The Hope of the Exiled

2 Kings 23:31-25:30; Psalm 2; Proverbs 18:13

 

The last chapters of 2 Kings are some of the most disheartening chapters in the Bible. God is so angry with his spiritually adulterous people that He has finally had enough. Not only has the northern kingdom of Israel been sent into exile, but now even the southern kingdom of Judah has been exiled to Babylon. David no longer has a descendant on Judah’s throne because David’s descendants have not followed their God faithfully.

 

And yet hope is not completely lost.

 

In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the year Evil-Merodach became king of Babylon, he released Jehoiachin from prison on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month. He spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat of honor higher than those of the other kings who were with him in Babylon. So Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king's table. Day by day the king gave Jehoiachin a regular allowance as long as he lived. – 2 Kings 25:27-30

 

So what, right? Judah’s still in exile! It’s not like Jehoiachin is back on the throne. He may be treated well, but he’s still a prisoner. Where’s the hope in this picture?

 

This little picture of Jehoiachin’s life reminds me of another Bible character’s story: Samson’s. Do you remember what happened to Samson? The Philistines cut off his hair, which had been devoted to God, and God took away his strength. Then they captured Samson. They put out his eyes. They put him to work grinding grain. It was a totally hopeless picture. Except for this one line: “But the hair on his head began to grow again after it had been shaved.” – Judges 16:22

 

That one line was enough to bring hope back into the story. Samson’s new growth of hair meant a new time of dedication to God as a Nazirite, which meant that God might not be finished with his humbled servant. By the end of the story, God has again used Samson to bring about a mighty victory over the Philistines.

 

It’s the same thing here. King Jehoiachin’s life wasn’t perfect yet. He was still in exile, still humbled. The Davidic descendant was not yet on his throne. But signs of God’s favor were beginning to show up in his life, and they were an indication that God might not yet be finished with David’s descendants or with His people.

 

Father, thank You for signs of hope. We live in a world where things are not good the way they will be when we’re home with You. And honestly, we Your people do not deserve better. We have not been faithful to You as we should have been. We have established our own priorities, set our own agendas, worshiped our own “gods” rather than You. But You still give us signs of Your love for us. You still meet our needs day by day. You feed us. You heal us. You allow us to live in relative comfort, though we’re not yet home. You have given us relative favor with our leaders and politicians, though in this world we should never expect such favor. Thank You for signs of hope, reminders that You still love us and that You are not finished with us. Thank You most of all that Jesus Christ has come, has suffered, has died and has risen again. Thank You that through Jesus You have given us Your Holy Spirit – a wonderful first taste of heavenly life! Your hope gives me strength to walk through the discouragement of living in a sinful, decaying, dying world.