The Indestructible Word (6)

Pray Psalm 77.1-3.
I cried out to God with my voice—
To God with my voice;
And He gave ear to me.
In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord;
My hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing;
My soul refused to be comforted.
I remembered God, and was troubled;
I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed.

Sing Psalm 77.1-3.
(Leoni: The God of Abraham Praise)
My voice to God shall rise; I seek Him on His throne.
In days and nights of trouble I seek God alone!
When I remember Him, then am I sore distressed!
My spirit faints and longs to find in Him its rest.

Read and meditate on Jeremiah 38.1-28.

Prepare.
1. How would you describe King Zedekiah at this point?

2. How did Zedekiah seek to protect Jeremiah?

Meditate.
The situation in Jerusalem was desperate, and some in high places were looking for a scapegoat. Jeremiah would do fine. The princes, who had previously helped Jeremiah, now called for his head (v. 1-4). King Zedekiah, hapless and helpless, gave him up to their hand. The princes promptly threw him back into the dungeon (vv. 5, 6).

But the grace of God was with Jeremiah. He would have died in that pit, sinking into the mire; but God moved an Ethiopian eunuch to beseech the king on Jeremiah’s behalf (vv. 7-9). Zedekiah commanded him to take thirty men and get Jeremiah out of that pit, which they did (vv. 10-13).

All the food in the city was gone (v. 9), and the Babylonians had returned – just as Jeremiah said they would. Zedekiah was a pathetic creature, afraid both of his people and his enemies (vv. 14-19). At the end of the day, he was the only person he was thinking about. If he had obeyed years ago, none of this would be happening. Zedekiah wanted a word from the Lord, and he assured Jeremiah he would not kill him if he told him the truth (vv. 14-16). And the truth was as harsh and unyielding as ever (vv. 20-23).

It’s not what Zedekiah hoped to hear; nevertheless, he had this much decency left – a measure of God’s grace to a king called to serve His people for good (Rom. 13.1-4) – that he gave Jeremiah words to say to the princes to keep them from throwing him back into the dungeon (vv. 24-28). As the city fell, Jeremiah remained under house arrest in the prison courtyard.

In various places around the world today, faithful believers like Jeremiah are suffering for their faith in Jesus. They will not deny Him, and they will not be silent about His demands. Pray for God to protect and encourage them. And pray for yourself, that He will embolden you in your witness for Christ like He did Jeremiah.

Reflect.
1. Why did it make sense that Zedekiah would show some kindness to Jeremiah?

2. Jeremiah suffered for his faith and his calling. Should we as believers today expect to suffer for our faith and our calling? Explain.

3. How should we pray for believers around the world who are suffering for their faith?

Jeremiah did not only prudently persuade the people to do what he deemed necessary, but he also discharged faithfully his office as a Prophet: nor did he give any other counsel than what he had been commanded to give: nay, he commanded them, by authority, to pass over to the Chaldeans, for it was according to God's will. John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on Jeremiah 38.1

Help me to be faithful and bold in my witness for You, Lord, as I…

Pray Psalm 77.4-20.
Pray that God will revive His people and lead us forth in witness for Christ once again.

Sing Psalm 77.4-20.
Psalm 77.4-20 (Leoni: The God of Abraham Praise)
I scarce a word can speak, so troubled is my soul;
yet I recall Your grace to Israel long ago.
I sing Your praise by night; my heart will meditate;
my spirit ponders all Your grace and wonders great.

O Lord, will You reject Your people without end?
Has favor ceased, are You no more our heav’nly Friend?
Your promise and Your love in anger are obscured;
my sin has turned Your hand away, Your beauty blurred.

Now let us call to mind Your deeds and wonders, Lord,
and meditate on all Your works and praise Your Word.
Full holy is Your way, great God of earth and heav’n,
to You, O God of strength and pow’r all praise be giv’n!

The waters and the deeps all tremble ‘neath Your hand.
The clouds give forth, the sky resounds across the land.
Your lightning flashes forth and lights the earth around;
we feel beneath our feet the trembling of the ground.

Your way leads through the sea; Your path the waters parts.
Your footprints are to us deep mysteries in our hearts.
As then by Moses’ hand and Aaron’s law-filled voice,
You led Your sheep, lead us that we may all rejoice!

T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006). All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (available by clicking here).