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Jeremiah Ch 21- Study

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Approaching studies within Jeremiah, instead of trying to follow chronologically, which is difficult with this book, for roughly the first half of the book, the first 29 chapters, we will instead only produce studies within their appropriate chapters, theming them as follows:

  • Jeremiah’s Calling                     Ch.1
  • Jeremiah’s Main Message        Ch.2,3,5,7,21,22
  • Jeremiah’s Action Parables      Ch.13,18,19,27
  • Jeremiah’s Opposition              Ch.11,12,14,18,20,26,28
  • Jeremiah’s Message of Hope   Ch.3,23,24,25,29

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, and the particular theme, as with studies elsewhere, each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read on the main Bible page.

Jeremiah’s Main Message: 5. Zedekiah Rejected
Jer 21:1-10

1 The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur son of Malkijah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah. They said: 2 “Inquire now of the Lord for us because Nebuchadnezzar[a] king of Babylon is attacking us. Perhaps the Lord will perform wonders for us as in times past so that he will withdraw from us.”

3 But Jeremiah answered them, “Tell Zedekiah, 4 ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I am about to turn against you the weapons of war that are in your hands, which you are using to fight the king of Babylon and the Babylonians[b] who are outside the wall besieging you. And I will gather them inside this city. 5 I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and a mighty arm in furious anger and in great wrath. 6 I will strike down those who live in this city—both man and beast—and they will die of a terrible plague. 7 After that, declares the Lord, I will give Zedekiah king of Judah, his officials and the people in this city who survive the plague, sword and famine, into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to their enemies who want to kill them. He will put them to the sword; he will show them no mercy or pity or compassion.’

8 “Furthermore, tell the people, ‘This is what the Lord says: See, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death. 9 Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague. But whoever goes out and surrenders to the Babylonians who are besieging you will live; they will escape with their lives. 10 I have determined to do this city harm and not good, declares the Lord. It will be given into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he will destroy it with fire.’

A. Find Out :
  1. What prompted them to seek Jeremiah? v.1,2
  2. What did the Lord say about Nebuchadnezzar? v.4
  3. What did the Lord say about Himself? v.5,6
  4. What would happen to Zedekiah? v.7
  5. What was the Lord setting before them? v.8
  6. How would life be retained? v.9
B. Think:
  1. What has the king hoped?
  2. Why are his hopes fruitless?
  3. What is the only way of survival?
C. Comment:

The life of Jerusalem is coming to an end. Zedekiah, the last king is ruling after Nebuchadnezzar has already been through Jerusalem once.  Now the threat of his return against them again is looming and Zedekiah starts sounding spiritual.  Will you seek God for us?  Perhaps the Lord will move like He’s done in the past?

What Zedekiah forgets is that before the Lord had saved them in the past He had always wanted a holy nation that was obeying Him. When they turned to Him with all their hearts, in the past, He had then delivered them.  There are no signs of Zedekiah or the leaders or the people turning whole heartedly back to the Lord. Therefore the Lord has determined that He is going to destroy this city and the people in it.  There is no other way to stop the ongoing idolatry, ungodliness and unrighteousness in this land. 

We too need to remember that the blessing of our salvation depends on our obedience to the Lord. He didn’t deliver us out of our old lives to continue to live in sin.  Jesus cannot save us daily if we continue to ignore Him.  The same message keeps on coming through here: making spiritual sounds is no substitute for holy obedience.  Our hearts must be fully turned to Him if we are to claim to be saved.

D. Application?
  1. Is your heart fully turned to the Lord?
  2. Commit your whole life FULLY into His hands today?
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