The answer is: Jehoiakim

Jeremiah 36:23

The story of King Jehoiakim is a striking narrative that highlights the tension between earthly authority and divine command. The incident where Jehoiakim used a pen knife to cut up the scroll bearing God’s words is more than a shocking act of rebellion; it represents a deeper spiritual withdrawal. As he sliced away at the scroll, he was ignoring and attempting to silence God's messages through the prophet Jeremiah, who was one of the most formidable figures in the Old Testament.

This moment echoes a persistent theme throughout the Scriptures: the struggle between kingly power and prophetic truth. Jehoiakim's arrogance in rejecting these prophecies stands in stark contrast to the humble posture of prophets like Jeremiah, who were often ridiculed and persecuted for sharing what they perceived as divine wisdom. Interestingly, the scroll, which was intended to bring warning and repentance, points to the greater purpose of narratives found throughout the Bible, where attempts to smother God’s truth inevitably lead to dire consequences.

Historically, Jehoiakim’s act is much like King Herod's later permission for the execution of John the Baptist. Biblical history is replete with rulers bending the will of the Divine to suit their whims—a cautionary reminder that resistance to spiritual truth doesn’t lead to immunity but rather scorn in the eyes of posters of justice and right. It's a call to acknowledge that even in power, a disregard for deeper wisdom may ultimately spell one’s downfall.