King James Bible Study – [Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.]
Date: Saturday, August 19, 223
Chapters: JEREMIAH 38-40, PSALMS 74,79
Study: For the Cause of Christ
Hello My Brother/Sister/Friend,
There is nothing more eye opening and powerful than hearing God speak to you, and I mean, really speak to you. People try to tell me that God does not speak to you today as He did the prophets of the old days, but I do not believe that. When Jesus spoke to me I heard it loud and clear and I will never forget what He said to me, “Get up! I did not bring you here to die this way!” Of course, then He took me to His Word and helped me understand more. You see, God’s Word is powerful, but we must be willing to hear it first in order to receive it for all that it is, life, [John 5:24-27 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. 26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; 27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.]
Now, here is the scenario, Judah is in utter chaos, most of the Jews had been taken captive into Babylon, there was no food, the cities were full of disease and impoverished, and the Chaldean’s were coming for the king, his sons, and the rest that remained. God gave them a choice, go to Babylon and live or remain in Jerusalem and die. And as we continue in the reading of Jeremiah, instead of doing what they were told to do, they go after Jeremiah, blaming it all on him. Arresting him was not enough, they wanted to kill him, but instead they cast him into a deep dungeon.
[Jeremiah 38:1-2,4-6 Then Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashur the son of Malchiah, heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken unto all the people, saying, 2 Thus saith the LORD, He that remaineth in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live; for he shall have his life for a prey, and shall live.4 Therefore the princes said unto the king, We beseech thee, let this man be put to death: for thus he weakeneth the hands of the men of war that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words unto them: for this man seeketh not the welfare of this people, but the hurt. 5 Then Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand: for the king is not he that can do any thing against you. 6 Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire.]
[Behold, he is in your hand:] This was Zedekiah washing his hands of the situation just like Potiphar did when they wanted to kill Jesus. Zedekiah, is a prime example of a politician, they do not care about the welfare of the people as they claim and really only got into office because they did not like someone else who did not promise to give them everything they want. We cannot expect things to change and our nations to prosper if we are walking around in fear of what the wicked are going to do to us. Just remember, as long as we have received Christ as our Saviour, we have nothing and no one to fear, [Matthew 10:27-28 What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. 28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.]
I am sure that Jeremiah was feeling pretty confused right now, I know I would be if I was hanging from chains in a dark dungeon and sinking in the muck that was at the bottom. No doubt there were probably some rats crossing his feet. Well, he did the only thing he could do, and what was pray to God.
[Psalms 74:1-2,10-12,20-22 Maschil of Asaph. O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture? 2 Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt. 10 O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever? 11 Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom. 12 For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. 20 Have respect unto the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty. 21 O let not the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy praise thy name. 22 Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily.]
[O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever?] While Jeremiah did wonder where God was, he also knew His promise to never leave nor forsake one soul who put their faith in Him. We need to come to grips with the fact that we are hated by the world, but it does not matter if we are the last soul standing, we belong to Christ. He literally does take a hold of our hand and no one will ever pluck it from Him, [John 10:28-29 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.]
Now, Jeremiah may have felt like he was all alone, but people were watching what was going on. A brave man by the name of Ebedmelech saw what these men did to Jeremiah, went to the king Zedekiah and told him what they did to him. The king actually sent him and thirty more men to help get Jeremiah out of the dungeon.
[Jeremiah 38:7-10 Now when Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs which was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon; the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin; 8 Ebedmelech went forth out of the king’s house, and spake to the king, saying, 9 My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon; and he is like to die for hunger in the place where he is: for there is no more bread in the city. 10 Then the king commanded Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from hence thirty men with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die.]
[the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin;] Notice where the king was, he was at the border ready to get on that next convoy to Babylon. Perhaps, he was there contemplating what to do, but at this point he knew that Jeremiah was right about everything. Well, the task to get Jeremiah up out of the dungeon was not an easy one, they literally had to tie rags upon rags while the men lowered Ebedmelech down to Jeremiah. Then sooner than they hoisted him out, here came the king.
[Jeremiah 38:12-15 And Ebedmelech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah, Put now these old cast clouts and rotten rags under thine armholes under the cords. And Jeremiah did so. 13 So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him up out of the dungeon: and Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison. 14 Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took Jeremiah the prophet unto him into the third entry that is in the house of the LORD: and the king said unto Jeremiah, I will ask thee a thing; hide nothing from me. 15 Then Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, If I declare it unto thee, wilt thou not surely put me to death? and if I give thee counsel, wilt thou not hearken unto me?]
[hide nothing from me.] We can say it until we are blue in the face, but the world will continuously ask us the same question, hoping to get a different response. And if you ever wondered why it is so easy for them to fall into the trap of these false religions, here is the reason, they do not want to hear the truth. Nevertheless, no one can intimidate or force us into submission, we do have the God given right to tell and live by the truth. And while the truth is often what sets you free, it did not in Zedekiah’s and the fools who rebelled.
[Jeremiah 39:1-2,4-5 In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and they besieged it. 2 And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, the city was broken up. 4 And it came to pass, that when Zedekiah the king of Judah saw them, and all the men of war, then they fled, and went forth out of the city by night, by the way of the king’s garden, by the gate betwixt the two walls: and he went out the way of the plain. 5 But the Chaldeans’ army pursued after them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho: and when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he gave judgment upon him.]
[where he gave judgment upon him.] While Zedekiah did not die, he did have to watch his own sons die before his eyes, and then get then gauged out, and then he was carried into Babylon as a prisoner. Now, the rest of the people were carried into Babylon, but a few remained, including Jeremiah and Ebedmelech. And even though everything was in utter chaos, it was starting to come together. Nebuchadnezzar, ordered his captain of the guard to not only release Jeremiah, but look after him as well.
[Jeremiah 39:9-12 Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive into Babylon the remnant of the people that remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to him, with the rest of the people that remained. 10 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the people, which had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time. 11 Now Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, saying, 12 Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee.]
[Take him, and look well to him,] This reminds me of when Jesus was hanging on the cross and saw His mother, John being with her, [John 19:26-27 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! 27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.].
We truly are not alone, and we do not have to do this alone, God, will always use people to look after us, even if we do not realize it, [Matthew 5:8-12 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.]
Those who put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as their Saviour will always be a prey for the wicked, many have died for their faith, but let me tell you, the oppression they faced in their religion far outweighed the death they faced for their faith. And do you see what religion has done and is still doing to our nations? Oppression, poverty, famine, disease, war, it is socialism in the worst way, and the world is too blind to see that. And while we who are faithful are in the midst of all this, we too can wonder when it will all end, especially after we see one church after another fall away from Him and get destroyed.
[Psalms 79:5-6,8-12 How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire? 6 Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name. 8 O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low. 9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name’s sake. 10 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? let him be known among the heathen in our sight by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed. 11 Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die; 12 And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.]
[preserve thou those that are appointed to die;] We are all appointed to die once, but there is a second death that those who are not preserved die if they have not called upon the name of the LORD, Jesus Christ, [Hebrews 9:27-28 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.]
You see, we are treated no differently today than before Jesus walked the earth, and while we may have to suffer a bit while we are here as God judges the nations, we will be safe from the ultimate judgment that is to come. When God called Jeremiah to speak to the people of Judah about the judgment that they were about to face I imagine that he had no idea how much he would have to deal with just by relaying the message. Perhaps things were going to get better now that only a remnant remained in Jerusalem. Well, while Jeremiah, was still waiting to be released, God, wanted him to relay a message to Ebedmelech.
[Jeremiah 39:15-18 Now the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying, 16 Go and speak to Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be accomplished in that day before thee. 17 But I will deliver thee in that day, saith the LORD: and thou shalt not be given into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid. 18 For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the LORD.]
[because thou hast put thy trust in me,] God assures Ebedmelech that even though he would be in the midst of all the evil taking place as He judged the nation, and would be a prey to them because of his faith, that He will deliver them from their hand. Those who put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as their Saviour will always be a prey for the wicked. Jesus, said it this way, [Matthew 10:22-25 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. 23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. 24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. 25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?]
We may not always understand why God has us where we are, some are left in the midst of the impoverished, some are sent into strange lands, and some will die for their faith, all for the cause of Christ. We must never forget that we are not alone as Jesus is with us, and will deliver us from the enemy one way or another. God, did not leave Jeremiah, he was finally set free, and got to choose whether he wanted to stay or go to Babylon.
[Jeremiah 40:2-4,6 And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and said unto him, The LORD thy God hath pronounced this evil upon this place. 3 Now the LORD hath brought it, and done according as he hath said: because ye have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed his voice, therefore this thing is come upon you. 4 And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which were upon thine hand. If it seem good unto thee to come with me into Babylon, come; and I will look well unto thee: but if it seem ill unto thee to come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold, all the land is before thee: whither it seemeth good and convenient for thee to go, thither go. Then went Jeremiah unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and dwelt with him among the people that were left in the land.]
[because ye have sinned against the LORD,] Do not think for a second that the world is really that clueless when it comes to knowing that judgment is coming and already starting. Why do you think they are trying so hard to save the planet? They do know, but they believe that the judgment is just for God’s people disobeying Him. Many saved, born again Christians even believe that the judgment is for the Jews alone, but the judgment will come to all. Yes, judgment does come to the house of God first, He will deal with the Jews for rejecting Jesus and putting Him on the cross, but He will also judge the Christian who makes up all this garbage, and the one who thinks they can live in sin and not be punished for it because they are saved, and every other religion that does not obey the voice of God. God’s voice is powerful, His Word is powerful, and Jesus is powerful.
[Philippians 2:9-11 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.]
Today’s Prayer: God, How amazing is Your indescribable love and grace that You should love a sinner such as I. Though I deserve death, You granted me eternal life by believing in and accepting Your Son as my Saviour. Now, He dwells in my soul through the Holy Spirit. Now, I am accepted as one of Yours through my obedience of accepting Your Son, but there are times when I do ask You where You are when I face these sorrows. Lord, Let me learn from the example of Christ who suffered more than anyone else for crimes He did not commit, keep my heart tender and faithful to You, and Your Word no matter what I face. Fill me with Your words, let me not be afraid or ashamed to speak them, and give me Your power, mercies, grace, and strength to defend myself and others for their faith when I am being persecuted. I love You Lord, and ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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