Jehoahaz, Eliakim,

Jehoiachin, & Zedekiah:

THEME: Choosing what is wrong.

LESSON: Sin is not something thrust upon us, but, ultimately, something we choose to do.

KEY VERSE: "But he [Zedekiah] stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel. Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the Lord which he had hallowed in Jerusalem" (2 Chr. 36:13-14).

VERSE TO REMEMBER: "The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth" (Ps. 34:16).

TRACK RECORD: Perhaps no other kings in Israel's history had the opportunity to do good as did these four monarchs who reigned a total of almost 23 years. Three of them were sons of Josiah, and the fourth (Jehoiachin) was his grandson. However, none of them took Josiah's lead. The commentary on the second king of the foursome, Eliakim (renamed Jehoiakim), speaks for all of them. "He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God" (2 Chr. 36:5). At last God's patience had run out with his people, and He sent Nebuchadnezzar to carry the people to captivity in Babylon. Though they had the shining example of the revered Josiah to emulate, the kings obstinately refused, thus bringing on the final downfall of their people.

APPLICATION: As Christians, we must not allow sinful pride or desire to turn us away from following the godly examples of the men and women that the Lord has brought into each of our lives. We can do no better than strive to live according to how these men and women of God have shown us.

SPIRITUAL EPITAPH: "But they [Israel] mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy" (2 Chr. 36:16).