Background:
Jehoiakim, originally named Eliakim, was the son of King Josiah and reigned as king of Judah from approximately 609 to 598 BC. He was appointed by Pharaoh Necho II of Egypt after the deposition of his brother Jehoahaz. Jehoiakim's reign was marked by political turmoil and spiritual decline, as he led Judah away from the reforms of his father Josiah and into idolatry and injustice.

The Event:
The account of Jehoiakim burning the scroll is found in Jeremiah 36. During Jehoiakim's reign, the prophet Jeremiah was instructed by God to record all the words He had spoken against Israel, Judah, and the nations, from the time of Josiah to the present. Jeremiah dictated these words to his scribe, Baruch, who wrote them on a scroll.

The Reading of the Scroll:
In the fourth year of Jehoiakim's reign, Jeremiah instructed Baruch to read the scroll in the Temple of the LORD on a day of fasting, hoping that the people of Judah would hear the words and turn from their evil ways. The scroll was read in the chamber of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, in the hearing of all the people.

Jehoiakim's Reaction:
The scroll's contents were reported to the officials, who then had Baruch read it to them. Alarmed by the message, they decided to inform the king, advising Baruch and Jeremiah to hide. The scroll was brought to King Jehoiakim, who was sitting in his winter house. As Jehudi read three or four columns, the king cut them off with a scribe's knife and threw them into the firepot, until the entire scroll was consumed by the fire.

Scriptural Account:
The Berean Standard Bible records this event in Jeremiah 36:23: "And as Jehudi read three or four columns, the king cut them off with a scribe’s knife and threw them into the firepot, until the entire scroll was consumed by the fire."

Significance:
Jehoiakim's act of burning the scroll was a blatant rejection of God's word and a demonstration of his hardened heart. It symbolized his defiance against divine authority and his unwillingness to repent. Despite the king's attempt to destroy the message, God commanded Jeremiah to take another scroll and rewrite the words, adding further judgments against Jehoiakim and his lineage.

Divine Judgment:
God pronounced judgment on Jehoiakim for his actions. Jeremiah 36:30-31 states: "Therefore, this is what the LORD says about Jehoiakim king of Judah: He will have no one to sit on the throne of David, and his dead body will be thrown out and exposed to the heat by day and the frost by night. I will punish him and his descendants and his servants for their iniquity. I will bring on them and on the residents of Jerusalem and the men of Judah all the disaster I have pronounced against them, because they have not listened."

Theological Implications:
Jehoiakim's burning of the scroll serves as a powerful reminder of the futility of resisting God's word. It underscores the importance of heeding divine warnings and the consequences of rejecting God's authority. The preservation and rewriting of the scroll highlight the enduring nature of God's word, which cannot be nullified by human actions.