JEREMIAH'S MESSAGES TO KING JEHOAHAZ

(Message by Tanny Keng)

0. Introduction

a) Jeremiah confronts many people with their sins: kings, false prophets, those at the temples, and those at the gates. A lack of response made Jeremiah wonder if he was doing any good at all. He often felt discouraged and sometimes bitter. To bring such gloomy messages to these people was a hard task.

b) Jeremiah lived to see many of his prophecies come true - most notably the fall of Jerusalem. The fulfillment of this and other prophecies against the foreign nations came as a result of sin. Those who refuse to confess their sin bring judgment upon themselves.

c) Let's look at the messages Jeremiah brought to the kings during his lifetime.

1. King Jehoahaz (Shallum)

a) Story of his reign: 2 Kings 23:31-33

b) Dates of his reign: 609 B.C.

c) Character of his reign: Evil

2. Jeremiah's message to the king

a) Message to the sons of Josiah

i) ¹¹ For thus says the Lord concerning Shallum the son of Josiah, king of Judah, who reigned instead of Josiah his father, who went from this place: “He shall not return here anymore, ¹² but he shall die in the place where they have led him captive, and shall see this land no more.

¹³ “Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness, And his chambers by injustice, Who uses his neighbor’s service without wages, And gives him nothing for his work, ¹⁴ Who says, ‘I will build myself a wide house with spacious chambers, And cut out windows for it, Paneling it with cedar,  And painting it with vermilion.’ ¹⁵ “Shall you reign because you enclose yourself in cedar? Did not your father eat and drink, And do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him. ¹⁶ He judged the cause of the poor and needy; Then it was well. Was not this knowing Me?” says the Lord. ¹⁷ “Yet your eyes and your heart are for nothing but your covetousness, For shedding innocent blood, And practicing oppression and violence.” (Jeremiah 22:11-17 NKJV)

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