1 00:00:01,560 --> 00:00:07,680 Father, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts that Lord, 2 00:00:07,680 --> 00:00:15,120 we have a promise from You that death is not the final say. 3 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:21,160 We have eternity. We have you, your presence, your 4 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:26,960 glory to enjoy forever and ever. But until then, Lord, we pray 5 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:30,280 that our pilgrimage here on earth would be effective and 6 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:33,120 fruitful. Lord, we don't, we don't chase 7 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:36,360 after platforms or notoriety or recognition. 8 00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:39,360 Lord, just make us content and faithfulness. 9 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:43,640 And may we each be absolutely convinced that we are walking in 10 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:47,240 the center of your will. And Lord, may we know true 11 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:51,120 contentment and longevity in that pursuit, in that 12 00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:54,800 discipline, in that calling that has been clarified to each of 13 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:56,760 us. Lord, we pray that you would use 14 00:00:56,760 --> 00:01:01,160 this final study in Second Kings to help us draw closer to you 15 00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:03,440 and to know Your will for our lives. 16 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:07,280 We trust that you will use it. In Jesus name we pray. 17 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:09,920 Amen. Well, ladies and gentlemen, 18 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:12,680 brothers and sisters, tonight marks the final installment in 19 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:15,600 our study of the Book of Second Kings. 20 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:20,600 And I'm sure that you can agree that this book has presented us 21 00:01:20,640 --> 00:01:25,760 a series of dramatic studies as we've been carefully observing 22 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:32,880 the decline of a nation who had a unique relationship with God 23 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:36,880 unlike any other nation and it's day. 24 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:41,600 And for the first time reader, it may seem that there's nothing 25 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:46,160 more to say after the last statement of the final verse in 26 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:48,880 our previous study. If you don't remember, look 27 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:53,480 quickly at verse 21 of Second Kings 25 and notice what the 28 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:56,760 writer records the last sentence there. 29 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:03,400 So Judah was taken into exile out of its land. 30 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:06,360 What more do you need to say after that? 31 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:09,960 The Babylonian conquest is complete. 32 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:15,760 Jerusalem lies and ruins. The majority of God's people are 33 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:19,960 now removed from the Promised Land and will endure the height 34 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:23,400 of heavenly discipline for many decades ahead. 35 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:27,880 What more can be said after this? 36 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:32,960 Well, clearly the Holy Spirit has more to say. 37 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:36,680 And as we are prepared to read this new section, I have a 38 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:41,400 feeling that the opening verses of it will not surprise us, 39 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:46,920 sadly. But the final part, the final 40 00:02:46,920 --> 00:02:52,880 portion might because it offers incredible encouragement to us, 41 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:58,440 especially when we consider this being Israel's darkest hour. 42 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:02,120 But before we get to that hopeful closing, we have to 43 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:05,720 engage with the disappointing commentary that comes before it. 44 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:08,680 So let's read now. Second Kings 25, beginning of 45 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:14,240 verse 22 down to verse 24. And over the people who remained 46 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:16,600 in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, 47 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:20,080 had left. He appointed Gedalia the son of 48 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:25,520 Akhiqam son of Shafan governor. Now when all the captains and 49 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:28,400 their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gadalia 50 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:31,880 governor, they came with their men to Gadalia and Mizpah, 51 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:36,200 namely, Ishmael the son of Athania and Johanna, and the son 52 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:42,000 of Karea, and Soraya the son of Tanumeth the Neathophathite, and 53 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:45,280 Jehaziya the son of the Makatite. 54 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:49,120 And Gadalia swore to them and their men, saying, Do not be 55 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:51,040 afraid because of the Chaldean officials. 56 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:55,800 Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be 57 00:03:55,800 --> 00:04:02,000 well with you. We noted last week that after 58 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:06,160 the Babylonians came in and orchestrated their final 59 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:09,520 deportation, they had left behind some vine dressers and 60 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:15,000 plowmen to tend the land. But even that small remnant 61 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:17,519 required some kind of oversight and leadership. 62 00:04:17,519 --> 00:04:19,640 Nebuchadnezzar was wise enough to recognize that. 63 00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:22,040 So what does he do? He appoints a governor. 64 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:25,720 He raises up a man by the name of Gadalia to fulfill that role. 65 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:29,400 Now, we don't know much about Gadalia, but there's something 66 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:32,920 about his father and his grandfather that helps us know a 67 00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:34,560 little bit of his background in history. 68 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:39,640 He is the son of Ari Kham. Now, Ari Kham was one of 69 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:43,360 Josiah's top officials. We remember Josiah, the great 70 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:47,000 reformer. He played a role in helping 71 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:49,880 bring reform. And more than that, when you 72 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:55,080 read Jeremiah carefully, Ahikam actually protected Jeremiah from 73 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:59,000 being killed by the king. So this man Ahikam was a 74 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:02,000 righteous person, and it seems like his son Gadalia was 75 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:05,240 following in his steps. And it could be that 76 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:08,600 Nebuchadnezzar, though a Pagan himself, recognized something 77 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:11,720 noble about Godalia. That's why he granted him and 78 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:14,560 appointed him as a leader in this respect. 79 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:19,480 And Godalia's instructions to the remnant that remained 80 00:05:20,280 --> 00:05:24,280 reflects his submissiveness and his integrity. 81 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:28,480 What did he tell the people? He said, look, don't be afraid 82 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:31,120 of the Chaldeans. As long as we remain here and 83 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:34,640 don't cause trouble, it will be well with you. 84 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:39,040 He's echoing what Jeremiah had prophesied for years. 85 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:43,320 And so we see that this man was also an ally to the prophet in 86 00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:47,120 many ways, including and what we see here with his exhortation. 87 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:52,840 But although the Babylonians were not the ones to fear in the 88 00:05:52,840 --> 00:05:56,880 story, there is someone else, and he's not associated with the 89 00:05:56,880 --> 00:06:00,080 Chaldeans. Let's read now here in verse 25 90 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:06,000 to verse 26. But in the seventh month, 91 00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:10,560 Ishmael, the son of Athenia, son of Eli Shama of the royal 92 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:14,840 family, came with 10 men and struck down Gadalia and put him 93 00:06:14,840 --> 00:06:19,280 to death, along with the Jews and the Chaldeans who are with 94 00:06:19,280 --> 00:06:23,400 him at Mizpah. Then all the people, both small 95 00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:27,000 and great, and the captains of the forces, arose and went to 96 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:31,200 Egypt, for they were afraid of the Chaldeans. 97 00:06:31,280 --> 00:06:32,880 It's hard to imagine how this can be true. 98 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:39,800 Are you kidding me? Jerusalem has fallen, Babylon 99 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:44,000 has conquered, thousands have died, and thousands more have 100 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:49,120 been removed from their homes. And it hasn't been very long 101 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:54,560 until we learn of a murder case among the remnant who are kept 102 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:59,600 back. This is absolutely absurd. 103 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:06,080 This is mind numbing. This is yet another case, I 104 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:08,040 believe, that helps us make a little bit more sense of 105 00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:11,280 Jeremiah's words when he famously said that the heart is 106 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:17,440 deceitfully wicked above all things, desperately sick. 107 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:20,240 And he ends it by saying, who can understand it? 108 00:07:21,640 --> 00:07:23,360 Who can understand? Indeed, who can understand? 109 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:28,000 I can't understand this. You guys have been brought so 110 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:31,520 low and you still have it in you to kill each other. 111 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:35,840 This is demented. This is twisted. 112 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:41,200 This is the human heart. And we cannot fully comprehend 113 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:43,840 just how depraved and twisted this heart really is. 114 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:51,240 Why did this happen? Why was Gadalia assassinated? 115 00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:54,160 Well, with a little investigation we can learn 116 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:58,840 exactly why the culprit of the assassination is who? 117 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:02,240 A man by the name of Ishmael. Ishmael. 118 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:06,720 Now Ishmael, according to verse 23, was among who looked back 119 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:08,560 again. Now, when all the captains and 120 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:10,880 their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gadalia 121 00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:13,200 governor, he's one of the captains. 122 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:16,560 Who are these captains? Very likely some of the military 123 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:21,480 leaders or guerrilla leaders who were successful in evading the 124 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:25,720 Babylonian conquest and exile. So they they must have escaped. 125 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:27,400 They must have hidden themselves. 126 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:30,320 And when they saw that the air had cleared, the fury of Babylon 127 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:33,320 had subsided, and new leadership was established, they come out 128 00:08:33,320 --> 00:08:36,240 of the woodworks and they make their way back to the people. 129 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:38,840 But there's more to his background. 130 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:43,880 Read slowly verse 25 once more. But in the seventh month, 131 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:48,920 Ishmael, the son of Nathaniel, son of Eli Sharma of the royal 132 00:08:48,960 --> 00:08:50,920 family. If you underline your Bible, 133 00:08:50,920 --> 00:08:55,280 underline that part, what does it mean that he's of the royal 134 00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:58,240 family? What does that indicate? 135 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:03,400 He's a descendant of David. He's from the royal line. 136 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:07,760 This is now beginning to make sense. 137 00:09:08,760 --> 00:09:11,600 Think about it. How would you feel if you were a 138 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:17,480 descendant of David and someone outside the royal line was 139 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:21,120 elected and appointed to be the leader of the people who 140 00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:26,160 remained in Judah? It's easy to see how someone 141 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:29,920 like Ishmael might have felt like he deserved to be that 142 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:32,400 leader. He's one of the few that 143 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:37,120 remained from David's line. And so even though Gedalia was 144 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:39,440 not made an official king, he was a governor. 145 00:09:40,720 --> 00:09:44,040 You can see how this man, Ishmael was convinced that he 146 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:49,000 deserved to be the leader, and it disturbed them to the core. 147 00:09:50,560 --> 00:09:54,200 What do you have here? You have selfish ambition at 148 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:57,960 work. Read closely, read between the 149 00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:01,040 lines, look more carefully, ask more questions. 150 00:10:01,560 --> 00:10:03,960 If he's of the royal family, why do we need to know that? 151 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:07,080 Because that's the motive behind his murderous plot. 152 00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:14,040 But there's more details. See, there's 2 verses that we 153 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:16,920 just read. That's just a summary. 154 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:21,240 We have a detailed account of all that took place here in 155 00:10:21,240 --> 00:10:23,000 Jeremiah's writing. And though we can't touch on 156 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:27,800 every point, I want you to see with me how Ishmael's plan was 157 00:10:27,800 --> 00:10:33,360 exposed beforehand. It was made known and it shows 158 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:35,880 us a little bit more of the behind the scenes of why this 159 00:10:35,880 --> 00:10:39,760 happened. Let's go to Jeremiah 40 now this 160 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:43,960 is quite interesting. Jeremiah 40 and verse 13. 161 00:10:53,030 --> 00:10:59,480 Now Johannan, or Johannan the son of Korea and all the leaders 162 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:02,200 of the forces in the open country, came to Gadalia at 163 00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:06,880 Mizpah and said to him, Do you know that Balis, the king of the 164 00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:10,960 Ammonites, has sent Ishmael the son of Nathaniel to take your 165 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:14,040 life? But Gadalia the son of Akhiq 166 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:18,240 Khan would not believe them. Interesting. 167 00:11:18,680 --> 00:11:21,160 So now we are introduced to another man by the name of 168 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:23,560 Johanan. He's there in Second Kings 25, 169 00:11:23,560 --> 00:11:25,800 and he is also one of the captains perhaps of a different 170 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:28,040 band of soldiers that are mercenaries. 171 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:34,200 And he somehow uncovers Ishmael's plan to assassinate 172 00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:36,680 Gadalia. And so he approaches Gadalia 173 00:11:36,680 --> 00:11:37,920 faithfully. He says, look, you have to 174 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:42,480 understand this man wants to kill you, and he was actually 175 00:11:42,520 --> 00:11:47,080 hired by the Ammonites to do it. Now here's my question. 176 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:50,200 Why would the Ammonites be interested in the death of 177 00:11:50,200 --> 00:11:51,760 Gadalia? I'm actually asking, does 178 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:55,720 anybody have an idea why would the Ammonites be interested? 179 00:11:56,720 --> 00:11:57,840 What does this have to do with them? 180 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:06,280 I think the best answer is that we saw earlier how the 181 00:12:06,280 --> 00:12:09,040 surrounding nations recognize earlier in our study of second 182 00:12:09,040 --> 00:12:14,000 kings, how they recognize the the, the very dangerous and 183 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:19,880 concerning uprising and, and powerful entity Babylon was 184 00:12:19,880 --> 00:12:22,280 becoming. And so they attempt on many 185 00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:25,880 occasions to create a coalition to try to figure out how they 186 00:12:25,880 --> 00:12:29,240 can push back and resist this new empire. 187 00:12:30,360 --> 00:12:33,240 And I believe the Ammonites understood that Gedalia's 188 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:36,120 willingness to work with the Babylonians undermine their 189 00:12:36,120 --> 00:12:40,120 efforts to try to keep them in place. 190 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:46,600 And so it's likely that Ishmael, in knowing this, actually 191 00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:49,720 approached the Ammonites and said, look, I'll take care of 192 00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:52,480 Gadalia. Yeah, he's a puppet. 193 00:12:52,720 --> 00:12:54,720 Let's get rid of him because he's obviously going to be an 194 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:59,320 obstacle in our attempt to try to hold Babylon back. 195 00:13:00,560 --> 00:13:03,440 And so he probably got a price for it. 196 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:06,840 And at the same time, this would serve his personal interest. 197 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:11,440 We have a profound spiritual lesson before us, brothers and 198 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:16,240 sisters. You have now a foreign entity, 199 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:22,240 an enemy of Israel and Judah, working through a descendant of 200 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:25,520 David. To kill someone who is innocent, 201 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:31,160 to kill someone who is actually obeying God and submitting to 202 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:37,560 Babylon. Jealousy and selfish ambition 203 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:43,560 opens the door for Satan to enter and 'cause civil war among 204 00:13:43,560 --> 00:13:50,520 God's people. Every time you think that's an 205 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:53,120 exaggeration, I'm here to tell you that the New Testament says 206 00:13:53,120 --> 00:13:55,040 it in a very plain and obvious way. 207 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:59,880 Go to James chapter 3. We have looked at these verses 208 00:13:59,880 --> 00:14:01,520 throughout our study of kings more than once. 209 00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:03,800 You know why? Because we've seen jealousy and 210 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:08,360 selfish ambition at play and more than one occasion. 211 00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:11,800 And I just find it amazing that this is one of the final lessons 212 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:14,600 that God want God wants to give us in our conclusion of this 213 00:14:14,680 --> 00:14:17,240 study. Look at James chapter 3 and 214 00:14:17,240 --> 00:14:21,120 verse 14. He's speaking to many Christians 215 00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:24,360 in different areas and notice what he says. 216 00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:27,480 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your 217 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:31,480 hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 218 00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:35,360 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but it's 219 00:14:35,400 --> 00:14:42,680 earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish 220 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:47,240 ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile 221 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:49,400 practice. End Quote. 222 00:14:50,640 --> 00:14:55,440 Including murder. Including murder. 223 00:14:55,440 --> 00:14:56,880 Want to talk about vile practice? 224 00:14:57,520 --> 00:15:01,880 Murder is on that list. But did you notice how the word 225 00:15:01,880 --> 00:15:05,880 demonic is sandwiched between the two references to jealousy 226 00:15:05,880 --> 00:15:09,840 and selfish ambition? It's mentioned there in verse 14 227 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:11,800 and in verse 16. And what's tucked between 228 00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:17,120 demonic? So it's not an exaggeration to 229 00:15:17,120 --> 00:15:20,920 say that where pride and self entitlement is harbored and 230 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:23,920 justified, not resisted, not fought against, not brought 231 00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:30,400 before God in His presence, you make a way for demonic activity 232 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:39,320 to intensify and to destroy anything that is good, anything 233 00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:43,080 that is holy, anything that is righteous like Gadalia 234 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:46,640 represents. Brothers and sisters, be careful 235 00:15:46,640 --> 00:15:50,480 of these things in your heart and in my heart, because if you 236 00:15:50,480 --> 00:15:55,800 let them have free range, it will ravage a marriage, it will 237 00:15:55,840 --> 00:15:59,960 disintegrate any friendship. It can shut the doors of a 238 00:15:59,960 --> 00:16:07,920 church until nothing remains. I mean, Israel has already been 239 00:16:07,920 --> 00:16:09,680 brought so low. And I mean Israel. 240 00:16:09,680 --> 00:16:11,440 I'm talking about Judah specifically. 241 00:16:12,160 --> 00:16:17,440 And yet because of Ishmael's selfish ambition, he brought it 242 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:20,160 even lower. I mean, how much lower can you 243 00:16:20,160 --> 00:16:21,520 get? Everything's in rubble. 244 00:16:21,520 --> 00:16:26,120 Everything is still burning, and yet you still have it in you for 245 00:16:26,120 --> 00:16:30,200 your own sake, for your own name, for your own ego, to 246 00:16:30,200 --> 00:16:34,080 destroy it further. It's hideous. 247 00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:38,120 It's it's terrifying and it's something that we should be 248 00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:40,800 warned about. Here's what moved me. 249 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:44,840 One of the final lessons in our study of Second Kings is a 250 00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:47,200 warning about jealousy and selfish ambition. 251 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:55,040 Kill it fast about it. Starve it out of your heart if 252 00:16:55,040 --> 00:16:58,560 you have to. Come before God and take time 253 00:16:58,560 --> 00:17:01,080 away from everything else until that thing is eradicated from 254 00:17:01,080 --> 00:17:03,920 your soul because it won't stay in your heart. 255 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:08,040 It will make a way for Satan to come in and do things that you 256 00:17:08,040 --> 00:17:12,560 never thought was possible. And there's more that can be 257 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:16,079 said about Gadalia and his refusal to believe the report. 258 00:17:17,040 --> 00:17:18,200 We can spend a lot of time there. 259 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:21,800 Like leadership can't afford to be naive. 260 00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:24,760 That's one lesson. He refused to believe that 261 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:26,480 Ishmael was capable of killing him. 262 00:17:28,079 --> 00:17:29,520 If you're a leader in this place, you got to be more 263 00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:32,600 discerning than that. You got to be more careful than 264 00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:33,840 that. You got to be willing to 265 00:17:33,840 --> 00:17:36,920 investigate even those that you you think are not capable of 266 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:40,560 doing certain things. And he refused to do that. 267 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:44,360 But we have to move on and look at what's mentioned here in the 268 00:17:44,360 --> 00:17:45,960 rest of Second Kings. Come back with me. 269 00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:51,320 Look again at verse 26 of Second Kings 25. 270 00:17:51,920 --> 00:17:54,520 After Gadalia's murdered, we read then all the people, both 271 00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:58,000 small and great, and the captains of the forces arose and 272 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:01,600 went to Egypt, but they were afraid of the Chaldeans. 273 00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:09,310 Egypt. What's going on here? 274 00:18:09,310 --> 00:18:11,870 Here's what's happening. So remember we read about that 275 00:18:11,870 --> 00:18:16,590 man who reported to Gaddalia what Ishmael was up to Johanna. 276 00:18:16,910 --> 00:18:19,910 Well, when you read later on in Jeremiah, he actually scares 277 00:18:19,910 --> 00:18:22,390 Ishmael away. Ishmael attempts to take the 278 00:18:22,390 --> 00:18:24,630 remnant captive and to bring him to the Ammonites. 279 00:18:24,990 --> 00:18:27,070 And who comes to the rescue? This individual. 280 00:18:28,430 --> 00:18:32,800 And so he keeps the remnant. He brings him back home, but 281 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:34,600 everybody now is afraid of the Babylonians. 282 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:36,560 Why? Because the man that 283 00:18:36,640 --> 00:18:39,040 Nebuchadnezzar had appointed was just assassinated. 284 00:18:39,680 --> 00:18:42,960 So you can imagine what they're thinking, can imagine the fear. 285 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:45,480 Oh, Nebuchadnezzar, if he hears this, he's going to take us all 286 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:47,680 the way now. And So what did they decide to 287 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:50,200 do? OK, let's just go to Egypt. 288 00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:53,240 He won't come to Egypt. Let's flee there. 289 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:54,960 Let's stay there for a little while and then we'll come back 290 00:18:54,960 --> 00:18:57,200 to our hometown. And what's so amazing? 291 00:18:57,200 --> 00:18:59,120 I mean, if you want to look at this in detail, go to Jeremiah 292 00:18:59,120 --> 00:19:01,280 41 to chapter 43. You don't have to turn there, 293 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:03,680 but read it on your own time. They actually approached 294 00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:06,480 Jeremiah. They say, Jeremiah, can you ask 295 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:08,800 God if this is his will for us to go to Egypt? 296 00:19:09,680 --> 00:19:11,520 And Jeremiah says, OK, give me some time to pray. 297 00:19:12,120 --> 00:19:14,240 A few days go by. Jeremiah gets a word from the 298 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:17,760 Lord and tells the leaders and the remnant don't trust God, 299 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:19,760 stay put, He'll take care of you. 300 00:19:19,760 --> 00:19:22,520 Babylon will do nothing. What do you think the people 301 00:19:22,520 --> 00:19:24,400 did? You're a liar. 302 00:19:24,880 --> 00:19:27,080 They actually called Jeremiah a liar. 303 00:19:27,880 --> 00:19:31,760 And so this man now who seemed to be righteous, I mean, he 304 00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:34,600 reported Ishmael's plot. He actually rescued the remnant. 305 00:19:34,960 --> 00:19:38,680 Now he leads the effort of bringing the remnant into Egypt, 306 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:42,480 and he even forces Jeremiah to go, yes, Jeremiah had some 307 00:19:42,480 --> 00:19:46,400 ministry time in Egypt. And so while they're in Egypt, 308 00:19:46,400 --> 00:19:48,760 God gives Jeremiah a word. And here's the summary. 309 00:19:49,080 --> 00:19:52,680 Hey, Jeremiah, tell everybody who went down to Egypt that 310 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:56,600 they're going to die in Egypt and that they will never return 311 00:19:56,600 --> 00:19:59,280 to their homeland. That's their punishment for not 312 00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:03,280 trusting in me. This is heavy. 313 00:20:03,280 --> 00:20:05,800 This is disheartening. It you almost feel like when is 314 00:20:05,800 --> 00:20:08,520 this going to end? Well, it's almost over. 315 00:20:09,720 --> 00:20:15,320 And as deeply disturbing this is, thankfully it doesn't end 316 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:18,840 there. Look now at verse 27. 317 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:22,160 This is where we're ending because we have no choice. 318 00:20:22,160 --> 00:20:25,800 It's ending here. Let's read the rest of it, shall 319 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:28,000 we? This is going to be a much 320 00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:30,440 shorter Bible study because we have a quiz coming up. 321 00:20:33,560 --> 00:20:37,360 And in the 37th year of the exile of Jehoiakim, king of 322 00:20:37,360 --> 00:20:42,600 Judah, in the 12th month, on the 27th day of the month, evil 323 00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:45,720 Merodach, king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, 324 00:20:45,720 --> 00:20:51,280 graciously freed Jehoiakim king of Judah from prison. 325 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:55,560 And he spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat above the seats 326 00:20:55,560 --> 00:20:57,440 of the kings who are with him in Babylon. 327 00:20:57,840 --> 00:21:00,440 So joy I can put off his prison garments. 328 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:03,640 And every day of his life he dined regularly at the King's 329 00:21:03,640 --> 00:21:06,200 table. And for his allowance a regular 330 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:09,720 allowance was given him by the king according to his daily 331 00:21:09,720 --> 00:21:16,600 needs as long as he lived. A little bit of a strange way of 332 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:18,640 wrapping things up, don't you think? 333 00:21:20,360 --> 00:21:23,000 Before we try to make sense of this, let's deal with the facts 334 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:26,320 that are clear. The Holy Spirit fast forwards in 335 00:21:26,320 --> 00:21:30,240 time and brings us into Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar is no longer on 336 00:21:30,240 --> 00:21:33,120 the throne, His descendant, evil Merodach is. 337 00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:37,240 And what this man chooses to do in the first year of his reign 338 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:43,600 should shock us. He removes one of the last kings 339 00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:48,800 who went into exile, takes off his prison guards, elevates him 340 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:52,600 to a prominent position, allows him to regularly dine at the 341 00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:58,040 royal table, and takes care of him plentifully for the rest of 342 00:21:58,040 --> 00:22:05,400 his life until his dying day. No explanation is given, and 343 00:22:05,400 --> 00:22:09,040 that's intentional without notice. 344 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:11,800 As you come to the end of this record, it's as though the Holy 345 00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:17,000 Spirit wants to stun the reader by providing a final 346 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:22,280 demonstration of grace, by not just saying it, but by 347 00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:25,360 demonstrating it by providentially working in a 348 00:22:25,360 --> 00:22:30,800 different country altogether. The very instrument of judgement 349 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:35,280 now becomes the means of relief and grace to a king who 350 00:22:35,280 --> 00:22:37,760 represented the people. You see, what's happening here 351 00:22:37,760 --> 00:22:42,600 is that God is providing a message of hope for the people 352 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:46,640 of God that after all the things that they've done, after their 353 00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:49,440 nauseating disobedience that we just saw in the preceding 354 00:22:49,440 --> 00:22:54,600 verses, he wants to reveal that he is absolutely faithful to his 355 00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:57,800 promise to David. I have not forgotten my covenant 356 00:22:57,800 --> 00:23:00,200 with David. And he also wants to show in a 357 00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:05,080 very practical way that he is intensely merciful and kind. 358 00:23:08,840 --> 00:23:12,960 And as you and I look at this, we can realize that message even 359 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:19,240 more by the wider context. What's the very last word of 360 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:22,120 Second Kings in the ESV? It's the word lived. 361 00:23:22,120 --> 00:23:24,560 If you have any other translation, especially a word 362 00:23:24,560 --> 00:23:27,440 for word translation, it's the word life. 363 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:31,480 That's the last word that we have in Second Kings life. 364 00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:34,600 Does anybody remember how Second Kings begins? 365 00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:44,920 Go to chapter 1, verse one. I'll wait for you to get there. 366 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:56,720 After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel. 367 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:01,400 So the very first statement of this book contains the word 368 00:24:01,400 --> 00:24:05,160 death, and the very last word is life. 369 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:15,120 What's the point? God can rewrite your story even 370 00:24:15,120 --> 00:24:17,360 though your history, your background, is riddled with 371 00:24:17,360 --> 00:24:23,360 death, darkness, perversion, cycles of evil and disobedience, 372 00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:27,600 indifference to the things of God, callous to the warnings 373 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:31,760 around you. He can change the ending. 374 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:40,120 The punctuation mark of your life can be life, not death, if 375 00:24:40,120 --> 00:24:46,080 you allow him to. So I'm putting these thoughts 376 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:51,400 together midweek, and here's the thought that comes to me. 377 00:24:53,200 --> 00:24:56,560 Remember, there are three kings who go into exile. 378 00:24:57,960 --> 00:25:01,760 Jehoiah, Kim, Jehoiah, Kin or kin. 379 00:25:02,560 --> 00:25:08,800 Who's the last one? Zedekiah. 3 deportations, one 380 00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:12,440 for each. Now you can make a case that the 381 00:25:12,440 --> 00:25:15,560 first one, Joya Kim, didn't actually get all the way to 382 00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:18,760 Babylon, though he was arrested and though he was chained, and 383 00:25:18,760 --> 00:25:21,800 though he was brought, some argued that he died along the 384 00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:25,960 way, but he was still planned to go to Babylon. 385 00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:28,640 And here's the thing that I was thinking about. 386 00:25:29,200 --> 00:25:33,880 Out of all the three, why was this undeserved kindness granted 387 00:25:33,880 --> 00:25:38,080 to the middle one? Why not the first? 388 00:25:38,080 --> 00:25:42,480 Why not Zedekiah? I'm meditating, I'm thinking, 389 00:25:42,520 --> 00:25:44,400 I'm comparing. Then it hits me. 390 00:25:45,480 --> 00:25:50,240 Jehoiah Kin did something that the first and the Last King did 391 00:25:50,240 --> 00:25:52,240 not do. Can I show it to you? 392 00:25:52,920 --> 00:26:04,560 Go to Second Kings 24 verse 12, and Jehoiah Kin, the king of 393 00:26:04,560 --> 00:26:11,520 Judah, gave himself up to the king of Babylon himself and his 394 00:26:11,520 --> 00:26:14,120 mother and his servants and his officials and his palace 395 00:26:14,120 --> 00:26:16,280 officials. The king of Babylon took him 396 00:26:16,280 --> 00:26:18,680 prisoner in the eighth year of his reign. 397 00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:25,200 You see it, the first king, Joya Kim, did not give himself up. 398 00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:30,240 Zedekiah tried to escape the Chaldeans and they paid a price 399 00:26:30,240 --> 00:26:32,720 for it. The main difference, though each 400 00:26:32,720 --> 00:26:36,520 of them are rebel in their own way, is that the middle king 401 00:26:36,760 --> 00:26:41,960 surrendered. He surrendered which was in 402 00:26:41,960 --> 00:26:44,760 alignment with God's will surrender to Babylon. 403 00:26:44,760 --> 00:26:49,080 Stop resisting, stop thinking and believing the lies that 404 00:26:49,080 --> 00:26:52,040 you're going to be rescued from this agent of judgement. 405 00:26:55,040 --> 00:26:57,680 Let's put all this together. Do you want God to rewrite your 406 00:26:57,680 --> 00:27:00,400 story? Are you sick and tired of sin? 407 00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:03,680 Are you? Are you deflated yet? 408 00:27:05,480 --> 00:27:10,240 Because the trajectory of your life is disaster? 409 00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:13,320 It has been, and it looks like that's where you're going. 410 00:27:15,840 --> 00:27:19,440 You have to give up. You have to give up. 411 00:27:20,480 --> 00:27:23,320 You have to surrender. That's the only way God can 412 00:27:23,320 --> 00:27:27,040 rewrite the story. You can't hold on to your pride. 413 00:27:27,360 --> 00:27:29,440 You can't hold on to your stubbornness. 414 00:27:29,760 --> 00:27:32,840 You can't hold on to your lust. You can't hold on to that person 415 00:27:32,920 --> 00:27:35,000 that God told you so many times to get rid of. 416 00:27:35,480 --> 00:27:38,160 You can't hold on to the occupation that you know 417 00:27:38,160 --> 00:27:39,720 dishonors the name of Jesus Christ. 418 00:27:39,720 --> 00:27:41,920 You can't hold on to anything God says. 419 00:27:41,920 --> 00:27:44,360 Give up and expect God to rewrite your story. 420 00:27:44,440 --> 00:27:50,280 It'll never happen. Only when you completely 421 00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:56,480 surrender do you have the possibility of God changing the 422 00:27:56,480 --> 00:28:03,800 script of your life. So it's really up to you. 423 00:28:06,200 --> 00:28:07,480 And that's one of the last messages. 424 00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:09,840 In fact, you can say it's the very last message of Second 425 00:28:09,840 --> 00:28:12,480 Kings. Give up. 426 00:28:15,280 --> 00:28:19,320 Give up not because you're just told to and there's no promise 427 00:28:19,320 --> 00:28:24,040 on the other side, because there is so much promise you got to 428 00:28:24,040 --> 00:28:27,040 imagine, but that's what the people reading this originally 429 00:28:27,040 --> 00:28:29,560 and for all time we're supposed to, we're supposed to put 430 00:28:29,560 --> 00:28:31,240 together. Why Jehoiakim? 431 00:28:31,400 --> 00:28:33,880 Because he gave up. And look at how God was kind to 432 00:28:33,880 --> 00:28:35,440 him. He even used an enemy to be kind 433 00:28:35,440 --> 00:28:40,560 to him. What about Zedekiah? 434 00:28:41,320 --> 00:28:43,240 Most likely died in Babylon, a blind man. 435 00:28:44,520 --> 00:28:48,360 What about Jehoiakim? He died a donkey's death, and it 436 00:28:48,360 --> 00:28:50,320 received a donkey's burial, according to Jeremiah. 437 00:28:54,040 --> 00:28:55,520 So here's our reigning Second kings. 438 00:28:56,560 --> 00:28:57,800 Do you have anything you need to give up? 439 00:28:59,120 --> 00:29:02,000 Have you been here since Second Kings 1 and you're still holding 440 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:05,200 on to that sin and you haven't learned a thing about these 441 00:29:05,200 --> 00:29:06,520 kings? And what happens when you live 442 00:29:06,520 --> 00:29:09,240 in disobedience? Have you not been moved once by 443 00:29:09,240 --> 00:29:16,360 God's incredible mercy from one scenario to the next, one 444 00:29:16,360 --> 00:29:22,640 administration after the other? If your heart is not moved by 445 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:25,920 what we see here in these final verses, God help you. 446 00:29:27,040 --> 00:29:30,720 This is unbelievable. And the same God who did this 447 00:29:30,720 --> 00:29:33,480 for this king is the same God who can do it for you, but you 448 00:29:33,480 --> 00:29:39,160 have to surrender. How do I know if I surrendered? 449 00:29:39,160 --> 00:29:42,840 You know, no, I don't know. OK, let me help you. 450 00:29:46,560 --> 00:29:48,720 Do some inventory, examine your own life. 451 00:29:49,120 --> 00:29:52,360 Actually ask these questions. If God were to ask me to get rid 452 00:29:52,360 --> 00:29:54,040 of this, would I be able to let go of it? 453 00:29:55,800 --> 00:30:00,840 Go every over every compartment of your existence, everything 454 00:30:02,760 --> 00:30:08,800 believer, even your ministry, even good things, and have an 455 00:30:08,800 --> 00:30:10,240 honest conversation with your own heart. 456 00:30:11,080 --> 00:30:14,560 If God tells me to give this up, am I willing to give it up? 457 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:19,040 If you can't Ding, Ding, Ding, my friend, you have identified 458 00:30:19,040 --> 00:30:24,720 an idol. But if you can say, Lord, all 459 00:30:24,720 --> 00:30:26,640 that I am and all that I have is yours. 460 00:30:28,240 --> 00:30:30,640 But if there's anything that I'm blinded to, there's anything 461 00:30:30,640 --> 00:30:33,680 that I'm not aware of, if you were to highlight to me and tell 462 00:30:33,680 --> 00:30:35,680 me I need to repent of it, I will repent of it. 463 00:30:35,680 --> 00:30:39,440 That's how you know you've given up to the Lordship of Jesus 464 00:30:39,440 --> 00:30:44,800 Christ and you are promised way more than whatever your little 465 00:30:44,800 --> 00:30:47,400 plan, your little blueprint promise you. 466 00:30:48,640 --> 00:30:50,680 Oh, I want to just say it one more time. 467 00:30:51,440 --> 00:30:56,360 Let tonight really be the turning point as you see this 468 00:30:56,360 --> 00:31:02,000 gracious example provided to you and me to surrender truly and 469 00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:04,720 completely. Well, we thank you for Second 470 00:31:04,720 --> 00:31:07,080 Kings. What an amazing book. 471 00:31:07,920 --> 00:31:12,400 As dark as it has been, it ends with life. 472 00:31:15,840 --> 00:31:20,800 And Lord, if there's one person in this place who's clinging to 473 00:31:20,800 --> 00:31:25,480 death because they're deceived or they're afraid, or, or, or 474 00:31:25,480 --> 00:31:28,760 whatever the reason may be, we ask, Lord, that you would use 475 00:31:28,760 --> 00:31:35,320 these truths to shatter any of those shackles and that they 476 00:31:35,320 --> 00:31:39,120 would know true freedom. Thank you that you are a God 477 00:31:39,120 --> 00:31:41,920 filled with hope. Thank you that no matter what 478 00:31:41,920 --> 00:31:44,560 kind of a mess that we've made of our lives, like Jehovah kin, 479 00:31:45,520 --> 00:31:49,080 you can change it all. You can do a miracle with our 480 00:31:49,080 --> 00:31:52,080 mess. And though we believe that you 481 00:31:52,080 --> 00:31:54,480 are the same God that we are studying and we have been 482 00:31:54,480 --> 00:31:58,720 studying week after week. Lord, may our hearts come alive 483 00:31:59,160 --> 00:32:03,640 and Thanksgiving for how you've spoken to us through 1st and 2nd 484 00:32:03,640 --> 00:32:05,920 Kings. May you receive all the glory, O 485 00:32:05,920 --> 00:32:09,440 Lord, and how we apply these truths and share them with 486 00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:13,240 others so they too may surrender to the kingship of Jesus Christ. 487 00:32:13,960 --> 00:32:17,120 You are All in all. And Lord, we in a fresh way tell 488 00:32:17,120 --> 00:32:24,680 you, we give up, we give up. Have everything, you're worthy 489 00:32:24,680 --> 00:32:28,400 of it. In Jesus name we pray, Amen and 490 00:32:28,400 --> 00:32:31,200 Amen. If you need to stay seated, you 491 00:32:31,200 --> 00:32:33,000 stay seated. If you want to stand, you can 492 00:32:33,000 --> 00:32:34,720 stand. But let's wholeheartedly worship 493 00:32:34,720 --> 00:32:37,480 the Lord. The study is not over yet, but 494 00:32:37,480 --> 00:32:41,240 let's just take this moment to engage with God directly before 495 00:32:41,240 --> 00:32:42,960 we do what we're planning to do next. 496 00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:45,400 So however you are comfortable, as long as you're not 497 00:32:45,400 --> 00:32:48,480 distracting, just engage with these truths and seek God and 498 00:32:48,480 --> 00:32:52,120 pour out your heart to him. He's here, He, he's hearing us 499 00:32:52,280 --> 00:32:52,960 praise him. Come on up. 500 00:32:53,080 --> 00:32:53,480 Thank you.