VOICES IN THE WILDERNESS
Sunday August 24, 2025
Sermon Title: When Holiness Meets Rebellion
Series Big Idea: Capturing the urgency and clarity of the prophets’ messages in turbulent times
Sermon Big Idea: God's holiness punishes sin as well as providing redemptive hope
Introduction:
The fall of Jerusalem and destruction of the temple was not just a historical tragedy, it was the righteous judgment of a holy God whose patience with persistent sin had run out. This passage is both a holy warning and a holy invitation, showing us that while God’s holiness demands justice, it also opens the door to redemption through Christ.
(2 Kings 25:8-21)
8 On the seventh day of the fifth month—which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon—Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guards, a servant of the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem. 9 He burned the Lord’s temple, the king’s palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem; he burned down all the great houses.10 The whole Chaldean army with the captain of the guards tore down the walls surrounding Jerusalem. 11 Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guards, deported the rest of the people who remained in the city, the deserters who had defected to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the population. 12 But the captain of the guards left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and farmers.13 Now the Chaldeans broke into pieces the bronze pillars of the Lord’s temple, the water carts, and the bronze basin,, which were in the Lord’s temple, and carried the bronze to Babylon. 14 They also took the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, dishes, and all the bronze articles used in the priests’ service. 15 The captain of the guards took away the firepans and sprinkling basins—whatever was gold or silver. 16 As for the two pillars, the one basin, and the water carts that Solomon had made for the Lord’s temple, the weight of the bronze of all these articles was beyond measure. 17 One pillar was twenty-seven feet tall and had a bronze capital on top of it. The capital, encircled by a grating and pomegranates of bronze, stood five feet high. The second pillar was the same, with its own grating.18 The captain of the guards also took away Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest of the second rank, and the three doorkeepers. 19 From the city he took a court official who had been appointed over the warriors; five trusted royal aides, found in the city; the secretary of the commander of the army, who enlisted the people of the land for military duty; and sixty men from the common people who were found within the city.20 Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guards, took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 21 The king of Babylon put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah went into exile from its land.
God's Holiness Demands Judgment on Sin
God had faithfully warned His people, but their defiance led to destruction, proving that living near sacred things doesn’t excuse unholy hearts. His holiness means He will not coexist with sin among those who bear His name, and His judgment shows He takes rebellion seriously.
God's Holiness Still Makes a Way for Redemption
Even as judgment fell, God’s holy promises endured, preserving a remnant and pointing to Christ, who would fully embody and satisfy divine holiness. Jesus bore the fire of God’s wrath on the cross so that sinners like us could be made holy and restored through Him.
Conclusion:
The Lord’s Supper reminds us that God’s holiness was not set aside, but satisfied at the cross through the perfect sacrifice of His holy Son. We come to the table with humble awe, because the Holy One has made a way for unholy people to be welcomed in.
2 Kings 25:8-21 Bibliography
Walvoord, John F., and Roy B. Zuck, Dallas Theological Seminary. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Victor Books, 1985.
Rydelnik, Michael A., and Michael Vanlaningham, editors. The Moody Bible Commentary. Moody Publishers, 2014.
Carson, D. A., et al., editors. New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition. 4th ed., Inter-Varsity Press, 1994.
Hughes, Robert B., and J. Carl Laney. Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary. Tyndale House Publishers, 2001.
Cabal, Ted, et al. The Apologetics Study Bible: Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith. Holman Bible Publishers, 2007.
Blum, Edwin A., and Trevin Wax, editors. CSB Study Bible: Notes. Holman Bible Publishers, 2017.
Crossway Bibles. The ESV Study Bible. Crossway Bibles, 2008.
Barry, John D., et al. Faithlife Study Bible. Lexham Press, 2012, 2016.
MacArthur, John F., Jr. The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006.
Smith, Jerome H. The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge: The Most Complete Listing of Cross References Available Anywhere- Every Verse, Every Theme, Every Important Word. Thomas Nelson, 1992.
Spurgeon. The Spurgeon Study Bible: Notes. Holman Bible Publishers, 2017.
Brown, Francis, S. R. Driver, and Charles A. Briggs. The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon. Hendrickson Publishers, 2007.
Bell, James Stuart, editor. Ancient Faith Study Bible. Holman Bibles, 2019.
Wiseman, Donald J. 1 and 2 Kings: An Introduction and Commentary. InterVarsity Press, 1993.
Barnes, William H. 1-2 Kings. Edited by Philip W. Comfort, vol. 4b, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2012.
Merida, Tony. Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings. Holman Reference, 2015.
Inrig, Gary. I & II Kings. Edited by Max Anders, vol. 7, Holman, 2003.
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