JERUSALEM CAPTURED

Reading from 2 Kings Ch. 24 vs10-17

This passage is a friendly reminder about how the consequences of actions do come. I suppose the sad part about it is how they might not be of your actions but that of someone who came before you or an authority that was over you. But that’s life isn’t it, we sadly can’t control that but remember this passage isn’t saying the consequences of your specific actions will miss you and go to those who come after you, no, it’s very possible and often the case that you will experience the consequences of your actions. Remember Hezekiah? That king who cried out to God to extend his life and God gave him 15 years and moved back the sun to prove it. Yes that Hezekiah but do you also remember the sad thing he did? How when he received visitors from the foreign nation of Babylon he showed them everything the kingdom had, and I mean everything everything.

Isaiah the prophet came and asked him what he showed them and he said there was nothing that he didn’t show them. Isaiah then told him that everything that his fathers had stored would be carried off to Babylon and his thought was like at least they’ll be peace and security in my days. Basically he said I don’t care what happens after I’m gone, I won’t be here and isn’t that just the stance most people have, like I’ll do this risky thing after all I’m not here for long or by the time they find out I’ll be gone. Often forgetting to think about those they leave behind who have to now carry that burden that they didn’t have a part in or even benefited from. It seems far but some of these consequences can be just in how you care for yourself, a time comes when you won’t be able to and someone else will have to tend to the things that you put off or didn’t think to care about.

Now back to the passage, what I find interesting or rather standing out is how lots of time passed before the Babylonians came, thirty plus years passed. It’s funny how things are even forgotten about before some sad relative or grandchild has to start fighting for what their elder did that they have no awareness of. Another thing is they didn’t come like oh we came way back when and we’ve come now, they were strong and just came to besiege the place. After Josiah died they continued with evil and so God left them to be destroyed, Pharaoh Nico was doing the destruction until he was silenced by the Babylonians. Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon even came by as his men were besieging and the king of Judah and all his house and officials gave themselves up. He took them as prisoners but I don’t think it would have made the difference because the plan that the Babylonians had would still have taken them.

They were thorough, since Hezekiah showed them all the things of value they just came with a checklist and knew where to find what. They got all the treasures of the kings house and of the house of the lord, all those gold vessels Solomon made all those years ago they cut and carried them away. They also got all the men of valour, 10,000 captives and all the craftsmen, smiths, metal workers, everyone fit for war. They got all the kings wives, officials, chief men and just basically everyone and anything of value was carried off to Babylon. The only thing they left were the really poor people and even put Mattaniah, king Jehoiachin’s uncle as king and changed his name to Zedekiah. When I was sitting with this and how they got everything that was valuable and good it really tells to what consequences do. I’m not saying they can’t be good consequences, funny enough this passage does have some but the focus is on the negative. How when they come they take all the good from our lives, from our time, money, health, and relationships etc. They leave us with debt, loneliness, stress, sadness and nothing, we basically have to start over.

And all that was because someone didn’t think wisely or of those to come, we can’t just think about us, I know we can and technically its default but I mean we should be intentional and thorough with our choices and what we do. Some things seem like the bad will only come way way later but you’ll be surprised by how soon they come but that shouldn’t be the drive. God is a very deliberate God, he doesn’t just act, he thought of the ripples of the actions and when he says things he knows why. It happened just as Isaiah had said but it doesn’t have to be the same in our lives. Don’t think of it just for those to come but your life now, imagine if the undesired consequence came tomorrow rather than 30 years from now, would you still make that choice or do that thing? I’m not here to decide for you but rather have you see that God wants you to be intentional about your life and the things you do, there’s always a ripple effect. The Israelites and we who accept Jesus are even blessed enough that God can turn our rubbish choices to good, like with this passage God preserved their nation, think Daniel and Jeremiah related passages, it started from here. But God isn’t saying just play around doing whatever and he’ll save you when you ask for forgiveness, he forgives but the consequences of sin will most likely still show up though he will help you through them. So it’s on you really but be aware and intentional and remember Jesus loves you always!