Lineage of Defeat and Grace

2 Chronicles 36:1-14

    1 Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father's place in Jerusalem. 2 Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. 3 Now the king of Egypt deposed him at Jerusalem; and he imposed on the land a tribute of one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. 4 Then the king of Egypt made Jehoahaz's brother Eliakim king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. And Necho took Jehoahaz his brother and carried him off to Egypt.

    5 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD his God. 6 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against him, and bound him in bronze fetters to carry him off to Babylon. 7 Nebuchadnezzar also carried off some of the articles from the house of the LORD to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon. 8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, the abominations which he did, and what was found against him, indeed they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. Then Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place.

    9 Jehoiachin was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months and ten days. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD. 10 At the turn of the year King Nebuchadnezzar summoned him and took him to Babylon, with the costly articles from the house of the LORD, and made Zedekiah, Jehoiakim's brother, king over Judah and Jerusalem.

    11 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. 12 He did evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the LORD. 13 And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear an oath by God; but he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD God of Israel. 14 Moreover all the leaders of the priests and the people transgressed more and more, according to all the abominations of the nations, and defiled the house of the LORD which He had consecrated in Jerusalem.

Here is a quick succession of rulers on the downward slide towards accountability by judgment; Jehoahaz to His brother Jehoiakim, and then to his son Jehoiachin, and finally ending up with his brother Zedekiah on the throne of Judah at Jerusalem.  The first was replaced by conquering Egypt, the second one did evil before God and so was chained and carried captive to Babylon along with valuables from God’s house, the third also did much godlessness - he also was taken to Babylon with the valuables, and the last refused to humble himself at the prophet Jeremiah’s message in pride.  These all led the people away from the LORD by their evil and rebellious attitudes and actions.  Even the priests joined the people in their sinful ways until they were no different than the godless nations around them which God commanded them to be separated from, and to destroy when occupying the promised land of deliverance from bondage.  They desecrated God’s house and the temples of their own bodies where His image had been placed.  This downward spiral of sin and disobedience was rebellion against God’s grace and distain of His deliverance in mercy.  The price would soon be paid, and eventually be paid in full in the fullness of time (Galatians 4:4-5).  God’s plan for His people would not fail, even though they had, over and again.  We learn here of the penalty for sin, its wages paid (Romans 3:23) in the currency of suffering and death, but also of God’s immense mercy and grace (Romans 6:23).  These examples are to teach us to not continue in sin or lose hope when we fail (1 Corinthians 10:11, Hebrews 10:31, 35, 39), but also to sit in thankful awe of the unearned and undeserved grace of Him to us in His Son, Jesus the Christ our Lord.  We have a lineage of defeat since Adam, yet of grace which culminated in God sending His Son at the right time to demonstrate that His righteousness and works alone can deliver us.  Jesus came on the human line from Adam through the promises to David as a son of his, yet also as the Son of the Most High from above, sealing our assured hope forever!