ESOCS Devotional 26 October 2025 – Righteous Judgment of A Just God
MEMORY VERSE: “It was because of the LORD’s anger that all this happened to Jerusalem and Judah, and in the end he thrust them from his presence.” 2 Kings 24:20 NIV
TEXT: 2 KINGS 24:10-20
At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. 11 And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, as his servants were besieging it. 12 Then Jehoiachin king of Judah, his mother, his servants, his princes, and his officers went out to the king of Babylon; and the king of Babylon, in the eighth year of his reign, took him prisoner.
13 And he carried out from there all the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king’s house, and he cut in pieces all the articles of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the Lord, as the Lord had said. 14 Also he carried into captivity all Jerusalem: all the captains and all the mighty men of valor, ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths. None remained except the poorest people of the land. 15 And he carried Jehoiachin captive to Babylon. The king’s mother, the king’s wives, his officers, and the mighty of the land he carried into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon. 16 All the valiant men, seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths, one thousand, all who were strong and fit for war, these the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.
17 Then the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in his place, and changed his name to Zedekiah.
18 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 19 He also did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 20 For because of the anger of the Lord this happened in Jerusalem and Judah, that He finally cast them out from His presence. Then Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
Read Other ESOCS Devotional Here
Jerusalem was emptied of all but the poorest people. Seven thousand men of valour, one thousand craftsmen and metal workers, and two thousand general members of the community march out under guard that day. They were taken to Babylon where they would serve the people there. Jehoiachin would be put in prison there. He would eventually be brought out and treated with respect though.
That was the difference between Josiah’s time with God and all the other on-again, off-again relationships of the other kings. Josiah’s heart yearned to be in fellowship with God. He longed to please God and to live by His standards. The others who turned to him wanted help with their current problems. They wanted out where Josiah wanted ‘in’; in God’s presence, in God’s favour, in God’s will.
Jehoiachin knew nothing of his grandfather’s heart for God. He feared man instead. And he would do whatever he could to keep on the right side of the powers that be. He probably held no illusion that he was walking away into freedom. Perhaps he held onto the fact that his family survived intact. But was that enough?
What are you willing to surrender to? What am I? Times are changing all around the globe. There is coming a time when being a follower of Christ will mark you for death. Will you willingly give up your faith for your life? What is your earthly life worth to you in Kingdom terms?
One thing about Nebuchadnezzar was that he walked away from Jerusalem and left it relatively intact. He didn’t tear down the walls. He didn’t destroy the Temple. He didn’t burn the houses. He didn’t slaughter the people. He looted the Temple and the king’s treasury but left everything standing. He made it look like things would continue on just as they had before his coming. He even appointed the people a new king. He made the people who remained ‘comfortable’. They had no reason for further rebellion. And no means to mount a defence if they did choose to rebel. There was no one left to make weapons for them. No strong troops to fight for them. No leaders to show them the tactics to use. All that was left was a king who agreed to be a puppet. Things looked good on the surface but underneath it wasn’t.
CHALLENGES
- Do you look for an ‘easy way out’ like Jehoiachin in the midst of adversity
PRAYER POINT
- O Lord, give me strength to stand for you, with you because of your love for me in Christ Jesus
FURTHER READING: 2 Kings 25:1-17; 24:1-9; Philippians 1:15-30; 2:1-13
ESOCS Devotional 26 October 2025
