Having a Sense of Justice and Mercy

BIBLE STUDY #770-CHURCH IN THE HOUSES TUESDAY MAY 21 @ 27, 2013

Topic: “Having a Sense of Justice and Mercy” Jeremiah 38:7-13 Jeremiah was thrown in a muddy cistern for advising the people to leave the city of Jerusalem and pass on to the Babylonians Jeremiah 38:1 “…heard what Jeremiah was telling all the people when he said, “This is what the Lord says: “Whoever stays in the city will die by the sword, famine or plague, but whoever goes to over to the Babylonians will live. He will escape with his life; he will live” Zedekiah, who was the king, openly expressed his weakness about the wrongdoing on behalf of the people with the prophet; apparently he couldn’t, well he didn’t dare frustrate the will of his princes and protect the prophet. The king preferred to yield before his princes, he could not defend Jeremiah. Jeremiah 38:4, 5 “Then the officials said to the king, “this man should be put to death. (Jeremiah) He is discouraging the soldiers who are left in the city, as well as all the people, by the things he is saying to them. This man is not seeking the good of those people but their ruin.” “He is in your hands,” King Zedekiah answered. “The king can do nothing to oppose you.” The king admitted he could not help Jeremiah. They threw the prophet Jeremiah into a cistern without water, in it there was only mud and he sank down. Jeremiah remained buried in that mud at the bottom of the cistern. (Vs. 6) Since the king could not give orders to his princes and they hated Jeremiah because he told them what was going to happen to them, so Jeremiah remained in that cistern; and there was no one to help him get out. Nevertheless, only one man interceded on behalf of the prophet, an official from the king’s court. (Vs. 7-9) We see that the person who could do something for Jeremiah was Zedekiah, but he was a weak king and he was afraid of opposing his princes since he feared for his own life. Ebed-Melech was a servant of the king and of God. He was brave, he owed himself to the king, he had no one to please but rather his life was dedicated to serve. The king was at the door called of Benjamin, when he went there it was for consultation, appeals and petitions. (Vs. 7) Ebed-Melech immediately went there; well the case did not allow any delay. With much courage he tells the king that Jeremiah had been treated with a great deal of injustice; that the princes had acted unfairly. He makes the King understand of the evil act committed by those men with the prophet. (Vs. 9) Then, after hearing him, the king sends Ebed-Melech himself to be the one who sets Jeremiah free. (Vs. 10) In that moment the king makes a gesture of courage before his princes. Surely he saw the firmness of the eunuch, and that encouraged him. THE FIRMNESS, THE DISPOSITION OF A BRAVE PERSON SHUTS THE MOUTH OF OTHERS AND SOOTHES THE WICKEDNESS OF THE GREAT ONES. We can appreciate the great tenderness and ability with which the Cushite (Ethiopean) proceeded by providing Jeremiah clothes to put under his armpits in a way that wouldn’t hurt his arms when pulling him out of the cistern with the ropes they gave him. (Vs. 11, 12) Perhaps Jeremiah’s armpits were flayed with the ropes used to bring him down to the cistern. It is also worthy to notice the detail that not only he sent him loose clothing but also he sent the same ropes to pull him out. That eunuch thought of everything; he thought of speaking to the king for permission to take him out, then he got the rags so that his body would not become more lacerated and went directly to get him. They took Jeremiah out of the cistern and took him to the prison’s patio so that his enemy would not harm him. (Vs. 13) A holy devotion like the one of this Ethiopian would have a reward. (Jeremiah 39:15-18) “While Jeremiah had been confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him: “Go and tell Ebed-Melech the Cushite, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am about to fulfill my words against this city through disaster, not prosperity. At that time they will be fulfilled before your eyes. But I will rescue you on that day, declares the Lord; you will not be handed over to those you fear. I will save you; you will not fall by the sword but will escape with your life, because you trust in me, declares the Lord.” Jeremiah was free and King Nebuchadnezzar delivered him from death. We can see that although his own people imprisoned him, an Ethiopian and a pagan king set him free. EbedMelech received this blessed message. He must’ve had a reward for treating Jeremiah well and for the great favor he did to him. God promised Ebed-Melech (Vs. 17) “I will rescue you…you will not be handed over to those you fear.” The intrepid eunuch now would become afraid, but he was a man with fairness and mercy and for that reason he would have his reward. The contrary occurred with King Zedekiah, well his eyes were taken out and his children were killed. Ebed-Melech was the human instrument to pull out God’s prophet from the cistern and now God promises to liberate him: “…because you trust in me, declares the Lord.” That eunuch was someone who did not fear man but rather he feared God. For such reason he was brave, sacrificed, a worker and did what he was not supposed to do, but he did it because he knew what it was to be merciful. Let us learn with his example and let us be brave believing in our God and being men and women of virtue. Amen.