The
Consequences of Giving Challenging Advice
(Jeremiah: The Suffering Preacher)
Jeremiah 38:14-23
May 16
Background Reading: Jeremiah 37-38
Devotional Reading: Jeremiah 38:7-13, 39:15-18
Keep in Mind:
“Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "If
I tell you, you will put me to death, will you not? And if I give you advice,
you will not listen to me.” Jeremiah 38:15, NRSV).
Lesson Aim:
IDENTIFY Jeremiah’s
hesitation to give controversial advice to Zedekiah,
SENSE Jeremiah’s apprehension when talking to Zedekiah, and
COMMIT to giving challenging godly advice.
Background
Jeremiah, whose
name means "Yahweh appointed," was set apart by God as a prophet from
the womb (Jeremiah 1:5). For over forty
years he was God's mouthpiece as he called out judgment against Judah for their
wickedness. In the fourth year of King
Jehoiakim's eleven-year reign, the Lord commanded Jeremiah to provide a written
account of everything spoken about Israel, Judah, and all the nations from the
time of King Josiah until that present which included His reminders of the
disaster to come. God's objective was to
extend mercy if hearers would only repent (Jeremiah 36:1-3). King Jehoiakim and his officials heard the
prophetic word but rather than repent, the scrolls were burned (Jeremiah
36:1-25).
Despite the tough words,
he had to deliver, and personal pain experienced, Jeremiah followed through
with everything the Lord commanded. In
the last days of Jerusalem King Zedekiah, a weaker king was in power and the
Lord sent word through Jeremiah that although Judah looked to Egypt as an ally,
the other nation would leave them to fend for themselves. He further warned that Judah's nemesis-the
Chaldeans-would prevail against them, burn down the city, and scatter them as
exiles. However, this destruction would
be averted if the king and his leaders would turn back to the Lord. The officials were angered by his prophecy
and sought to paint Jeremiah as a traitor to the Chaldeans; he was beaten and
thrown into prison (Jeremiah 37: 1-16).
Lesson Commentary:
A Final Interview (Jeremiah 38:14-18,
NRSV)
14King
Zedekiah sent for the prophet Jeremiah and received him at the third entrance
of the temple of the LORD. The
king said to Jeremiah, "I have something to ask you; do not hide anything
from me."
15Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "If I tell you, you will put
me to death, will you not? And if I give you advice, you will not listen to
me."
16So King Zedekiah swore an oath in secret to Jeremiah,
"As the LORD lives, who gave
us our lives, I will not put you to death or hand you over to these men who
seek your life."
17Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "Thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of
Israel, if you will only surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon,
then your life shall be spared, and this city shall not be burned with fire,
and you and your house shall live.
18But if you do not surrender to the officials of the king of
Babylon, then this city shall be handed over to the Chaldeans, and they shall
burn it with fire, and you yourself shall not escape from their hand."
King Zedekiah on more than one occasion privately
sought out Jeremiah to hear what the Lord had revealed to him. The king had other prophets who told him what he
wanted to hear regarding Judah's national security. But those prophets did not align with what the
Lord spoke through Jeremiah, who proved to be His true prophet. The Lord delivered, Jeremiah from his
officials through King Zedekiah (Jeremiah 37:17-21). Jeremiah would find himself in trouble with
the king's officials again for delivering the Lord's proclamation of calamity
for disobedience and coming Chaldean siege. He was considered a troublemaker who caused
unrest in the land and was thrown into a dry cistern by the king's men. The king would later rescue Jeremiah from
death, but he would be once again locked up (Jeremiah 38:1-13).
King Zedekiah sought to show honor for the word of the
Lord and had Jeremiah brought to him at the Temple to inquire what the Lord
might say through him. Jeremiah was
hesitant to answer because he recognized-that Zedekiah would probably not
listen to his counsel. His officials had
great power and influence and wanted Jeremiah dead. The king promised in their one-on-one
conversation that neither he nor his men would kill Jeremiah because the king
wanted to hear what the Lord said. Jeremiah
gave the Lord's word by advising the king and his officials to surrender to the
Babylonians so that they may live. However,
if they did not heed his counsel from the Lord, the city would burn, and they would
not escape.
1.
How
do you discern when to speck and when to be quiet?
2.
What
does it mean to speck truth to power?
A Final Response (Jeremiah 38: 19-23,
NRSV)
19King
Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, "I am afraid of the Judeans who have deserted
to the Chaldeans, for I might be handed over to them and they would abuse
me."
20Jeremiah said, "That will not happen. Just obey the
voice of the LORD in what I say to
you, and it shall go well with you, and your life shall be spared.
21But if you are determined not to surrender, this is what the
LORD has shown me—
22a vision of all the women remaining in the house of the king
of Judah being led out to the officials of the king of Babylon and saying, 'Your
trusted friends have seduced you and have overcome you; Now that your feet are
stuck in the mud, they desert you.'
23All your wives and your children shall be led out to the
Chaldeans, and you yourself shall not escape from their hand, but shall be
seized by the king of Babylon; and this city shall be burned with fire."
After hearing
Jeremiah's prophetic word to surrender, King Zedekiah in confidence shares with
Jeremiah that he fears what will happen if he follows the instructions given by
the Lord. Jeremiah assures the king if
he and his officials obey the Lord, the crisis will be suspended, and they will
be saved. However, if he refuses, the
Lord revealed that the Chaldeans would burn the city and the people would be
taken captive by Babylon. Further,
Jeremiah tells the king that he and his officials would bring disgrace upon
themselves as the people who trust them realize they had misled them. Their wives who are the life-givers and their
sons who represent their bloodline would be captured. The king and all his officials would be
destroyed. King Zedekiah led Judah
through habitual disobedience and bad advice, and Jeremiah foretold the
consequences of those decisions. God
still provided .an opportunity to change their ways if they would only ask for and
receive God's mercy.
1.
Given
Jeremiah's experience as a prophet, was he right to question King Zedekiah's
request? What did the king expect to hear
from Jeremiah?
2.
Are
there times when you have been the recipient of advice you did not want to
receive but the Lord confirmed it was from Him? How did you respond?
3.
What
are some reasons people dismiss godly advice?
Lesson in Our Society
Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. spoke many times about the dangers of keeping silent. There are times when God will compel His
people to speak truth to those who will not receive it favorably, but we must
stand for righteousness even if it costs. Some believers live in parts` of the world where
they are faced with persecution daily for boldly living their faith. Those of us blessed with religious freedom
must continue to pray and support those who do not have the same freedom. Think of ways your small group or church can
help people living in countries where Christianity is illegal. Even on our side of the world, we must be
intentional to equip ourselves and others in the spirit of God's love to share
and defend our faith in the public square amid opposition
|
Daily Bible Readings |
|
|
Sources:
Achtemeier, Paul J. Harper's Bible
Dictionary. 1st ed. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1985.
Biblical Studies Press: The
Brown, Raymond E., S. S., Joseph A. Fitzmyer, S. J.; Roland E. Murphy, O
Carm. The Jerome Biblical Commentary.
Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968.
Dummelow, J. R., M.A. Rev. The One
Volume Bible Commentary. New York: The Macmillan Company Publishers, 1961.
James Orr, M.A., D.D., International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Electronic Edition, Parsons Technology, Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa 1998.
Keck Leander E., The New
Interpreter's Bible Commentary, Volume IV: Ezra, Nehemiah, Introduction to Prophetic
Literature, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Baruch, Letter of Jeremiah, Lamentations, New York: Abingdon Press, 2015.
Keown, Gerald L., Word Biblical Commentary, Jeremiah 26-52, Volume 27:
Revised Edition (24). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2016.
Morris, William, ed., Dictionary of
the English Language, Houghton Mifflin Company, 1981.
Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Hrsg.): The Pulpit Commentary: Jeremiah Vol II.
Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2004
Huey, F.B., Jeremiah, Lamentations. electronic ed. Nashville:
Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2001, c1993 (Logos Library System; The New
American Commentary 16)
Strong, James, Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries, Electronic
Edition STEP Files, QuickVerse, a division of Findex.com, Inc., Omaha,
Nebraska. 2003.
Vine, W.E. Vines Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament
Words. Edited by Merrill F. Unger and William White Jr., Nashville,
Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1996.