Jeremiah 22: a counter example - Jehoiakim

 In Jeremiah 22, Jeremiah says hard words to a king. At first, it seems to continue Jeremiah 21; in this case, the king would be Zedekiah, but in verse 18 we read:

18 Therefore this is what the Lord says regarding Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah:

King Jehoiakim lived before Zedekiah, thus chapter 22 must be written before chapter 21.
This chapter shows how king Jehoiakim didn't fear the Lord. Judah was in middle of two powerful countries: Babylon and Egypt. Jehoiakim succeeded his brother Jehoahaz. Both were sons of Josiah, a good king. Jehoahaz was imprisioned by Necho II from Egypt and placed Jehoiakim as king of Judah. We read:

NASB 10 Do not weep for the dead or mourn for him,
But weep deeply for the one who goes away;
For he will never return
Or see his native land.

or:

MSG 10 Don’t weep over dead King Josiah.
    Don’t waste your tears.
Weep for his exiled son:
    He’s gone for good.
    He’ll never see home again.
11-12 For this is God’s Word on Shallum son of Josiah, who succeeded his father as king of Judah: “He’s gone from here, gone for good. He’ll die in the place they’ve taken him to. He’ll never see home again.”


So, Jeremiah must have written this before Jehoahaz/Shallum death in Egypt (in fact, he never returned to Judah), when his brother Jehoiakim was in charge of Judah. Jeremiah writes:

13-17 “Doom to him who builds palaces but bullies people,
    who makes a fine house but destroys lives,
Who cheats his workers
    and won’t pay them for their work,
Who says, ‘I’ll build me an elaborate mansion
    with spacious rooms and fancy windows.
I’ll bring in rare and expensive woods
    and the latest in interior decor.’
So, that makes you a king—
    living in a fancy palace?
Your father got along just fine, didn’t he?
    He did what was right and treated people fairly,
And things went well with him.
    He stuck up for the down-and-out,
And things went well for Judah.
    Isn’t this what it means to know me?”
        God’s Decree!
“But you’re blind and brainless.
    All you think about is yourself,
Taking advantage of the weak,
    bulldozing your way, bullying victims.”


Josiah did what was right and treated people fairly and the Lord rewarded him as things went well with him. However, Jehoiakim was blind and brainless thinking in himself, taking advantage of the weak.

    
18-19 This is God’s epitaph on Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah:
    “Doom to this man!
Nobody will shed tears over him,
    ‘Poor, poor brother!’
Nobody will shed tears over him,
    ‘Poor, poor master!’
They’ll give him a donkey’s funeral,
    drag him out of the city and dump him.

The life of Jehoiakim is a warning: "repent and live!".