The Release of Jehoiachin

The Release of Jehoiachin

“And it came to pass…that Evil-merodach king of Babylon in the first year of his reign lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him out of prison, and spake kindly unto him…”               Jeremiah 52:31-32   What a picture of God’s grace! See him coming with long dirty hair and an unshaven face. See him with tattered prison clothes on his body. He looks nothing like he did when he first arrived as a youth. Jehoiachin has been in prison for thirty seven years. He is most likely fifty five years old now. He has known nothing but the hard prison life of Babylon. The memories of his life in the Jerusalem palace have been far removed. His day to day grind has changed him inside and out.   He is noted as a man who only reigned three months in Judah and he did evil in the sight of the Lord. This is all we know about his character before God. Yet God would not kill him but cleanse him. Jehoiachin had no idea he would ever be released, yet, the day came in his twilight years that he would no longer be a prisoner. He is released by a king of kings and is given words of encouragement from this king. He is allotted a seat at the kings table and is positioned ahead of all other kings who have been taken captive.  

He is given a change of clothing for he is no longer to identify himself as a prisoner but a prince. He is given provision for all the days of his life. God moved the heart of the king of Babylon to show grace to Jehoiachin.
 
“And changed his prison garments: and he did continually eat bread before him all the days of his life…every day a portion…” .33-34
 
Can you imagine the new perspective he has after thirty seven years of prison life? Do you think he had an overwhelming sense of gratitude in his heart? Do you think he missed the prison life and chose to spend his days there instead?
 
The other day I ran a stop sign while out canvassing a neighborhood to invite people to church. A police officer pulled me over and had every right to give me a ticket but he gave me grace. Grace not so I could do it again but to be more cautious the next time.
 
The grace of the king was not to give him permission to go back to prison but to live in the palace. Do you know that when Christ saved you it wasn’t because of anything you did? You were saved by his marvelous grace. God wants you to live in the palace with his people and eat of his table (the Bible). He will feed you all the days of your life.
 
 
“And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in hrist Jesus. That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towrd us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”  Ephesians 2:6-8

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