Suffering and Deliverance (Part 28) - Jeremiah (Part C)

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I. Jeremiah was put in prison in the king's house in the days of Zedekiah for prophesying that God would give Jerusalem and Zedekiah into the hands of the king of Babylon (Jer 32:1-5). i. While in prison, the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah and promised to show him great and mighty things if he would call unto Him (Jer 33:1-3). ii. The LORD apparently delivered Jeremiah from prison (Jer 37:4). J. King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah and asked him to pray unto God for them (Jer 37:3). i. Jeremiah prophesied that the Chaldeans (Babylonians) would come again to Jerusalem and destroy it (Jer 37:5-8). ii. He warned them to not deceive themselves into believing that the Babylonians would depart from them (Jer 37:9-10). iii. After warning the people, Jeremiah left Jerusalem and went to the land of Benjamin where he was apprehended and accused of being a traitor (Jer 37:11-14). iv. The princes were angry with Jeremiah because of his prophecies against them, so they beat him and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe (Jer 37:15). a. He was in the dungeon in that prison for many days (Jer 37:16). b. Dungeon n. - 1. The great tower or keep of a castle, situated in the innermost court or bailey. (To this the archaic spelling donjon is now usually appropriated.) 2. A strong close cell; a dark subterranean place of confinement; a deep dark vault. v. Zedekiah called for Jeremiah and asked him secretly if there was any word from the LORD (Jer 37:17a). a. Jeremiah told him the same thing he said before which got him previously thrown in prison (Jer 37:17b). b. He reasoned with the king and asked where the prophets were who falsely prophesied that the Babylonians would not come against Zedekiah and the land of Judah (Jer 37:18-19). c. He then asked king Zedekiah to spare him from being put back in the dungeon in the house of Jonathan the scribe where he would likely die (Jer 37:20). d. Zedekiah had mercy on him and put him into the court of the prison in the king's house where he was previously and commanded that he be fed with bread daily (Jer 37:21 c/w Jer 32:2). e. When a man's ways please the LORD, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him (Pro 16:7). K. The princes of Judah heard about Jeremiah's prophecy against Jerusalem in which he said that those who stayed in the city would die at the hand of the Babylonian army (Jer 38:1-3). i. They besought king Zedekiah that Jeremiah be put to death because they claimed he was weakening the hands of the people and seeking their hurt (Jer 38:4). ii. Zedekiah folded like a cheap card table and turned on Jeremiah (Jer 38:5). iii. They took Jeremiah and lowered him with cords into the dungeon in the court of the prison where there was no water, and he sunk down into the mire (Jer 38:6). iv. Things are looking very bleak and hopeless for Jeremiah at this point. a. It is physically impossible for him to get out the dungeon on his own. b. He will surely die of hunger or thirst in short order. c. He could easily be forgotten and left for dead. v. Ebedmelech, the other Ethiopian eunuch in the Bible, heard about Jeremiah's plight and besought king Zedekiah to save Jeremiah's life (Jer 38:7-9). a. The king commanded Ebedmelech to take 30 men and get Jeremiah out of the dungeon (Jer 38:10). b. Ebedmelech pulled Jeremiah out of the dungeon with cords and rotten rags, and Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison (Jer 38:11-13). c. He was not in the best place, but he was certainly in a better place. d. Jeremiah was delivered from death by God again. L. King Zedekiah again sent for Jeremiah and asked him to answer his question truthfully (Jer 38:14). i. Before answering the king, Jeremiah made the king swear that he would not kill him for telling him the truth (Jer 38:15-16). ii. Jeremiah told Zedekiah that if he would not resist and go to Babylon his life would be spared and so would the city, but, if he would not go,the city would be destroyed and he would not escape (Jer 38:17-18). iii. Zedekiah feared men more than he believed the word of God (Jer 38:19). iv. Those who fear men will be snared, but those who trust God shall be safe (Pro 29:25). v. Jeremiah encouraged him that if he obeyed the word of God it would be well with him (Jer 38:20), but if he would not obey and refused to go to Babylon he would not escape, and the city would be burned (Jer 38:21-23). a. Unfortunately, Zedekiah did not heed the words of Jeremiah, and his sons were killed in front of him, his eyes were put out, and Jerusalem was destroyed and burned (Jer 39:4-8). b. Whoso despises the word shall be destroyed (Pro 13:13). vi. Zedekiah kept his word and told Jeremiah to not let anyone know what he had told him (Jer 38:24). a. Zedekiah instructed Jeremiah to lie if the princes asked what he talked with the king about and tell them that he asked to not be returned to Jonathan's house to die there (Jer 38:25-26). b. Jeremiah lied as the king commanded him and the princes left him alone (Jer 38:27). c. Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison until the day that Jerusalem was taken by the Babylonians (Jer 38:28). d. The Lord delivered him from death yet again.