Read Jeremiah 39
1 In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army and laid siege to it. 2 And on the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city wall was broken through. 3 Then all the officials of the king of Babylon came and took seats in the Middle Gate: Nergal-Sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-Sarsekim a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer a high official and all the other officials of the king of Babylon. 4 When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled; they left the city at night by way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls, and headed toward the Arabah.
5 But the Babylonian army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. They captured him and took him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced sentence on him. 6 There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes and also killed all the nobles of Judah. 7 Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon.
8 The Babylonians set fire to the royal palace and the houses of the people and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. 9 Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard carried into exile to Babylon the people who remained in the city, along with those who had gone over to him, and the rest of the people.10 But Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard left behind in the land of Judah some of the poor people, who owned nothing; and at that time he gave them vineyards and fields.
11 Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had given these orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard: 12 “Take him and look after him; don’t harm him but do for him whatever he asks.”13 So Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard, Nebushazban a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer a high official and all the other officers of the king of Babylon 14 sent and had Jeremiah taken out of the courtyard of the guard.They turned him over to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to take him back to his home. So he remained among his own people.
15 While Jeremiah had been confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him: 16 “Go and tell Ebed-Melek the Cushite, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am about to fulfill my words against this city—words concerning disaster, not prosperity. At that time they will be fulfilled before your eyes. 17 But I will rescue you on that day, declares the Lord; you will not be given into the hands of those you fear. 18 I will save you; you will not fall by the sword but will escape with your life, because you trust in me, declares the Lord.’”
Go Deeper
In Jeremiah 39, we read the story of the fall of Jerusalem. As had been foretold, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his entire army marched towards Jerusalem and besieged the city (v. 1). They surrounded it, essentially cutting it off from the outside world and preventing the importing and exporting of goods all while taking aim at the walls around the city. After an 18 month siege, the city fell. All of the false prophets who had claimed Judah would come out victorious had been proven false. Jeremiah, on the other hand, was proven to be a prophet speaking on God’s behalf.
As King Zedekiah tried to escape, eventually Nebuchadnezzar’s army caught up to him. Zedekiah tried to slip away, abandoning his people in the process, only to be captured on the run. Earlier in the book of Jeremiah it had been prophesied that Zedekiah would ultimately meet Nebuchadnezzar face-to-face, and now it was happening. The prophecies of what would happen to Zedekiah’s family if he didn’t listen and repent were also ultimately fulfilled here (v. 6-10). Ultimately, the city of Jerusalem was torched and destroyed. All because of hardened hearts that didn’t want to repent.
As for Jeremiah, he was vindicated and his status as a true prophet of God was cemented. The Babylonians cared for and protected Jeremiah, releasing him from prison and allowing him to live among the people once again. And for added measure, Ebed-Melek the Cushite (who we read about in the previous chapter) was preserved and protected for putting his trust in the Lord as well. The story of Ebed-Melek is a powerful one, reminding us that anyone with ears to hear and a willingness to put their faith in God can be in a relationship with Him.
Questions
- What stuck out to you on your first read through this chapter? Why?
- Why is the fall of Jerusalem such a significant event?
- Why is the story of Ebed-Melek so important?
By the Way
King Zedekiah having his eyes taken out fulfilled a promise God made through Ezekiel before the fall of Jerusalem in Ezekiel 12:13:
“I will spread my net for him, and he will be caught in my snare; I will bring him to Babylonia, the land of the Chaldeans, but he will not see it, and there he will die.”
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3 thoughts on “Jeremiah 39”
8 “The Babylonians set fire to the royal palace and the houses of the people and broke down the walls of Jerusalem.”
I wonder how Jeremiah was feeling at this moment. Vindicated? Because his prophecy had been shown to be true. Or saddened? Because of the destruction that was taking place to the city and its people.
If it were me, I probably would have been muttering under my breath, “See, I told you all this was going to happen!”
The day of reckoning came just as God revealed through Jeremiah. No more chances to right wrongs, God’s hammer of justice fell as was predicted through his prophet. For whatever reason, (most likely self-serving) the Babylonians had way more respect for Jeremiah than his own people did. As will always be true, God honors and rewards obedience and faithfulness as is evidenced in how Jeremiah and the Cushite were saved in the midst of destruction. Point taken, our obedience determines our fate. As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion” (Hebrews 3:15). We are living in the middle of our “dash”, so let’s live to honor God ‘til we breathe our last breath.
Oh!! God!! You are so faithful!! WOOHOO!!!!! People say “oh, you are reading Jeremiah? How dull and boring.” I did also think that way BUT GOD has opened up His Word. It is WOW!! His LOVE (HESED) is so overwhelmingly evident in all of these “boring” books. He shows up and out to us constantly and continually. God is so gracious and merciful but very straightfoward and constant. We read and see God’s amazing love but I believe we only truly know, understand, and comprehend the very tip of the iceberg. His love is magnanimous, beyond our imagination or comprehension of love. Jeremiah was faithful and God was faithful. He showed up and God was with him every step of the way, even in the HARD trials. We just have to breath. We just have to be faithful. We just have to be steadfast. We just have to let God be glorified. This reward here on this earth will be a spit in the bucket as to what awaits us in the future. WOOHOO!!
God there are no words to describe the effervescent bubbling of You within my soul and heart! No amount of exclamtion points or woohoo’s. God seeing, feeling, tangible touching Your LOVE is beyond my worldly comprehension but what joy I feel when sitting at Your feet!! Thank You God for this day these minutes to express my love to You by being the church. God give me Your love goggles to see, ears to hear You in the midst of volient noise of this world, and hands and feet to be and do for You today in these minutes in Jesus name amen