2 Chronicles 36:1-8: a reflection

1Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father’s place in Jerusalem. 2Joahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. 3The king of Egypt removed him from office at Jerusalem, and fined the land one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. 4The king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. Neco took Joahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt. 5Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He did that which was evil in the LORD his God’s sight. 6Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against him, and bound him in fetters to carry him to Babylon. 7Nebuchadnezzar also carried some of the vessels of the LORD’s house to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon. 8Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which he did, and that which was found in him, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah; and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place.

In the swift downfall of Judah's last kings, deposed and carried off one after another, we see the instability and ruin that follow when God is forsaken. Within a few short years, king after king rose and fell: one deposed after three months and carried to Egypt, another doing evil and bound in fetters to be carried to Babylon. Once the people and their kings had forsaken God, their kingdom grew unstable and came swiftly to ruin, kings rising and falling, carried off by foreign powers, the vessels of God's house plundered. The forsaking of God, persisted in, led to instability and downfall. This shows that forsaking God leads to instability and ruin. Forsaking God leads to instability and ruin. What abandons its foundation in God grows unstable. A life or people that forsakes God loses its footing. Stability is found in God, not in forsaking him.

Notice the picture of decline this passage gives. In a few short years, king after king of Judah rose and quickly fell: one reigned three months and was deposed and carried to Egypt; another did evil and was bound in fetters and carried toward Babylon; the vessels of God's house were plundered. It is a picture of swift decline and instability, a kingdom falling apart, its kings toppling one after another, carried off by foreign powers. And behind this instability lay a deeper cause: the people and their kings had forsaken God, persisting in evil. Having abandoned their foundation in God, the kingdom lost its footing and came swiftly to ruin. This holds a sobering truth. When God, who is the true foundation and stability, is forsaken, instability and ruin follow. A life or a people that abandons its foundation in God loses its footing; what is built apart from him, or in defiance of him, grows unstable and tends toward ruin. This is not always as swift or visible as Judah's fall, but the principle holds: stability and security are found in God, and forsaking him leads, in the end, to instability and downfall. We do well not to forsake God, our true foundation, but to hold fast to him, in whom alone is lasting stability, rather than building a life apart from him that cannot finally stand. Do not forsake God, your true foundation and stability. What abandons its footing in God grows unstable and tends to ruin. Lasting stability is found in God, not apart from him. Hold fast to God rather than building a life that cannot stand.

That is worth taking to heart, for forsaking God leads to instability and ruin, and we do well to hold fast to him, our true foundation, as Judah's kings fell swiftly once God was forsaken. We can build a life apart from God, thinking it secure; but Judah, having forsaken God, grew unstable and came swiftly to ruin. Stability is in God. Do not forsake God, your true foundation; hold fast to him, in whom alone is lasting stability, rather than building a life apart from him that cannot finally stand. Hold fast to God, your true foundation and stability, rather than forsaking him and building a life apart from him that cannot stand, for forsaking God leads to instability and ruin, as in the swift downfall of Judah's last kings, deposed and carried off one after another, we see the instability and ruin that follow when God is forsaken, since within a few short years king after king rose and fell, one deposed after three months and carried to Egypt, another doing evil and bound in fetters to be carried to Babylon; for once the people and their kings had forsaken God their kingdom grew unstable and came swiftly to ruin, kings rising and falling and carried off by foreign powers and the vessels of God's house plundered, the forsaking of God persisted in leading to instability and downfall, which holds a sobering truth, that when God who is the true foundation and stability is forsaken, instability and ruin follow, a life or people that abandons its foundation in God losing its footing and what is built apart from him or in defiance of him growing unstable and tending toward ruin, not always as swift or visible as Judah's fall but the principle holding that stability and security are found in God and forsaking him leads in the end to instability and downfall, so that we do well not to forsake God our true foundation but to hold fast to him in whom alone is lasting stability.

Lord, in the swift downfall of Judah's last kings, deposed and carried off one after another, I see the instability and ruin that follow when you are forsaken. Within a few short years, king after king rose and fell: one deposed after three months and carried to Egypt, another doing evil and bound in fetters to be carried to Babylon. Once the people and their kings had forsaken you, their kingdom grew unstable and came swiftly to ruin, kings rising and falling, carried off by foreign powers, the vessels of your house plundered. The forsaking of you, persisted in, led to instability and downfall. Show me the picture of decline this passage gives. In a few short years, king after king of Judah rose and quickly fell, deposed and carried off, the vessels of your house plundered. It is a picture of swift decline and instability, a kingdom falling apart. And behind this instability lay a deeper cause: the people and their kings had forsaken you, persisting in evil. Having abandoned their foundation in you, the kingdom lost its footing and came swiftly to ruin. This holds a sobering truth. When you, who are the true foundation and stability, are forsaken, instability and ruin follow. A life or a people that abandons its foundation in you loses its footing; what is built apart from you, or in defiance of you, grows unstable and tends toward ruin. This is not always as swift or visible as Judah's fall, but the principle holds: stability and security are found in you, and forsaking you leads, in the end, to instability and downfall. Take that to my heart. Keep me from forsaking you, my true foundation and stability; help me hold fast to you, Lord, in whom alone is lasting stability, rather than building a life apart from you that cannot finally stand.