Keep Hope Alive
2 Kings 24:12?25:30
Christians – by definition, and, more importantly, by faith – have put their ultimate hope in the Lord, even when life is difficult. In this week’s lesson, we see the surrender and eventual destruction of Jerusalem, the deportation of its people to Babylon, and King Jehoiachin’s subsequent release from prison. Through these events, we are encouraged to live patiently and confidently as the Lord works out His plan for His people in the course of human events.
From the time of Hezekiah until the reign of Jehoiachin, Judah had continued to decline and disobey God. The Lord was bringing his promised judgment on His people through the destruction and captivity they would suffer. God knew what was happening to His people and why it was happening; He was not caught off guard. The king of Babylon took captive Jehoiachin and his royal household, taking away all the treasures from the temple as well as from Jehoiachin’s palace. Yet as we reflect on the outcome of Judah’s loss, we know that God was working in His people’s lives to return them to Himself, a gift more valuable than all of their treasures combined. Even if we lose many of the precious things in life that we value, we can keep our hope in God (2 Kings 24:12-13).
The Babylonian king appointed Zedekiah as king in Jerusalem in place of Jehoiachin. King Zedekiah also did evil in the sight of the Lord. His evil actions resulted in the Lord’s decision to end the nation and to send its people into captivity. The Babylonian army overran the city of Jerusalem, burned all of its great buildings, demolished its walls, and took captive most of the remaining population. For the people of Jerusalem, life had gone from bad to worse. But God’s work was not finished. Even when chaotic situations cause everyone around us to panic and be overwhelmed by a sense of hopelessness, we need to keep alive our hope in God (2 Kings 25:8-11).
Thirty-seven years after going into captivity in Babylon, King Jehoiachin of Judah was pardoned, released from prison, elevated to a leadership role, and treated kindly for the rest of his life. God’s judgment was never intended to destroy His people. Believers can keep their hope in God, knowing that He is working in the course of human events for our benefit (2 Kings 25:27-30).
Christians are not immune to difficult circumstances. We may contract a debilitating illness, lose all our possessions, or be a victim of violence. We may begin to wonder whether God hears our prayers, and, if He does, why He has not helped us. We must be encouraged to maintain our hope in the Lord and to see ways He is at work to fulfill His plan for our lives. Hope still lives, as it comes from our God.
Larry McDonald– Lessons by Larry McDonald, dean of North Greenville University’s Graduate School of Christian Ministry and professor of Christian spirituality. He holds a Ph.D. from Southeastern Seminary and a D.Min. from Reformed Theological Seminary.