Study From the Book of Jeremiah,38

Study From the Book of Jeremiah,38

Today is the thirty-eighth   part of this series where we study chapter 38. Here, there are two biblical principles and their lessons which are useful in biblical counselling.

Jeremiah repeated the advice to the king and the people of Jerusalem as he said the choice was between life under the Babylonians and death among the ruins of Jerusalem. The princes accused Jeremiah of demoralizing Judah and seeking the harm of Jerusalem.

Zedekiah was powerless before the court of princes. So, the fate of Jeremiah was placed in their hands. And Jeremiah was imprisoned in the basement of cistern. This particular cistern cannot be entered except with robs.  The court princes probably excepted Jeremiah to die a slow and quiet death in a very unpleasant environment.

However, Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian told the king Zedekiah so he ordered men to make a rope from old clothes and dragged it to Jeremiah to hang on it and so he was delivered.

Jeremiah tried to settle Zedekiah’s fears and to resolve his moral and ethical dilemma by reassuring him that surrender would result in his personal safety. But the king refused to surrender to Nebuchadnezzar, so the word of Judgement fell. And Jerusalem was destroyed.

Structure:

Verses 1-13: Jeremiah in the dungeon.

Verses 14-28: Zedekiah’s fear and Jeremiah’s advice.

Principle 60:38:7-9: “—My Lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet…”

Lesson 60: With all Jeremiah’s fellow Israelites around him, it took a foreigner, Ebed- Melech the Ethiopian, to give him the help he needed. God loves to provide help from unexpected sources, so that He gets the glory not us.  

Principle 61: 38:20: “---Please obey the voice of the Lord which I speak to you, so it shall be well with you, and your soul shall live.”

Lesson 61: Obedience is always the smart choice, the wise choice, the choice of blessing. Obedience always brings blessing, and we bless others when we remind them of this simple fact.  25/8/2024.