Jeremiah 34 - Jerusalem Falling

LINK: Jeremiah 34

BACKGROUND

The Babylonian Captivity had finally come. You can read the post from 2 Kings 24-25 & 2 Chronicles 36  for a review. Jeremiah 32-34 is in chronological order. 

This chapter was the fulfillment of many of Jeremiah's prophecies. The prophecy to Zedekiah is a more detailed prophecy already given in Jeremiah 32:1-5 that resulted in Jeremiah being put in prison. 

As Jerusalem was falling, Zedekiah finally gave heed to Jeremiah's prophecies and attempted to please God by freeing slaves. That is too little, too late! According to the Law, bond-servants are to be freed in the seventh year (Exodus 21:22; Deuteronomy 15:12), and the people were not doing that.

The people released the slaves, and there was a temporary reprieve from the attack while the Babylonians had to repel an attack of the Egyptians (37:4-13). Judah was hoping that Egypt would win, and they would be saved from captivity. Hedging their bets toward Egypt, they took their slaves back again; thus, proving that they did not really want to follow God with their whole hearts. 

How they had forgotten their own ancestors' slavery in Egypt and God's deliverance from that bondage. Now, they would be freed, but it would be freedom from life by sword, plague, and famine!

The covenant was made by cutting a calf in two and walking between the pieces symbolizing their commitment to the covenant. We learned about this in Genesis 15:4-18 when God made the covenant with Abraham. God passed between the parts of the animal in the form of a smoking oven and a blazing torch. Now, God was promising that Judah would be treated like the slaughtered calf!

Zedekiah and his officials were doomed for their lack of godly leadership! 

REFLECTION or APPLICATION 

Read the Micah 3-5 post about godly leadership.

PRAYER

Lord, help us to keep our promises to You. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.