JERUSALEM IS CAPTURED AND BURNED

PROCLAMATION

“So He brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary … Then they burnt down the house of God, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, and burned all its fortified buildings with fire and destroyed all its valuable articles.”  2 Chronicles 36:17-19 (KJV)

EXPLANATION

After the death of Josiah, the people of Judah took Jehoahaz, his twenty-three year old son, and made him king.  He had only reigned for three months before Neco king of Egypt deposed him, made his brother Eliakim the king, and changed his brother’s name to Jehoiakim.  Then Neco took Jehoahaz and carried him off to Egypt. (2 Chronicles 36:1-4)  Jehoiakim as king of Judah for eleven years and he did that which was evil in the sight of The Lord.  Then Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon rose up against him, bound him in chains, and took him to Babylon.  His eighteen year old son reigned in his stead for three months and ten days.  He also did that which was evil in the sight of The Lord.  Nebuchadnezzar seized him and brought him to Babylon and made his brother Zedekiah king over Judah and Jerusalem. (2 Chronicles 36:5-10)  Zedekiah did that which was evil in the sight of The Lord.  He also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar who tried to make him swear by God.  The priests and the people also turned against God and followed the abomination of Babylon.  God sent messengers to them but the mocked the messengers and despised their words. (2 Chronicles 36:11-16)  Therefore The Lord God brought the king of the Chaldees against them who slew all their young men.  They looted then burnt the house of The Lord and the palaces.  Those that were not killed were made slaves and servants to him and his men until the reign of the new king of Persia. (2 Chronicles 36:17-20)  During the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, he issued a proclamation saying, “All the kingdoms of the earth hath The Lord God of heaven given me; and He hath charged me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all His people?  The Lord his God be with him, and let him go up.” (2 Chronicles 36:22-23)  

APPLICATION

There is a price to pay for those who do not believe, who do not obey, and who do not follow The Word of God.  “The Lord is slow to anger and abundant in mercy, forgives wrongdoing, violation of His law, and sin, yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, inflicting the punishment of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generations.” Numbers 14:18)  He will take His vengeance upon them with a flaming fire to those who do not obey the gospel of Jesus, The Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9)  “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:15)