Jeremiah 38:1-28 Comments by Stephen Ricker
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Jeremiah in a Cistern
Comments for Study 29

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Memory Verse: 15
Questions
Introduction
Outline
MAPS OF THE DIVIDED KINGDOM OF ISRAEL
A MAP OF ASSYRIA
A MAP OF THE BABYLONIAN EMPIRE
ISRAEL'S HISTORY
A LIST OF ISRAEL'S KINGS AND PROPHETS
OLD TESTAMENT BOOKS TIMELINE
A LIST OF MAJOR EVENTS FROM JEREMIAH'S TIME TO ROMAN TIMES

SORRY, THE COMMENTARY FOR THIS STUDY IS NOT FINISHED.
CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF BOOKS THAT ARE COMPLETED.

I. Jeremiah in a Cistern (38:1-13)

>1. Who is this event about? (1)

* Jeremiah 38:1 "Shephatiah son of Mattan, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, Jehucal son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malkijah heard what Jeremiah was telling all the people when he said,"

* Verse 4 says these for men were officials.

* Jeremiah 38:1-13 and 39:15-18. Ezekiel had prophesied about this.

What was it like to be an plain average citizen in Jerusalem at the time of the third and final siege of Jerusalem, during the small time that Nebuchadnezzar withdrew his troops to fight Egypt? This was a time of great trouble and distress, a time of inbetween, a time of worried inhibitions. Like any other time it was a time to make decisions, right or wrong, in God's will or against God's will, for selfishless reasons or selfishless reasons, to love or to hate.

Ebed-Melek was an average citizen. Unlike most of his fellow citizens Ebed-Melek was a man of noble character. He was not an Israelite. He was from Cush, a land in the African continent. He was in the service of the palace, and thus an eunuch. Ebed-Melek trusted the Lord. This assessment is according to the word of God given to him by the prophet Jeremiah. (39:15-18)

Ebed-Melek's character is displayed when he risked his position in the king's palace and perhaps his life when he went to the king to respectfully asked for permission to pull Jeremiah from the cistern. How do I know this? Because the mere mention of Jeremiah's name cause hate and mockery in Ebed-Melek's fellow Judeans.

The king was sitting at the Benjamin gate, a gate of Jerusalem that lead to the land belonging to the tribe of Benjamin. He would not have been able to sit at this gate if the Babylon army had been there. They left. So, as far as anyone is concerned, Jeremiah was wrong, Egypt appears to be saving Jerusalem and all Judah from Nebuchadnezzar. Jeremiah said Egypt would not save Judah from the Lord's punishment. To the king Jeremiah's aparent heresy was punishable with death according to the law of God.

Yet here came Ebed-Melek respectfully, humbly, and bravely asking for Jeremiah's release. Such is a man who trusts in the Lord. He reminds me of the man who asked to have permission to take Jesus's dead body down from the cross and bury him.

Heroes of heaven are those who bravely in secret do selfless acts of faith in the name of God for others well being. They don't merely pray and ask others to pray for others. They do things by faith.

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* If the book would be in chronological order it would be as follow: 34:8-22; 37:11-38:13; 39:15-18; chs. 32-33; 38:14-39:14; 52:1-30.

>What was Jeremiah saying? (2-3)

* Jeremiah 38:2-3 "This is what the LORD says: 'Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague, but whoever goes over to the Babylonians will live. He will escape with his life; he will live.' And this is what the LORD says: 'This city will certainly be handed over to the army of the king of Babylon, who will capture it.'"

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>Why might they be offended by his words?

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>Why did the Lord tell them this?

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Jeremiah Arrested

>2. Why was the official's point of view politically right, but spiritually wrong? (4)

* Jeremiah 38:4 "Then the officials said to the king, "This man should be put to death. He is discouraging the soldiers who are left in this city, as well as all the people, by the things he is saying to them. This man is not seeking the good of these people but their ruin."

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>Why might the king say what he did? (5)

* Jeremiah 38:5 "He is in your hands," King Zedekiah answered. "The king can do nothing to oppose you."

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Jeremiah in cistern

>What did they do with Jeremiah? (6)

* Jeremiah 38:6 "So they took Jeremiah and put him into the cistern of Malkijah, the king's son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. They lowered Jeremiah by ropes into the cistern; it had no water in it, only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud."

* If they believed he was a false prophet and believed in the Lord they would have kept the covenant and put him to death?

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>What can be said of Jeremiah's faith? (Hebrews 11:36-40)

* Hebrews 11:36-40 "Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated-- the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect."

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>3. What did Ebed-Melech do when he heard Jeremiah's situation? (7-9)

* Jeremiah 38:7-9 "But Ebed-Melech, a Cushite, an official in the royal palace, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern. While the king was sitting in the Benjamin Gate, Ebed-Melech went out of the palace and said to him, "My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have thrown him into a cistern, where he will starve to death when there is no longer any bread in the city."

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>Why did this take faith and love? (Romans 5:7)

* Romans 5:7 "Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die."

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>How did the king respond? (10)

* Jeremiah 38:10 "Then the king commanded Ebed-Melech the Cushite, "Take thirty men from here with you and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies."

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>4. How can we see from Ebed-Melech really cared for Jeremiah in the way he rescued him? (11-13)

* Jeremiah 38:11-13 "So Ebed-Melech took the men with him and went to a room under the treasury in the palace. He took some old rags and worn-out clothes from there and let them down with ropes to Jeremiah in the cistern. Ebed-Melech the Cushite said to Jeremiah, "Put these old rags and worn-out clothes under your arms to pad the ropes." Jeremiah did so, and they pulled him up with the ropes and lifted him out of the cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard."

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Jeremiah in cistern

>How can we be like him? (Hebrews 13:1-3)

* John 13:34-35 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

* Hebrews 13:1-3 "Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering."

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II. Zedekiah Must Surrender to Live (38:6-19)

>5. Why did the king know that Jeremiah might hide from him the answer to his question? (14)

* Jeremiah 38:14 "Then King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah the prophet and had him brought to the third entrance to the temple of the LORD. "I am going to ask you something," the king said to Jeremiah. "Do not hide anything from me."

* King Zedekiah knew what Jeremiah's answer was going to be because Jeremiah had already stated it to him several times before. Each time Jeremiah told people the fate of the Judah, the city, and the king they either ignored him, beat him, imprissioned him in the courtyard, in a dungeon, or a cistern.

* King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah whom he had put under guard. He wanted to know what he should do. He had already been told what to do. Yet he did not do it. He did the opposite.

Jeremiah told him to surrender to Babylon just as he said before. The king's excuse was he was afraid of the Jews who already went over to the Babylonians. Even though the Lord promised him through Jeremiah that he would not be harmed Zedekiah would not accept it. He refused Jeremiah to tell anyone about their conversation because of fear.

Zedekiah feared people, not God. He trusted himself, not God. Jesus taught, "I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him." (Luke) And Revelation says, "Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth-to every nation, tribe, language and people. He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water." Until the sinful nature is removed from my soul, fear of God's judgement can keep me from sinful acts.

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>What did Jeremiah knew the king was capable of? (15)

* Jeremiah 38:15 "Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "If I give you an answer, will you not kill me? Even if I did give you counsel, you would not listen to me."

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>What did the king promise? (16)

* Jeremiah 38:16 "But King Zedekiah swore this oath secretly to Jeremiah: "As surely as the LORD lives, who has given us breath, I will neither kill you nor hand you over to those who are seeking your life."

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>6. What hope were there for Zedekiah? (17)

* Jeremiah 38:17 "Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "This is what the LORD God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: 'If you surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, your life will be spared and this city will not be burned down; you and your family will live."

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>What warning? (18)

* Jeremiah 38:18 "But if you will 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 their hands.'"

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>How does this explain that sometimes in our lives we don't get what we want?

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>7. What did the king confess? (19)

* Jeremiah 38:19 "King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, "I am afraid of the Jews who have gone over to the Babylonians, for the Babylonians may hand me over to them and they will mistreat me."

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>What did Jesus teach us about who to fear? (Luke 12:4-10)

* Luke 12:4-10 "I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven."

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III. Keep This Secret (38:20-28)

>8. What did Jeremiah reassure the king of? (20-21)

* Jeremiah 38:20-21 "They will not hand you over," Jeremiah replied. "Obey the LORD by doing what I tell you. Then it will go well with you, and your life will be spared. But if you refuse to surrender, this is what the LORD has revealed to me:"

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>What kind of friends were the officials? (22)

* Jeremiah 38:22 "All the women left in the palace of the king of Judah will be brought out to the officials of the king of Babylon. Those women will say to you: "'They misled you and overcame you-- those trusted friends of yours. Your feet are sunk in the mud; your friends have deserted you.'"

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>If the king obeyed his friends rather than God what would happen?

* Jeremiah 38:23 ""All your wives and children will be brought out to the Babylonians. You yourself will not escape from their hands but will be captured by the king of Babylon; and this city will be burned down."

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>9. How does the king's response show his heart? (24)

* Jeremiah 38:24 "Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, "Do not let anyone know about this conversation, or you may die."

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>Who did he still fear?

* Jeremiah 38:25-26 "If the officials hear that I talked with you, and they come to you and say, 'Tell us what you said to the king and what the king said to you; do not hide it from us or we will kill you,' then tell them, 'I was pleading with the king not to send me back to Jonathan's house to die there.'"

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>How was the king compromising?

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>10. Why might Jeremiah obey the king even though it meant he lied? (Mark 12:17; Acts 5:29; Hebrews 13:17)

* Jeremiah 38:27 "All the officials did come to Jeremiah and question him, and he told them everything the king had ordered him to say. So they said no more to him, for no one had heard his conversation with the king."

* Hebrews 13:17 "Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you."

* Mark 12:17 "Then Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." And they were amazed at him."

* Acts 5:29 "Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men!"

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>Where was Jeremiah confined to?

* Jeremiah 38:28 "And Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard until the day Jerusalem was captured."

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>What kind of hope did he have?

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