Today’s Scripture Reading (April 9, 2017) Ezekiel
19
The sons of King Josiah of Judah
struggled. Although Josiah is remembered
as a good king, his reign was cut short by an Egyptian archer. After his
injury, Josiah was transported back to Jerusalem, and it was there that he died.
Following the death of Josiah, Judah found itself caught in a struggle between
Egypt, who desired to re-establish their rule over the area, and the rising
Babylonian Empire. Once again, Israel finds that living at the crossroads of
the world can bring great wealth and power, but it can also bring pain and
defeat. The sons of Josiah would only know pain and loss.
After the death of Josiah, the succession
of the kings of Judah takes an unexpected turn – at least, unexpected for the
ancient world. Jehoiakim (or Eliakim) should have succeeded his father as king
because he was the oldest of Josiah’s sons. But the people elected and
installed Jehoahaz as king instead, a
reflection of Jehoahaz’s popularity. It is likely that, in the eyes of the people, Jehoahaz was most like the much loved
Josiah and the one who the people believed could bet carry on the former king’s
policies. Instead, Jehoahaz ignored the reforms of his father. So Jehoahaz is
quickly deposed by Egypt, arrested and brought
back to Egypt as a prisoner where he would live out the rest of his days. He is
never heard from again, and exactly what happened to Jehoahaz in Egypt is a mystery
that no one has ever solved. The reign of Jehoahaz lasted three months.
Egypt places Jehoahaz’s older brother Jehoiakim
on the throne that was rightfully his in the first place. He would reign as a puppet
power for Egypt and would pay to the southern nation a massive tribute. After Babylon defeats Egypt, Jehoiakim switches
sides and begins to pay tribute to Babylon. He changes
back again three years later as Egypt appears to be rising once more. An
unimpressed Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon then lays siege of Jerusalem. And
Jehoiakim dies before the siege ends. His
son Jeconiah (or Coniah or Jehoiachin) succeeds him as King. Jehoiakim reigns
in Jerusalem for about eleven years.
Jeconiah became king during the Babylon siege of Jerusalem and reigned for three months and ten days. At that time,
Nebuchadnezzar II seized Jerusalem, entered the city, deposes the king and
carries him along with many of the best and the brightest of Judah back to
Babylon to live out the rest of their days in a strange land. Nebuchadnezzar
appoints Jeconiah’s uncle, and the youngest of Josiah’s sons, to reign in
Jerusalem in place of Jeconiah. His name was Zedekiah.
Zedekiah was the last king of Judah, and his reign continues for another eleven years. But, against the advice of
Jeremiah and several of the King’s advisors, Zedekiah rebels against
Nebuchadnezzar. As a result, the Babylonian army places the city under siege, and it falls two and half years after
the siege begins. At this time, the
Babylonians destroyed the city, leveling the Temple and they force Zedekiah to
watch the gruesome execution of his sons.
Then Zedekiah is blinded so that the death of his sons is the last image that he would be able to see, and the
blinded King is carried into captivity, with
most of the people left in Judah, where he would live out the rest of his days.
This lament is for them, the princes
of Israel. It is interesting that Ezekiel uses the “Israel” instead of Judah,
but then Judah always seemed to be the spiritual descendants of Jacob (Israel).
The northern Kingdom of Israel had already disappeared over a century earlier. So
these princes represented what was left
of the descendants of Jacob; they were what was
left of Israel.
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 20
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