King Jehoiakim Burns Jeremiah’s Scroll

King Jehoiakim leans from his throne and thrusts the prophetic scroll toward a brazier, rejecting the written word delivered through Jeremiah and recorded by Baruch. Courtiers and elders stand behind him as the royal chamber becomes a place of defiance rather than repentance. The crown, throne, and firepot emphasize the contrast between earthly authority and the enduring authority of God’s word.

The scene reflects Jeremiah 36, where the king hears the scroll read, cuts it with a scribe’s knife, and burns it piece by piece instead of humbling himself before the Lord. The image is suited for teaching on prophecy, Scripture, obedience, judgment, hardened hearts, and the permanence of God’s message even when rulers oppose it. by S. M. Davis