May 20th, 2022

Take Off Your Prisoner's Clothes, You're Royalty

Jeremiah 52:33 NIV

"So Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life he ate regularly at the king's table."

      The book of 2 Chronicles tells a story of what happened to the tribe of Judah long after the passing of their greatest king, King David. From King Solomon succeeding his father, David, and building the temple, to King Zedekiah being carried off into exile by the Babylonian troops. However, just before we meet Zedekiah, the scripture gives us a quick glimpse of the young King Jehoiachin who served as king during the Babylonian exile (you can find some more in-depth info on him in 2 Kings 24:8-17). According to the scripture, he was eighteen when he began his reign and served only three months and ten days. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord just as his father before him did (2 Chronicles 36:9). This seemed to be the trend for most of the kings who reigned after King David. After his short stint on the throne, he was taken into custody by King Nebuchadnezzar and held as a prisoner.

      Like Jehoiachin, we may be held prisoners, only to a different capturer. In today's world, the chains of addiction, depression, sin, fear, shame, guilt, and pain can all carry us away into captivity. We have something now, though, that Jehoiachin didn't have back then. We have a Savior. All of the things that hold us captive in life are not things that have been sent to us by the Lord, but by the oppressor. Once he lays the temptation out there for us and we bite, we are taken away into our exile. However, Jesus did not come so that we could live in exile, but to give us hope for a new life through Him and to live in freedom from the oppressor. When King Nebuchadnezzar passed, his successor not only released Jehoiachin but promoted him to a person of honor allowing him to take off his prisoner clothes and feast at his table. Likewise, when Christ died, we were promoted to a status of honor as his followers and are always welcomed (and encouraged) to feast at his table. When we eat at our King's table, we come together in fellowship with Him and acknowledge the sacrifice He made for us.

Are you still wearing you prisoner's clothes, or are you living in the freedom that the King died to give us? Come take a seat at the table of our King!!