2 Kings 24:8-9 Jehoiachin’s Reign

Jehoiakim is dead and his son Jehoiachin takes his place on the throne. He has a very short reign. He is the last in the line of David to rule Judah.

We only get introduced to Jehoiachin today. Tomorrow we will learn a little more about him but there is still more we will learn in 2 Chronicles, like our other kings.

We learn his age, his mother’s name, how long he reigned, and his standing with God.

Jehoiachin moves us to the farthest generation from David. He was 18 years old when he took the throne, upon his father’s death. The last two kings were sons of Josiah but Jehoiachin is the son of Jehoiakim, who was originally named Eliakim. The next king will step back a generation from Jehoiachin. He is the full brother of Jehoahaz.

Jehoiachin’s mother was from the local people. Her father was from Jerusalem. I’m supposing she was from an upper class in Jerusalem but at least she wasn’t a foreign wife with aspirations of a political alliance.

Jehoiachin ruled for only three months in Jerusalem. Tomorrow we will find out how that rule ended. Which brings me back to our previous reading. I was wondering how his father died. We don’t see Jehoiakim buried anywhere. I went looking for this answer and found out part of that information is contained in 2 Chronicles and in Jeremiah. Jehoiakim’s manner of death was a judgment from God for how he treated God’s words. That’s all the spoiler I’m willing to get into for today. Let’s just say that it didn’t end well for him.

Now we come to the most important fact we know about Jehoiachin; “He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father had done” (verse 9). Israel was marching straight into their judgment and Jehoiachin did nothing to stop that downward spiral. He engaged in the same idolatry as his father and uncle. We aren’t told exactly which idols they worshiped but I’m guessing it included Baal and Asheroth. These seem to be some of Israel’s ‘go to gods’ of the time. I wonder if God would have delayed if Jehoiachin would have turned to Him. We will never know.

So what can we take from our short reading today? This is the answer I got when I asked that question: God’s plans are unstoppable. When He sets a deadline you can be certain He will meet it. He has a timeline for Judah’s removal from His glorious land. He keeps His promises and He promised punishment for idolatry.

He still keeps His time line today. He has quite a few prophecies still remaining. We can be CERTAIN He will complete them. But we don’t know when. He calls us to be ready at all times and to be serving until that day.

Thank You Father God for Your promises. Thank You that I am warned beforehand so I have no fear of what awaits. Keep me walking with You. Keep me trusting in You. And keep me working for Your Kingdom, however that looks.