The Book of Jeremiah

    Jeremiah 39:1-18 Surrendered to the King, part 3 – Recompense!

He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing. (Proverbs 29:1)

For most, God’s promises never seem attractive enough, and His warnings always too severe to take seriously.

Why? We cover it often, but we never escape the context of Genesis 1-3, and what transpired in the Garden. 

Dissatisfied with the terms God set for our enjoying the Garden Paradise He so graciously provided, we forfeited our stay in the Garden. And ever since, mankind has sought to establish his own little Gardens without God.

But what’s the problem? There’s no such thing. God is what made the Garden paradise. Without God, the Garden is no paradise at all.

Why do I bring up Genesis? Our first parents failed to take God’s warning seriously, and then it was too late. Paradise was lost.

But with the call of Abraham, down through the people of Israel, God’s plan of redemption prepared a new people to dwell with Him in a new Paradise, a land flowing with milk and honey. 

But like our first parents, Israel and Judah failed to take God’s warnings seriously and forfeited their stay in the land the Lord had given them.

Like our first parents, they thought they could have paradise without God. So they forsook the Lord their God and worshiped the gods of the nations. Dissatisfied with God’s promises and casual about God’s warnings led to one of Israel’s lowest moments in all of redemption history — the Fall of Jerusalem.

READ (Jeremiah 39:1-18)

How lonely sits the city that was full of people!
How like a widow has she become, she who was great among the nations!
She who was a princess among the provinces has become a slave. (Lam 1:1)

That is the first verse of Lamentations… the first of 154 verses of lament that Jeremiah will pen concerning the Fall of Jerusalem.

The Fall of Jerusalem is tragic event in redemptive history. Historians recount the reason for the Fall to be Zedekiah’s rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar. Scripture, however, had long warned and prophesied of a more fundamental reason — not rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar, but rebellion against God.

The Fall of Jerusalem serves as a historical reminder that all of God’s promises prove true — both his promises of welfare and His promises of judgment.

For 18 months, with a brief respite, the Babylonian army laid siege to Jerusalem. Notice the precise dating. Verse 1. In the ninth year of Zedekiah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar and all his army came against Jerusalem and besieged it. And in the eleventh year, on the ninth day of the fourth month, a breach was made in the city. 

For nearly 40 years Jeremiah prophesied about this coming destruction. And every word proved true. Disaster would come from the North. An ancient, enduring nation from afar, whose language you do not know, nor can you understand, will come against you. This nation would pitch its tents around the city, besiege it, and devour it until the city would was laid waste and torn down. 

Jeremiah even prophesied that kings would come and set their thrones at the entrance of the city’s gates. Listen to this from chapter 1. Behold, I am calling all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north, declares the Lord, and they shall come, and every one shall set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem.

Now look at verse 3 of our text four decades later. Then all the officials of the king of Babylon came and sat in the middle gate. These officials came and set up their thrones (as it were), at the epicenter of the city’s economy, where leaders would publicly perform official business. 

Jeremiah even records the strange names of three of these officials as a reminder of the truthfulness of God’s Word.
Because this people refused to heed God’s clear instruction as found in His Word, He sent a people that spoke a language they couldn’t understand.

Israel was to be a light and a blessing to the nations, but Israel had become just like the nations. They were to reflect God’s image. Instead, they reflected the nations around them. God’s Garden, this paradise, this land of milk and honey, had become anything but. 

The city and house God had chosen for His name to dwell, rather than being a haven of righteousness, it had become a den of robbers, a hideout for criminals. 

God could not turn a blind eye to such evil. God promised justice.
Now justice had come.

Why does this matter? Because the Fall of Jerusalem is a picture, a shadow, of God’s promised final judgment.

We don’t like to talk about it. And I get it. I seriously doubt that Jeremiah liked talking about it. As mentioned last week, Jeremiah probably would have preferred being wrong and thought to be a false prophet than for judgment to have finally come.

We don’t talk about this because we somehow enjoy the idea of final judgment. We talk about these things because they are true … we talk about God’s judgment because God has cared enough to warn us that we might flee from the wrath to come. We talk about it because countless millions are in danger of perishing if they don’t repent. We talk about it because it’s the judgment we rightly deserve. 

And we talk about it because, as believers, it’s the horror our Lord Jesus has saved us from by paying the ultimate price of enduring this judgment we deserve in our place. Without knowing this, we can’t know Christ’s love.

UNAWARES

Yet, this very morning, most people in Lebanon TN didn’t crawl out of bed with plans to worship this God who has given them life. Most of them woke up with little to no desire concerning the things of God at all. Some rose early so they might enjoy a morning walk or a brisk jog, breathing in the fresh air that God provides, the beautiful landscape God sculpted, listening to the melody of birds chirping, leaves rattling, all the sounds that God orchestrates. 

Some sat down to tasty breakfasts that grew from God’s gracious provision for our sustenance — and He even makes it flavorful. Some slept in, never acknowledging that rest is God’s design. O how kind and gracious He is … yet so seldom acknowledged. They just move about with their own plans and agendas. 

And most didn’t once consider the imminence of Jesus’ return, that the day is fast approaching when He comes to judge the world in righteousness. 

What does that day look like? Jesus refers to this day of judgment in many ways. In one place, Matthew 25, he compares it as a shepherd separating sheep from goats. The sheep, that is the righteous, will enter into eternal life. But the goats, the wicked, will enter everlasting punishment.

Regardless of where you stand on the timing of these events, we can all agree that the Bible expressly states that the Day is coming. Likewise, the Bible plainly answers the question of what will happen on that day. 

WHICH GROUP?

But there’s an equally important question that we each need to answer in addition to what will happen on that day.
And that is, “What will happen to me on that Day?” 

That question matters every bit as much. Why? Because not everyone will meet the same end. There are two very different destinies held out. There are sheep who hear Jesus’ voice and surrender to Him and His will. And there are goats. And just so you know, the goats in Jesus’ parable didn’t see any issue with their way of life. They failed to recognize any neglect on their part. They went about life thinking they were perfectly safe from judgment. 

Which group will you be in? What group will your loved ones, your neighbors, your co-workers be in? Have you warned them?

Are you among the group awaiting this Day that is fast approaching? having believed God’s Word heeded His voice, have sought mercy and refuge in the Lord Jesus Christ? 

Or are will you find yourself in the group that sought to downplay this judgment … if there even is one … believing such a day will never come. And if by chance it should come, you expect to somehow escape it. 

Let me ask. What are you basing that on? 

Zedekiah thought that he might escape judgment.

Verse 4. When Zedekiah and the soldiers saw them, they fled, going out of the city at night by way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls; and they went toward the Arabah.

ESCAPE ROOM

How many of you have done one of those Escape Rooms? You know, the game where you gather with a group, and you go in your little room, and they give you a 60-minutes to solve the clues before the clock runs out. You succeed, you escape. You don’t succeed, I’m not too sure.

How many of you go in with the expectation you’re going to solve it? How many go in with the expectation that even if you don’t solve it, the game master isn’t going to keep you locked in there forever? I mean, whether you win or lose, you plan on escaping, the escape room.

Win or lose, Zedekiah was determined to escape.

Zedekiah was forced to flee his own little garden under cover of night. From Garden paradise to the Arabah, or desert.  It’s a sad reminder that whatever Eden we try to establish for ourselves will not only fail to provide the happiness we’re looking for apart from God, but it will fail to provide any security either. What good is a paradise that you have to flee from. And that… to a desert. 

And notice that the king fled with soldiers, not his family, not the people destined to perish. And why were they destined to perish? If you recall, from last week, Zedekiah’s surrender would have spared the entire city … including his own family. Instead, Zedekiah abandons even his own family. 

When it came down to it, Zedekiah followed the world’s number one rule: look out for number one. Forget that whole love your neighbor as yourself … self is what ultimately matters. Self-care has even become a big deal in the church. But here’s the thing. We have no problem loving ourselves. People might fail to love themselves well by not seeking their greatest good by surrendering to the King. But no one fails to love themselves. 

The issue is that we tend to love ourselves at the expense of others. That’s Zedekiah, and if we’re honest, that’s sometimes us.

Zedekiah refused to surrender, thinking that if judgment eve did come, he’d just escape through the Garden gate. But there’s only one gate of escape … one door … Jesus is the gate of the sheep; He is the gate of escape. If you want to escape judgment, you’ll do so through the walls of His ripped flesh.

You may seek to flee one Garden for another, but you can’t outrun God’s judgment. The only safe place from God’s judgment is not running from God but running to God. Flee to God Himself and find just how great His mercy is.

Verse 5. But the Chaldeans pursued and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. And they brought him to Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah. And there, Nebuchadnezzar passed sentence on him, slaughtering the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, along with all the nobles of Judah. And then Nebuchadnezzar put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him in chains to take him to Babylon.

The Chaldeans burned the king’s house and the houses of the people, and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. Then Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, carried into exile to Babylon the rest of the people who were left in the city, those who had deserted to him, and the people who remained.

For Zedekiah, the Day of Judgment was far worse than he could have imagined. The last thing he ever saw was the slaughtering of his sons, as well as all the nobles, some of his trusted advisors, likely many friends. Then his eyes were gouged out.

But Zedekiah wasn’t put to death. No. He was left to a living death, a nightmare, a perpetual hell of vivid horrific scenes to torment him day and night. He would never look on anything lovely or good or hopeful ever again. His life was sustained in endless suffering and grief.

AS A GAME

O how many tend to think that hell is at most an exaggeration … if there even is such a thing. 

The world treats life like a game – like an escape room game, with the hope of escape just before the clock runs out. But they will fail to escape, not because the clues aren’t sufficient enough, not because they don’t know the right answer in order win the victory, but because they don’t like the answer … because it’s an answer that rather than giving them the glory for figuring it out and conquering on their own, another gets the glory. 

So, in their pride, they’ll refuse to acknowledge the answer. They’d rather lose! O but it will come at such a horrifying price … a price they think they’re willing to pay. 

But the same people who refuse to give God the glory are the same people who presume on the riches of God’s kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead them to repentance.

TRAGIC

You know what’s most tragic about this picture of Zedekiah? Judgment didn’t have to be the final word. O how many times did Jeremiah plead with Zedekiah to surrender and it would be well with him and his family and the city. God held out His mercy until that final hour. And even then, Zedekiah rejected it. He refused to surrender all the way up to the moment he was taken.

The most tragic thing about hell is that nobody need go there. I understand that for our gospel tenets Sherif read regarding the doctrine of election. And while we both wholeheartedly agree with the Canons of Dort on this matter, we also both firmly believe John 3:16. Whosoever believes in Him shall not perish! There is no contradiction! 

GOSPEL PROCLAMATION

And yet many will hear this message or a message like this preached around the globe this very morning and close their ears to the plea to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. 

Through the proclamation of the gospel, God gives everyone the same opportunity as Zedekiah. But how many will refuse to take it because they seek to hold on to their life’s as they know them rather than surrendering to the King.

And get this. In many cultures, surrendering to the King can cost you your life, your livelihood … the costs can be quite high. But Zedekiah is the perfect illustration that worldly security and physical safety are futile goals to live for. For Zedekiah it was fatal. He sought to retain his life and lost everything. But we’re not yet done with our chapter. There were those who surrendered their lives in this age to gain everything in the age to come. Not all was lost.

While Zedekiah and countless others didn’t escape the Judgment of this day, God’s mercy in saving a remnant is a beautiful reminder amid a horrific backdrop that God not only keeps His promises of judgment, He also keeps his promises of mercy. Throughout redemption history, God has promised to spare a remnant. And He does.

Verse 10. Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, left in the land of Judah some of the poor who owned nothing and gave them vineyards and fields. 

Even when destruction came, and all seemed lost, God continued to spare a remnant. This is meant to be a picture of a new planting of the Lord’s people … a portrait of salvation … another chance to establish Eden. The poor were made rich. Those with nothing in this age were given fields and vineyards to tend to. 

God never forgets His promises. 

Which takes us to Jeremiah, who had been left in prison. God promised Jeremaih at his call to ministry that this people will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you. Why? Because I am with you, declares the Lord, to deliver you.

Verse 11. Nebuchadnezzar gave command concerning Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, saying, “Take Jeremaih and look after him well. Do him no harm but deal with him as he tells you.” So Nebuzaradan, Nebushazban, and Nergal-sar-ezer, and all the chief officers of Babylon sent and took Jeremiah from the court of the guard and entrusted him to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, to take him home. So, Jeremiah lived among the people.

The Lord hadn’t forgotten His word to Jeremiah. Jeremiah even received a royal escort from the Babylonian officials. What’s more, Jeremiah was entrusted into the care of a righteous ruler, Gedaliah. 

LEFT IN PRISON

You recall the story of Joseph. He was in prison for crimes he didn’t commit. After more than 2 years, it seemed as if God had forgotten him. But instead, God was sustaining him in prison because his work wasn’t finished. He had another assignment God was preparing for him. Save his family and the world from seven years of harsh famine.

It’s difficult to be certain how long Jeremiah spent in prison. With all the chaos, the fighting, tearing down the walls, burning houses, carting people off into exile, it’s easy to see how Jeremiah could have been forgotten or lost in the shuffle. Sorry Jeremiah. This kind of thing just happens! 

Well, from a human perspective it might seem that way at times.

OVERLOOKED

Think of how many people are overlooked every day. So and so was acknowledged but I wasn’t. Birthdays are forgotten, commitments aren’t kept, calls and messages aren’t returned or responded to. 

I know people have forgotten you. I know that so much of what you do will never be recognized or acknowledged by anyone. I know there are times you have felt forsaken. But in Christ, you are not forgotten! No one, not a single person who has surrendered to the king, will be misplaced, or unaccounted for, or left behind on the Day of Judgment. 

God did not forget Jeremiah on the Day of Judgment. Zedekiah sought to save his life, and he wound up losing everything on the Day of Judgment. Jeremiah let go of all he had, surrendered his life to the Lord, and when the Day of Judgment came, he was saved.

There is nothing you can give up to serve the Lord that will ever not be worth it. Sadly, most will cling to this life … cling to their own little paradise here, and when the Day comes, they will lose it all. Don’t let that be you. Surrender to Christ. Open your metaphorical hands and let it all go and give yourself to Him.

In fact, I’ll challenge you to go so far as to become a slave like Ebed-melech, a Servant of the King, a slave of Christ Jesus.… (Paul’s self-designation).

Final verses. Verse 15. The Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah while he was still shut up in the court of the guard. “Go, and say to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will fulfill my words against this city for harm and not for good, and they shall be accomplished before you on that day. BUT! I will deliver you on that day, declares the Lord, and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid. For I will surely save you, and you shall not fall by the sword, but you shall have your life as plunder because you have put your trust in me, declares the Lord.’”

Our friend, Ebed-melech, who rescued Jeremiah from the cistern receives the same glorious promise God’s prophet received. Ebed-melech … a foreigner … an outsider … a slave … one cut off from the covenant promises of God, or so, many seemed to think.

NOT ULTIMATE

But Ebed-melech’s status wasn’t ultimate … his skin color, his ancestry, his nationality wasn’t ultimate … his fear of those who would harm him, likely the men who threw Jeremiah into the cistern to die, before this foreigner rescued him … his fear wasn’t ultimate. Not even his works, his courage in rescuing Jeremiah, showing compassion and tenderness in how he handled the rescue operation … none of these things ultimately defined Ebed-melech. None of these things earned him favor before God on the Day of Judgment. 

The text makes explicit that there is one thing that ultimately defines Ebed-melech … there is ultimately one reason why Ebed-melech would be saved on the Day of Judgment. Do you see it? (It’s at the very end of verse 18.)
Because you have put your trust in me, declares the Lord.

Ebed-melech is saved by God’s grace through FAITH alone.
Not because he rescued Jeremiah.
Not because he interceded on Jeremiah’s behalf.
Not on account of his courage.
He was not saved due to a single good work … or even all of his good works.
All of these things are an overflow of something far more fundamental: FAITH. 

Faith is trusting in the Lord. That means believing who He is and believing His Word, which includes His severe promises of judgment and His precious promises of salvation.

Jeremiah 39 stands as a severe warning against every false hope.
But it also stands as an assurance of the sure hope of FAITH we have in the Lord — a faith that surrenders to the King.

WHERE THE BATTLE LIES

Ebed-melech received his life as plunder — a prize of war. That was the reward for his faith. This is a helpful reminder to us all as to where the battle ultimately lies. 

The battle isn’t in trying to gain or maintain or sustain your Garden here. Although that’s what most of the world fights for. That’s where the world pursues the battle. For them the battle is financial, physical, medical, relational, political.

Whatever financial struggle you may be experiencing, the battle isn’t financial.
Whatever health issue, the battle isn’t medical.
Are you struggling in a relationship? The battle isn’t relational.
Do you struggle with the political turmoil? The battle isn’t political.
Whatever physical struggle you may find yourself in, the battle isn’t physical.
Do you struggle with a lack of freedom? Remember, Ebed-melech was a slave! Listen. The battle isn’t primarily a battle for freedom.
The battlefield is spiritual, and the battle is the battle for faith — a battle to trust God and not allow the deceptive forces of the enemy, the world, and your own flesh trip you up.

Relentless marches the Day of Judgment. The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise. He’s patient, not willing that any should perish but that all should reach repentance. 

Jesus marched relentlessly to the cross to secure salvation for His people.

How do we escape from this coming Judgment? Well, in our tenets, Sherif read how the Sovereign Lord calls and draws people effectively into Christ’s fellowship through His Word — which is being proclaimed to you this morning — and through His Spirit who applies this Word to your heart — so that you heed His voice, trusting Him with a true faith.

All those who respond with a true faith will be justified, sanctified, and finally glorified on the Day of Christ. Is this you? Have you responded in faith?

You know, it’s not accidental that it was in a Garden where Jesus exuded the greatest example of faith, surrendering his will for the Father’s will.

Where there was a failure of faith in the Garden, a failure of faith that led to the Fall of Jerusalem, Jesus came as the true and better Adam, as the true Israel in perfect faith surrendering to His Father’s perfect will.

Where one king — Zedekiah — sought to escape through the Garden gate, another King — Jesus — laid down His life in surrender so that He might save His people … spare a city … He surrendered that He might save even you.

It’s not accidental that Jesus’ dead body was laid in a garden tomb … a tomb that wasn’t His but belonged to another.

It was in the Garden where we first died. That was our garden tomb. And every garden sanctuary we seek to establish for ourselves in this age is nothing more than a grave. 

It’s not accidental that the risen Jesus was first encountered in a Garden and mistaken for the Gardener. 

On the cross, it seemed as if the Son of God was forgotten. Buried in the garden tomb, it seemed the Son of God was forgotten. The entire Sabbath it seemed the Son of God was forgotten. But Sunday came! And the ground shook. And the stone rolled away from that Garden tomb. And Jesus rose.

He didn’t seek to save His life from death. He surrendered it and defeated death.

Seek to preserve your lives here … preserve your own personal gardens here … you will eventually perish.

But lose your life in this age, and you will gain life. 

Like Jesus you will be raised. You will not be forgotten. You will soon be ushered into the Garden City — the New Jerusalem — the place Jesus has gone to prepare for those who are His — those surrendered to Him.

https://youtu.be/XESsB70rPlY

   Jeremiah 38:14-28 Surrendered to the King, part 2, The Fear of Man

INTRODUCTION:

Last week we looked at the courageous example of Ebed-melech in confronting the king and rescuing Jeremiah from the cistern. This week, we’ll be looking closer at the cowardly example of King Zedekiah — and the fear of man that keeps us from surrendering to the Lord.

READ: Jeremiah 38:14-17

SECRET AUDIENCE: (v.14)

Not sure if you’ve ever been in a position where the job wasn’t going so well. So, you kind of want to test the water to see what’s up, without raising any unnecessary attention. So, maybe you go to that guy who has the bosses ear … privately… of course, and try to get him to disclose what he knows.
Tell me, just how bad is it? 

Now, you do it privately, of course, because, well, we don’t want others to hear. We want to try and save as much face as possible. Why? Because saving face is what’s important. If I’m getting fired, I want to at least preserve a little dignity while I’m still on the job… while I still need to look these people in the eye.

That’s where are text picks up. Zedekiah recognizes his position … his job performance hasn’t gone all that well. So, he seeks a private audience with Jeremaih. Look at verse 14.

Notice, when Zedekiah sends for Jeremiah, he receives him at the third entrance to the temple of the LORD. Not the main entrance… not even the second entrance. This third entrance reveals the secrecy behind the meeting.

Why another meeting with Jeremiah? Well, Jeremiah was just rescued. And the king did, even if somewhat forced to, have a hand in this rescue operation. I mean, look Jeremiah, I was the one who commanded Ebed-melech to take 30 men and lift you out of the muddy cistern. So, just maybe, the Lord will look on this good deed of mine and respond a bit more favorably than previously.
But what Zedekiah fails to grasp, and sometimes us too, is that Grace isn’t earned… ever!

In fact, secrecy of this meeting recalls the same cowardice that led to Jeremiah being cast in the cistern to begin with. Zedekiah was afraid to stand up for justice. So, he gave Jeremiah into the hands of those who sought his life.

Now that Jeremiah’s cleaned up and dry, perhaps even enjoyed a better night’s sleep than the night before, the king says to Jeremiah, “I will ask you a question; hide nothing from me.”

EXPOSING A KING’S HEART: (v. 15)

We’re never actually given the question. But Jeremiah clearly knew what the king was asking. Verse 15. Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “If I tell you, will you not surely put me to death? And if I give you counsel, you will not listen to me.”

Many suggest that after his stint in the cistern, Jeremiah is a little more fearful than previously. So, he’s holding out for some assurances before giving the king the LORD’s word on the matter.

That’s possible. But the same God who had just delivered Jeremiah from the miry bog can surely deliver him from whatever the king might threaten. 

What’s likely going on, and hopefully, you’ll be able to see it in light of the whole of our text, is that Jeremiah is exposing the king’s heart.

Jeremiah preps Zedekiah for what will no doubt be an unfavorable message in the king’s eyes, drawing attention to his heart issue. Listen, Zed, you won’t listen to me if I tell you. So, why do you want to hear it?

Jeremiah is also setting up Zedekiah to offer some assurances. But these assurances aren’t so much for Jeremiah’s sake. They are to expose Zedekiah’s irrational refusal to heed God’s word. 

How? Because Zedekiah is about to offer Jeremiah the same assurances that the LORD will give Zedekiah in verse 20. You will not be handed over to those who seek your life. Your life shall be spared!
If Zedekiah expects Jeremiah to trust this compromising king’s word, how much more should the king trust the Divine Word?

IRONIC ASSURANCE: (v. 16)

Verse 16. Then King Zedekiah swore secretly — notice the secrecy — “As the LORD lives, who made our souls, I will not put you to death or deliver you into the hand of these men who seek your life.”

Zedekiah invokes the LORD’s name. He even acknowledges the LORD as Creator. But knowledge about God and some degree of belief in who He is, is not the same as trusting God and obeying Him. Invoking the LORD’s covenant name is not the same as submitting to the LORD of the covenant. Recognizing the Giver of life is not the same as entrusting oneself to the Sustainer of life.

TERMS OF SALVATION: (v.17)

Zedekiah has revealed — like the rest of us — that he is without excuse. As such, the terms of salvation don’t change. In fact, the king receives the same conditions of salvation that was offered to the people back in verse 2. Surrender and live. Resist and perish.

Verse 17. Thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: If you will surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then your life shall be spared, and this city shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live. But if you do not surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then this city shall be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and you shall not escape from their hand.

Even in this late hour … the city on the brink of destruction … Zedekiah’s fate seems all but sealed … mercy is still held out. Sadly, rather than being amazed at the mercy of God to even offer us salvation, we tend to find fault that the Almighty would demand the terms … that He would demand our surrender or submission to another.

SURRENDER AS SUBMISSION TO THE LORD

The thing is, and we need to grasp this, surrendering to the king of Babylon is not so much a surrender to Babylon as it is to the LORD. Submission to God’s chosen officials is submission to Him.

This does not mean that those who surrendered to Babylon are to heed the king of Babylon without question. All we need is to look at the examples of Daniel and his three friends: (What were their names?) Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego.

Heeding the voice of the LORD by surrendering to the Chaldeans would be to entrust oneself to the LORD’s sovereign care. This isn’t just an Old Testament idea. We see the same in New Testament texts like Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2. 

CONSEQUENCES FOR RESISTANCE: (v.18)

While the terms of salvation are the same for Zedekiah as they were for the people, the stakes, however, are somewhat higher being that Zedekiah was the head of the people. Not only would Zedekiah’s surrender spare his own life, but the city would also be spared. 

The reverse is also true. Zedekiah’s refusal to surrender would spell unnecessary doom for the city.

The reason for this is that the king is a type of federal head. Like Adam was the representative for the entire human race in the Garden, kings are the representative of the people. When kings go astray, often the nation follows suit.

Loved ones, regardless of your sphere of influence, though most of us are not kings over nations, our surrender, as well as our refusal to surrender bears consequences for others. Our surrender might not spare an entire city. But it just might spare an entire household. How often do we read in Acts, “you and your household.” 

READY TO LISTEN OR READY TO NEGOTIATE?

Just as we tend to find fault with God’s terms of salvation, our flesh tends to find His consequences too severe. I mean, instead of surrendering, can’t I just stay in the city and tidy up my behavior here? I’m ready to listen here!

Here’s the problem with that. If you’re truly ready to listen, if you’re truly ready to heed God’s word, then do so. Surrender to the king as you have been instructed.

We might think of conversations we sometimes have with our kids after they lose a special privilege. Suddenly, they’re ready to listen. I’ll listen, just let me… The problem is they aren’t ready to listen; they’re ready to negotiate.  And before we give the kids a hard time… that’s us! 

We think we can negotiate with God. But get this. God doesn’t negotiate. He’s the all-wise all-knowing One. He doesn’t need our input. His terms are always the best. Why? Because He’s merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 

But for those who refuse His terms, He will not let the guilty go unpunished.

FEAR OF MAN:  (v.19)

Verse 19. Even with these elevated stakes, even with the additional extension of mercy, the fear of man wins out in Zedekiah’s life. I’m afraid of the Judeans who have deserted to the Chaldeans, lest I be handed over to them and they deal cruelly with me.

Zedekiah is more anxious over the severity of those who had deserted to the Chaldeans — those who actually heeded Jeremiah’s word and surrendered — than he is the severity of God’s judgment.

How many will choose the severity of divine wrath because of the fear of man who can at most kill the body? As Samuel read for us, the fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe. 

What lies at the heart of the fear of man? They might take something from me … something I love, something I value, something I enjoy … those things that we esteem most in life. 

We fear man because we fear the physical harm they might inflict on us. We fear man because we fear the financial harm they might cause. We fear man because of the relational harm and the reputational harm that could ensue.  

Listen loved ones. The fear of man is an awful burden to bear… a burden that you and I were never intended to carry.

There’s only one remedy for this fear of man and that’s the fear of the Lord.  Zedekiah lacked the fear of the LORD, which is simply another way of saying he lacked biblical faith. How? Well, the fear of the Lord is believing who God is — believing God as He has disclosed Himself — and believing what He has said.

A FINAL PLEA – TRUE ASSURANCE: (v.20)

But Jeremiah makes one final plea to this king. Verse 20. King Zedekiah, you shall not be given into their hands. Obey now the voice of the Lord in what I say to you, and it shall be well with you, and your life shall be spared.

That’s the plea of every faithful proclaimer of God’s Word. That’s the plea of biblical preaching. Obey NOW the voice of the Lord! As the text is exposited, as God’s Word is proclaimed, we appeal to every hearer, “Heed God’s voice, and it shall be well with you, and your life shall be spared.” Are you currently following the Lord? The proclamation for you is to do so more and more, and it shall be well with you. Are you caught up in some sinful pattern? The call for you is to surrender … repent … and it shall be well with you.

The proclamation of every message is a call for obedience to God’s voice, proclaimed through the lips of mere men, as they faithfully expound God’s Word. And for those who obey His voice, you have nothing at all to fear. No enemy’s threat need concern you. Though Satan should buffet, those trials may come, it shall be well with your soul. 

PLEADING WITH OUR ENEMIES

It shouldn’t be overlooked that Jeremiah here is pleading with one who initially gave him over to those who sought to kill him. Jeremiah is seeking the salvation of one who has proven his enemy.

Yet Jeremiah recognizes the good that will come from the king’s surrender… that the king’s salvation will lead to the salvation and good of others. Conversely, the king’s resistance will lead to great harm for not just him but for others also.

A VISION TO DREAD: (v.21)

But if you refuse… verse 21. This is the vision the Lord has shown me. Behold, all the women left in the house of the king of Judah were being led out to the officials of the king of Babylon saying, ”Your trusted friends have deceived you and prevailed against you. Now that your feet are sunk in the mud, they turn away from you.” All your wives, Zedekiah, and all your sons shall be led out to the Chaldeans, and you yourself shall not escape from their hand, but shall be seized by the king of Babylon. And this city shall be burned with fire.

SUNK IN THE MUD AND DESERTED: (v. 22)

Where you, o king, had no problem allowing me to be cast into the cistern to sink in the mud, my God rescued me. But should you refuse this door of salvation that is currently open to you, you shall find yourself sunk in the mud. But there’ll be no Ebed-melech — no servant of the King — to rescue you.

Listen Zedekiah… listen, you who are given over to the fear of man (of which none of us are immune). Those people you’re seeking so desperately to gain and maintain the favor of — those who flatter you with their affirmations and agreeable counsel now — once your feet are sunk in the mud, and you have nothing to offer them, they will desert you. You won’t be able to find them.
So why fear them now?!

SACRIFICING OF OTHERS: (v.23)

What’s more… your refusal to surrender due to your fear of man, will not only bring harm to you. It will bear devastating consequences for countless others, including your own family. 

At the beginning, Jeremiah was accused of not seeking the welfare of his own people. Let me ask. Who do you think is seeking the greater welfare of the people? The one who calls for his people to surrender and live? Or those who keep sacrificing brothers, and fathers, and sons, and friends, and neighbors to the front line? 

Zedekiah sought to retain his crown as long as he could. He refused to relinquish his crown, even though it would cost the lives of his wives and children. But, if we’re honest, we do the same things. No, we might not be kings and queens of nations. But how often do we seek to retain the crown of our own puny kingdoms … our own tiny towers with their tops in the heavens. And that at the expense and sacrifice of others.

If you recall the words of Jesus, that Josiah read from Matthew 16. Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it. But whoever loses his life for my sake, Jesus says, will find it. If we seek to hold on to our lives in this age, seeking to retain our crowns here, we will ultimately lose them. Surrender, however, and you’ll receive your life as a prize of war.  And that prize is more glorious than any of us can begin to imagine.

DON’T TELL ON ME: (v. 24)

Sadly, even after this final plea, what Zedekiah cares about most at the moment is others finding out about their little conversation. Verse 24. Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “Let no one know of these words, and you shall not die.”

The king pretty much says, “Don’t tell on me.” Zedekiah is still more concerned regarding his political standing … his reputation … than for the lives of his family, than for the welfare of the people, and more importantly than for obedience to God. He might as well be saying, I’ll concern myself with my spiritual condition sometime later. Right now, I have a reputation to maintain. 

Listen loved ones. The fear of man will only lead to an increase of sin and destruction that need not ever take place. How many will continue to allow their current trajectory of sin to play out because we fear others finding out.

HIDING SIN

I’m reminded of a fairly prominent pastor who was caught up in a grievous sin involving a woman who was not his wife. I wonder how that sin must have ate at him. But the fear of man, the fear of the immediate consequences that he’d have to face in confessing his sin, kept him from getting immediate help, and allowed the hurt and suffering to unnecessarily increase. 

Pain and heartache could have been minimized if only he had the courage to confess immediately and surrender himself to the King’s officials (as it were), the elders of the church, as a way of surrendering himself to the merciful judgment of Christ. Instead, there’s a wake of destruction that can’t be undone.

O but even in this hour, the gospel of grace calls! For while the gospel doesn’t undo the destruction, it does bring about restoration. This pastor recently publicly confessed his sin and grieved over the hurt it has caused. It’s a reminder, that though we are weak, though we fall short, God’s mercy is so much greater than our sins.

Loved ones — it’s better, eternally better that your sins are exposed now — one this side of judgment — that you might repent. And the sooner the better, so that the damage might be lessened and the bleeding stopped.

A CLEVER SCHEME: (v. 25-26)

Last few verses. Zedekiah concocts a clever scheme. Verse 25. If the officials hear that I have spoken with you and come to you and say, “Tell us what you said to the king and what the king said to you; hide nothing from us and we will not put you to death,” then you shall say to them, “I made a humble plea to the king not to send me back to the house of Jonathan to die there.”

Then all the officials came to Jeremiah and asked him, and he answered them as the king had instructed him. So, they stopped speaking with him, for the conversation had not been overheard. And Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard until the day that Jerusalem was taken.

LITTLE WHITE LIE or DON’T GIVE TO DOGS? (v. 27)

Commentaries are divided on Jeremiah’s faithfulness at this point. Respectable theologians whom I often agree with will say, “There’s no way getting around the fact that Jeremiah lied. He had one more opportunity to share the gospel, and he blew it. Perhaps Zedekiah wasn’t the only one in this scene who caved to the fear of man.” But is that what’s going on here?

First, Jeremiah has no additional news he’s obligated to tell these officials that he hasn’t already told them. Surrender and live. Resist and perish. And they cast him into the cistern because of his message. 

Second, he’s not under any obligation to disclose the full account of his conversation with the king. Rules of warfare are not the same as rules of court.

While it doesn’t excuse us from sharing the gospel and our obligation as watchmen to warn others to flee the coming wrath, Scripture does free us from certain obligation to what it refers to as scoffers. Proverbs 9:8 – Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you. Proverbs 23:9 - Do not speak to a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words. Or consider Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Do not give dogs what is holy; do not throw your pearls before swine. If you do, they may trample them under their feet and then turn and tear you to pieces. 

KEPT IN PRISON UNTIL THE CITY IS TAKEN (v. 28)

Jeremiah had already said what needed to be said. The overwhelming majority refused to heed his words. His ministry isn’t over, but for now, he has nothing more to say until after the city is taken. What’s more, the biblical narrative gives no hint of Jeremiah acting unfaithfully in this situation. If nothing else, the opposite is the case, as we’ll see in the next chapter.

Finally, the fact that the city was taken confirms Jeremiah’s words and his faithful proclamation. But it needs to be said that there is no joy in Jeremiah being right. Jeremiah himself will lament this fact. Sometimes it must have felt like it would be preferrable to be found a false prophet and to see the city spared. Proclaiming God’s full counsel is hard, it weighs on the heart, especially when we consider all those who refuse to surrender, knowing the judgment that awaits them. But… there are those who hear the voice of the Lord and heed His Word. And that helps strengthen us to press on.

CONCLUSION –

Where the fear of man is a snare, the fear of the Lord releases us from that snare. But you have to surrender to the King to know this freedom. 

I mentioned scoffers. Let me tell you, there’s hope for scoffers. I don’t have time to share my testimony, but less than 14 years ago, I was one who scoffed at the terms of God’s salvation. Trust the Son and you’ll be saved; otherwise perish. 

Well, in case there’s someone here, who like me questioned God’s terms of salvation, let me point you to the high-cost God Himself paid to even offer you these terms.

CHRIST –

You see, God doesn’t call us to anything He wasn’t willing to subject Himself to. I mentioned Romans 13 earlier. Let every person be subject — or we might say, surrender himself — to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore, whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.

Jesus surrendered himself to the governing authorities of his day. And he did so, even knowing they would take his life… knowing they would crucify him… knowing they would put him to open shame… beaten and stripped naked before the watching world… before those who would mock him and spit on him.

The governing authorities, however, weren’t able to arrest Jesus without Jesus giving himself over to them. When the soldiers came to arrest him, they drew back and fell to the ground before him. 

Now listen. In surrendering himself to the authorities, the Son of God knew he was entrusting himself to His Father’s loving care. When we surrender to the authorities, we are entrusting ourselves to our heavenly Father’s loving care.

Whereas Zedekiah failed to capitalize on the opportunity to save others by surrendering himself … Jesus actually did. We are saved only because Jesus surrendered his life rather than seeking to preserve it.
Does that not move you to surrender to this King.

APPLICATION / HOPE – 

Last point. Do you recall how Jesus ends the Sermon on the Mount? Everyone who hears my words and does them will be like the wise man who built his house on the rock. Those who don’t will be like the fool who built his house on the sand.

Many will suggest Jesus’ sermon was a call to a higher morality. While there’s some truth to that, Jesus is actually calling us to something infinitely more important than “do better.” He’s calling us to trust Him.

Every heart will be exposed by God’s soul piercing Word. Every king’s heart, who has set him or herself upon thrones of their own making. 

You see, we have all built castles for ourselves. Everyone of us, at some point in our lives, and some of us even now, continue to erect or maintain or salvage our own puny kingdoms. But the footing of these castles is on sand. 

The difference between castles that fall and houses that stand is whom our faith is in. Outside of Christ, your little castle in the sand will eventually fall. But in Christ, you are brought in as a fellow laborer to build upon the Rock. And upon this Rock, this one foundation, Jesus’ house, the church is built. And in this house, there is rest … rest for your souls… and rest from the fear of man. 

And the great church victorious shall be the church at rest. 

Surrender to the King and know this rest.

https://youtu.be/H5DAJDNMHig

   Jeremiah 38:1-13 Surrendered to the King, part 1

INTRODUCTION:

Resurrection Story – type, shadow? Parallels many.

READ: Jeremiah 38:1-13

     THE MESSAGE: SURRENDER TO THE KING

The Message: Surrender to the King The message doesn’t really change.

I attended a conference a handful of years back with some pastor friends of mine. John Piper was the keynote. On the drive back from Memphis they were discussing the different speakers, and when they got to Piper, one of the guys made the comment: “He only has one message.” Now, the comment wasn’t meant as a compliment, but I assure you, Piper would receive it as one. And I’ve heard enough Piper messages to know what this pastor meant. I’ve never heard a message from Piper where the focus wasn’t the glory of God. So, in that sense, he does have only one message. But that’s because the Bible only has one message. O it’s expressed in many ways, but the message of the Bible is one. One message from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation.

And I do believe that Piper, along with countless other faithful theologians is right in recognizing the God’s glory is the central theme of this unifying message.
We might express the message of the Bible like this:
God’s glory publicly revealed in Creation; challenged in the Fall; defended in Redemption; and enjoyed in New Creation, with the climax of this glory displayed in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

The preacher of God’s Word will no doubt have many sermons, exhorting God’s people through the various implications of the texts, but ultimately he better have one message,  and that message is the glory of God in Jesus Christ. (Road to Emmaus.)

It's not that Jeremiah never offers variety in its expression. It’s not that history and circumstances don’t change, hence the particular implications and applications will necessarily change. But for those in rebellion against the Lord, the proclamation is a constant call to surrender (repentance) or face judgment… because God is a just God.

So, verse 2. He who stays in this city shall die by the sword, famine, and plague, but he who goes out to the Chaldeans shall live. He shall have his life as a prize of war (literally: plunder) and shall live. For this city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon.

Surrender to God’s chosen king and you will live. Seek to retain your current way of life,—your own puny kingdom—perish.

Right now, for a time, God’s chosen king is the ruthless Nebuchadnezzar. Why? Because the people refused to submit to the Lord as their King. “Give us a king,” they demanded.
Well, after years of rebellion, God has appointed a ruthless king. Why? So that they’d know the difference between serving the Lord and serving the kingdoms of the nations. (See 2 Chronicles 12:8.)

No surprise… some of those who heard Jeremiah’s words, were not to pleased. Now, Jeremiah was already under guard, in the court of the guard. They could throw Jeremiah in prison and lock him up, But what they couldn’t do was shut him up.

The world may seek to silence you, but my prayer is that so long as the Lord puts breath in your lungs, you would continue proclaiming God’s Word regardless of your circumstances.

     FAITHLESS INSIDERS

So, the 4 officials in verse 1, Shephatiah, Gedaliah, Jucal, and Pashur, who heard Jeremiah’s message, which was going out to all the people, were going to see if they could silence him for good. So they take their concern to the king.

Verse 4.

Then the officials said to the king, (King Zedekiah), “Let this man be put to death, for he is weakening the hands of all the people, by speaking such words to them.
For this man is not seeking the welfare of this people, but their harm.”

Now, it’s true that Jeremiah’s message — not encouraging —  but encouraging is not what’s needed. News of judgment – not good news! But what matters is not if the news is good or bad but true. If the news is God’s news it needs to be heard.

It’s not good news that a lion would be happy to eat you for dinner if he gets the chance, but it’s good that you know he’d be happy to do so. Bill, you’re a beekeeper. It’s not good news that bees sting! But I’m sure you’d agree that it’s good to know that they do. Why? So that you can approach the situation accordingly.  It’s not good news to be facing God’s judgment! BUT! It is good that you know! Why? So that you can respond accordingly. And the only correct response is, “Surrender and live.”

But to say Jeremiah only preached bad news / judgment dishonest Jeremiah was also proclaiming – way of salvation. SURRENDER!!!

SEEKING WELFARE

The accusation of these 4 officials was that Jeremiah not seeking welfare of this people. But that’s utterly false. He was the one actually doing so.

These officials weren’t seeking the welfare. They seemed content to deny reality and simply watch the last of the people perish rather than warning them that they could find life outside this city devoted to destruction.

Did they truly believe starvation, pestilence, and sword more acceptable than surrender? Problem not Babylonians God Himself fighting against!

Jeremiah’s words were discouraging! They did weaken hands! They were meant to! They were meant to discourage rebellion and sin. Meant to promote surrender. That’s what the gospel message is designed to do. Transfer one’s allegiance from the kingdom of destruction to the kingdom of God. Hence the need for the full gospel, not half.

These liberal theologians of Jeremiah’s day wanted a God of mercy, but not a God of justice: a God of victory, but not a God who allows suffering; a God of love, but not a God of discipline. They were willing to sacrifice the lives of God’s people for only half a god!

And not much has changed!  Countless books, articles, social media posts, university lecterns, and even pulpits content themselves with half a god. But half a god can’t save anyone, any more than half a gospel can.

What’s the verdict from these officials? Such a man deserves to die! (Paul, Stephen, Jesus) A prophet who refuses to divide God in two, so that people can pick the god they like, or the parts of God they like, will always be condemned by the world.

THE GOD OF AUTONOMY

But death, isn’t that a little harsh? Perhaps. But that’s to fail to realize what the world holds as its most treasured value. You see, in the world’s eyes, surrender, is the chief sin. Why?  Because fallen sinful man prizes nothing higher than personal autonomy. Autonomy is our god! It's the god the world worships more than anything else.
Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do with my body!
Don’t tell me what books should be in my kids school library!
Don’t tell me whether I’m a boy or a girl.
In fact, don’t tell me I have to go to the office if I want to keep my job!
Don’t tell me to report what I did this week! I’ll tell you… if I feel like it!

Whatever you do, don’t tell me to surrender my autonomy! Because it’s not going to happen. Okay. That’s fine. You don’t have to surrender. But understand,  it’s God’s grace that even offers you the opportunity to do so. But the world, rather than receiving God’s grace prefers to rail against such a patient God. But patience can only be extended for so long. Justice won’t be delayed indefinitely.

Verse 5.

King Zedekiah said, “Behold, he is in your hands, for the king can do nothing against you.”

A KING WHO FEARS JUSTICE

What sort of response is this from a king? Well, for one, it’s the response of a king who has no claim to the throne. Zedekiah was installed by Nebuchadnezzar. He’s a puppet king. And he even rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar. Zedekiah was also a cowardly king. (Next week.) His fear of man far outweighed any supposed fear of the Lord.

In fact, Zedekiah is a lot like Pontius Pilate in this sense. He knows Jeremiah is innocent. Just as Pilate knew Jesus was innocent. Neither of them had done anything deserving of death. But due to their fear of man, they both seemed to think they could hand over the accused to their accusers and somehow keep their hands clean. So, Zedekiah seeks to wash his hands of the whole situation. We might say, Zedekiah didn’t want innocent blood on his hands.

But he wasn’t bold enough to demand justice either! Zedekiah pretty much gives Jeremiah over to these Jewish officials just as Pilate gave Jesus over to the will of the Jewish officials in his day.

Verse 6.

So, they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son, which was in the court of the guard, letting Jeremiah down by ropes. And there was no water in the cistern, but only mud, and Jeremiah sank in the mud.

HYPOCRISY EXPOSED

Just as Zedekiah didn’t want innocent blood on his hands, these Jewish officials didn’t want blood on their hands either. O they wanted Jeremiah silenced. They wanted him dead. But they didn’t want to be the direct cause of his death.

Much like the Jewish officials of Jesus’ day, who called for Jesus to be crucified; they figured, so long as they didn’t physically spill his blood, they liked to think they were somehow innocent of this man’s blood.

So, notice, they lower Jeremiah down into the cistern with ropes to die a slow painful death of hunger. The cistern had no standing water, so Jeremiah sank into the mud – literally, mire. He sank into a sure grave in a miry pit.  In other words, Jeremiah was left for dead.

These self-righteous Jews, who accused Jeremiah of not seeking the welfare of the people, demonstrated their true character.

The truth always reveals itself. Hypocrisy always reveals itself. For example: Climate advocates have no problem flying their private jets half way around the globe in order to express their outrage over a problem they seem happy enough to contribute to. The tolerance crowd will always show their intolerance towards those who don’t share their views. The Jews condemned Jesus of breaking the Law of Moses, through an unlawful trial that broke the Law of Moses.

Jeremiah had been unlawfully sentenced to a bloodless execution, through a sham trial, and the governing authority – the Pontius Pilate of the day – stood by allowing injustice to win the day.  Or so it seemed…
Enter Ebed-Melech, servant of the king.

     FAITHFUL OUTSIDERS

Verses 7-9

When Ebed-melech the Ethiopian (or your translation might say Cushite), a eunuch who was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern—the king was sitting in the Benjamin Gate— Ebed-melech went from the king’s house and said to the king, “My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they did to Jeremiah the prophet by casting him into the cistern, and he will die there of hunger, for there is no bread left in the city.”

Now, Ebed-melech is one of those obscure figures with a very significant role, obscure in the sense that we likely don’t even know his name. Ebed-melech is likely a title that describes his lowly position. It literally means slave or servant of the king. He was King Zedekiah’s slave.

He was also a foreigner. Whether from Ethiopia or Cush or Sudan. The point is, he is not Jewish.  He’s an outsider. 

What’s more, he’s a eunuch – that’s the more literal term, one who has been castrated or emasculated. Some of your translations may simply say “court official,” which the term can mean such, such as Potiphar, captain of the guard, who Joseph was sold to as a slave, was an official of Pharaoh.  Same word.

We don’t tend to think of Potiphar as being a eunuch because, well, he was married! And I haven’t looked into it all that deeply, but one might wonder why Potiphar’s wife sought the attention of other men such as Joseph. Just a thought. Anyway, Ebed-melech was most likely a eunuch, not simply an official.

OUTSIDE THE PROMISES

So, this Ebed-melech is not just an outsider as a eunuch, he is doubly cut-off from the promises of God. He’s also a slave. And he’s without a name. In fact, he’s without a name twice over. He's without a specific name, and hence referred to by his position. But he’s also without a name in the sense that  as a eunuch he has nothing to pass on.  He will have no progeny, no posterity.

Yet this outsider more readily recognizes the injustice done to God’s prophet
than the insiders, those who claimed themselves to be the people of God.

Ebed-melech was also one of the few who seemed to have given heed to Jeremiah’s message. What does Jeremiah’s message have to do with a guy like Ebed-melech.

FOR THE NATIONS

Well, from the beginning of his ministry, at his calling in chapter 1, Jeremiah was appointed a prophet to the nations. Behold, says the Lord, I have put my words in your mouth. See, I have set you this day over nations and kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.

Jeremiah’s message was not just for the Jews. It was for the nations. It was for Ebed-melech! For the Ebed-melechs! You think your worldly status, your lowly position somehow disqualifies you from service to the King. Well, let this account of Ebed-melech encourage you this morning.

COURAGEOUS SLAVE

The text doesn’t tell us how Ebed-melech heard that Jeremiah was cast into the cistern. It only tells us where he was when he heard the news. Perhaps, (and I’m speculating), some of the officials or guards boasted, “That troubler of Israel” finally got what was coming to him!”

Regardless. What we do know is that Ebed-melech left his post in the king’s house, an act that could land himself in some serious trouble. And he went to the king at the Benjamin Gate. Why is this significant? Well the gate was where business affairs took place. It would have been a very public setting. 

This bold, courageous slave confronted the king, while he was conducting kingdom affairs, and he did so publicly before the citizens, an action the king could have sentenced Ebed-melech to death for. In other words, Ebed-melech puts Jeremaih’s life before his own.

WISE SERVANT

But not only was Ebed-melech bold in his actions; he was wise. The king couldn’t wash his hands of this as easily as he thought. For Ebed-melech put the issue right back into the king’s hands.

And he likely reckoned that the king, when the case was presented to him before the people, would be forced to execute justice. For there were likely many who recognized Jeremiah as a prophet,  and not only a prophet, but an innocent one at that. Jeremiah never committed any crime deserving of death.

When we consider our Lord Jesus, he didn’t have the same defense of the crowd when Pilate sentenced him to the cross. Why? Because the Jewish leaders stirred up the crowd against him.

Verse 10.

Then the king commanded Ebed-melech, the Ethiopian — (Zedekiah wants to show, he’s still in charge, who is still the master and who’s the slave) — “Take thirty men with you from here, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.”

GUARDING THE RESCUE

Well, why thirty men, King Zedekiah?  It’s doubtful that thirty men were needed to lift Jeremiah from the cistern. I mean, I don’t recall reading anywhere that Jeremiah was a particularly heavy man.

More likely, thirty men were needed to protect the rescue operation. It shows that Zedekiah’s fear of man wasn’t altogether unfounded. It recognizes that men can cause harm and often do. But the most they can do is harm the body. That doesn’t make it excusable by any means.  But it recognizes that there were likely hostile forces  that Zedekiah didn’t want to anger. But now that his hand’s forced, he has no choice.

Verse 11.

So, Ebed-melech took the men with him and went to the house of the king,
to a wardrobe in the storehouse, (literally, to a place below the treasury), and took from there old rags and worn-out clothes, which he let down to Jeremiah in the cistern by ropes. Then Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah,  “Put the rags and clothes between your armpits and the ropes.” Jeremiah did so. Then they drew Jeremiah up with ropes and lifted him out of the cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.

[Treasury and Rags: There’s likely some irony here that you’ll have to tease out on your own.]

PADDING HARSHNESS

What’s fascinating about this account, is that the insiders, those who considered themselves Jews, those who accused Jeremiah of not seeking the welfare of the people, are being utterly shamed by this outsider, Ebed-melech. And the narrator wants us to notice! Three times in this brief paragraph, the narrator finds it necessary to remind us that he's an Ethiopian.

But notice, Ebed-melech doesn’t simply seek to spare Jeremiah’s life, he cares about the whole person! Rags from the king’s treasure room  used to pad the harshness of the ropes that will save his life.

Listen. Jesus’ torn flesh pads the harshness of the cross that saves our lives, the cross that you and I must bear if we are to follow Him.

Maybe you noticed. We have a couple girls with some shorter hair this morning. Why? Because brushing out the knots was unnecessarily painful.
I think of pulling my kids teeth. They are already anxious enough. So, I have a choice. I can seek to be gentle. Or I can just get the job done.

CARE FOR THE WHOLE PERSON

Last week, I mentioned, we care about all suffering. But we care infinitely more about eternal suffering.  And that is absolutely true. But that priority doesn’t excuse our neglect of the temporal, the physical.

Our care for the physical is a witness of our concern for the eternal. Why? Because we’re psychosomatic beings. We have a body and a soul. The physical is a shadow of the spiritual. We don’t excuse ourselves saying,  “Well, that’s not a spiritual need, so we need not concern ourselves.”
RUBBISH!!! If we don’t concern ourselves with the physical that we can see, we can’t fool ourselves thinking we’re concerned for the spiritual, which we can’t see. The whole person matters.

Ebed-melech concerned himself with Jeremiah’s entire well-being to the extent he was able. We don’t just care for the soul. We care for the body also.

Consider the care given to Jesus’ body for his burial, by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. And remember, Jesus was already dead!

LOVING NEIGHBOR

Jeremiah’s own people refused to obey either of the great commandments. Love the Lord your God, and love your neighbor as yourself.  Of course, these two go hand in hand. It’s impossible to truly separate them. Because they didn’t love God,  they failed to love Jeremiah, who was one of their own.

But this foreigner, this outsider, this man cut-off from the covenant promises, he sought to love his neighbor well, by seeking the welfare of his neighbor, even when he himself was a slave. That’s amazing.

But, Jesus himself speaks of his own kinsmen being put to shame by foreigners. When giving an illustration on what loving one’s neighbor looks like, and just who is my neighbor, it was a Samaritan, who showed kindness and compassion for his neighbor, while the Jews passed by their own on the other side.
Ebed-melech refused to pass by on the other side. 

INSIDE OUT

Earlier, back in Jeremiah 13:23, the question is raised. Can an Ethiopian change his skin, or a leopard his spots? If so, you also can do good who are accustomed to evil. Judah could no more do good than this Ethiopian eunuch could change his skin or beget offspring to carry on his name.

But here’s the thing. The outside wasn’t the issue! It never was. Externals are not unimportant. The God who made the inside made the outside too. And He made both for His glory. But the externals are not the main thing. 

The problem with Israel and Judah was the heart. They were physically circumcised on the outside, bearing the covenant sign, but their hearts were far from God. They needed their hearts circumcised. The dead, unfeeling, sinful flesh around their hearts needed to be cut away.

Ebed-melech didn’t need to change his skin. This faithful outsider had shown himself to be, what Paul refers to in Romans 2, a true Jew, while the unfaithful insiders proved themselves to be the ones who were far from God, and so long as their hearts remained calloused and uncircumcised, they would be the ones cut off from the promises.

SERVANT OF THE KING

We might say that Ebed-melech, in other words, was named perfectly. He was indeed a Servant of the King, the true King. Ebed-melech was surrendered to the King. And because Ebed-melech was surrendered to the King, listen to this promise from Isaish 56:3-5. (Read Isaiah 56:3-5.)

ARE YOU AN EBED-MELECH?

Are you an Ebed-melech, a servant of the one true King? Or have you found yourself a slave to other masters? As Paul writes in Romans 6, we are ultimately slaves to whatever we obey, either slaves of sin which death, or of obedience to God which leads to life. It's not a both and. We can’t serve two masters. Our Lord made that clear. You’ll love one and hate the other.

Perhaps, rather than serving the true King by living to His glory, standing for what this King stands for, which He has clearly revealed in His Word, you have found yourself caving to public opinion like Zedekiah.

Maybe like the four Jewish officials you have found yourself offended by God’s Word, because you have bought into the lies of the world, the lie that human autonomy, to just “follow your heart” is one’s greatest good, and to be surrendered to anyone is the greatest evil.

FREEDOM IN SURRENDER

I assure you, you will never find genuine freedom in pursuing autonomy.
You will only find slavery. Because such is a ruthless taskmaster like none other. We weren’t made to be our own gods. We make crummy gods that offer only slavery to our ideals that we can never manifest, never live up to. God wants so much more for you than that. Surrender to the King of kings, be a servant of the King, as you were created to be, and you’ll find true freedom.

O the world may place you behind bars like Jeremiah was for holding fast to the faith once for all delivered to the saints. You may find yourself subjected to forced servitude like Ebed-melech. But in Christ, you are free, and your deliverance is sure.

SURE DELIVERANCE

When the Lord first called Jeremiah, He told Jeremiah, Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you declares the Lord. Jeremiah may have found himself in a miry bog, due to the failure of a worldly king. You and I may find ourselves persecuted and put in harms way due to the failures of earthly kings. But Jeremiah’s hope wasn’t in any earthly king. Jeremiah waited for the deliverance that comes from the only true king, the King of kings. My hope is that you do too.

As Chase read for us in Psalm 40, Jeremiah waited patiently for the Lord. And the Lord inclined His ear to him. He drew Jeremiah up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set his feet upon a Rock.  Jeremiah might not have known it, but that Rock was Christ.

THE SURRENDERED KING

When Jeremiah found himself in the pit of destruction, God sent an Ebed-melech to deliver him. Well, God sent an Ebed-melech to deliver us. His name is Jesus.

You see, our Lord Jesus isn’t just foreshadowed through Jeremiah, but also Ebed-melech.  As Ebed-melech was surrendered to the King, Jesus surrendered Himself to the will of His Father. Not my will, but your will be done.

And that perfect surrender of the Lord Jesus strengthened Him to endure the cross, in order to deliver us out of the pit of destruction. As Christ was raised, as Jeremiah was raised, in Christ, you can be confident that our God will keep His promises, and you too will be raised.

One final point: You want to be an Ebed-melech, a servant of the King, useful to the Master as Paul writes? You first have to be surrendered to this King… in all areas of your life. Surrender to this King and live.

https://youtu.be/g-Z_s_luVhA

   JEREMIAH 37:1-21 THE RESOLUTE PROPHET

In case you haven’t noticed, the Book of Jeremiah doesn’t follow a strict chronological order. What we have here in chapter 37, takes us back to chapter 34 with Zedekiah and Judah’s display of false repentance.

In chapter 34, we’re at the end of Zedekiah’s reign. But in chapters 35 and 36, we’re two decades earlier, near the beginning of King Jehoiakim’s reign.
And this disruption of chronology takes place more than a couple of times. Which should cause us to ask, “Why?”

The best I can come up with is that we’re given a series of vignettes meant to contrast that of the faithful and the unfaithful. In chapters 34 and 35 we have Covenant Breakers and Covenant Keepers. In chapter 36 we have the portrait of what makes for a Legacy and what leaves one Disinherited. In chapter 38 will be given the contrast between Faithful Outsiders and Unfaithful Insiders. Today, we’re looking at the contrast between the Resolute and the Irresolute.

READ: (Jeremiah 37:1-21)

ILLUSTRATION:

Pray that I would know God’s will in my life…
I hear this request often
So, my next step is to probe a little.
Where do you go to church?
What does your prayer life look like? Your Bible reading?
If they are disobedient in the most basic things, then I’m going to pray for them to discern God’s will for them to be obedient in these things—that those who are faithful with little will be faithful with much, and those who are unfaithful with little will be unfaithful with much.

I’m not too sure they notice the disconnect.
Lord, I don’t want to obey You in these basic things, but please just tell me what job to take, what guy to date, how to deal with this financial situation, what to do regarding this relationship.
Lord, I don’t want to listen to what You have to say, but could you please bless me anyway.

That’s what’s going on here.
Verse 2. Neither Zedekiah, his servants, nor the people of the land listened to the words of the Lord that He spoke through the prophet Jeremiah.

But guess what.
That didn’t keep them from requesting the Lord’s protection and provision
But the Lord’s favor isn’t found in disregarding Him, but in trusting Him,
which means listening to Him and heeding His word.

DADDY PLAY WITH ME

Zedekiah is like the child who refuses to clean her room
and in the very next breath asks, “Daddy, will you play with me.”
But there’s a problem.
Disobedience has stepped in between the sweet fellowship.
It’s not that Mommy or Daddy don’t want to play and spend time with little Suzie.
But so long as she’s in rebellion, the joy of communion is broken.

God wants nothing more than that sweet communion restored.
That’s why He calls for repentance.
But God cannot set aside justice and still be truly loving.
Genuine love never negates justice, because love cannot compromise truth.
To do so, leaves the wall of disobedience between the parties,
leaving communion impossible.

PLURALISM

The world has no problem requesting the prayers and blessing of God’s people.
But here’s the disconnect. They request the favor of every possible source of so-called “divine” help—asking for the favor and blessing of every so-called “god.”
The unbeliever is simply hedging his bet, playing both sides.
What’s to differentiate the answering of such requests?
They’ll simply attribute the outcome to which ever “god” they want.
It brings God no glory to play such a game.

MANIPULATIVE PRAYER

Such prayer requests, while in abject rebellion,
is nothing other than an attempt to manipulate the Sovereign of the universe.
It treats God as nothing more than a genie or a cosmic Santa Clause.

Jeremiah will not entertain such games, because God won’t play such games.
Any other time, Jeremiah’s words, his warnings, his exhortations, and even his prayers are despised.
But Jeremiah, we’re having a bit of trouble with this Babylonian army.
Could you possibly throw up a prayer to God on our behalf.

Verse 4. Jeremiah was not yet thrown in prison.
We’re given this information here to show that
Jeremiah is the same prophet
with the same message
on both sides of his prison sentence.

So, how should God’s messenger respond to such a request?
Or better, how does the Lord answer such requests?

A BRIEF REPREIVE

Verse 5. Well, Zedekiah, it might seem that there’s been a bit of reprieve, that your prayer request has been answered. The Chaldeans have withdrawn because Pharoah’s army had come out of Egypt, so they retreated.
This takes us back to the false repentance of chapter 34.
As soon as the Chaldeans retreated, Zedekiah and Judah turned right beack to their sin. They had released their fellow Hebrew slaves, and then they took them back.

Don’t be fooled by this brief respite.
The Chaldeans are coming back to finish the job.

Verse 10. Even should you defeat the whole Babylonian army, and there were left only wounded soldiers—literally, men who had been pierced through—
Those pierced soldiers would rise from their tent and burn this city with fire.
Which is exactly what Jesus, the pierced warrior will do!

The Lord’s execution of justice doesn’t depend on the strength of the Chaldean army, any more than Israel’s conquest of the promised land depended on the strength of Israel’s army.

COVENANT BLESSINGS AND CURSES

We haven’t visited it for a while, but this is simply the outworking of the covenant blessings and curses as pronounced in Leviticus 26 an Deuteronomy 28.

So long as Israel obeyed the covenant, five of you would be able to chase down a hundred, and a hundred would be able to chase down ten thousand, and your enemies shall fall by the sword. (Lev. 26:7-8)

But the Lord warned that covenant unfaithfulness would lead to the reverse.
How could one have chased a thousand, and two have put ten thousand to fligh, unless their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had given them up?(Deut 32:30)

Any reprieve, any patience concerning the Lord’s enacting justice is for the sake of the people’s repentance. This reprieve was not an answer to Zedekiah’s prayer at all!

DOES NOT ANSWER

While it’s an unpopular concept, the Bible is fairly clear that the Lord does not in general answer the prayers of the rebellious.
Psalm 66:18 – If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.

Proverbs 1:24 – Because I have called and you refused to listen,
have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,
because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof,
Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
they will seek me diligently by will not find me.

Zechariah 7:13 – “”As I called, and they would not hear,
so they called, and I would not hear,” says the Lord of hosts.

O but someone might say, that’s the Old Testament. Okay, how about:
John 9:31 – We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.

James 4:3 – You ask but do not receive because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

Or 1 Peter 5:5 – God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

It’s not that the Lord’s arm is shortened to where He cannot save,
or that His ear is dull and He cannot hear, as He says in Isaiah 59:1.
The problem is that your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
It’s not that He cannot, it’s that He does not listen to the prayers of the rebellious.

PRAYER OF REPENTANCE

But there is one prayer that the rebellious can make that will surely be heard by God, and that is the prayer of repentance.
When Ninevah repented at the preaching of Jonah, God heard; He saw; and He turned away His wrath.
When King Ahab repented and put on sackcloth, God heard; He saw; and He turned away His wrath.

What Zedekiah needed to pray for was pardon!
not for peace, not for protection, not for provision, not for prosperity, not for physical health!
Repentance must come first.
Prayer for pardon recognizes the need for forgiveness. It recognizes the wrong one has done, and turns from that wrong.
And guess what. God stands ready to forgive.
He's always ready to answer such prayer… when prayed in faith.
Such a prayer seeks first the kingdom of God.
And when we are realigned with God and His kingdom,
all our other prayer requests will fall in line with His will,
meaning, they will indeed be answered.

UNCOMFORTABLE PRAYER

More than once Jeremiah was told not to pray for the welfare of this
people due to their rebellious posture.
Why? Because their continued physical welfare
only served their wandering farther from the Lord.

It makes me wonder how we might pray for such requests from those who are in direct rebellion towards God.
Well, many of us were present Wednesday night for our time of prayer,
and if you weren’t there, one of our members offered up a truly remarkable prayer for a particular individual living in disobedience, praying for the individual to feel uncomfortable in their current situation.
Now, that’s a bold and godly prayer. One that few would pray, especially out loud before others. But it was the right prayer.
O how often we pray for comfort and the easing of burdens, when comfort is the absolute last thing someone needs so long as they are in rebellion.

When I think of the prayer requests that fill the average prayer gathering,
many of them deal with health, financial, and relational burdens.
And we pray God’s mercy over these situations.
But I wonder if there are times when, concerning our unbelieving friends, neighbors, and family members, that blanket prayers of relief and comfort for those in rebellion might not be the best prayers, because they miss the greatest mercy—a restored relationship with God Himself.

Perhaps there are times to pray:
Lord, if it takes this health issue, this financial struggle, this relational turmoil, or whatever hardship Johnny’s experiencing right now to drive him to his knees in repentance, then so long as he’s  in rebellion against you, do just that.
Because obviously health and prosperity have done nothing to draw him closer to God. If anything, we see and read that it often has the opposite effect.

Lord, grant them a heart of brokenness… whatever the earthly cost.
Why? Because a broken and contrite heart, God will not despise.
Because, while as believers we care about all suffering,
we care infinitely more about eternal suffering.
Lord, don’t allow them to feel comfortable in their rebellion against you.

NO PEACE WITH SIN

And let me just say. If by chance that’s you… if you have a hard time making peace with your sin… with any of your ways that aren’t fully aligned to God’s revealed will… thank Him! Take that as a blessing. That’s likely the Holy Spirit convicting you so that you turn and repent.

Zedekiah, so long as you’re in rebellion, the prayer is, judgment is coming, be concerned, be gravely concerned, be so concerned that it drives you to your knees in repentance.

I don’t know. I don’t have the answers. I can just share with you what I see in this book. Your job is to test all things and hold fast what is good.

When we seek to remain faithful—resolute in our message—which includes how we pray, we will make others uncomfortable, and we should expect hostility.

One way hostility is often expressed is through the spinning of truth.

ILLUSTRATION:

IF you turn on your news feed. You’ll find no shortage of disinformation—
Political opponents with their war of words
seeking to tarnish the other party by spinning the truth just a little.
And this tactic has been around since the Garden.
“So, God said you can’t eat from any of the trees, did He?”

PORTION OF LAND

In verses 11-12, we have Jeremiah heading out of the city to receive his portion,
likely the field he was told to purchase in chapter 32 from his cousin Hanamel.
Chapter 32 chronologically takes place after our account here.
But Jeremiah never made it to purchase the property,
so Hanamel, his cousin, comes to Jeremiah while he’s imprisoned in the court of the guard.

TRAITOR

Now, it’s no surprise that the people thought Jeremiah was a traitor.
So, they looked for any excuse to accuse him of defection.
There idea of a traitor was anyone who wasn’t in full support of their practices.
In their eyes, Jeremiah was against his own nation.
But such couldn’t be further from the truth.

Jeremiah was not only faithful to the Lord,
such faithfulness made him resolute in his faithfulness to his people,

HANANIAH – FALSE PROPHET

Such was not the case with Irijah’s grandfather Hananiah.
We met Hananiah back in chapter 28.
He’s a false prophet who prophesies what the people want to hear.
Peace, peace, when there is no peace. Don’t worry about old Nebuchadnezzar.
The Lord will break his yoke and bring back all the vessels and exiles within two years.

As we saw with Shaphan’s legacy last week, well, it goes both ways.
Faithfulness often begets faithfulness, while unfaithfulness begets unfaithfulness. Genesis 5:3. Adam had a son in his own likeness.

Hananiah was a false prophet who spread lies.
It’s no wonder that his grandson Irijah does the same.
in fact, the lie is that these me are the complete opposite of their names.
Irijah – fear YH – Shelemiah – peace with YH – Hananiah – favor of YH

After 40 years of faithful ministry, pleading, weeping, calling the people to repent and receive forgiveness,
Jeremiah was considered an enemy of the state, a traitor.
But far from being a traitor, Jeremiah loves his people.
He’s willing to be imprisoned and even die for his people.
He loves them too much not to warn them of their greatest threat,
their greatest harm, their greatest suffering.
And as such, Jeremiah is will to suffer.

This is Jeremiah’s cross, his passion.
Verse 14. Irijah and the officials refuse to believe Jeremiah.
Instead, they struck him and threw him in the dungeon.

AVOIDING HOSTILITY

Listen loved ones, you have no need to concern yourself with any hostility towards you…none at all… so long as you’re willing to compromise the gospel.
Those willing to compromise the message,
will likely never suffer the persecution that Jeremiah faced.

There is no hostility where the gospel is compromised.
… where a half gospel is proclaimed
… a gospel that only makes promises and avoids warnings
… a gospel that offers peace, protection, prosperity, provision,
without any expectation attached to the recipients of such awesome promises.
… a gospel message that calls one to belong to the holy people of God
without calling anyone to be holy
… a gospel that offers forgiveness without calling for repentance.

HALF GOSPEL

And a half gospel will fill pews! But it won’t fill heaven.
A half gospel invites no harm, no cost to its messengers,
and no push back from society.
You can see why it’s so popular.

FAITHFUL SUFFER

But get this. Faithful messengers have suffered throughout history
and throughout the globe.
As Stephen proclaims to the Jews in Acts 7 right before they stoned him,
Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced before hand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered.

What got Jeremiah in so much trouble?
Jeremiah, like the apostle Paul, preached on righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment.
And because he did, he was beaten and thrown in prison.

END UP LIKE JEREMIAH

As Francis Shaeffer so aptly put it,
If one really preaches the Word of God to a post-Christian world, he must understand that he is likely to end up like Jeremiah.

Remain resolute in proclaiming the whole counsel of God’s truth like Jeremiah, like Paul, like Jesus… and you’ll likely end up like them.
But guess what? That puts you in some really good company.

THE LORD HIDES AND DELIVERS

In our last chapter, we saw that the Lord had hidden Jeremiah and Baruch from harm. Why? Because Jeremiah’s time had not yet come.
Just as we see the Lord Jesus slip away from his persecutors,
because his time had not yet come.

But there also comes the time when the Lord does deliver His faithful servants into the hands of their adversaries… to prove the resolve of their faithfulness.

So, does Jeremiah remain resolute in the face of such circumstances?
I think we already know the answer.

Verse 16. (Read 16-21)

Notice the context in which Zedekiah calls Jeremiah.
Verse 16. After he’s in prison for many days.
And verse 17. He calls Jeremiah secretly.

Zedekiah fears his own people, hence the secrecy.
And by leaving him in prison for many days,
he might just be more prone to giving a favorable word.

LIE TO ME

There’s a part of me that’s baffled by the fact that we seek to promote such an environment in which people will lie to us by telling us what we want to hear.
As if the lie can benefit anything other than our ego.
Wouldn’t you rather know the truth, even if it’s hard,
so you can at least respond accordingly?

Do you really want the doctor to lie about your health condition
just so you can feel better for the next few months
until it’s obvious that such was a lie,
and that such a lie sealed your death sentence
because you failed to get the treatment you so desperately needed?
But at least you had a few months of wishful thinking!

Now, I said, there’s a part of me that’s baffled by this.
But truth be known, I’m guilty of this very thing.
I don’t always want to hear the truth… and neither do you.
Why? Because the truth can prove painful and uncomfortable.
But only the truth can save, heal, and restore.

Zedekiah’s fickleness, his vacillating between wanting a word from the Lord and actually heeding the word of the Lord will lead to his destruction.
His fear of man keeps him from obedience to the Lord.

In contrast, even after many days in prison,
even with the prospect that the king could release him,
Jeremiah doesn’t compromise his calling.
He doesn’t compromise who it is he serves.
He faithfully delivers the message regardless of what it might cost him.

Jeremiah’s message didn’t change based on his circumstances.

WHO WRONGED YOU?

Zedekiah, you will be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.
Now, let me ask you a question.
Verse 18. What wrong have I done?
Verse 19. Where are the prophets who prophesied to you saying,
the king of Babylon won’t come against you or against this land?
They’re the ones who have actually wronged you and this people,
speaking peace, peace, when there is no peace.
How? Because there can be no peace so long as you’re in rebellion against the Lord.

In fact, Hananiah, Irijah’s grandfather, in no longer on the scene
precisely because he was a false prophet.
The Lord removed him because he had spoken rebellion against the Lord
with his lies.

The world has no shortage of prophets,
no shortage of those who will proclaim what you want to hear,
no shortage of those who will prophesy, “Peace,”
when there is no peace,
peace without the need for repentance.
But I assure you, when judgment comes, they won’t be found.

BREAD THAT IS NEEDFUL

Verse 20.
Only after boldly proclaiming the uncompromised message
does Jeremiah address his own case.
This is instructive to us… to first seek His kingdom.
Verse 21.
And as the Lord always does, He sustains His faithful for ministry
until their mission, their service is complete.
The Lord provides them with the bread that is needful
in order for them to carry out their assigned task.

And the same is true for you and me.
There is nothing the Lord won’t provide you that you need
in order to serve Him faithfully. 

How about you?
Are you resolute like Jeremiah?
Or are you more fickle like Zedekiah?

Let me offer a word of encouragement,
for those of us whose resolve has come up short.

I’m not so convinced that at times, I might be more like Zedekiah.
O I like to think some days, for a fleeting moment,
I have faith to move mountains.
And then, in the very next breath,
I find myself grumbling over some petty thing,
or I snap at one of the kids, like I did this past Friday,
or I sulk in my discouragement that I’m not further along in my walk.
O the temptations to discontentment,
the fear of man, the worldly lusts, the boastful pride.
The model Jeremiah sets forth seems utterly out of reach.
How much more so conformity to Christ.

And the truth is, only the resolute will finish the race.
So what do we do when we fall short,
when we fail in our resolve?
ENEMY:

Well, the enemy wants you to despair.
Micah 7:8 – Rejoice not over me, O my enemy;
when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness,
the Lord shall be a light to me.
I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him,
… until he pleads my cause and executes judgment for me.
He will bring me out to the light; I shall look upon his vindication.

We don’t walk this walk alone.
We’ve been empowered by Christ’s very Spirit.

Perhaps it’s helpful to remind us that Jeremiah’s walk had some lapses.
He faced doubts and discouragement.
But God fashioned him into the resolute prophet he became.
Jeremiah, who I believe also penned Lamentations,
needed those same new morning mercies,
every bit as much as you and I do. 

So when you come up short in your resolve,
you turn, you repent, and you resolve again,
leaning into the grace we have in the Lord Jesus,
who has already executed judgment for us.

CHRIST
No one is more resolute than our Lord Jesus
who set his face like flint to go to Jerusalem, to the cross,
in order to save his own—not partially, but completely.

We must be resolute to finish this race.
But where our resolve is insufficient,
Jesus’ is more than sufficient.
He resolved to save,
so you can rest assured that he most definitely will.
Our resolute Savior will not fail.

https://youtu.be/nmEeIE-K_4E

  Jeremiah 36 Word on Fire

ADDED TO THEM:

Many of the chapters in this second half of Jeremiah, are not as much about giving a new word from the Lord, as much as giving the responses to the Word of the Lord, and the consequences that follow. 

At the end of our chapter (verse 32), we’ll read:
Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah, who wrote on it at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the scroll that Jehoiakim had burned in the fire.
And many similar words were added to them. 

What we have here in chapter 36
 are the words added to them.
 We have the various responses to the Word.
We have the indifference of those
 who chose not to respond,
 as well as those who simply stood by
 thinking that they could remain neutral.
We have the faithful response of those
 who took the Word to heart,
 who listened intently,
 and then shared it with others.
And we have the hostility of one
 who thought he could so easily dispose of the Word
 by burning it in the fire.

As we read in several places in the New Testament: Whatever was written in former days
 — that being the whole of the Old Testament —
 was written for our instructions,
on whom the end of the ages has come.

My question for each of us,
 those on whom the end of the ages have come,
 what’s your response look like?
Before you answer that too quickly,
 we’d do well to dig into these responses.

READ: (Jeremiah 36:1-8)

ILLUSTRATION:

Many roads were closed due to flooding
 across several states earlier this week.
 I believe Kentucky got hit the worst.
In some of these areas, signs were put up.
 Bridge out due to flooding. 

What’s the purpose of the sign?
 It’s to warn you!
 There’s a flood ahead.
 Your current path isn’t safe.
Turn around so that
 the flood doesn’t sweep you away. 

The words the Lord has Jeremiah write
 are just that — a bridge out sign.
The flood of God’s wrath
 threatens to sweep you away.
But you don’t h{ave to drown.
 You can turn around.
There’s still time.

INTENT OF GOD’S WORD

Notice the intent of God’s Word in verse 3.
It may be that the house of Judah will hear
 all the disaster that I intend to do to them,
so that every one may turn from his evil way,
and that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.

And like the Lord,
his prophet shares the Word with the same intent.
Verse 7.
 It may be that their plea for mercy
 will come before the Lord,
and that every one will turn from his evil way…

Now, it’s clear that the words are indeed
 words of judgment.
But they aren’t given for the purpose of judgment. They are given as a warning
 so that the people might turn. 

REPENTANCE REQUIRED

The fact that God calls us to repent,
 rather than immediately enacting judgment,
 shows something of God’s heart.

Our God longs to forgive.
 He wants to forgive.
 He’s willing to forgive.
 He’s waiting to forgive.
But… forgiveness
 cannot take place
 apart from repentance.
Forgiveness requires repentance.

GOAL OF RECONCILATION

But do we understand why?
 Well. What’s the point of forgiveness?
Reconciliation. Reconciliation of what?
 Reconciliation of a relationship.

Okay. So what’s the point of repentance?
The exact same thing. Reconciling a relationship. 

It’s impossible to restore any relationship
 where both sides of this equation,
 haven’t taken place.
Yet… out of an overflow of grace and mercy,
 the gospel message,
 the offer of forgiveness
 which stands behind all the warnings,
 is extended first.
It’s here in out text.
The Lord offers forgiveness
 to everyone who turns,
 to everyone who repents.

The purpose of these words of warning
 is not to bring the people crushing news
 that leaves them in despair
but to crush their hearts and pride
 that they might repent
 and receive forgiveness.

WORDS ON THE SCROLL

Now let me be clear.
The dominant message on this scroll
 that Jeremiah will dictate to Baruch,
 is one of judgment and warning
The bridge is out! Turn around!
 There’s a flood of judgment up ahead.
But it’s important that we don’t lose sight
 of the purpose behind these words.

The message is intended to excite fear,
 that leads to repentance,
 that grants forgiveness,
 that the people might be spared
 the flood of judgment,
 and be reconciled to God.

ALL THE WORDS

Verse 2.
 The Lord commands Jeremiah to record
 ALL THE WORDS.
 Let me say that again. ALL THE WORDS.
that the Lord has spoken against Israel and Judah
from the day the Lord first spoke to him until now.
 

That is just over 20 years of ministry.
It includes all of chapters 1-20,
 plus chapters 25 and 26.
 and the bulk of chapters 46-49.

Now, listen. Just to read chapters 1-20 out loud
 takes a good hour and a half.
And as I already noted,
 these were predominantly words of judgment.

This phrase, ALL THE WORDS,
 is used 11 times in our passage,
 plus 5 times in which it’s implied,
 each time referring to
writing, reading, hearing, or reporting,
 the Word of God as recorded on this scroll.
 20 some chapters!

NOT THE PROPHET’S

Verse 4.
Baruch writes at the dictation of Jeremiah
 ALL THE WORDS!
not a mere selection
 not a paraphrase
 not the prophet’s views or commentary
but all the words the Lord had spoken to Jeremiah
 over his thus far 20 year ministry.

Why?
Because Baruch’s nor Jeremiah’s
 cleverly devised articulation
 won’t save anyone.
Why?
Well, for one, God doesn’t share His glory.
 And if it takes their eloquence or skill
 to save people,
 then guess who gets the glory?
Only the double-edge, soul-piercing Word of God
 exposes the heart.
His Word alone can save.

Jeremiah and Baruch’s hope was not in their gifting
 but in the power of God’s Word
 to bring sinners to repentance.
This isn’t Jeremiah’s words
 so much as it’s God’s Word.

Since Jeremiah is banned from the house of the Lord
 —verse 6—
Jeremiah orders Baruch to go
 and read from the scroll
which you have written from my mouth
 the words of the Lord
 in the ears of the people
 in the house of the Lord
 on a day of fasting.

And Baruch does all that Jeremiah ordered him.
 About a year later, the people proclaim a fast,
 and Baruch reads this rather large scroll.

OUTWARD ZEAL, INNER INDIFFERENCE

VERSES 9-10 (read 9-10)

Here you have a people that exalted
 the external acts of piety,
 flocking to the house of the Lord,
 going through religious rituals,
But had little interest in God’s proclaimed Word.
 They had outward zeal
 but inwardly, they were indifferent.

All the people in Jerusalem and Judah who came
 supposedly before the Lord
 before the Lord’s house
were unaffected by Baruch’s reading…
 all … but … one
 a man named Micaiah

FAITHFUL RECEIVING OF GOD’S WORD

VERSES 11-12 (read 11-12) 

Where most were indifferent to Baruch’s reading,
 Micaiah demonstrates what a faithful response
 to God’s Word looks like.
HEARING – FEARING - SHARING

HEARING

First, Micaiah hears the Word.
 Notice in verse 11.
 Micaiah heard ALL THE WORDS

I don’t often quote others,
 but here’s what Philip Ryken,
 President of Wheaten College,
 had to say regarding these verses.
“Micaiah demonstrates the proper receiving of the Word of God. First comes the hearing of the Word… He listened to God’s Word in its entirety. He did not doze off in the middle of the reading… or leave before Baruch was finished. Micaiah listened to Jeremiah’s prophecies from beginning to end.”

And because Micaiah listened to the Word,
 he was moved by the Word
 to share the word
He immediately went to his father Gemariah
 and the officials who were with him.
But Micaiah also had to listen intently to the Word
 in order to fully and faithfully share it.
 Which he did!

SHARING

Verse 13.
And Micaiah told them ALL THE WORDS
 that he had heard,
when Baruch read the scroll
 in the hearing of the people.

This was not a popular message.
As we have seen throughout our study in Jeremiah,
 kings, priests, and prophets
 have sought to silence this message.
Speak to us pleasant things!
 Don’t speak to us about this Holy One of Israel!

And that is no less true today.
 As we saw in 2 Timothy just a few weeks ago:
 A time is coming when people
 will accumulate teachers
 to suit their own passions.

Why would Micaiah want to relay this message?
 The same reason Jeremiah and Baruch did.
 He believed the Word.
 He saw the peril.
 Now, he must warn others.
 The bridge is out!

And honestly, what better place to begin
 than with one’s own family.
That’s where Micaiah began.
 Now, that doesn’t mean they’ll listen.
 But I’ll tell you what won’t happen.

 

They will never respond to a message they never hear.
 And there’s only one way to ensure that they do.
You tell them.
 And tell them before it’s too late.

The faithful receiving of God’s Word
 makes one an evangelist.

RETURN VOID?

Now, I mentioned,
out of all the people who were in earshot of Baruch
 reading from the scroll earlier that morning,
 it seemed the vast majority showed no concern.
(I believe that’s implied in the text,
 and throughout the Book of Jeremiah.)

Does this mean that God’s Word had returned void?
 Not at all!
God’s Word never promises to save every individual.
 But consider this.
Because Jeremiah and Baruch put their lives
 and reputations on the line,
If but a single person is moved to repentance
 —saving repentance—
 —repentance that leads to life—
then it was worth it… eternally worth it…
 whatever the cost.

And now Micaiah is sharing with others…
 his dad and the other officials.
 What’s their response?

Verses 14-18 (read 14-18)

GOOD BEREANS

Micaiah passed along the message
 as it was passed on to him.
And now, some were moved like good Bereans
 to look closer at the message,
 get back to the source.
 Is the message authentic?
Tell us, Baruch. How did you write all these words?

Notice.
 It’s not enough to accept the Word secondhand.
They have Baruch sit down and read
 [guess what?]
 ALL THE WORDS.
And they listened … to ALL THE WORDS.

And they were moved with fear.
 We must report ALL THESE WORDS to the king.

But… verse 19.
Before we report to this king
 Baruch, you and Jeremiah need to hide.
Why?
 Because we know not everyone
 is going to be receptive
 to this word!
But just the opposite.
 There will be those who are hostile,
 those who will want to silence this word.

In fact, knowing this
 we better seek to preserve this word.
 So, we’ll put it in safe keeping
 before we take the news to the king.

Verses 20.
 So they went into the court to the king,
 having put the scroll in the chamber
 of Elishama the secretary,
and they reported ALL THE WORDS to the king.

EXPOSITION

Whatever these officials reported—notice—
 it was sufficient for the inspired author to say:
They reported ALL THE WORDS.

I hope you understand,
 that’s what we seek to do up here.
 It’s what we call: expository preaching.
We seek to report ALL THE WORDS of the text.

Now, I know, it’s not very popular,
 not when you consider
 just how many churches there are
 and what’s often proclaimed from the pulpits.

I’m very capable of standing up here,
and share a few brief nuggets of life application,
 and then we could all move on
 in our own merry way.
But that is not the preaching found in Scripture.

What application
 could possibly be transformative
 if we circumvent the text
 by skipping over the exegesis, the exposition,
 or to make is simpler,
 the explanation of the text.

To do so, fails to do justice to God’s Word,
 And it rids God’s Word of its power.
 Why?
Because to do such isn’t to share God’s Word
 but mine!

My task, is to proclaim this Word in such a way
 that it can rightly be said,
 I reported ALL THE WORDS.
Because my words have no power whatsoever.
 God’s Word alone is able to save.
And only to the degree
 I faithfully share His Word,
 do I have any standing up here.
My job is to be a faithful messenger.

Verse 21.
Then the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and he took it from the chamber of Elishama the secretary.
And Jehudi read it to the king,
 and all the officials who stood beside the king.

Now, it seems King Jehoiakim
 is following the same response as the officials
 who received the Word from Micaiah.
He hears the word as relayed through the officials.
 And he immediately sends for the source file,
 the written scroll.
But the king has other plans.

THE EDITS

Verses 22-23 (Read 22-23)

Rather than receive God’s Word as authoritative,
 the king has some edits he would like to make.

As Jehudi reads,
 Jehoiakim performs his own,
 uninspired edits to God’s Word,
 redacting and cutting as he sees fit,
 removing the portions he doesn’t like,
 leaving none of it, as far as he’s concerned,
 as authoritative for him
or the people he was to shepherd.

How many, like Jehoiakim,
 take upon themselves the same task
 of editing God’s Word?
Now most won’t show their hostility
 as crudely and guilelessly as Jehoiakim.
Most won’t be found burning the scroll in a firepot.

Some exact their edits with a scholars knife,
 some by interpreting the Word to fit their fancy,
 some by ripping the Word from its context,
 some by avoiding certain portions as irrelevant,
some by promoting traditions and teachings
 of men as equal in authority,
some by raising suspicions concerning the source.

Each of these edits are no less an attack
 against God’s infallible Word
 than the serpent who asked, “Did God really say?”

 

Each of these edits seek to diminish its authority,
 calling into question whether God’s Word,
 as passed down and delivered
 once and all to the saints
 can or should be trusted.

Anytime one seeks to explain away
 any part of God’s Revelation,
it’s no different than Jehoiakim
 Taking a knife to God’s Word
 and casting it into the fire.

Why does this matter?
 Because this is the only Word that can save.
 It’s the only Word that can bring about repentance,
 so that people might receive forgiveness.

Lord, you have exalted above all things,
 your name and your Word.

Yes, much of this Book is hard,
 It shares hard things that aren’t pleasant
 to our fallen ears.

But this Word, the whole counsel of this Word,
 is given with the intent of sparing people
 from the coming flood of judgment.

[New Covenant Difference]

PLEADING

Verse 24-26 (Read 24-26)

While Jehudi and the king’s servants
 sought to remain neutral
—and let’s be clear, there’s no such thing
 as neutrality towards God’s Word—
A few faithful men
 three to be precise
 urged the king not to do such a blasphemous act
 not to burn the scroll
 that contained the Word of the Lord.
But their plea fell on deaf ears.

Loved ones, I don’t have to tell you,
 but many of our pleas will fall on deaf ears.

While we plead with others,
 O please don’t disregard God’s Word like this!
 Heaven and Hell hang in the balance!
 This Word is intended to save you!
Remember, their response
 isn’t up to you. It isn’t up to me.
O let them hear your constant pleas.
 Let them see you tears.
But it’s the Lord who softens hearts.
 It’s the Lord who grants repentance.
So pray! Pray that the Lord would do just that!

Rather than being moved to fear,
 rather than heeding the warning,
THE BRIDGE IS OUT and turning around,
 rather than tearing his garments,
 Jehoiakim tears down the sign,
 and sets it on fire.
And then he seeks to arrest those
 who would put up such a sign,
 a sign intended to save lives.

But the Lord hid Baruch and Jeremiah.
 And the same Lord
who preserves His faithful messengers
 preserves His Word.

NAÏVE 

Verses 26-31 (Read 26-31)

The world thinks us Christians naïve
to believe this book, to believe its Author,
to submit to the authority of God’s Word.

But what’s naïve are those like Jehoiakim
 who think they can escape this living and active
 razor sharp Word of the Lord
 by slicing it up and casting into the fire,
as if this Word is somehow bound
 to the scroll it’s penned on.

What’s naïve is that millennia after millennia
 of trying to escape the authorityof God’s Word
 —going all the way back to the Garden—
 the authority of God’s Word still stands!

What’s naïve is that our society,
 after 2000 years of trying
 and coming up short time and again
 continues to try to discredit this Book.
They enlist their brightest minds
 with the largest budgets.
But they can’t quench
 the purifying fire of the Word of the Lord.

Jehoiakim can set it on fire, and watch it burn.
 But what he can’t do is quench it.

Jehoiakim's efforts to burn God's Word were futile,
 because God's Word is fire.

NO LEGACY FOR JEHOIAKIM

Because Jehoiakim sought to cut off this Word
 from the people’s hearing,
 any hope of legacy will be cut off from him.
He will have none to sit on the throne of David.

For our New Testament reading,
 I strongly considered either
 Luke’s or Matthew’s genealogy.
Instead,
 I’ll leave you to read through them on your own.
But I bet you can guess who isn’t there.
 Jehoiakim. He’s not in either of them.
 He’s been completely passed over.
He sought to erase God’s Word
 So, he was erased
 from the greatest genealogical record ever.
Jehoiakim was left without a legacy.

THE LEGACY OF SHAPHAN

But there’s another man who is mentioned
 a few times in our text,
 who, while he’s not an active participant
 in this particular account,
 his offspring are.
His name is Shaphan. 

It was in the chamber of Gemariah,
 the son of Shaphan,
 that Baruch read this famous scroll.
It was Micaiah, the grandson of Shaphan (verse 11),
 who listened intently to Baruch’s reading
 of the scroll,
 who afterwards,
 went to share the news with his father, Gemariah.

Gemariah, Shaphan’s son, was one of the officials
 who was moved with fear at the reading of the scroll,
 who insisted on reporting ALL THESE WORDS
 to the king,
who also pleaded with the king not to burn the scroll.

Whereas Jehoiakim tore up the scroll
 rather than tearing his clothes,
 Gemariah likely recalled the time
 when the king in his father’s day
 had an entirely different response.

King Josiah had sent Shaphan
 to the house of the Lord.
And while Shaphan was there,
 Hilkiah the high priest told him,
I have found the Book of the Law
 in the house of the Lord.
And you know what Shaphan did?
 He read it.
 And after reading it, he reported it to the king.
 And Shaphan read it before the king.
And upon hearing the words of the Book of the Law,
 Shaphan witnessed a king who tore his clothes.

Shaphan’s legacy goes beyond
 his son and grandson mentioned here.
A few years earlier
 (you can read about it in chapter 26)
It was Shaphan’s son, Ahikam,
 who saved Jeremiah from being put to death
 when he gave his famous temple sermon.
A few years later, Shaphan’s son, Elasah,
 would carry Jeremiah’s letter to the exiles in Babylon.
And after Jerusalem falls to Babylon,
 another one of Shaphan’s grandsons, Gedaliah,
 would rescue Jeremiah, take him into his house,
 and eventually become governor
 over the Jewish remnant.

YOUR LEGACY

What kind of legacy do you want to leave?
You know what led to Shaphan’s legacy?
 It was his response to God’s Word.

O the world has its own idea
 of what makes for a legacy.
 But all of those legacies will one day be forgotten.
But a legacy like Shaphan’s
 will be remembered for eternity.

Unlike Jehoiakim, Shaphan’s legacy continues.
O his name isn’t found in Jesus’ genealogical record,
 at least not his physical or biological record.
It’s found in a far more important document:
 The Book of Life of the Lamb Who Was Slain.

That legacy can be yours.
 If you respond to this Word like Shaphan did,
 If you instill this Word in your kids and grandkids
 like Shaphan did.

JESUS DIDN’T TEAR HIS CLOTHES

Unlike King Josiah, Jesus didn’t tear his clothes.
 But it wasn’t because he wasn’t grieved
 over the judgment His people faced.
Rather, as our Great High Priest,
 He was forbidden to tear his clothes.
 So, he allowed his flesh to be torn open instead.

For so long, we had failed to heed
 the Bridge Out! sign.
 And get this.
The bridge was out
 because we had burned the bridge.
 We had burned our relationship with our Maker.
Rather than heed the sign, mankind has treated God’s warnings the same way Jehoiakim treated the scroll.
The flood of God’s judgment was all but certain.
 
Out of sheer mercy,
 God laid down a New Bridge,
 a wooden cross that spanned across the entire flood of God’s judgment.
0 to cross this bridge still requires no less repentance.
 You see, the flood of God’s wrath had surrounded us.
But Jesus laid down His life as a bridge
 that not only provides a way home,
 but as a bridge laid down at such a cost
 so as to display the immense love of God
 and His desire for reconciliation.

Jesus came as the Word made flesh.
The Word that kings and priests, governors and the people sought to silence by destroying Him,
 cutting Him off from the land of the living.
But just as God’s Word isn’t bound,
 Neither was this Word bound to mere flesh and bone.
For He is the eternal Word.
Death could never hold Him.

This Word, whose eyes are like flames of fire,
 seeing into the deepest recesses of every soul,
 This Word is fire, and it cannot be quenched!

This Word that the Lord so faithfully preserves
 it will preserve you…
 … but only if you respond to it faithfully,
 like the faithful men we read about today.

Will you be like Micaiah and Gemariah
 who intently listened to all the words,
 who responded with reverence to all the words,
 who were moved to share all the words,
 who pleaded with others concerning all the words?

Because ALL THESE WORDS are the Word of God.
 

https://youtu.be/h9G1wtPh2AU  

ADDED TO THEM:

Many of the chapters in this second half of Jeremiah, are not as much about giving a new word from the Lord, as much as giving the responses to the Word of the Lord, and the consequences that follow. 

At the end of our chapter (verse 32), we’ll read:
Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah, who wrote on it at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the scroll that Jehoiakim had burned in the fire.
And many similar words were added to them. 

What we have here in chapter 36
 are the words added to them.
 We have the various responses to the Word.
We have the indifference of those
 who chose not to respond,
 as well as those who simply stood by
 thinking that they could remain neutral.
We have the faithful response of those
 who took the Word to heart,
 who listened intently,
 and then shared it with others.
And we have the hostility of one
 who thought he could so easily dispose of the Word
 by burning it in the fire.

As we read in several places in the New Testament: Whatever was written in former days
 — that being the whole of the Old Testament —
 was written for our instructions,
on whom the end of the ages has come.

My question for each of us,
 those on whom the end of the ages have come,
 what’s your response look like?
Before you answer that too quickly,
 we’d do well to dig into these responses.

READ: (Jeremiah 36:1-8)

ILLUSTRATION:

Many roads were closed due to flooding
 across several states earlier this week.
 I believe Kentucky got hit the worst.
In some of these areas, signs were put up.
 Bridge out due to flooding. 

What’s the purpose of the sign?
 It’s to warn you!
 There’s a flood ahead.
 Your current path isn’t safe.
Turn around so that
 the flood doesn’t sweep you away. 

The words the Lord has Jeremiah write
 are just that — a bridge out sign.
The flood of God’s wrath
 threatens to sweep you away.
But you don’t h{ave to drown.
 You can turn around.
There’s still time.

INTENT OF GOD’S WORD

Notice the intent of God’s Word in verse 3.
It may be that the house of Judah will hear
 all the disaster that I intend to do to them,
so that every one may turn from his evil way,
and that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.

And like the Lord,
his prophet shares the Word with the same intent.
Verse 7.
 It may be that their plea for mercy
 will come before the Lord,
and that every one will turn from his evil way…

Now, it’s clear that the words are indeed
 words of judgment.
But they aren’t given for the purpose of judgment. They are given as a warning
 so that the people might turn. 

REPENTANCE REQUIRED

The fact that God calls us to repent,
 rather than immediately enacting judgment,
 shows something of God’s heart.

Our God longs to forgive.
 He wants to forgive.
 He’s willing to forgive.
 He’s waiting to forgive.
But… forgiveness
 cannot take place
 apart from repentance.
Forgiveness requires repentance.

GOAL OF RECONCILATION

But do we understand why?
 Well. What’s the point of forgiveness?
Reconciliation. Reconciliation of what?
 Reconciliation of a relationship.

Okay. So what’s the point of repentance?
The exact same thing. Reconciling a relationship. 

It’s impossible to restore any relationship
 where both sides of this equation,
 haven’t taken place.
Yet… out of an overflow of grace and mercy,
 the gospel message,
 the offer of forgiveness
 which stands behind all the warnings,
 is extended first.
It’s here in out text.
The Lord offers forgiveness
 to everyone who turns,
 to everyone who repents.

The purpose of these words of warning
 is not to bring the people crushing news
 that leaves them in despair
but to crush their hearts and pride
 that they might repent
 and receive forgiveness.

WORDS ON THE SCROLL

Now let me be clear.
The dominant message on this scroll
 that Jeremiah will dictate to Baruch,
 is one of judgment and warning
The bridge is out! Turn around!
 There’s a flood of judgment up ahead.
But it’s important that we don’t lose sight
 of the purpose behind these words.

The message is intended to excite fear,
 that leads to repentance,
 that grants forgiveness,
 that the people might be spared
 the flood of judgment,
 and be reconciled to God.

ALL THE WORDS

Verse 2.
 The Lord commands Jeremiah to record
 ALL THE WORDS.
 Let me say that again. ALL THE WORDS.
that the Lord has spoken against Israel and Judah
from the day the Lord first spoke to him until now.
 

That is just over 20 years of ministry.
It includes all of chapters 1-20,
 plus chapters 25 and 26.
 and the bulk of chapters 46-49.

Now, listen. Just to read chapters 1-20 out loud
 takes a good hour and a half.
And as I already noted,
 these were predominantly words of judgment.

This phrase, ALL THE WORDS,
 is used 11 times in our passage,
 plus 5 times in which it’s implied,
 each time referring to
writing, reading, hearing, or reporting,
 the Word of God as recorded on this scroll.
 20 some chapters!

NOT THE PROPHET’S

Verse 4.
Baruch writes at the dictation of Jeremiah
 ALL THE WORDS!
not a mere selection
 not a paraphrase
 not the prophet’s views or commentary
but all the words the Lord had spoken to Jeremiah
 over his thus far 20 year ministry.

Why?
Because Baruch’s nor Jeremiah’s
 cleverly devised articulation
 won’t save anyone.
Why?
Well, for one, God doesn’t share His glory.
 And if it takes their eloquence or skill
 to save people,
 then guess who gets the glory?
Only the double-edge, soul-piercing Word of God
 exposes the heart.
His Word alone can save.

Jeremiah and Baruch’s hope was not in their gifting
 but in the power of God’s Word
 to bring sinners to repentance.
This isn’t Jeremiah’s words
 so much as it’s God’s Word.

Since Jeremiah is banned from the house of the Lord
 —verse 6—
Jeremiah orders Baruch to go
 and read from the scroll
which you have written from my mouth
 the words of the Lord
 in the ears of the people
 in the house of the Lord
 on a day of fasting.

And Baruch does all that Jeremiah ordered him.
 About a year later, the people proclaim a fast,
 and Baruch reads this rather large scroll.

OUTWARD ZEAL, INNER INDIFFERENCE

VERSES 9-10 (read 9-10)

Here you have a people that exalted
 the external acts of piety,
 flocking to the house of the Lord,
 going through religious rituals,
But had little interest in God’s proclaimed Word.
 They had outward zeal
 but inwardly, they were indifferent.

All the people in Jerusalem and Judah who came
 supposedly before the Lord
 before the Lord’s house
were unaffected by Baruch’s reading…
 all … but … one
 a man named Micaiah

FAITHFUL RECEIVING OF GOD’S WORD

VERSES 11-12 (read 11-12) 

Where most were indifferent to Baruch’s reading,
 Micaiah demonstrates what a faithful response
 to God’s Word looks like.
HEARING – FEARING - SHARING

HEARING

First, Micaiah hears the Word.
 Notice in verse 11.
 Micaiah heard ALL THE WORDS

I don’t often quote others,
 but here’s what Philip Ryken,
 President of Wheaten College,
 had to say regarding these verses.
“Micaiah demonstrates the proper receiving of the Word of God. First comes the hearing of the Word… He listened to God’s Word in its entirety. He did not doze off in the middle of the reading… or leave before Baruch was finished. Micaiah listened to Jeremiah’s prophecies from beginning to end.”

And because Micaiah listened to the Word,
 he was moved by the Word
 to share the word
He immediately went to his father Gemariah
 and the officials who were with him.
But Micaiah also had to listen intently to the Word
 in order to fully and faithfully share it.
 Which he did!

SHARING

Verse 13.
And Micaiah told them ALL THE WORDS
 that he had heard,
when Baruch read the scroll
 in the hearing of the people.

This was not a popular message.
As we have seen throughout our study in Jeremiah,
 kings, priests, and prophets
 have sought to silence this message.
Speak to us pleasant things!
 Don’t speak to us about this Holy One of Israel!

And that is no less true today.
 As we saw in 2 Timothy just a few weeks ago:
 A time is coming when people
 will accumulate teachers
 to suit their own passions.

Why would Micaiah want to relay this message?
 The same reason Jeremiah and Baruch did.
 He believed the Word.
 He saw the peril.
 Now, he must warn others.
 The bridge is out!

And honestly, what better place to begin
 than with one’s own family.
That’s where Micaiah began.
 Now, that doesn’t mean they’ll listen.
 But I’ll tell you what won’t happen.

 

They will never respond to a message they never hear.
 And there’s only one way to ensure that they do.
You tell them.
 And tell them before it’s too late.

The faithful receiving of God’s Word
 makes one an evangelist.

RETURN VOID?

Now, I mentioned,
out of all the people who were in earshot of Baruch
 reading from the scroll earlier that morning,
 it seemed the vast majority showed no concern.
(I believe that’s implied in the text,
 and throughout the Book of Jeremiah.)

Does this mean that God’s Word had returned void?
 Not at all!
God’s Word never promises to save every individual.
 But consider this.
Because Jeremiah and Baruch put their lives
 and reputations on the line,
If but a single person is moved to repentance
 —saving repentance—
 —repentance that leads to life—
then it was worth it… eternally worth it…
 whatever the cost.

And now Micaiah is sharing with others…
 his dad and the other officials.
 What’s their response?

Verses 14-18 (read 14-18)

GOOD BEREANS

Micaiah passed along the message
 as it was passed on to him.
And now, some were moved like good Bereans
 to look closer at the message,
 get back to the source.
 Is the message authentic?
Tell us, Baruch. How did you write all these words?

Notice.
 It’s not enough to accept the Word secondhand.
They have Baruch sit down and read
 [guess what?]
 ALL THE WORDS.
And they listened … to ALL THE WORDS.

And they were moved with fear.
 We must report ALL THESE WORDS to the king.

But… verse 19.
Before we report to this king
 Baruch, you and Jeremiah need to hide.
Why?
 Because we know not everyone
 is going to be receptive
 to this word!
But just the opposite.
 There will be those who are hostile,
 those who will want to silence this word.

In fact, knowing this
 we better seek to preserve this word.
 So, we’ll put it in safe keeping
 before we take the news to the king.

Verses 20.
 So they went into the court to the king,
 having put the scroll in the chamber
 of Elishama the secretary,
and they reported ALL THE WORDS to the king.

EXPOSITION

Whatever these officials reported—notice—
 it was sufficient for the inspired author to say:
They reported ALL THE WORDS.

I hope you understand,
 that’s what we seek to do up here.
 It’s what we call: expository preaching.
We seek to report ALL THE WORDS of the text.

Now, I know, it’s not very popular,
 not when you consider
 just how many churches there are
 and what’s often proclaimed from the pulpits.

I’m very capable of standing up here,
and share a few brief nuggets of life application,
 and then we could all move on
 in our own merry way.
But that is not the preaching found in Scripture.

What application
 could possibly be transformative
 if we circumvent the text
 by skipping over the exegesis, the exposition,
 or to make is simpler,
 the explanation of the text.

To do so, fails to do justice to God’s Word,
 And it rids God’s Word of its power.
 Why?
Because to do such isn’t to share God’s Word
 but mine!

My task, is to proclaim this Word in such a way
 that it can rightly be said,
 I reported ALL THE WORDS.
Because my words have no power whatsoever.
 God’s Word alone is able to save.
And only to the degree
 I faithfully share His Word,
 do I have any standing up here.
My job is to be a faithful messenger.

Verse 21.
Then the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and he took it from the chamber of Elishama the secretary.
And Jehudi read it to the king,
 and all the officials who stood beside the king.

Now, it seems King Jehoiakim
 is following the same response as the officials
 who received the Word from Micaiah.
He hears the word as relayed through the officials.
 And he immediately sends for the source file,
 the written scroll.
But the king has other plans.

THE EDITS

Verses 22-23 (Read 22-23)

Rather than receive God’s Word as authoritative,
 the king has some edits he would like to make.

As Jehudi reads,
 Jehoiakim performs his own,
 uninspired edits to God’s Word,
 redacting and cutting as he sees fit,
 removing the portions he doesn’t like,
 leaving none of it, as far as he’s concerned,
 as authoritative for him
or the people he was to shepherd.

How many, like Jehoiakim,
 take upon themselves the same task
 of editing God’s Word?
Now most won’t show their hostility
 as crudely and guilelessly as Jehoiakim.
Most won’t be found burning the scroll in a firepot.

Some exact their edits with a scholars knife,
 some by interpreting the Word to fit their fancy,
 some by ripping the Word from its context,
 some by avoiding certain portions as irrelevant,
some by promoting traditions and teachings
 of men as equal in authority,
some by raising suspicions concerning the source.

Each of these edits are no less an attack
 against God’s infallible Word
 than the serpent who asked, “Did God really say?”

 

Each of these edits seek to diminish its authority,
 calling into question whether God’s Word,
 as passed down and delivered
 once and all to the saints
 can or should be trusted.

Anytime one seeks to explain away
 any part of God’s Revelation,
it’s no different than Jehoiakim
 Taking a knife to God’s Word
 and casting it into the fire.

Why does this matter?
 Because this is the only Word that can save.
 It’s the only Word that can bring about repentance,
 so that people might receive forgiveness.

Lord, you have exalted above all things,
 your name and your Word.

Yes, much of this Book is hard,
 It shares hard things that aren’t pleasant
 to our fallen ears.

But this Word, the whole counsel of this Word,
 is given with the intent of sparing people
 from the coming flood of judgment.

[New Covenant Difference]

PLEADING

Verse 24-26 (Read 24-26)

While Jehudi and the king’s servants
 sought to remain neutral
—and let’s be clear, there’s no such thing
 as neutrality towards God’s Word—
A few faithful men
 three to be precise
 urged the king not to do such a blasphemous act
 not to burn the scroll
 that contained the Word of the Lord.
But their plea fell on deaf ears.

Loved ones, I don’t have to tell you,
 but many of our pleas will fall on deaf ears.

While we plead with others,
 O please don’t disregard God’s Word like this!
 Heaven and Hell hang in the balance!
 This Word is intended to save you!
Remember, their response
 isn’t up to you. It isn’t up to me.
O let them hear your constant pleas.
 Let them see you tears.
But it’s the Lord who softens hearts.
 It’s the Lord who grants repentance.
So pray! Pray that the Lord would do just that!

Rather than being moved to fear,
 rather than heeding the warning,
THE BRIDGE IS OUT and turning around,
 rather than tearing his garments,
 Jehoiakim tears down the sign,
 and sets it on fire.
And then he seeks to arrest those
 who would put up such a sign,
 a sign intended to save lives.

But the Lord hid Baruch and Jeremiah.
 And the same Lord
who preserves His faithful messengers
 preserves His Word.

NAÏVE 

Verses 26-31 (Read 26-31)

The world thinks us Christians naïve
to believe this book, to believe its Author,
to submit to the authority of God’s Word.

But what’s naïve are those like Jehoiakim
 who think they can escape this living and active
 razor sharp Word of the Lord
 by slicing it up and casting into the fire,
as if this Word is somehow bound
 to the scroll it’s penned on.

What’s naïve is that millennia after millennia
 of trying to escape the authorityof God’s Word
 —going all the way back to the Garden—
 the authority of God’s Word still stands!

What’s naïve is that our society,
 after 2000 years of trying
 and coming up short time and again
 continues to try to discredit this Book.
They enlist their brightest minds
 with the largest budgets.
But they can’t quench
 the purifying fire of the Word of the Lord.

Jehoiakim can set it on fire, and watch it burn.
 But what he can’t do is quench it.

Jehoiakim's efforts to burn God's Word were futile,
 because God's Word is fire.

NO LEGACY FOR JEHOIAKIM

Because Jehoiakim sought to cut off this Word
 from the people’s hearing,
 any hope of legacy will be cut off from him.
He will have none to sit on the throne of David.

For our New Testament reading,
 I strongly considered either
 Luke’s or Matthew’s genealogy.
Instead,
 I’ll leave you to read through them on your own.
But I bet you can guess who isn’t there.
 Jehoiakim. He’s not in either of them.
 He’s been completely passed over.
He sought to erase God’s Word
 So, he was erased
 from the greatest genealogical record ever.
Jehoiakim was left without a legacy.

THE LEGACY OF SHAPHAN

But there’s another man who is mentioned
 a few times in our text,
 who, while he’s not an active participant
 in this particular account,
 his offspring are.
His name is Shaphan. 

It was in the chamber of Gemariah,
 the son of Shaphan,
 that Baruch read this famous scroll.
It was Micaiah, the grandson of Shaphan (verse 11),
 who listened intently to Baruch’s reading
 of the scroll,
 who afterwards,
 went to share the news with his father, Gemariah.

Gemariah, Shaphan’s son, was one of the officials
 who was moved with fear at the reading of the scroll,
 who insisted on reporting ALL THESE WORDS
 to the king,
who also pleaded with the king not to burn the scroll.

Whereas Jehoiakim tore up the scroll
 rather than tearing his clothes,
 Gemariah likely recalled the time
 when the king in his father’s day
 had an entirely different response.

King Josiah had sent Shaphan
 to the house of the Lord.
And while Shaphan was there,
 Hilkiah the high priest told him,
I have found the Book of the Law
 in the house of the Lord.
And you know what Shaphan did?
 He read it.
 And after reading it, he reported it to the king.
 And Shaphan read it before the king.
And upon hearing the words of the Book of the Law,
 Shaphan witnessed a king who tore his clothes.

Shaphan’s legacy goes beyond
 his son and grandson mentioned here.
A few years earlier
 (you can read about it in chapter 26)
It was Shaphan’s son, Ahikam,
 who saved Jeremiah from being put to death
 when he gave his famous temple sermon.
A few years later, Shaphan’s son, Elasah,
 would carry Jeremiah’s letter to the exiles in Babylon.
And after Jerusalem falls to Babylon,
 another one of Shaphan’s grandsons, Gedaliah,
 would rescue Jeremiah, take him into his house,
 and eventually become governor
 over the Jewish remnant.

YOUR LEGACY

What kind of legacy do you want to leave?
You know what led to Shaphan’s legacy?
 It was his response to God’s Word.

O the world has its own idea
 of what makes for a legacy.
 But all of those legacies will one day be forgotten.
But a legacy like Shaphan’s
 will be remembered for eternity.

Unlike Jehoiakim, Shaphan’s legacy continues.
O his name isn’t found in Jesus’ genealogical record,
 at least not his physical or biological record.
It’s found in a far more important document:
 The Book of Life of the Lamb Who Was Slain.

That legacy can be yours.
 If you respond to this Word like Shaphan did,
 If you instill this Word in your kids and grandkids
 like Shaphan did.

JESUS DIDN’T TEAR HIS CLOTHES

Unlike King Josiah, Jesus didn’t tear his clothes.
 But it wasn’t because he wasn’t grieved
 over the judgment His people faced.
Rather, as our Great High Priest,
 He was forbidden to tear his clothes.
 So, he allowed his flesh to be torn open instead.

For so long, we had failed to heed
 the Bridge Out! sign.
 And get this.
The bridge was out
 because we had burned the bridge.
 We had burned our relationship with our Maker.
Rather than heed the sign, mankind has treated God’s warnings the same way Jehoiakim treated the scroll.
The flood of God’s judgment was all but certain.
 
Out of sheer mercy,
 God laid down a New Bridge,
 a wooden cross that spanned across the entire flood of God’s judgment.
0 to cross this bridge still requires no less repentance.
 You see, the flood of God’s wrath had surrounded us.
But Jesus laid down His life as a bridge
 that not only provides a way home,
 but as a bridge laid down at such a cost
 so as to display the immense love of God
 and His desire for reconciliation.

Jesus came as the Word made flesh.
The Word that kings and priests, governors and the people sought to silence by destroying Him,
 cutting Him off from the land of the living.
But just as God’s Word isn’t bound,
 Neither was this Word bound to mere flesh and bone.
For He is the eternal Word.
Death could never hold Him.

This Word, whose eyes are like flames of fire,
 seeing into the deepest recesses of every soul,
 This Word is fire, and it cannot be quenched!

This Word that the Lord so faithfully preserves
 it will preserve you…
 … but only if you respond to it faithfully,
 like the faithful men we read about today.

Will you be like Micaiah and Gemariah
 who intently listened to all the words,
 who responded with reverence to all the words,
 who were moved to share all the words,
 who pleaded with others concerning all the words?

Because ALL THESE WORDS are the Word of God.
 

https://youtu.be/h9G1wtPh2AU

  Jeremiah 35:1-19 Covenant Breakers, Covenant Keepers, part 2

INTRODUCTION:

Pop Quiz – How many of you, before I mentioned them last week, are in anyway familiar with the Rechabites? (You don’t have to answer out loud or raise your hand. Just answer this for yourself.) How many of you could give a brief summary of the Rechabites? Well, regardless of how you did on our little pop quiz this morning, my hope is that before lunch today, you’ll know a lot more than you do now concerning the Rechabites and why this little account matters for us. And maybe you can share this little pop quiz with someone else.

Many of us have been out of school for a while, but remember those days, just an ordinary day like any other, or so you thought. You get to class, take your seat, and then the announcement. Today we’ll be taking a test. And terror fills every fiber of your being. 

Chase came home the other day sharing about his pop quiz. Open book. One question. Pass or fail. You either knew the answer, or you didn’t. No 50% or 90%. You either passed or you failed. 

The Rechabites are about to walk into a pop quiz. They are about to be tested. And here’s the test. “Whose voice will you obey?” 

We’re in Jeremiah 35, and we’re looking at Covenant Breakers, Covenant Keepers. Which one will you be?

READ: (Jeremiah 35:1-2)

Our text mentions nothing of a test. Likely due to the suspenseful nature of the narrative. And because, we’re not really told what pass or fail looks like until the end. 

Other passages, the narrator informs the reader upfront- Genesis 22

Sometimes God informs His people and their leader upfront – Exodus 16

Sometimes, no one is told or even realizes it’s a test until it’s too late – Genesis 2-3

But each test is pass/fail – no in between

God’s Prerogative:
- This raises the question, “Is it right for God to test?” Many would suggest, NO. Of course, they likely aren’t believers.
- The question is not whether God has the right, but:
 - “Why does God test?”

If God know all things, including the thoughts and intentions of the heart, He obviously doesn’t need to test, does He?

God never tests for His benefit.

So then, why does God test, if not for His benefit, for His knowledge? 

He does so for ours.

God tests us so that we might know what’s in our heart.

Test Versus Tempt:
- But we do need to clarify the difference between testing and tempting, because they are often the same word, even though we translate the two with different English words. 

James 1 makes clear that God tempts no one, and that `God Himself cannot be tempted. Rather, each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.

But God does test! 

What’s the difference?

Tempting is attempting to entice someone to do something contrary to God’s revealed will. As such, tempting is aimed to make one fall. 

Testing is to expose or evaluate whether someone will act in line with or contrary to God’s revealed will. 

Testing exposes the heart

Hence our series – The Inescapable Edge…

God’s Word searches - and is inescapable

And that’s a good thing!

APPLICATION

It’s important that we aren’t fooling ourselves into thinking we are obeying the voice of God if we’re not.

Because only then can we turn and repent and receive the forgiveness and healing we need.

So God doesn’t casually set the stage

He doesn’t make the setting and conditions more favorable for us to pass the exam

That does no one any favors

Nor does God grade on a curve

God sets the stage in a way to expose the truth of what’s in here, in our hearts!

So He has Jeremiah do just ee. Jeremiah sets the stage large scale!

Verses 3-5 (read)

Now we don’t speak Hebrew (Exodus class)

But for the Israelite reader, and certainly the Rechabites, the meaning of these names would not be lost on them.

Verse 3 – the names of the Rechabite family are:

Jaazaniah – which means Yahweh hears

Son of Habazziniah – Yahweh delights

Well, we’re about to find out

Verse 4 – So Jeremiah leads them to one of the inner chambers

Listen to these names:

The chamber of the sons of Graciousness,

The son of May the Lord Be Magnified

Near the chamber of The Lord Works

The son of Shallum – or Peace

And the pressure continues to build in verse 5:

Jeremiah sets before them pitchers or bowls of wine

That word “pitchers,” shows up a total of 14 times, in 3 places

Here in our text

Also used in Exodus, in the design of the Menorah or Lampstandin the Tabernacle. 

It describes the cups of the individual lamps – 

The lamps were to give light in front of the lampstand.

Well, obviously. I mean that’s the point of a lamp, right?

But what was in front of the lampstand? The showbread.

12 loaves representing the 12 tribes of Israel.

In other words, it’s a portrait of God’s light shining on His people

The third place this word is used is in Genesis 44 

For Joseph’s cup which he placed in Benjamin’s sack

What was the purpose of the cup? 

To test his brothers

So the idea of testing and exposing is meant to be clear in our reading of this passage.

The test will expose like a lamp shining into the human soul just who the Rechabites will choose to obey.

One last thing to ratchet up the pressure of this test

Jeremiah is not some random guy off the street offering them a drink.

He is the Lord’s prophet

And he doesn’t merely offer them a drink of wine

This is an imperative

The Lord’s prophet has commanded them: Drink wine!

But, verse 6, the Rechabites answer: (Read 6-10)

Sorry, Jeremiah. We’re going to obey our father Jonadab.

4 prohibitions

Drink no wine

Build no houses

Sow no seed

Plant no vineyards

Instead

Live in tents all your days

Why? 

So you may live long in the land where you sojourn

And they have done just that – observing all the commands of their father.

But verse 11. (Read)

The word “fear” isn’t actually in the text. 

Rather: Come let us go from the face of the army of the Chaldeans and from the face of the army of the Syrians. So, we’re living in Jerusalem.

What’s likely going on, is God’s sovereign hand, through threat of the Babylonian army, moving the Rechabites into Jerusalem for the purpose of this test, and it’s illustration for the people of Jerusalem.

Suspense:

And now the suspense!

Did they pass?

Because the text is meant to be deliberately suspenseful

Let’s see

Verse 12. (Read 12-14)

Lesser to Greater:

It’s an argument from the lesser to the greater

The Rechabites have kept their father’s command

But this people – the people of Jerusalem and Judah – have not obeyed me! They haven’t obeyed the Lord!

Verse 15. (Read 15-16)

Notice. The Lord hasn’t simply given His people a command

He has sent to them again and again, prophet after prophet

Notice also. The Lord isn’t calling them to some sort of difficult stringent lifestyle of asceticism and abstinence from God’s good gifts.

He’s given them wine to drink

Houses to dwell in

He’s brought them into a land of milk and honey

With fields to sow

Vineyards to plant

God’s continued warning, verse 15, has been:

Turn from evil

Make good your deeds

Don’t walk after other gods

These commands are not too difficult for you!

Notice also the promise:

Then you shall dwell in the land!

Does that sound familiar?

That’s the assurance Jonadab gave to his family.

If they obeyed him, they’d live long in the land!

The Rechabites have heeded their father’s command

Taking that promise, that assurance to heart

Yet this people, says the Lord, has not obeyed Me.

Therefore, verse 17. (Read 17)

The Lord is going to respond to their lack of obedience by keeping His Word.

Bringing all the judgements He has declared.

Which ultimately will be exile.

A removal from the this good land

And away from the Lord’s presence. 

Why?

Because I have spoken, declares the Lord, and they have not listened.

I called to them and they have not answered

This people have shown themselves not to be God’s people.

How? Because God’s people hear His voice and listen.

That isn’t just true in the New Testament when Jesus says:

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

That should have been true of Israel! 

That should have been true of Adam and Eve in the Garden. 

That should be true of you and me!

Throughout Scripture, that is the expectation.

Those who truly belong to the Lord 

Hear His voice

Listen to His voice

Heed His voice

And follow His commands

And this people has not!

But what of the Rechabites?

What’s the verdict?

They heeded their father, Jonadab’s voice.

They kept his commands.

What about heeding the Lord?

Verse 18. (Read 18-19)

COVENANT:

Passing the Test:

The Rechabites passed the test! Do you know why?

Because in obeying their father Jonadab, they were obeying the command of God. 

The 5th Commandment to be precise. 

But countless other exhortations throughout God’s Word are also built off that command. 

What’s the 5th Commandment? 

Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

I hope you caught that promise. 

That’s the same promise the Lord said the people would receive 

if they would just repent and listen to His voice.

And it’s the same promise Jonadab assured his family of. Do these things:

No wine, houses, fields, or vineyards

But live in tents

So that you may live long in the land.

Even in the New Testament, we’re told, this is the first command with a promise! 

Ephesians 6:1 – Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor you father and mother (for this is the first command with a promise.)

While our culture seeks to belittle this command

And the religious leaders of Jesus’ day merely gave lip service

The Rechabites sought to honor the Lord by honoring their father Jonadab

Now, let’s be clear – this command isn’t an unconditional command to obey one’s parents without exception. 

Obviously, if your parents instruct you to sin, you have to decline to obey. 

But that doesn’t excuse you from honoring your father or mother.

Jonadab wasn’t commanding his children and their future generations to sin or disobey the voice of the Lord in any way.

In fact, if we look briefly at who Jonadab is

We’ll likely understand better, the reason behind his commands

Pop Quiz – Do you know who Jonadab is? 

Jonadab is by no means a major figure. 

But he does show up for a major event.

Jehu:

Hopefully, you’re at least familiar with Jehu, who is a major figure.

Jehu was anointed king of Israel during the days of Elisha the prophet

Jehu assassinated the wicked kings of Israel and Judah

He executed Jezabel, Ahab’s wife, who led Israel into Baal worship

He slaughtered all the descendants of Ahab.

But what Jehu is most noted for is wiping out Baal worship from Israel

You can read about it in 2 Kings 10.

Jehu devised this scheme to slaughter all the prophets of Baal

Inviting them to a great sacrifice at the house of Baal

To supposedly honor Baal, 

He stationed 80 men outside, saying:

The man who allows any of those whom I give into your hands to escape shall forfeit his life.

Now guess who Jehu invited to this spectacle?

You got it. Jonadab. 

Jehu took Jonadab up in his chariot saying,

Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord.

And when the time came for the slaughter, who entered with Jehu?

Jonadab.

Why do I share this background information?

How can this possibly help us better understand Jonadab’s strange list of commands for his family? Well, think about it. 

Israel, the Northern Kingdom, had strayed far from the Lord. 

The land was filled with idol worship. 

Jehu is the closest the Northern Kingdom would get to having what might possibly be considered a good king. 

Israel had broken the covenant at every level.

Jonadab rightly discerned that for any of God’s people to dwell in this apostate land, they would necessarily be sojourners. 

This was not the place to put down permanent roots.

As the Book of Hebrews says:

They greeted God’s promises from afar, acknowledging that they were but strangers and exiles on the earth.

They were seeking and awaiting another homeland

A better country. A heavenly kingdom.

As such, God is not ashamed to be called their God, 

For He has prepared for them a city.

Jonadab commanded his family, 

Verse 7. Dwell in tents all your days, that you may live many days in the land where you sojourn.

LIFE:

Because the Rechabites have obeyed the voice of their father, look at the promise the Lord gives to them in verse 19.

Therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Jonadab the son of Rechab shall never lack a man to stand before me.

Literally: shall not have a man cut off to stand before Me all the days.

That’s covenant language

Just to refresh, covenants are cut

To fail to keep the covenant is to be cut off from the covenant

But the Rechabites have kept the covenant

Therefore, they shall not be cut off from before the Lord.

This leads me to raise one final point: What is life? What does life consist of?

Well, let’s start with what it’s not. Verse 6.

Life is not found in wine, houses, sowing seed, or having vineyards.

Nor is it somehow hindered by living in tents

That’s the list of commands Jonadab gave his descendants.

But we can look at that same list in this way:

Life is not found in wine – or we might say pleasure

It’s not found in houses – or we might say shelter and comfort

Not in sowing seed – occupation 

Acquiring vineyards – security

(And as a side note, that’s what King Ahab did! He acquired Naboth’s vineyard – He was obsessed over it! So his wife Jezabel had Naboth framed and killed so her husband could have his vineyard for a vegetable garden.)

And life’s not hindered by living in tents – meaning, you’ll have a hard time accumulating much in the way of property or possessions.

So, just to lay it out more clearly:

Life’s not found in physical pleasure, comfort and shelter, our occupations, our security, or our possessions.

But if we’re honest, we all wrestle with these things, 

pursue these things, dwell on these things, worry over these things.

Also, society puts pressure on us to want and to have these things. 

And get this. None of them are bad

They’re all good gifts from God

But none of them are what makes for a good life

None of them are what life is, at least not defined biblically

Jesus had an interaction with a rich young ruler.

This guy wanted to know what he needed to do to have eternal life.

Jesus’ replies: If you would enter life… enter life! Keep the commands.

So the young man asks, which ones. 

And Jesus ticks them off:

Don’t murder; Don’t commit adultery; Don’t steal

Don’t bear false witness ; Honor your father and mother

And love your neighbor

And the young man replies: All these I have kept.

And then he asks the most astounding question:

What do I still lack?

He externally kept this list of commands, at least in his own eyes.

But he knew something was missing.

So, Jesus says, sell it all, give to the poor, then follow me.

In other words, what you’re missing is me.

Isn’t that how Jesus defines life in John 17:3

This is eternal life: 

To know the one true God, even Jesus Christ who was sent.

But the young man went away sorrowful, 

Why? Because he sought life in all the wrong places. 

He sought it in his possessions

As such, he didn’t listen to the voice of Jesus

Instead, he listened to his lustful flesh

He listened to the cadence of the world – more, more, more

And he listened to the deceit of the devil, 

The suggestion that God withholds good things

But the only thing God withholds are those things that get in the way of our fellowship with Him – because He is our life

Whose standards are you seeking to live by? 

The Pharisees of this world who suggest you have to uphold their traditions, yet failed to keep the command of God to honor their father and mother.

What about the culture? 

Do you feel you need to abide by society’s standards?

A certain size house? A certain income?

A certain standard of cleanliness?

(that’s what the Pharisees argued for)

A certain mode of transportation? A certain retirement plan?

A certain occupation?

The Rechabites were everything but the social norm.

The Rechabites may have failed to live up to society’s standards.

But they were unwavering in their commitment to obedience. 

We might say, that where the people of Israel and Judah were stubbornly disobedient, the Rechabites were stubbornly obedient.

Promise for Obedience?

So what was the promise for their obedience?

If you get nothing else, I hope you get this.

Verse 19. A man not cut off to stand before me.

The promise is that God would preserve them so that they will forever have a man to stand before the Lord.

This has great theological significance, but to keep it simple:

The blessing and promise is that of worship!

It’s the promise given to the Levites, to stand before the Lord and minister to Him and to bless His name forever.

If we’re honest, our flesh isn’t all that enthused over such a promise. 

We think of the 4 living creatures – Holy, Holy, Holy

And many would say, please don’t let heaven be like that!

But if you feel that way, it’s likely because you have failed to see, or have had a lapse in seeing God’s glory.

I mean, King David said he’d be content just to be a doorkeeper

Why? Just to get a regular glimpse of God’s immediate manifest glory!

And that’s what every true believer longs for

O for now we see it through a glass darkly

But soon, we’ll stand face to face with unveiled, undiminished glory

And it’s this hope that sustains us to press on

That sustains us to live as Rechabites

Meaning living as covenant keepers

Obeying the voice of the Lord

CONCLUSION

You and I are saved only because Jesus passed the test at every level – 

Jesus didn’t seek life in the physical pleasures, comforts, and securities that we often seek. 

If you recall, our Lord had no place to lay his head.

During his ministry he let go of having a permanent dwelling here

Why? Because, like the Rechabites, he knew he was but a sojourner.

The seed Jesus sowed was the Word

The fieldshe sowed in were human hearts

At the Last Supper, he vowed to abstain from the fruit of the vine until he drinks with you and me anew in the Kingdom.

Jesus also perfectly demonstrated what it means to keep the 5th Command.

Not only did Jesus honor his earthy parents

submitting to them as a child

He also, sought above all things to honor his Father in heaven.

And we see that most clearly when he is about to go to the cross

Speaking with his disciples, at the end of John 14, he says,

I do what the Father has commanded so that the world may know that I love the Father.

Now that is honor!

That’s our Lord. And His command is: Follow Me.

Our Test:

You and I are in the process of completing our test. 

And get this. It’s an open book test. 

The answers aren’t hidden from you.

It’s all right here.

It’s also a pass or fail test. 

No in between. No grading on a curve.

No, “well my good outweighs my bad.”

And here’s the thing about this test.

You and I never know for sure just when we’ll have to hand our papers in

But when that time comes, they’ll be no delay in the grading process

We’ll find out very quickly whether we passed or not

The test will come down tothis:

Whose voice do you listen to?

Jesus’ sheep hear his voice

So, they follow him

Keeping his commands

And the commands of His Father

Of course, it’s tough to obey the voice of someone if you don’t know what that someone has said.

But guess what? He wrote it all down!

Are you one of His Sheep?

Do you listen to His voice?

Are you a covenant keeper or a covenant breaker?

True faith, saving faith, listens to Him. It’s that simple.

Those who fail, will fail, not because the test is somehow hard, but because their hearts are.

Those who pass, will pass because the Lord graciously softened your heart, giving you a new heart, into which He Himself poured His very own Spirit, enabling you to indeed heed His voice, obey His commands, and thus keep His covenant.

https://youtu.be/uAaz8Bb_aQ8 

  Jeremiah 34:1-22 Covenant Breakers, Covenant Keepers, part 1

INTRODUCTION:

As we move back into Jeremiah, it’s important to note that we aren’t moving away from our January theme on the Word of God. If nothing else, we’re moving deeper into specific facets of this Word. 

A friend expressed to me recently how they really enjoy our conversations over the Word of God, but that when I start talking about certain books such as Jeremiah and Leviticus they tend to lose interest. I’m not sure this individual noticed the disconnect, but I hope you as a congregation does, because the Book of Jeremiah is the Word of God.

It’s one thing as a church for us to talk about the Bible and how we love the Bible, believe the Bible, heed the Bible. But if you recall from 2 Timothy 4, the Scriptures that Timothy was exhorted to preach were the Old Testament Scriptures. Because that’s what Timothy had!

Loved ones, I hope you understand. We need the whole of God’s Word to come to bear on our lives for us to mature in Christ. We need the razor-sharp edge of the Word of the Lord to prune us—to prune that which is diseased so that we might bear fruit in Christ.

Today, we begin looking at Covenant Breakers and Covenant Keepers. As for Covenant Breakers, we have the example of Zedekiah and the people of Judah. Next week, we’ll look at Covenant Keepers and the example of the Rechabites. 

To give a brief overview of our passage, King Zedekiah has made a covenant, along with the people of Jerusalem, to set their fellow Hebrew slaves free. But after setting them free, the people turned around and took back their slaves. No surprise, the Lord has a word concerning those who are Covenant Breakers.

We’ll be looking at 3 main themes this morning:
I. The Issue of Slavery
II. True and False Repentance
III. Covenant Faithfulness

READ (Jeremiah 34)

EMANCIPATION:

In 1619, a group of about 350 kidnapped Africans from Angola, were marched to the West-African slave-trading port of Luanda and forced aboard the Portuguese ship, the San Juan Bautista. 

20 or so of these kidnapped Africans eventually landed on the shores of colonial Virginia, where they were sold by privateers in exchange for provisions. While not the first people to be sold into slavery in the New World, this date marks the first known sale of kidnapped human beings in what would become the United States mainland.

244 years later, on January 1, 1863, the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring that all persons held as slaves shall now and henceforward be free… and commended to faithfully labor for reasonable wages.

In our passage, King Zedekiah declares his own Emancipation Proclamation. In verses 8-10, we read that Zedekiah made a covenant with the people, to make a proclamation of liberty, that everyone should set free his Hebrew slaves, male and female, so that no one should enslave his fellow Jew. And the people obeyed and entered into this covenant to no longer enslave their fellow Hebrew.

SLAVERY LAWS:

Now, it’s important to note that the type of slavery that existed here in the States was expressly forbidden in Scripture. You can read about the slavery laws in books like Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy. 

In Exodus 21, immediately following the Ten Commandments, God lays out His laws concerning slavery. This shows the extremely high priority this issue is to God. I mean, it’s at the very front end of the giving of the Law! Verse 16 of Exodus 21 expressly states that whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death. Forced subjugation of innocent civilians is strictly prohibited!

With that said, the law made allowances for slavery. Criminals and prisoners of war could be subjected to servitude, but we can discuss that another time. What concerns us for our passage today: if someone owed a debt he couldn’t pay, or if he simply fell on hard times, he could sell himself to work off that debt and receive basic provisions. 

But there was a limit to their servitude. After 6 years, the slave must be set free. In the 7th year, he was to go free for nothing. That’s it! Debt paid! 

We see that in verse 14 of our text. At the end of seven years each of you must set free your fellow Hebrew who has been sold to you and has served you six years.

In Leviticus 25 we read that slaves were to be treated as hired workers. They are not to be ruled over ruthlessly. 

Deuteronomy 15 further states that when you set your Hebrew slave free—whether man or woman—they shall not be sent away empty handed but be generously provided for.

In fact, let me read this to you from Deuteronomy 15, beginning at verse 13. When you let him go—that is your Hebrew slave—you shall not let him go empty-handed. You shall furnish him liberally out of your flock, out of your threshing floor, and out of your winepress. As the Lord your God has blessed you, you shall give to him. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you.

What’s the basis for these slavery laws? Verse 13. I myself made a covenant with your fathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 

The basis for freeing others is because God Himself freed you! 

APPLICATION:

And the same is true for us. Jesus has released us from our slavery to sin by paying off the full penalty of our debt. We have not only been set free but liberally provided for. As such, we release others from their debts to us because our Lord has released us from ours. That’s part of what it means for us to be conformed to Christ’s likeness.

But rather than reflecting the grace and kindness God showed them, obeying God by releasing their fellow brothers from both bondage and debt… end of verse 14—your fathers did not listen.

REPENTANCE:

Along with the issue of slavery, we also have the issue of true versus false repentance.

FORD ESCORT:

As a teen, I was known for what we might call “heavy-foot-syndrome.” I’m not sure if it was due to calcium deposits or too much protein in my diet. What I do know, is that it seemed only to affect my right foot, and that, only when driving. So, after countless warnings and more than a few speeding tickets, I managed to lose my license, not once, but twice before I turned 18, after receiving my second reckless driving ticket, this time for doing 86 in a 55.

So, my dad kindly traded me my 5-speed Volkswagen Jetta—which I had paid $3800 for back in the 90s—and in exchange, he gave me his $500 4-speed, Ford Escort. Let me just say that the Escort may have been a small step up from those cars the Flintstones drove.

In addition to the fine, the judge required me to pay for and complete a driver’s improvement class in order to have my license reinstated. So, 3 months later, I was back on the road; this time in my clunker, and my foot was still every bit as heavy, even if the Escort couldn’t quite do 86… downhill… even if I pushed it.

Now listen. I went through the motions of repentance. I paid the fine. I paid for the class. I completed the class. I acknowledged what was expected of me. I promised to change. But I did so, only so I could have my license restored. And Once the consequence was behind me, I immediately return to my old habits.
Can any of you relate?

JUDGMENT PRONOUNCED

That’s similar to what Zedekiah and the people of Judah did. The Lord has warned His people again and again concerning their oppression and injustice—both of which were an outflow of their idolatry. Oppression and injustice are always the result of idolatry. When we fail to worship anything other than the God whose image we are fashioned after, we will naturally be inclined to mistreat God’s image-bearers in order to serve our idols. 

After countless warnings, the Judge has not only handed down His verdict, the judgment is knocking on the gates. Verses 1-2. The Lord is giving Zedekiah and the entire city into the hand of the king of Babylon. And the Lord follows that up in verse 3 with the certainty of this judgment. You shall not escape! You shall see the king of Babylon eye to eye and speak with him face to face. And you shall be taken to Babylon.

But… even in light of this judgment, the Lord offers a message of hope—a word of consolation—that even this judgment doesn’t have to be the end. 

Yes, Zedekiah, your license to reign over Judah has been revoked. But even though the Volkswagen Jetta has been taken away, you can at least finish out your days in a Ford Escort. 

Verse 4 and 5. Yet hear the word of the Lord, Zedekiah… You shall not die by the sword, but you shall die in peace and with honor, just as the former kings who were before you. And what’s more Zedekiah, you have my word on this matter. For I the Lord have spoken.

In other words, Zedekiah, you have my word on this.

But Zedekiah is aware, and I hope your are too, that both God’s judgments and His promises—His words of assurance and His words of warning—hinge on repentance. 

CONTINGENCY:

I know it’s been a while, but back in Jeremiah 18, we were reminded that there’s an understood contingency tied to God’s declarations. Listen to this from Jeremiah 18:7. 

If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I intended for it.
 And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, if that nation does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will relent of the good I had intended for it.
 Now, therefore, … men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, … Behold, I am shaping disaster against you, and devising a plan against you. Return, every one form his evil way, and amend your ways and your deeds.

That’s what repentance is; it’s turning around. Zedekiah, I’ve given you my word on this, that you will die in peace and with honor. But understand, you can forfeit with good I intend for you.

PARK EXAMPLE:

Think of it like this. I can tell my girls I’m taking them to the park later today. They get excited and ask, “Really!?” And I reply absolutely. You have my word. But as we’re getting ready to go to the park, they start fighting and misbehaving. Guess what. We’re not going to the park. Now let me ask. Did I lie when I said I would take them, and even more so confirmed that they had my word on the matter? No! They forfeited the promise.

Now of course, I’m not omniscient like God is. God knows those who will forfeit His promises and those who will not. That doesn’t make God unfaithful. It makes those who forfeit the promises unfaithful. Just as the warnings are meant to lead us to reform our lives to God’s ways, so also, the promises are to encourage us to reform our lives and continue to order our lives likewise.

God has no problem relenting from this good He has declared to Zedekiah,
if Zedekiah forfeits God’s good plans for him by continuing in his wickedness. And spoiler alert. Far from peace and honor, Scripture records that when Zedekiah was carted off to Babylon, he indeed saw the king face to face, and he watched his sons slaughtered before his eyes. Then Nebuchadnezzar gouge out his eyes, and we’re told that he died in prison.

APPLICATION:

Loved ones, we have glorious promises given to us in the gospel. But those promise are conditioned to those who are in Christ, those who are genuinely in Christ, meaning that they have repented and have submitted their lives to the lordship of Christ. 

These promises will not come to pass for those who get their license reinstated and continue to speed off into their former ways and former worldviews.

IMMEDIATE SITUATION:

Verses 6 and 7 give the immediate situation. Jeremiah spoke all these words to Zedekiah when Jerusalem was but one of three fortified cities of Judah that remained. The rest had fallen. And now, Babylon is knocking on the door with God’s promised judgment.

It’s with this backdrop, when judgment seems certain, that Zedekiah and the people of Jerusalem repent by releasing their fellow Hebrew slaves. And guess what? That was a good thing! And it was good in the sight of the Lord.

Verse 15. You recently repented and did what was right in my eyes by proclaiming liberty, each to his neighbor, and you made a covenant before ME in the house that is called by MY name.

But sadly, their repentance didn’t last long. Verse 16. But then you turned around and profaned my name when each of you took back his male and female slaves, whom you had set free according to their desire, and you brought them back into subjection to be your slaves.

APPLICATION:

Have you ever noticed that when one’s life is threatened, when death comes near, that people suddenly develop a deeper awareness of their sin—whether or not they’d actually call it that? It’s a reminder of the truth that we all inwardly know—the fact that we will all give an account to our Creator. 

As the saying goes, there are no atheists in foxholes. In life and death circumstances, even the ungodly often seek to earn some sort of favor before God, sometimes in doing what they believe to be a good deed, at other times pledging undying devotion to God if He will just deliver them from this situation. But sadly, as soon as the threat is removed—at the first sign of relief—they turn back. They repent of their repentance. 

THREAT REMOVED

In verse 21 we learn that the king of Babylon had withdrawn. Later, in chapter 37, we find out that it was due to an opposing threat from Egypt. 

Zedekiah and company repented while death was knocking on their door, but as soon as the king of Babylon withdraws his army, the people went back on their word, showing that their repentance wasn’t grounded in the fear of the Lord but in the circumstances that threatened them.

Their repentance is what we might call a false repentance versus a genuine repentance, a worldly repentance versus a godly repentance. Or to put it in biblical terms (borrowing from 2 Corinthians 7), their repentance was not a repentance that leads to life and salvation, but to death. They went through the motions of repentance, but there was no change of heart. 

TRUE VERSUS FALSE REPENTANCE:

What are some of the differences between true and false repentance? 

1) False repentance is mostly concerned with consequences, and specifically adverse consequences to oneself. So, when the threat of judgment looms, we’ll reform our ways in order to avoid any adverse consequences for ourselves. That’s what Zedekiah and the people of Jerusalem did. They went through the motions of repentance hoping to avert God’s justice. 

2) False repentance excuses oneself for his or her actions. Love ones, this is why we’re so quick to return to our former ways once the threat that led to our repentance is removed. We’ll justify our views and our actions. And when we do, we show that the only thing we’re sorry for is the fact that we got caught and it may cost us. 

Do you know why false repentance doesn’t last long? Because there’s no change of heart. If you find yourself returning to the same sins again and again, that’s because inside, you continue to justify your actions. You haven’t repented in here—in your heart and in your mind. You aren’t fully convinced that your actions were wrong, or at least not as not bad enough to land you in hell for an eternity, and certainly not bad enough for Jesus to have to pay for them on a gruesome bloody cross. 

The issue is that you haven’t found yourself in agreement with God. Rather, you’re still seeking to play God. You’re still seeking to determining what’s good and evil rather than submitting to God’s declaration as to what’s pleasing in His sight and what’s abhorrent. 

And because you have failed to see God’s Law, His commands, His ways as beautiful and glorious, you quickly return to old habits and patterns. 

But listen loved ones—in Christ—you don’t live there anymore! Quit speeding off down that same old dead-end street thinking you’ll find joy there, fulfillment there, satisfying your fleshly desires there. God alone can satisfy. Why? Because that’s how He has designed you. 

When we continue running back to the same sin, we show that there is little to no heart repentance—no true change of mind. 

The people took back their slaves because in their heart, they didn’t truly believe slavery was necessarily all that bad, so long as they weren’t the ones enslaved, and they were the ones who benefitted from the labor.
Ultimately, they refused to recognize their sin for what it was: sin.

3) False repentance calculates the situation. The same heart that excuses itself for its actions, calculates the situation, asking how little must I do to avert or lessen the judgment, and how might I repent in such a way that it actually benefits my unchanged desires. 

Do you not think that Zedekiah calculated the possible benefits of freeing the slaves? You know, freeing these slave just might encourage them to join the war effort. And hey, guess what! With the siege going on, we can’t exactly access our crops. By setting them free, we’ll have less mouths we’re responsible to feed. They can figure out how to feed themselves. 

But that same calculating heart that set the slaves free, is the same calculating heart that subjects them to slavery once again. It’s one thing to proclaim liberty, to announce emancipation, but if the slaves go from freedom right back into forced servitude, what kind of emancipation is that! 

Zedekiah might have proclaimed freedom. But now the threat from Babylon has been dismissed. And guess what? The dishes are piling up. Clothes need washed. Wood needs chopped. Who else is going to do all this work?

One of the reasons we return to our former sins, is because we calculate. We weigh the supposed benefit of temporary gains and worldly pleasures with the possibility or even likelihood that, you know, I can always repent later. And that my friends, if that’s you, it’s a very dangerous place to be. 

You know why I don’t do what many refer to as altar calls. First, I’m not convinced they’re biblical. Two, their focus, for the most part, tends to be on outward repentance, often leading to a false sense of security. 

I get nothing out of seeing people walk an aisle. You know why? Because God never calls anyone to walk an aisle, or raise a hand, or say a sinners prayer. Loved ones, those things don’t save you.

Rather, my desire is for your heart to be torn in two over your sin, and for it to bear the scars of love from where God Himself has sewn it back together making it altogether new. As Joel 2:13 says, rend your hearts and not your garments.If your heart is torn, the world will notice. You don’t have to do anything to parade it around; it will be obvious. But what’s far more important, is that the God who searches hearts, will see it.

If you think you’re safe living in sin, telling yourself you’ll have the opportunity to repent later, let me enlighten you with some hard facts. … You might… and you might not. It is possible, you may find yourself on your deathbed one day, and in that moment, if you haven’t already, genuinely repent. The thief on the cross did.

But realized, the thief on the cross didn’t go through some outward ritual. On the cross, he saw justice and mercy meet. 1) He recognized that he was getting the justice he very well deserved. He didn’t excuse his actions. 2) He looked at the sinless man on the middle cross, who, rather than being concern for his own fate, prayed, Father, forgive them! 3) He accepted the offer of forgiveness for which Jesus prayed and the promise that he would be with Jesus in paradise. 

O he didn’t have all his theology worked out just right. But what he did was repent… not with some outward show… but in here… from the heart.

But if you refuse to repent now, what makes you so confident your heart will be moved to repent later. Today is the day of salvation!

4) False repentance has no concern that their actions and attitudes dishonored the Lord. Going through the motions of repentance, whether that be raising a hand, saying a prayer, getting baptized, partaking of the Lord’s Supper… gain you no favor before God. Rather, if you’re heart isn’t transformed, and you continue living in rebellion to God and His Law, these outward displays only serve to further profane God’s name. 

How many churches, how many professing Christians bring dishonor on God’s name because they claim to be God’s people, but fail to reflect Him. They have no true desire to reflect Him.

The people made a covenant to set the slaves free, and they did so before the Lord in the house that is called by His name. Verse 16. But you turned around and took back your slaves, and in doing so, you profaned my name.

True repentance cares most about honoring the Lord who makes forgiveness even possible, and that at the highest possible price, not to the sinner, but to the Lord Himself, through his death on the cross.

COVENANT FAITHFULNESS

Along with the absence of genuine repentance, there’s the issue of covenant faithfulness, or lack thereof. God’s laws concerning slavery fell under the covenant stipulations given to Israel at Mt. Sinai. 

One thing that is absolutely clear concerning God’s covenant is that it’s conditioned by obedience. As Silas read for us from Exodus 19, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

You will be my people if you obey me… if you keep my covenant.

Now, don’t confuse the requirement for obedience as somehow making this a covenant of works. God freed the people from bondage first, before any covenant faithfulness on their part. But with freedom, comes the responsibility to live free. 

Here’s the thing with not keeping God’s covenant, not obeying His voice. It leaves one as a slave to something or someone else. They might as well still be in bondage in Egypt, because their physical location isn’t what makes one free.

The fact that they had failed to release their fellow Hebrews after 6 years was one of many ways they had been unfaithful to God’s covenant. And it was a sure sign that they themselves were still slaves to sin.

CUT OFF:

There’s also the issue of being cut off from the covenant. Through out the Law, we read numerous times that the person who breaks certain covenant stipulations shall be cut off from his people… which is another way of saying, cut off from the people of God… and more specifically, cut of from God’s covenant people, those who are to receive the covenant promises.
Many time the ultimate form of being cut off was death. 

CUT COVENANTS:

Now Covenants in the Bible—and we’ve covered this before—aren’t simply made; they’re cut. The literal phrase is the Lord cut a covenant, or as we read in verse 8 and verse 15, Zedekiah and the people cut a covenant. The Hebrew word is כָּרַת (karath), meaning to cut.

As such, there is often a sacrifice of sorts involved. We see this most explicitly in Genesis 15 with God’s covenant with Abraham to multiply his descendants and give them the land. Abraham asks, how shall I know. And the Lord has him bring a 3-year-old heifer, a goat, a ram, as well as a turtle dove and a pigeon. And Abraham cuts the innocent animals in half. 

To ratify the covenant, the covenant parties would walk between the divided carcasses as a way of expressing that if I fail to keep my end of the covenant, may I be like these slaughtered beasts.

Throughout the Old Testament you’ve probably run across the phrase, May the Lord do so to me and more also if (dot dot dot). That’s covenant language. Sometimes that phrase is spoken by covenant breakers like King Saul. Sometimes that phrase is spoken by covenant keepers like Ruth. 

Not only was Zedekiah and the people of Jerusalem in danger of being cut off from the Lord’s covenant; they have also proven they aren’t even faithful to their own covenants that they initiate, such as the covenant they made to free their fellow Hebrews.

LIBERTY TO THE SWORD:

What’s God’s word to such covenant breakers? He will return to them the same liberty they gave to their fellow Hebrews.

Verse 17. Therefore, thus says the Lord: You have not obeyed me by proclaiming liberty to your brothers… behold, I proclaim to you liberty to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine…
 I will make you a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth. And the men who transgressed my covenant, and did not keep the terms of the covenant that they cut before me, I will make them like the calf that they cut in two and passed between its parts…
 How? Verse 20. By giving them into the hand of their enemies and those who seek their lives. Nebuchadnezzar may have withdrawn, but I will bring him back. 

Covenant breakers, those who are unfaithful to the Lord’s covenant will find themselves cut off from His covenant people, His covenant blessings, His covenant protections. Why? Not because the Lord is somehow unfaithful, but because He is faithful.

CONCLUSION:

So, how do we wrap this up?

Our God is an emancipating God. He liberates us from the harshest of all taskmasters, our sin. And He releases us from our debt of sin so as not to become slaves again. How? Because He Himself paid that debt in full on the cross.

Our God is a relenting God. (That’s simply another word for repent.) God doesn’t sin and He doesn’t err. But God repents in the sense that He relents from bringing disaster; He turns back His fierce wrath. And He does so ultimately because He poured it out in full upon His Son in our place.

And our God is a covenant keeping God. He satisfies every covenant stipulation including paying the penalty for our breaking the covenant. On the cross, Jesus became like the slaughtered calf that was cut in two. In fact, Jesus satisfied the terms of the Old Covenant with the very blood of the New.

You and I, we enter this New Covenant only through the curtain of Jesus’ severed flesh, but also only with genuine repentance, a repentance that turns from going our way and going His—a repentance that forgives others their debts as we have been forgiven ours—a repentance that keeps the New Covenant commands such as Jesus commanded us to … love one another as I have loved you.

Will you be a covenant breaker or a covenant keeper?

Our Lord kept the covenant by being broken. If you want to keep the covenant, you’ll be broken in here, in your heart, allowing Him to put you back together.

https://youtu.be/6cv2CIb2ZB4