II Kings25:29 So Jehoiachin changed from his prison garments, and he ate bread regu-larly before the king all the days of his life.

Not many pop musicians can list Nobel Laureate on their resumes. But Bob Dylan can. It’s interesting that someone with such long-standing influence can bring out such varied reactions in people! I cannot say I’m a big fan, but I do like Serve Somebody. I’m reminded of the song quite often.

King Jehoiachin’s prospects were looking up! He had been released from his prison cell. He had traded in his prison clothes, and he quit eating prison food! He would now regularly eat the king’s bread! An almost unbelievable improvement!

Only, he had been king. Jehoiachin had been king in Jerusalem. He was the king on the throne. He had rule over the city where David, Solomon, Hezekiah, and so many other great kings reigned. But he was not interested in being the kind of king that those others had been. He did not want to serve God. He wanted to live the way he chose. He wanted to go where he wanted, when he wanted, however he wanted. But then it all ended in captivity. Jerusalem was destroyed and the people taken away. Jehoiachin wanted his own way. He wasn’t inclined to serve God. And now he was reclining serving a Babylonian king.

A lot of people reject God. They don’t want to follow His ‘rules.’ They want to live life on their terms. They won’t bow their knee to any God. Yet, Bob Dylan was echoing Scripture when he sang, “You’re gonna have to serve somebody. It may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but you’re gonna have to serve somebody.”

The only true freedom is in obedience to the only God Who loved you enough to die to pay for your sins!

Blessings,

Pastor Russ