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.