PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Jeremiah 51-52
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“The king of Babylon released Jehoiachin king of Judah and freed him from prison. He gave him a seat of honor higher than those of the other kings who were with him in Babylon” (Jeremiah 52:31-32).
Jeremiah has been predicting that Israel would suffer greatly under Babylon.
But ch.51 shows that the hell caused by Babylon would be overturned.
In a sense, hell would be defeated; in the text above we see the king restored.
The king of the Jews endures hell and is restored… hmmm.
Matthew includes Jehoiachin (Jeconiah) as part of the line of the Messiah (Matthew 1:12).
I see this as a anticipation that Jesus the king of the Jews will overcome hell.
God had promised David to establish his throne forever (2 Samuel 7:12-13).
And interesting fact, Jehoiachin’s name in Hebrew means ‘the Lord will establish’.
All through history God has been working to reestablish the creation kingdom.
Despite the hell unleashed on earth, the gates of hell will not prevail (Matthew 16:18).
Jesus is given the seat of honour above all kings (Jeremiah 52:32, Ephesians 1:20-21).
In these dark words of Jeremiah remember how they end: with God’s kingdom established!
And we are set free from prison, and given seats of honour with him (Ephesians 2:6).
PRAYER
Lord, we still see signs of hell being unleashed on earth. These words remind me that no matter how dark things gets, you have established God’s throne, and hell cannot prevail against you!
“When you finish reading this scroll, tie a stone to it and throw it into the Euphrates…Now Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon… He set fire to the temple of the Lord,” In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah…He spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat of honor higher” Seems to me that Jeremiah’s words and prophesies were tied to a stone and thrown away as far as the various peoples responses to his warnings. The punishment finally came and the temple and Jerusalem is burned and ruined – and Zedekiah loses his eyes – but 37 years later – things turn around and we see how God is at work – get Judah ready for their return! How we can see God’s consistent grace – even when He punishes His people. He loves me and he disciplines me as well – I need to see it as His ‘tuff love’ to me sometimes!!
What a terrible time for the people. Yet God has not forsaken His people. God is in charge and He continues to speak to His people so that they may return to Him and not go after their own way. This is God’s world and He will restore His Kingdom in full one day. In times likes these today I need to remember to see His Light and go forward depending upon His power. He was and still is victorious for our world belongs to God.
This is my father’s world
Oh, let me never forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong
God is the ruler yet
This is my father’s world
Why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is king, let the heavens ring
God reigns, let the earth be glad