Jehoiakim's Penknife

Jeremiah 36.

Josiah, the father of Jehoiakim, was one of the best kings that sat upon the throne of David. He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and at his death was greatly lamented by the prophet Jeremiah and by the people. Alas, Jehoiakim did not follow in the steps of his godly father, for "he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God." Had the king given attention to the word of God he would have understood that the divine judgment, decreed against Judah because of its idolatry, had been postponed in the long-suffering of God to give opportunity for repentance, and this because such as Hezekiah and Josiah had sought the Lord.

The Rechabites, of whom we read in the previous chapter, were an example for Judah. They refused the wine offered by the prophet Jeremiah because their father Jonadab had commanded them not to drink wine; but Israel and Judah had fallen into idolatry in defiance of the express commandment of Jehovah their God.

On the instruction of Jehovah, His servant Jeremiah wrote down in a book the judgments pronounced by God against Israel, Judah and the nations with the desire that "the house of Judah will hear all the evil I purpose to do unto them: and they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin" (verse 3). Jehoiakim had already reigned four years, and been given time to turn to God, but iniquity had increased, and further warning was being given in the hope that the king and his people would repent of their sins and return to Jehovah their God.

God's prophet Jeremiah was in prison when the word of the Lord came to him, manifesting what was the attitude of the king and his subjects towards the Master whom the prophet served. Unable to read the words that the Lord had given to him, Jeremiah instructed Baruch to go to the house of the Lord and read them to the people, in the hope that they would supplicate before the Lord and "return every one from his evil way."

It was upon a "fasting day" that God's word to Judah was read to the people "at the entry of the new gate of the Lord's house." Outwardly, there was fasting, but the fast did not express the true state of heart of the king or the nation. They were like the disciples of the Pharisees of a later date, who often fasted (Luke 5:33), but who had no heart for the Son of God who was present in their midst. Mere outward religious observances are of no value in the sight of God; He desires reality, a heart that is true before Him, and a life that gives Him pleasure.

Among those who heard the word of God read there was one who seemed to be deeply affected by it, Michaiah son of Gemariah, one of the princes, and he went down to the king's house and reported what he had heard to the assembled princes. Six of the princes are named, for the Lord knew every one that was there, and each will have to give account to God regarding his attitude to His word. That the princes were aroused by the tidings is evident, for they at once sent Jehudi to bring Baruch and the book that contained the words of God.

Fear laid hold upon all the princes when the words of divine judgment were read to them, and they said to Baruch, "We will surely tell the king of all these words." Having enquired of Baruch how he came to possess the book, they said to him, "Go, hide thee, thou and Jeremiah; and let no man know where ye be." It seems clear that the princes knew what the attitude of their master would be when he heard the word of God read. They felt that their king would not be well disposed to those who brought to him the word of God which pronounced judgment upon him and his people. At this stage the princes, influenced by some among them, desired the protection of those who, in faithfulness to God and His people, were not afraid to read His word.

True to their word, the princes made known the matter to the king, who desired that the word of God should be brought to him. It almost seemed that the princes had some foreboding as to what would happen to the Book, for they did not take it to the king when they informed him of its contents, but "laid it up in they chamber of Elishama the scribe."

Jehudi, who brought the Book, read it in the ears of the king and his assembled princes, while the king sat in his winter-house with the fire burning before him. Without waiting for the whole of the divine message to be read, after the reading of "three or four leaves," the profane king, instead of being afraid, as his princes had been, cut the roll "with the penknife, and cast it into the fire … until all the roll was consumed." Like many another since his day, this foolish man imagined that he could get rid of God's word by consigning it to the flames.

Neither king Jehoiakim, nor any who, like him, have cut up the Scriptures or have burned them, have had any true knowledge of the God who gave them by inspiration or that the word of God is a living word that cannot be destroyed, in this case, the Lord told His servant Jeremiah to "Take again another roll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah hath burned." In addition, there was a special word for the king, telling him of the divine judgment that was about to fall upon his person, upon his seed, and upon his land. The king of Babylon would certainly come, and execute the judgment that had been written in the roll. God had given him the opportunity to repent, but he had not only refused it, but had profanely despised the mercy of the God of Israel.

The professing church, like the nation of Israel in the days of Jehoiakim, has been marked by idolatry, corruption, and persecution of the servants of the Lord. There was the time when leaders of the professing church burned the Scriptures, for in them there was the condemnation of their idolatry and corruption; but not all their burnings of the Scriptures or persecution of the saints and servants of the Lord could stop the spread of God's word or hinder the work of the Lord.

Since the establishment of Protestantism much of the idolatry, corruption and persecution has gone, but it still remains in measure, especially where the truth of the Scriptures is not known. The burning of the Scriptures has virtually ceased, for the corrupt church no longer fears the exposure of its searching light, and this because Protestantism is no longer guided by the word of God. If the burning of the Scriptures has almost ceased, the cutting of the Scriptures has not: and the solemn thing is that the cutting is being done by those who once protested against the burnings.

Modernism, like Jehoiakim, does not like the word of God. The king of Israel did not want to hear of the judgment of God that was about to come upon him and his nation because of their sins. Nor do the modern thinkers of the professing church like to hear of the judgment of God that is about to come upon the false church. There are many things in the Scriptures they do not like, and they have been endeavouring to get rid of them by cutting them out of the Bible. What passes for criticism is but the mind of man intruding itself into the holy things of God, and daring to reject as God's word what He has given for the instruction and blessing of His people.

As surely as the divine judgment fell upon the king Jehoiakim and the idolatrous nation he reigned over, so shall the judgment of God fall upon the church that bears the name of Christ, but which is a false church, caring only for its own things, and refusing the light of God's word, and despising the solemn warnings He has given.

When the princes first heard the word of God read to them, pronouncing the judgments that were to come, they were all afraid; but when their profane king cut up the Scripture and consigned it to the fire, "they were not afraid, nor rent their garments." Men soon get accustomed to hearing of judgment, and become indifferent to the warnings that God gives them.

Here it is clearly indicated what the proper attitude should have been when the king cut and burned the roll containing what God had spoken to Jeremiah. The princes should have been afraid, and should have rent their garments. They ought to have been shocked and distressed at the wickedness of their king, but, for the most, they were indifferent, their monarch's profanity taking away the fear that first gripped them on hearing the words of judgment that God had sent through His servant.

Yet there were three princes, whose names remain in the divine record, who were bold enough to intercede with the king, seeking to deter him from his wicked act. They knew the king was doing wrong, but they had not the depth of conviction the situation demanded, for truly godly men would have rent their garments, knowing the awfulness of man attempting to challenge the Almighty God of Israel by cutting up and burning His word.

Not content with burning the roll, the wicked king sought to lay his hand upon the servants of the Lord. Sometimes the Lord has allowed men to do their worst, killing His servants, as He allowed them to kill His Son: but when He willed it, when it suited His inscrutable purpose. He hindered them in their evil designs. So it was here; the servants of the Lord, who, on the counsel of the princes, had hidden themselves, are not to be found, for "The Lord hid them."

Safe in the place where the Lord had hidden them, Jeremiah and Baruch produce again a roll with all the words that had been written on the roll that had been destroyed by the king. Moreover, "there were added besides unto them many like words." Little did the foolish king realise that many centuries after the judgment of God that Jeremiah had pronounced had been carried out to the letter, the very words written by Jeremiah would be read by millions down the ages; and his own wicked and foolish act would also be written down and read, for the instruction of the people of God, and to warn those who, like him, would be profane enough to interfere with the written word of God.
Wm. C. Reid.