Key Text: For through the anger of the Lord it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon (2 Kings 24:20).
Jehoiakim became king of Judah at the age of twenty-five. He obtained the heavy tax levied against Judah of a hundred shekels of silver and ten talents of gold which were the subject of Jeremiah’s oracle of woes. When Nebuchadnezzar captured Judah, Jehoiakim was made a vassal (a servant). He remained a vassal for three years before rebelling 24:1, which is also in defiance to Jeremiah’s warnings. Jehoiakim paid the ultimate penalty for his disobedience with his life and Jeremiah’s prophecies were fulfilled. This was done at God’s command because of Judah’s sin. When Jehoiakim died, he was neither mourned nor given an honorable burial (24:6).
Jehoiakim’s son, Jehoiachin, had a short, evil, three-month reign. Nebuchadnezzar took him and the royal family as permanent captives to Babylon in the second deportation v12. The Temple and the palace were stripped of their valuables, and ten thousand leading citizens, including Ezekiel were led away captive. Zedekiah (Mattaniah), Jehoiakim’s brother, was placed on the throne by Nebuchadnezzar. Zedekiah had an evil eleven-year reign and he was never recognized as king by Ezekiah since Jehoiachin was still alive, though in captivity v 19. Zedekiah participated in a rebellion against Babylon that would consequently lead to disaster. Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalemn and Zedekiah was captured in the plains of Jericho and was taken to Syria. The last thing Zedekiah was permitted to see before he was blinded and taken to Babylon was the death of his sons. The Temple and place were burned and the city walls were broken down. Temple furnishings made of gold, silver, or brass were taken as spoils. Leaders who were party to the resistance were executed. AMEN!
1. After 40 years in the wilderness, Joshua conquers Canaan and divides the land between the twelve tribes of Israel: Ruben, Simeon, Zebulun, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Manasseh, Ephraim, Benjamin.
2. Prior to becoming a monarchy, Israel was ruled by different judges:
Othniel, Ehud, Deborah, Gideon, Tola, Jair, Jephthah, Ibzan, Elon, Abdon, Samson (the last judge and the first prophet).
3. After becoming a monarchy, Israel is guided by prophets: Major Prophets: Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel.
Kings of the Old Testament
Saul
David
Solomon
Kings of the Divided Kingdom
South (Judah) Prophet North (Israel)
Rehoboam Jeroboam
Abijam Nadab
Asa* Baasha
Jehoshaphat* Baasha
Jehoram Elah, Omri
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Ahaziah Joel Joram
Athaliah Jehu
Joasah* Jehoahaz
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Amaziah* Jonah, Amos Jehoash
Uzziah* Hosea Jeroboam II
(Azariah) Isaiah Zechariah
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Jotham* Micah Menahem
Ahaz Pekah
Hezekiah* Hoshea
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Mannasseh Nahum
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Amon Habakkuk
Josiah* Zephaniah
Jehoiakim Jeremiah
Jehoiachin
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Zedekiah Obadiah, Daniel
Ezekiel
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LEADERS
Zerubbabel Haggai, Zechariah
Ezra Malachi
Nehemiah
*Good King
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