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Jerusalem Is Captured
(Jeremiah 52.4-16; 2 Kings 25.1-12)
1-3In the tenth month of the ninth year that Zedekiah was king of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian army began their attack on Jerusalem. They kept the city surrounded for a year and a half. Then, on the ninth day of the fourth month of the eleventh year that Zedekiah was king, they broke through the city walls.
After Jerusalem was captured, Nebuchadnezzar's highest officials, including Nebo Sarsechim and Nergal Sharezer from Simmagir, took their places at Middle Gate to show they were in control of the city.
4When King Zedekiah and his troops saw that Jerusalem had been captured, they tried to escape from the city that same night. They went to the king's garden, where they slipped through the gate between the two city walls and headed toward the Jordan River valley. 5But the Babylonian troops caught up with them near Jericho. They arrested Zedekiah and took him to the town of Riblah in the land of Hamath, where Nebuchadnezzar put him on trial, then found him guilty, 6and gave orders for him to be punished. Zedekiah's sons were killed there in front of him, and so were the leaders of Judah's ruling families. 7Then his eyes were poked out, and he was put in chains, so he could be dragged off to Babylonia.
8Meanwhile, the Babylonian army had burned the houses in Jerusalem, including the royal palace, and they had broken down the city walls. 9Nebuzaradan, the Babylonian officer in charge of the guards, led away everyone from the city as prisoners, even those who had deserted to Nebuchadnezzar. 10Only the poorest people who owned no land were left behind in Judah, and Nebuzaradan gave them fields and vineyards.
11Nebuchadnezzar had given the following orders to Nebuzaradan: 12“Find Jeremiah and keep him safe. Take good care of him and do whatever he asks.”
13Nebuzaradan, Nebushazban, Nergal Sharezer, and the other officers of King Nebuchadnezzar 14sent some of their troops to bring me from the courtyard of the royal palace guards. They put me in the care of Gedaliah son of Ahikam and told him to take me to my home. And so I was allowed to stay with the people who remained in Judah.
The Lord Promises
15While I was a prisoner in the courtyard of the palace guard, the Lord told me to say 16to Ebedmelech from Ethiopia:
I am the Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel. I warned everyone that I would bring disaster, not prosperity, to this city. Now very soon I will do what I said, and you will see it happen. 17-18But because you trusted me, I will protect you from the officials of Judah, and when Judah is struck by disaster, I will rescue you and keep you alive. I, the Lord, have spoken.
Reflect
Finally, everything happens just as Jeremiah had said it would. The walls were broken, the Babylonian troops entered the city and burned the houses, including the palace. The people were captured and led away. Only those who owned no land were left to till the fields and vineyards. The king, Zedekiah, tried to escape by a secret route, but was caught and taken prisoner. His gruesome fate is described in verses 6 and 7.
He could have avoided this had he listened to Jeremiah and been more concerned for the welfare of his city than for his own personal fate. He could have avoided it if he had shown courage instead of cowardice.
It is easy to say this at a historical distance and with the benefit of hindsight. But I wonder if parallel situations play themselves out in our own time. Most of us prefer good news to bad news. But sometimes God warns us and disciplines us. Let’s apply this seriously to the way we listen to prophecy in our own context, that is, the way we read the Bible.
Do you pay attention to the whole Bible? (As a reader of theStory, your answer is probably Yes.) But many people choose to focus only on what makes them feel good, and ignore the rest. Worldwide, there are a number of people who attach themselves to a version of Christianity which promises wealth and prosperity, the so-called “name it and claim it” gospel. Of course God wants us to prosper and be happy. We read about that in chapters 30-33. But the way to real happiness is to be Christ-like. Jesus challenges anyone who wants to follow him to deny themselves and take up their cross, daily (Luke 9:23).
Respond
Father God, in this moment of silence I choose to follow Jesus Christ, to be a servant of the king, decisive and courageous. I am compelled by the beauty of Jesus’ earthly life as I read about it in the Gospels and see it reflected in other Christians. Thank you for the Bible, and thank you for Christian people who model a life committed to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Annabel Robinson
Annabel was born in Kew, near London, England. She committed her life to Jesus Christ at a Scripture Union camp when she was 16, and immediately found joy and peace. At Oxford she was active in the Oxford Inter-Collegiate Christian Union, where she met her husband, Reid. They emigrated to Canada in 1965, where she taught Classics at the University of Regina until 2007. She has two children, Heather in Oslo and Alasdair in Calgary.