Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Jeremiah 39: Reward For Faithfulness

From time to time in the Bible, we see God miraculously deliver a righteous person in the midst of an evil lot that is getting punished for their wickedness.  This demonstrates that God is often looking to provide a reward for faithfulness.

For instance, we see Noah instructed to build an ark that will save him and his family while the whole earth floods.  Lot is hustled out of Sodom by angelic messengers.  Rahab and her family are rescued when Jericho falls.

A lesser known story found in Jeremiah 39 is that of an Ethiopian eunuch named Ebed-melech.  (Ebed-melech is one of two noteworthy Ethiopian eunuchs in the Bible.  The other is found in Acts 8:26-40.)

Earlier, before the city of Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians, Ebed-melech had done a good turn to Jeremiah.  In chapter 38, the eunuch had rescued God's prophet from starving to death in a muddy cistern.  Now the Lord returns the favor and promises to deliver Ebed-melech when destruction comes:


"The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah while he was confined in the court of the guard: Go and say to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian: Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: I am going to fulfill my words against this city for evil and not for good, and they shall be accomplished in your presence on that day.  But I will save you on that day, says the Lord, and you shall not be handed over to those whom you dread.  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 trusted in me, says the Lord" (vs. 15-18).

The lesson?  God is faithful to those who are faithful to Him!

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