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Study of the Book of Kings – 2Ki 23:19-37  The pillar of the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night

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2Ki 23:19-37  The pillar of the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night

[Study Aired April 27, 2023]

2Ki 23:19  And all the houses also of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke the LORD to anger, Josiah took away, and did to them according to all the acts that he had done in Bethel. 
2Ki 23:20  And he slew all the priests of the high places that were there upon the altars, and burned men’s bones upon them, and returned to Jerusalem. 
2Ki 23:21  And the king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the passover unto the LORD your God, as it is written in the book of this covenant. 
2Ki 23:22  Surely there was not holden such a passover from the days of the judges that judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah; 
2Ki 23:23  But in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, wherein this passover was holden to the LORD in Jerusalem. 
2Ki 23:24  Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD. 
2Ki 23:25  And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him. 
2Ki 23:26  Notwithstanding the LORD turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal. 
2Ki 23:27  And the LORD said, I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there. 
2Ki 23:28  Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 
2Ki 23:29  In his days Pharaohnechoh king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates: and king Josiah went against him; and he slew him at Megiddo, when he had seen him. 
2Ki 23:30  And his servants carried him in a chariot dead from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own sepulchre. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made him king in his father’s stead. 
2Ki 23:31  Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 
2Ki 23:32  And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done. 
2Ki 23:33  And Pharaohnechoh put him in bands at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and put the land to a tribute of an hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold. 
2Ki 23:34  And Pharaohnechoh made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the room of Josiah his father, and turned his name to Jehoiakim, and took Jehoahaz away: and he came to Egypt, and died there. 
2Ki 23:35  And Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh; but he taxed the land to give the money according to the commandment of Pharaoh: he exacted the silver and the gold of the people of the land, of every one according to his taxation, to give it unto Pharaohnechoh. 
2Ki 23:36  Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Zebudah, the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah.
2Ki 23:37  And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done. 

Christ’s body will be “the pillar of the cloud by day” and “the pillar of fire by night” before the people throughout the thousand-year reign which God will not take away (Exo 13:22). 

Exo 13:22  He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

That witness of God’s pillars (Rev 3:12) will have the same effect the parables of Christ have had on all of us in our time of ignorance and blindness not discerning the word correctly, not having been given the eyes or ears to see and hear the truths (Mat 13:13) which were always right in front of us (Act 17:27) like the pillar in the wilderness.

Rev 3:12  Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

Mat 13:13  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

Act 17:27  That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

Flesh has no excuse regarding what God has physically witnessed to us about His existence (Rom 1:20), but without the spirit of God within (Rom 8:9), we can’t be anything other than blind and ignorant to what He is showing us His word means spiritually. Therefore, we can say with apostle Paul concerning doing evil that we did it in ignorance and were blind Babylonians in our thinking (Mat 13:16, Eph 4:18, 1Ti 1:13, 1Pe 1:14, Eph 1:11).

This section of 2 Kings highlights for us this blindness God can cause to fall upon us, demonstrated in type and shadow via the nation of Judah who, after the death of their zealous king Josiah, a type of Christ, go back into their same idolatrous ways. God has to make us a pillar and witness to us that we cannot become that new creation without His deliverance: “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar [1Jn 4:17, Joh 5:30, Joh 15:5] in the temple of my God.

1Jn 4:17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Joh 5:30  I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

Joh 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Remembering that the example of Lot’s wife is an admonition to us that our natural mind wants to go back to a pattern which fashions ourselves “according to the former lusts in your ignorance”, and, God willing, our hearts will be as Lot who lost his wife who represents Babylon out of which we come as we are scarcely saved (1Pe 4:17-18) by being given the power to keep our eyes on the pillar of light set before us, actions typified by Lot who forsook all to ‘come out her my people’ and not look back (Rev 18:4).

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18  And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 

Rev 18:4  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 

Our labor in the Lord is never in vain, even if it does not produce the immediate effect we are hoping. We need to be encouraged and not discouraged by the failure of the nation of Judah and their ultimate captivity into which God brought them. Their captivity and all the events that unfolded were to admonish God’s elect today that we can become more that conquerors through Christ, overcoming in this life, but we must go through the fiery trials of this life; the judgment that will purify the bride and make it possible for us to discern good and evil (Heb 5:14). This is another way of saying we will be able to be used by the Lord as “a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night” because we have been blessed to be judge and become those pillars by the hand of the Master Potter, of whose workmanship we are (Eph 2:10).

Heb 5:14  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. [“a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night“]

Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

God is seeking an occasion against the world who are being witnessed to (Rev 11:3) through the church that they are blinded (Rom 11:7) and cannot see the light side of that pillar unless they are dragged to Christ (Joh 6:44), which for Christ’s body today is a lifelong process of being dragged to Him. We are being blessed to have Christ as our hope of glory within who can give us the power (Rev 11:3) to go from glory to glory and unto perfection on the third day (Heb 12:2, Php 4:13, Exo 26:31, 2Co 3:18).

Exo 26:31  And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made: 

2Co 3:18  But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

In this week’s study, we will look at more of the cleansing process of the land of Judah that typifies a work of the saints that will set the stage for the lake of fire, or great white throne judgment. All mankind must be baptized with water and with spirit as Christ told us in John 3:5. True spiritual baptism is what the elect of God must go through first (Rom 6:1-3, Act 14:22) if we are going to be made meet for the master’s use (2Ti 2:21, 2Ti 2:12) and given the honor to work with the world and bring them into the knowledge of God’s judgments and truth (Isa 26:9).

Act 14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

2Ti 2:21  If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. 

2Ti 2:12  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: 

Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

2Ki 23:19  And all the houses also of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke the LORD to anger, Josiah took away, and did to them according to all the acts that he had done in Bethel. 

The words of the law cannot be performed if we are double minded and unstable (Jas 1:8, Jas 4:8). A cleansing of evil spirits must take place in order for true worship to happen as we draw near to Christ, to whom we are dragged (Joh 6:44), in order to cleanse our hands and purify our double minded hearts so we become stable in Christ (1Pe 5:10, 2Ti 1:7). 

Jas 1:8  A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Jas 4:8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

1Pe 5:10  But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

2Ti 1:7  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 

This cleansing process Josiah put the nation through typifies what Christ is doing in the lives of His children today, making the bride ready. “The high places that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke the LORD to anger, Josiah took away, and did to them according to all the acts that he had done in Bethel” represent Christ destroying our pride-filled hearts that contended with God for so long, provoking Him to anger. The Lord takes that spirit away which He caused to be there in the first place (Isa 63:17). This section that reads: “and did to them according to all the acts that he had done in Bethel” reminds us that our strength to overcome comes from God, from the house of Bethel, which means bread, which we know represents the true bread from heaven, Jesus Christ our savior (Psa 104:15, Luk 18:1).

Isa 63:17  O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants’ sake, the tribes of thine inheritance.

Psa 104:15  And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart. [Luk 21:26]

Luk 18:1  And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

2Ki 23:20  And he slew all the priests of the high places that were there upon the altars, and burned men’s bones upon them, and returned to Jerusalem. 
2Ki 23:21  And the king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the passover unto the LORD your God, as it is written in the book of this covenant. 
2Ki 23:22  Surely there was not holden such a passover from the days of the judges that judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah; 
2Ki 23:23  But in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, wherein this passover was holden to the LORD in Jerusalem.

It is only through the strength of Christ that we can slay “all the priests of the high places that were there upon the altars, and burned men’s bones upon them, and returned to Jerusalem” within us and burn “men’s bones upon them, and returned to Jerusalem“. After we destroy those things by the grace and faith of Christ, we return to Jerusalem, which typifies our being raised in heavenly places where we are seated together in Christ Jesus (Eph 2:6). 

Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 

“The passover” is a meaningless event if we partake of it unworthily (1Co 11:27-29), and in these verses we’re reading we see an example of the passover being taken worthily as a result of the diligence of king Josiah, who represents Christ, who destroys “the priests of the high places that were there upon the altars of our hearts and minds.

1Co 11:27  Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
1Co 11:28  But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
1Co 11:29  For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

Christ commands us, as Josiah did the people, to “Keep the passover unto the LORD your God, as it is written in the book of this covenant.” This statement given to all the people of Judah to keep the passover typifies for us today the need to keep our lives undefiled and holy before God which we know is impossible without Christ delivering us from our sins (Joh 8:36) by His body and blood, which represent His word that is the true bread from heaven, the true passover we keep spiritually. The flesh and bones is also part of the passover and represents Christ’s body, the scapegoat (Eph 5:30, Lev 16:21) that is being preserved through the life of Christ within each of us, each member being a joint that supplies in love what we need from one another (Eph 4:16).

Joh 8:36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Eph 5:30  For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 

Lev 16:21  And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: [Php 2:12-13]

Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Christ is our passover, and we labor to enter into that communion (1Co 10:16), that rest which is found in Him (Heb 4:11). When we confess our faults, He is faithful to forgive all our sins, all our iniquities, so that “Surely there was not holden such a passover from the days of the judges that judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah.”  This statement typifies for us today what only Christ is able to do through the body of Christ that is strengthened by His life working in us (Php 4:13, Col 1:27). 

1Co 10:16  The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 
1Co 10:17  For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

Php 4:13  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

What a wonderful blessing to know that the bride will be made ready, and that readiness will come as a result of Christ, who is typified by Josiah, who judged the nation. It is “in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, wherein this passover was holden to the LORD in Jerusalem” which numbers add up to nine (1+8) that represents judgment. The number one (1) represents the day of the Lord and the eight (8)  represents the new man formed out of that judgment which happens on the day of the Lord.

2Ki 23:24  Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD. 
2Ki 23:25  And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.

The words of the law that the land of Judah was called to perform cannot be accomplished unless “the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem” are put away by Josiah, who represents our faithful High Priest who cleanses us of all our sins and iniquities (1Jn 1:9). He is our advocate to that end and is greater than our conscience which condemns us and is easily beset by the sin in our lives (1Jn 2:1-2). When we are washed and cleansed of our sins, God is merciful to renew a right spirit within us (Psa 51:10), typified by “the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD“; a type of the law of Christ that quickens us (Gal 6:2, Joh 6:63, Rom 5:5).

1Jn 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

1Jn 2:1  My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
1Jn 2:2  And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 

Psa 51:10  Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

This section, “And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him“,  reminds us that God is a jealous God and with His spirit within us, we are going to experience that jealousy regarding keeping the temple undefiled as we become consumed for the temple of God we are by the life of Christ within us (Col 1:27). That makes us a peculiar people who are zealous of good works, typified by the actions of zealous king Josiah (Tit 2:14-15). Those works are clearly connected to cleansing the temple, which then brings forth fruit and true spiritual worship which our Father seeks out and finds in His people (Joh 4:23).

Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: 

Tit 2:14  Who gave himself for us, that he [Joh 8:36] might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works
Tit 2:15  These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

2Ki 23:26  Notwithstanding the LORD turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal. 
2Ki 23:27  And the LORD said, I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there. 
2Ki 23:28  Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

The conclusion of the matter is to fear God and work righteousness as we learn that God will not be mocked (Ecc 12:13-14). So we have this section of scripture reminding us that God puts us through severe trials so we don’t sin any longer (1Pe 4:1). He does not turn away “from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal“ because he loves us and is receiving us through those corrections (Heb 12:6) that make us one with Him as He gives us the power we need through Christ (Php 4:13) to overcome and endure the much tribulation of this life necessary in order to enter into the kingdom of God (Act 14:22).

Ecc 12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecc 12:14  For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. 

Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Php 4:13  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. 

Act 14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

What we are being told is that if God can remove a nation, or nations, and cast off His chosen city Jerusalem, then we can be sure He can also do this to us, and will do this and receive us back in this age if we are His (Psa 37:28, Psa 94:14, Psa 138:8, Psa 119:8). We don’t avoid this captivity is what we’re being told, and at the same time we also are being reminded that the same God who has the power to bind and bring us into captivity can also deliver us and reinstate us, if it is His will to do so in this life.

Psa 37:28  For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.  captivity can also deliver us from ourselves each one of us at our appointed time.

Psa 94:14  For the LORD will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.

Psa 138:8  The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

Psa 119:8  I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.

2Ki 23:29  In his days Pharaohnechoh king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates: and king Josiah went against him; and he slew him at Megiddo, when he had seen him. 
2Ki 23:30  And his servants carried him in a chariot dead from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own sepulchre. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made him king in his father’s stead. 

Pharaohnechoh, king of Egypt, coming up against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates, a place that means “break forth”, reminds us that our enemy is given to break forth at times and prevail against our flesh (Job 1:12). That does not mean that our spiritual life is going to be destroyed. Rather, it becomes a testimony for us, and eventually all the world, that nothing will ever be able to separate the body of Christ from the love (Rom 8:35-39) of God that receives us through those severe Job-like trials in our lives which are needful to try the faith of Christ in us (Luk 21:18, Rev 13:7-11).

Job 1:12  And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD. 

Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Luk 21:18  But there shall not an hair of your head perish.

Rev 13:7  And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 
Rev 13:8  And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 
Rev 13:9  If any man have an ear, let him hear. 
Rev 13:10  He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
Rev 13:11  And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 

This period of time in 2 Kings has an is-was-and-will-be application, as do all the words of God. Looking at the sum of God’s word and considering that God is working all things according to the counsel of His own will (Eph 1:11), helps us understand this principle and frees up these stories that were written for the elect’s sake today (2Co 4:15).

Satan, who is the god of this world (2Co 4:4), is figuratively represented by “Pharaohnechoh king of Egypt.” All of the cleansing of the land, which Josiah accomplishes from a physical standpoint, may seem futile to us seeing the kingdom went right back to its evil practices after Josiah is killed. However, the lesson is twofold for God’s elect; one side showing us that our flesh and blood being ruled over by Christ, who is typified by Josiah, cannot inherit the kingdom of God (“according to all the law of Moses” of v25 above), and that it is through that death of the flesh we will inherit eternal life (1Co 15:50). That’s the present way we can look at this section of 2 Kings, but it also has an outward dispensational way of looking at it, knowing that the saints’ rulership during the thousand years will not change anyone’s heart, as was typified by king Josiah’s rule, which is why the corrupt kings kept coming after Josiah was no longer ruling.

2Ki 23:25  And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.

Being slain at Megiddo is another way of telling all mankind that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, but all men will be saved each man in his own order. If we are predestined to be in the first resurrection, then we will have been tried and tested in this life, which is what it takes to keep our garments, otherwise our Megiddo moment will be in the great white throne judgment (Rev 16:14-16).

Rev 16:14  For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 
Rev 16:15  Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
Rev 16:16  And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue ArmageddonG717.

These physical locations discussed (Megiddo [2Ki 23:29] and Armageddon [Rev 16:16] which are the same location) remind us that the one thing common to all men is judgment. Gog and Magog is another physical type of judgment that represents the lake of fire judgment that will come upon all the world in the second resurrection when those who have not been blessed to be judged in this age (1Pe 4:17) will be judged by God’s fiery words in the great white throne judgment (Joh 5:29, Rev 20:13-15).

Joh 5:29  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

Rev 20:13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 
Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 
Rev 20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. 

2Ki 23:31  Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 
2Ki 23:32  And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done. 
2Ki 23:33  And Pharaohnechoh put him in bands at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and put the land to a tribute of an hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold. 
2Ki 23:34  And Pharaohnechoh made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the room of Josiah his father, and turned his name to Jehoiakim, and took Jehoahaz away: and he came to Egypt, and died there. 

Notice who is running the show here. It is Pharaohnechoh who takes the twenty-three year old evil king Jehoahaz in bands at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he [Jehoahaz] might not reign in Jerusalem, “And Pharaohnechoh put him in bands at Riblah in the land of Hamath.” Pharaohnechoh is a type of Satan who keeps this king in bands just as the devil has kept the world in the bondage of corruption (Rom 8:21) until this day. Also, “that he might not reign in Jerusalem” means taking away all possibility for righteous rulership which typically can only manifest from Jerusalem, which typifies Jerusalem above, the mother of us all. Pharaohnechoh was the vehicle God used to stop grace [Jehoahaz was 23 years old when he began to reign. 2+3=5] from abounding in the king’s life which spiritual bondage prevented fruitful growth [Riblah: H7247]. Part of that bondage is expressed by the “tribute of an hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold“, symbols of God’s word which is being peddled making merchandise of the brethren (2Pe 2:3, 2Co 2:17). A talent is worth 3000 shekels, and one hundred talents would be worth 300,000 shekels. Again we see the process of grace being taken away from the nation with these symbolic numbers reminding us that the way the world is being taxed today is by not being judged, which keeps the world in the bondage of sin, and that is what God has caused Satan to do until this day (2Co 4:4).

Riblah H7247  riblâh rib-law’

From an unused root meaning to be fruitful; fertile; Riblah, a place in Syria: – Riblah.

Total KJV occurrences: 11

Then Pharaohnechoh, who is type of Satan, made “Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the room of Josiah his father, and turned his name to Jehoiakim, and took Jehoahaz away: and he came to Egypt, and died there.” This is telling us that the god of this world has the power God gives him to put the basest of men in charge and elevated to positions of power (Dan 4:17), even as others are taken away and destroyed as Jehoahaz was.

Dan 4:17  This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. 

It is significant that Pharaohnechoh changes the name of Eliakim the would-be predecessor of king Jehoahaz to Jehoiakim as a negative shadow of the devil giving someone who is elevated a new name in this world, unlike the positive rendition of that written in Revelation regarding the new name God’s elect are given in Christ (Rev 2:17, Rev 3:12). 

Rev 2:17  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

Rev 3:12  Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

Jehoiakim is also given “the room of Josiah his father” by Pharaohnechoh, a type of the devil who gives people power in places where they ought not to be, symbolizing the man of perdition being on the heart of our thrones until he is not (2Th 2:8). The father’s bed is to be undefiled, and Josiah, who typifies Christ, had a bed that was undefiled, and now with this latest king Eliakim whose name was changed to Jehoiakim (H3079) there was going to be defilement in the nation of Judah once again, symbolized by where Eliakim rested, whom God raised up to defile the bed of his father, Josiah.

2Ki 23:35  And Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh; but he taxed the land to give the money according to the commandment of Pharaoh: he exacted the silver and the gold of the people of the land, of every one according to his taxation, to give it unto Pharaohnechoh.

This is how the business of religion is run in this world, and these verses are clearly showing us that it is the god of this world, represented by Pharaohnechoh, who is pulling the purse strings of those who promise us liberty in Babylon but are actually in bondage, revealed by those very actions of putting a tax on the people, symbolizing their wanting dominion over the faith of others (2Pe 2:19, 2Co 1:24).

2Pe 2:19  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 

2Co 1:24  Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand. 

2Ki 23:36  Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Zebudah, the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah. 
2Ki 23:37  And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.

This chapter ends by revealing the fruit of Satan’s world with its false version of grace, symbolized by the age of Jehoiakim who was twenty five (5×5) when he began to reign. He reigned for eleven years [“The Ruin and Disintegration of the Perfection of the Flesh”] telling us that no stable foundation of righteousness was ever established, reminding us that the so-called foundation of Babylon must come crashing down, first in the lives of the elect, and then in the whole world which will be judged by the saints who will bring “lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail” to wipe away the refuge of lies in this world (Rev 18:2, Rev 11:19).

Rev 18:2  And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. 

Rev 11:19  And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

That is when the world will begin to see a new version (2Co 5:17) of Exodus 13:22 “the pillar of the cloud by day” and “the pillar of fire by night.”

2Co 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 

Exo 13:22  He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

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