Even though Jeremiah is still afraid for his life he remains faithful to the word of the Lord. The king however loses all there is to live for in this life. Jeremiah proved Paul’s words “If we live, we live for the Lord” Rom 14:8.
Jeremiah 38: Jeremiah Cast into the Cistern
1 Now Shephatiah the son of Mattan, Gedaliah the son of Pashhur, Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur the son of Malchiah heard the words that Jeremiah was saying to all the people,
2 "Thus says the LORD: He who stays in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, but he who goes out to the Chaldeans shall live. He shall have his life as a prize of war, and live.
3 Thus says the LORD: This city shall surely be given into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon and be taken."
4 Then the officials said to the king, "Let this man be put to death, for he is weakening the hands of the soldiers who are left in this city, and the hands of all the people, by speaking such words to them. For this man is not seeking the welfare of this people, but their harm."
5 King Zedekiah said, "Behold, he is in your hands, for the king can do nothing against you."
6 So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king's son, which was in the court of the guard, letting Jeremiah down by ropes. And there was no water in the cistern, but only mud, and Jeremiah sank in the mud.
Jeremiah Rescued from the Cistern
7 When Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, a eunuch who was in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern---the king was sitting in the Benjamin Gate---
8 Ebed-melech went from the king's house and said to the king,
9 "My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they did to Jeremiah the prophet by casting him into the cistern, and he will die there of hunger, for there is no bread left in the city."
10 Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, "Take thirty men with you from here, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies."
11 So Ebed-melech took the men with him and went to the house of the king, to a wardrobe in the storehouse, and took from there old rags and worn-out clothes, which he let down to Jeremiah in the cistern by ropes.
12 Then Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, "Put the rags and clothes between your armpits and the ropes." Jeremiah did so.
13 Then they drew Jeremiah up with ropes and lifted him out of the cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.
Jeremiah Warns Zedekiah Again
14 King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah the prophet and received him at the third entrance of the temple of the LORD. The king said to Jeremiah, "I will ask you a question; hide nothing from me."
15 Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "If I tell you, will you not surely put me to death? And if I give you counsel, you will not listen to me."
16 Then King Zedekiah swore secretly to Jeremiah, "As the LORD lives, who made our souls, I will not put you to death or deliver you into the hand of these men who seek your life."
17 Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "Thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: If you will surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then your life shall be spared, and this city shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live.
18 But if you do not surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then this city shall be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and you shall not escape from their hand."
19 King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, "I am afraid of the Judeans who have deserted to the Chaldeans, lest I be handed over to them and they deal cruelly with me."
20 Jeremiah said, "You shall not be given to them. Obey now the voice of the LORD in what I say to you, and it shall be well with you, and your life shall be spared.
21 But if you refuse to surrender, this is the vision which the LORD has shown to me:
22 Behold, all the women left in the house of the king of Judah were being led out to the officials of the king of Babylon and were saying, "'Your trusted friends have deceived you and prevailed against you; now that your feet are sunk in the mud, they turn away from you.'
23 All your wives and your sons shall be led out to the Chaldeans, and you yourself shall not escape from their hand, but shall be seized by the king of Babylon, and this city shall be burned with fire."
24 Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, "Let no one know of these words, and you shall not die.
25 If the officials hear that I have spoken with you and come to you and say to you, 'Tell us what you said to the king and what the king said to you; hide nothing from us and we will not put you to death,'
26 then you shall say to them, 'I made a humble plea to the king that he would not send me back to the house of Jonathan to die there.'"
27 Then all the officials came to Jeremiah and asked him, and he answered them as the king had instructed him. So they stopped speaking with him, for the conversation had not been overheard.
28 And Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard until the day that Jerusalem was taken.
Jeremiah 39: The Fall of Jerusalem
1 In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and besieged it.
2 In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city.
3 Then all the officials of the king of Babylon came and sat in the middle gate: Nergal-sar-ezer, Samgar-nebu, Sar-sekim the Rab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag, with all the rest of the officers of the king of Babylon.
4 When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled, going out of the city at night by way of the king's garden through the gate between the two walls; and they went toward the Arabah.
5 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. And when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, at Riblah, in the land of Hamath; and he passed sentence on him.
6 The king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah at Riblah before his eyes, and the king of Babylon slaughtered all the nobles of Judah.
7 He put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him in chains to take him to Babylon.
8 The Chaldeans burned the king's house and the house of the people, and broke down the walls of Jerusalem.
9 Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, carried into exile to Babylon the rest of the people who were left in the city, those who had deserted to him, and the people who remained.
10 Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, left in the land of Judah some of the poor people who owned nothing, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.
The LORD Delivers Jeremiah
11 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave command concerning Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, saying,
12 "Take him, look after him well, and do him no harm, but deal with him as he tells you."
13 So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, Nebushazban the Rab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag, and all the chief officers of the king of Babylon
14 sent and took Jeremiah from the court of the guard. They entrusted him to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, that he should take him home. So he lived among the people.
15 The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah while he was shut up in the court of the guard:
16 "Go, and say to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will fulfil my words against this city for harm and not for good, and they shall be accomplished before you on that day.
17 But I will deliver you on that day, declares the LORD, and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid.
18 For I will surely save you, and you shall not fall by the sword, but you shall have your life as a prize of war, because you have put your trust in me, declares the LORD.'"
Things to think about…
1. We see the fickleness of Zedekiah the Judean king. In Jer 38:1-6 he hands Jeremiah over to a group that say he is not fit to live and the king hands Jeremiah over, then in Jer 38:7-13 someone else, Ebed-melech, an Ethiopian, asks for him to be released – and the king also grants his request. This gives a very telling insight into the man-pleasing ways of the king. Further on from that we see finally in Jer 38:14-28 that the king calls Jeremiah privately and asks for the Lord’s word for him. Jeremiah tells him, but we know because of his fear of the officials, Zedekiah also ignores this warning. Let’s pray for moral strength and courage for or local, state and federal leaders... and ourselves to honour the Word of the Lord above all else.
2. Zedekiah was promised that he and his household would live and that Jerusalem would not be burned or destroyed if he surrendered to the Babylonians, Jer 38:17. Zedekiah ignores the prophesies of Jeremiah and even tries to run, Jer 39:4. Sadly all Jeremiah said came true for Zedekiah, Jer 39:6-8.
3. Look at Jer 38:24-28. Jeremiah was asked to say something different to what actually happened. Is this lying, is it trusting in the Lord, or is it wise? To balance this out consider what Jesus said when His brothers asked Him if He was going to Jerusalem for the Passover John 7:8-10, Jesus said no, but then changed His mind and went under cover. Can you think of situations when this type of action is required where the Lord would bless and when it is inappropriate and lying? Consider what some Germans said when hiding Jews in WW2, they said God hates lying and that lying is a sin. When asked if they are hiding Jews they would surrender them. Satan knows how to use the convictions of unstable Christians to push his agenda. Jeremiah wisely does not tell these men the truth as they would have harmed him if did so. May we be wise in dealing with evil.
4. Jer 39:1-10 is a graphic reminder of the completeness of God’s pre-determined counsel. He had said judgement would come if they didn’t submit to the Babylonians. The day had finally come. The last thing this weak king Zedekiah sees is his sons being killed, before having his eyes put out. Horrible. Look at those who were blessed, Jer 39:10 – the poor of the land – they were given vineyards and fields. Remember these were the ones that were exploited by the king. The last shall be first and the first last. The meek shall inherit the earth.
5. The Lord’s promises to Jeremiah are not forgotten either. In Jer 39:11-18 the Babylonian King commands his captain of the guard to ‘do to him as he tells you’. How is that for a conquering king’s decree for a prisoner! Jeremiah stayed in the land of Judah. His trials were still not over as we shall see, but the Lord had kept His side of the bargain. The Ethiopian Ebed-melech is spared because he trusted in the Lord. This foreigner was a rebuke to all those higher officials of Judah who should have followed the Lord fully. May the Lord bless His people with moral and spiritual integrity. This is why accountability in churches is so vital. Let’s keep asking each other about the deeper issues within our hearts – so we keep nothing hidden. The Lord will expose it one day anyway!
Vision Point for cell groups – Cell groups on break over the school holidays
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Sunday’s sermon “The best is yet to come” – reading Jeremiah 30:18-Jer 31-14
1. We have all known the pain of loss. Israel would lose everything, but her sorrow would be turned to joy. Has the Lord restored something to you after a season of loss?
2. The nation of Israel is a modern day miracle. Jeremiah says “I will again rebuild you”, Jer 31:4ff. What do you know of the history and conflict over Israel, the two state solution and what is happening in Israel today.
3. We know the Messiah is the One who fully restores the fortunes to us and to Israel. They will one day recognise their Saviour. Discuss your understanding of this and what you understand about the Millennial kingdom.
4. Perfect peace and restoration will come from the heavenly Jerusalem. This is where we live with our Lord forever. There will be a new heavens and a new earth. Do you ever think about this.
Prayer Points
1. Melinda Fourie bad ear infection.
2. Ministries as they have started back.
3. That we see Christ even as Covid goes through the community.
4. Pray for other building projects – café roof, the repair of the house roof.
5. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to remain and increase.
Praise Points
1. Kayla Newberry - National U18 national Heptathlon Champion.
2. People returning to church as Covid is passing through the church and community.
3. Faithful; message on Sunday – thanks Doug
4. Worship and technical team. Thanks Suzie, Gina, Zac, Bec and Tim.
Announcements
1. Cell groups back. A new cell group has started at the church for residents around Karalee. Wed 7pm at church.
2. Kidz@Church every Sunday
3. Members Meeting after the service 27th Feb
4. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
5. Tune in again this week on our youtube page. Subscribe to the CBC channel Chuwar Baptist YouTube channel.
Catechism question for February...
Q. 16. Who should partake of the Lord's Supper? A. Only those who repent of their sins, believe in Christ for salvation and live according to his word.
