Metaphysical Bible Interpretation of II Kings Chapter 25
Metaphysically Interpreting II Kings 25:1-21
25:1And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and encamped against it; and they built forts against it round about. 25:2So the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah. 25:3On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine was sore in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land. 25:4Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king's garden (now the Chaldeans were against the city round about); and the king went by the way of the Arabah. 25:5But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him. 25:6Then they took the king, and carried him up unto the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him. 25:7And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him in fetters, and carried him to Babylon.
25:8Now in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem. 25:9And he burnt the house of Jehovah, and the king's house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, even every great house, burnt he with fire. 25:10And all the army of the Chaldeans, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down the walls of Jerusalem round about. 25:11And the residue of the people that were left in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to the king of Babylon, and the residue of the multitude, did Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carry away captive. 25:12But the captain of the guard left of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen.
25:13And the pillars of brass that were in the house of Jehovah, and the bases and the brazen sea that were in the house of Jehovah, did the Chaldeans break in pieces, and carried the brass of them to Babylon. 25:14And the pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away. 25:15And the firepans, and the basins, that which was of gold, in gold, and that which was of silver, in silver, the captain of the guard took away. 25:16The two pillars, the one sea, and the bases, which Solomon had made for the house of Jehovah, the brass of all these vessels was without weight. 25:17The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and a capital of brass was upon it; and the height of the capital was three cubits, with network and pomegranates upon the capital round about, all of brass: and like unto these had the second pillar with network.
25:18And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the threshold: 25:19and out of the city he took an officer that was set over the men of war; and five men of them that saw the king's face, who were found in the city; and the scribe, the captain of the host, who mustered the people of the land; and threescore men of the people of the land, that were found in the city. 25:20And Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah. 25:21And the king of Babylon smote them, and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away captive out of his land.
June 18, 1922: II Kings 25:1-12
What is the principal idea in today's lesson? This lesson illustrates the relation which the will (the king) bears to Divine Justice. The name Zedekiah means the “justice of God.”
Why did Zedekiah, the king, have such terrible reverses? Zedekiah was not loyal to Principle. He knew the Divine Law, but he did not depend upon it for his defense. He made an alliance with Egypt (darkness), which weakened his hold on spiritual resources.
When our thoughts and acts do not conform to the law of Spirit, what results? The judgment, or the exact result of our thoughts, is finally expressed in disaster of some kind.
What does the siege and final destruction of Jerusalem symbolize? They symbolize the various movements of sense consciousness (Babylon) in battering down the walls of spiritual consciousness (Jerusalem), when the will (King Zedekiah) has not called upon God for protection.
What happens to the will, when it is made captive by sense consciousness? The will no longer perceives the truth, (puts out the eyes of the king) and its spiritual dominion is ended (is bound in fetters and is carried to Babylon.)
Does this represent the end of spiritual consciousness, the Jews? No, history tells of the return, after seventy years of a remnant of the children of Israel, and of the slow rehabilitation of Jerusalem.
What faculties inspired the people to return to Judah? The superior faculties, the priests and the prophets, which are loyal to the principles of justice and right.
June 16, 1929: II Kings 25:1-12
What is the principal point in today's lesson? The principal point in today's lesson is the relation that the will (the king) bears to divine justice. The name Zedekiah means the “justice of God.”
Why did Zedekiah the king meet such terrible reverses? Zedekiah the king met reverses because he was not loyal to divine principle. He knew the divine law, but he did not depend upon it for his defense. He made an alliance with Egypt (darkness), which weakened his hold on spiritual resources.
When a person’s thoughts and acts do not conform to the law of Spirit, what results? When a person's thoughts and acts do not conform to the law of Spirit, he meets with disaster as the judgment, or the exact results of his thoughts.
What do the siege and final destruction of Jerusalem symbolize? The siege and final destruction of Jerusalem symbolize the various movements of sense consciousness (Babyion) in the battering down of the walls of spiritual consciousness (Jerusalem), which is the natural consequence when the will (King Zedekiah) has not called upon God for protection.
What happens to the will when it is made captive by sense consciousness? The will in captivity no longer perceives the truth (the eyes of the king are put out) and its spiritual dominion is ended (the king is bound in fetters and is carried in Babylon).
Does the destruction of Jerusalem represent the end of spiritual consciousness (the Jews)? No, history tells of the return, after seventy years, of a remnant of the children of Israel, and of the slow rehabilitation of Jerusalem.
What is represented by the burning of “the house of Jehovah, the king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem”? This conflagration represents the consuming fire of sense consciousness, or fleshly lust, which is the fundamental cause of physical death.
Explain the meaning of the breaking down of the walls of Jerusalem by the army of the Chaldeans. The Chaldeans represent the occult forces, their spirit being fear, confusion, mystery, and destruction. Persons who tamper with occultism open the door of consciousness, or break down the protective walls of spiritual security (Jerusalem), an act which lets in all kinds of thoughts of enmity. Persons of this type are subject to hallucinations. They think that someone is sending them evil thoughts. Sometimes their belief amounts to an obsession. The remedy is to affirm the one Presence and the one Power of purity and innocence in the name of Jesus Christ.
Who inspired the people to return to Judah, and what is the metaphysical significance of the return? The priests and prophets (man's superior faculties, which are always loyal to the principles of justice and righteousness) inspired the people (thoughts) to return to Judah (spiritual consciousness) and to reestablish peace and harmony (within the soul).
November 3, 1935: II Kings 25:1-12
What empowers us to recognize what is for our well-being and happiness? Spiritual consciousness alone possesses this power.
When Nebuzaradan carried away the children of Judah into captivity, he “left of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen.” Explain this statement. When man, instead of freeing his mental powers through praise, weakens them by indulging in a critical, domineering attitude, he reduces his ability to produce anything worthwhile by spiritual means. He thus leaves the realm of true substance (the land of Judah) unmanifested except by inferior mental qualities (“the poorest of the land”).
Give the metaphysical meaning of Judah and indicate its importance to man. The word Judah means “praise Jehovah.” Metaphysically it corresponds to prayer and praise. Praise controls the manifestation of increase, reveals divine love, and quickens all the other faculties. Its importance to man is therefore past estimating.
Is it just or right for man to recognize evil as real and to fight it? Evil has no abiding permanence or reality, and when man mistakenly recognizes it as real and fights it, he finds himself at cross-purposes with life, subject to materiality, and without spiritual ideals. Zedekiah (“justice of Jah”) rebelled against the king of BabyIon (the realm of confusion).
What does the famine in Jerusalem after nearly two years of siege symbolize? Man's consciousness of peace (Jerusalem) is reduced to a state of weakness and negation by strife and resistance against evil. This negative state is symbolized by a famine in the city?
Name some of the inner forces that man at times allows to threaten his peace of mind. The will of sense and the sense intellect, unless man is on his guard against them, threaten his peace of mind by clothing the thought of evil with reality.
Is divine justice expressed in the life of every man and woman? It is, but not everyone recognizes it as divine. Nebuzaradan, who “burnt the house of Jehovah,” represents a thought activity connected with the sovereignty of the intellect. The intellect does not see what comes to man as the effect of causes he has set in motion. Spiritual discernment however makes this point clear.
June 22 1947: II Kings 25:1-12
How does our neglect of praise affect us? It puts us at variance with divine law and brings us into captivity to material forces.
How is praise represented in this lesson? By Judah, with its capital city of Jerusalem. Jerusalem represents peace, an inner state that is maintained by the habit of praising and giving thanks for our blessings.
When peace of mind has a deep spiritual foundation, is it easily disrupted? No. It is capable of undergoing difficult tests. Jerusalem withstood a by Nebuchadnezzar for one and one half years.
When can peace no longer be maintained? When all constructive measures looking toward its maintenance are lacking. (“The famine was sore in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land “) Peace among men cannot last unless it is maintained by those who are responsible for it, and they must work to maintain it.
What is the significance of a “breach ... in the city”? A city represents a fixed state of consciousness. Resisting evil reduces our consciousness of peace to a negative state (causes a “famine” in the city). Our chief defense against the inroads of materiality is thus made useless (a breach is made in the wall).
What was the Arabah, and why did the king go by that way in his attempted flight from Jerusalem? The Arabah (“an arid tract,” “a sterile region”) was the plain or valley of the Jordan. King Zedekiah (the will) sought to save his life by cross the ford of the Jordan at Jericho. When the will seeks t o preserve itself by deserting its spiritual abode and taking the way of sense consciousness, it finds only barrenness or depleted vitality. It is easily “captured” by the psychic forces.
What is represented by the Chaldeans? The psychic forces. When we become involved with these forces, we lose control of our spiritual powers and our vision of reality. Zedekiah (the will) was forced to witness the death of his sons (spiritual powers) and to suffer the destruction of his sight (vision of reality).
What does the destruction of Jerusalem by fire symbolize? The destruction of our peace of mind by the operation of ideas that are not centered in Spirit. The “house of Jehovah,” “the king's house “ and “every great house” (symbolizing the power of the Spirit in the material world) were burnt with fire (ideas of decay and destruction).
Does the use of praise systematically in creative acts of mind restore peace to us? lt does when we are faithful to our covenant to live constructively.
Metaphysically Interpreting II Kings 25:22-26
25:22And as for the people that were left in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, even over them he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, governor. 25:23Now when all the captains of the forces, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men. 25:24And Gedaliah sware to them and to their men, and said unto them, Fear not because of the servants of the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you. 25:25But it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him, and smote Gedaliah, so that he died, and the Jews and the Chaldeans that were with him at Mizpah. 25:26And all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the forces, arose, and came to Egypt; for they were afraid of the Chaldeans.
Metaphysically Interpreting II Kings 25:27-30
25:27And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison; 25:28and he spake kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon, 25:29and changed his prison garments. And Jehoiachin did eat bread before him continually all the days of his life: 25:30and for his allowance, there was a continual allowance given him of the king, every day a portion, all the days of his life.
Transcribed by Lloyd Kinder on 02-07-2014
