Taking God Seriously

They had a God-serving father. In fact, the Lord had used their father to bring about a revival of faith in their nation. Perhaps, they asked themselves why their father went to battle against Pharaoh Necho King of Egypt. Why did he have to die in battle that way? [1]

Pharaoh Necho made Eliakim king in place of his father Josiah and changed his name to Jehoiakim. [2] For eleven years, the prophet Jeremiah spoke God’s Word to King Jehoiakim directly and at other times only to his people. At one point, Jehoiakim burned Jeremiah’s writings in fire. He wanted to kill Jeremiah, but the Lord hid him. Sadly, Jehoiakim did not take God seriously. He ended up in a Babylonian prison.

After imprisoning Jehoiakim, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made his brother Zedekiah the king. [3] Jeremiah also brought God’s Word to Zedekiah for eleven years. Nine years into Zedekiah’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem. A year and half after that, he conquered the city. [4]

Nebuchadnezzar killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes along with all the nobility of Judah. Then, he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, and bound him with bronze chains for transfer to Babylon. The Babylonians burned down the king’s palace along with all the houses of the people. He also broke down the walls of Jerusalem.” [5]

The two sons of Josiah did not take God seriously and paid dearly for it. I wonder how many people today are not taking God seriously when it comes to their eternal destiny. It is one thing to lose an earthly temporary kingdom and quite another to lose a heavenly eternal one.

“Dear Heavenly Father, please help our race, the human-race, to take You seriously and yield their souls to You that You may save them and grant them eternal life. In Jesus’ Name I pray.”

[1] 2 Kings 23:29
[2] 2 Kings 23:34
[3] 2 Chronicles 36:10
[4] Jeremiah 39:1-2
[5] Jeremiah 39:6-8