23 November 2025

The Cost of Rebellion: A Path We Never Intended to Take

Bible Passage: 2 Chronicles 36

Summary: 2 Chronicles 36 recounts the final days of Judah's kingdom, highlighting Israel's persistent rebellion against God, leading to their destruction and exile. It serves as a warning about the consequences of turning away from divine guidance.

How this passage could point to Christ: In the broader biblical narrative, rebellion is ultimately addressed in Christ, who offers redemption and restoration. His sacrifice restores the broken relationship caused by sin and rebellion, offering a path back to God.

1. Opening

Sin cycle revisited...

1. Rebellious Snowball

2 Chronicles 36:1–14 “Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father’s place in Jerusalem. Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. Now the king of Egypt deposed him at Jerusalem; and he imposed on the land a tribute of one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. Then the king of Egypt made Jehoahaz’s brother Eliakim king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. And Necho took Jehoahaz his brother and carried him off to Egypt. Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord his God. Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against him, and bound him in bronze fetters to carry him off to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar also carried off some of the articles from the house of the Lord to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon. Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, the abominations which he did, and what was found against him, indeed they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. Then Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place. Jehoiachin was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months and ten days. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord. At the turn of the year King Nebuchadnezzar summoned him and took him to Babylon, with the costly articles from the house of the Lord, and made Zedekiah, Jehoiakim’s brother, king over Judah and Jerusalem. Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He did evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the Lord. And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear an oath by God; but he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the Lord God of Israel. Moreover all the leaders of the priests and the people transgressed more and more, according to all the abominations of the nations, and defiled the house of the Lord which He had consecrated in Jerusalem.”

The kings after Josiah reject God’s Word and ignore the prophets

Imagine if you will that Judah is like a car on a mountain road, racing forward with the gas pedal stuck to the floor

There are warning signs up ahead saying bridge out, there are construction workers telling them to stop, they may even slam the brakes and the tires screech, but nothing can stop the car

Until this thing called Babylon in the form of a concrete barrier that the car slams into. What may feel immediately in the moment like hurt, ultimately delivers them from total destruction

Judah keeps sinning despite the warnings, despite the prophets

2 Chronicles 36:15 “And the Lord God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place.”

Jeremiah 7:13 “And now, because you have done all these works,” says the Lord, “and I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but you did not hear, and I called you, but you did not answer,”

2 Kings 17:13 “Yet the Lord testified against Israel and against Judah, by all of His prophets, every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways, and keep My commandments and My statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by My servants the prophets.””

The sin cycle continued

Notice God’s character through all of this

Patient

Longsuffering

2. God’s Justice

A loving God is a just God, if he did not punish the wicked and uphold the righteous, that would not be just and it would go against God

We see that persistent rebellion must be dealt with because sin destroys people and communities

Babylon becomes a tool that God uses to stop Judah’s race towards destruction, just like the barrier

Galatians 6:7 “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”

Romans 1:24 “Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,”

He lets us race toward the cliff sometimes

Judgement is not God’s first desire for us but He is not afraid to use it when we become stubborn

3. God’s Goal: Restoration

The exile will be painful but it isn’t the end of the story

We will see that God uses judgement to bring His people back

Judah learns to long for God again

Hebrews 12:5–6 “And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.””

Hosea 6:1 “Come, and let us return to the Lord; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up.”

Jeremiah 29:10 “For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place.”

God’s discipline is aimed at our restoration, not our destruction

4. Pattern of the Prodigal

Jesus will teach the same lesson centuries later in the story of the prodigal son (Rebellion, Ruin, Return)

Luke 15:11–24 “Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’ “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.”

God still works this way today

When we run from God in our daily lives, we eventually collide with the consequences of our sin

This feels like judgement, and it may be, however, it’s more likely a call from our Father to come home

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;”

5. Something to Chew On

God is longsuffering, He is patient with us

God is just, He must confront sin

He is faithful and loving and will restore all of us who return to Him