Mattaniah took the throne name Zedekiah. This last Old Testament king ruled eleven years. He was under constant pressure from his advisors to rebel against Nebuchadnezzar. On the other hand, Jeremiah consistently urged Zedekiah to surrender to Babylon. The king could not resist the pressure to seek an alliance with Egypt against Nebuchadnezzar. This political maneuvering led to the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. Jeremiah’s ministry extended from his
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