Jehoahaz's Reign and Captivity

                                                                     2 Kings 23:31-37

 

November 23, 2021

 

 

Jehoahaz's Reign and Captivity

Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.   And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done.  And Pharaoh Neco put him in bonds at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem, and laid on the land a tribute of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.  And Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the place of Josiah his father, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. But he took Jehoahaz away, and he came to Egypt and died there.   And Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh, but he taxed the land to give the money according to the command of Pharaoh. He exacted the silver and the gold of the people of the land, from everyone according to his assessment, to give it to Pharaoh Neco.

Jehoiakim Reigns in Judah

Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zebidah the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah.   And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done.

Dad’s, what a message to us, Josiah was a King who obeyed the Commandments and laws of God to the best of his knowledge, but he dropped the ball being a dad.  It reminds me of the pastor who always made time for the people of the church but never had time to see one of his kid's ball games or take them on a vacation trip.  And they ended up being the kids that rebelled against both God and man.  I had a Vice President of a very large utility Company whom I had taken to lunch with a few of the people who worked for him that never got invited to lunch.  I did not know him and I now understand this was all the Lord doing, the invite and my asking if we could take some of the young guys that never got invited to lunch to go with us and also the question I ask him before our lunch was brought.  

 

This was the question; Is there anything you would change about your getting to be vice president that would be helpful to these younger men.  Without hesitation he looked at the four young men and said guys; I’ve noticed most of you get to the office long before I do, and leave after me, and all I ask of you is to do your job.  I’m not impressed with the long hours you spend at the office, I did that for years, and it came with a very high cost.  My first marriage ended, and my boys are in their twenties and will not speak to me.  I would give anything to undo that mess.  I am remarried to a younger lady, and we have a four-year-old son, and often I’m just running out of energy by the time I get home, but I play ball or whatever he wants, and I will not lose another son.  

 

He told those young men to go home and spend time with their families when they had got what needs to be done for the day and he said no one and especially me is going to care what time of the day that is.  Dad’s that V.P. drop the ball, but he got a second chance to make the most important investment a man can make, a son who knows his dad loves him, and the next is to bring him to a heavenly Father who has a plan for his life.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice