Jeremiah #32: Preaching to the King Jeremiah 21:1-14
This message by the prophet is dated by the reference to the siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. Cp v2, 4 etc. That siege occurred from the 9th-11th years of Zedekiah, and so it began c. 38 years after Jeremiah began to preach. It takes us on to a late date in his service for God.
This was not the next time that Jeremiah preached after the bout of weakness recorded in the last chapter. The chronological order is often departed from in his book. Perhaps this message is included here as a contrast to the weakness of Chapter 20. He is seen here as strong to speak with authority to the King. God can strengthen weak men again!
The thrust of this message is for the King and the royal house. Clearly, it also has implications for the people who served and were loyal to the king. Cp v8.
I THE KING ASKS FOR A WORD FROM GOD.
Cp v1-2.
- The king forced to consider God. Circumstances had come about to turn Zedekiah’s mind to the Lord. He was a wicked King who for years already has lived refusing what the prophet had been teaching. Cp 37:1-2. Jeremiah had been warning of this invasion from the beginning of his ministry—1:14-16. No attention has been paid until now that his words have taken concrete shape. Even men who determine to ignore God must one day acknowledge Him. Cp Ps 9:17, Phil 2:10-11.
- A sad evidence of failure, v1. The priest has no message! The office God charged with instructing the people has nothing to say. How often men who handle the book of God’s law have so lost out with God they have no message to give the people.
- The King’s false expectations, v2. The disobedient, rebellious sinner feels entitled to expect that as soon as he asks, God will simply step in and remove the trouble that is a manifestation of His displeasure. This common view takes no account of sin and the justice of God.
II AN ANSWER OF INFLEXIBLE STERNNESS.
- A word for the King. Jeremiah addresses the King with the authority of a messenger from God. He knew what to say! There is no record of a delay but he had the truth ready to declare. This is the repetition of old truth. Cp 22:3, 18—Zedekiah’s brother who reigned before him. God’s word has not changed. The requirements God makes of sinners who are liable to His wrath do not change!
- Resistance is futile, v4. Zedekiah and his army was actively resisting the Babylonians at this point. It was useless!
- God is their enemy, v5-7. The Lord was at work against Judah. He was thwarting their defensive resistance. He was at work to ensure that Babylon would prevail and conquer the city.
- Doomed! What lay ahead was pestilence…sword…famine….captivity, v7. They had been given over by God to a pitiless, merciless destiny. None would be spared from one or other of these experiences.
III A WAY OF ESCAPE FROM THE WORST ASPECTS OF WRATH.
For some time Jeremiah had been preaching that there was no way now to entirely avoid the consequences of apostasy. Yet as he speaks here he indicates that there was still a way to reduce the impact of that judgement.
- Surrender and submit! Cp v8-10. The Babylonians represented the punishment of God on their sin. Acceptance of the justice of that deserved punishment is what the Lord required. This is a vital part of saving faith! The faith that embraces Christ believes that what He endured was my deserts. Such a choice as Jeremiah urged would have been deemed disloyal and unpatriotic. But the choice had to be made to believe God in this matter.
- Do right! Cp v11-14. An immediate change of policy by the King is called for. The historical example of David is inferred in this. Cp 34:15-16, 21-22. These are the fruits of repentance.
- God was the enemy of the self-confident sinner, v13-14. So long as they continued trusting they were safe they remained under the threat of wrath and God would surely strike them in judgement.