2 Chronicles 36:9-14: a reflection

9Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem. He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight. 10At the return of the year, King Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon, with the valuable vessels of the LORD’s house, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem. 11Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. 12He did that which was evil in the LORD his God’s sight. He didn’t humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the LORD’s mouth. 13He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God; but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD, the God of Israel. 14Moreover all the chiefs of the priests and the people trespassed very greatly after all the abominations of the nations; and they polluted the LORD’s house which he had made holy in Jerusalem.

In the last days of Judah before the exile, King Zedekiah is described in a way that traces his ruin to a hardened heart. He did evil, and, the account says, he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD, the God of Israel. God had sent his word to Zedekiah through the prophet Jeremiah; but Zedekiah would not humble himself, would not turn. Instead he hardened his own heart, set his neck stiff against God, refused to bend or turn back. His downfall was not merely his evil deeds but this self-hardening, this deliberate refusal to humble himself and turn to God when God's word called him. To harden our own heart against turning to God, to stiffen our neck and refuse to humble ourselves and repent, is a grave and dangerous thing. Zedekiah could have humbled himself and turned; instead he hardened his heart against it, and it was his ruin.

Notice what sealed Zedekiah's ruin: he hardened his own heart against turning to God. It was not only that he did evil, but that when God's word came to him through the prophet, he would not humble himself and turn. Instead he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart, deliberately setting himself against repentance. This is a sobering thing: the heart can be hardened by our own choosing, set stiff against God, refusing to bend, to humble itself, to turn back. Zedekiah was not without opportunity; God's word came to him. But he hardened his heart against it. The danger is not only doing wrong but refusing to turn from it, hardening ourselves against the call to repent, stiffening our neck rather than humbling it. A heart hardened against turning to God cannot receive his mercy, not because the mercy is withheld, but because the hardened heart will not turn to receive it. To harden our own heart is to shut ourselves off from the God who calls us to turn. The self-hardened heart is its own ruin.

That is worth taking to heart, for we must not harden our own hearts against turning to God, but humble ourselves and turn when he calls. When God's word calls us to turn from wrong, we can harden our hearts against it, stiffen our necks, refuse to humble ourselves and repent, as Zedekiah hardened his heart against turning to God; but this self-hardening is a grave danger, shutting us off from the mercy God offers to those who turn. To humble ourselves and turn is the way of life; to harden our hearts against it is the way of ruin. Do not harden your heart against turning to God when he calls you; humble yourself and turn, rather than stiffening your neck as Zedekiah did. Do not harden your own heart against turning to God, but humble yourself and turn when his word calls you, as Zedekiah, who would not humble himself before the prophet, stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the Lord and it was his ruin; for the danger is not only doing wrong but refusing to turn from it, and a heart hardened against turning cannot receive God's mercy, not because it is withheld but because the hardened heart will not turn to receive it, so that to humble ourselves and turn is the way of life and to harden our hearts against it the way of ruin.

Lord, in the last days of Judah before the exile, King Zedekiah is described in a way that traces his ruin to a hardened heart. He did evil, and, the account says, he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD, the God of Israel. You had sent your word to Zedekiah through the prophet Jeremiah; but Zedekiah would not humble himself, would not turn. Instead he hardened his own heart, set his neck stiff against you, refused to bend or turn back. His downfall was not merely his evil deeds but this self-hardening, this deliberate refusal to humble himself and turn to you when your word called him. Show me what sealed Zedekiah's ruin: he hardened his own heart against turning to you. It was not only that he did evil, but that when your word came to him, he would not humble himself and turn. Instead he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart, deliberately setting himself against repentance. This is a sobering thing: the heart can be hardened by my own choosing, set stiff against you, refusing to bend. Zedekiah was not without opportunity; your word came to him. But he hardened his heart against it. A heart hardened against turning to you cannot receive your mercy, because it will not turn to receive it. Take that to my heart, for I must not harden my own heart against turning to you, but humble myself and turn when you call. When your word calls me to turn from wrong, I can harden my heart against it, stiffen my neck, refuse to humble myself, as Zedekiah did; but this self-hardening shuts me off from the mercy you offer. Keep me from hardening my own heart against turning to you when you call me, Lord; help me humble myself and turn, rather than stiffening my neck as Zedekiah did to his ruin.