Do You Want Information or Truth?
July 27, 2020
Commentary
Jeremiah 38:14–28 describes another secret meeting between King Zedekiah and Jeremiah during Jerusalem’s final days. The king asked Jeremiah to tell him the truth and promised not to harm him (vv. 14–16). Jeremiah honestly questioned whether the king would truly listen because previous warnings had only brought rejection and suffering. Although Zedekiah wanted to hear from God, he still struggled with unbelief and fear. Many people desire answers from God, but they do not always desire to obey His truth. This passage encourages believers to seek God daily with humble, willing, faithful, and obedient hearts.
Jeremiah faithfully repeated God’s message to the king (vv. 17–23). He explained that surrendering to Babylon would spare Zedekiah’s life and prevent Jerusalem from being destroyed. However, refusing God’s instruction would bring judgment upon the city and the king himself. Jeremiah did not change God’s message to make the king comfortable. Zedekiah’s greatest problem was fear. He worried about public opinion and feared what others would say or do if he obeyed God. Fear of people often keeps individuals from fully following the Lord. God’s truth requires courage, humility, and obedience.
In the end, Zedekiah refused to follow Jeremiah’s counsel (vv. 24–28). Instead, he asked Jeremiah to hide their conversation from the officials. Although the king recognized that Jeremiah spoke God’s truth, he failed to act upon it. Jeremiah, however, continued to remain faithful despite opposition and hardship. This chapter reminds believers that hearing God’s truth is not enough without personal obedience. God desires believers to follow Him courageously rather than surrendering to fear, pressure, or the opinions of others.
Application
Am I sincerely obeying God’s truth today? Do I fear people more than God? Am I delaying obedience because of pressure or fear? Will I courageously follow God despite opposition today? Who truly controls my decisions and priorities? Will I trust and obey God faithfully through every difficult and fearful situation?
Jeremiah 38:14–28 (NET)
14 Some time later Zedekiah sent and had Jeremiah brought to him at the third entrance of the Lord’s temple. The king said to Jeremiah, “I would like to ask you a question. Do not hide anything from me when you answer.” 15 Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “If I answer you, you will certainly kill me. If I give you advice, you will not listen to me.” 16 So King Zedekiah made a secret promise to Jeremiah and sealed it with an oath. He promised, “As surely as the Lord lives who has given us life and breath, I promise you this: I will not kill you or hand you over to those men who want to kill you.”
17 Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “The Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says, ‘You must surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon. If you do, your life will be spared and this city will not be burned down. Indeed, you and your whole family will be spared. 18 But if you do not surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, this city will be handed over to the Babylonians and they will burn it down. You yourself will not escape from them.’” 19 Then King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Judeans who have deserted to the Babylonians. The Babylonians might hand me over to them and they will torture me.” 20 Then Jeremiah answered, “You will not be handed over to them. Please obey the Lord by doing what I have been telling you. Then all will go well with you and your life will be spared. 21 But if you refuse to surrender, the Lord has shown me a vision of what will happen. Here is what I saw: 22 All the women who are left in the royal palace of Judah will be led out to the officers of the king of Babylon. They will taunt you saying: “‘Your trusted friends misled you; they have gotten the best of you. Now that your feet are stuck in the mud, they have turned their backs on you.’
23 “All your wives and your children will be turned over to the Babylonians. You yourself will not escape from them but will be captured by the king of Babylon. This city will be burned down.”
24 Then Zedekiah told Jeremiah, “Do not let anyone know about the conversation we have had. If you do, you will die. 25 The officials may hear that I have talked with you. They may come to you and say, ‘Tell us what you said to the king and what the king said to you. Do not hide anything from us. If you do, we will kill you.’ 26 If they do this, tell them, ‘I was pleading with the king not to send me back to die in the dungeon of Jonathan’s house.’” 27 All the officials did indeed come and question Jeremiah. He told them exactly what the king had instructed him to say. They stopped questioning him any further because no one had actually heard their conversation. 28 So Jeremiah remained confined in the courtyard of the guardhouse until the day Jerusalem was captured. The following events occurred when Jerusalem was captured.
What is Causing Your Sickness?
“Medical science recognizes that emotions such as fear, sorrow, envy, resentment and hatred are responsible for the majority of our sicknesses. Estimates vary from 60 to 100 percent.” (None of These Diseases, Dr. S.I. McMillen)