Daily Devotions
Jeremiah
"Moreover he put out Zedekiah's eyes"
Text: Jeremiah 39:7
THE CAPTURE OF KING ZEDEKIAH
The Babylonians had a huge army. All escape routes were monitored carefully. Zedekiah was arrested!
“But the Chaldean army pursued them
and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho.
And when they had captured him,
they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon,
to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced judgment on him.
Then the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes in Riblah;
the king of Babylon also killed all the nobles of Judah.
Moreover he put out Zedekiah’s eyes,
and bound him with bronze fetters to carry him off to Babylon.”
Jeremiah 39:5-7
1. “But the Chaldean army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho.
And when they had captured him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon,
to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced judgment on him”
a) The Chaldeans pursued Zedekiah as he tried to escape.
b) He was overtaken in the plains of Jericho.
c) He was finally brought to King Nebuchadnezzar.
d) At Riblah, in the land of Hamath:
i) This was the headquarters for the Babylonians.
ii) Judgment was meted out against Zedekiah.
2. “Then the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes in Riblah;
the king of Babylon also killed all the nobles of Judah”
a) Nebuchadnezzar killed the sons of Zedekiah before his very eyes at Riblah.
b) All the nobles who had rejected Jeremiah’s advice to surrender were executed.
3. “Moreover he put out Zedekiah’s eyes,
and bound him with bronze fetters to carry him off to Babylon”
a) Nebuchadnezzar cruelly blinded Zedekiah.
b) The last thing he saw was the slaying of his sons and the nobles.
c) He was then led to Babylon in chains!
d) What a penalty for choosing to reject sound and godly advice given to him!