Jeremiah is forced into a cistern

JEREMIAH      CHAPTER 38

Jeremiah had been telling that everyone who stayed in Jerusalem would die from war,famine or disease, but those who surrendered to the Babylonians would live. Soon the city officials went to the king and reported what Jeremiah was saying. They called him a traitor and that he undermined the fighting men who were left. The king agreed. He allowed the men to take Jeremiah from the cell and put him in a deep, empty cistern in the prison yard. the cistern was filled with a thick layer of mud.

Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, who was an important palace official, heard about Jeremiah and spoke to the king.  He told the king what the men did was an evil deed and the prophet would surely die of hunger, for most of the bread in the city was gone. So the king gave the order to his men to pull Jeremiah out of the cistern and Ebed-melech and others found old rags and discarded clothing and lowered it down to Jeremiah to put on. Then they pulled him out and he was returned to the courtyard of the guard- the palace prison.

One day King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah to meet with him and answer questions truthfully. But Jeremiah said that if he told the truth, the king would kill him and if he gave the king advice, the king never listened. So Zedekiah promised he would not kill him or hand him over to those who wanted him dead.

Jeremiah told Zedekiah that the Lord God of Israel wanted him to surrender to Babylon and if so, then his family would live and the city not be burned. But if he refused, then the king would not escape and the Babylonians would burn the city to the ground.  King Zedekiah said he was afraid to surrender because the Babylonians would hand him over to the Judeans who had defected to them.

Jeremiah told the king that he would not be handed over to the Judeans if he chose to obey the Lord. But if he refused, the Lord had revealed that all the women left in the palace would be brought out and given to the officers of the Babylonian army. Then the women would taunt the king and all the wives and children would be led out to the Babylonians and the king would not escape but instead be seized and the city burned.

King Zedekiah swore that their conversation must be a secret. For if his officials heard that the king spoke to Jeremiah, he would be killed. And sure enough, the officials came to Jeremiah and asked why the king had called for him. But Jeremiah followed the king's instructions and the men left without finding out the truth. And Jeremiah remained a prisoner in the courtyard of the guard until the day Jerusalem was captured.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? The plot of this chapter reads like a soap opera and mystery all rolled into one. Poor Jeremiah who has been persecuted for his faith for over 40 years and who has received no acclaim or love or following or respect is thrown into a cistern to die. This goes to show us that while God wants us to be faithful and be his servant, he does not guarantee that we will not be subjected to persecution. Your ministry is not for human approval. God rewards us, but not always in our lifetime. I find this fact a hard one to accept.

Another lesson from this chapter is who stepped forward and helped Jeremiah. Not one of the Judeans,or Israelites, but an Ethiopian who was a palace official. God surely put him in the right place at the right time. We wonder about this foreigner who took pity on the prophet. What tremendous courage it took for this Ethiopian to stand against the murder plotters. This just goes to show that there are no accidents. God is in charge of who goes where and why. Don't be afraid to stand up for what you believe is right!

And finally the lesson of King Zedekiah who was wishy-washy and must have given his people a sense of insecurity just by his own actions. He agreed with everybody. He listened to Jeremiah, then wanted him killed, then rescued him again. Public opinion about this king must have been up and down and off the charts. Pray that we don't elect leaders for our nation who flip flop and cause chaos with the public. We need a strong leader and one who values his faith. Pray for our elected officials.

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:


HEALTH:

Pray for my grandson and new baby Gunar who was born with kidney problems.

Pray for Gabe.

Pray for Gary and Steve my insurance men who have prostate cancer.

Pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life.

Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer.

Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with a form of MS.

Pray for Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.

Pray for Gary Summers, my friend from church, who has cancer.

Pray too for Charly’s husband Robert who has been undergoing chemo. Pray also for Charly who longs to be 100 percent again and walk without an aid.

Pray for James’s sister Cynthia whose chemo has lost its effect as the cancer grows powerful.

SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary

RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John

LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian

SUPPORT: Pray for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom. Pray for our famers and those who raise livestock during this terrible drought.