Chapter 38

Note: This is either the last or the second-last Johno's Commentary before I go away! Please bear that in mind.

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I pointed out yesterday that Zedekiah was playing a dangerous game by playing both sides of a dispute (in this case the Babylonians and the Egyptians) off against each other. But having read today’s passage, it is possible that I have misjudged the man . . .

. . . Maybe he was just spineless!

Jeremiah gives his customary message, and some of those who were offended (this time!) get up on their high horse and demand that the king execute Jeremiah. Reluctantly the king allows them to do as they wish; in a doctor Evil-esque move, they have Jeremiah thrown into a pit. Brilliant move on their part, NOT – if they’d have had him executed immediately, they could have avoided a lot of trouble (although perhaps God may have judged them more harshly).

In any case, Jeremiah is thrown down the bottom of a dry well, and looks certain to die there, except for the actions of a brave man, Ebed Melech. Pretty much all we know about Ebed-Melech is what we read in this chapter! However, what we DO know is that he was a worshipper of God and determined to see things done properly – so he rescues Jeremiah from said pit.

Here’s where the king’s spinelessness comes into play. The king apparently gets a change of heart and begs Jeremiah to tell him what the Lord has said for him.

Jeremiah pulls no punches and simply tells the King the same thing he’s been telling others for goodness only knows how long!

And here we see this weak and doubtful king asking Jeremiah for help.

I have sympathy for this king – I have been in situations where it’s hard to know what is right.

Further, note that Jeremiah (often a strident critic of peoples’ actions) doesn’t hassle the king, for once!

God doesn’t blame us for doubting. It’s when we make incorrect moral choices that God gets upset. And yes, Zedekiah had made a few bad choices in that area. But he was doing his best in the current situation to make amends with God (for the moment),a nd God honoured that.. God DOES want us to track down answers to our questions. So remember – don’t simply stay as you are, try to work out the answers!

God will love you he precise same amount no matter whether you have found the answers you need or not. He operates by grace! But God gave us minds so that we could work on these answers ourselves. USE THEM!