Jeremiah 22 - Do Justice and Righteousness

LINK: Jeremiah 22

BACKGROUND

Jeremiah 22 

Chapters 22-25 are probably not to be in chronological order because, in 21:8-10, God implied that it was too late for repentance; but in 22:4, God said that there was still time to change. It also refers to events that happened before Jeremiah 21.

This chapter deals with the judgment against evil kings:

Shallum/Jehoahaz (22:10-12) who was king in 609 B.C. After a reign of only three months, he was deposed by Pharaoh Neco and taken to captivity in Egypt (2 Kings 23:34).

Jehoiakim (22:13-23) was appointed by Neco. He was a corrupt king who cared only for personal gain by building a palace for himself at the expense of his subjects (2 Kings 24:1-17).

Jehoiachin (22:24-30) followed his father Jehoiakim. After only a three-month reign, he surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar and was deported to Babylon (52:31-34). Even if he was as valuable as a signet ring, God would pull him off because of his sin. A signet ring was valuable because a king used it to authenticate important documents.

The prophecy here states that none of his offspring would sit on the throne of David. This came true. His grandson Zerubbabel ruled as governor on the return from exile (Ezra 2:20) but not as king. This also helps explain the genealogy of Christ in Matthew 1 and Luke 3. Matthew presents a line through Joseph, but Joseph's line was through Shealtiel who was a son of Jehoiachin (Matthew 1:12; 1 Chronicles 3:17). Since Christ was not a physical descendant of Joseph and virgin-born, he was qualified through the physical line of Mary to be king. On Mary's side, he descended from David through the line of his son Nathan (Luke 3:31).

This brings us to a prophecy of that particular descendant in Jeremiah 23! Stay Tuned!

APPLICATION

There is a genealogy of Jesus Christ in the Gospel Harmony Book Club. (Reading through the Gospels chronologically from January - Easter - Pentecost Sunday). Read through it to prepare for tomorrow's post. 

PRAYER

Lord, help us to be in a right relationship with You at all times through confession and repentance. Amen.