29/07/2026
DISOBEDIENCE LEADS TO DISCIPLINE
Text: 2 Chronicles 36:17
«“Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man or him that was stooped for age: he gave them all into his hand.”
— 2 Chronicles 36:17»
Introduction
The history of the kings of Israel and Judah teaches us an important lesson: disobedience to God eventually brings discipline.
Jehoiakim was one of the sons of Josiah and became king after his father. Sadly, he did not follow the good leadership and godly example of his father. Instead, he became an evil ruler and hardened himself in sin, as recorded in Jeremiah 22:13–19.
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came against Judah. Jehoiakim rebelled against Babylon, and eventually his son, Jehoiachin, became king. Jehoiachin reigned for only about three months before he was taken captive to Babylon.
Later, Zedekiah became king. He also rebelled against Babylon. Jerusalem was eventually captured, his sons were killed before his eyes, and his eyes were put out before he was taken to Babylon in chains (2 Kings 25:7).
The people of Judah eventually went into captivity in Babylon, which lasted for approximately 70 years.
Lessons from the Northern Kingdom and the Kings of Judah
The Northern Kingdom of Israel, consisting of ten tribes, was founded upon idolatry and continued from bad to worse because its people repeatedly turned away from God.
The Southern Kingdom of Judah, consisting mainly of two tribes, had some periods of repentance and experienced several good kings. However, even the best kings could not permanently turn the people away from idolatry and rebellion. Again and again, the people slipped back into sin.
As believers, we must learn from this history that disobedience to God's Word always brings consequences and discipline from the God of the Word.
It is high time for us to wake up from our spiritual sleep.
The Condition of Our Nation Today
What is happening in our nation today should cause every citizen, especially believers, to examine themselves and seek God's face.
Our nation is experiencing serious moral, economic and security challenges. Innocent people are dying and suffering. We hear of banditry, killings and kidnappings. Farmers are facing serious challenges, and farming is becoming increasingly difficult for many people.
Terrorist attacks and the destruction of lives and properties have caused fear and hardship. The cost of living is high, unemployment remains a major concern, and hunger is affecting many families.
There are also concerns about the safety of Christians and the freedom to worship. When people become afraid to gather together to worship God, it should awaken us to the seriousness of the times.
What happened in the past can teach us something about the present. In the context of 2 Chronicles 36:17, the people drifted away from the worship of the living God, and they eventually suffered the consequences of their disobedience.
The problem began with leaders and people who turned away from God, embraced idolatry and continued in sin. As a result, the kingdoms went from bad to worse.
The message for us today is not simply to blame leaders or other people. Every individual must examine his or her own life and return to God.
Sin is too prevalent in our society, and we must return to righteousness.
WAY FORWARD
When you do not know what to do, seek the face of the Lord.
As a nation and as individuals, we must turn back to God through genuine repentance, prayer and righteous living.
Suggestions
1. The government should collaborate with genuine and responsible spiritual leaders to encourage prayer, moral renewal and godly values in individuals and the nation at large.
2. The government and spiritual leaders should work together to sanitise the nation from idolatry, corruption and other forms of evil, while promoting justice, righteousness and accountability.
3. People who are involved in evil and corruption should not be allowed to continue occupying positions of responsibility. Leaders should be held accountable regardless of their status.
4. Spiritual leaders should preach messages that call people to repentance and holiness. There should also be prayers for the nation, leaders, officers and citizens, asking God for wisdom, protection, healing and restoration.
Conclusion
With these few ideas, together with the contributions and opinions of others, I believe our nation can move forward if we genuinely turn back to God, uphold righteousness, promote justice and responsibly address the challenges facing our people.
The Bible says:
«“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
— 2 Chronicles 7:14»
Let us therefore humble ourselves, pray, seek God's face and turn away from our wicked ways.
May God heal our land, restore peace to our nation, protect the innocent, give wisdom to our leaders and bring hope to our nation in Jesus name.
