Jeremiah 22:11-30 Josiah’s Sons
Josiah was a VERY godly king. But Josiah’s sons are not. God pronounces judgment on them for their OWN sins. If only they had followed their father’s example.
Josiah had three sons and a grandson who would be the final rulers of Judah. Josiah’s first son to rule was called by two different names; Jehoahaz or Shallum. He ruled for a total of three months. Pharaoh Necho took him off to Egypt where he died and was buried. Never to return to the land of Israel. His brother Jehoiakim took the throne next.
Josiah’s second son is who God is addressing here; Jehoiakim. Jehoiakim, also known as Eliakim, spent his time creating a GREAT palace for himself while he neglected the needs of his people. God charges him even with using his own people as slave labor for he never paid them for their work. For 12 years he used and abused the people to make his own life luxurious. God said ENOUGH! Jehoiakim would be carried off to Babylon. He too would never be brought back to Israel. He would actually be treated well while in captivity but he would NOT be going back ‘home’ to rule ever again. Because of how he treated the people during his reign NO ONE would mourn for him. “Take him PLEASE!” would be their cry instead.
Nebuchadnezzar would remove Jehoiakim from the throne and install his son in his place. God mentions Jehoiakim’s son, Coniah also known as Jehoiachin or Jeconiah, in this prophecy. This son would rule for three months only too. This is Josiah’s grandson. This is the end of the ‘forward motion’ of the line of David. The final king of Judah would go back one generation, as he was another of Josiah’s sons; Zedekiah, also known as Mattaniah.
God told Jehoiakim that even if his son Coniah would be a GREAT king, God would still strip Jehoiakim from the throne. Jehoiakim’s sins were HUGE and he would be punished for them. We are not told the sins of Jehoahaz aka Shallum or Coniah aka Jehoiachin or Jeconiah but they must have been pretty significant for them to only be on the throne three months each. Maybe it was just part of God’s timing with the overthrow of Judah but God said they did evil in His sight. I trust Him to know what He is talking about.
This sad family tale brings home again the ‘personal responsibility of faith’ we spoke of last time. Three of the last four kings of Judah were the sons of one of the godliest kings Judah ever had. Their father’s faith did not flow through them. And God judged them on THEIR acts; not the acts of their father.
My mom said something to me about God judging individuals on their own acts and not being able to ‘ride the coattails’ of our father’s faith. She pointed out that “God has CHILDREN. He doesn’t have GRANDCHILDREN.” You may come from a ‘legacy of faith’ but it will NOT save you. It is your OWN faith that saves. A ‘legacy’ is simply a past with promise. It is NOT a determination or guarantee of your future. That future is up to you. Will it be one of faith/life or one of rejection/death? Only YOU can make that choice.
Father God, thank You again for my ‘legacy of faith’. It goes back WAY beyond my parents. THANK YOU even more for teaching me that it isn’t a legacy that saves. There are MANY people who are the first in their family to seek a relationship with You. They have NO LESS REAL relationship than I do! EACH of us has to make that choice. THANK YOU for helping me choose YOU.
My children are testing out the same break from my faith that Josiah’s sons did. I PRAY WITH ALL MY HEART that they remember the lessons of their youth and seek their own relationship with You. They knew You as children. I didn’t know the depths of that relationship but it appeared true to me. Only YOU know their hearts Father. Either draw them back to You Father or create in them a desire that can ONLY be filled by You. And, Yes, I’m laying them again in Your hands. Which is the ONLY place of promise I have.
Did Josiah train up his children in the Law of the Lord? Or did he let others do the work? Did he expect them to inherit his faith because he had banished all other gods from the land? He, more than anyone, should have known how personal faith is. His father and grandfather were two of the worst kings Judah ever had.
