The fall of Jerusalem and the fate of Jeremiah...
Jerusalem
Now when Jerusalem was captured in the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came to Jerusalem and laid siege to it; in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the city wall was breached. Jeremiah 39:1-2, biblegateway, NASB95
As I have said many times, eventually the God of love and mercy and forgiveness decides it's time to focus on the righteousness and judgement portion of the show.
This is what some call, play stupid games; win stupid prices.
In verse 3, Nebuchadnezzar's officials come sit at the gate, taking the new role as the new court and leadership--replacing all of those who failed in the position they had been given over their people.
Verse 4 reminds me of the incident after the twelve spies reconnoitered the Promise Land and ten of them sewed fear in their reports. The people decided to leave and then when they learned there were consequences, they demanded to stay. In this version, at the end of their time in the Promise Land, these Jews decide to stay in Jerusalem even while Jeremiah was warning them to go. Now they try and flee and the terms of the agreement have changed. It's too late. The Chaldeans (Babylonians) chase them down and seize them so that Nebuchadnezzar can pass judgment on them.
- Zedekiah's fate (who had asked for and received excellent intel and advice directly from Jeremiah) was shared by name in specific detail.
- He had to watch while his sons were killed.
- He was blinded.
- He was bound.
- And then brought to Babylon anyway.
Oh, and all of Judah's nobles were killed.
They burned down the King's palace.
They pulled down all of the people's houses.
And then they broke down the walls of Jerusalem.
Finally, the rest of those left in Jerusalem were carried off to Babylon.
Before continuing the chapter, I want to pause and consider the German concept of schadenfreude and it's newer cousin, freudenschader. Schadenfreude is pleasure at the misfortune of others. fruedenshader is similar but opposite in that someone has displeasure at the good things of others.
I introduce these terms because I am reflecting on the divergent feelings I am having as I read about the long-awaited fall of Jerusalem and the people of Judah being carried off. I've been in the prophets books of the Old Testament for years now and knew this was coming and felt how much they deserved it; so there is a bit of schadenfreude and satisfaction at their consequences. And then...I remember that I AM ISRAEL in this story. I am stubborn, sinful, and I disregard years of warnings only to suffer the stupid prices I earned for my stupid rebellious games.
CS Lewis tells us that we are in an armed rebellion against the Lord before we are saved. And we have to continuously lay down those arms, submit, trust, and obey over and over and over and over until we go home to be with Him forever.
Judging Israel and Judah in this moment of comeuppance is hypocritical and counterproductive for me as a sinner who is also in the hands of this God , but also as a missionary who is supposed to be telling other sinners the good news. As image-bearers of God we're living in the satisfaction of judgment and the pain that comes when a loved one (or ourselves) face pain.
Judah has fallen and Jerusalem is broken down and without her walls.
Interestingly, the final verse in this subsection, verse 10, tells an interesting parting details. Like when Israel was carted off to Assyria, there were some left behind. In this case, the Chaldeans left the poor behind. Some might say they left them to die; but the last sentence in the verse tells us that the Chaldeans gave these poor people vineyards and fields. They Ryrie footnote claims it was because peasants weren't likely to cause trouble. And while that may be true, it seems more likely to me to be engineered by God. These were the poor that the Judians had been exploiting, as told by all of the prophets. If God was angry at how the religious and government leaders were treating the poor, it makes sense to me that when God orchestrated Nebuchadnezzar's judgement, He would spare the poor and even lift them up by leaving them with means of production. God is truly great and compassionate on those who suffer. Amen.
Jeremiah
Starting in verse 11 , we learn what happens to Jeremiah amidst the fall.
Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, saying, 12 “Take him and look after him, and do nothing harmful to him, but rather deal with him just as he tells you.” Jeremiah 39:11-12
God is good. All of the time.
We aren't guaranteed the results we want (just ask all 12 disciples), but we are guaranteed that God is good. All of the time.
Jeremiah was spared. Which is amazing that Nebuchadnezzar considered him, knew him, provided for him; but also that he didn't get lost or sacrificed in the final melee. But we are immortal on this planet as long as it is God's will.
Jeremiah got to stay home among the people left behind.
But before he was released, God had another word for him. God sent Jeremiah to the Ethiopian who had advocated for Jeremiah when he was stuck in the mire of the empty cistern. God told Jeremiah to let the Ethiopian know what was about to happen and assure the Ethiopian that God would spare him. He, basically, assures the Ethiopian that the Lord would rescue him and he would leave the situation with his own life.
God also tells the Ethiopian why he is being spared. And you will recognize the reason from all of the times that Jesus said it to people in the gospels:
...because you have trusted in Me,” declares the Lord.’” Jeremiah 39:18b
Not because the man saved Jeremiah. Not because he was good or even deserved it. But because he put his TRUST in the living God.
Amen.
Similarly, at to an infinitely greater degree, God kept His promise to Jeremiah from Chapter 1, verse 8:
“Do not be afraid of them,
For I am with you to deliver you,” declares the Lord.
Similarly, and to an even greater degree, you and I are being called to the same command today. in our everyday lives. With real consequences and real suffering. But God. We're expected to stay stuck in the middle of the empty cisterns of of lives sometimes, relying on the kindness of strangers sometimes, and still trusting and obeying all of the time. Because God is good. All of the time.
To God be the glory. Amen.