Which Road Will We Walk Down?

O. T. #1,003  "Which Road Will We Walk Down?
June 14, 2017
2 Chronicles 36
Turn from the evil road you are traveling and from the evil things you are doing. Only then will I let you live in this land that the LORD gave you and your ancestors forever. Do not provoke My anger b worshiping idols you made with your own hands. Then I will not harm you. Jeremiah 25:5-6

LET IT GLOW

What do people think they will gain by traveling down an evil road? It only leads to destruction. Are they trying to gain the whole world, yet loose their soul, as Tobby Mac sings? Is it worth it in the long run? I think not. Good shall prevail, for God is in control. Will we pray for revival and repentance? Let us continue on the road of faith God, dear friends.

Well, after King Josiah's death, his son Jehoahaz was made the next kin in Jerusalem.
What do we find out about him? There are just 4 verses in this chapter and  in 2 Kings 23 which give us answers:

• He was 23 years old whenever Jehoahaz began to reign over Judah.
• He only reigned 3 months.
• He did what was evil in the LORD's sight.
• Jehoahaz was put into prison by the Pharaoh Necho of Egypt. First he was taken in bondage to Syria and then taken later to Egypt, where he died. This was done to prevent him from ruling in Jerusalem.
• Necho demanded Judah pay 7,500 pounds of silver and 75 pounds of gold.
• Necho replaced Jehoahaz with his son Eliakim, which means God has established, and changed his  name to Jehoiakim, which means the Lord has established. This showed that Necho was lord over the land. (It was the way of those in the ancient Near East as a sign of authority.
• In order to get the silver and gold that Pharaoh Necho demanded, Jehoiakim collected a tax from the people of Judah. He required them pay a proportion to their wealth.
• Jeremiah continued to prophesy during this time.

Need I say that the last 4 kings of Judah, following Josiah, were bad kings? You know, if this rascal Josiah had only listened to Necho and not gone to war with Egypt, but allowed them to pass through Judah on their way to fight Babylon, this would not have happened. Not only did Josiah pay for his mistake with his life, but his descendants paid for his mistake also.

Let us keep in mind that the evil ones will pay for their sins, if not in this life, then in the next, if they do not repent. It is sad to say, but true.

Which road will we choose to walk down in our life?

LET IT GROW

For a little history during this time:

• Jehoiakim taxed his people severely to pay tribute to Egypt, though he still had enough to build a magnificent palace for himself. (Jeremiah 22:13-14) Daniel was taken captive to Babylon in 605 B.C. Jeremiah and Habakkuk likely appeared on the scene at this time of kingly abominations. (MacArthur)
• Nebuchadnezzar was the son of the founder of the Babylonian Empire. In 605, he became king and won the battle at Carchemish. That loss crushed Assyria. (Life Application Study Bible)
• Ezekiel predicted the fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C.
• King Nebuchadnezzar burned the Temple and every substantial building in Jerusalem. More Jews were deported to Babylon that year.
• Then Babylon falls to Persia in 539.
• Persian King Cyrus allowed Jews to return to rebuild Jerusalem in 538.
• Esther became queen of Persia in 478.
• Ezra the priest was sent to Judah in 457. He is the author of 2 Chronicles.

Even though Judah will soon go into captivity in our reading due to their idolatry, God allows Jerusalem and the Temple to be rebuilt by a remnant of believers.

Will our nation turn from the evil road on which it is traveling and turn from the evil things it is doing? Only today I heard of a shooting of an official and his body guards. Rebellion has turned to hate, which  has turned into an attempt of murder? Really? And this is happening in America.
Let us pray, my friends.


LET IT GO

Walk on the road of faith in Jesus, not on the road of evil.

Pray for our national leaders.

Pray for the evil ones to have a change of heart.