Sermon Outline, July 2

INTRODUCTION
After Josiah, Judah unravels rapidly. Josiah's son is imprisoned by Pharaoh Neco (23:33), and before long Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonians are invading, destroying the temple and the city (24:1). It is Good Friday for Israel.

THE TEXT
"Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done. Now Pharaoh Necho put him in prison at Riblah. . . ." (2 Kings 23:31-25:30).

HISTORY AND TORAH
Overall, the historical books (Joshua-2 Kings) can be seen as a fulfillment of the promise and threat of the Torah, and the historical books run parallel to the Mosaic Pentateuch. Joshua tells about the inheritance of the land that had been promised to Abraham. Judges tells of 12 judges, who correspond to the 12 sons of Jacob. In the books of Samuel, David appears as a new Moses who leads the people out of bondage to Philistia, conquers the city of Jerusalem, and sets up a tent there. In many respects, Kings corresponds with the book of Numbers: the rebellion of Jeroboam is a golden-calf rebellion, and Israel continually rebels throughout 1-2 Kings, as in Numbers. The end of Kings corresponds with the end of Deut, which predicts the exile, but also the return.

SOLOMON DECREATED
As 2 Kings comes to a close, all that Solomon achieved unravels. The gold and silver he brought to the land is now taken out of the land (24:13), and the temple is torn down (25:9, 13-17), as is the palace. Israel's land no longer extends to Solomonic boundaries; Nebuchadnezzar's does. Instead of forming a marriage alliance with Egypt, as Solomon does, Jehoahaz becomes Pharaoh's prisoner. This section also continues parallels between the Northern and Southern kingdom. Josiah dies like Ahab, and Josiah's family is destroyed, as Ahab’s was, soon after his death. Importantly, there is also a shift in chronology. Chronology is sovereignty: The one in charge sets the times. At the end of Kings, the writer stops marking time by the reigns of kings of Israel and Judah and begins marking time by reference to Nebuchadnezzar’s reign (25:1, 8). These chapters are organized by two sequences of seven events, which run parallel to each other. The numerical association with creation indicates that Judah is being "decreated."

2 Ki 23:31-24:2
1. Jehoahaz for 3 months
2. Jehoahaz imprisoned by Phar
3. Pharaoh places Eliakim on throne; name
4. Pharaoh takes Jeho to Egypt, dies there
5. Jehoiakim reigns 11 years
6. Jehoiakim rebels against Nebuchadnezzar
7. God brings attackers

2 Kings 24:8-25:1
1. Jehoiachin for 3 months
2. Jehoiachin imprisoned by Nebuchadnezzar
3. Nebuchadnezzar places Mattaniah on throne; name change
4. Nebuchadnezzar takes Jehoiachin to Babylon; doesn't die
5. Zedekiah reigns 11 years
6. Zedekiah rebels against Nebuchadnezzar
7. Yahweh rejects Judah

HOPE FOR DAVID
Yet, the book does not end with Good Friday. Jehoiachin is raised from prison, given new clothes, and set at the king’s table (25:27-30), all signs of future restoration for David’s house and for Judah.

posted by Peter J. Leithart on Monday, June 26, 2006 at 09:09 AM

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