Daily Devotions
Jeremiah
"He who remains in this city shall die by the sword"
Text: Jeremiah 38:2
THE FAITHFUL PREACHING OF JEREMIAH
Jeremiah continued to preach the word of God faithfully. He spoke without fear or favour. His enemies continued to plot against him.
“Now Shephatiah the son of Mattan, Gedaliah the son of Pashhur,
Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur the son of Malchiah
heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken to all the people, saying,
‘Thus says the LORD:
‘He who remains in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence;
but he who goes over to the Chaldeans shall live;
his life shall be as a prizeto him, and he shall live.’
Thus says the LORD: ‘This city shall surely be given
into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army, which shall take it.””
Jeremiah 38:1-3
1. “Now Shephatiah the son of Mattan, Gedaliah the son of Pashhur,
Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur the son of Malchiah
heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken to all the people, saying”
a) Some of the enemies of Jeremiah were named in this text.
b) Four of them were mentioned.
c) Obviously, they took note of what Jeremiah had spoken.
d) They were going to use his words against him.
2. “Thus says the LORD: ‘He who remains in this city shall die by the sword, by famine,
and by pestilence; but he who goes over to the Chaldeans shall live;
his life shall be as a prize to him, and he shall live'”
a) Those who remained in the city of Jerusalem would die.
b) Means of death:
i) By the sword.
ii) By famine.
iii) By pestilence.
c) This was not a new message at all.
d) Advice from Jeremiah:
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i) Surrender to the Chaldeans.
ii) They will spare the lives of those who surrendered.
3. “Thus says the LORD: ‘This city shall surely be given
into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army, which shall take it'”
a) Jeremiah cited the LORD as his source and authority.
b) He warned of the fall of Jerusalem.
c) The Babylonians would capture the city.