WHAT IT MEANS TO KNOW THE LORD

Passage: Jeremiah 22:10-23

Key verse: 16

NIV

10 Do not weep for the dead(A) king or mourn(B) his loss;
    rather, weep bitterly for him who is exiled,
because he will never return(C)
    nor see his native land again.

11 For this is what the Lord says about Shallum[a](D) son of Josiah, who succeeded his father as king of Judah but has gone from this place: “He will never return. 12 He will die(E) in the place where they have led him captive; he will not see this land again.”

13 “Woe(F) to him who builds(G) his palace by unrighteousness,
    his upper rooms by injustice,
making his own people work for nothing,
    not paying(H) them for their labor.
14 He says, ‘I will build myself a great palace(I)
    with spacious upper rooms.’
So he makes large windows in it,
    panels it with cedar(J)
    and decorates it in red.(K)

15 “Does it make you a king
    to have more and more cedar?
Did not your father have food and drink?
    He did what was right and just,(L)
    so all went well(M) with him.
16 He defended the cause of the poor and needy,(N)
    and so all went well.
Is that not what it means to know(O) me?”
    declares the Lord.
17 “But your eyes and your heart
    are set only on dishonest gain,(P)
on shedding innocent blood(Q)
    and on oppression and extortion.”(R)

18 Therefore this is what the Lord says about Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah:

“They will not mourn(S) for him:
    ‘Alas, my brother! Alas, my sister!’
They will not mourn for him:
    ‘Alas, my master! Alas, his splendor!’
19 He will have the burial(T) of a donkey—
    dragged away and thrown(U)
    outside the gates of Jerusalem.”

20 “Go up to Lebanon and cry out,(V)
    let your voice be heard in Bashan,(W)
cry out from Abarim,(X)
    for all your allies(Y) are crushed.
21 I warned you when you felt secure,(Z)
    but you said, ‘I will not listen!’
This has been your way from your youth;(AA)
    you have not obeyed(AB) me.
22 The wind(AC) will drive all your shepherds(AD) away,
    and your allies(AE) will go into exile.
Then you will be ashamed and disgraced(AF)
    because of all your wickedness.
23 You who live in ‘Lebanon,[b](AG)’
    who are nestled in cedar buildings,
how you will groan when pangs come upon you,
    pain(AH) like that of a woman in labor!

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Footnotes
  1. Jeremiah 22:11 Also called Jehoahaz
  2. Jeremiah 22:23 That is, the palace in Jerusalem (see 1 Kings 7:2)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

10 (A)Weep not for him who is dead,
    nor grieve for him,
(B)but weep bitterly for him who goes away,
    for he shall return no more
    to see his native land.

Message to the Sons of Josiah

11 For thus says the Lord concerning Shallum the son of Josiah, king of Judah, who reigned instead of Josiah his father, and (C)who went away from this place: “He shall return here no more, 12 but (D)in the place where they have carried him captive, there shall he die, and he shall never see this land again.”

13 (E)“Woe to him who builds his house by (F)unrighteousness,
    and his upper rooms by injustice,
(G)who makes his neighbor serve him for nothing
    and does not give him his wages,
14 who says, ‘I will build myself a great house
    with spacious upper rooms,’
who cuts out windows for it,
    paneling it with cedar
    and (H)painting it with vermilion.
15 Do you think you are a king
    because you compete in cedar?
Did not your father eat and drink
    and (I)do justice and righteousness?
    (J)Then it was well with him.
16 (K)He judged the cause of the poor and needy;
    (L)then it was well.
Is not this (M)to know me?
    declares the Lord.
17 But you have eyes and heart
    only for your dishonest gain,
(N)for shedding innocent blood,
    and for practicing oppression and violence.”

18 Therefore thus says the Lord concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah:

(O)“They shall not lament for him, saying,
    (P)‘Ah, my brother!’ or ‘Ah, sister!’
They shall not lament for him, saying,
    (Q)‘Ah, lord!’ or ‘Ah, his majesty!’
19 With the burial of a donkey (R)he shall be buried,
    dragged and dumped beyond the gates of Jerusalem.”

20 “Go up to Lebanon, and cry out,
    and lift up your voice in Bashan;
cry out from (S)Abarim,
    for all (T)your lovers are destroyed.
21 I spoke to you in your prosperity,
    but you said, ‘I will not listen.’
(U)This has been your way from (V)your youth,
    that you have not obeyed my voice.
22 (W)The wind shall shepherd all your shepherds,
    and (X)your lovers shall go into captivity;
(Y)then you will be ashamed and confounded
    because of all your evil.
23 O inhabitant of (Z)Lebanon,
    nested among the cedars,
how you will be pitied when pangs come upon you,
    (AA)pain as of a woman in labor!”

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

Zedekiah was made a puppet king of Judah by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord (2Ki 17:24). He was preceded by three other kings, all of whom also did evil in the eyes of the Lord. Shallum (Jehoahaz) was taken into Egypt by Pharaoh Necho and he died there. Next, Shallum’s son, Jehoiakim, also did evil in the eyes of the Lord. He refused to recognize the Lord; nor did he heed the warnings of what happened to his father. He died in Jerusalem during the Babylonian invasion. No one mourned him when he died. His son, Jehoiachin, also did evil in the eyes of the Lord. He was carried off to Babylon and died there.

King Zedekiah had ample warning. He had the examples of his predecessors. He had been warned by Jeremiah to “do what is right.” He was to turn away from unrighteousness and injustice. He was to do what was right and just—to defend the cause of the poor and needy, just as King David had done. We learn that is what it means to know God. Instead, Zedekiah was only set on dishonest gain, bloodshed, oppression and extortion.

Prayer: Father, it is so easy to chase after the things in this life. May I not forget about you, and may I do what is just and right, defending the cause of the poor and needy. In this, may I come to know you.

One Word: Do what is just and right; come to know God