From Splendor to Shadow

The Perversity of King Jehoiakim

At the very time messages of impending doom were urged upon princes and people, Jehoiakim, who should have been foremost in reformation, was spending his time in selfish pleasure: “I will build me a wide house and large chambers,” he proposed; and this house, “cieled with cedar, and painted with vermilion” (Jeremiah 22:14), was built with money and labor secured through fraud and oppression. SS 223.2

The prophet was inspired to pronounce judgment on the faithless ruler: “Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbor's service without wages, and giveth him not for his work.” “Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah; They shall not lament for him ... . He shall be buried with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem.” Verses 13, 18, 19. SS 223.3

Within a few years this terrible judgment was to be visited on Jehoiakim; but first the Lord in mercy informed the impenitent nation of His purpose: “Jeremiah the prophet spake unto all the people of Judah,” pointing out that for more than twenty years he had borne witness of God's desire to save, but that his messages had been despised. See Jeremiah 25:1-3. And now, “thus saith the Lord of hosts; Because ye have not heard My words, behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, ... and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land ... . This whole land shall become a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.” Verses 8-11. SS 223.4

The Lord likened the fate of the nation to the draining of a cup filled with the wine of divine wrath. Among the first to drink of this cup was to be “Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof.” Verse 18. Others were to partake of the same cup—Egypt and many other nations. See Jeremiah 25. SS 224.1

To illustrate further the coming judgments the prophet was bidden to “take some of the elders of the people and some of the senior priests, and go out to the valley of the son of Hinnom” (Jeremiah 19:1, 2, RSV) and there dash to pieces a “potter's earthen bottle” (Verse 1) and declare in behalf of the Lord, “Even so will I break this people and this city, as one breaketh a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole again.” Verse 11. Returning to the city, he stood in the court of the temple and declared, “Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon this city and upon all her towns all the evil that I have pronounced against it, because they have hardened their necks, that they might not hear My words.” Verse 15. SS 224.2

The prophet's words aroused the anger of those high in authority, and Jeremiah was imprisoned, and placed in the stocks. Nevertheless, his voice could not be silenced. The word of truth, he declared, “was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.” Jeremiah 20:9. SS 224.3

About this time the Lord commanded Jeremiah to write the messages. “Take a scroll and write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel and Judah and all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah until today. It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I intend to do to them, so that every one may turn from his evil way and that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.” Jeremiah 36:2, 3, RSV. SS 224.4

In obedience to this command, Jeremiah called his faithful friend, Baruch the scribe, and dictated “all the words of the Lord, which He had spoken unto him.” Verse 4. These were written on a roll of parchment and constituted a warning of the sure result of continual apostasy and an earnest appeal for the renunciation of all evil. SS 225.1

Jeremiah, still a prisoner, sent Baruch to read the roll to the multitudes at the temple on a national fast day. “It may be,” the prophet said, “their supplication will come before the Lord, and that every one will turn from his evil way, for great is the anger and wrath that the Lord has pronounced against this people.” Verse 7, RSV. SS 225.2

The roll was read before all the people. Afterward the scribe was summoned before the princes to read the words to them. They listened with great interest and promised to inform the king, but counseled the scribe to hide himself, for they feared the king would seek to slay those who had prepared and delivered the message. SS 225.3

Jehoiakim immediately ordered the roll read in his hearing. One of the royal attendants, Jehudi, began reading the words of reproof and warning. It was winter, and the king and princes were gathered about an open fire. The king, far from trembling at the danger hanging over himself and his people, seized the roll and in a frenzy of rage “cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire ... until all the roll was consumed.” Verse 23. SS 225.4

Neither the king nor his princes “was afraid, nor rent their garments.” Certain of the princes, however, “had made intercession to the king that he would not burn the roll: but he would not hear them.” The wicked king sent for Jeremiah and Baruch to be taken, “but the Lord hid them.” Verses 24-26. SS 225.5

God was graciously seeking to warn the men of Judah for their good. He pities men struggling in the blindness of perversity. He seeks to enlighten the darkened understanding. He endeavors to help the self-complacent to become dissatisfied and seek for a close connection with heaven. SS 226.1