Jeremiah 37:1-21
Q.1. Why were King Zedekiah and his servants two-faced toward God and His prophet? – (Jer.37:1-10)
The story then jumped ahead to Judah’s final king before the exile. Jehoiakim’s son, Jehoiachin (here named Coniah) had reigned for only ninety days before being taken captive into Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar had installed Zedekiah, who reigned about ten years (Jer.37:1). Sadly, nothing changed – neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to the words of the Lord which He spoke through Jeremiah the prophet (Jer.37:2). Yet Zedekiah sent leaders to Jeremiah with this request – “Please pray to the Lord our God on our behalf (Jer.37:3). God did indeed answer Zedekiah’s request – ‘Thus you are to say to the king of Judah, who sent you to Me to inquire of Me: “Behold, Pharaoh’s army which has come out for your assistance is going to return to its own land of Egypt (Jer.37:7). Not only did Zedekiah disregard God, but he also sought Egypt’s help against the Babylonians, rather than casting himself on God for deliverance. His plea to God through Jeremiah was sheer hypocrisy. God exposed him – Do not deceive yourselves saying, ‘The Chaldeans will surely go away from us’, for they will not go! (Jer.37:9).
Q.2. How did the leaders mistreat Jeremiah the prophet? Can we expect similar rejection as witnesses of Christ? – (Jer.37:11-16)
God had instructed Jeremiah to purchase a family plot in the tribal territory of Benjamin, as a proof that He would restore the land at some future time (Jer.32:7-8). When Jeremiah went to claim his land, he was accused of deserting to the Chaldeans. They refused the prophet’s explanation. He was dragged before the officials, who beat him and put him in jail – Jeremiah had come into the dungeon, that is, the vaulted cell; and Jeremiah stayed there many days (Jer.37:16 c.f. Jer.37:11-15). This story reminds us that it is not unusual for faithful servants of God to be mistreated, as Jesus predicted (Jn.15:7-8). Paul explained that such shameful persecution will one day be punished – 4 therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. 5 This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering. 6 For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, 8 dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus (2 Thes.1:4-8).
Q.3. How severe was Jeremiah’s imprisonment? What kind of man was King Zedekiah? – (Jer.37:17-21)
King Zedekiah was a weak king who had some fear of and respect for Jeremiah. However, he allowed his officials to dominate him. He went secretly to get the advice from Jeremiah, who reminded him that the king’s phoney prophets had proved to be wrong, while his own prophecies had come to pass (Jer.37:17 & 19). Jeremiah was in such poor condition, that he feared that he could die. He begged the king to not let him be held captive in the house of Jonathan the Scribe (Jer.37:20). What an indictment against a Scribe, a supposed man of God, that he would maliciously persecute God’s prophet and spokesman. King Zedekiah did provide some relief for Jeremiah in the court of the guardhouse, with a daily miserly loaf of bread (Jer.37:21).