Daily Devotions
Jeremiah
"To all who were carried away captive"
Text: Jeremiah 29:4
IN THE REIGN OF KING ZEDEKIAH
How were letters delivered in the ancient days? Letters were often hand-delivered. The letter that Jeremiah sent was delivered as “royal mail”.
“The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan,
and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah,
whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon,
to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying,
Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel,
to all who were carried away captive,
whom I have caused to be carried away
from Jerusalem to Babylon.”
Jeremiah 29:3-4
1. “The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying”
a) The royal mail
i) It was allowed by King Zedekiah.
ii) He would have to give his consent.
b) Two officials named
i) Elasah the son of Shaphan (Shaphan was a respected scribe).
ii) Gemariah the son of Hilkiah (Hilkiah was a respected priest).
c) Royal letters
i) They could be reports to King Nebuchadnezzar.
ii) They could be letters to members of the royal family.
iii) There could be prophetic letters of encouragement.
2. “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all who were carried away captive,
whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon”
a) The real Author was the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel.
b) He explained:
i) He was the One responsible for the Jewish diaspora to Babylon.
ii) He was sending them a message through Jeremiah the prophet.