38 Now Shephatiah the son of Mattan, Gedaliah the son of Pashhur, Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur the son of Malchiah heard the words that Jeremiah was saying to all the people: 2 “Thus says the Lord: He who stays in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, but he who goes out to the Chaldeans shall live. He shall have his life as a prize of war, and live. 3 Thus says the Lord: This city shall surely be given into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon and be taken.” 4 Then the officials said to the king, “Let this man be put to death, for he is weakening the hands of the soldiers who are left in this city, and the hands of all the people, by speaking such words to them. For this man is not seeking the welfare of this people, but their harm.” 5 King Zedekiah said, “Behold, he is in your hands, for the king can do nothing against you.” 6 So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king's son, which was in the court of the guard, letting Jeremiah down by ropes. And there was no water in the cistern, but only mud, and Jeremiah sank in the mud.
Jeremiah Rescued from the Cistern
7 When Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, a eunuch who was in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern—the king was sitting in the Benjamin Gate— 8 Ebed-melech went from the king's house and said to the king, 9 “My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they did to Jeremiah the prophet by casting him into the cistern, and he will die there of hunger, for there is no bread left in the city.” 10 Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, “Take thirty men with you from here, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.” 11 So Ebed-melech took the men with him and went to the house of the king, to a wardrobe in the storehouse, and took from there old rags and worn-out clothes, which he let down to Jeremiah in the cistern by ropes. 12 Then Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, “Put the rags and clothes between your armpits and the ropes.” Jeremiah did so. 13 Then they drew Jeremiah up with ropes and lifted him out of the cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.
Jeremiah Warns Zedekiah Again
14 King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah the prophet and received him at the third entrance of the temple of the Lord. The king said to Jeremiah, “I will ask you a question; hide nothing from me.” 15 Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “If I tell you, will you not surely put me to death? And if I give you counsel, you will not listen to me.” 16 Then King Zedekiah swore secretly to Jeremiah, “As the Lord lives, who made our souls, I will not put you to death or deliver you into the hand of these men who seek your life.”
17 Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “Thus says the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: If you will surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then your life shall be spared, and this city shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live. 18 But if you do not surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then this city shall be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and you shall not escape from their hand.” 19 King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Judeans who have deserted to the Chaldeans, lest I be handed over to them and they deal cruelly with me.” 20 Jeremiah said, “You shall not be given to them. Obey now the voice of the Lord in what I say to you, and it shall be well with you, and your life shall be spared. 21 But if you refuse to surrender, this is the vision which the Lord has shown to me: 22 Behold, all the women left in the house of the king of Judah were being led out to the officials of the king of Babylon and were saying,
“‘Your trusted friends have deceived you
and prevailed against you;
now that your feet are sunk in the mud,
they turn away from you.’
23 All your wives and your sons shall be led out to the Chaldeans, and you yourself shall not escape from their hand, but shall be seized by the king of Babylon, and this city shall be burned with fire.”
24 Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “Let no one know of these words, and you shall not die. 25 If the officials hear that I have spoken with you and come to you and say to you, ‘Tell us what you said to the king and what the king said to you; hide nothing from us and we will not put you to death,’ 26 then you shall say to them, ‘I made a humble plea to the king that he would not send me back to the house of Jonathan to die there.’” 27 Then all the officials came to Jeremiah and asked him, and he answered them as the king had instructed him. So they stopped speaking with him, for the conversation had not been overheard. 28 And Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard until the day that Jerusalem was taken.
14 King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah the prophet and received him at the third entrance of the temple of the Lord.
Danger. Danger. Danger.
Will Robinson. One of the aspects of Jeremiah 38 is related to the Annunciation of Jesus Christ, Son of God. The Virgin Birth of the great debate of 1970. The Litmus test of faith.
Jeremiah was and is real. Will Robinson - no. Both were famed for climbing into danger and surviving. Counted the cost of Service and gave. I had a debate about Jeremiah 38 once at a Christmas Tea. And both of us were Wrong. What we didn't see is how many times Jeremiah was put into a hole in the ground in David's Palace the generations of the Line of David used as their Palace. Jeremiah is greatly detailed about the exact way method used to save him during wartime.
And Jeremiah escaped from another Uncle of this king by the very order of Nebuchadnezzar's army men, identified by Bulla seals in Babylon, archaeology of 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.
Jeremiah repeats and repeats, we don't fully grasp how many patterns are continually emerging. Today.
Lines are drawn. No variation and no one should color outside the lines. And Jeremiah can't get a good chance. Suddenly Hope: we have Joseph, foster father of Jesus Christ because Zedekiah decided Jeremiah was telling the way, the truth and the life. Zedekiah would father an incredible, surviving line for Jesus Christ.
Babylonian Cuneiform tell us when and where the family of Zedekiah dined in 597 B.C. Housed in the British Museum. We know about the privileges Nebuchadnezzar II bestowed on this king and his sons.
Hope and Faith met as healing began.
Faith... God can throw a troop right over a wall. The Psalms assure us. Nebuchadnezzar II would agree, he foresaw the fall of his own Chaldean Babylonian Empire a long time before the Persian Empire jumped the walls of Babylon. The Historian Herodotus records the changing of Empires, Herodotus lived during these Empires. 450 BC. Not hundreds of years later. Herodotus records a very descriptive history of the City of Babylon during Nebuchadnezzar. Important for the change of Empires in physical description of the City Wall. We see what Daniel and Ezekiel saw reading Herodotus' words. We can understand the veiled kings, who they were. Believable Scripture supporting Scripture.
How hard is anything for the God who called Life into being by His Word?
Did Jeremiah survive, given the repeated promises of God to Jeremiah that he would live and continue into Judah? Did the Lord allow a Virgin to conceive His Son? Does God Lie? Why would this be difficult for Jeremiah to walk out a firestorm he told would happen in Egypt. It wouldn't have been difficult to walk away. No.
If God tells Jeremiah 3 or more times, Jeremiah will survive, are we really going to believe a bunch of kidnappers thwarted God's Plan? NO.
Tertullian
Born Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus 155 AD Carthage, Roman Empire
Died 220 AD (aged 64–65) Carthage, Roman Empire
Tertullian says Hebrews 11 tells us, not by name, Jeremiah died. We don't know all the specifics of John Kennedy. There is not one chance that 500 and 600 years later, Tertullian knows what happened in Egypt.
James 2:23
and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.
God called upon Jeremiah to believe God. Today. Yesterday. Tomorrow - we are the Lord's own child. Many millenniums of repeat.
Genesis 15:6
Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
To walk in faith. Romans 5:1-2 Faith gains a person acceptance before God. Romans 4:20 Faith glorifies God. Hebrews 11:6 Faith pleases God, and He will reward faith. If we believe The Virgin Birth, Red Sea, Moses, Virgin Birth, Jesus heals them All, Virgin Birth. Why would we want to believe Tertullian, 650 years later?
Believing the Word of God is an act of Faith. Great Mystery of Faith. Repeat.
Romans 4:3
For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God,
and it was credited to him as righteousness."
Union General Lew Wallace decided to bring Paul down to ruin. He went on travels to ruin Paul's reputation 1870 years later. Instead, Ben Hur was written to build faith. Faith to live by and Hope and Love for. Looking into faith, more faith was built.
Strive with faith. If we look at the amazing Babylonian Cuneiform, we find the exiles to Babylon had freedom to gather on Sundays to worship God. Nebuchadnezzar II was interested in human rights in 597 B.C. And in the cuneiform it is written Nebuchadnezzar II allowed his interest in Jeremiah to bring the exiles letters from a Living Jeremiah. The cuneiform was created during this lifetime of events.
Jeremiah had 3 Promises of survival from GOD. Count on Jeremiah to survive. Repeat in all the Books of the Bible.
Galatians 3:6
So also, "Abraham believed God,
and it was credited to him as righteousness."
Repeat. The Children of Israel moaned and whined to Moses about the difficult conditions. They did not believe they would survive. They doubted God's ability to save the number was about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children. And a mixed multitude went up also with them. . . ." (Exodus xii, 37, 38). God saved 600,000 people. He can save Jeremiah.
God saved John from boiling oil. Tertullian wrote about John the Beloved Disciple was saved from boiling oil, killing the guards sent to test the temperature of the oil. A smaller gladiator facility fell to their knees and 3,000 people were saved. The stands erupt in faith for Jesus. Really flummoxing Emperor Domitian. This is Tertullian's life era. Tertullian's time frame. Why don't we believe this? Easily?
Romans 4:20
Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God,
but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,
Repeat. Today. Difficult and uncertain times require faith like Jeremiah and Zedekiah. We can believe God when He is Promising us. Nehemiah lived, Lived when outcome and times were in flux.
Nehemiah 9:8
You found his heart faithful before You, and made a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites and Hittites, of the Amorites and Perizzites, of the Jebusites and Girgashites--to give it to his descendants. You have kept Your promise, because You are righteous.
Abba, Father,
Help us to see the wheat
and be the Wheat of God on the days
the weeds seem to choke out
faith.
Help us to reach to You
and find Joy.
Dwell in me, Jesus Christ.
Please dwell in those I love.
In Jesus, help us to seek You first.
We will finish well in Jesus Christ.
Help as our Foundation.
To build and remain in Love.
To accept Love and Know You alone are God.
Not to accept what is not acceptable.
In Joy, to shake off what is not valor.
And in Your Joy
take what the wild winds blow
and find God as Refuge
and Jesus as Peace.
Being bold
and courageous
and enduring in Jesus.
Allowing the difficulties
to give us wisdom
and make way, truth and Life in Jesus Christ
for the people
You have placed in our care.
Let us receive Your Mercy
in our soul
and do as You ask
each day.
1 John 4:17 By this is love perfected with us,
so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment,
because
AS HE IS
so also are we in this world.
His Mercies Renew
God is our Joy and Strength.
We do not know all You know.
We do not have the omnipotence for a complete prayer.
We can't surround every person
or every issue
to bring the healing we know Jesus does.
You are the Light of Heaven.
Jesus, You are the Light of Nations.
Jesus Christ,
Only Son of the Most High God,
You are the Light of mankind.
We have a heart for the difficulties
facing our own lives,
the lives of those we love,
This Nation,
and Ukraine
and the plight of the Russians.
And in the hearts of mankind
You have delighted in,
we ask Jesus Christ
to be our Blessing,
Teacher,
Healer,
Lord of us all.
God of Love.
God of Encouragement.
We Thank You
for the Blessings
You give us daily.
And ask for You
provide
Grace and Mercy
for our trespasses.
To heal us,
the Healing in our Loved Ones,
to Heal the Nation,
To Bless Ukraine and Russians
with Peace.
Love.
Joy.
Jesus.
Amen in Your Son,
the Highest Name of Jesus,
Amen.
Abba, Father God,
May God Bless us by dwelling in us.
Bless us by dwelling in those we Love.
Help us to Seek You First
In Jesus Christ, we will finish well.
Bless us surrounding, upholding, comforting us
and Blessing us in the Highest Name of Jesus Christ.
May we be so blessed as to seek God first.
Blessed be the Highest Name of Jesus
for Fulfilling His Word to us.
Surround us with Your Love
and Your Mercy, we ask in Jesus.
Thank You, Father. Abba.
We ask to be rid of all Covid, pandemics and anger.
Mark 16:1-8
~ they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled
Never could happen
and, yet,
this is Miraculously Jesus
We will Rise.
We pray for Liberty and Justice for all.
We will pray for the President who was invaded
as he was then mocked by another Presidential family
for their personal escape from justice. As a selling point.
To be invaded
is not a good thing.
We pray no one is invaded
again
Justice creates Unity.
Injustice allowing what is questionable and wrong
is separatist
does not build strength.
We ask the Lord
for
Liberty and Justice
For ALL
Justice
will flow like
waters of righteousness
in an ever present
and flowing presence of God.
Finally, be strong in The Lord and in the strength of His might.
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel
Jesus has the Victory.
We are more.
We are conquerors
in
Jesus Christ.
Bless us and Keep us
and make His face
to shine upon us.
To be gracious to us.
To lift His Countenance upon us.
The Lord Jesus to Smile His Joy.
To give us His Peace.
His very own Peace.
To surround us in Jesus and His Love
Causing our path to give goodness
and mercy as our footsteps
We are Blessed to have
Jesus Christ
as our Savior.
Jesus bless us ALL to Overcome
Alleluia, Jesus has the Victory.
Alleluia!