Zedekiah and Regret

“Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king's garden (now the Chaldeans were against the city round about); and the king went by the way of the Arabah. But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him.Then they took the king, and carried him up unto the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him.And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him in fetters, and carried him to Babylon.” 2 Kings 25:4-7

Sin Will Cause You to Flee

One that lives outside the law will face the consequences of the law; this is what happened to Israel first and then the kingdom of Judah. The Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar had control of Judah and yet King Zedekiah rebelled against him (2 Kings 25:1). Zedekiah believed he was safe for a while holed up in the city. Nebuchadnezzar launched a siege to take Jerusalem. This siege led to a famine in the city because there was no way to bring anything in. The Babylonians found a breach and entered the city. The men of war fled, leaving the king with no army, so the king himself decided to give it a go and a life on the run from his enemy. Zedekiah learned he could try to run but he could not run from God.

Sin Will Cause You to be Overtaken

God had proposed to deliver Judah into the hands of the enemy and it would happen (cf. 2 Kings 24:20). Zedekiah fled but was overtaken. His army was away from him and he had no hope but to fall into the hands of his enemy. He might have looked to the end. Perhaps he imagined he would be executed or rot away in a prison in a foreign land, rather, his judgment was even more horrendous. The Babylonians killed his sons right in front of him and then immediately after blinded him. The searing pain was more than just physical. This wicked man would have to deal with the consequences of sin from an emotional aspect. The last thing he would ever see would be his sons murdered. He would have to live with that for the rest of his life.

Sin Will Leave You with Regret

Is it worth it? This is what we must ask. Is it worth the suffering in this life? Is it worth the suffering in eternity? Zedekiah surely did not believe so as he was left blind with nothing but regret. I cannot imagine that anything on this temporal earth is worth eternity in hell, yet, many choose this path. My hope is as you have read these articles regarding the kings of Judah and Israel, you will make the necessary change in your lives. Those who do evil in the sight of the Lord will face the pain of that sin and, unless they repent and be converted, they will suffer eternally. When Zedekiah was blinded I am sure the pain was awful, but I know he also must have felt a great sense of regret. Regret was the last thing he actually saw; regret is what he would live and die with. Please do not make the last thing you see regret.

Grace and Peace,

Ryan

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