THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH

THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH The purpose of this section is not to look at each king who reigned, but to look at the kingdom in general. It will be necessary, though, to look at the kingdom s last two reigning kings, Jehoiachin and Zedekiah. Capital City Jerusalem 1 Kings 11:13 Tribes belonging to the Kingdom of Judah in 975 BC Judah 1 Kings 12:21 Benjamin 1 Kings 12:21 A year later in 974 BC Levi 2 Chronicles 11:13-14 Various Kings See: Part 03 The Kings of Israel, page 12 THE DOWNFALL OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH Jeremiah 3:6-11 6 Moreover, the Lord said to me [Jeremiah] in the days of Josiah the king [of Judah], Have you seen what that faithless and backsliding Israel has done, how she went up on every high hill and under every green tree and there played the harlot? 7 And I said, After she has done all these things, she will return to Me; but she did not return, and her faithless and treacherous sister Judah saw it. 8 And I saw, even though [Judah knew] that for this very cause of committing adultery (idolatry) I [the Lord], had put faithless Israel away and given her a bill of divorce; yet her faithless and treacherous sister Judah was not afraid, but she also went and played the harlot [following after idols]. 9 And through the infamy and unseemly frivolity of Israel s whoredom [because her immorality mattered little to her], she polluted and defiled the land, [by her idolatry] committing adultery with [idols of] stones and trees. 10 But in spite of all this, her faithless and treacherous sister Judah did not return to Me in sincerity and with her whole heart, but only in sheer hypocrisy [has she feigned obedience to King Josiah s reforms], says the Lord. 11 And the Lord said to me, Backsliding and faithless Israel has shown herself less guilty than false and treacherous Judah. 1

These verses show that the Kingdom of Judah followed in the ways of the Kingdom of Israel. They worshiped idols just as the Kingdom of Israel had done. Ezekiel 16:51 51 Neither has Samaria committed half of your sins, but you have multiplied your [idolatrous] abominations more than they and have seemed to justify your sisters [Samaria and Sodom] in all their wickedness by all the abominable things which you have done you even make them appear righteous in comparison with you. The sins of idolatry were multiplied, in the Kingdom of Judah, in comparison to what had been committed by the Kingdom of Israel. Ezekiel 22 gives an overall look at some sins that the Kingdom of Judah had committed. Ezekiel 22: The Sin Verse Murdering 2 Worship of Idols 3-4 Disrespect toward parents 7 Oppressing the strangers 7 Wronged the orphans and widows 7 Despised Yehovah s sacred things 8 Profaned Yehovah s Sabbaths 8 Lying 9 Eating of food offered to idols 9 Adultery with father s wife 10 Sex during inappropriate times 10 Adultery with neighbor s wife 11 Adultery with daughter-in-law 11 Incest with family members 11 Bribes for murder 12 Greed 12 Oppression and extortion to neighbors 12 Forgot Yehovah 12 Ezekiel 22:15 15 And I will scatter you among the nations and disperse you through the countries, and I will consume your filthiness out of you. Yehovah s judgment is to disperse them among the nations. 2

Ezekiel 23:39 39 For when they had slain their children [as offerings] to their idols, then they came the same day into My sanctuary to profane it [by daring to offer sacrifice there also]! And behold, thus they done in the midst of My house! They were sacrificing their children to idols. The law against such practice is given in Leviticus 18:21. After the sacrificing of their children, they would then go to the Temple in Jerusalem and sacrifice there as well. Ezekiel 24:21, 26 21 Speak to the house of Israel. Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will profane My sanctuary, [in which you take] pride as your strength, the desire of your eyes, and the pity and sympathy of your soul that you would spare with your life; and your sons and your daughters whom you have left behind shall fall by the sword... 26 On that day an escaped fugitive shall come to you to cause you to hear of it [the destruction of Jerusalem] with your own ears. Speak to the house of Israel. Yehovah s judgment is to take away Israel s Temple. Yehovah s judgment is to destroy Jerusalem. So there is no confusion to whom Yehovah is placing this judgment on, it is necessary to look at this statement: Speak to the house of Israel. As previously stated in, 01_Blessings_Part_1," on page 5, Jacob s name was changed to Israel. Israel had twelve sons. These twelve sons became twelve tribes, which eventually formed into the nation of Israel. There are different places in scripture where the house of Israel, Israel, or Israelite(s) is used. Sometimes the meaning pertains to the nation of Israel, or to the descendants of Jacob, and sometimes it means the northern kingdom that separated from the Kingdom of Judah. Here are some examples: As a Whole Nation As a Separate Kingdom 2 Samuel 6:15 Jeremiah 11:17 Jeremiah 2:4 Ezekiel 4:4-5 Now, look at this interesting scripture using Israel and Israelites in both instances. 1 Kings 12:16-17 16 So when all Israel saw that the king did not heed them, they answered the king, What portion have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Look 3

now to your own house, David! So Israel went to their tents. 17 But Rehoboam reigned over the Israelites who dwelt in the cities of Judah. The word, Israel, is used four times within these two verses. Israel - first time - is the whole nation. Israel - second and third time - pertains to the ten tribes that are separating from Judah. Israelites - fourth time - pertain to the two remaining tribes; Judah and Benjamin. Just because the nation divided into two kingdoms did not change the fact of their ancestry. ALL tribes were from the lineage of Israel (Jacob). Dividing into two kingdoms did not mean they were no longer Israelites. Returning to the scriptures of Ezekiel 24:21, 26. About 115 years had already passed since the downfall of the Kingdom of Israel. The judgment from Yehovah to take away the Temple and destroy Jerusalem was being directed at the house of Israel. Ezekiel was speaking to the remaining Israelites who were in Judah. In a collective form, they were the house of Israel, at that time. In other words, they were what was left of the house of Israel, but they were also citizens from the Kingdom of Judah. Jeremiah 29:10 10 For thus says the Lord, When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you and keep My good promise to you, causing you to return to this place. This prophesies of the captivity in Babylon. This judgment against the Kingdom of Judah will last for 70 years. Yehovah announces that they will return to their own land. THE LAST TWO KINGS OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH It is necessary to look at the last two reigning kings in the Kingdom of Judah. Up to this point, we have watched the scepter promise progress through the reign of the succession of kings, from David to Jehoiakim. After Jehoiakim, his son, Jehoiachin, took the throne. For the sake of clarity, Jehoiachin is the Kingdom of Judah s nineteenth reigning king. 4

JEHOIACHIN Various Spellings Verse Jehoiachin 1 2 Kings 24:6 Jeconiah 2 1 Chronicles 3:16 Coniah Jeremiah 22:24 Jechoniah - The Amplified Bible Matthew 1:11,12 Jechonias - King James Version Matthew 1:11,12 There may be different spellings for this name, but they are all the same person. 2 Kings 24:6 6 So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers. Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead. THE REIGN OF JEHOIACHIN 2 Kings 24:8 8: Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began his three months reign in Jerusalem... JUDGMENT AGAINST JEHOIACHIN Jeremiah 22:30 30 Thus says the Lord, Write this man [Coniah] down as childless, a man who shall not prosper in his days; for no man of his offspring shall succeed in sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah. FULFILLMENT OF THE JUDGMENT 2 Kings 24:12, 14 12 Jehoiachin king of Judah surrendered to the king of Babylon, himself, his mother, his servants, princes, and palace officials. The king of Babylon took him prisoner in the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar s reign. 14 He carried away all Jerusalem, all the princes... 2 Kings 24:17 17 And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin s uncle, king in his stead, and changed form 1 This is the spelling chosen to be used for the study, unless a scripture has used a different 2 Altered form of Jehoiachin Young s Analytical Concordance - pg. 534 5

his name to Zedekiah. Zedekiah was Jehoiachin s uncle. He was not an offspring of Jehoiachin. JEHOIACHIN S CAPTIVITY 1 Chronicles 3:17-18 17 The descendants of Jeconiah, the captive: Shealtiel his son, 18 Malchiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah. Seven sons are born in captivity to Jehoiachin. Shealtiel, Jehoiachin s firstborn, is in line to the genealogy of Yeshua in Matthew 1:12. 2 Kings 25:27-30 27 And in the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, on the twentyseventh day of the twelfth month, Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, showed favor to Jehoiachin king of Judah and released him from prison; 28 He spoke kindly to him, and ranked him above the kings with him in Babylon. 29 Jehoiachin put off his prison garments, and he dined regularly at the king s table the remainder of his life. 30 And his allowance, a continual one, was given him by the king, every day a portion, the rest of his life. This assured the continuance of the Judah line and the eternal scepter promise. Jehoiachin s family was in safekeeping until their return to Judah and Jerusalem. ZEDEKIAH 2 Kings 24:17 17And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin s uncle, king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah. An uncle to Jehoiachin 2 Chronicles 36:10 10 In the spring, King Nebuchadnezzar... and made Zedekiah the [boy s] brother king over Judah and Jerusalem. A brother to Jehoiachin Which is it, an uncle or a brother? Sometimes it may seem very confusing, but there is an answer. We just have to dig as deep as we can into the scriptures. 6

THE GENEALOGY LISTS 1 Chronicles 3:15-16 15 The descendants of Josiah: first-born Johanan, second Jehoiakim, third Zedekiah, fourth Shallum. 16 The descendants of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah his son, Zedekiah his son. JOSIAH S SONS: Josiah (king) Johanan Jehoiakim (king) Zedekiah (uncle) Shallum JEHOIAKIM S SONS: Jeconiah (king) Zedekiah (brother) Zedekiah was Jehoiachin s uncle Zedekiah was Jehoiachin s brother There were two Zedekiah s in this family THE ANSWER Jeremiah 37:1 1 And Zedekiah the son of Josiah, whom Nebuchadrezzar 3 king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah, reigned instead of Coniah (Jeconiah) the son of Jehoiakim. This settles the question. Zedekiah was his uncle. Jeremiah was in direct contact with King Zedekiah and his family, so I believe the writing, in Jeremiah 37:1, to be a verifiable account. 3 Another spelling used for Nebuchadnezzar 7

THE REIGN OF ZEDEKIAH 2 Kings 24:18, 19 18 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began his eleven years reign in Jerusalem... 19 He did evil in the sight of the Lord, in keeping with all Jehoiakim had done. JUDGMENT AGAINST ZEDEKIAH 2 Kings 24:20 20 For because of the anger of the Lord it came to the point in Jerusalem and Judah that He cast them out of His presence... Ezekiel 12:13 13 My net also will I spread over him, and he shall be taken in My snare; and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there. FULFILLMENT OF THE JUDGMENT Jeremiah 52:1-11 The rebellion against the king of Babylon Jeremiah 52:8, 9-11 8 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho, and all his army was scattered from him. 9 Then they seized the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon... and he passed sentence upon him. 10 And the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes; he slew also all the princes of Judah at Riblah. 11 Then he put out the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him with a double chain and carried him to Babylon, and put him in the prison [mill] till the day of his death. Had his eyes taken out. Taken in double chains to Babylon. Died in a prison mill This ends David s throne in Jerusalem. His dynasty had existed approximately 442 years and had 20 reigning kings. An earthly king from the tribe of Judah has not reigned over Israel since then to this day. The capture of Judah, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the destroying of the Temple are told in 2 Kings 24-25. It is also told in 2 Chronicles 36:17-21 and Jeremiah 52. It was taken in four different stages. 8

SUMMARY Rehoboam was given a throne that was firmly established by his forefathers, David and Solomon. This throne had a two-way promise. One being unconditional and the other being conditional. Before Rehoboam even took the throne, it was predestined for disaster because of the sins of his father, Solomon. This judgment, by Yehovah, took away the conditional throne from Jerusalem and passed it onto Jeroboam, who was king over the Kingdom of Israel. Yehovah s judgment to Solomon was to tear all but one tribe from the hand of his son. The selected tribe, who was to stay with the tribe of Judah, was Benjamin. About a year following the division of the kingdoms, the Levites and some from other tribes left the Kingdom of Israel and came over into the Kingdom of Judah. Some of the other tribes stayed on for three years; some stayed on longer. They chose, on their own, to be a part of the Kingdom of Judah. The tribe of Levi, as a whole and entire tribe, was the only tribe to totally break away from the Kingdom of Israel. I cannot find anywhere in scripture, where Yehovah increases the Kingdom of Judah s judgment from one tribe, for the sake of David and Jerusalem, to containing ALL the tribes. I just cannot prove with scripture that all twelve tribes are under the name and identity of Judah, today. I can see, however, that the tribe of Levi chose, as a whole and entire tribe, to come into the Kingdom of Judah. Therefore, fulfilling Yehovah s covenant with them given in Numbers 25:13. So, here we have Judah who is guaranteed one tribe and ends up with a double portion. Judgment against this kingdom was given during the reign of Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 22). There were two more kings to succeed his throne. These were Jehoiachin, his son, and Zedekiah, his brother. After the reign of Zedekiah, the earthly throne in Jerusalem was abolished, Jerusalem was destroyed, and the Kingdom of Judah was taken into captivity. It is at this point, ALL Israel is under the control of other nations. Israel, as a whole, no longer possesses their land of inheritance as Yehovah had intended (Joshua 1:4). This continues to this day, but not forever. The southern kingdom, the Kingdom of Judah, existed for approximately 394 years; from 975 BC until overtaken by the Babylonians in it final assault in 581 BC; and, had 20 reigning kings. It fell and was taken captive to Babylon. Seventy years later, they were released for the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. They did not return to possess their land of inheritance as an independent nation, for they continued to be ruled by other nations. 9