It really happened. The unthinkable. God had done everything he could to show mercy but they refused. Jeremiah had done everything he could to warn them and they just hardened their heart. And now after about a year and a half, the Babylonians had finally broken through Jerusalem’s fortifications.
It was a terrible hour. Everyone ran in fear, including King Zedekiah. Jeremiah had told him to surrender, but in fear he ran.
They caught Zedekiah and his family. And tragically, they killed his sons in front of his eyes. Then they gouged out Zedekiah’s eyes so that the last thing he saw was the death of his children. Then they took him to Babylon and let him live. To live a terrible death alive.
In the meantime the Babylonians had known about Jeremiah. Perhaps their spies had discovered that he was speaking about the victory of Babylon.
When the commander of the Babylonian army found Jeremiah was in chains as the Israelites were being marched away, he released Jeremiah. Not only that but King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had issued an order that Jeremiah be protected and no harm come to him.
Another person that the LORD honored was Ebed-Melech, the man who had gone to King Zedekiah when Jeremiah was in captivity. He had plead for Jeremiah’s life to be removed from the muddy cistern. Zedekiah had listened and Jeremiah’s life was spared.
It was risky business for Ebed-Melech to stand for Jeremiah. But because he had the LORD spared his life from captivity as well. The LORD said, “because you trusted Me, you will keep your life” (v. 18).
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I just love the book of Jeremiah. And the narrative of greatness and great trust capture my heart. And here it does again. And yet I am convicted.
Jeremiah suffered so very much, but the LORD spared him as he had been faithful to his mission. Not only that but the LORD spared Ebed-melech. Because he trusted Him.
That kind of hit me. Do I trust Him? It’s not so hard to trust the LORD for salvation. It really is such a wonderful and free gift. But do I trust him after that? With life?