Lessons on Jehoiakim (1)—Rejection of the Messenger - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2024

There was also a man who prophesied in the name of the Lord, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjath Jearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah. And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men and all the princes, heard his words, the king killed him with the sword and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.
Jeremiah 26:20-21, 23 NKJV

Lessons on Jehoiakim (1)—Rejection of the Messenger
Uriah prophesied against Jerusalem and the land, "according to all the words of Jeremiah" (Jer. 26:20). Jehoiakim did not want to hear the truth, nor the judgment that was coming. So he pursued Urijah up to Egypt, where he fled for his life, brought him back to Jerusalem, and put him to death to silence the word of God and to scare the others who would think to do the same. He refused the authority of God's message and got rid of the messenger.

Enmity towards God and truth is nothing new:

—Jesus was also put to death because He bore witness to the truth (Jn. 18:37). The religious leaders could not stand the Word of God made flesh.

—The religious leaders wanted to silence the apostles when commanding them "not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus" (Acts 4:18).

—Stephen was also put to death because the religious leaders could not stand his testimony and the truth he was proclaiming (Acts 7:57-58).

—James also, the brother of John, was put to death by Herod (Acts 12:1). And because it pleased the Jews, Herod wanted to do the same to Peter, but he was miraculously delivered.

The world has not gotten better since then. Truth is still rejected. We still experience some rejection from time to time because of it. It is not us but Christ and the truth they reject. Nevertheless, as for us, let us not be like Jehoiakim, but let us hear and receive the Word of God, and bear witness to the truth.

-- Alexandre Leclerc