Jeremiah (1-31) 22:1 Commentary and Bible Study

This chapter does not follow on chronologically from the previous chapter. This appears from the fact that the previous chapter has been dealing with messengers sent by Zedekiah (the last king of Judah) to Jeremiah, but here in chapter 22 previous kings prior to Zedekiah are mentioned, and prophecies are made about them using the language of prediction. It would be strange if those prophecies were delivered after the event. Chapter 22 seems to be written at a time when Jehoahaz (called here Shallum) has been taken to Egypt, but is not yet dead (verse 11), and at a time when Jehoiakim is still reigning (verse 18), and his son Jeconiah (aka. Jehoiachin) has been born but has not yet begun to reign (verse 24). Jeremiah is sent to the king of Judah, in this case Jehoiakim, and is sent to speak to his house, his family line (called in Jeremiah 21:12 the house of David). ‘Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, that sittest upon the throne of David, thou, and thy servants, and thy people that enter in by these gates.’ It is a prophecy to the last few final kings of Judah, and at this point it still holds out the possibility of mercy and continuation of the kingly line. That is different to what is said in recent chapters, and is another reason why the prophecy is understood to come earlier, because it is before the point of no return when the judgment of God on Jerusalem became inevitable (Jeremiah 21:10).‘Thus saith the LORD; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong.’ The message of the Lord to the king and his family line is that there is still the possibility that God will forgive them. They must consider the great responsibility they have to govern according to truth and mercy, not taking advantage of the weak and poor in the land, but upholding justice because God insists on it. They are to see themselves as servants to the people, not tyrants who live off their backs. There must be no oppression, no violence, no shedding of innocent blood. For their encouragement a great promise is given: ‘For if ye do this thing indeed, then shall there enter in by the gates of this house kings sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, he, and his servants, and his people.’ This could not have been said once the city was assigned to destruction. Even now, God is willing to change his behaviour towards them and pardon them, and send them his gracious providences. The throne of David would see a continual sequence of kings sitting on the throne in Jerusalem. This is the possible future which the Lord holds out to them as a possibility if they repent. God knows every possible future, and he at times seems to place the future in our hands, urging us to act in a way that will bring his favour and not his condemnation. But the other possibility is that they will not listen and go on seeking their own pleasure and advantage, as they see it. In that case, the will of God is very clear. He swears by himself that he will act against them, and they should have no doubts about this. This house, the house of David will become a desolation. That would not prevent any of the promises concerning the Messiah from coming to pass, but it did mean that no visible king would serve again on the throne of David until the Lord Jesus Christ came into the world.