Josiah's son (Jer. 22:11), Jehoiakim was his older brother and thus also another son of Josiah (Jer. 22:18) and Coniah was Jehoiakim's son and thus Josiah's grandson (Jer. 22:24), so God expected these three men to walk in the footsteps of the good example of godly king Josiah before them.

2. Indeed, God even chided Jehoiakim for not following Josiah's example of uplifting the cause of vulnerable people to where God blessed Josiah, Jeremiah 22:15-17.

3. Reviewing Josiah's life shows how stunning was his uprightness in contrast to his sinful descendants:

a. During Josiah's reign, a copy of the Mosaic Law was found in the temple and read to him, and upon hearing that law for the first time in his life, Josiah had torn his clothes in repentance and sought God's solution to the dreadful judgments the nation was under for its decades of wickedness, 2 Kings 22:1-13.

b. A godly prophetess was found who informed Josiah because of his repentance, though God still planned to judge Jerusalem for its many sins, that judgment would not fall in his era, 2 Kings 22:14-20.

c. Josiah consequently instituted great reforms in Judah and celebrated the greatest Passover celebration ever observed in all the kings of Judah, a remarkable turn of events, 2 Kings 23:1-25.

d. Josiah sadly died when he unwisely pursued Pharaoh Necho who did not plan on fighting him, but passing him by en route to battle against Babylon, 2 Kings 23:29-30. However, Josiah's life and devotion to God made the idolatrous, dictatorial, self-centered reigns of Shallum, Jehoiakim and Coniah inexcusable in God's eyes, so He severely judged them.

Lesson: For neglecting to pay heed to the excellent role model they each had in their father or grandfather Josiah, Shallum, Jehoiakim and Coniah were severely judged of the Lord as inexcusably guilty of personal waywardness.

Application: May we heed the good role models God gives us, for He holds us accountable to do so! (2 Tim. 3:14c)