Journal Through the Bible: Week 74 Tuesday

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Jeremiah chapter 34

This message was received during the siege.

Does God issue any commands?

• God sent Jeremiah to Zedekiah with the message that Nebuchadnezzar was going to burn Jerusalem and that Zedekiah would see Nebuchadnezzar face-to-face. Then Zedekiah would be taken to Babylon where he would spend the rest of his life. He would not die by the sword but would die there in peace.
• God sent Jeremiah to the people after Zedekiah told the people to give liberty to all of their servants. (The princes and people did so but afterward they forced their former servants back into service again.) God reminded the people that they had not followed the covenant agreement with Him that stated they were to set their servants free every 7 years.

Does God make any promises?

• God promised that Zedekiah would not die by the sword.
• God promised that the people who reneged on their promise to set their servants at liberty would die by the sword or pestilence or famine.
• God promised destruction to the princes that tried to divine the future by cutting a calf in half and walking between the two parts.

Does this chapter teach anything about Jesus?

• The 7th year of Liberty as stipulated by God's covenant with the Jews was a picture of the liberty provided by the perfect Son of God. He sets the captives free.

Does this chapter teach anything about yet-future events?

• The king of Judah, Zedekiah, was going to stand before the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, who would judge him. Zedekiah was warned of this. All the kings of the earth, including those who think they are the rulers of their own selves, will stand before The King, Jesus, who will judge him or her. The Bible warns of this.