What happens when a nation—or a family, or a church—chooses popularity over piety? In this message from 2 Kings 23:31–35 and 2 Chronicles 36:1–4, we follow Judah in the wake of King Josiah’s death. The people ignore God’s covenant order and crown Jehoahaz, the crowd favorite. What follows is a sobering three-month reign that ends in chains, exile, and tribute to Pharaoh Neco.

This sermon walks through three movements:

🔹 The Popular Choice – Why the people bypassed the firstborn and crowned the wrong king, and what that reveals about the loyalties of our own hearts.

🔹 The Chains of a Compromised Kingdom – When you reject God’s rule, you don’t gain freedom—you trade one master for a harsher one. Pharaoh renamed the king, taxed the people, and took Jehoahaz away to die in Egypt.

🔹 Weeping for the Right Things – The prophet Jeremiah urges Judah not to weep for Josiah who died in God’s favor, but for Jehoahaz who went into exile and never returned. The worst loss isn’t death—it’s permanent removal from God’s blessing.

But this message doesn’t end in tragedy. Jehoahaz went into exile for his own sin and never came back. Jesus went into exile for our sin—and He did come back. The chains we deserved, He wore. The tribute we owed, He paid—not with silver or gold, but with His own precious blood.