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n several passages of the Scriptures, him. And they slew the sons of Zedekiah
we read of individuals who were before his eyes, and put out the eyes of
Iblind. In this article, we shall be Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of
considering three men who lost their brass, and carried him to Babylon” (2Ki
sight: Zedekiah, Samson and Elymas. In 24:18-25:7).
a particular way, they tell something of Zedekiah was what we might term a
the work of the enemy at a spiritual level, “puppet king” with no fear of God. All
for we read, “But if our gospel be hid, it he had ever known was Babylon with its
is hid to them that are lost: in whom the pleasures and its wickedness. He had been
god of this world hath blinded the minds appointed by Nebuchadnezzar, and he
of them which believe not, lest the light of rebelled both against the king of Babylon
the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the and against God.
image of God, should shine unto them” When the Babylonians besieged Jerusa-
(2Co 4:3-4). lem, he fled but was soon captured, and
1
It has often been said that the believer before his eyes were put out, the last thing
has three enemies – the world, the flesh he saw was the execution of his sons. Prior
and the devil. In the above quotation, we to this, his reign was one of wickedness,
understand how Satan, by various means, and, despite being rebuked by Jeremiah
prevents people from seeing the truth of (2Ch 36:12), he persisted in evil, bringing
the gospel. We shall look at the three men about the destruction of the walls of Jeru-
mentioned and how they picture the work salem and the house of God, before being
of these enemies. carried away to Babylon. Why do we see
him as a picture of the world? Because
The World and Its Effect on as a king, he was more interested in the
Zedekiah pleasures of Babylon than in the things of
“Zedekiah was twenty and one years God. He was an unworthy descendant of
old when he began to reign …. And he David and Solomon. Much of our present-
did that which was evil in the sight of the day society has no time for God nor His
LORD …. Zedekiah rebelled against the Word. Like Zedekiah, they pay no heed
king of Babylon …. And it came to pass to what God has said.
… that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon The Flesh and Its Power Over
came, he, and all his host, against Jerusa- Samson
lem … and the king [Zedekiah] went the
way toward the plain. And the army of “And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold,
the Chaldees pursued after the king, and thou hast mocked me, and told me lies:
overtook him …. So they took the king, now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou
and brought him up to the king of Babylon mightiest be bound. … And it came to
to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon pass, when she pressed him daily with
her words, and urged him, so that his
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the soul was vexed unto death; that he told
KJV. her all his heart, and said unto her, There
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