This chapter describes the fall of Jerusalem and King Zedekiah, as well as Jeremiah and another faithful servant being spared from death.
“Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave command concerning Jeremiah… saying, ‘Take him, look after him well, and do him no harm, but deal with him as he tells you.’ So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard… and all the chief officers of the king of Babylon sent and took Jeremiah from the court of the guard. They entrusted him to Gedaliah… that he should take him home. So he lived among the people.” (v11-14 abr)
Somehow God convinced Babylon that Jeremiah should be spared, so he was treated like a Babylonian citizen and given full rights to live among them. The person who pulled Jeremiah out of the cistern is also spared because God deemed him faithful. Everyone else was either captured, killed, or worse (see v4-8 for Zedekiah’s fate). Only those who were ‘worthless to Babylon’ were left in Judah.
God saves the faithful from destruction. Sometimes there is physical salvation, though God guarantees / promises spiritual salvation (from destruction / banishment).
We are spiritual beings in physical bodies, and since the majority of what we sense is physical, we often want relief from physical difficulties (eg. pain or illness). Even though Jesus healed physical bodies, His main goal was to make a simple way for our spiritual salvation into His eternal kingdom.
Physical suffering, though extremely difficult, is temporary, and meant to remind us of the spiritual suffering ahead if we don’t heed God’s warnings. King Zedekiah ignored multiple warnings of destruction and multiple opportunities for salvation (both spiritual and physical in his case). Let’s follow in Jeremiah’s footsteps, not Zedekiah’s, pursuing the eternal spiritual salvation for ourselves and those around us.
Father God, our Gracious and Merciful Lord, we praise Your mighty name. You, our Magnificent Creator have placed eternity in our hearts, and given us many examples of how we can be faithful to You. Holy Spirit please lead us to fully embrace the spiritual salvation available through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Please also partner with us to share this great news with others. May we live like Jesus, offering comfort to those who are suffering, and the truth of salvation to those who are spiritually afflicted. May we honor, glorify and obey You in all that we say and do, forever and ever, amen.
~ Conqueror in Training