Hezekiah began to reign when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Abijah the daughter of Zechariah. 2 And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done.
Hezekiah Cleanses the Temple3 In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them. 4 He brought in the priests and the Levites and assembled them in the square on the east 5 and said to them, “Hear me, Levites! Now consecrate yourselves, and consecrate the house of the Lord, the God of your fathers, and carry out the filth[b] from the Holy Place. 6 For our fathers have been unfaithful and have done what was evil in the sight of the Lord our God. They have forsaken him and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the Lord and turned their backs. 7 They also shut the doors of the vestibule and put out the lamps and have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings in the Holy Place to the God of Israel. 8 Therefore the wrath of the Lord came on Judah and Jerusalem, and he has made them an object of horror, of astonishment, and of hissing, as you see with your own eyes. 9 For behold, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this. 10 Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the Lord, the God of Israel, in order that his fierce anger may turn away from us. 11 My sons, do not now be negligent, for the Lord has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him and to be his ministers and make offerings to him.”
12 Then the Levites arose, Mahath the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites; and of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehallelel; and of the Gershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah; 13 and of the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeuel; and of the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah; 14 and of the sons of Heman, Jehuel and Shimei; and of the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel. 15 They gathered their brothers and consecrated themselves and went in as the king had commanded, by the words of the Lord, to cleanse the house of the Lord. 16 The priests went into the inner part of the house of the Lord to cleanse it, and they brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of the Lord into the court of the house of the Lord. And the Levites took it and carried it out to the brook Kidron.17 They began to consecrate on the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they came to the vestibule of the Lord. Then for eight days they consecrated the house of the Lord, and on the sixteenth day of the first month they finished. 18 Then they went in to Hezekiah the king and said, “We have cleansed all the house of the Lord, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the table for the showbread and all its utensils. 19 All the utensils that King Ahaz discarded in his reign when he was faithless, we have made ready and consecrated, and behold, they are before the altar of the Lord.”
Hezekiah Restores Temple Worship20 Then Hezekiah the king rose early and gathered the officials of the city and went up to the house of the Lord.21 And they brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats for a sin offering for the kingdom and for the sanctuary and for Judah. And he commanded the priests, the sons of Aaron, to offer them on the altar of the Lord. 22 So they slaughtered the bulls, and the priests received the blood and threw it against the altar. And they slaughtered the rams, and their blood was thrown against the altar. And they slaughtered the lambs, and their blood was thrown against the altar. 23 Then the goats for the sin offering were brought to the king and the assembly, and they laid their hands on them, 24 and the priests slaughtered them and made a sin offering with their blood on the altar, to make atonement for all Israel. For the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel.
25 And he stationed the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, harps, and lyres, according to the commandment of David and of Gad the king's seer and of Nathan the prophet, for the commandment was from the Lord through his prophets. 26 The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. 27 Then Hezekiah commanded that the burnt offering be offered on the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song to the Lordbegan also, and the trumpets, accompanied by the instruments of David king of Israel. 28 The whole assembly worshiped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded. All this continued until the burnt offering was finished. 29 When the offering was finished, the king and all who were present with him bowed themselves and worshiped.30 And Hezekiah the king and the officials commanded the Levites to sing praises to the Lord with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed down and worshiped.
31 Then Hezekiah said, “You have now consecrated yourselves to[c] the Lord. Come near; bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the house of the Lord.” And the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all who were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings. 32 The number of the burnt offerings that the assembly brought was 70 bulls, 100 rams, and 200 lambs; all these were for a burnt offering to the Lord. 33 And the consecrated offerings were 600 bulls and 3,000 sheep. 34 But the priests were too few and could not flay all the burnt offerings, so until other priests had consecrated themselves, their brothers the Levites helped them, until the work was finished—for the Levites were more upright in heart than the priests in consecrating themselves.35 Besides the great number of burnt offerings, there was the fat of the peace offerings, and there were the drink offerings for the burnt offerings. Thus the service of the house of the Lord was restored. 36 And Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced because God had provided for the people, for the thing came about suddenly.

​Meditation
Christians who lead with conviction will be fueled by God’s covenant faithfulness and lead others through concrete confidence in Christ, trusting God’s Divine design for all of life.
 
Hezekiah inherited a kingdom in conflict after Ahaz’s compromising leadership. Leading with conviction, Hezekiah acted early and decisively to refocus the hearts of Israel on the Lord. Just as David brought the ark into Jerusalem and Solomon rapidly built the temple, king Hezekiah swiftly moved to restore the temple and right worship of the Lord. Renewal begins with right worship of our Covenant God.
 
God’s covenant faithfulness fueled Hezekiah’s focused leadership. “It is my heart to make a covenant with the Lord,” the king proclaimed (10). Conviction flowed from a heart saturated in God’s covenant relationship. “In the first year, in the first month…” (3) Hezekiah ordered repairs of the temple and restoration of worship (3-11). Willing obedience marked the hearts of leaders who completed the consecration (12-19), celebrating sacrifices (20-30) and offerings (31-35). Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced (36) because renewal of worship brings revival of the heart.
 
Christian leadership will respond to God’s covenant faithfulness in Christ with conviction to faithfully worship King Jesus in all of life. The Church is consecrated by Christ’s blood and Spirit, called to live as continual sacrifices to God (Hebrews 13:15). In view of God’s mercy we present our bodies as consecrated sacrifices through our labor, lips, and love (Romans 12:1-2). Christian leaders must lead with conviction, “from our hearts”, and for faithful worship.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from the passage about Hezekiah’s conviction revealed in his passionate leadership?
 
-Where do you see a need for Christian leaders to live with more conviction from the heart to restore right worship in all of life?
 
-How can you respond to God’s covenant faithfulness in Christ with more conviction for His Divine design for worship in all of life? Be specific!
 
Key Verse
10 Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the Lord, the God of Israel, in order that his fierce anger may turn away from us. 

​Praise the Lord!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
    for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.
2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
    he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted
    and binds up their wounds.
4 He determines the number of the stars;
    he gives to all of them their names.
5 Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
    his understanding is beyond measure.

6 The Lord lifts up the humble;
    he casts the wicked to the ground.
7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
    make melody to our God on the lyre!
8 He covers the heavens with clouds;
    he prepares rain for the earth;
    he makes grass grow on the hills.
9 He gives to the beasts their food,
    and to the young ravens that cry.
10 His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
    nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,
11 but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
    in those who hope in his steadfast love.
12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
    Praise your God, O Zion!

13 For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
    he blesses your children within you.
14 He makes peace in your borders;
    he fills you with the finest of the wheat.
15 He sends out his command to the earth;
    his word runs swiftly.
16 He gives snow like wool;
    he scatters frost like ashes.
17 He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs;
    who can stand before his cold?
18 He sends out his word, and melts them;
    he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.
19 He declares his word to Jacob,
    his statutes and rules to Israel.
20 He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
    they do not know his rules.
Praise the Lord!
 
Meditation
Praising the Lord gives peace, reinforcing God’s promises, provision, and plan. Hallelujah from our hearts fuels hope and healing.
 
The goodness of praise itself is a launching pad for the Psalmist to declare the delight of the Lord’s work. Praise is pleasant, a fitting response to God’s faithfulness (1).
 
Praise is focused on God’s work. The verbs of our reading help to revive hearts. God builds (2), heals (3), determines (4), and lifts up (6). “Great is the Lord and abundant in power!” (5).
 
Thanksgiving flows from the heart when God’s faithfulness is the focus (7). God covers and makes grow (8), He gives (9), delights (10), and takes pleasure in those who fear Him, those who hope in His steadfast love (11). God will provide and praise fuels our peace.
 
The celebration of God’s Divine actions continues. Hallelujahs hold out the faithfulness of the Lord (Hallelujah is the Hebrew word for “Praise the Lord!”). The Lord strengthens (13), makes peace (14), sends out (15), gives (16), and reveals His word (17-19). God controls the world and feeds His people His word. Praise is the proper response!
 
The power of praise reorients our perspective and anchors our trust in the person and promises of God. The word and work of God, celebrated in the verbs of our passage, point to Jesus Christ, the fullness of God’s work, word, and promises. The work and word of God fuels worship, and the power of praise gives peace when we trust in God and His promises.
 
Richly Dwelling
-Do you know the goodness of praising the Lord?
 
-Which verbs in today’s reading stand out to you, highlighting the actions of the Lord in the world? Why?
 
-Take a moment to focus your heart on the word and work of Jesus, propelling praise from your inmost being. Allow praise to pour forth to experience the rich goodness of God and of praise itself.
 
Key Verse
Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord after Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he took him bound in chains along with all the captives of Jerusalem and Judah who were being exiled to Babylon. 2 The captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him, “The Lord your God pronounced this disaster against this place. 3 The Lord has brought it about, and has done as he said. Because you sinned against the Lord and did not obey his voice, this thing has come upon you. 4 Now, behold, I release you today from the chains on your hands. If it seems good to you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look after you well, but if it seems wrong to you to come with me to Babylon, do not come. See, the whole land is before you; go wherever you think it good and right to go. 5 If you remain, then return to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon appointed governor of the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people. Or go wherever you think it right to go.” So the captain of the guard gave him an allowance of food and a present, and let him go. 6 Then Jeremiah went to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, at Mizpah, and lived with him among the people who were left in the land.
7 When all the captains of the forces in the open country and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land and had committed to him men, women, and children, those of the poorest of the land who had not been taken into exile to Babylon, 8 they went to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, Johanan the son of Kareah, Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, Jezaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men. 9 Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, swore to 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. 10 As for me, I will dwell at Mizpah, to represent you before the Chaldeans who will come to us. But as for you, gather wine and summer fruits and oil, and store them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that you have taken.”11 Likewise, when all the Judeans who were in Moab and among the Ammonites and in Edom and in other lands heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, as governor over them, 12 then all the Judeans returned from all the places to which they had been driven and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah. And they gathered wine and summer fruits in great abundance.
13 Now Johanan the son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah 14 and said to him, “Do you know that Baalis the king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam would not believe them. 15 Then Johanan the son of Kareah spoke secretly to Gedaliah at Mizpah, “Please let me go and strike down Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no one will know it. Why should he take your life, so that all the Judeans who are gathered about you would be scattered, and the remnant of Judah would perish?” 16 But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, “You shall not do this thing, for you are speaking falsely of Ishmael.”
 
Meditation
Love for a people and a place leads God’s servants to live among the people. Love led Jesus to come and live among humanity, to “move into the neighborhood” (John 1:14, the MSG). Love is present and love restores. Love is personal and love lives among the people and places we call home.
 
Jeremiah’s ministry was difficult and included death threats, prison, beatings, starving, rejection, and mocking. When Jeremiah’s prophecies proved true and the people were taken to exile, the prophet had a choice to go to Babylon in peace and protection or stay and live with the poor left in the land. Love makes the hard choice to live in the land.
 
Imagine Jeremiah’s temptation, to receive Babylonian protection while the people who rejected and beat him were in bondage. The sweet taste of revenge! Nebuzaradan, the Babylonian governor, offered the prophet protection and promised provision, saying “If it seems good to you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look after you well” (4). But Jeremiah trusted a higher authority and followed God’s call not only to foretell of the tearing down but to foresee the building up and replanting (1:10). Love sees things through in the place God calls us to love.
 
Jeremiah “lived among the people left in the land” (6), and together they experienced an awesome autumn harvest (12). Love leads to fruitfulness. The prophet’s choice to stay points to Jesus, who shows the way of true love, choosing to live with people while enduring great personal cost.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What surprises you about either Nebuzaradan’s offer or Jeremiah’s choice? Why?
 
-Does your love endure personal cost to live among people in a place, pointing to Christ and His incarnation? Or does your life lift resources for yourself, using people and a place for your own personal gain?
 
-How does the incarnational love of Jesus lead you to lay down your life to love and live with others, going to serve and give yourself away? Take a moment to name a specific person you can move towards and genuinely love.
 
Key Verse
6 Then Jeremiah went to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, at Mizpah, and lived with him among the people who were left in the land.

Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as his father David had done, 2 but he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel. He even made metal images for the Baals, 3 and he made offerings in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom and burned his sons as an offering, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel.4 And he sacrificed and made offerings on the high places and on the hills and under every green tree.
Judah Defeated5 Therefore the Lord his God gave him into the hand of the king of Syria, who defeated him and took captive a great number of his people and brought them to Damascus. He was also given into the hand of the king of Israel, who struck him with great force. 6 For Pekah the son of Remaliah killed 120,000 from Judah in one day, all of them men of valor, because they had forsaken the Lord, the God of their fathers.7 And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king's son and Azrikam the commander of the palace and Elkanah the next in authority to the king.
8 The men of Israel took captive 200,000 of their relatives, women, sons, and daughters. They also took much spoil from them and brought the spoil to Samaria. 9 But a prophet of the Lord was there, whose name was Oded, and he went out to meet the army that came to Samaria and said to them, “Behold, because the Lord, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, he gave them into your hand, but you have killed them in a rage that has reached up to heaven. 10 And now you intend to subjugate the people of Judah and Jerusalem, male and female, as your slaves. Have you not sins of your own against the Lord your God? 11 Now hear me, and send back the captives from your relatives whom you have taken, for the fierce wrath of the Lord is upon you.”
12 Certain chiefs also of the men of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against those who were coming from the war 13 and said to them, “You shall not bring the captives in here, for you propose to bring upon us guilt against the Lord in addition to our present sins and guilt. For our guilt is already great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.” 14 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the assembly. 15 And the men who have been mentioned by name rose and took the captives, and with the spoil they clothed all who were naked among them. They clothed them, gave them sandals, provided them with food and drink, and anointed them, and carrying all the feeble among them on donkeys, they brought them to their kinsfolk at Jericho, the city of palm trees. Then they returned to Samaria.
16 At that time King Ahaz sent to the king of Assyria for help.17 For the Edomites had again invaded and defeated Judah and carried away captives. 18 And the Philistines had made raids on the cities in the Shephelah and the Negeb of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages. And they settled there. 19 For the Lord humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had made Judah act sinfully and had been very unfaithful to the Lord. 20 So Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came against him and afflicted him instead of strengthening him. 21 For Ahaz took a portion from the house of the Lord and the house of the king and of the princes, and gave tribute to the king of Assyria, but it did not help him.
Ahaz's Idolatry22 In the time of his distress he became yet more faithless to the Lord—this same King Ahaz. 23 For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus that had defeated him and said, “Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me.” But they were the ruin of him and of all Israel. 24 And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and he shut up the doors of the house of the Lord, and he made himself altars in every corner of Jerusalem. 25 In every city of Judah he made high places to make offerings to other gods, provoking to anger the Lord, the God of his fathers. 26 Now the rest of his acts and all his ways, from first to last, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 27 And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem, for they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel. And Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.

Meditation
God’s grace can intercept our worst ways to redeem them for His purposes. Often, during distress, hard hearts do not turn to Jesus to allow Him to do so! But as Paul’s persecution was transformed into passionate church planting, so too Jesus wants to transform us with His grace by moving us into a new paradigm and practice.
 
During distress, Ahaz became more faithless to the Lord (22). When things got tough, the king’s worst ways worsened. The description of the most negative representation of a king in Chronicles begins and ends with provoking the Lord with wickedness (1, 25). Other kings were unfaithful but Ahaz was “very unfaithful” and became “more faithless” (19, 22). Chaos cascades from Ahaz’s leadership (5, 9, 19, 22-23, 25) and his worst ways ruin everything he touches. Rather than turn to God, Ahaz used the things from God’s temple for his protection. When the king died, he was not even honored by being buried with other kings (27). Our worst ways will ruin life unless they are redeemed by the grace of God.
 
Jesus redeems worst ways when people come to Him. During distress, Judas betrayed Jesus and did not go to Jesus for redemption and renewal. Judas went and hanged himself (Matthew 27:25). During the same distress, Peter failed but returned to Jesus for forgiveness (John 21). The grace of Jesus gives Peter, Paul, and all those who turn to Him a new paradigm and new purpose for our lives. God’s grace redeems worst ways when we trust in His love.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially concerning the worst ways of Ahaz and his continued hard heartedness?
 
-Where do you identify with Ahaz, in times of distress becoming more faithless by turning to the idols of the world and the ways of the culture? What have the consequences been?
 
-How do the reminders of the stories of Peter and Paul compel you to go to Jesus for forgiveness, for Him to redeem your worst ways? Where do you need to do so?... will you?
 
Key Verse
22 In the time of his distress he became yet more faithless to the Lord—this same King Ahaz. 

Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
    I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
3 Put not your trust in princes,
    in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
4 When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
    on that very day his plans perish.
 
5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
    whose hope is in the Lord his God,
6 who made heaven and earth,
    the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps faith forever;
7     who executes justice for the oppressed,
    who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free;
8     the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.

The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
    the Lord loves the righteous.
9 The Lord watches over the sojourners;
    he upholds the widow and the fatherless,
    but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
10 The Lord will reign forever,
    your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the Lord!
 
Meditation
God’s saving work draws worship from our hearts. Praise pours forth from a heart transformed by grace.
 
“Hallelujah!” is the repeated word to emphasize praise to the Lord arising from the depth of our being (1, 2, 10) and for the breadth of our lives (2). The Lord alone is the help and hope of His people (5). The Lord is Creator, covenant maker, and provider for the vulnerable (6-7). The Lord gives justice, sets prisoners free, gives sight to the blind, lifts the lowly, watches over the vulnerable, cares for the widow and fatherless, loves the righteous, and ruins the way of the wicked (7-9).
 
The Lord is worthy of all our hope and praise because He is the one who is our help. We do not put our trust in the influential people and powers of the world- there is no salvations for us from their short-term strength (3-4). Our only help is from the Lord. He is our only hope. Blessed is the one who trusts the Lord.
 
We praise the Lord as King who reigns eternally and whose faithfulness is to all generations (10). Hallelujah to the King!
 
Jesus is the fullness of praise from this passage. Jesus is the King who changes our hearts so we learn to sing “Hallelujahs!” with all the saints who are saved by grace. The work of Jesus draws worship from our hearts as we put all our hope in Him.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What parts of praise jump out to you from the passage? Why?
 
-Where do you put your hope for help other than the Lord, the princes and powers of the world?
 
-How can you more fully trust the person and work of Jesus? Where do you specifically need to trust in Him and give Him hallelujahs from your heart?
 
Key Verse
5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God,

In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city. 3 Then all the officials of the king of Babylon came and sat in the middle gate: Nergal-sar-ezer of Samgar, Nebu-sar-sekim the Rab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag, with all the rest of the officers of the king of Babylon. 4 When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled, going out of the city at night by way of the king's garden through the gate between the two walls; and they went toward the Arabah. 5 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. And when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, at Riblah, in the land of Hamath; and he passed sentence on him. 6 The king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah at Riblah before his eyes, and the king of Babylon slaughtered all the nobles of Judah. 7 He put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him in chains to take him to Babylon. 8 The Chaldeans burned the king's house and the house of the people, and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. 9 Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, carried into exile to Babylon the rest of the people who were left in the city, those who had deserted to him, and the people who remained. 10 Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, left in the land of Judah some of the poor people who owned nothing, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.
The Lord Delivers Jeremiah11 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave command concerning Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, saying, 12 “Take him, look after him well, and do him no harm, but deal with him as he tells you.” 13 So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, Nebushazban the Rab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag, and all the chief officers of the king of Babylon 14 sent and took Jeremiah from the court of the guard. They entrusted him to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, that he should take him home. So he lived among the people.
15 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah while he was shut up in the court of the guard: 16 “Go, and say to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will fulfill my words against this city for harm and not for good, and they shall be accomplished before you on that day. 17 But I will deliver you on that day, declares the Lord, and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid. 18 For I will surely save you, and you shall not fall by the sword, but you shall have your life as a prize of war, because you have put your trust in me, declares the Lord.’”
 
Meditation
God’s judgement is difficult to digest because His holiness is beyond our comprehension and His justice is purer than we can process. Yet in God’s wrath He remembers mercy (Habakkuk 3:2).
 
God is not mentioned in today’s reading but He is not absent, either. God predicted the devastation (34:3) and proclaimed His sovereignty over the suffering (25:8-11). God “does not willingly bring affliction or grief” (Lamentations 3:33) and “takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked” (Ezekiel 33:11). God cannot bear to see the trajedy.
 
The judgement of Judah is recorded in more detail in 2 Kings 25. Like the flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, the perishing of the wilderness generation, and the conquest of Canaan; God’s judgement is pierced by mercy. In a redemptive reversal, the poor of the land “who had nothing” received vineyards and fields (10). Jeremiah was promised protection (11-14) and Ebed-melech the Ethiopian was secured in salvation (15-18). God saves those who are dependent on Him for Divine deliverance.
 
Jerusalem was judged for their sins through the rod of Babylon. Jesus Christ was judged for our sins, the rod of God used for the satisfaction of God’s just wrath against sin. As Zedekiah’s eyes were gouged out after seeing the death of his sons, so the Father turned His face away from the death of His Son that through Christ’s death believers may have a new day dawn.
 
Richly Dwelling
-Why is God’s just judgement difficult to digest? Are you surprised to see daylight breaking forth from the darkness?
 
-How does God remembering mercy and saving those whose faith is in Him fuel your faith?
 
-Who do you know that needs to encounter Christ freshly for salvation from God’s just judgement against sin? When will you share the hope of salvation in Christ with them?
 
Key Verse
 18 For I will surely save you, and you shall not fall by the sword, but you shall have your life as a prize of war, because you have put your trust in me, declares the Lord.’”