Lectionary Calendar

Saturday, November 23rd, 2024
the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33

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Bible Commentaries
Jeremiah 39

JeremiahJer 38 JeremiahJer JeremiahJer 40

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Verses 1-18

Intro:
1. Last chapter Zedekiah was warned “Surrender or else!”
2. This chapter is a Readers Digest version of ch. 52.
  1. And also 2 Kings 25 & 2 Chronicles 36. All describe the Fall of Jerusalem.
  2. Finally, Jeremiah’s message is vindicated!
  3. Had this chapter not taken place (Jer. prophecy fulfilled), we wouldn’t be reading Jeremiah but Hananiah (ch.28).
    1. He was the false prophet who said, “Babylon will not prevail against us!”
3. Outline: God’s Judgment! God’s Mercy!
  1. God’s Justice: Ps.7:11 “God is a just judge,”;Ps.96:13 “He shall judge the world with righteousness, And the peoples with His truth.”;Gen.18:25 “"Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?"
    1. When John says “God is light & in Him is no darkness at all” he is explaining to us he can’t what we call “fudge” a little!
    2. His judgments are true & righteous altogether!
  2. God’s Mercy: Ps.33:18 “Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy,”Ps.100:5 “ For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting,”Ps.136! – All 36 verses have “for His Mercy endures forever!
GOD’S JUDGMENT! (1-9)
1. God's mill grinds slow, but sure!
2. Jerusalem Falls: (1-3)
3. Vs.1,2 - And so our enemy: [1] comes against us; [2] besieges us; & then [3] penetrates our wall.
4. The capture of Jerusalem by the Babylonians was in July 587 bc. The siege started in Jan 588bc.
5. Vs.3 – Sitting in the gate” – A place of power!
  1. This is the start of Lk.21:24 “The times of the Gentiles”
    1. This “Times of the Gentiles” ends when Messiah will start his reign.
6. Man on the Run! (4)
7. His escape route was near the pool of Siloam. He fled north.
8. “Zedekiah, who has not dared to let God save him, nor his city, nor his family(38:17-19), now deserts the people he has doomed.”
  1. There could only be one outcome! He is rewarded for his works.
  2. “Safety is a fatal goal to live for!”
    1. Jn.12:25 “"He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”
9. The Capture: (5)
10. The enemy pursued him, overtook him, captured him, brought him, & pronounced judgment on him.
  1. (song to Humpty Dumpty) “All the kings horses, & all the kings men, dragged Zedekiah to a pitiful end!”
11. Judgment Day! (6-9)
12. Vs.6 - The Babylonians weren’t known for their tenderness!
13. Vs.7 – The last thing “before his eyes” was his sons being executed, & his nobles.
  1. This was a normal practice in that day, remember 1 Sam.11:1-3.
  2. Ezekiel prophesied that Zedekiah wouldn’t see the land of Babylon (12:13).
  3. We were also told he would die blind & in exile, but in peace & have the mourning rites proper to a king(34:2-5).
    1. He does die later in Babylon(52:11)
14. The blinded, childless king, being dragged away in shackles, is a graphic reminder of a basic spiritual truth. “Anyone can choose to ignore the Word of God. But no one can avoid the consequences of that choice.”
  1. He walked by sight & ended up in darkness!
  2. He lived to serve himself & lost everything!
  3. He also learned the lesson, “Be sure your sin will find you out!” (Numb.32:23)
15. Vs.8 – The destruction of Jerusalem.
  1. They also pillaged the precious things of the Temple.
16. Vs.9 – This is 1 month later (52:12) when Nebuzaradan arrives & takes charge of both the destruction, & the deportation.
  1. The 1^st deportation was in 593; this is the 2^nd (587); & the 3^rd is in (52:30).
17. “God gives his wrath by weight, but his mercy without measure.”
GOD’S MERCY! (10-18)
1. The Poor! (10)
2. The poor stay, are given these fields…most likely to work.
3. Jeremiah! (11-14)
4. Vs.11,12 - Jeremiah’s promises were fulfilled (re: protection) {1:17-19; 15:20,21}
  1. Jeremiah was finally rewarded for his faithfulness!
    1. 40 difficult years he courageously proclaimed God’s word, even though his people refused to obey it.
    2. If you measure his ministry by “results”…it was a failure.
  2. God obviously moved on Nebuchadnezzar’s heart to treat him kindly.
  3. The Babylonian authorities were obviously aware of Jeremiah’s apparent favorable attitude.
5. Vs.14 – Chapter 40:1explains he was chained & was marching w/his fellow captives. Then he was set free to join Gedaliah(14).
  1. Given his freedom Jeremiah chose to stay with the remnant & minister to them(poor)…after all Daniel & Ezekiel were in Babylon.
6. Ebed-Melech! (15-18)
7. Remember him from last week? he was the one even concerned for Jeremiah’s armpits, when pulling him out of the mire in the cistern.
  1. Here’s an “outsider” that trusted in the God of Israel, but the Jews would not trust Him!
8. God alone determines what shall happen to the man who puts his Trust in Him!
  1. Heb.11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
9. Trust! – The middle verse of our bible Ps.118:8 “It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in man.”
  1. A father asked one of his 3 girls who had just gone to bed if she had said her prayers. She said that she had not. He asked her if she were not afraid to go to bed w/o having prayed?. She answered, “Not tonight, it’s my turn to sleep in the middle!”
  2. All I have seen, teaches me to trust the Creator, for all I have not seen. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
  3. If we love Christ much, surely we shall trust him much.(Thomas Benton Brooks)
  4. It is not our trust that keeps us, but the God in whom we trust who keeps us. Oswald Chambers
  5. There is no panic in trust.
10. Story - Remember as a child, falling stiff, into an older brother or friends arms, trusting they would catch you?
  1. Was it blind trust? & Why did you trust them?
  2. [1] You knew them(he was not a stranger)!
  3. [2] You had reason to trust them (past experiences where they showed themselves trustworthy)!
  4. [3] Because we made them “swear on a stack of holy bibles” that they wouldn’t drop us!
  5. So w/God we can trust Him because We know Him; He has shown himself trustworthy in the past; & because he has sworn to us His promises!
11. Story - #6936 (7700) Robin
AfterGlow!
1. Ps.40:16,17
2. Since we fight for the liberty to worship, should we not make more use of that liberty?
3. The Father is seeking such to Worship Him! (Jn.4:23)
4. God wants worshipers before workers!
5. If worship does not change us, it has not been worship. To stand before the Holy One of eternity is to change. Worship begins in holy expectancy; it ends in holy obedience.
6. Jesus, where'er thy people meet, There they behold thy mercy seat; Where'er they seek thee thou art found, And every place is hallowed ground. [William Cowper]
  1. Let the ground beneath you be Holy ground(set-apart ground) tonight!

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Verses 1-18

Intro:
1. Last chapter Zedekiah was warned “Surrender or else!”
2. This chapter is a Readers Digest version of ch. 52.
  1. And also 2 Kings 25 & 2 Chronicles 36. All describe the Fall of Jerusalem.
  2. Finally, Jeremiah’s message is vindicated!
  3. Had this chapter not taken place (Jer. prophecy fulfilled), we wouldn’t be reading Jeremiah but Hananiah (ch.28).
    1. He was the false prophet who said, “Babylon will not prevail against us!”
3. Outline: God’s Judgment! God’s Mercy!
  1. God’s Justice: Ps.7:11 “God is a just judge,”;Ps.96:13 “He shall judge the world with righteousness, And the peoples with His truth.”;Gen.18:25 “"Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?"
    1. When John says “God is light & in Him is no darkness at all” he is explaining to us he can’t what we call “fudge” a little!
    2. His judgments are true & righteous altogether!
  2. God’s Mercy: Ps.33:18 “Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy,”Ps.100:5 “ For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting,”Ps.136! – All 36 verses have “for His Mercy endures forever!
GOD’S JUDGMENT! (1-9)
1. God's mill grinds slow, but sure!
2. Jerusalem Falls: (1-3)
3. Vs.1,2 - And so our enemy: [1] comes against us; [2] besieges us; & then [3] penetrates our wall.
4. The capture of Jerusalem by the Babylonians was in July 587 bc. The siege started in Jan 588bc.
5. Vs.3 – Sitting in the gate” – A place of power!
  1. This is the start of Lk.21:24 “The times of the Gentiles”
    1. This “Times of the Gentiles” ends when Messiah will start his reign.
6. Man on the Run! (4)
7. His escape route was near the pool of Siloam. He fled north.
8. “Zedekiah, who has not dared to let God save him, nor his city, nor his family(38:17-19), now deserts the people he has doomed.”
  1. There could only be one outcome! He is rewarded for his works.
  2. “Safety is a fatal goal to live for!”
    1. Jn.12:25 “"He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”
9. The Capture: (5)
10. The enemy pursued him, overtook him, captured him, brought him, & pronounced judgment on him.
  1. (song to Humpty Dumpty) “All the kings horses, & all the kings men, dragged Zedekiah to a pitiful end!”
11. Judgment Day! (6-9)
12. Vs.6 - The Babylonians weren’t known for their tenderness!
13. Vs.7 – The last thing “before his eyes” was his sons being executed, & his nobles.
  1. This was a normal practice in that day, remember 1 Sam.11:1-3.
  2. Ezekiel prophesied that Zedekiah wouldn’t see the land of Babylon (12:13).
  3. We were also told he would die blind & in exile, but in peace & have the mourning rites proper to a king(34:2-5).
    1. He does die later in Babylon(52:11)
14. The blinded, childless king, being dragged away in shackles, is a graphic reminder of a basic spiritual truth. “Anyone can choose to ignore the Word of God. But no one can avoid the consequences of that choice.”
  1. He walked by sight & ended up in darkness!
  2. He lived to serve himself & lost everything!
  3. He also learned the lesson, “Be sure your sin will find you out!” (Numb.32:23)
15. Vs.8 – The destruction of Jerusalem.
  1. They also pillaged the precious things of the Temple.
16. Vs.9 – This is 1 month later (52:12) when Nebuzaradan arrives & takes charge of both the destruction, & the deportation.
  1. The 1^st deportation was in 593; this is the 2^nd (587); & the 3^rd is in (52:30).
17. “God gives his wrath by weight, but his mercy without measure.”
GOD’S MERCY! (10-18)
1. The Poor! (10)
2. The poor stay, are given these fields…most likely to work.
3. Jeremiah! (11-14)
4. Vs.11,12 - Jeremiah’s promises were fulfilled (re: protection) {1:17-19; 15:20,21}
  1. Jeremiah was finally rewarded for his faithfulness!
    1. 40 difficult years he courageously proclaimed God’s word, even though his people refused to obey it.
    2. If you measure his ministry by “results”…it was a failure.
  2. God obviously moved on Nebuchadnezzar’s heart to treat him kindly.
  3. The Babylonian authorities were obviously aware of Jeremiah’s apparent favorable attitude.
5. Vs.14 – Chapter 40:1explains he was chained & was marching w/his fellow captives. Then he was set free to join Gedaliah(14).
  1. Given his freedom Jeremiah chose to stay with the remnant & minister to them(poor)…after all Daniel & Ezekiel were in Babylon.
6. Ebed-Melech! (15-18)
7. Remember him from last week? he was the one even concerned for Jeremiah’s armpits, when pulling him out of the mire in the cistern.
  1. Here’s an “outsider” that trusted in the God of Israel, but the Jews would not trust Him!
8. God alone determines what shall happen to the man who puts his Trust in Him!
  1. Heb.11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
9. Trust! – The middle verse of our bible Ps.118:8 “It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in man.”
  1. A father asked one of his 3 girls who had just gone to bed if she had said her prayers. She said that she had not. He asked her if she were not afraid to go to bed w/o having prayed?. She answered, “Not tonight, it’s my turn to sleep in the middle!”
  2. All I have seen, teaches me to trust the Creator, for all I have not seen. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
  3. If we love Christ much, surely we shall trust him much.(Thomas Benton Brooks)
  4. It is not our trust that keeps us, but the God in whom we trust who keeps us. Oswald Chambers
  5. There is no panic in trust.
10. Story - Remember as a child, falling stiff, into an older brother or friends arms, trusting they would catch you?
  1. Was it blind trust? & Why did you trust them?
  2. [1] You knew them(he was not a stranger)!
  3. [2] You had reason to trust them (past experiences where they showed themselves trustworthy)!
  4. [3] Because we made them “swear on a stack of holy bibles” that they wouldn’t drop us!
  5. So w/God we can trust Him because We know Him; He has shown himself trustworthy in the past; & because he has sworn to us His promises!
11. Story - #6936 (7700) Robin
AfterGlow!
1. Ps.40:16,17
2. Since we fight for the liberty to worship, should we not make more use of that liberty?
3. The Father is seeking such to Worship Him! (Jn.4:23)
4. God wants worshipers before workers!
5. If worship does not change us, it has not been worship. To stand before the Holy One of eternity is to change. Worship begins in holy expectancy; it ends in holy obedience.
6. Jesus, where'er thy people meet, There they behold thy mercy seat; Where'er they seek thee thou art found, And every place is hallowed ground. [William Cowper]
  1. Let the ground beneath you be Holy ground(set-apart ground) tonight!

return to 'Top of Page'

JeremiahJer 38 JeremiahJer JeremiahJer 40

Copyright Statement
These files are the property of Brian Bell.
Text Courtesy of Calvary Chapel of Murrieta. Used by Permission.

Bibliographical Information
Bell, Brian. "Commentary on Jeremiah 39". "Bell's Commentary". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/cbb/jeremiah-39.html. 2017.

Bible CommentariesJeremiah 39

Bell's Commentary on the BibleBell's Commentary

Verses 1-18

Verses 1-18

Bible Commentaries
Jeremiah 39