Monday, June 6, 2016

Jeremiah 21: King Zedekiah Doesn't Have A Prayer!

Faced with the Babylonian threat, King Zedekiah decides to approach Jeremiah and see if he can elicit a miraculous deliverance from the Lord, as He has done for the nation in the past.  "Inquire now of the Lord for us because Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is attacking us.  Perhaps the Lord will perform wonders for us as in times past so that he will withdraw from us" (vs. 2).

Unfortunately, God is not moved to take up Zedekiah's cause.  In fact, just the opposite happens.  God reveals that he will be on the side of the Babylonians opposing Jerusalem!  "I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and a mighty arm in anger and fury and great wrath" (vs. 5).  God promises to strike down everyone (and everything) living in Jerusalem and give it all over to Nebuchadnezzar.  Even Zedekiah and all the officials will be handed over.

Then, in a move verging on treason, Jeremiah encourages people to leave the city and surrender to the Babylonians as the only way to survive the coming onslaught.  "This is what the Lord says: See, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death.  Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine, or plague.  But whoever goes out and surrenders to the Babylonians who are besieging you will live; he will escape with his life" (vs. 8-9).  Jeremiah says the nation is already defeated, and that people need to capitulate to their new overlords in order to survive.

This message is certainly not what Zedekiah was hoping for when he sent emissaries to Jeremiah!

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