Jeremiah 38-39 The End For Many

Sometimes being right in the middle of God's will may seem like anything other than safety.  "Four of Zedekiah's officers banded together to urge the king to kill Jeremiah."  They saw his message as propaganda that was hurting the war effort, my commentary said.  Jeremiah was lowered into the deep mud at the bottom of a well in the courtyard of the guard, where they hoped he would suffer and die.  But his fate wasn't unknown to God.  Ebed-Melech, from Cush, witnessed his predicament and told King Zedekiah, who vacillated again and told Ebed-Melech to take 30 soldiers and rescue Jeremiah.  He was brought to the king.

Zedekiah charged Jeremiah to withhold nothing of God's Word from him, and made a secret promise that he wouldn't be killed or handed over to those who might try to kill him.  Jeremiah assured the king that if he surrendered, his life would be saved, the city would not be burned, and he and his family would live.  Otherwise, the city would be destroyed and Zedekiah and his family would still be captured.

Zedekiah feared what the Jews already captured would do to him if he surrendered.  But Jeremiah assured him that if he obeyed God, things would go well for him in captivity.  It was simply a matter of trusting God.

Instead, Zedekiah attempted to flee in the night, but his entourage was captured some 200 miles north of Jerusalem.  "There, Nebuchadnezzar passed his sentence on Zedekiah ... the king of Babylon killed Zedekiah's sons and all the important officers as Zedekiah watched.  Then he put out Zedekiah's eyes.  He but bronze chains on Zedekiah and took him to Babylon."  They set fire to Jerusalem and left only the poorest people in the land to tend the vineyards and fields.

True to His word, God directed Nebuchadnezzar to find Jeremiah and release him.  The Babylonian commander's words are amazing, coming from a nonbeliever:  "The Lord your God announced this disaster would come to this place.  And now the Lord has done everything He said He would do.  This disaster happened because the people of Judah sinned against the Lord and did not obey Him.  But today I am freeing you from the chains on your wrists.  If you want to, come with me to Babylon, and I will take good care of you.  But if you don't want to come, then don't.  Look, the whole country is open to you.  Go wherever you wish."

Jeremiah chose to live with the governor appointed to administer the land.  "He lived among the people who were left behind in Judah."

Faithful to God's message, Jeremiah still found himself up to his armpits in mud at one point, but God could be trusted, and eventually Jeremiah was cared for by those God had ordained to overtake the land.  He wasn't a traitor.  Indeed, he was the only one who remained loyal.

Father, I'm trusting in You.  When it feels like I'm still under siege, reassure me and give me strength.

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford