November 28, 2011
Jerusalem falls. Jeremiah prophesied for eighteen years while Josiah was king; 11 years while Jehoiakim was king; and 11 years while Zedekiah was king. So for 40 +/- years Jeremiah was warning the kings and people what God said was going to happen. And 40 years later... it happened. Jerusalem was captured.
What God said would happen—happened. Nebuchadnezzar's men broke through the wall and went and sat down by the middle gate. Zedekiah and his sons try to escape. They run away during the night. But the Babylonian army chased them and caught them. They took them to Nebuchadnezzar and he passed sentence on them. Zedekiah's sons and important officers were all killed in front of Zedekiah while he watched! Then Nebuchadnezzar put out Zedekiah's eyes; put him in bronze chains; and took him to Babylon. How horrible! I can't imagine anything worse. The very last image you have in your mind is the carnage of seeing your sons killed as you watched. I wonder what was going through Zedekiah's mind. Was he thinking "what if"—or—"if only"?
He heard Jeremiah's warnings for years! He had to have spent that time living under a great deal of anxiety and fear. But even though Jeremiah told him what he needed to do to save himself, Jerusalem, and his family (surrender to God's will) he just would not do it. He risked everything. He couldn't stand the thought of being humbled before his own people. He would not surrender! He would be in charge! As Dr. Phil would say, "How's that working for you?" Because, here he is running for his life in the middle of the night trying to escape the enemy; he is captured; his sons are killed in front of him; his own eyes gouged out; and he is bound in chains and taken away. Living with the regret of knowing all that happened was a direct result of the choices he made, would have been an indescribable torture. I can't imagine.
What if—he would have decided to follow God's commands and surrender to God's will? If only—he had changed his heart and mind. But sadly, he did not and what God said would happen—happened. Oh what a difference there would have been if he had chosen to obey. Choose carefully. The choices we make affects generations!!
The Babylonians totally destroyed Jerusalem. They set fire to the homes and palaces. They broke down the walls and they took the people away. All except for the very poorest, who were given vineyards. Then Nebuchadnezzar gave these orders: "Find Jeremiah and take care of him. Do not hurt him, but do for him whatever he asks you." He didn't send just anybody to find him, he sent the commander of the guards, a chief officer, an important leader, and all the other officers. Jeremiah 38:28 - "So Jeremiah stayed under guard in the courtyard of the guard until the day Jerusalem was captured." When it is over—it is over. The officer's found Jeremiah bound in chains among the other captives. They turned him over to the man in charge and gave him orders to take Jeremiah back home. "So they took him home, and he stayed among the people left in Judah."
What a contrast. Zedekiah and Jeremiah were both in the battle. The possibility of destruction was a threat to both. Yet Jeremiah was delivered and Zedekiah's sons were killed, his eyes put out, and he was taken into bondage. The consequences each received were a direct result of the choices they individually made. God is faithful to fulfill His promises. Both His promises for reward AND His promise of punishment.
Before Jeremiah was released from the courtyard, the LORD spoke to him again. He told Jeremiah to take a message to Ebed-Melech. "Very soon I will make my words about Jerusalem come true through disaster, not through good times. You will see everything come true with your own eyes. But I will save you on that day... you will not be handed over to the people you fear. I will surely save you Ebed-Molech. You will not die from a sword, but you will escape and live. This will happen because you have trusted in me," says the LORD.
Ebed-Molech was the one who saved Jeremiah from the mire of the well in Jeremiah 38. He could have stood by and done nothing. But instead, he spoke up and put his own life on the line, and saved Jeremiah. God blesses faithfulness.
Next Entry: Jeremiah 40:1 – 45:5
Jerusalem falls. Jeremiah prophesied for eighteen years while Josiah was king; 11 years while Jehoiakim was king; and 11 years while Zedekiah was king. So for 40 +/- years Jeremiah was warning the kings and people what God said was going to happen. And 40 years later... it happened. Jerusalem was captured.
What God said would happen—happened. Nebuchadnezzar's men broke through the wall and went and sat down by the middle gate. Zedekiah and his sons try to escape. They run away during the night. But the Babylonian army chased them and caught them. They took them to Nebuchadnezzar and he passed sentence on them. Zedekiah's sons and important officers were all killed in front of Zedekiah while he watched! Then Nebuchadnezzar put out Zedekiah's eyes; put him in bronze chains; and took him to Babylon. How horrible! I can't imagine anything worse. The very last image you have in your mind is the carnage of seeing your sons killed as you watched. I wonder what was going through Zedekiah's mind. Was he thinking "what if"—or—"if only"?
He heard Jeremiah's warnings for years! He had to have spent that time living under a great deal of anxiety and fear. But even though Jeremiah told him what he needed to do to save himself, Jerusalem, and his family (surrender to God's will) he just would not do it. He risked everything. He couldn't stand the thought of being humbled before his own people. He would not surrender! He would be in charge! As Dr. Phil would say, "How's that working for you?" Because, here he is running for his life in the middle of the night trying to escape the enemy; he is captured; his sons are killed in front of him; his own eyes gouged out; and he is bound in chains and taken away. Living with the regret of knowing all that happened was a direct result of the choices he made, would have been an indescribable torture. I can't imagine.
What if—he would have decided to follow God's commands and surrender to God's will? If only—he had changed his heart and mind. But sadly, he did not and what God said would happen—happened. Oh what a difference there would have been if he had chosen to obey. Choose carefully. The choices we make affects generations!!
The Babylonians totally destroyed Jerusalem. They set fire to the homes and palaces. They broke down the walls and they took the people away. All except for the very poorest, who were given vineyards. Then Nebuchadnezzar gave these orders: "Find Jeremiah and take care of him. Do not hurt him, but do for him whatever he asks you." He didn't send just anybody to find him, he sent the commander of the guards, a chief officer, an important leader, and all the other officers. Jeremiah 38:28 - "So Jeremiah stayed under guard in the courtyard of the guard until the day Jerusalem was captured." When it is over—it is over. The officer's found Jeremiah bound in chains among the other captives. They turned him over to the man in charge and gave him orders to take Jeremiah back home. "So they took him home, and he stayed among the people left in Judah."
What a contrast. Zedekiah and Jeremiah were both in the battle. The possibility of destruction was a threat to both. Yet Jeremiah was delivered and Zedekiah's sons were killed, his eyes put out, and he was taken into bondage. The consequences each received were a direct result of the choices they individually made. God is faithful to fulfill His promises. Both His promises for reward AND His promise of punishment.
Before Jeremiah was released from the courtyard, the LORD spoke to him again. He told Jeremiah to take a message to Ebed-Melech. "Very soon I will make my words about Jerusalem come true through disaster, not through good times. You will see everything come true with your own eyes. But I will save you on that day... you will not be handed over to the people you fear. I will surely save you Ebed-Molech. You will not die from a sword, but you will escape and live. This will happen because you have trusted in me," says the LORD.
Ebed-Molech was the one who saved Jeremiah from the mire of the well in Jeremiah 38. He could have stood by and done nothing. But instead, he spoke up and put his own life on the line, and saved Jeremiah. God blesses faithfulness.
Next Entry: Jeremiah 40:1 – 45:5
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