2Ki 24:1-20  “That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth” – (Mat 23:35)

[Study Aired May 4, 2023]

2Ki 24:1  In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him. 
2Ki 24:2  And the LORD sent against him bands of the Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servants the prophets.
2Ki 24:3  Surely at the commandment of the LORD came this upon Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did; 
2Ki 24:4  And also for the innocent blood that he shed: for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the LORD would not pardon. 
2Ki 24:5  Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 
2Ki 24:6  So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead. 
2Ki 24:7  And the king of Egypt came not again any more out of his land: for the king of Babylon had taken from the river of Egypt unto the river Euphrates all that pertained to the king of Egypt. 
2Ki 24:8  Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother’s name was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.
2Ki 24:9  And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father had done. 
2Ki 24:10  At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. 
2Ki 24:11  And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, and his servants did besiege it.
2Ki 24:12  And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign.
2Ki 24:13  And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had said. 
2Ki 24:14  And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valour, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths: none remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the land. 
2Ki 24:15  And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king’s mother, and the king’s wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon. 
2Ki 24:16  And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all that were strong and apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon. 
2Ki 24:17  And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father’s brother king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah. 
2Ki 24:18  Zedekiah was twenty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
2Ki 24:19  And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 
2Ki 24:20  For through the anger of the LORD it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

This chapter of 2 Kings discusses how Judah is taken into captivity, and it typifies for God’s elect the severity of God’s wrath upon our Adamic nature (Rom 11:21-22) that is identified by Christ as being guilty of “all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar” (Mat 23:35). It is through God’s goodness we are being judged and led to repentance (Rom 2:4), and it takes these seven plagues poured out upon us today, spoken of in Revelation 15:8, to have Christ enter our temple (1Co 3:16, Col 1:27). It is cleansed through a sanctification process (Joh 17:17) that washes us from our sins and iniquities by the flesh and blood of Christ (Joh 6:55) making it possible for us to go on to perfection on the third day (Luk 13:32). Christ never sinned but identifies with this process of overcoming and is the author and finisher of it in each member of the body of Christ (Heb 12:1-2, Rom 12:1-2, Rom 5:10).

Rom 11:21  For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
Rom 11:22  Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 

Rom 2:4  Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

Rev 15:8  And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, [2Co 3:18] and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled [“his goodness“].

Heb 12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 
Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

The final destruction of all flesh with Gog and Magog is the physical natural event that precedes the final destruction of all carnal thinking in the lake of fire, which is the time when those “seven plagues” will be poured out on all of humanity (Rom 1:20). The spiritually carnal minds of humanity will reason in glorified bodies (1Co 15:40) that they have done many wonderful works (Mat 7:22) and are not worthy of a judgment unto condemnation. Like all yet unconverted minds it is impossible to behold “the goodness and severity of God” and equate that goodness with a good work which requires God’s “forbearance and longsuffering” until we go through the process of judgment being accomplished by grace through faith (Col 1:27, Rom 8:9, Eph 2:8). That relationship of knowing Him in the spirit (Act 9:5) and no longer after the flesh comes at a miraculous appointed time (Joh 14:20), each man in his own order (1Co 15:23-24).

The main and hope-filled message to be taken from this chapter in 2 Kings is that if we are bound to the altar (Psa 118:27), God will receive His sons and cleanse our temples with a forbearing and longsuffering spirit that will do whatever it takes to wipe away the refuge of lies in our heavens (Heb 12:26-29, Rom 5:10). God sees clearly where we are in our spiritual growth and knows those things that are yet binding us to the earth. He has the power to destroy those things (Heb 12:27) and keep us bound to the altar (Joh 8:36).

Psa 118:27  God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.

Heb 12:27  And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

We are admonished to not despise this process of overcoming this marred vessel that is being made anew as we die daily (Jer 18:4), which process is very graphically typified for us with the nation of Judah with all its failing kings and backsliding spirit that ultimately brings God’s great wrath upon the nation. When we seek the kingdom of God first and His righteousness (Mat 6:33), we are tried by our Father who is a consuming fire, “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom [by seeking it first (Mat 6:33)] which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: for our God is a consuming fire.” God sets the stage for all our battles in life and provides the strength we need through Christ to go through the fiery trials, which is the grace [favor upon His children] that produces a new vessel which can “serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear” (Num 14:9). We need only acknowledge our sins in that process (Psa 32:5, Jer 3:13-14).

Psa 32:5  I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

Jer 3:13  Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD. 
Jer 3:14  Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:  

Psa 118:27  God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.

Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Num 14:9  Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.

We are blessed to progressively come to understand the depth of the guiltiness that is in all flesh revealed in what we do, or have done, in our life “between the temple and the altar” knowing that it is only Christ who can give us the power to overcome our wretchedness (Rom 7:24) to then turn back and see how we have been dragged to Him through the power of God’s holy spirit (Rev 1:12). That increase in our walk only comes through suffering with the body of Christ as we learn to bear each other’s burdens in this life (1Co 10:16, Gal 6:2) and gain a deeper and more profound respect for the recompence of the reward obtained through that communion into which we have been called (1Co 10:16). The question is how is this all done and accomplished, and the answer is by His faith that must be tried (1Pe 1:7, Rom 3:27) in order that we may endure to the end through Christ, typified by Moses in the wilderness of his day who esteemed “the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward [Paul’s version of the same point (Php 3:8)]”  (1Pe 4:17, 1Co 11:32, Joh 6:44, 1Co 3:6, Heb 11:26-27). The reward of eternal life is what gives us such great incentive in this life as we lose our adamic life for His name’s sake, knowing that our fear of God is essential if we are going to be saved and heard in this life (Heb 5:7, Luk 12:5, Heb 11:7).

Heb 11:26  Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
Heb 11:27  By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. 

Heb 5:7  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

Luk 12:5  But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

Heb 11:7  By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

Those who are raised in the second resurrection will go through a process of judgment, typified by what society will physically experience during the thousand-year reign of God’s saints, and every soul will come to that Gog and Magog moment in their hearts (Rev 20:8) where once the truth is known, the carnal knee-jerk reaction will be to contend with God, as we all did, and say “Why have you formed me this way, why am I guilty to this degree?” “That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar” [Mat 23:35, Rom 9:20].

Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

Rom 9:20  Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 
Rom 9:21  Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 

Mat 23:35  That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

2Ki 24:1  In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him. 
2Ki 24:2  And the LORD sent against him bands of the Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servants the prophets.
2Ki 24:3  Surely at the commandment of the LORD came this upon Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did; 
2Ki 24:4  And also for the innocent blood that he shed: for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the LORD would not pardon. 
2Ki 24:5  Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 

In this opening verse we read, “Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up” and  Jehoiakim “became his servant three years” representing how we must go through a process of judgment in the earth in Babylon, where we are of our father the devil, typified by Nebuchadnezzar whom we serve and who is God’s servant (Jer 27:6). When we come to our senses, we do what Jehoiakim did, “he turned and rebelled against him“, which is what the Israelites did when they forsook Egypt. We are witnessing with these verses an event that typifies for us how Christ in us gives us the ability to break out of the bondage of sin (Heb 11:27, Joh 8:36). This is only the start of that process for Judah whose rebellion against their taskmaster “Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon” is a short-lived victory as “the LORD sent against him [Jehoiakim] bands of the Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servants the prophets.“

God is intent on making the point to us that what we sow we are going to reap (Gal 6:7), which is why we read, “Surely at the commandment of the LORD came this upon Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did“, and this is the section of our study where the title is based (Mat 23:35) which verse reads “And also for the innocent blood that he shed: for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the LORD would not pardon.” Filling Jerusalem with the innocent blood that the LORD would not pardon is telling us that the Lord gives our old man no quarter as it cannot inherit the kingdom of God. However, if we are blessed to acknowledge that we are the man who is guilty of all, chief of sinners, then this captivity Judah is about to go into can be seen as a positive event for the new man that will be born out of all that suffering (2Ti 2:12). Filling Jerusalem with innocent blood is the same as what is being said in (Mat 23:35).

2Ti 2:12  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: 

Mat 23:35  That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

2Ki 24:6  So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead. 
2Ki 24:7  And the king of Egypt came not again any more out of his land: for the king of Babylon had taken from the river of Egypt unto the river Euphrates all that pertained to the king of Egypt. 

These verses demonstrate the hold the devil has on this world (2Co 4:4). Jehoiakim is dead, and spiritual death continues to reign through his son Jehoiachin. Satan has gained dominion over the land, which land typifies our bodies as expressed with this verse 7: “And the king of Egypt came not again any more out of his land: for the king of Babylon had taken from the river of Egypt unto the river Euphrates all that pertained to the king of Egypt.” Taking control of the rivers is symbolic of taking control of what can bring life, and in the negative sense Satan can bring forth life and do signs and wonders insomuch that if it were possible he would deceive the very elect (Mat 24:24).

2Co 4:4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Mat 24:24  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

2Ki 24:8  Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother’s name was Nehushta^H5179, the daughter of Elnathan^H494 of Jerusalem.
2Ki 24:9  And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father had done. 

The death of Jehoiakim is not a deadly wound (Rev 13:3) as evidenced by the same spirit and ideology becoming manifest in: “Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months” (vs 8). It is in Jerusalem where he reigns, which represents where God’s people come from and from where all these events are unfolding. God is showing us that we are beasts (Ecc 3:18, Jer 10:14) and that the best we can give God is copper [Nehushta^H5179 [2Ki 18:4)] regarding our process of judgment at that time in the court symbolized by the “three months” Jehoiachin reigned in Jerusalem. We judge in the court while we are in the court, symbolized by the age of Jehoiachin when he began to reign. However, that judgment proves to not be just in the end because we don’t yet see that we are ‘the man’ and bring nothing to the altar (1+8=9) (Joh 7:24, Joh 5:30, 2Sa 12:5-7).

2Ki 18:4  He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan^H5180.

Joh 7:24  Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

Joh 5:30  I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

2Sa 12:5  And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: 
2Sa 12:6  And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. [David’s judgements that are just and good in and of themselves]
2Sa 12:7  And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; 

H5179 nechûshtâ’ nekh-oosh-taw’

From H5178; copper; Nechushta, an Israelitess: – Nehushta.

H5178 nechôsheth nekh-o’-sheth

For H5154; copper; hence, something made of that metal, that is, coin, a fetter; figuratively base (as compared with gold or silver): – brasen, brass, chain, copper, fetter (of brass), filthiness, steel.

2Ki 24:10  At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. 
2Ki 24:11  And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, and his servants did besiege it.

In order to learn to judge justly, we must go through heavy trials, fiery trials (1Pe 4:12) which perfect the mind of Christ in us, giving us the ability to discern good and evil (Heb 5:14). So the judgment that has taken place thus far in life of Jehoiachin has not produced good fruit, good judgment, and God has caused Jehoiachin to err, and the sins of the fathers are now visiting the nation of Judah as God proclaims these words: “At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, and his servants did besiege it.” It is typifying the fiery trials we must go through in order to enter into the temple of God (Rev 15:8).

Rev 15:8  And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled. 

2Ki 24:12  And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign.
2Ki 24:13  And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had said.

All these details of the nation of Judah going into captivity are symbolized by these verses in the book of Revelation (Rev 18:11-18) and remind us that God is talking about what we have experienced, or are experiencing, and enduring through the grace and faith of Jesus Christ who is saving us through taking us into captivity out of which He will ultimately bring us. Being taken  “in the eighth year of his reign” into captivity is how the new man is formed, which is what the number eight symbolizes. It is the riches of the temple taken away that represent the word of God which must be purified within us through our trials for a season (1Pe 1:6-7, 2Co 4:8-12, Rev 2:10).

Rev 18:11  And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: 
Rev 18:12  The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
Rev 18:13  And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
Rev 18:14  And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
Rev 18:15  The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
Rev 18:16  And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
Rev 18:17  For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, 
Rev 18:18  And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!

1Pe 1:6  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 
1Pe 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

2Co 4:8  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 
2Co 4:9  Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 
2Co 4:10  Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 
2Co 4:11  For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
2Co 4:12  So then death worketh in us, but life in you. 

Rev 2:10  Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

2Ki 24:14  And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valour, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths: none remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the land.
2Ki 24:15  And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king’s mother, and the king’s wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.
2Ki 24:16  And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all that were strong and apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.

The word “all” is repeated over and over, 6 times [the number of man], to remind us that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, and the “ten thousand captives” represent that flesh which has to be put off before we can inherit eternal life.

What has to go is all that is corrupt within us

“all Jerusalem” meaning all false doctrine, and false religion that God’s people leave.
“all the princes” those things and people that we have trusted in our flesh (Mic 7:5).
“all the mighty men of valour” the vanity of our flesh that is passing and those who we would trust in the flesh.
“all the craftsmen and smiths: none remained” coming behind in no gift and being yet carnal (1Co 1:7, 1Co 3:3-4) was the time when we trusted in all the “craftsmen and smiths” within us. None of that can remain and must go into captivity as well to be purified.
“all the men of might” represents the strength of our flesh God tells us is passing and vain. Moses’ natural strength was with him even at 120 years of age, and typifies for us the only strength that we should desire and that is the life of Christ through whom we can endure all things [12×10] as He gives us the power to put off our carnal hearts (Deu 34:7, Rom 2:29).
“all that were strong and apt for war” This group represents any pursuit in the flesh that is put before God. So if we labor to be rich instead of seeking the kingdom of God first (Mat 6:33), we are demonstrating a spirit that is “apt for war” explained this way in the book of James, “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts” (Jas 4:1-4).

Finally when we read “And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king’s mother, and the king’s wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon” we are reminded of Christ’s words that tell us unless you are willing to give up all of these relationships, including your own life, ‘you are not worthy to be My disciples’ (Luk 14:26-27). God takes away our dependance on the natural little by little (Exo 23:29-30) until we become confident that there really is nothing that can separate us from the love of God (Rom 8:36-39). That painful process takes a lifetime, but God is faithful to start and finish this work in us through Jesus Christ (Heb 12:2, Php 1:6).

Exo 23:29  I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee.
Exo 23:30  By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land.

Luk 14:26  If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
Luk 14:27  And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

Php 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

This statement, “And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all that were strong and apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon” tells us that there is no power in the earth that can save us except Christ in whom we are accepted and trust (Rom 5:10, Act 4:12). Those powers and principalities in our heavens are represented by “all the men of might, even seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all that were strong and apt for war” of which God will use via the king of Babylon, who represents Satan, to buffet those powers that represent our own self-righteous sins of iniquity which will chasten us (Jer 2:19) so that we are humbled under God’s mighty hand in this age (2Co 12:7, 1Co 5:5, 1Pe 5:6). Christ is far higher than those powers and principalities and uses them to humble us in this life (Eph 1:21).

2Co 12:7  And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 

1Co 5:5  To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 

1Pe 5:6  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
1Pe 5:7  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 

There is a hope-filled verse tucked in the midst of all this destruction and death which reads, “none remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the land” (2Ki 24:14), and is repeated in 2 Kings 25:12, both groups representing the elect of God who are saved and remain at the expense of losing our lives, typified by the captivity of Judah. In chapter 25 of 2 Kings, the death of Zedekiah typifies our man of sin who must be destroyed. We lose our lives for each other by becoming vinedressers and husbandmen, symbols that reflect God the father who is the husbandman and Christ who is the vine and God’s elect who are the vinedressers (Joh 14:20). By God’s grace we become of a poor and contrite spirit (Isa 66:2) “the poorest sort of the people of the land” so that we can ‘occupy until He comes’ (Luk 19:13).

2Ki 25:12  But the captain of the guard left of the poor of the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen.

Luk 19:13  And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.

2Ki 24:17  And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father’s brother king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah. 
2Ki 24:18  Zedekiah was twenty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 
2Ki 24:19  And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 
2Ki 24:20  For through the anger of the LORD it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

Notice who is calling the shots once again and that is “the king of Babylon” who typifies the god of this world, and what he is doing is positioning the basest of men in rulership which is what God has given him to do (Dan 4:17). The “king of Babylon” is in charge however all the things that he has accomplished has been “through the anger of the LORD it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence“

Mattaniah whose name was changed by the king of Babylon to Zedekiah is the negative example of being given a new name as opposed to the new name God gives the elect and that is hidden from the world (Rev 2:17, Rev 3:12).

Rev 2:17  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

Rev 3:12  Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

Zedekiah being age “twenty one” and the amount of time that he ruled “eleven years” and his mother’s name “Hamutal^H2537” are all significant details that reveal that this king represents our transient flesh which is passing and unable to establish proper governance without Christ as our head. Because we know the demise of Zedekiah is coming, the two and the one in this case witness to the fact that the day of the Lord, in type and shadow, is coming upon this evil king who represents the man of perdition in our own hearts and minds. The eleven years [“The Ruin and Disintegration of the Perfection of the Flesh”] tells us no foundation [12] in Christ was going to be established with this king whose life, like ours, is like a vapor or dew that passes in the morning which is what Hamutal’s name means.

H2537 chămûṭal    chămı̂yṭal kham-oo-tal’, kham-ee-tal’

From H2524 and H2919; father in law of dew; Chamutal or Chamital, an Israelitess: – Hamutal.

Jas 4:14  Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

This last verse sets the stage for the last chapter of the book of kings revealing how God’s anger is a righteous anger that is against sin and always ready and wakeful over His word (Jer 1:12) to carry out His judgments upon our sinful condition that He created marred this way for His purpose of bringing us to see our need for a relationship with Him and Christ.

Jer 1:12  Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.

We are told, “That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth” to encourage us to know that God can take our marred condition and make something new and great via this process of judgment, “For through the anger of the LORD it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.”