Jeremiah 39, II Kings 25
From Jeremiah's Journal
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So much has happened, I'm not surprised I couldn't sleep last night.
The Babylonian soldiers took most of the people living in Jerusalem to be slaves and marched them to Babylon.
I am still in the prison in the courtyard of the guard. All around me buildings are being ruined and people dragged away. And in the middle of all the trouble, God spoke to me.
God said to me, "Go find Ebed-Melech the Cushite."
Ebed-Melech was the man who saved me from the cistern. Do you remember when the false prophets talked King Zedekiah into punishing me for saying God's messages? They lowered me into a deep, dark cistern. The muck came up to my waste. I couldn't move. Ebed-Melech found out what happened to me. He ran--and he was a fast runner--to the king and talked Zedekiah into allowing my rescue. He said, "You can't do this to a prophet of God."
Because he saved my life, God had this message for him, "Ebed-Melech, 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. You will not be handed over to those who you scare you. I will save you. You will not fall by the sword but will escape with your life. This is because you trust in Me."
Ebed-Melech was grateful.
With chains binding me, I had walked with the other captives from Jerusalem and Judah as far as Ramah. The soldiers were taking us to Babylon to be slaves. I didn't sleep very well that night. Neither did any of the others. We had no way to escape.
The sun rose the next morning. My mouth had a dry nasty taste. The soldiers woke the others and told us to stand and continue the march. One man, the commander of the imperial guard came to me and said, "the Lord your God has brought this disaster for your city."
I nodded. He spoke the truth, just as God told me.
"The Lord has done just as he said he would. All this happened because you people sinned against the Lord and did not obey him."
I nodded again and was amazed that he spoke the same words I had been saying. All the prisoners around me heard him.
"Today, Jeremiah, I am freeing you from the chains on your wrists. Come with me to Babylon, if you like, and I will look after you. But if you do not want to go, then don't. Look out in front of you, at the whole country. Go wherever you please."
I looked and thought for a moment.
"Go back to Gedaliah," he said. "He is governor of the city. Go and live among the people, or go anywhere else you please."
The commander gave me food and a present. "Go. Live in peace."
So I did. I carried the food and the present he gave and walked away from those who were still in chains and heading for Babylon. I kept walking until I reached Gedaliah and told him what the commander had said.
From there I went home. I slept in my own bed and lived with the people who were left behind in the land. God has blessed me and I look forward to this rest.
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1. Who attacked Jerusalem?
2. What reward did God give Ebed-Melech for saving Jeremiah from the cistern?
3. Why was Jeremiah in chains?
4. What did did the commander of the imperial army give Jeremiah?
5. Where did he let Jeremiah go?
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