Before the past weeks studying Colossians I was studying Jeremiah. So I will re-join the story at Jeremiah 34. Jeremiah had made many, many prophecies; this chapter fulfils a lot of them. Jeremiah's prophecies were usually given and then fulfilled quickly.
So here’s the situation the Jews were in: King Zedekiah of Judah had brought on the wrath of Babylon by allying with the Egyptian's and they had not surrendered themselves to God as Jeremiah had told them to on many occasions. Jeremiah 3 v 13-17, "13 Only acknowledge your guilt - you have rebelled against the LORD your God, you have scattered your favours to foreign gods under every spreading tree, and have not obeyed me,’” declares the LORD. 14 “Return, faithless people,” declares the LORD, “for I am your husband. I will choose you - one from a town and two from a clan - and bring you to Zion. 15 Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding. 16 In those days, when your numbers have increased greatly in the land,” declares the LORD, “people will no longer say, ‘The ark of the covenant of the LORD.’ It will never enter their minds or be remembered; it will not be missed, nor will another one be made. 17 At that time they will call Jerusalem The Throne of the LORD, and all nations will gather in Jerusalem to honour the name of the LORD. No longer will they follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts."
God had asks them to repent and turn back to Him and He eluded to the nation being great again by saying they will worship Him and the throne of the Lord will be in Jerusalem.
Jeremiah 34 v 1-7
Jeremiah receives this prophecy from the Lord just as the Babylonian army are looming near the city. Zedekiah would see the city destroyed and all the people taken away. Zedekiah is hearing this from Jeremiah and I wonder what he was thinking as he was being told what God has said about the city being finished off totally destroyed.
Here are my thoughts on Zedekiah's thoughts...
Thought 1 - He just ignores the prophecy and thinks Jeremiah has finally lost it.
Thought 2 - He finally realises what God is saying but realises it’s too late.
I don't what Zedekiah was actually thinking but I expect he wasn't just sitting waiting for something to happen, I think he was worried, he alliance with the Egyptian's breaks down in a few chapters time and he has gone against God, the one who saved the people from Egypt all those years previous.
How must Jeremiah have felt as he has been faithfully speaking out what God is saying over many years and the people very rarely listened?
I think Jeremiah would have been distressed because the city was going to be destroyed, if only the people had repented. Sometimes I haven’t realised straight away when God is trying to direct me in the right direction and it has wasted time or I have missed an opportunity.
The challenge for me is to raise my Kavanah (God's Presence and Purpose) in my life daily so I don't miss opportunities like the Israelites did. I want to my light bulb to go quicker!
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