In today’s section, we read about:
Final warnings to Zedekiah, who ignores them and even burns the scroll they are written on, although he still wants to hear what God has to say through Jeremiah
The obedience of the Recabites
Jeremiah flogged, imprisoned and put in a cistern
Jerusalem falls
Gedaliah is put in charge of those who remain in Judah, but is assassinated by Ishmael, who was acting at the behest of the king of Ammon
The people are warned not to go to Egypt, but they go anyway
A series of messages to neighbouring nations
Some thoughts which occurred to me today:
Following on from the wonderful promises of yesterday’s reading, today’s section deals with the settling of accounts as God’s judgment falls on Judah and Jerusalem.
Again, the message is spelt out with total clarity – judgment will come as a result of the people’s sins, especially idolatry; God has sent his prophets again and again to get his people to repent, but they have steadfastly refused to turn back to Him; God wants nothing more than to bless His people, if only they would honour his covenant with them.
Ch 35 is very reassuring, in that it shows that God sees everything and never fails to reward obedience and faithfulness, even to those who are nothing special, by human standards. The same is also true of Ebed-melech, the Ethiopian (38:7; 39:16-18). It is also true for Baruch (45:4-5).
King Zedekiah is desperate – he is full of bravado and contempt for God’s word, yet part of him knows that what Jeremiah is telling him is from God, as he secretly sends for him.
With the fall of Jerusalem, comes a complete breakdown in law and order and society. Gedaliah seems to be a decent and honourable man, yet he is assassinated, and the people lose their heads and go off to Egypt, even though God has clearly told them not to. It must have been difficult for them to see the larger picture, but God clearly has the destiny of all the nations in his hands, and at this juncture is working everything out according to his plan.
The messages to the surrounding nations are a reminder that God is totally is totally in control. 46:8 – ““Do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant, / for I am with you,” say the Lord, / “I will completely destroy the nations to which I have exiled you, / but I will not completely destroy you, / I will discipline you, but with justice; / I cannot let you go unpunished.””
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