These are the last of the generations before entering Babylon. All together we have viewed 22 generations of JESUS family before HIS birth. Please don’t think that my opening up who these people are is irrelevant because it’s not. We are witnessing the reciprocations of sin and the blessings of obedience. We are witnessing how the government was run via sin and obedience. How our government can take instruction on how we can turn this country back to The LORD GOD. We are witnessing what happened when GOD reveals that HE is no respecter of male and female; how HE transferred the promise from a direct blood tie to which Joseph the husband of Mary was to be King. Please stay with this series because we will see next week how the next 22 generations operated in Babylon and beyond.
Hezekiah /for the twenty-nine years this King ruled the monarchy he was spoken very highly as being good and great. He followed after the life of his great grand-father King Uzziah to abolish idolatry in his kingdom. King Hezekiah destroyed the brazen serpent (made of brass) that Moses used to be lifted up on a pole so if any man had been bitten by a serpent and the man looked upon the serpent of brass; he would live. Over the generations the people began to worship the idol. King Hezekiah had gotten so sick that he was close to death; the King prayed to The LORD GOD and was healed; unfortunately the King experienced a moment of weakness when pride was found in his heart. Because of this pride there was great anger against him, Judah and Jerusalem. When the King came to his senses he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem humbled themselves before The LORD GOD and HIS anger was not acted on them. When the King had died he left behind great peace and wealth; it is continued to this day that there was never a King like him before or after. 2 Kings 18:1, 4-5, 13-17, 20; 19:37; 20:1, 12; 2 Chrn. 29-32; Isaiah 30, 31, 33:1, 36-39; Numbers 21:6-9.
Manasseh /longest reigning King taking the throne at the age of twelve and remaining for fifty-five years. He continued what King Ahaz began; to rule both in religion and politics. Because of his inexperience and youth he early followed the influences of the heathenistic court circle. His rule was considered sad in the beginning because it had fallen back into idolatry. It was so bad that the banishment to cease the worship of JEHOVAH had gone throughout the land. The faithful prophets Isaiah and Micah continued in their protest with warnings but the people rose up against them with bitter hatred and persecution. During this time of rebellion the King was taken prisoner and carried off to Babylon; he was treated with great cruelty. Being led around with a hook in his nose and a bridle through his lips that had chains; he was shackled on his wrist and ankles (to draw up the head and chin with disdain and resentment). His punishment was so severe that he repented before The LORD GOD and was restored back to his kingdom. He banished idolatry from his kingdom and enjoyed worshipping JEHOVAH with the people; unfortunately the entire kingdom did not side with him on this. 2 Kings 19:28; 21:1, 10-16, 17-18; 24:3-4; Isaiah 7:10; Jeremiah 2:30; Psalm 49, 73, 77, 140, 141; 2 Chrn. 33:11-13, 20.
Amon /the fourteenth King of Judah restored the idolatress lifestyle and all the idols his father cast down. This King was assassinated by his own servants. 2 Kings 21:18-26; 2 Chrn. 33:20-25; Zephaniah 1:1-4; 3:4, 11.
Josiah /this King had unswerving loyalty to JEHOVAH. He did what was right in the sight of JEHOVAH and walked in the way of King David. Known as the youngest of all the previous Kings he ascended the throne at age eight. At the age of sixteen he began to search after The LORD GOD of King David and devoted himself to The LORD GOD. He himself began the war on idolatry which had been the state of religion for 70 years. During the King’s reign of 18 years; he began to repair the beauty of the temple which had succumbed to the violence in and around the kingdom. The High Priest found the original law by Moses and after reading it to the King; the King became very alarmed and called for the Prophetess Huldah. She encouraged the King and Josiah immediately gathered the people together to engage in the renewal of Passover a covenant that had not been honored before The LORD GOD since King Hezekiah. However, The LORD did not turn HIS anger away. After 31 years as King; he died and was provided all honors that Prophetess Huldah had said; Jeremiah referred to him as the best King of Israel. The outcry which came from the nation due to his death became proverbial. 2 Kings 22:1-23; 23:21-30; 2 Chrn. 34:3, 11; 35:1-27; Jeremiah 24:3, 11, 29; 34:5; Lam. 4:20; Zechariah 12:11; Rev. 16:16.
Jeconiah /a legal ancestor of JESUS CHRIST through his foster father Joseph a direct descendant of King David. This King’s sins were so great that it caused The LORD GOD to cut his seed off from ascending to the throne of King David forever. The LORD GOD transferred the spiritual right to the throne of King David to Mary’s ancestors. However, for a very brief time after King Jeconiah was deported to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar the uncle of the King; Zedikiah was assigned to rule but he too was put down. After this there has been no other King from the direct line of King David that has ascended the throne. Jeremiah 22:24-30; 1 Chrn. 3:16; 2 Chrn. 36:10; 2 Kings 24:6.