He makes the nations great, then destroys them; He enlarges the nations, then leads them away. - Job 12:23
In last week’s message, we discussed the Biblical account of Josiah. He was a righteous, godly king who led Judah well. He implemented many reforms, reinstituted the Passover, and purged his kingdom of pagan altars, shrines, pillars, and so forth. However, his life was cut short when he decided to fight against the Egyptians at the Battle of Megiddo. He had hoped to prevent them from allying with the Assyrians in their ongoing war with Babylon, but his efforts failed and he was killed during the conflict.
This morning we are going to take a look at the next 3 kings who followed Josiah. Their names were Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, and Jehoiachin. We will see the end of the Assyrian Empire, the withdrawal of Egypt from the region, and the beginning waves of Judah’s exile to Babylon. Some of the events mentioned in this sermon are described in the books of Jeremiah, Daniel, and/or Ezekiel. Others are documented in the historical writings of Josephus.
I. JEHOAHAZ (2 Kings 23:31-34; 2 Chronicles 36:1-4)
After Josiah’s death, the people took his son Jehoahaz and made him king. He was 23 years old when he became king and his mother’s name was Hamutal. He only reigned for 3 months, but even during that short span he was known as an evil king who did not fear the LORD.
After winning the Battle of Megiddo against Judah, the Egyptian army proceeded north and joined the Assyrians at Haran as planned. However, the Babylonians were too strong for their allied forces to overcome. As a result, the Assyrians were defeated and their empire collapsed. Babylon had become the dominant kingdom in the Middle East. Having lost, Pharaoh Neco and the Egyptians started for home, retracing their steps through Judah. As they passed through Jerusalem, Pharaoh Neco captured their king, Jehoahaz, and imprisoned him temporarily at Riblah before carrying him away in exile to Egypt, where he later died.
Pharaoh Neco appointed another of Josiah’s sons, Eliakim, as Judah’s new king and changed his name to Jehoiakim. He imposed a fine on Judah of 100 talents of silver and a talent of gold, likely because they had dared to confront him earlier. He required Judah to pay an annual tribute, and subjected them to Egyptian dominance. Although the southern kingdom was still intact and would continue to be for another 23 years, it was no longer an independent state.
II. JEHOIAKIM (2 Kings 23:35-24:7; 2 Chronicles 36:5-8)
Jehoiakim was 25 years old when he was made king and he reigned for 11 years. His mother’s name was Zebidah. Like his brother Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim did not walk in the ways of the LORD. Though he was technically “king”, he answered to the Egyptians. He exacted a heavy tax on the citizens of Judah in order to pay the required tribute to Pharaoh Neco.
During the 4th year of his reign in 605 BC, the Egyptians allied with the remnants of Assyria’s army to battle the Babylonians at the Battle of Carchemish. The Babylonians crushed them yet again and then advanced southward to Judah. The Egyptians completely withdrew from the region, leaving Judah vulnerable to the Babylonians. Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, led his forces to Jerusalem, where he ransacked the temple and took some of its precious articles back to his homeland. He also bound Jehoiakim and brought him Babylon, along with many of the young men, youths, and other nobles from Judah including Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. This was to be the 1st wave of deportations and it marked the beginning of the Babylonian Exile.
Nebuchadnezzar released King Jehoiakim after a few years of imprisonment, allowing him to return to Jerusalem. However, Jehoiakim was subservient to Babylon and required to pay an annual tribute to them, which he did for 3 years. During these years he persecuted the prophet Jeremiah, who also lived in Jerusalem, because he preached of Judah’s imminent judgment as a result of its idolatry and sin.
After the 3rd year, Jehoiakim stopped paying the tribute, a brazen act of defiance and rebellion. The Babylonian army returned and laid siege on Jerusalem, led by Nebuchadnezzar. During the siege, Jehoiakim was killed and his body was tossed over the wall, perhaps in hopes that the Babylonians would end their assault. However, they did not withdraw. Meanwhile, inside the besieged city, the people of Jerusalem made Jehoiakim’s son, Jehoiachin, the new king.
III. JEHOIACHIN (2 Kings 24:8-17; 2 Chronicles 36:9-10)
Jehoiachin was 18 years old when he became king. His mother's name was Nehushta. Like his father, he was a bad king. He ascended to the throne during the midst of the Babylonian siege in 597 BC and only reigned for 3 months before surrendering to Nebuchadnezzer. Jehoiachin, his mother, and several of his servants, officials, and commanders were bound and taken as captives to Babylon. Jehoiachin would remain in Babylon for the rest of his life and the line of David would continue through his offspring.
In addition to this, the Babylonians took more treasures from the temple, the king’s palace, and cut the gold vessels that Solomon had made into pieces. They took 10,000 captives - including soldiers, craftsmen, and smiths - and led them away to Babylon, leaving only the poorest people behind in Judah. The prophet Ezekiel was included among the exiles of the 2nd deportation. Having deposed Jehoiachin, Nebuchadnezzar appointed his uncle Mattaniah (yet another of Josiah’s sons) as king and changed his name to Zedekiah.
CONCLUSION
By the end of Jehoiachin’s brief reign, the southern kingdom was just a shell of what it had been. It no longer had any independence or strength, but rather had become a vassal state of the Babylonian Empire. Its “king” answered to and served Nebuchadnezzer. Its wealth and treasures had been plundered and taken away. Most of its prominent citizens had been carried into captivity. Although Judah would continue to exist for another decade, God’s judgment had clearly fallen upon it and the 70 year Babylonian captivity had already begun (Jeremiah 25:11).
Judah would suffer the same fate as their brothers Israel had faced some 120 years earlier. While the Assyrians toppled the northern kingdom, the Babylonians would soon conquer the southern kingdom. The descendants of Jacob, all 12 tribes of Israel, would be held accountable for their disobedience and unfaithfulness to God. Although they were God’s chosen people and had been the recipients of His grace and favor for generations, they were not exempt from His justice. No one is.
In 2026, less than 2 years from now, the United States will celebrate its 250th birthday. Over the past 2½ centuries, the LORD has blessed our nation in countless ways. For all its flaws, the United States is still regarded as a beacon of freedom and hope for people around the world. We have the wealthiest economy, the strongest military, and the most diverse population. I am proud to be an American and pray that our country will endure for generations to come (or until Jesus returns). That said, God does not overlook our sin and He will bring judgment upon us if we continue to walk in it. We should pray that the United States will turn back to the LORD.
Next week we will conclude this study with a final message about the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple of God. We will talk about the last king of Judah and the end of the divided kingdom era. I hope you’ll join us then. God bless you.
In last week’s message, we discussed the Biblical account of Josiah. He was a righteous, godly king who led Judah well. He implemented many reforms, reinstituted the Passover, and purged his kingdom of pagan altars, shrines, pillars, and so forth. However, his life was cut short when he decided to fight against the Egyptians at the Battle of Megiddo. He had hoped to prevent them from allying with the Assyrians in their ongoing war with Babylon, but his efforts failed and he was killed during the conflict.
This morning we are going to take a look at the next 3 kings who followed Josiah. Their names were Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, and Jehoiachin. We will see the end of the Assyrian Empire, the withdrawal of Egypt from the region, and the beginning waves of Judah’s exile to Babylon. Some of the events mentioned in this sermon are described in the books of Jeremiah, Daniel, and/or Ezekiel. Others are documented in the historical writings of Josephus.
I. JEHOAHAZ (2 Kings 23:31-34; 2 Chronicles 36:1-4)
After Josiah’s death, the people took his son Jehoahaz and made him king. He was 23 years old when he became king and his mother’s name was Hamutal. He only reigned for 3 months, but even during that short span he was known as an evil king who did not fear the LORD.
After winning the Battle of Megiddo against Judah, the Egyptian army proceeded north and joined the Assyrians at Haran as planned. However, the Babylonians were too strong for their allied forces to overcome. As a result, the Assyrians were defeated and their empire collapsed. Babylon had become the dominant kingdom in the Middle East. Having lost, Pharaoh Neco and the Egyptians started for home, retracing their steps through Judah. As they passed through Jerusalem, Pharaoh Neco captured their king, Jehoahaz, and imprisoned him temporarily at Riblah before carrying him away in exile to Egypt, where he later died.
Pharaoh Neco appointed another of Josiah’s sons, Eliakim, as Judah’s new king and changed his name to Jehoiakim. He imposed a fine on Judah of 100 talents of silver and a talent of gold, likely because they had dared to confront him earlier. He required Judah to pay an annual tribute, and subjected them to Egyptian dominance. Although the southern kingdom was still intact and would continue to be for another 23 years, it was no longer an independent state.
II. JEHOIAKIM (2 Kings 23:35-24:7; 2 Chronicles 36:5-8)
Jehoiakim was 25 years old when he was made king and he reigned for 11 years. His mother’s name was Zebidah. Like his brother Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim did not walk in the ways of the LORD. Though he was technically “king”, he answered to the Egyptians. He exacted a heavy tax on the citizens of Judah in order to pay the required tribute to Pharaoh Neco.
During the 4th year of his reign in 605 BC, the Egyptians allied with the remnants of Assyria’s army to battle the Babylonians at the Battle of Carchemish. The Babylonians crushed them yet again and then advanced southward to Judah. The Egyptians completely withdrew from the region, leaving Judah vulnerable to the Babylonians. Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, led his forces to Jerusalem, where he ransacked the temple and took some of its precious articles back to his homeland. He also bound Jehoiakim and brought him Babylon, along with many of the young men, youths, and other nobles from Judah including Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. This was to be the 1st wave of deportations and it marked the beginning of the Babylonian Exile.
Nebuchadnezzar released King Jehoiakim after a few years of imprisonment, allowing him to return to Jerusalem. However, Jehoiakim was subservient to Babylon and required to pay an annual tribute to them, which he did for 3 years. During these years he persecuted the prophet Jeremiah, who also lived in Jerusalem, because he preached of Judah’s imminent judgment as a result of its idolatry and sin.
After the 3rd year, Jehoiakim stopped paying the tribute, a brazen act of defiance and rebellion. The Babylonian army returned and laid siege on Jerusalem, led by Nebuchadnezzar. During the siege, Jehoiakim was killed and his body was tossed over the wall, perhaps in hopes that the Babylonians would end their assault. However, they did not withdraw. Meanwhile, inside the besieged city, the people of Jerusalem made Jehoiakim’s son, Jehoiachin, the new king.
III. JEHOIACHIN (2 Kings 24:8-17; 2 Chronicles 36:9-10)
Jehoiachin was 18 years old when he became king. His mother's name was Nehushta. Like his father, he was a bad king. He ascended to the throne during the midst of the Babylonian siege in 597 BC and only reigned for 3 months before surrendering to Nebuchadnezzer. Jehoiachin, his mother, and several of his servants, officials, and commanders were bound and taken as captives to Babylon. Jehoiachin would remain in Babylon for the rest of his life and the line of David would continue through his offspring.
In addition to this, the Babylonians took more treasures from the temple, the king’s palace, and cut the gold vessels that Solomon had made into pieces. They took 10,000 captives - including soldiers, craftsmen, and smiths - and led them away to Babylon, leaving only the poorest people behind in Judah. The prophet Ezekiel was included among the exiles of the 2nd deportation. Having deposed Jehoiachin, Nebuchadnezzar appointed his uncle Mattaniah (yet another of Josiah’s sons) as king and changed his name to Zedekiah.
CONCLUSION
By the end of Jehoiachin’s brief reign, the southern kingdom was just a shell of what it had been. It no longer had any independence or strength, but rather had become a vassal state of the Babylonian Empire. Its “king” answered to and served Nebuchadnezzer. Its wealth and treasures had been plundered and taken away. Most of its prominent citizens had been carried into captivity. Although Judah would continue to exist for another decade, God’s judgment had clearly fallen upon it and the 70 year Babylonian captivity had already begun (Jeremiah 25:11).
Judah would suffer the same fate as their brothers Israel had faced some 120 years earlier. While the Assyrians toppled the northern kingdom, the Babylonians would soon conquer the southern kingdom. The descendants of Jacob, all 12 tribes of Israel, would be held accountable for their disobedience and unfaithfulness to God. Although they were God’s chosen people and had been the recipients of His grace and favor for generations, they were not exempt from His justice. No one is.
In 2026, less than 2 years from now, the United States will celebrate its 250th birthday. Over the past 2½ centuries, the LORD has blessed our nation in countless ways. For all its flaws, the United States is still regarded as a beacon of freedom and hope for people around the world. We have the wealthiest economy, the strongest military, and the most diverse population. I am proud to be an American and pray that our country will endure for generations to come (or until Jesus returns). That said, God does not overlook our sin and He will bring judgment upon us if we continue to walk in it. We should pray that the United States will turn back to the LORD.
Next week we will conclude this study with a final message about the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple of God. We will talk about the last king of Judah and the end of the divided kingdom era. I hope you’ll join us then. God bless you.