Jeremiah 38-40

God has had it..there are  no more chances for the people to repent (they have had quite enough) and Babylon is going to become the next world power and God will use Babylon to keep the people in captivity for 70 years.  Incredible amounts of prophecy are covered in these chapters.....here's Patricia's take on it....

Posted August 18, 2010 by Patricia in Jeremiah, Psalms. 14 Comments

This is not a skimmer.  So if you skimmed you have to go back and read it over again. ALSO you will read this account from 2 other book writers tomorrow.  We will read the FALL of JERUSALEM in 2 Kings and 2 Chrons tomorrow.

 What you are reading is the Fall of Jerusalem to Babylon exactly as it has been prophesized.  Don’t worry about the names, I just want you to understand the 5 W’s of the Captivity.  SO ask yourself the Who WHat Where When and WHy (and How). And of you cannot answer one of them…SPEAK UP!  Months and Months of Prophecy of the Captivity and the Remnant (underline the remnant in your Bible) all coming true.

Here is a little recap (you can close out for the day if you the read was clear for you but for me….I need a recap)

Jeremiah was thrown into the cistern.  We could sit and talk about the symbolism and application of this imagery all day…I won’t but make sure you have people in your life willing to pull you ou

See Jeremiah was telling the Hebrews, to surrender to the Babylonians…or die.  Zedekiah was king and he was just so spineless.  He wanted to be on Jeremiah’s side but he the officials were too much peer pressure for him.  However, one official went against the grain for sure. Ebed-Melech.  He risked his job as well as his life rescuing Jeremiah from the cistern. (A man we need to model).

 

Then we read the fall of Jerusalem.  Sad wasn’t it.  Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, who captured him, killed his sons in front of him, blinded him and then took him back to Babylon where he died (Didn’t Jeremiah say that would happen if he made that choice)

 

In chapter 40 Jeremiah was freed,just like the Lord said would happen in the first chapter.  Take a minute to read this part of the first chapter.  This prophecy.  Incredible how detailed and true it all is.

But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the LORD.   

  

……..  “Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them.  Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land.  They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the LORD.

 

Psalm 74. I related deeply to the psalmist on this one.  I may acknowledge all who God is”It was you” but yet I still ask WHY to things the Lord does (I am glad Habakkuk is coming up) and I don’t understand when things are in His time and timing.

 

Psalm 79.  I know many of you are psalmist at heart (Hi Helen) but what an eye opening experience reading them in the context in which they were written.  I will not read the Bible the same after this, I will never take a scripture solo and not know the scenario it was referring to.  How cool is that.

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1. Posted by Patricia on August 18, 2010 at 8:20 am

   I got this e-mailed to me….

   Oh my goodness…I’m right in the middle of Jer 38 where Jeremiah was thrown into a cistern and a guy felt bad for him and got him out with the help of 30 men. (Yes I know that was a run-on sentence, but…) Anyway, I assume that Zedekiah won’t surrender to the Babylonians. Am I the only person left who doesn’t know this story?!

   I wanted to write back…ALMOST NO ONE KNOWS THIS STORY. We need to get people reading ALL of the Bible, not just the “church” told stories. Imagine if we as a Church ACTUALLY read the Bible in this world. WOW. IMAGINE.
2. Posted by Penny on August 18, 2010 at 9:41 am

   Ok, ok, it was me that had never read this story before. I’m so ashamed that I don’t know the Word any better than what I do. I have access to Bibles, I’m in good health, I can read, and no one in the world is going to persecute me if I read God’s Word. Then why have I never studied like this before?! I have NO good excuse. All I know is that I’m ready to absorb everything possible. I can no longer make excuses and say, “Well I don’t have time.” I MUST make time. If everyone studied God’s Word, then I am convinced we’d live in a different world! What if we taught our kids about the Lord? Then our kids might teach their kids and so on. Just think…it would be great. What a gift!!

   I was on pins and needles while I read. God’s Word was fulfilled like always. Jerusalem fell. Why didn’t Zedekiah just surrender? Why didn’t the people repent? I don’t know. I want to explore more about the symbolism of the cistern and the 30 men.

   The big point of the day: Repent and trust in the Lord.

   Another cool thing I figured out this last week is that prosperity means peace. I’d take peace over money any day of the week.

   Now I’m going to read the Psalms.
3. Posted by Elizabeth on August 18, 2010 at 9:48 am

   I am one of those who has never heard of this story. I wonder what was going through King Zedekiah’s mind during these chapters of Jeremiah. I wonder if he was fighting in his mind whether to do what God said to do through Jeremiah, or carry on the way things were going like he could handle it (like a lot of people currently do, including me sadly.). It makes me think that God has placed so many things in my life and is patient with me and keeps showing me that I need to change NOW, but then I keep going on and not put what God wants first. I know better and that I can’t do this with Him. I have been praying about this for awhile and I am striving to do better everyday. 
4. Posted by Anonymous on August 18, 2010 at 11:26 am

   Here’s another hand going up…. I don’t ever remember reading this story either!! Isn’t it crazy that we as Christians haven’t used the one most important and readily available tool to us – the Bible?!?!? I know I’m guilty of skimming and just knowing “stories”, but not really diving in and understanding the W’s. I want to though!!…. and this blog sooooo helps with that!!!!
5. Posted by Anonymous on August 18, 2010 at 11:29 am

   Here’s another hand going up…. I don’t think I’ve ever read this story before either. It’s sad to think that as Christians we don’t use the most important and most readily available tool to us – the Bible!! I’m guilty of skimming and just know “stories”, but not knowing the W’s and I want to!… this blog really helps me do that!!
6. Posted by Anonymous on August 18, 2010 at 11:29 am

   Oooooops….. I thought my first comment didn’t save, so I typed it again. Just ignore the duplicate 
7. Posted by brittany devault on August 18, 2010 at 2:20 pm

   I am another one! And I agree I think there would be a mighty move of God if every “christian” in the world actually read the whole bible in its entirity! There SOOOOOOOOO much more than what we were taught growing up!
8. Posted by Penny on August 18, 2010 at 2:36 pm

   It’s me again…on one hand it’s nice to know I’m not in the boat alone. On the other hand, it’s terrible that sooo many people haven’t read the Bible and received God’s word straight from the source. Again I’ll say that I’m completely and totally ashamed of my lack of study in the past. I didn’t grow up going to Sunday School and never attended a VBS until I was an adult volunteer. However, that’s not a good enough excuse to not read, study, and apply today.

   Why don’t we all start thinking about people that we could invite to read along? I think we’ll start the NT in October. I can testify that the reading the Bible has been a life changing event. I know that I would have said different things and thought different ideas if I had not read. I encourage everyone to invite others to read and study. I’m excited about what else I’ll learn!!
9. Posted by brittany devault on August 18, 2010 at 4:06 pm

   penny i am with you!! i can for sure testify that this read thru has changed my life!! changed my way of thinking everything!!! and all my friends doing the read thru i can tell a drastic change in their lives as well it’s so awesome!!!!!!  i think i’ve told trish this before i just wanna stand on a roof somewhere and yell out “yall need to read thru the bible, you will understand so much more when you do and you’re life will be changed!!!!” people would think i’m nuts tho!! hahaha
10. Posted by Erica on August 19, 2010 at 8:04 am

    Haha, Brittany if you decide to do it let me know so I can be there ; )

    I agree that my life has completely changed this year because of reading the Bible for the first time! It is truly amazing. Penny I’m with you about feeling bad that I’ve never done it before, but I’m trying to put that behind me and just be glad that I’m doing it now. I also pray that this isn’t just a season of studying in my life. I pray that God will continue to give me a hunger for His Word.
11. Posted by brittany devault on August 19, 2010 at 8:14 am

    erica i will definitly let you know if i do!!!! hahahaha
12. Posted by Penny on August 19, 2010 at 8:38 am

    Girls, I have an extension ladder if you want to come over. Only one rule…no jumping off the roof into the pool. 

    Erica, I have thought the same thing. I want to be studying just as much this time next year as I am this year. Let’s remind one another if one of us should ever stop studying, learning, or applying.
13. Posted by Erica on August 20, 2010 at 7:25 am

    You got it Penny! I’ll be checking up on you!
14. Posted by Shannah Creel on August 23, 2010 at 6:34 pm

    That was the coolest thing to read. It was like a novel! I’ve never read or heard that story before. I can’t believe this isn’t a standard preschool story with the cistern and everything. I’m learning so much every day.