2 Kings 25 | Jerusalem Falls

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Transcript

Charlie Mitchell 0:02

You're listening to the Dope Daily Audio Bible, and I'm your guy, Pastor Charlie Mitchell. And today, we're looking at II Kings chapter 25. Let's roll. "In the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon advanced against Jerusalem with his entire army. They laid siege to the city and built a siege wall against it all around. The city was under siege until King Zedekiah's eleventh year. By the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine was so severe in the city that the common people had no food. Then the city was broken into, and all the warriors fled at night by way of the city gate between the two walls near the king's garden, even though the Chaldeans surrounded the city. As the king made his way along the route to Arabah, the Chaldean army pursued him and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. Zedekiah's entire army left him and scattered. the Chaldeans seized the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, and they passed sentence on him. they slaughtered Zedekiah's sons before his eyes. Finally, the king of Babylon blinded Zedekiah, bound him in bronze chains and took him to Babylon. On the seventh day of the fifth month, Which was the 19th year of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, the, Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guards, a servant of the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem. He burned the Lord's temple, the king's palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem. He burned down all the great houses. The whole Chaldean army with the captain of the guards tore down the walls surrounding Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guards, deported the rest of the people who remained in the city, the deserters who had defected to the king of Babylon and the rest of the population. But the king of the guards left some of the poorest of the land to be vine dressers and farmers. Now the Chaldeans broke into pieces the bronze pillars of the Lord's temple, the water carts, and the bronze basin, which were in the Lord's temple, and carried the bronze to Babylon. They also took the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, dishes, and all the bronze articles used in the priest service. The captain of the guards took away the fire pans and sprinkling basins, whatever was gold or silver. As for the two pillars, the one basin, and the water carts that Solomon had made for the Lord's temple, the weight of the bronze of all these articles was beyond measure. One pillar was twenty-five feet tall It had a bronze capital on top of it. The capital, encircled by grading and pomegranates of bronze, stood five feet high. The second pillar was the same with its own grading. The captain of the guards also took away Seraiah, the chief priest, Zephaniah, the priest of the second rank, and the three doorkeepers. From the city he took a court official who had been appointed over the warriors, five trusted royal aides found in the city, the secretary of the commander of the army who enlisted the people of the land for military duty, and sixty men from the common people who were found within the city Nebuzaradan, captain of the guards, took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. The king of Babylon put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. so Judah went into exile from its land. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon appointed Gedaliah, son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, over the rest of the people he left in the land of Judah. When all the commanders of the armies, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. the commanders included Ishmael, son of Nethaniah, Johanan, son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tennemeth, the Netophathite, And Jazaniah, son of the Maachathite, they and their men. Gedaliah swore an oath to them and their men, assuring them, "Don't be afraid of the servants of the Chaldeans. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well for you." In the seventh month, however, 10 men and struck down Gedaliah, and he died. Also, they killed the Judeans and the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah. Then all the people, from the youngest to the oldest, and the commanders of the army left and went to Egypt, for they were afraid of the Chaldeans. on the 27th day of the 12th month of the 37th year of the exile of Judah's King Jehoiakim, in the year Evil Merodach became king of Babylon, he pardoned King Jehoiakim of Judah and released him from prison. He spoke kindly to him and set his throne over the throne of the kings who were with him in Babylon. So Jehoiachin changed his prison clothes He pardoned King Jehoiachin of Judah and released him from prison. He spoke kindly to him and set his throne over the thrones of the kings who were with him in Babylon. so Jehoiachin changed his prison clothes, and he dined regularly in the presence of the king of Babylon for the rest of his life. As for his allowance, a regular allowance was given to him by the king, a portion for each day for the rest of his life. Let's pray. I pray, Jesus, that we are reminded as we read the end of II Kings 25, that you are our hope when everything else falls apart. In this chapter, we see the fall of Jerusalem completely. The temple is destroyed. The people are carried into exile. It's a heartbreaking reminder of all the things that happen when sin and rebellion lead the way. And yet, even there, the story isn't over. So Lord, when things in our lives fall apart, help us to remember that you're still at work. When we face loss, disappointment, or the consequences of our own actions, keep us from despair. plac- Remind us that no failure is final when it's placed in your hands. No season is beyond your redemption, and no situation is too broken for your grace. In Jesus' name we pray, amen