The Fall of God's People

 

    Today is the last chapter of Jeremiah.  It ends about the same way it ends, but hopefully with more understanding.  God judges disobedience.  It doesn't matter if you are a Christian or not.  If you chose to reject God in any way, then there are consequences.  

    Christianity is supposed to be a way of life not a title.  When we make it a title of authority instead of a humble lifestyle of obedience, then we are setting ourselves up for a fall and dragging others with us because we misrepresented God.

    King Zedekiah was 21 when he became King of Jerusalem.  He reigned 11 years.  During that time, he did evil in God's eyes.  He is an example of a representative of God that leads His people astray.  It was the tipping point for God's judgment.

    Jerusalem was under siege for two years when it was struck by famine.  When they were too weak to fight, the Babylonians broke through.  Zedekiah lost everything as his nations was taken into exile.  He had to watch as his sons were slaughtered before they blinded him to ensure that was the last thing he ever saw.  He stayed in custody until he died in Babylon.  

    Jerusalem was stripped and burned.  Everything that represented the people as God's people was destroyed.  The inventory of what was taken was vast.  They even did an inventory of the people that held rank before executing them and 4,600 were exported to their excile in Babylon.

    About 26 years after the destruction of Jerusalem, the King Evil-Merodach began to rule over Babylon.  He befriended King Jehoiachin of Judah.  He gave Jehoiachin freedom and honor to live comfortably the rest of his days.  So even when things are not the way you would like them to be, there are things to be grateful for.  You are still alive.

Jeremiah 51