Devotional Commentary on Jeremiah 21

 

Zedekiah was to reign the 11 years before the exile in 586 BCE. When Nebuchadnezzar’s troops came, he sent Pashur the son of Milchiah and Zephaniah the son of Maasiah the priest (verse 1). He was to ask the Lord if the Lord is going to do wonders so that Nebuchadnezzar cannot defeat them and that he will withdraw from there (verse 2). It appears as if it was near 586 BCE that this chapter’s events took place. We know that Gedaliah was the son of Pashur and his seal was found in Jerusalem as the previous chapter indicated.

 

They were ready to try to fight the Babylonians with their own weapons but Jeremiah told them that the Lord said that their weapons will turn against them. Although they were outside the city the Lord will bring them in (verse 3-4).

 

Their biggest problem is not the superpower but the Superpower. “I [Lord] will wage war with you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, and with anger and with fury and with great wrath” (verse 5).

 

God is going to smite the inhabitants and animals with pestilence, famine and the sword (verse 6). Those remaining from the pestilence, sword and famine would be delivered to Nebuchadnezzar (verse 7).

 

The year 586 BCE was to be a pivotal point in the history of spiritual Israel. Their heavenly agenda was set and their time was up. This chapter is of extreme relevance for us here in South Korea. We are the nation with the highest number of Christians in the region. It is true that there are many Christians in China but they are either state-controlled or true believers underground. In South Korea the Christians are free to exercise their religion without interference whatsoever, no if’s or but’s. Communism is always afraid of Christians because they think if the numbers are high then they will loose popularity. That is not true for despite the fact that South Korea has such a large number of Christians, many of them voted a more socialistic government style in the previous election. War-cries are in the are between North Korea and the USA and also between China and India and Japan and China struggles in maritime territorial disputes. This all around South Korea the Christian beacon. So, say the president of South Korea asks the pastors to ask the Lord if He would do a miracle to save them, but His answer is that the USA weapons will be turn back and that there will be a pestilence in Seoul with its 13 million people and the attacks and famine. What a disastrous message would the pastors convey to the president of South Korea. This is the velocity that we are dealing with in this chapter with Jeremiah. Now if God is tired with our spirituality and we are on a low in His estimation we can be in trouble. Also or in the alternative, if He wants to close history to start eternity, He may also follow the negative scenario outlined above. He has his own reasons why He does things but what is necessary in the future is the Latter Rain, the salvation of more people all over the world. Without migrations, without wars between nations, without surprising events in our own tranquility and secular-sunk lifestyles, probably the present status quo cannot tap more souls for His kingdom? This is a scenario that each Christian must contemplate to be effective for God and not overcome with heart-attacks. Also a sign of the end. The Time of Trouble (Daniel 12:1-2) is predicted and must come. Is it now or soon? We must keep in mind that when Presbyterian and Catholic and other Christian ministers in the government visited the Buddhist temples as is required sometimes from the president, they also bowed before the image of Buddhah and this would upset God extremely.

 

“He will not spare them, neither will He pity nor show compassion” (verse 7). God gave a message to Jeremiah, a final call: “Behold I place before you the way of life and the way of death” (verse 9).

 

God explained to Jeremiah that whoever stays in the city would be killed but those who defect to the Babylonians would be saved (verse 9). If pastors suggest that here they would be arrested for treason. But Jeremiah had to say that.

 

God has put His anger against the city and it would be burnt (verse 10).

 

Specific against the government or the king of Judah God had a message (verse 11). They were to execute justice in the morning and rescue the robbed from the hand of the robber lest [pen] His fury will be like a fire and burn with no one to extinguish it because [mpny] “of the evil of your deeds” (verse 12). It is because of deeds. What one sow will one reaps. God is the One who comes for the harvest to check the fruits of the Spirit and if it is useless waste then one gets what one set up for oneself (see verse 14).

 

The inhabitants of the valley and the rock of the plain reject the message of Jeremiah and says the opposite: “Who will encamp upon us, and who will come into our dwellings” (verse 13).

 

Dear God

We have to cling to You for survival otherwise we will all go under. Rock of Ages turn the miracle the other way and bring changes in the enemies’ heart towards You. Let Your soft Holy Spirit transform nations around us. In Jesus Name. Amen.