“‘For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me,’ says the LORD.” (v.18)
This chapter gives us a strong contrast between faithfulness and faithlessness. On one side we see Jeremiah’s faithfulness to the Lord and God’s faithfulness in return to him. And on the other, we see King Zedekiah’s faithlessness and weakness, how he failed to be courageous when pressure came, and how he ended up paying a terrible price for his cowardly indecision.
Jeremiah who had been punished by the king many times for speaking in the name of the LORD all that God had told him to say, was once again here in chapter 39 called into the king's presence. King Zedekiah said to the prophet, "I will ask you something. Hide nothing from me" (v.14). Based on similar circumstances Jeremiah responded, "If I declare it to you, will you not surely put me to death? And if I give you advice, you will not listen to me" (v.16).
Jeremiah is obviously thinking here, why would the king want to know what God had to say if he was not going to obey it? The king was probably curious to know what the future held for him. So Jeremiah, after the the king swore not to kill him, prophesied, "Thus says the LORD, if you surrender to the king of Babylon's princes, then you shall live. For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me,’ says the LORD.” (v.18)
Wow, considering Jeremiah's situation, that took great faith to stand in front of king Zedekiah and tell him to remain in the city and surrender to an invading army. What Zedekiah did with that information is another story. But, may God give us the strength of character cling to, trust in, and rely on Him, each and every day in the challenges we face to our faith as well - to speak truth even when it may not be followed.
The Truth: "Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the LORD." (1 Corinthians 15:58)
This chapter gives us a strong contrast between faithfulness and faithlessness. On one side we see Jeremiah’s faithfulness to the Lord and God’s faithfulness in return to him. And on the other, we see King Zedekiah’s faithlessness and weakness, how he failed to be courageous when pressure came, and how he ended up paying a terrible price for his cowardly indecision.
Jeremiah who had been punished by the king many times for speaking in the name of the LORD all that God had told him to say, was once again here in chapter 39 called into the king's presence. King Zedekiah said to the prophet, "I will ask you something. Hide nothing from me" (v.14). Based on similar circumstances Jeremiah responded, "If I declare it to you, will you not surely put me to death? And if I give you advice, you will not listen to me" (v.16).
Jeremiah is obviously thinking here, why would the king want to know what God had to say if he was not going to obey it? The king was probably curious to know what the future held for him. So Jeremiah, after the the king swore not to kill him, prophesied, "Thus says the LORD, if you surrender to the king of Babylon's princes, then you shall live. For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me,’ says the LORD.” (v.18)
Wow, considering Jeremiah's situation, that took great faith to stand in front of king Zedekiah and tell him to remain in the city and surrender to an invading army. What Zedekiah did with that information is another story. But, may God give us the strength of character cling to, trust in, and rely on Him, each and every day in the challenges we face to our faith as well - to speak truth even when it may not be followed.
The Truth: "Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the LORD." (1 Corinthians 15:58)
