Editor's Note
Beginning on Palm Sunday we are going to pause our journey through Jeremiah and read through selected New Testament readings that correspond what was happening during the life of Jesus in the days leading up to his arrest, torture, crucifixion, and resurrection. We will pick Jeremiah back up on the day after Easter!
Follow along with us next week as we read about the week that transformed the course of human history!
Read Jeremiah 22
Judgment Against Wicked Kings
22 This is what the Lord says: “Go down to the palace of the king of Judah and proclaim this message there: 2 ‘Hear the word of the Lord to you, king of Judah, you who sit on David’s throne—you, your officials and your people who come through these gates. 3 This is what the Lord says: Do what is justand right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place. 4 For if you are careful to carry out these commands, then kings who sit on David’s throne will come through the gates of this palace, riding in chariots and on horses, accompanied by their officials and their people. 5 But if you do not obeythese commands, declares the Lord, I swear by myself that this palace will become a ruin.’”
6 For this is what the Lord says about the palace of the king of Judah:
“Though you are like Gilead to me,
like the summit of Lebanon,
I will surely make you like a wasteland,
like towns not inhabited.
7 I will send destroyers against you,
each man with his weapons,
and they will cut up your fine cedar beams
and throw them into the fire.
8 “People from many nations will pass by this city and will ask one another, ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this great city?’ 9 And the answer will be: ‘Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord their God and have worshiped and served other gods.’”
10 Do not weep for the dead king or mourn his loss;
rather, weep bitterly for him who is exiled,
because he will never return
nor see his native land again.
11 For this is what the Lord says about Shallum 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 in the place where they have led him captive; he will not see this land again.”
13 “Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,
his upper rooms by injustice,
making his own people work for nothing,
not paying them for their labor.
14 He says, ‘I will build myself a great palace
with spacious upper rooms.’
So he makes large windows in it,
panels it with cedar
and decorates it in red.
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,
so all went well with him.
16 He defended the cause of the poor and needy,
and so all went well.
Is that not what it means to know me?”
declares the Lord.
17 “But your eyes and your heart
are set only on dishonest gain,
on shedding innocent blood
and on oppression and extortion.”
18 Therefore this is what the Lord says about Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah:
“They will not mourn 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 of a donkey—
dragged away and thrown
outside the gates of Jerusalem.”
20 “Go up to Lebanon and cry out,
let your voice be heard in Bashan,
cry out from Abarim,
for all your allies are crushed.
21 I warned you when you felt secure,
but you said, ‘I will not listen!’
This has been your way from your youth;
you have not obeyed me.
22 The wind will drive all your shepherds away,
and your allies will go into exile.
Then you will be ashamed and disgraced
because of all your wickedness.
23 You who live in ‘Lebanon,’
who are nestled in cedar buildings,
how you will groan when pangs come upon you,
pain like that of a woman in labor!
24 “As surely as I live,” declares the Lord, “even if you, Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, were a signet ring on my right hand, I would still pull you off. 25 I will deliver you into the hands of those who want to kill you, those you fear—Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and the Babylonians. 26 I will hurl you and the mother who gave you birth into another country, where neither of you was born, and there you both will die. 27 You will never come back to the land you long to return to.”
28 Is this man Jehoiachin a despised, broken pot,
an object no one wants?
Why will he and his children be hurled out,
cast into a land they do not know?
29 O land, land, land,
hear the word of the Lord!
30 This is what the Lord says:
“Record this man as if childless,
a man who will not prosper in his lifetime,
for none of his offspring will prosper,
none will sit on the throne of David
or rule anymore in Judah.”
Go Deeper
Sin always has consequences. No one ever sins and gets away completely unscathed from its effects. Satan desires to steal, kill, and destroy humanity and sin is how he allows that decay to take root. In this chapter we see the results of leaders who live in sin and think they are getting away with it. They assume that since they had the most power in the land, they could use that power to their own benefit. However, they fail to realize that they serve at the pleasure of the Lord. He takes all sin seriously, but particularly brings added consequences to the sins of those in leadership. The Kings that fail to rule under the guidance of the King of Kings will bring destruction to the land.
This passage is an important reflection for anyone in leadership. Whether you lead a business, a team, or a classroom, followers of God should walk humbly in leadership. Our choices have an opportunity to either bring pain or blessing in the lives of those under our influence. We take on the mindset of Christ as we exist to serve and not to be served. Rather than using our power for our own good, we should desire to use it for the good of others.
So, are you “building your palace” by righteousness or unrighteousness? While we reflect on our own leadership, we should take time to pray for everyone whose leadership we are under. Pastors, CEOs, and presidents all are in positions that can impact God’s people. We should diligently pray that they are submitted to God’s commands.
This is also a reminder to us to not build our kingdom here. While it’s easy to focus on all that we can see, we are inheriting a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Rather than investing in our kingdom, it’s a much better decision to build God’s kingdom. We should spend more time preparing for the Kingdom of Heaven where we’ll spend our time for all of eternity. As Jesus said in Mark 8:36, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?”
Questions
- What most stood out to you in this passage? Why?
- Where in your life to you have influence? Are you using your influence for your own good, or for the good of others?
- What leaders should you start praying for that they would lead in such a way that honors God?
By the Way
Read Luke 12:16-21 for a parable from Jesus on this idea. Jesus echoes the danger of building up our kingdom here.
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5 thoughts on “Jeremiah 22”
We are privileged to have access to scripture preserved through the ages that we might be trained to follow God’s path that leads to righteousness. Day after day as we read the pages of Jeremiah, we must learn the dire consequences of sin or surely history will repeat itself in our generation. James 1:22 commands us “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” Never has there been a time in history that we have unlimited access to build up our faith and relationship with Christ. However we must implement and walk in obedience or we are deceived. No more checking moral boxes or cohabiting with sin, but humbly and gratefully taking the word of God seriously, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows” (Galatians 6:7).
Obedience. I admire Jeremiah because even though it was hard and I am sure he said UH not me, I cannot do that!! He did anyway because He loved and feared God. Do I do what I know is right even though it makes my life difficult? In the past, no not generally, now I am better but not where I need or want to be.
Right or wrong decisions, do I make justification for my decisions?
Sacrificing my will to listen to God’s voice, I pray to hear daily. Am I going against God and what He is asking of me or justifying my will to Him? Jeremiah obeyed, it was not easy BUT GOD made the way and the reward of his obedience was a victory for the rest of the story, that of Jesus!!!
Can I obey? Will I obey, especially when it rocks my proverbial boat of being out of my comfort zone? I pray daily, minutely the answer is YES with all my heart.
Oh God give me the strength to say yes to hard things. Thank You for Your heart flowing through my heart. God I want to be holy like You are Holy because You desire that. Continue to help me with obedience of Your will. God thank You for these minutes of this day, that my life is glorifying You in all I think, say and do.[ He said, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets” (Luke 5:5)] Because You ask me, I will let down my “net” God. Thank You for blessing that “net” for Your glory, for others blessings, and the peace and joy You give when I obey. God help me not care what others think about my obedience. The joy and happiness that You give is what I desire, for seeking, listening and obeying You in these minutes of this day in Jesus name amen.
WOOHOO!!!!!
3 “This is what the Lord says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place.”
Amazing how God continually reminds me of my obligation to support the oppressed, foreigners, fatherless, widows, et al. I dare not lose sight of that!
PS – will be glad to take a break from Jeremiah during Holy Week!
Riiight!
Live obediently to God. Jermiah 7:23 but I gave this command “Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in the ways I command you, that it may go well with you.
Be rich in faith. James 2:17 “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action is dead.”
Be merciful. Mercy knows other people(myself)are being shaped into Christlikeness through trials of their own, and mercy knows we have been forgiven much more than we are being asked to forgive.
For me, the lessons in Jeremiah are humbling, and breaking my heart for my disobedience. Thank you, Abba, for opening my eyes to a true and honest relationship with You. In Jesus name, Amen.