The division of the united kingdom of Israel saw the introduction of idolatrous worship in the North, plunging that nation into a state of spiritual corruption. The digression was due to the influence and actions of Jereboam. Rehoboam, who became king of the Southern kingdom of Judah, however, did not do much better. He continued in the transgressions of Solomon and allowed idolatry to flourish (1 Kings 14.22). While the history of the Northern kingdom of Israel was one of departure from God’s law without restoration, there were exceptions to this in the South, as can be seen in a survey of the kings of Judah. The story of the Southern kingdom of Judah demonstrates the effect and influence of godly leadership and the powerful influence the righteous have.
Through his many marriages to foreign women, Solomon compromised his faithfulness to the Lord causing God to take away the ten Northern tribes (1 Kings 11.1-13). God intended to complete his plan for saving man through the house of David and preserved the patriarch’s heritage as promised. The fidelity of God can be seen in the fact that he was patient with the kings and people of Judah sending prophets and messengers with warnings to repent. Sadly, in spite of God’s pleas, corruption grew and Judah was eventually taken captive by the Babylonians under the Chaldean dynasty ruled by Nebuchadnezzar. Jerusalem was finally destroyed when God could no longer tolerate the sins of His people (2 Chronicles 36.16).
It was noted in the last chapter that God did not authorize warfare between the North and the South. During the reign of Rehoboam an attempt was made to forcefully reunite the kingdom. God revealed that such actions were not according to His will. “But the word of God came unto Shemaiah, the man of God, saying, speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying, thus saith the Lord, ye shall not go up to fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the Lord, and returned to depart, according to the word of the Lord.” (1 Kings 12.22-24). Rehoboam went to his grave serving idols and his son followed in his footsteps.
Rehoboam’s son Abijam, also known as Abijah (2 Chronicles 13.1-2), reigned three years (1 Kings 14.31-15.2) and walked in all of the sins of his father (1 Kings 15.3). The digression into idolatry introduced by Solomon, continued during the reign of Rehoboam and worsened with Abijam. God’s mercy did not depart from the kingdom at that time for the sake of David and the promise God had made to him. When Abijam was hard pressed in battle against the army of Israel, God intervened and struck the army of Jereboam (2 Chronicles 13.1-17). Jereboam never fully recovered from this defeat and was later struck by the Lord and died (2 Chronicles 13.20). Abijam however went to his grave with the scriptural epitaph of an evil king.
The third king of Judah, Asa, reigned for a period of forty-one years (1 Kings 15.9-10). Asa restored the worship of God by driving out Sodomites that infiltrated the land and destroyed the idols made by his fathers (1 Kings 15.12-15). Asa is noted as being one whose heart was right in the sight of God (1 Kings 15.11) but he did not utterly destroy all of the idols in the country (2 Chronicles 15.17). Idolatrous influences continued to erode the spiritual integrity of the people.
Jehoshaphat, the son of Asa, reigned twenty-five years (1 Kings 22.41-42) and followed his father, worshiping God and destroying the remnant of the Sodomites that remained in the nation (1 Kings 22.43-46, 2 Chronicles 20.31-32). “Howbeit the high places were not taken away: for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers.” (2 Chronicles 20.33). The need to completely follow God’s law is emphasized in the course of these events. Small influences left unchecked will eventually cause spiritual harm to God’s people. Why the kings who followed God did not completely rid the nation of things that were prohibited by the Lord can only be summed up as human weakness that ultimately would cost many their spiritual lives.
Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat, reigned after his father for a period of eight years (2 Kings 8.16-17). The scriptures state, “And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife: and he did evil in the sight of the Lord.” (2 Kings 8.18). God demonstrates His patience and mercy toward the nation in that He did not “destroy Judah for David his servant’s sake, as he promised him to give him always a light, and to his children.” (2 Kings 8.19). During the reign of Jehoram “Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves.” (2 Kings 8.20). Jehoram, or Joram, went to war against the Edomites to subdue their rebellion but Edom broke Judah’s control over them (2 Kings 8.22) fulfilling Isaac’s prophecy made centuries earlier (Gen 27.40).
Ahaziah, the son of Jehoram, reigned for one year (2 Kings 8.26). His mother, Athaliah, the granddaughter of Omri, and daughter of Ahab, had a sizeable effect on the course of events in the country as can be seen in the description of Ahaziah’s reign. “And his mother’s name was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri king of Israel. And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the Lord, as did the house of Ahab: for he was the son-in-law of the house of Ahab.” (2 Kings 8.26-27). From the accounts given it is necessary to clarify the relationship between Athaliah and Omri. The scriptures state that Jehoram married the daughter of Ahab (2 Chron 21.6) and specifies that Ahaziah’s mother is Athaliah (2 Kings 8.26-27). Logically we can conclude that the mother of Ahaziah, Jehoram’s wife, is Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab. Why then is she called the “daughter of Omri”?
In the Bible it is not unusual to find someone referred to as the son or daughter of a patriarch who establishes a dynasty. Omri was the first in his family to sit on the throne of Israel and therefore can be referred to as the “father” of Athaliah who is descended from him. Passages such as these are misunderstood at times and cause some to conclude that the scriptures are flawed and not trustworthy. A similar convention was mentioned in the last chapter in which it was noted that the Northern kingdom is sometimes referred to as Ephraim because that is the tribe Jereboam was from. In the writings of the prophets the name Israel is applied to the Southern kingdom at times. Passages such as this are not difficult to figure out or follow if we pay attention to the context of the message.
Athaliah exercised an evil influence over her son while he reigned. “Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri. He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly.” (2 Chronicles 22.2-3). Ahaziah was killed by Jehu after making an alliance with Joram king of Israel against the Syrians.
Upon hearing of her son’s death in battle, Athaliah usurped the throne of Judah and attempted to destroy the royal line (2 Kings 11.1). Joash, a surviving heir to the throne, was hidden from Athaliah. “But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king’s sons which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain. And he was hid with her in the house of the Lord six years.” (2 kings 11.2-3). Jehoiada the priest eventually brought about Athaliah’s overthrow (2 kings 11.4-16).
Jehoiada also helped restore the worship of the Lord in the nation. “And Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord and the king and the people, that they should be the Lord’s people; between the king also and the people. And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and brake it down; his altars and his images brake they in pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers over the house of the Lord.” (2 kings 11.17- 18). Joash, or Jehoash, was then made king at the age of seven (2 kings 11.21).
Jehoash, or Joash is characterized as faithful to God while Jehoiada the priest was living (2 kings 12.2). He repaired the temple of the Lord indicating that he started out on the right track in service to God but after Jehoiada’s death, things took a turn for the worse. “Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them. And they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.” (2 Chronicles 24.17-18).
The latter years of Joash’s reign mark one of the great tragedies of the Southern kingdom. Jehoiada the priest, who was faithful to God and preserved Joash during the reign of Athaliah, was not remembered kindly. Zecheriah, the son of Jehoiada was sent by God to warn Joash of his evil. Zecheriah stated, “Why transgress ye the commandments of the Lord, that ye cannot prosper? Because ye have forsaken the Lord, he also hath forsaken you.” (2 Chronicles 24.20). Zecheriah was stoned because of this message (2 Chronicles 24.21). “Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The Lord look upon it, and require it.” (2 Chronicles 24.22). Joash was killed by a conspiracy of his own servants “for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest...” (2 Chronicles 24.25). As an added result of Joash’s evil “they buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings.” (2 Chronicles 24.25).
Amaziah, the son of Joash, reigned for a period of twenty- nine years over Judah (2 kings 14.2) and “did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart.” (2 Chronicles 25.2). Amaziah fought and defeated the Edomites then brought their gods back to Jerusalem where he “bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them.” (2 Chronicles 25.14). God was angry with Amaziah for this idolatry and sent a prophet to him that warned him of his coming destruction (2 Chronicles 25.15-16).
Amaziah was defeated by Joash of Israel and the Northern army pressed the conflict to Jerusalem itself. Amaziah was taken prisoner and Joash “brought him to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits. And he took all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obed-edom, and the treasures of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.” (2 Chronicles 25.23-24). Amaziah lived fifteen years after this defeat but was the victim of another conspiracy. Amaziah fled from his enemies in Jerusalem but was overtaken and killed in the city of Lachish (2 Chronicles 25.25,27).
Uzziah, or Azariah, Amaziah’s son, was the next king of Judah reigning for a period of fifty-two years (2 kings 14.1-2). Uzziah began his reign as a good king and did “that which was right in the sight of the Lord, yet not like David his father: he did according to all things as Joash his father did.” (2 kings 14.3). Uzziah did not destroy the high places or stop sacrifices and incense burning to pagan deities (2 Kings 15.4). As long as he followed after God, the Lord caused his reign to prosper and gave him victory over the enemies of God’s people (2 Chronicles 26.5).
Uzziah, being blessed by God, launched successful campaigns against the enemies of the nation. He “warred against the Philistines, and brake down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod, and built cities about Ashdod, and among the Philistines. And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gur-baal, and the Mehunims. And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself exceedingly.” (2 Chronicles 26.6- 8). Uzziah undertook the construction of towers in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 26.9), dug many wells and had “much cattle” and vineyards (2 Chronicles 26.10). Uzziah’s army had a “host of fighting men, that went out to war by bands...” (2 Chronicles 26.11) numbered at over three hundred thousand (2 Chronicles 26.11-13).
Unfortunately Uzziah became arrogant with his success and took it upon himself to burn incense in the temple in spite of attempts to stop him. The account describes Uzziah’s attitude. “But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense.” (2 Chronicles 26.16). This was to be done only by the priests and Levites who ministered in the Temple. In this case Uzziah sinned as Saul had attempting to perform a task involving sacred things that only those authorized by God could do. God struck Uzziah with leprosy for this transgression and he was separated from the people for the rest of his life (2 Chronicles 26.18-21).
During the reign of Uzziah, the work of the prophets became more prominent. Isaiah, Hosea, Amos and possibly Joel warned the people about their idolatry and rejection of God. The message contained in these writings follows a similar pattern. God rebukes the people for their sin, reminds them of their blessings He has given them and reveals the judgment to come upon them. The prophetic writings address the unrighteousness of a people that were raised up to be a peculiar treasure among the nations to keep the name of God holy in the earth (Exodus 19.5). This was a vocation which was neglected to the end that God eventually allowed them to be destroyed.
Critics of the Bible, who do not have a sense for the spiritual ramifications of transgression against God, often interpret the prophets writings as an outpouring of rage by a God created by the Hebrew intellect or imagination. What is overlooked, is the promise of a spiritual restoration to the Southern kingdom which is eventually fulfilled in the coming of Christ and the establishment of the church, God’s spiritual kingdom. God leaves his people with a message of hope in the midst of the warnings of doom to come upon their nation.
Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was made king next at the age of twenty-five. Jotham reigned for a period of sixteen years and “did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Uzziah did...” (2 Chronicles 27.1-2). A special note is added that he “entered not into the temple of the Lord.” (2 Chronicles 27.2). During his reign evil continued to grow in the nation. The scriptures state, “And the people did yet corruptly.” (2 Chronicles 27.2). Due to his faithfulness to God, Jotham’s reign was blessed. “So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God.” (2 Chronicles 27.6).
During the reign of Jotham, Micah began his ministry (Micah 1.1). Micah’s prophecy is directed to both the Northern and Southern kingdoms (Micah 1.1,5). Micah addresses the coming destruction and speaks of the establishment of a kingdom that will be for all nations (Micah 4.1-2). Micah states that the word of the Lord would go forth from Zion and God, through that word, would render peace and judgment (Micah 4.3-8). Micah, like the other prophets, makes a plea for the people to repent, remember the blessings of God and serve him in righteousness. A plea which went unheard in the North and the South.
Ahaz, Jotham’s son, reigned next for sixteen years (2 Kings 16.2). The reign of Ahaz was characterized by evil practices. “For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim. Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel. He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.” (2 Chronicles 28.2-4). Because of his sin “God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter.” (2 Chronicles 28.5).
Pekah, the king of Israel, who had defeated Ahaz, took captives numbering two hundred thousand (2 Chronicles 28.8). As was stated earlier, however, this type of action was not sanctioned by God who intervened through the prophet Oded (2 Chronicles 28.9). Oded confronted the host in Samaria stating, “Behold, because the Lord God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up into heaven. And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: but are there not with you, even with you, sins against the Lord your God? Now hear me therefore and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your brethren: for the fierce wrath of the Lord is upon you.” (2 Chronicles 28.9-11). The result of this warning was that the captives were released (2 Chronicles 28.12-15).
A final note concerning the reign of king Ahaz is that “the Lord brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he made Judah naked and transgressed sore against the Lord.” (2 Chronicles 28.19). During the reign of Ahaz, Tiglath-pilneser, the king of Assyria distressed Judah (2 Chronicles 28.20). An attempt by Ahaz to relieve the country of this trouble failed. “For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the Lord, and out of the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave it unto the king of Assyria: but he helped him not.” (2 Chronicles 28.21).
Faced with the negative consequences of his sin against God, Ahaz worsened. “And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the Lord...” (2 Chronicles 28.22). Ahaz continued his idolatrous practices and had so little respect for the Lord that he “gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of the Lord, and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem. And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the Lord God of his fathers.” (2 Chronicles 28.24-25). When Ahaz died he was not given a king’s burial because of his evil (2 Chronicles 28.27).
In stark contrast to the reign of Ahaz is his son Hezekiah who came to the throne at the age of twenty-five. Hezekiah reigned for twenty-nine years and “did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done.” (2 Chronicles 29.1-2). In the first year of his reign, Hezekiah opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them (2 Chronicles 29.3). He restored the worship of God by commanding the Levites and priests to sanctify themselves for their service to the Lord and remove the “filthiness out of the holy place.” (2 Chronicles 29.5). Hezekiah had learned something from the trouble that had come upon the nation. Hezekiah stated, “For, lo, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this. Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us.” (2 Chronicles 29.9-10).
Hezekiah restored the worship of the Lord in Judah (2 Chronicles 29.12-36) and kept the Passover (2 Chronicles 30.1-27). The result of this on the nation was very positive. “So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem. Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven.” (2 Chronicles 29.27). The forgiving and loving nature of God can be seen in this passage by the readiness with which the Lord accepted His people when they truly repented of their deeds.
During the reign of Hezekiah all Israel “that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all.” (2 Chronicles 31.1). Hezekiah restored the service of the priests and Levites making provisions to care for them so they would be “encouraged in the Law of the Lord.” (2 Chronicles 31.4). As a result of this God caused the “fruits” of the nation to increase so that they “brought in abundantly.” (2 Chronicles 31.5). Moses had promised the children of Israel that if they served God these blessings would be given to them. When the people, under the direction and leadership of Hezekiah obeyed the Lord they were restored.
During the reign of Hezekiah Sennacherib, the Assyrian invaded Judah and besieged Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 32.1-2). The story of Sennacherib and the divine defeat of his army he sent to destroy Jerusalem stands as a testimony to the faithfulness and power of God who indeed came to the rescue of His people in times of faithful service. When surrounded by the Assyrians, Hezekiah turned to God for assistance (2 Chronicles 32.8). Unlike his father before him, Hezekiah did not rob the house of God to buy protection from the foreigners.
Sennacherib defied the power of God and sent messengers to king Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 32.9-17). Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah “prayed and cried to heaven. And the Lord sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria.” (2 Chronicles 32.20-21). God intervened on behalf of His people and in one night Sennacherib lost 185,000 men (Isaiah 36-37). Sennacherib’s defeat at the hands of God led to his assassination by his sons which brought his reign to an end (Isaiah 37.38).
Later in his rule Hezekiah became ill and was informed by the prophet Isaiah that he was dying (Isaiah 38.1). Hezekiah prayed for God to remember the good that he had done (Isaiah 38.2-3). God answered the prayer of Hezekiah by allowing him to live and brought the sun back ten degrees as a sign to the king (Isaiah 38.4-8). Throughout the scriptures God performs the most wonderful deeds, at the worst times, and in the most difficult of situations to demonstrate His power. This stands as a message to the faithful of all ages who may see their faith waver when the odds seem to be against them in their service to the Lord.
Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, became king next reigning for a period of fifty-five years (2 Kings 21.1). His reign is perhaps the worst of all the kings of Judah, at least at the beginning. Manasseh “did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel. For he built up the high places which his father Hezekiah had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them. And he built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord said, in Jerusalem will I put my name. And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord. And he made his son to pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.” (2 Kings 21.2-6).
The above is only a partial list of the atrocities that Manasseh committed against the Lord. In addition to these he “shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another...” (2 Kings 21.16). God brought a judgment against the king for his evil. “And the Lord spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken. Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.” (2 Chronicles 33.10-11).
Some who would contend that God has no mercy as he is represented in the Old Testament need to take note of the events that occurred next. Manasseh was so evil that it seemed unlikely he would ever turn to the Lord. To some it might seem even more unlikely that God would listen to the prayer of one who had been so evil. Still, Manasseh did turn to the Lord and was heard by God. “And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, and prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God.” (2 Chronicles 33.12-13).
As unlikely as the repentance that Manasseh demonstrated may seem, his other actions upon returning are just as incredible. “And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the Lord, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the Lord, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city. And repaired the altar of the Lord, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel.” (2 Chronicles 33.15-16). God however did not pardon the murder of the innocent (2 Kings 24.4).
God’s infinite ability to show mercy is brought to light again here in this account of the reign of Manasseh. He heard the prayer of one who had done evil, persecuted the righteous and literally turned the nation inside out. God demonstrated that indeed his ear is not heavy nor his hand shortened that he will not hear and save (Isaiah 59.1). Too many times one may allow the remembrance of past deeds to keep them from bringing their life into a right relationship with God. As this account brings out, God can, and does, forgive if one’s heart is right. As Joel instructed those of his day, God wishes for those who would repent to rend their hearts and not their garments (Joel 2.13).
The danger of spiritual corruption is evident in the legacy of Manasseh. Although Manasseh repented and brought about reform, his actions left an influence that preserved evil in the land. Jeremiah, who began his work during the reign of king Josiah (Jeremiah 1.2), states, quoting God, “And I will cause them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem.” (Jeremiah 15.4). The sin of Manasseh against God had influenced others to do evil as well. When one sins against the Lord, one must be aware of the effect this may have on others and their spiritual future. This can be seen in the reign of the son of Manasseh.
Manasseh’s son Amon, became king at the age of twenty-two and reigned for two years (2 Kings 22.18). Amon “did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, as his father Manasseh did. And he walked in all the way that his father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, and worshipped them: and he forsook the Lord God of his fathers, and walked not in the way of the Lord.” (2 Kings 22.20-22). Amon’s reign was brought to an end when his servants murdered him in his own house (2 Kings 22.23).
Josiah, the son of Amon, reigned next for a period of thirty-one years (2 Kings 22–23.28) “and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the way of his father David, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.” (2 Kings 23.2). Josiah was eight years old when he assumed the throne. During his reign the Temple was restored (2 Kings 23.3-7) and the book of the law was found (2 Kings 23.8-11). Josiah destroyed the altars of Baal and idolatrous images including the altar in Bethel which had been constructed by Jereboam (2 Kings 23.1-15).
Josiah also observed the Passover of which the scriptures state, “Surely there was not holden such a passover from the days of the judges that judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah...” (2 Kings 23.22). The record also states that “like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.” (2 Kings 23.25).
In spite of the good reign of Josiah, the land remained full of corruption. “Notwithstanding the Lord turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal. And the Lord said, I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, my name shall be there.” (2 Kings 23.27). Josiah was killed in battle against Pharaoh-necho at Megiddo (2 Kings 23.28-29).
The prophets Zephaniah and Jeremiah began their work during the reign of Josiah (Zephaniah 1.1, Jeremiah 1.2). Zephaniah confronted the wickedness of the priesthood (Zephaniah 3.4-5), the rich and the rulers who had failed to render obedience to God (Zephaniah 1-2) and all of Judah (Zephaniah 1.1-7). Zephaniah stated that the princes were like roaring lions (Zephaniah 3.3), the judges were compared to evening wolves (Zephaniah 3.3) and the priests had done violence to the law of the Lord (Zephaniah 3.4). He states that the city that was to have stood for the worship of God had been polluted and God’s judgment is stated against them for their spiritual neglect.
Zephaniah, like the other prophets, leaves the hearers of his message with a gleam of hope in his reference to a remnant (Zephaniah 3.11-20). Zephaniah refers to the true remnant of God as a poor and afflicted people that would trust in the name of the Lord (Zephaniah 3.12).
Jeremiah began his ministry at this time as well and in his writings are God’s messages to both the Northern and Southern kingdoms (Jeremiah 1-30), a promise of restoration (Jeremiah 30-31) and the establishment of a new covenant unlike the old (Jeremiah 31.31-34). Jeremiah survived the final siege of Jerusalem as a prisoner of the king (Jeremiah 38.1–39.14). After the fall of Judah, Jeremiah wrote the book of Lamentations concerning the fate of God’s people and the future of the righteous.
Jehoahaz, the son of Josiah, was made king at the age of twenty-three and reigned for a period of only three months (2 Kings 23.30). Jehoahaz “did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done.” (2 Kings 23.31). Jehoahaz was “put in bands” by Pharaoh-necho and removed from the throne of Judah (2 Kings 23.33). Necho then took it upon himself to place Eliakim, the brother of Jehoahaz, on the throne (2 Kings 23.34) and changed his name to Jehoiakim (2 Kings 23.34). Necho placed a tax on Judah of one hundred talents of silver and one talent of gold (2 Chronicles 36.3) which Eliakim raised by taxing the people (2 Kings 23.35).
Jehoiakim, or Eliakim, reigned for a period of eleven years (2 Kings 23.36) and “did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done.” (2 Kings 23.37). “In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him.” (2 Kings 24.1). Jeremiah warned the people of Judah that God’s judgment would come about through the Babylonians (Jeremiah 25.1-16) and commanded Judah not to rebel against Nebuchadnezzar calling him God’s servant (Jeremiah 27.6). The rebellion of Jehoiakim against the Babylonians resulted in his imprisonment in Babylon and brought the end of Judah closer as God foretold.