Friday, 24 March 2023

Jeremiah 13:18-19 – The dire consequence of disobedience

Jeremiah was told to address the royalty in Judah. So in Jeremiah 13:18, God told the prophet to say to the king and the queen mother to descend from their throne. God’s message was that they were about to be dethroned and humiliated. Besides, the land would be overrun. God warned of the impending invasion of the Babylonians. The fleeing refugees would not be about to seek shelter in cities in the Negev situated in the south because their gates would be locked. All of Judah would succumb to the invasion and be carried into exile.

Historically this could have happened when King Jehoiachin succeeded his father Jehoiakim. Second Kings 24:10-16 describe what occurred during Babylon’s second siege of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar personally came to the city. 2 Kings 24:12 tells us that  “Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he and his mother and his servants and his captains and his officials. So the king of Babylon took him captive in the eighth year of his reign.” His short three months reign would be the last of the Davidic dynasty that had ruled Judah.

No one was immune from the judgment of God. From royalty to commoners, all had to face divine discipline because of disobedience. It's sad that Judah should degenerate into such a state. That’s the lesson of what would happen when disobedience takes the better of God’s people. Whether we are leaders or followers, a wise move to escape divine judgment is to walk in obedience to God.   

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