SCRIPTURE: JEREMIAH 38
JEREMIAH THROWN INTO A CISTERN (vs. 1-13)
When Shephatiah, Gedaliah , Jehucal and Pashhur heard Jeremiah told the people not to stay in the city but surrender to Babylon, they wanted to put him to death because he was discouraging the soldiers and people and seeking their ruin. King Zedekiah said: “He is in your hands.” (v. 5)So, they took Jeremiah and put him into the cistern of Malkijah. They lowered him by ropes into the cistern where there is no water but only mud. But Ebed-Melech , a Cushite, an official in the king’s palace told King Zedekiah that the officials had thrown Jeremiah into a cistern where he will starve to death. Then the king commanded Ebed-Melech to take 30 men and lifted Jeremiah out of the cistern. So Ebed-Melech and his men went to lift Jeremiah out from the cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard.
ZEDEKIAH QUESTIONS JEREMIAH AGAIN (vs. 14-28)
Then king Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah to seek what the Lord said. Kind Zedekiah promised not to kill him or hand him over to those seeking his life. This is what Jeremiah told king Zedekiah: “This is what the Lord God Almighty, the God of Israel says, “If you surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, your life will be spared and this city will not be burned down; you and your family will live. But if you will not surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, this city will be handed over to the Babylonians and they will burn it down; you yourself will not escape from their hands.” (vs. 17-18)
King Zedekiah was afraid of the Jews who have gone over to the Babylonian. They may handover him to them and mistreat him. But Jeremiah replied: “They will not hand you over. Obey the Lord by doing what I tell you. Then it will go well with you, and your life will be spared. But if you refuse to surrender, all the women left in the palace of the king of Judah will be brought out to the officials of the king of Babylon. You yourself will not escape from their hands but will be captured by the king of Babylon, and this city will be burned down.” (vs. 19-23)
King Zedekiah told Jeremiah that if the officials asked him about their conversation, he should them that he was pleading with the king not to send him back to Jonathan’s house to die there. When all the officials came to Jeremiah and question him, he told them what the king had ordered him to say. So Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guards until the day Jerusalem was captured.
THOUGHTS:
Zedekiah was a weak king who was more interested in being popular with his friends than being right with God. He was double minded, undecisive, and unstable in all his ways. Let us learn to accept God’s message and obey it in order to have the courage to stand up to our unbelieving friends and do what is right. Trust no men, but God.
Jeremiah was executed repeatedly for faithfully proclaiming God’s message. For 40 years of faithful ministry, he received no love and no popular followers. Instead, he was beaten, jailed, threatened and forced to leave his homeland. There is no guaranty that faithful servants will not be persecuted. But God promises to the with them and give them strength to endure. When you minister to others, remember that your service is for God not for human approval.
Ebed-Melech was the only man among the palace officials who stood up against the murder plot. His obedience may have cost him his life but on the contrary, he was spared when Jerusalem fell. You can choose to go along with the crowd or speak up for the Lord. You can show God’s love to someone who is treated unkindly or unjustly. Or when you are being treated unkindly, be sure to thank God when he sends an “Ebed-Melech” your way.