Repeated Warning; Devastating consequences!!!
Theme “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart,” Jer.
29: 13.
Introduction
Theological affirmation and religious culture in which Jeremiah ministered reflected the idea that Judah is loved and cared for by God and God’s word and message when spoken by true prophetic voices are unchanged by circumstances whether there is war or peace. Circumstance aren’t what decide things that happens whether good or bad which is why many people have beautiful homes, material possessions, financial security and good health, yet are miserable and suicidal while others live in poverty, own nothing, have poor health, yet appear to be successful and are filled with joy of the Lord.
God is the Sovereign Lord to whom all obedience and allegiance is due. But often times, man though created by God want God to rubber stamp his decision. Repeatedly, God has sent prophets to Israel, but they have not listened. They continued to serve and worship other gods and provoked the Lord (See 2 kgs. 17: 13 – 16). Earlier, the Lord has warned the people through Jeremiah about what will happen in a vision according to Jer. 24: 8 - 10, that “Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine and plaque.” The very bad figs in Jeremiah’s vision are those who refused to submit to the Lord’s discipline and elected to stay in Jerusalem.
As noted, rather than heeding to Jeremiah’s instructions and warning from the Lord to surrender to the Babylonians, Zedekiah obstinately persisted in trying to do things on his own terms, even looking to Egypt to deliver them as noted in Jer. 37: 5 - 7. Of course, God’s people never think the whole country of Judah will become a desolate wasteland and will serve the king of Babylon seventy years until the prophecy came to Jeremiah in 605BC. Key verses that capture this idea includes (Jer. 25: 6 – 13; Luke 7: 26 - 30).
Keep in mind, the duty of a king is not elated above God and king Zedekiah with his political loyalist were privileged with evidence to know the mind of God and had known ahead of time what would happen when Jeremiah spoke to him. The reality is that it sounded Zedekiah remained nasty and defiantly reject the Lord’s instruction and when people refuse to submit to God’s will for whatever reason, the Lord brings judgment against them.
Similar to the days of Hezekiah, Zedekiah never prioritize Jeremiah’s instruction and warning as something he must take seriously even when his life, the life of his family and entire nation is in danger (See 2 kgs. 20: 16 - 19). Painfully, he realized the vain attempt to fear his officials who viewed Jeremiah’s message with guarded hatred and urged him to disregarded Jeremiah’s bold plea for correction because they feel Jeremiah is a traitor against national life and policies and was not ready to change his tone, insisting that going to Babylon is the only guaranteed future for the nation.
Zedekiah’s disobedient choice is an embodied spiritual practice that we sometime dismiss at every turn until we oppose God’s warning and get caught up. In this study, we shall see that there’s something wrong lingering and engaging in conversation as an excuse to avoid obeying God every single time so we cannot go and do likewise.
Question
1. Reading from Jer. 37: 1 – 10, Zedekiah was counselled not to build vain hopes. Discuss what was happening:
A. Why do you think Jeremiah feels there’s still no future to be enjoyed and the situation as no good for Jerusalem.
B. We noticed in Jer. 37: 11 – 21, Jeremiah at the Benjamin gate and delivered him to the state officials who had him beaten and in their rage imprisoned him. Why was Zedekiah optimistic and ask Jeremiah again whether there was a word from Yahweh.
C. What did Jeremiah’s imprisonment reveal about the challenges of speaking the truth. Knowing he’s going to suffer, why would he had to warn the king that Pharoah’s army would retreat and the Chaldeans would return
2. Jeremiah’s words were regarded as treasonable when he proclaimed before High Government officials to the effect that desertion to the Babylonians was the one choice an individual had to save his life.
A. Compare the arrest of Jeremiah in Jeremiah 37: 11–16 and Jeremiah 38: 1-13. Expand on the details surrounding his arrest and comment on anything you think is rather pathetic about Zedekiah
B. From Jer. 38: 1-13, Jeremiah would have died had not the Ethiopian eunuch Ebed-Melech secured from the king a change of imprisonment. How would these passages speak in such situations: 1 John 4: 4; Ps. 32:7; 2 Cor. 10; 3 - 4; James 5: 13 - 16; Ps. 91: 10; 2 Thess. 3: 3; Deut. 31: 6; Isa. 41: 10; Prov. 2: 11; Zeph. 3: 17.
C. Reading from Jer. 38: 14 - 28, one is bewildered when Zedekiah sought to hear a frank message and Jeremiah hesitated at the request of the king. Were you to be candid, are there people you know going the wrong direction, yet whatever advice you try to give will go unheeded. Discuss
3. We can feel the instability of the throne when the king petitioned that his meeting with Jeremiah be kept in strict confidence.
A. What in your opinion is the apparent reason(s) for this warning, and how does this reflect our approach towards warnings in life
B. Reading Jeremiah 52: 1 -11, How does the account of Zedekiah’s capture and blinding illustrate God’s sovereignty and what does it illustrate that Zedekiah’s eyes were removed
C. From related biblical interpretation of blindness in Acts 22, 26 and Acts 13:1- 12, what happened to Zedekiah is a cautionary historical event. How does that affect us and why must we apply the lessons to our lives today
4. Judges 21: 25 shows in the period of the Judges, Rulers are supposed to give divine guidance otherwise there would be instability. And Rulers who disobey God, engage in violence, bribery and oppression brought ruin upon their nations as seen in Dan. 4: 25 – 35
A. What were the two roots of pride for Nebuchadnezzar according to the text in Daniel 4: 25 - 35
B. In contrast to human governance, Scripture states that God controls earthly powers, remove and establish kings as He wills according to Daniel 2: 19 - 22. What does righteousness and justice teach you in Ps. 89: 14; Prov. 29:4; Prov. 16: 12 and mention some specific ways with examples
C. What interconnected themes does Rom.14: 12; Ezekiel 18: 20 and Jer. 52: 1-11 emphasized, explore the relationship between personal responsibility
and community consequences. How do we live as Spirit powered people in Galatians 6: 2
