HARD AND STUBBORN
“Zedekiah was twenty-one years old… he refused to humble himself when the prophet Jeremiah spoke to him… Zedekiah was a hard and stubborn man, refusing to turn to the Lord, the God of Israel” (2 Chronicles 36:11-13 NLT).
What would your family and loved ones say about you if they were to write your biography? What would your spouse and children say about you if they were on a reality T.V. show?
In the passage we just read, we saw a few characteristics that describe Zedekiah. We see that he was young, stubborn, and hard. He was rebellious against authority, he rebelled against a king, against a prophet and against God Himself. He did not want to humble himself before the Lord, therefore, he ignored the prophets who would speak to him on behalf of God and break his promises. As we see, he was rebellious and foolish.
“Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. But Zedekiah did what was evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and he refused to humble himself when the prophet Jeremiah spoke to him directly from the Lord. He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, even though he had taken an oath of loyalty in God’s name. Zedekiah was a hard and stubborn man, refusing to turn to the Lord, the God of Israel” (2 Chronicles 36:11-13 NLT).
We cannot afford to be stubborn and rebellious against the Lord. Not fearing God and not following His commandments reveals a lack of wisdom in our lives. Many times, young people make dozens of mistakes that drastically affect their future. Other times, during our first few years with the Lord we start to think we know it all, we become prideful and at the end we fail.
We must avoid having a hardened heart and being stubborn when God speaks to us or when He uses an authority figure to correct us. If we continue to be stubborn, we might miss the great blessings and divert from God’s purpose for our lives. Therefore, we need to be humble, acknowledging that without God we are nothing and far from Him we can do nothing.
Lord, help me not to be stubborn like King Zedekiah was. Help me see my blind spots, search my heart, examine my thoughts, and guide me so I may be a person that is humble, respectful, and able to listen to the wise counsel of men and women of God. Above all, help me humble myself before you, amen.
“Zedekiah was twenty-one years old… he refused to humble himself when the prophet Jeremiah spoke to him… Zedekiah was a hard and stubborn man, refusing to turn to the Lord, the God of Israel” (2 Chronicles 36:11-13 NLT).
Think about it:
What signs of stubbornness have you been showing?
What would your family and loved ones say about you if they were to write your biography?
