Thurs.’s Devo - The Fall of Jerusalem

Read: 2 Chronicles 35:1-36:23; 1 Corinthians 1:1-17; Psalm 27:1-6; Proverbs 20:20-21 Whenever a king came to the throne who wanted to return the nation to the Lord, they began with Passover. Passover stood for salvation from sin. Since the Temple had been profaned, the priests who stayed true to the Lord had carried the Ark of the Covenant on their shoulders to the place of worship. Now, Josiah told them to bring it permanently into the Holy of Holies. The priests no longer needed to have other jobs to provide for their families but could now do their priestly duties full time. The priests were assigned their own distict to help the families bring their offerings to the Lord and sacrifice their lambs on Passover. The king and his officials gave their animals then the Levite leaders gave theirs. They began sacrificing all the offerings and brought the lambs out for their people in their district to eat. At the end of the day, the Levites and priests ate their lambs. In all, they sacrificed 41,400 animals that day. The blood of the lambs was sprinkled on the altar to atone for their sins. There was music and praise and worship. There had never been a Passover like the one Josiah had. They celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days. Unleavened Bread stood for the sanctification process we go through once we are saved. The great Passover celebration took place in Josiah’s 18th reign. When we experience a great high in our walk with the Lord, Satan always comes to take away our progress. He came to Josiah in the form of King Neco of Egypt. He marched toward Judah and Josiah thought he was coming for them so he marched his army out to meet him. King Neco sent a message telling him that he was not coming for him but he was going to fight another nation. God had told him to hurry and fight this other nation. Josiah refused to believe him even though he was telling the truth and Josiah engaged him in battle in the valley of Megiddo. This will be where the final battle of Armageddon will be fought. Josiah was badly wounded and went home to die. The people of the land made his son Jehoahaz the king. He was 23 and only reigned three months. He was taken prisoner by Neco and ordered Judah to pay him in silver and gold as tribute. Neco installed Eliakim, Jehoahaz’s brother as the king and took Jehoahaz back to Egypt. Jehoakim was evil and King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came and captured Jerusalem and took Jehoakim to Babylon. So one of Josiah’s sons was captive in Egypt and the other in Babylon. They also took some of the treasures from the Temple of God to Babylon. Jehoiakim’s son, Jehoiachin became king of Judah. He only reigned 3 months and 10 days and he did evil. Nebuchadnezzar took him to Babylon with his father and other treausures from the Temple. Nebuchadnezzar installed Jedikiah, Jehoiakim’s brother as king. He reigned 11 years but was evil and stubborn. He refused to listen to Jeremiah, the prophet and so did the people. The priests and the people also became more and more unfaithful. God turned Judah over to the king of Babylon who killed their young men and had no pity on the people. They profaned the holy vessels from the Temple and used them in their pagan worship. They took many people as exiles to Babylon. At last, the land enjoyed its Sabbath rests. Jeremiah had prophesied all this. In the first year that king Cyrus of Persia came to power, the Lord put in his heart to build a Temple in Jerusalem to God. He put it in writing and sent it throughout his kingdom. Paul wrote to the Church in Corinth reminding them of who they were in Christ and all the things that were theirs because of Jesus. He encouraged them to live in harmony with one onshore and be united in purpose. I pray this same thing for the Body of Christ in the world. Thank you that you always do what you say you will do.