2Ch 36:6-7 | KingComments | STEP | After Joahaz, Jehoiakim reigned eleven years ( ). The characteristic of his reign is that “he did evil in the sight of the LORD his God”. More information about this can be found in the book of Jeremiah. He is an arrogant, selfish man, who is completely indifferent to the LORD ( ). He is a tyrant who abuses his power to oppress and extort. He has imposed enormous taxes on the people to live a life of indulgence ( ). After Egypt, Babylon comes to power in Jerusalem ( ). Nebuchadnezzar comes up against Jehoiakim to take him, bound with bronze chains, to Babylon. It is not clear whether Jehoiakim has arrived there. It is assumed that he was allowed to stay in Jerusalem because he swore allegiance to Nebuchadnezzar. What happens is that with this arrival of Nebuchadnezzar the first carrying away to Babylon takes place ( ; ; ). This is the beginning of the seventy-year exile of Judah ( ), which lasted from 606-536 BC. The king of Babylon also takes some articles from the house of the LORD to Babylon ( ). There he places them in “his temple”. In this way he mixes the things of God with his idols. He does not bring his heathen gods into the house of God, but takes the objects of God’s house to his own heathen idolatry. This is an illustration of what has taken place in the history of professing Christianity through the ages. First, heathen practices are brought into the church. Later, things from God’s Word are introduced into the idolatrous practices of a worldly religion, which we see especially in roman-catholicism. The remarks with which the chronicler concludes his description of Jehoiakim’s life are not flattering. He doesn’t have a good word left for him. He summarizes the life of this king with the words “the abominations which he did” ( ). He doesn’t say a word about his death and burial. Jeremiah tells us that this man was given a burial of a donkey, that he was thrown away as a cadaver ( ).

‏ 2 Chronicles 36:6-7

Jehoiakim King of Judah

After Joahaz, Jehoiakim reigned eleven years (2Chr 36:5). The characteristic of his reign is that “he did evil in the sight of the LORD his God”. More information about this can be found in the book of Jeremiah. He is an arrogant, selfish man, who is completely indifferent to the LORD (Jer 36:21-31). He is a tyrant who abuses his power to oppress and extort. He has imposed enormous taxes on the people to live a life of indulgence (Jer 22:13-17).

After Egypt, Babylon comes to power in Jerusalem (2Chr 36:6). Nebuchadnezzar comes up against Jehoiakim to take him, bound with bronze chains, to Babylon. It is not clear whether Jehoiakim has arrived there. It is assumed that he was allowed to stay in Jerusalem because he swore allegiance to Nebuchadnezzar. What happens is that with this arrival of Nebuchadnezzar the first carrying away to Babylon takes place (2Kgs 24:14; Jer 52:3-16; Dan 1:1-3). This is the beginning of the seventy-year exile of Judah (Jer 29:10), which lasted from 606-536 BC.

The king of Babylon also takes some articles from the house of the LORD to Babylon (2Chr 36:7). There he places them in “his temple”. In this way he mixes the things of God with his idols. He does not bring his heathen gods into the house of God, but takes the objects of God’s house to his own heathen idolatry. This is an illustration of what has taken place in the history of professing Christianity through the ages. First, heathen practices are brought into the church. Later, things from God’s Word are introduced into the idolatrous practices of a worldly religion, which we see especially in roman-catholicism.

The remarks with which the chronicler concludes his description of Jehoiakim’s life are not flattering. He doesn’t have a good word left for him. He summarizes the life of this king with the words “the abominations which he did” (2Chr 36:8). He doesn’t say a word about his death and burial. Jeremiah tells us that this man was given a burial of a donkey, that he was thrown away as a cadaver (Jer 22:19 ; Jer 36:30).