CHAPTER 34 opens with another division or section of the prophecy of Jeremiah, in which is shown the actual state of the people at the last, which brought on them unsparing judgment. Zedekiah’s course, following on that of his predecessors, had so inflamed Nebuchadnezzar that he brought a great army against Judea, determined to destroy that country; in this we know that he was carrying out the will of God.
Jeremiah, God’s mouthpiece for the king of Judah, carries to Zedekiah the mournful news that God was not for him, would give Jerusalem into the hand of the king of Babylon who should burn it. Zedekiah would, of course, hope to escape when the end drew near, but he learned from Jeremiah that this should not be; he should go to Babylon, a prisoner with other survivors of the siege. Not all the sad prospect (see chapter 39:6, 7) was revealed to the king of Judah, but Jeremiah begged him to hear God’s word.
Zedekiah had pursued a wicked course, as 2 Kings 24:1919And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. (2 Kings 24:19); 2 Chron. 36:12, 1312And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the Lord. 13And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel. (2 Chronicles 36:12‑13); Ezek. 17:11-2111Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, 12Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things mean? tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon is come to Jerusalem, and hath taken the king thereof, and the princes thereof, and led them with him to Babylon; 13And hath taken of the king's seed, and made a covenant with him, and hath taken an oath of him: he hath also taken the mighty of the land: 14That the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping of his covenant it might stand. 15But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered? 16As I live, saith the Lord God, surely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he brake, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die. 17Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons: 18Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these things, he shall not escape. 19Therefore thus saith the Lord God; As I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head. 20And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me. 21And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward all winds: and ye shall know that I the Lord have spoken it. (Ezekiel 17:11‑21), and the unvarying testimony of Jeremiah record; from chapters 37 and 38 it seems clear that lie was greatly influenced by others and this must account for the promise of a peaceful death, lamented by his people (verses 4, 5).
It is only God that can truly estimate the measure of responsibility carried by each, and appoint to them in eternity with accurate discernment. The question of the eternal destiny of Zedekiah is not referred to; we can not tell whether he ever came as a confessed and repentant sinner before God, though we may hope that he did, and thus only and not on any ground of his own behavior (impossible of attainment) escaped the judgment of the great white throne.
Zedekiah, moved, we doubt not, by fear of the coming judgment upon his kingdom, made a covenant with all the people at Jerusalem to proclaim liberty to all who were in bondage. It is evident that the commandment of God given in Ex. 21:22If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. (Exodus 21:2) and Deut. 15:1212And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee. (Deuteronomy 15:12), had long been ignored, through the hardhearted selfishness of the people. Now, for a short space with an awakened conscience, the Word of God as to this matter had weight with the remnant of this guilty nation; but it was only a brief thing; enslaved in Satan’s chains they returned to their old ways, (verses 8-11). Therefore the sword should descend upon them, and pestilence and famine, and they should be driven hither and thither among all the kingdoms of the earth (verses 15-17).
The covenant to which verses 18-20 refers is that into which Zedekiah had entered with Nebuchadnezzar, promising in the name of Jehovah to be loyal to the king of Babylon (2 Chron. 36:1313And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel. (2 Chronicles 36:13); Ezek. 17:13-1913And hath taken of the king's seed, and made a covenant with him, and hath taken an oath of him: he hath also taken the mighty of the land: 14That the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping of his covenant it might stand. 15But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered? 16As I live, saith the Lord God, surely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he brake, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die. 17Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons: 18Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these things, he shall not escape. 19Therefore thus saith the Lord God; As I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head. (Ezekiel 17:13‑19)). The pagan, idol-serving king might well think that an oath given him in the name of Israel’s God would be kept, and the breaking of it was to him an exceedingly serious act; nor was God indifferent to it, as these verses show.
At this time, the Egyptians having entered the land for the purpose of helping Judah against Nebuchadnezzar’s army, the Babylonian forces were withdrawn to fight against the newcomers. Zedekiah and his princes no doubt hoped that the Babylonian army would be defeated in battle, but God assured them (verse 22) that they would return, take the city and destroy it; the cities of Judah were to become a desolation, without inhabitant. God had spoken; within the space of a year and a half His word was fulfilled.
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