Jeremiah’s prophecy in chapter 22 verses 13-23 addressed
Jehoiakim. Second Kings 23:34-37 provide some detail of his life. When Pharoah
Neco deposed of his brother Jehoahaz, he put Eliakim in his place as the puppet
king. He then changed his name to Jehoiakim. We are told that he came to the
throne at age 25 and ruled for 11 years. In making him the king, Neco demanded
that he paid 100 talents of silver and one talent of
gold. This he did by taxing the people of Judah. However, this was pale in
comparison to what 2 Kings 23:37 said about him. It said, “He did evil in the sight of the Lord, in
accordance with all that his forefathers had done.” How
evil was Jehoiakim? This is where Jeremiah 22:13-23 fill up the gap for
us.
Jeremiah 22:13-17 indicated that Jehoiakim
built for himself a luxurious palace. The problem was that on top of taxing the
people to pay tribute to Neco, he burdened them further by using them to build his luxurious palace. If they were
paid for the services, it would not have been so bad. But he exploited them by
not paying them for the service. He showed how much contempt he had for the people
when he forced them to work for his grand palace without pay. Contrasting Jehoiakim
with his godly father Josiah, who pleased God by showing compassion for the
poor, verses 17 had this to say of him. That his eyes and his heart were bent
on dishonest gain. And he had no qualms in shedding innocent blood, oppressing
and extorting needlessly from his subjects.
In response to his evil, Jehoiakim
was told in verses 18-23 what his end would be. He would die a humiliating
death with no funeral and no one to mourn for him. Like how a dead donkey would
be buried, his dead body would be dragged beyond the gate of Jerusalem and be dumped
there. This was how dead unclean animals
would be treated. Furthermore, all his extravagance would come to an end. His grand
cedar palace would be brought down and destroyed. In verse 21, tells us that while
he was in prosperity, he already would not take heed to God’s word. Stubbornly he
had never obeyed God since his youth. Like a strong wind, God’s judgment would come
upon him, all his lovers, and corrupt allies and drive them into captivity. The
pain they would experience would be as intense as a woman travailing in deep labor.
The message to Jehoiakim in Jeremiah
22:13-23 warns us not to live for things. In an affluent society where the
culture is to accumulate more things, it behooves us to be careful where our heart
is placed. Jesus reminds us that earthly treasures never last. Without an abiding relationship
with God, the house, the car, the gold, and the silver can never bring real
meaning to life. In our prosperity, when the Lord speaks we must listen and
take heed. Do not be like Jehoiakim who stubbornly refused to listen to the
coaxing of God. Take to heart the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not store up
for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and
where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and
where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your
heart will be also.”
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