Tuesday, March 7th 2017
THE FALL OF JERUSALEM
key verse: 39:1
This morning's word speaks about the last exchange between Jeremiah and the king, as well as the fall of Jerusalem.
1. Do not speak (38)
Zedekiah sends for Jeremiah and speaks to him privately, hoping to discover the secrets of God. He promises discretion and makes Jeremiah swear discretion as well, so that when the officials ask, Jeremiah will only say what the king ordered him to say. Jeremiah obeys, though the king's discretion only reveals his hypocrisy. He doesn't want to be ashamed before the people; or the deserters, or the women who are abandoning him. Many people try to save face, keeping secrets to themselves. Yet, one day all will be revealed. If Zedekiah surrenders, he will live, but if he resists and flees, God will punish him. This is in fact what happened. God also sent a foreigner to save Jeremiah.
2. The fall of Jerusalem (39)
Nebuchadnezzar goes up to lay seige to Jerusalem. Zedekiah doesn't take Jeremiah's counsel seriously, as predicted (38:15). He flees from Jerusalem but is caught by the Babylonian army. His eyes see his sons slaughtered before they are put out and he is taken to Babylon to die there. Though, because of his edict which freed Jewish slaves (ch 34), he will not die by the sword. He will live and die in peace. The city is burned and those who surrender live, while those who stay inside are struck by calamity. The poor are allowed to stay. Jeremiah's life is preserved, as well as the life of the man who saved him out of the cistern.
Prayer: Lord, help me to live honestly before you, and not before men. Make me obey your word, since the opposite leads to ruin.
Bottom line: do not lead a double life
No comments:
Post a Comment