23. Lenten Readings -- Back to Jeremiah 22 (Litany of the Kings)

[I see this is not the right chapter to do next, but I will leave it.]

1. In this fascinating chapter, Jeremiah gives us a moral snapshot of the kings of Judah up to Jehoiachin, the successor to Jehoiakim. All but one of the kings (Zedekiah) of his lifetime are covered: Josiah, Shallum (Jehoahaz), Jehoiakim, and Coniah (Jehoiachin) are all mentioned. That possibly dates this prophecy to around 597BC.

The chapter begins with Yahweh telling Jeremiah to go to the palace to prophesy in relation to the kings of Judah (22:1). Here is the formula he gives them for success:

• Do what is just and right (22:3).
• Rescue the person who is robbed from their oppressor.
• Do not do any wrong or violence to the immigrant.
• Similarly, do not wrong the widow or fatherless.
• Do not shed innocent blood.

Do these things and the kings will enjoy the palace and ride through the gates in chariots with their officials (22:4). If not, the palace will become ruins (22:5), which it did.

2. Then commences Jeremiah's predictions of judgment on the palace. Because they had forgotten their covenant with Yahweh, the line of David will fail (22:30, at least for now). No one will sit on the throne of David. 

However, here for the first (and last) time, we hear positive words about Josiah. Josiah did what was right (22:15) and all went well with him. (Except, of course, for getting killed in battle) He defended the cause of the poor and needy. We have now had the big four in the chapter -- the immigrant, the widow, the fatherless, and the poor.

3. But Josiah's son Shallum, renamed Jehoahaz, only ruled for three months. In those months, he was set on dishonest gain (22:17). He shed innocent blood. He was set on oppression and extortion. Pharaoh Necho II removed him as king quickly. He died in exile in Egypt, banished by the Pharaoh from his land.

4. Then Jeremiah moves on to Jehoiakim (originally named Eliakim), another son of Josiah. The prophecies from Jeremiah 11-20 were all during his rule, and we have seen how he burned a scroll with all of Jeremiah's prophecies on it (Jer. 36). Although 2 Kings doesn't mention it, both in Jeremiah 36:30 and here in 22:19, there are hints that Jehoiakim was killed and at least initially left for dead outdoors in disgrace. He resisted Nebuchadnezzar and paid for it with his life. Of Jehoiakim, Yahweh says that he warned him, but Jehoiakim did not listen (22:21). 

5. Now, here, for the first time, we are introduced to the king that succeeded Jehoiakim -- Jehoiachin his son. He also only ruled for three months before Nebuchadnezzar had him removed and taken in exile back to Babylon (22:25). If Jehoiachin had been a signet ring on Yahweh's finger, he would have taken him off (22:24). So even his mother would be taken away to Babylon, never to return (22:26-27). He is a broken pot.
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Introduction to Jeremiah

Scroll I (same in MT and LXX)
Jeremiah 1 (Josiah, 628BC)
Jeremiah 2 
Jeremiah 3
Jeremiah 4
Jeremiah 5
Jeremiah 6
Jeremiah 7
Jeremiah 8
Jeremiah 9
Jeremiah 10
Jeremiah 11 (Jehoiakim, 609BC)
Jeremiah 12
Jeremiah 13-18
19. Jeremiah 19-20 

Scroll II (different order in MT and LXX)
20. Jump to Jeremiah 25 (605BC, Jeremiah 32 LXX) 
21. Jeremiah 26 and 35

22. Jump to Jeremiah 36 (605BC, Jeremiah 43 LXX)
Jeremiah 45