AT THE HANDS OF THE BABYLONIANS
«And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, took an oath before them and their men, saying, Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land and serve the King of Babylon, and it Shall be well with you’» (Jeremiah 40:9).
Jeremiah was a prophet during the reign of Judah’s last five kings, and he suffered a great deal because of his mission. During the reign of Zedekiah, the prophet was cast into a cistern (see Jeremiah 37:15, 16), which was a type of well dug into solid rock, and was often used as a prison cell (see Andrew’s Study Bible, p. 496). There, the king visited him to interrogate him about the prophecies (see verse 17), and confessed his fear. “And Zedekiah the king said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Jews who have defected to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they abuse me’” (Jeremiah 38:19). Where there is no fear of God, fright reigns in the hearts of people.
The king allowed Jeremiah to come up to the patio around his prison for a short time, and there the prophet continued to give his message. Then he was accused of weakening the will of the soldiers who were left, and he was thrown into a cistern filled with mud. Jeremiah nearly died there, and he would have, had it not been for the kindness and intercession of an Ethiopian named Ebed-Melech. When Babylon took Judah just as Jeremiah had prophesied, God did not forget the kindness of that Ethiopian foreigner who had helped Jeremiah in his time of need. Jeremiah himself was to give him the good protected (see Jeremiah 39:16—18). God honored this unknown gentleman who risked his job and his life to save God’s servant. When we choose to do what is right, though our reward may be delayed, it will always come.
Then, a man named Gedaliah was designated as the representative of the Babylonian government before the Jews, and the captain of the guard treated Jeremiah courteously, as a representative of God who had warned the Jews to submit. Jeremiah was allowed to go wherever he pleased but he chose to stay with the few survivors of what was once the proud nation of Judah. Those who remained were full of fear, so much so that the new governor encouraged them to trust and be obedient to the newly established kingdom. How different would history have been if Judah had heeded Jeremiah’s warnings! The last events happened very quickly: the palace of the king and the temple were burned down, the city walls were torn down, and the city was left in complete ruin, with only a handful of survivors. ‘It is Satan’s special device to lead man into sin leave him there, helpless and hopeless, fearing to seek for pardon. But God invites, ‘Let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me; and he shall make peace with Me.’ Isaiah 27:5. In Christ every provision has been made, every encouragement offered.” -Prophets and kings, ch. 27, p 325.
Listen to the warnings in the Bible, and be faithful in whatever crises may come.
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Taken from: Devotional Thoughts for Women 2023
“DAUGHTER OF MINE” Do Not Be Afraid
From: Arsenia Fernandez-Uckele
Collaborators: Angelica Cuate & Esteban Cortes