2 Kings 23:31-25:30 "The Death of the Southern Kingdom" March 25, 2007 Last week Dr. Kloosterman reminded us of the ultimate battle. Samson was called to be Israel's deliverer as the angel had said, "he will begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines." But Samson was lured away from his calling. Dr. Kloosterman also reminded us that Samson is a parable of Israel. In the book of Samuel, we saw that Israel had been lured away from their calling, and so God provided a king. The king was supposed to succeed where Israel had failed. But as we have seen throughout the book of Kings, this didn't happen! First, after Solomon sinned, by building temples for his wives to worship their own gods, God handed over the northern 10 tribes to Jeroboam. All three stories in the book of Kings focus on idolatry as the basic problem. At the center of the book was the story of the house of Ahab the king who introduced Baal worship into the northern kingdom. And because of his idolatry, his household was destroyed. The northern kingdom of Israel followed Jeroboam in refusing to let the people worship God in Jerusalem. And because if their idolatry, the Northern kingdom of Israel was exiled by the Assyrians. And as we heard most poignantly in the sins of Ahaz and Manasseh, even the house of David has been lured away from his calling. And so now the house of David will be destroyed and exiled for their idolatry. Our sermon tonight has six points, but don't worry, most of them are very short! 1. Jehoahaz Exiled to Egypt (23:31-35) First notice how Egypt functions in our text. In 2 Kings 23:29 Pharaoh Neco killed Josiah. Three months later, here in 2 Kings 23:33, Pharaoh Neco captured Jehoahaz (Josiah's second son), and took him in exile to Egypt. From 23:36 it seems clear that Jehoahaz was not the eldest son of Josiah. Jehoahaz was 23, but his brother Jehoiakim (formerly called Eliakim) was 25. Probably Josiah had designated Jehoiakim as his heir (like David had done with Solomon, even though Solomon was not the eldest). But Pharaoh Neco thought that the elder brother would be more friendly to his interests, so he captured Jehoahaz and took him to Egypt where he died. And Jehoiakim indeed did what Pharaoh Neco desired, he taxed the land and gave the money to Pharaoh. When Pharaoh kills one son of David, captures another, and rules over a third, that is not a good sign. The only thing that could be worse would be if Pharaoh himself ruled over the people of God and by the end of our text, he will! 2. Jehoiakim Raided by the Nations (23:36-24:7) But Jehoiakim also did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. Verse 7 of chapter 24 tells us that the king of Egypt is now bottled up in his own land, Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, will now dominate the story. Hezekiah had shown all the treasures of Jerusalem to the Babylonians, and so Isaiah had prophesied that the Babylonians would take Judah captive. And now that God has withdrawn his protection from Jerusalem, (as he said in 23:27, "I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and I will cast off this city that I have chosen, Jerusalem, and the house of which I said, 'My name shall be there.'") the day of judgment swiftly comes. At first Jehoiakim served Nebuchadnezzar, but then he rebelled against him, and so the LORD sent against him bands of the Chaldeans, bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the Ammonites. The nations are raiding and destroying the cities of Judah. And our author once again inserts himself, telling us why, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by his servants the prophets. Surely this came upon Judah at the command of the LORD, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done, and also for the innocent blood that he had shed. For he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the LORD would not pardon. Idolatry and murder. Hatred of God and hatred of man for this, the house of David was overthrown. Jehoiakim ruled for 11 years and then he died at the age of 36. 3. Jehoiachin, the Chief Men, and the Gold of the Temple Exiled to Babylon (24:8-17) His 18 year old son ruled, Jehoiachin, ruled for three months. He is the only grandson of Josiah who ruled as king in Jerusalem. His three months saw the coming of Nebuchadnezzar to Jerusalem, and so within three months of his father's death, Jehoiachin gave himself up to the king of Babylon. So Jehoiachin, his mother, his servants and his officials were carried off to Babylon, together with all the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king's house. The treasure of the temple had been carried off before: Rehoboam had used the gold of the temple to pay off the king of Egypt (1 Kings 14:26). Asa had used the silver and gold of the temple to pay off the king of Syria (1 Kings 15:18) Joash had used the gold of the temple to pay off the king of Syria (2 Kings 12:18) Ahaz had used to silver and gold of the temple to pay off the Assyrians (2 Kings 16:8) Even Hezekiah had used silver and gold of the temple to pay off the Assyrians (2 Kings 18:15-16) But now Nebuchadnezzar carries away the last of the gold even the vessels of gold that Solomon had made. He carried away all Jerusalem 10,000 captives including all the talented people. (This is the captivity in which Daniel was carried away as a boy). Anyone who might be useful in a rebellion is carted away. And he established Mattaniah, the king's uncle, as king in his place, and changed his name to Zedekiah. The most important part of verses 8-17 is what is omitted. Jehoiachin is taken to Babylon. What happens to him? We will hear this later! 4. Zedekiah and Judah Cast Out from God's Presence (24:18-25:21) Zedekiah was the third son of Josiah to become king. His mother was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah (who was also the mother of Jehoahaz). But he was no better than Jehoiakim. And in his day, because of the anger of the LORD it came to the point in Jerusalem and Judah that he cast them out from his presence. A. Zedekiah Blinded and Exiled to Babylon (24:18-25:7) God rules over all the affairs of men. Verse 20 makes it clear that all that follows happens because of God's anger. God will use the folly of Zedekiah to lead his holy city into destruction. Notice that every event is dated to the day. The memory of the exile of Jerusalem is so vivid that it remains etched in the calendar of the people of God. You cannot read this passage without great horror and dread. The relentless anger of God against his rebellious people is a terrifying read. God had promised to make his name dwell in Jerusalem forever. God had promised that the throne of David would endure forever. God had promised that the house of Aaron would serve before him forever. And now God is destroying Jerusalem, breaking down the temple, and removing the houses of David and Aaron from his presence. It almost makes you wonder whether God really is faithful to his promises! This is why it is important to remember that God's promises have both an unconditional side and a conditional side. Israel has failed to keep covenant with God. The house of David has failed to keep covenant with God. The house of Aaron has failed to keep covenant with God. Therefore, God brings his judgment against them. This is why Jesus is so important! Jesus is place where God's name dwells. Jesus is the son of David who sits at God's right hand forever. Jesus is the faithful high priest who serve before God forever. As we go through chapter 25, we need to see Jesus as the one who endures this exiling wrath of God on our behalf. Chapter 25 is what God did to Jesus. Nebuchadnezzar was tired of this pesky city Jerusalem that kept rebelling against him, so he besieged the city for two years, until there was no more food in the city. Then a breach was made in the wall of the city, and the men of war tried to escape, but they (and the king) were captured near Jericho. In the same place where Israel came into the land, Israel will be put out of the land. They slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes and the death of his sons was the last thing that he ever saw and they put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him in chains and took him to Babylon. Samson had been blinded and taken captive. And as Samson went, so goes Israel indeed, so goes the house of David. Blind and captive, the anointed king is taken away for judgment and is never heard of again. Jehoiachin is captive in Babylon, and now his uncle is as well. But of the fate of Zedekiah, no story tells. He is the son of David lost forever in perennial exile. The son of David cannot rescue Jerusalem from the judgment of God. B. Nebuchadnezzar Burns the House of the LORD, Breaks Down the Walls of Jerusalem and Exiles the People (25:8-12) With their shield and protector blind and captive, the city of God lies open to the depredations of the Babylonians. And so Nebuzaradan, the captain of the bodyguard of Nebuchadnezzar, burned the house of the LORD and the king's house. The house of the LORD and the king's house had been designed in parallel, each with three parts, as a way of showing how the LORD's temple and the LORD's king were connected in the city of God. Connected in life, connected in worship, they are now connected in exile, death and destruction. Indeed, every great house was burned down. The wall of the city was torn down, and all the people were carried into exile except the very poorest of the poor. Notice that even those who had deserted to the Babylonians are carried away. It didn't matter whether you remained faithful to Zedekiah or whether you turned tail and ran away! Everyone who survived was sent into exile. C. The Destruction of the Temple (25:13-18) Verses 13-18 tells us about the destruction of the temple. The gold of the temple had already been stripped off and sent away. Ahaz had dismantled the water chariots. All that is left of value in the temple are the pillars of bronze, and the bronze sea (and a few bronze vessels). Only a little gold and silver is mentioned in verse 15. These huge bronze pillars and bronze sea were now broken in pieces and carted off. The two pillars, Jachin and Boaz, had represented the royal and priestly guardians of the house. The sea had represented the living water that flowed from the temple to the nations. Years before Ahaz had removed the water chariots. The living water no longer flowed to the nations from the temple. If Israel no longer brings living water to the nations, then Israel will not live long either. D. The Death of the Priests (25:19-21) And the captain of the guard took the chief priest, the second priest, three keepers of the threshold, an officer who had been over the men of war, and five men of the king's council, and the secretary of the commander (that's twelve) along with 60 men of the people of the land, for a total of 72. And they were brought to Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah. And Nebuchadnezzar struck down 72 men of Jerusalem at Riblah. Jesus will send out 72 in Luke 10, in order to proclaim the coming of the kingdom of God the coming of God's judgment. And when you understand Jesus' proclamation of the coming of the kingdom, in the light of Israel's exile, you can see how the death of the 72 at the hand of Nebuchadnezzar is now overturned as Jesus sends out 72 to proclaim the return from exile! But in 2 Kings 25, that day is still a long ways away! Israel had hoped in the son of David. He is now blind and in exile. His sons are dead. Israel had hoped in the temple. It is now broken in pieces. Israel had hoped in the priests. The chief priest was slaughtered by Nebuchadnezzar. The king is dead, the temple is destroyed, the sacrifices are no more, Jerusalem is in ruins. Everything that Israel had trusted is no more. Let me rephrase that: everything that God had given them as means of grace is gone. These were all good things. The son of David, the temple of Yahweh, the city of God, these things were all good and wonderful gifts from God. But the people of God forgot. They forgot their creator, and worshiped the creature. They forgot the giver and worshiped the gift. They put their hope in the temple, rather than in the God who gave them the temple. You and I do this all the time! God has given us good gifts. He has given us homes and families, abilities, talents, things that we are good at. And we, like our fathers, have put our hope in those things. Beware, because God has been known to strip away those gifts from those who worship the creature instead of worshiping him! Mary Rowlandson, the wife of a Puritan pastor in New England in the 17th century, spoke of this when she was captured by Indians. She recognized that God had sent her into a sort of exile. She then began to see how many ways she had forgotten God. God may at times allow us to experience the horror of exile feeling the absence of God for a season. But he does this to us as he did to Israel of old in mercy, humbling us for a season, so that he might renew us in grace. And the key for us, as it was for Israel of old, is to remember his mercy and promises even in the very moment when it looks like God has forgotten us. 5. Gedaliah and the Final Flight of the Faithful to Egypt (25:22-26) The people of Judah did not. Gedaliah was appointed governor over the few people who remained in the land. And he swore to the handful of captains who had escaped the exile, namely Ishmael, Johanan, Seraiah, and Jaazaniah (the final four!) that those who lived in the land under the king of Babylon would thrive. (Jeremiah 40ff makes it clear that Gedaliah spoke truly) But Ishmael, who was of the royal family, struck down Gedaliah and his followers. Then all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the forces arose and went to Egypt, for they were afraid of the Chaldeans. If this was the end of the book of Kings, then truly the irony would be great. Israel ends up back in Egypt. God had brought his people out of Egypt, but through their sin and rebellion, they wind up back where they started. The whole history of the people of God is a great big circle. If this was the end of the book of Kings, then the point of the book would be: So much for God's promises! And it is true that if you look at the history of Israel, you see a cyclical history, a story that keeps going round and round with no seeming improvement. They have ended up where they started, and they don't appear to have learned anything along the way! 6. Grace in the End (25:27-30) But the book of Kings does not end with verse 26. And in the 37th year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah (He was 18 when he went into exile, so this would be when he was 55) in the twelfth month, on the twenty seventh day of the month, Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, graciously freed (or lifted up the head of) Jehoiachin king of Judah. Not only that, but Evil Merodach spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat above the seats of the kings who were with him in Babylon. Where now is the house of Jeroboam? Where now is the house of Ahab? They lie in the dust of death. What about the son of David? Jehoiachin is in exile and by this time in the narrative, he is presumed dead. There is a sort of resurrection here. The son of David is now seated in honor at the table of the King of Babylon. No, that is not where he should be! He should be seated at the right hand of God. But that day will come. Because God has not forgotten his promises! Even in the midst of his anger, God remembers mercy to the son of David. And God will raise up the son of David from death. David's hope is not that God will deliver him from death. Rather, David's hope is that God will bring him through death unto life eternal.