Jeremiah 39:1-18
In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army and laid siege to it. And on the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city wall was broken through.
When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled; they left the city at night by way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls, and headed toward the Arabah.
But the Babylonian army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. They captured him and took him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced sentence on him. There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes and also killed all the nobles of Judah. Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon.
Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had given these orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard: “Take him and look after him; don’t harm him but do for him whatever he asks.”
While Jeremiah had been confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him: “Go and tell Ebed-Melek the Cushite, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am about to fulfill my words against this city—words concerning disaster, not prosperity. At that time they will be fulfilled before your eyes. But I will rescue you on that day, declares the Lord; you will not be given into the hands of those you fear. I will save you; you will not fall by the sword but will escape with your life, because you trust in me, declares the Lord.’
Why?
God's judgment comes upon Jerusalem, and all of the word of the Lord spoken through Jeremiah all come true. The disaster come to the whole city, But the Lord saves the life of Jeremiah and Ebed-Melek the Cushite. Because they trust in the Lord.
Our God is righteous and full of love. Our God protects those who obey his word and against those who do evil.
The Lord can let the king of Babylon have an order, "don't harm him but do for him whatever he asks."
The blessed Ebed-Melk won't be harmed by sword or others. because he trusts in the Lord.
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耶利米,很謙卑、誠懇,希望西底加王投降,這種言論會被處死的。這裏有三種人
西底加王: 兩面討好,心中沒有定見的人。他在你們手中,我也不能干預,也可能西底加王已經沒有實權。這種性格面對環境、族群的壓力,好像我們想過聖潔的生活,卻被環境,受周圍人看法的影響、家庭的牽絆,因為我們最在乎家人的看法,信仰中也最容易受到家人影響。
約雅斤已經投降,並沒有被羞辱,好像現在我們有許多見證人。
一些官員,在乎自己的權柄、私自的利益,最後擔誤了可以活命的時機,這群首領,以愛國的名義來抵擋神、陷害先知的藉口。他們真的愛國,真的愛百姓嗎?用冠冕堂皇的理由來拒絕先知。西底加想要有面子,結果是完全受辱。
太監本來沒有權力,卻為了救先知反而救先知出來。神卻讚揚古實人以伯‧米勒,太監沒有地位的人突破禁忌,行神喜悅。面對文化、族群、傳統的禁忌壓力。我們是否願意有以伯‧米勒的心。
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How?
Do I trust in the Lord in whatever situation? Yes, I do my best to trust in the Lord. There is nothing too hard for the Lord.
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