Matthew 1:11. and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.
As we saw yesterday, where the king goes the people go. King Jeconiah of Judah went to Babylon. Not on vacation, but as a slave. And the people of Judah would not be far behind. After only three months of an evil reign, King Jeconiah and Judah would be conquered by the Babylonian juggernaut, and carried off into captivity.
King Jeconiah was an evil king that God had cursed due to his wicked ways:
Jeremiah 22:30. Thus says the Lord: “Write this man down as childless, a man who shall not succeed in his days, for none of his offspring shall succeed in sitting on the throne of David and ruling again in Judah.”
This little curse has created a big problem for Bible readers. How can Jesus be the son of Jeconiah and sit on the throne of David when the “Curse of Jeconiah” says that none of his sons will sit on the throne of David? Because our God is not only a curse making God, he’s a curse breaking God.
Did God curse Jeconiah for his evil? Yes. But did Jeconiah repent and change his ways? Yes (numerous rabbinic sources record Jeconiah’s humble repentance). And if there’s anything we learn from the story of Jesus and the gospel it’s that our repentance plus God’s grace can break any curse.
“Jeconiah will be childless” – Nope. Jeconiah had kids.
“Jeconiah will not prosper in his days” – Nope. Jeconiah was given a place of honor in Babylon.
“Jeconiah’s offspring will not sit on the throne of Judah” – Nope. Jeconiah’s grandson Zerubbabel will “rule” Jerusalem, having had the “ring” that was taken from Jeconiah by God, returned to him.
“None of his offspring will sit on the throne of David” – Nope. Jesus will.
Curses were meant to be broken, and Jesus is our ultimate curse breaker. By becoming the curse for us (Gal. 3:13) he broke the curse of sin and death in the life of every Christian. That’s what Christmas is all about – curse breaking and blessing giving. That’s what our union with Christ is all about too, like Jeconiah the curse is broken and the blessing has come, not just on the outside, but inside our hearts.
Questions.
Like Jeconiah, have you repented of your sin so that the curse of sin (dying and death) might be broken by Jesus? Are living as though you’re are cursed or blessed? How has the Christmas season allowed you to live like your blessed and not cursed?
To Live is Christ 