Post by Mulek –
I am the son of the last king of Judah, King Zedekiah. His father, my grandfather King Josiah, was among the few great kings ever worthy of the title. I strive to be worthy of any consideration of worthiness. We bring no records with us as we flee Jerusalem. Laban, the keeper of the treasury was brutally murdered in the night and the treasury was robbed of sacred brass plates. Those plates, I understand would tell of our ancestry and the writings of the prophets. That was some fourteen years ago. No effort that I know of has replaced it. As was prophesied by Jeremiah, Jerusalem is destroyed.
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquered Jerusalem and placed my father Zedekiah on the throne. Being subject to Babylonian rule so displeased my father that he many times sought council with the prophet Jeremiah. Each time however Jeremiah told him it was the Lord’s will to submit to the rule of Babylon to prevent the destruction of Jerusalem and exile.
My father was so displeased with this council that he permitted Jeremiah to be put in prison. My father did release him eventually. However, my father could not tolerate subjugation to Babylon. He conspired with our neighbors and rebelled against Babylon.
King Nebuchadnezzar responded so harshly, that he destroyed Jerusalem just as Jeremiah and other prophets including one we knew by the name of Lehi prophesied. King Nebuchadnezzar also carried many of the inhabitants of Jerusalem into exile in Babylon. The prophet Lehi’s life was threatened as was Jeremiah’s many times. It has been a dozen or so years since we heard from Lehi’s family, we don’t know if his family was carried into Babylon when Nebuchadnezzar first conquered Jerusalem. Other prophets disappeared during these times, I don’t know if they are dead or in captivity.
My story is more tragic, yet somewhat hopeful.
When my father rebelled and attempted to overthrow Babylon’s rule, the destruction became so fierce my father and our family fled from Jerusalem. We were only able to reach Jericho before we were captured.
We were carried away to Riblah in Syria in chains. By the grace and mercy of my Lord and Savior, God delivered me from captivity before they executed each of my brothers while my father watched. They then put his eyes out and took him in chains to Babylon.
God had other plans for me and a collection of friends and other family. We were guided to the sea, where God brought us to this promised land. I wish and hope our people can keep a record of God’s great benevolence in delivering us from bondage and death.
This, my record, I fear will soon be only a memory. How much I wish to have my descendants and the descendants of this people know the mercy of our Redeemer. For I know He lives and will come to redeem all people. This is my hope, that my people can be redeemed.
Book of Mormon Omni 1:16; Old Testament 2 Kings 25:7
