17 September 2019
Text: 2 Chron 36:1-23
In the name of +
Jesus. Amen.
This
one reading captures the decline and fall of Judah – but also brings us to her
redemption by God’s mercy.
This
is painful to read. We want to shout
through the ages and beg these kings to heed the Word of the Lord! Think of how much unnecessary suffering there
is because we don’t listen to God’s Word!
Good King Josiah was the last faithful ruler of Judah. He reigned 31 years – and even he died
because he foolishly ignored the Word of God.
His son Jehoahaz reigned only three months before being deposed by
Egypt. His brother Eliakim (also known
as Jehoiakim) ruled 11 years, but “did what was evil in the sight of the
Lord.” He was taken into exile by
Babylon in chains. His son Jehoichin was
evil and ruled only three months, and was also removed in chains. His brother Zedekiah was the last of this
rotten dynasty. He mocked the preaching
of Jeremiah, and make stupid political decisions. The people mocked the prophets “until there
was no remedy.”
Babylon
invaded, slaughtered the young men of Judah, and captured the king. They destroyed the temple and all of
Jerusalem. And this exile was to last 70
years, making up for the seventy years that Judah ignored God’s command to give
the land a Sabbath rest every seven years.
But
even in the midst of this gloom, dear friends, the Lord did not forsake His
people. The Persians defeated the
Babylonians, and King Cyrus, fulfilling the prophecy of Jeremiah, allowed the
people to return, saying, “The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the
kingdoms of the earth, and has charged me to build Him a house at Jerusalem,
which is in Judah. Whoever is among you
of all His people, may the Lord his God be with him. Let him go up.”
The
Lord has mercy on His people, dear brothers and sisters. And in that rebuilt temple, our Lord Jesus
Christ would preach and teach, and not far from that sacred mound, He would be
crucified for our salvation. We are much
like Judah, to our dismay. We take the
Word of the Lord for granted. Let us
confess, let us repent, let us receive the Lord’s forgiveness, and may we learn
from history, particularly that which the Holy Spirit causes us to hear and
ponder. And thanks be to our merciful
Lord and God for treating us not as we deserve, but according to His
grace. Amen.
In the name of the Father
and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
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