King Zedekiah, final king of Judah

King Zedekiah, the last ruler of Judah before the Babylonian exile, reigned from 597 to 586 BC. His reign was marked by political instability, rebellion against Babylon, and spiritual unfaithfulness.

Zedekiah was appointed king by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, after the latter had taken Jehoiachin, the previous king, into captivity (2 Kings 24:17). His original name was Mattaniah, but Nebuchadnezzar changed it to Zedekiah, possibly as a sign of his authority over him. Though he was placed on the throne as a vassal king, Zedekiah was expected to remain loyal to Babylon.

However, despite warnings from the prophet Jeremiah, Zedekiah eventually rebelled against Babylon by seeking an alliance with Egypt (Jeremiah 37:5-10). This act of defiance led to the siege of Jerusalem in 588 BC, a devastating event that culminated in the destruction of the city and the temple in 586 BC.

Zedekiah’s Spiritual Failures

He was not merely a weak political ruler but also a faithless covenant leader. Jeremiah, a prophet sent by God, repeatedly warned Zedekiah to submit to Babylon as an act of obedience to God's judgment (Jeremiah 27:12-22). However, Zedekiah vacillated, at times seeming to consider Jeremiah’s words but ultimately choosing to listen to his officials and the false prophets who promised deliverance (Jeremiah 38:14-28).

Zedekiah’s refusal to trust in God and heed His prophetic word reveals a heart hardened by sin. Zedekiah had access to God's word through Jeremiah, yet he feared man more than God, choosing political expediency over spiritual obedience.

The fall of Jerusalem under Zedekiah’s watch was not merely a political event; it was a fulfillment of God’s covenantal warnings. Deuteronomy 28 had explicitly warned that disobedience to God’s covenant would result in exile. Zedekiah’s fate—seeing his sons executed before his eyes and then being blinded and taken in chains to Babylon (2 Kings 25:7)—was a tragic but just consequence of his rebellion.

The exile was not merely punishment but also a means of purifying His people, setting the stage for the eventual coming of Christ, who would bring true restoration.

King Zedekiah’s reign is a warning against disregarding God's word and trusting in human strength rather than divine sovereignty.