Today's Bible Study Lesson
“Jeremiah:
The
Suffering
Preacher”
Aim: Identify
with
Jeremiah’s hesitation to give controversial advice to Zedekiah,
Sense
Jeremiah’s
apprehension when talking to Zedekiah,
and Commit
to
giving challenging godly advice.
Background: Jeremiah
37-38
Bible Lesson:
Jeremiah
38:14-23
Memory
Verses:
“Then
Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, If I declare [it] unto thee, wilt thou
not surely put me to death? and if I give thee counsel, wilt thou not
hearken unto me?” Jeremiah
38:15 KJV
Some
Highlights:
-
The
great prophet Jeremiah
was called during the thirteenth year of King Josiah’s reign and
served forty years in Judah.
His
name means “Yahweh appointed.” He
is known
as the Weeping prophet for
the people would not adhere to his
consistent
message from God.
-
Zedekiah
was the last king of
Judah.
Zedekiah did not live up to the meaning of his name “the Lord is
just.” He
is a
puppet
king placed
over
Judah by Nebuchadnessar king of Babylon. Zedekiah was a very weak
king and had little influence or power over his officials.
Jeremiah’s prophetic message of doom for Jerusalem was not
received well by the kingdom officials. King Zedekiah abdicated
his responsibilities
and
allowed the
officials to
put
Jeremiah in prison.
-
Jeremiah
Chapter
38 opens
with
the kingdom officials objecting
to Jeremiah’s message of doom for the people of Jerusalem as the
city precariously awaited
Babylonian attack. Jeremiah’s message from God is that only those
who surrender will survive otherwise death
will be their fate. They presented
their
charges to King Zedekiah against
Jeremiah as
one who was
discouraging the soldiers with his message of doom. The king
acquiesces to the officials and
allows them to do what
they will with Jeremiah. Jeremiah is lowered
into a muddy cistern with no water and no food. A Cushite, a black
official, hears of Jeremiah’s plight and appeals to the king to
save
the innocent prophet for he will surely starve to death in the
cistern. The king gives
the Cushite official authority to rescue
Jeremiah
from the cistern.
-
Our
Study opens, with King Zedekiah sending for Jeremiah who has just
been rescued from the muddy cistern. The king sneaks Jeremiah in to
see him and inquires regarding the plight of Jerusalem. Jeremiah’s
response was if I answer your question, you will
have
me killed. Remember Jeremiah had been imprisoned
and placed in a muddy cistern to die for his message. Perhaps this
time his answer would cost him his life. Furthermore, Jeremiah said
you will not adhere to my counsel anyway. The king secretly swore
with an oath that he would not have Jeremiah killed or
hand him over to those who would kill him. However, the king did
not say that he would adhere to Jeremiah’s
counsel.
-
Jeremiah’s
message was consistent with his previous one. This time Jeremiah
strengthened his message
by
identifying its source
as
the
Lord God Almighty. He
was also more specific. “If you [King Zedekiah] surrender to the
officers of the king of Babylon, your [King Zedekiah] life will be
spared
and this city will not be burned down; you and your family will
live. But if you will not surrender to the officers of the king of
Babylon, this city will be handed over to the Babylonians and they
will burn it down; you yourself will not escape from their hands.”
-
King
Zedekiah expressed his fear of surrendering because
if
what might
happen
to him. On
the other hand,
perhaps he
was fearful of
his ability to stand his ground against such a formidable foe as the
Babylonians. Jeremiah reassured him that if he surrendered, he would
not be harmed and
urged him to obey the message of the Lord. Jeremiah further
described the how humiliating the Babylonian
defeat
of Jerusalem would be and the
horrible
fate of their women and children.
-
Jeremiah
Chapter 39 details the fall of Jerusalem due to King Zedekiah’s
decision to not heed
to the message from that Lord God Almighty that
was delivered
to him by the Prophet Jeremiah.
Take
Aways:
-
We
must listen and heed the Word of the Lord God Almighty no matter how
distasteful or frightening it may seem to us for He is able to carry
us through.
-
We
must boldly deliver the Word of the Lord God Almighty when it is
ours
to deliver.
-
We
must have
a greater reverence for God than for that of mankind.
Bible
Verses to Keep in Mind:
“Yea,
though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear
no evil: for thou [art] with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort
me.” Psalms
23:4 KJV
“And
fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul:
but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in
hell.” Matthew
10:28 KJV
“Be
strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them,
for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor
forsake you.” Deuteronomy
31:6 NIV
“He
only [is] my rock and my salvation: [he is] my defence; I shall not
be moved.” Psalms
62:6 KJV
“For
God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love,
and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy
1:7 KJV
“Then
Peter and the [other] apostles answered and said, We ought to obey
God rather than men.” Acts
5:29
KJV
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