DEATH FOR REBELS JEREMIAH 52:1-11 KEY VERSE: “For through the anger of the LORD it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, till he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon” (Jeremiah 52:3). The Bible says “rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry”. Double rebellion then must be a heinous sin indeed! Zedekiah was a fortunate man, who could have used his good fortune to turn around the fortunes of Judah and her citizens for the better, but he did otherwise. Zedekiah’s father Jehoiakim was defeated by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar did not utterly destroy Jerusalem and Judah: he just took the king captive and made his first son Jehoiahim king instead. Jehoiahim also was as bad as the father in idol-worship. Before long, Nebuchadnezzar came along and carried him also into captivity in Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar then installed Zedekiah his brother as the surrogate king of Judah. Zedekiah had a golden opportunity of turning to Jehovah, God of Israel and bringing Judah back into rectitude and true worship of God. But alas he wasted his opportunity. He rebelled against his Creator and Strong Tower, and continued with idol worship. He thought it wise to also rebel against Nebuchadnezzar, his benefactor. In essence, he declared Judah independent of Babylonian rule. In his own time, all the warnings of the former prophets came to pass. Nebuchadnezzar came in fury to pull down all edifices erected since David began to rule in Israel. Zedekiah and his strong men went into captivity. In our text today, believers are warned against any act of rebellion. Those who trod that path in the Bible days received the awful consequences of their actions. God has not changed; He still punishes sin wherever it is found. Followers must respect and obey their leaders in the church of God; and be ready to accept, without questioning, instructions from such leaders. Anything to the contrary amounts to rebellion, and attracts God’s displeasure THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Rebels don’t last, they expire easily.
Posted on: Thu, 05 Sep 2013 17:38:36 +0000
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