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Coniah the end of the Line
Coniah the end of the Line
In the 22nd chapter of Jeremiah we read of the judgment of God against Jehoiakim (609 - 598 B.C.). He is followed by Jehoiachin who is also known as Coniah and Jeconiah. We have watched as the kings of Judah have alternated between good and evil.
When we get to Coniah we reach the end of God's patience. “As I live, declares the Lord, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, were the signet ring on my right hand, yet I would tear you off and give you into the hand of those who seek your life, into the hand of those of whom you are afraid, even into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and into the hand of the Chaldeans" (Jer. 22:24-25)
All of these kings were descended from David. NOW God declares concerning this son of David: "Thus says the Lord: “Write this man down as childless, a man who shall not succeed in his days, for none of his offspring shall succeed in sitting on the throne of David and ruling again in Judah" (Jer. 22:30). He DID have children (1Chron. 3:17-18) and Jesus himself has Jeconiah list in His genealogy. Thus this oracle was not about HAVING children but about having any children that would "succeed ("prosper" KJV/ASV) in sitting on the throne of David and ruling again in Judah".
After only three months as king, he and his mother were taken as captives to Babylon in 597 B.C. They both died there as Jeremiah said (22:26). When Coniah was removed, they placed his uncle Zedekiah upon the throne as the last king and thus no sons of Coniah ever ruled. After the destruction of Judah there were no more kings of David's line that ruled in Judah. When they returned from captivity they restored the worship and temple but NOT the royal throne and kingship. When we turn to the New Testament we have 'Herod' as king but He was an Edomite and not even of the tribe of Judah let alone the house of David.
Jesus is the son of Abraham, the son of David (Matt. 1:1). God promised to restore the throne of David unto HIM (Luke 1:32-33). After his resurrection He ascended up on high and sat on the throne. Jesus does prosper / succeed upon the throne of David BUT His throne is NOT in Judah but in heaven. He is NOW King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He NOW rules over not just Judah but over heaven and earth. His kingdom is not for a 40 year generation but forever. AND we are citizen's in this great kingdom of God's dear son (Col. 1:13; Rev. 1:6, 9). Let us honor the king and behave as His royal subjects.
God is faithful. There is a king of the lineage of David. The promise of 2 Sam. 7:12-16 is fulfilled with the eternal kingship of Jesus. Yet God also kept His word about punishing all those sons of David that would sin (Psalm 89:29-35). The story from David to Jesus is not what you would have anticipated upon reading the promise of 2 Samuel! God's ways are NOT man's ways. We need to learn to trust Him for He is always faithful to His word.
