Quick Note – Jeremiah 22:15-17 – Not Kings of Cedar

Jeremiah 22:15-17 – Do you think you are a king because you compete in cedar?  Did not your father eat and drink and do justice and righteousness?  Then it was well with him.  He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well.  Is not this to know me? Declares the LORD.  But you have eyes and heart only for your dishonest gain, for shedding innocent blood, and for practicing oppression and violence.

In this world, greatness and success is measured by money, power, and fame.  The people who have attained leadership roles like presidents, congressmen, and judges are considered successful in power.  People who have amassed riches like stock market gurus and Fortune 500 company CEOs are considered successful in money.  And people who have amassed a following of fans like YouTube stars and celebrities are considered successful in fame.  The world believes that they are successful – that they are kings and queens that should be admired, because they can compete in these aspects of life.  They are considered the winners of this rat race called life. 

However, these things are temporary.  They have no lasting value and can disappear in the blink of an eye.  One day these men and women are respected and loved but the next day hated and scorned.  Because of this, we should ask, “Why we seek after these things?  Why do we look for the temporary?” 

The kings of Judah also had this same problem.  They thought that what made them great kings were their abilities to compete in amassing riches.  They would gather gold, silver, and precious wood like cedar, because it represented power, prestige, and wealth.  Cedar was specifically noted here in Jeremiah 22:15, because it was a precious, high-quality wood that could be used to build palaces.  It was considered the best of the best.  That is why kings sought it out.  That is why kings who had a lot of it were respected. 

However, God did not measure a good king by the amount of cedar he had in storage, but by something else – by their ability to do justice and righteousness.  God rebuked the king of Judah for thinking that his kingship was measured by his wealth.  Rather his kingship was measured by his obedience to the commandments of God.  For this reason, God punished the king of Judah and his people for their sins of corruption, murder, and violence.  They weren’t great kings, because they weren’t righteous. 

We as Christians, disciples of Jesus Christ, must be careful not to get caught up in how this world measures success.  We must be careful not be obsessed with gaining riches, power, and fame.  We must not seek the things of this world.  Rather, we should be seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness.  God is not pleased by the things we accumulate, but He is pleased by those who faithfully follow His commands.  It is only by seeking His will and walking in His way, that we will hear the words, “Thou, good and faithful servant.” Let us not seek to be kings of cedar but servants of God.