Did God warn three kings of Judah to uphold justice and not to mistreat the weak or face ruin? Do our national leaders? Let’s look at Jeremiah 22.
Was Jeremiah sent to the king of Judah with a message from God?
This is what the Lord says: “Go down to the house of the king of Judah and tell him this: ‘Listen to this message from the Lord, king of Judah, you who sit on the throne of David—you, your officials, and your people who enter these gates. This is what the Lord says: “Uphold justice and righteousness. Deliver from their oppressor those who have been robbed. Don’t mistreat or do violence to the alien, the orphan, or the widow, or shed the blood of innocent people in this place. Rather, carefully obey this message, and then kings sitting for David on his throne and riding in chariots and on horses will enter the gates of this house. The king will enter along with his officials and his people. But if you don’t listen to these words, I swear,” declares the Lord, “that this house will become a ruin.”’” (Jer 22:1-5 ISV)
Was the king exalted like the beautiful mountains of Gilead? What would happen to him?
For thus saith the Lord unto the king's house of Judah; Thou art Gilead unto me, and the head of Lebanon: yet surely I will make thee a wilderness, and cities which are not inhabited. And I will prepare destroyers against thee, every one with his weapons: and they shall cut down thy choice cedars, and cast them into the fire. (Jer 22:6-7 KJV)
What will foreign nations inquire about Judah, and how will they answer?
“Many nations will pass by this city; and they will say to one another, ‘Why has Yahweh done thus to this great city?’ Then they will say, ‘Because they forsook the covenant of Yahweh their God and worshiped other gods and served them.’” Do not weep for the dead or console him, But weep continually for the one who goes away, For he will never return Or see the land of his birth. (Jer 22:8-10 LSB)
What does God want Jeremiah to tell Shallum or Jehoahaz, king of Judah?
For this is what the Lord says regarding Shallum the son of Josiah, king of Judah, who became king in the place of his father Josiah, who went out from this place: “He will never return there; but in the place where they took him into exile, there he will die and he will not see this land again. (Jer 22:11-12 NASB)
What misuse of power does God warn a nation’s leader not to engage in?
“Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, his upper rooms by injustice, making his own people work for nothing, not paying them for their labor. He says, ‘I will build myself a great palace with spacious upper rooms.’ So he makes large windows in it, panels it with cedar and decorates it in red.” (Jer 22:13-14 NIV)
Does the accumulation of wealth for selfish purposes exalt a national leader or justice, righteousness, and caring for the poor and needy?
“Shall you reign because you enclose yourself in cedar? Did not your father eat and drink, And do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him. He judged the cause of the poor and needy; Then it was well. Was not this knowing Me?” says the Lord. “Yet your eyes and your heart are for nothing but your covetousness, For shedding innocent blood, And practicing oppression and violence.” (Jer 22:15-17 NKJV)
What did God say about Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and his greed?
Therefore, this is what the Lord says about Jehoiakim, son of King Josiah: “The people will not mourn for him, crying to one another, ‘Alas, my brother! Alas, my sister!’ His subjects will not mourn for him, crying, ‘Alas, our master is dead! Alas, his splendor is gone!’ He will be buried like a dead donkey—dragged out of Jerusalem and dumped outside the gates! (Jer 22:18-19 NLT)
Was there hope for Judah in foreign allies, so-called lovers like Lebanon, Bashan and east of the Jordan in Abarim?
“Go up to Lebanon, and cry out. Lift up your voice in Bashan, and cry from Abarim; for all your lovers have been destroyed. I spoke to you in your prosperity, but you said, ‘I will not listen.’ This has been your way from your youth, that you didn’t obey my voice. The wind will feed all your shepherds, and your lovers will go into captivity. Surely then you will be ashamed and confounded for all your wickedness. Inhabitant of Lebanon, who makes your nest in the cedars, how greatly to be pitied you will be when pangs come on you, the pain as of a woman in travail! (Jer 22:20-23 WEB)
What did God say about Coniah (also called Jehoiachin or Jeconiah) king of Judah?
As surely as I live, declares the Lord, even if Coniah, King Jehoiakim’s son from Judah were a signet ring on my right hand, I would still remove you from there. I would hand you over to those who seek to kill you, those you dread, even Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar and his army. I will banish you and your mother who bore you to a land far from your native soil, and there the two of you will die. You will never return to the land you long to go back to. (Jer 22:24-27 CEB)
Why did God say Jehoiakin (Coniah) was unwanted, like a broken clay pot?
Jehoiachin, you are unwanted like a broken clay pot. So you and your children will be thrown into a country you know nothing about. Land of Judah, I am the Lord. Now listen to what I say! Erase the names of Jehoiachin's children from the royal records. He is a complete failure, and so none of them will ever be king. I, the Lord, have spoken. (Jer 22:28-30 CEV)
What did James confirm about pure religion that these kings of Judah missed?
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. (James 1:27 ESV)
Did God warn three kings of Judah to uphold justice and not to mistreat the weak or face ruin? Do our national leaders? You decide!
