JEREMIAH 21A
King of Judah wanted a miracle of the LORD verse 1- 2
The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD
when king Zedekiah sent unto him Pashur the son of Melchiah
and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest – saying
Inquire – I pray you – of the LORD for us
for Nebuchadnezzar –king of Babylon
makes war against us
If so be that the LORD will deal with us
according to all HIS wondrous works
that he may go up from us
Jeremiah told King judgment was coming verse 3- 7
THEN said Jeremiah unto them – Thus shall you say to Zedekiah
Thus says the LORD God of Israel
BEHOLD – I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands
wherewith ye fight against the king of Babylon
against the Chaldeans which besiege you without the walls
I will assemble them into the midst of this city
I MYSELF will fight against you with an outstretched hand
and with a strong arm even in anger – fury – great wrath
I will smite the inhabitants of this city
BOTH man and beast they shall die of a great pestilence
AND afterward – says the LORD
I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah and his servants – and the people
and such as are left in this city from the pestilence – sword – famine
into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon
into the hands of their enemies
into the hand of those that seek their life
he shall smite them with the edge of the sword
he shall not spare them neither have pity
nor have mercy
LORD gave people choice of life or death verse 8- 10
And unto this people you shall say – Thus says the LORD
BEHOLD – I set before you the way of LIFE
and the way of DEATH
He that abides in this city shall die by the sword – famine – pestilence
BUT he that goes out and falls to the Chaldeans that besiege you
he shall live and his life shall be unto him for a prey
For I have set MY face against this city for evil
and not for good – says the LORD
it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon
and he shall burn it with fire
LORD is fighting against Jerusalem verse 11- 14
And touching the house of the king of Judah – say
Hear you the words of the LORD
O house of David – thus says the LORD
Execute judgment in the morning – and deliver him
that is spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor
lest MY fury go out like fire
and burn that none can quench it
BECAUSE of the evil of your doings
BEHOLD – I am against you – O inhabitant of the valley
` and rock of the plain – says the LORD
Which say – Who shall come down against us?
or Who shall enter into our habitations?
BUT I will punish you according to the FRUIT of your doings
says the LORD
and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof
and it shall devour all things round about it
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 5 I Myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger and fury and great wrath. The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982).
Devotion: People who are followers of God, when it is convenient, are always shocked when God does what He must to maintain his standard of holiness and righteousness! They are shocked that the God they say they have served would suddenly and with strong resolve judge them. How could the Lord they serve distribute and even engage in the overthrow of their world? It is almost like a child asking their parents, “how could you punish us if you loved me?” God, like a parent, knows that the only alternative to utter destruction is the discipline and severe intercession for the people of Judah. What appears to be a destructive and cold-hearted was the only option for the people of God.
I have been involved in just a few interventions in my ministry. Where a family or group of friends did an intervention in order to save an individual’s life. The tears, accusations, and venting of raw emotions was difficult to face but the group knew it was necessary. After treatment and recovery the individual rejoiced that someone cared enough to do the difficult. God here is doing the difficult and intervening during the crisis of Israel’s existence.
Application: Perhaps there is someone that is drifting far from the truths of God’s teachings and you are concerned for their spiritual well-being. Rest assured that God takes very seriously the life of his own children. He will work patiently to draw them back and He will also discipline them to awaken them to their wrongs (1 John 5). Remember, “… the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: ‘My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son He receives.’ If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons…” (Hebrews 12:5-7). (Dr. Brian Miller – board member)
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 8 And unto this people you shall say, Thus says the LORD; Behold, I set before you the wayof life, and the wayof death. (1870 “way” [derek] means a path, route, highway, road, course of life or mode of action, conversation, custom, journey, manner, or passenger.
DEVOTION: Zedekiah is looking for a way to escape the king of Babylon. He sends his priests to Jeremiah to ask the LORD for help. Jeremiah gives the LORD’S answer – no help.
Jeremiah informs the people to go out of the city of Jerusalem to the Babylonians for a possibility of living. Those who stay in the city are going to die both man and beast. Judgment is coming.
The children of Israel had a choice to make. The LORD told them through Jeremiah that they were going to be defeated. The ones who wanted to live had to leave the city and go to the enemy’s camp and surrender to them. The ones who didn’t were going to die.
The choice was simple if they believed Jeremiah was a true prophet of God they would go out of the city and make the journey toward life. If they don’t listen they will have the journey of death. Many chose the journey toward death and died.
We are on a journey in this life. John Bunyan in his book “Pilgrim’s Progress” tells us a little about the Christian life with all the trials we will face before reaching heaven. [I think ALL Christians should read this book when they become a follower of Christ. Then reread it regularly.].
We have daily choices to make. There is a road set before us each day. We can walk the road of the LORD or the road away from the LORD. Each day we make a choice. There is no neutral in our life in Christ. There is no status quo.
There is either growth or lack of growth. We are to meditate on the Word of God each day. We are to pray without ceasing each day. We are to put on the armor of God each day to fight against our enemies: the world, the flesh and the devil. Let’s listen to the LORD.
CHALLENGE: Our daily path should include a time with the LORD to examine our life to see if we are obedient to HIS Word. Our time is well spent in HIS Word and listening to the Holy Spirit. Direction is available.)
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 14 But I will punishyou according to the fruit of your doings, says the LORD: and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof, and it shall devour all things round about it. (6485 “punish” [paqad] means attend to, visit, commit, to strike upon, count, inventory, or reckon.
DEVOTION: The king of Judah wanted Jeremiah to pray for him and the nation. He wanted to know if the LORD was going to help them against the army of the Babylonians.
The response of the LORD was in the negative. HE has sent Jeremiah to warn them of the coming judgment. Jeremiah had brought the words of the LORD to the people and their only response was to try to kill the messenger. They stated that they couldn’t change their ways. They didn’t want to follow the LORD. They liked their lives just they were. It was just like the people of Sodom when Lot tried to warn them of the coming judgment of God and they laughed at him.
The LORD has stated that HE would bless those who are faithful to HIM. HE has also stated that HE would punish those who would not follow HIS commandments. The plan is simple but the children of Judah didn’t want to follow or listen to HIM.
What was HE going to do? HE was going to inventory their lives and find them wanting. HE was going to look at the fruit of their doings and then kindle a fire of judgment against them.
The same is true today. There are many who have heard the preaching of the Good News of salvation. The gospel is the presentation of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ for our sins. The Bible uses the word “born again” to describe something new in the life of a human that has made a commitment to the LORD.
Once someone becomes a follower of the LORD he/she is expected to live according to the teachings of the New Testament. Obedience brings blessing. Disobedience brings chastening. Those the LORD loves HE chastens to bring them back into fellowship with HIM.
Remember that if someone thinks they are a follower of the LORD and they are living in sin and there is no chastening – they are just fooling themselves into believing that they are a believer. Many think that just because they are baptized or said a prayer or have given money to the church or read their Bible once in a while or attended church at Christmas and Easter that they are believers, they are wrong.
There are many people in our world who live decent lives and think that that is all that is necessary to go to heaven. The Bible says they are wrong. Heaven is only open to those who are “born again” by the Holy Spirit. These individuals have made a commitment to obey the LORD, even though there are times of sin in their life but they confess them to the LORD and HE forgives them and restores fellowship.
When the LORD visits us HE knows our hearts. HE sees our actions. HE judges accordingly.
CHALLENGE: When the LORD visits your life what will HE see? What are the fruits of your doings?)
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
- Chastity (Purity in living)
- Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
- Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
- Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
- Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
- Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
- Frugality (wise use of resources)
- Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
- Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
- Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
- Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
- Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
- Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
King wants Jeremiah to inquire of LORD verse 2
- Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
- Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Word of the LORD verse 11
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 1, 2, 4, 7, 8,
10- 14
Wondrous works verse 2
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign) verse 4
LORD God of Israel verse 4
LORD fights against Israel verse 5- 10
Judgment of God verse 10- 14
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Nebuchadrezzar – king of Babylon verse 2, 4, 7, 10
Chaldeans verse 4, 9
Enemies verse 7
Oppressor verse 12
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Way of death verse 8
Judgment of evil verse 10, 12
Fruit of your doings verse 14
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Prayer verse 2
Way of life verse 8
Good verse 10
Listen to the words of the LORD verse 11
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Jeremiah verse 1, 3
King Zedekiah verse 1, 3, 7, 11
Pashur the son of Melchiah verse 1
Zephahiah son of Maaseiah (priest) verse 1
Israel verse 4
House of David verse 12
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
QUOTES
21:2The two men asked Jeremiah to “inquire” (lit. “seek”) of the Lord for a message. They did not go to their false prophets now. They were like many today who turn to God as a last resort. They had good reason to be alarmed; Nebuchadnezzar was attacking the city at that very time. This is the first time he is mentioned by name in the book. The men hoped the Lord would perform wonders for them “as in times past” (cf. Ps 86:10). They remembered past miraculous interventions on Israel’s behalf, including deliverance from Egyptian bondage (Exod 12:31–14:31), Jehoshaphat’s defeat of the Moabites and Ammonites (2 Chr 20), the lifting of the siege of Samaria (2 Kgs 7:1–7), and deliverance from Sennacherib during Hezekiah’s rule (2 Kgs 19:17, 35; Isa 37:1–7). In spite of their faithlessness, they expected God to come to their rescue whenever their own resources failed. (Huey, F. B. (1993). Jeremiah, Lamentations (Vol. 16, p. 199). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
The purpose of the embassy is clearly stated. They hoped that Jeremiah would pray for the Lord’s intervention by lifting the siege of Nebuchadnezzar (Nebuchadrezzar; cf. Notes). Zedekiah wanted an oracle that would reveal the future, showing, perhaps, that the invader and his army would withdraw from the city and the land. He was evidently thinking of the times of Hezekiah (2 Kings 18–19), Jehoshaphat (2 Chron 20), and the judges. Zedekiah wanted Jeremiah’s prayers and fully expected deliverance from God, though he uttered no syllable of repentance or desire to do God’s will. Nebuchadnezzar, it will be recalled, was the son of Nabopolassar, who put him in command of the forces against Egypt and Judah at Carchemish when he was crown prince. Upon his father’s death, he returned to Babylon to succeed to the throne. (Feinberg, C. L. (1986). Jeremiah. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 506). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
These officials asked Jeremiah to inquire … of the Lord regarding Nebuchadnezzar’s attack on Jerusalem. Though Jeremiah was to ask God what the outcome would be, they hoped that God would perform wonders as He had done in times past so that Nebuchadnezzar would withdraw. Probably Zedekiah and his advisers were thinking of King Hezekiah’s day when the Assyrians had threatened Jerusalem (2 Kings 18:17–19:37; Isa. 36–37). Hezekiah responded to the crisis by sending his chief political and religious advisers to the Prophet Isaiah to ask for his intervention (Isa. 37:2–4). No doubt Zedekiah hoped that God’s answer would be similar to that given by Isaiah (Isa. 37:5–7). (Dyer, C. H. (1985). Jeremiah. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, pp. 1155–1156). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
These events probably took place in the year 588 when the invincible Babylonian army was camped around the walls of Jerusalem. Hoping to secure help from Egypt, weak King Zedekiah had rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar by refusing to pay tribute (2 Chron. 36:13; see Ezek. 17:11–18); now Judah was suffering the dreadful consequences of his foolish decision. In desperation, he looked to Jeremiah for help by sending Zephaniah the priest and Pashur, one of the court officers, to see whether the prophet could get guidance from the Lord. The king hoped that Jehovah would send a miraculous deliverance to Jerusalem as He had done in the days of godly King Hezekiah (2 Kings 18–19). Jeremiah, however, responded with dire pronouncements to the king (Jer. 21:3–7), the people (vv. 8–10), and the house of David (vv. 11–14). (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Decisive (p. 96). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
The very fact of Zedekiah having revolted and broken his pledges to the king of Babylon manifested his unbelieving and unsubject heart. God had sent the conqueror against Judah because of sin. That evil unrepented of, no human prowess could avail to effect deliverance. Yet the Judean monarch had thought to break off the yoke by force of arms. Now, in his helplessness, he sends to Jehovah’s prophet, but gives evidence of no sense of wrong-doing; consequently his petition is utterly devoid of any expression that might speak of contrition or repentance. His message is, “Inquire, I pray thee, of the Lord for us; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon maketh war against us; if so be that the Lord will deal with us according to all His wondrous works, that he may go up from us” (ver. 2). It all sounds pious, but he had not framed his ways or his doings to turn unto the Lord. He feels himself to be in a tight and difficult place. He would avail himself of divine power, if possible, while ignoring divine claims upon him. He is neither the first nor the last that has so acted. For him, however, as for any such, there is no answer of peace. Jeremiah bids the messengers return to their master, and say that not only does Jehovah refuse to fight for him, but He will fight against them, even to turning back the weapons of war in their hands. The city shall be delivered to the Chaldeans, and the bulk of the inhabitants shall die of the sword and a great pestilence. Those that are left, including Zedekiah, shall become the captives of Nebuchadrezzar and be carried away to the imperial city on the Euphrates (vers. 3–7). (Ironside, H. A. (1906). Notes on the prophecy and Lamentations of Jeremiah (pp. 103–104). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)