What can we learn about obedience from the king's actions in Jeremiah 36:21? Setting the Scene “Then the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and he brought it from the chamber of Elishama the scribe. And Jehudi read it in the hearing of the king and all the officials who stood beside the king.” (Jeremiah 36:21) What the King Actually Did • Issued a command for God’s word to be brought • Sat and listened while it was publicly read • Appeared, on the surface, to respect the prophetic message Surface Compliance vs. Genuine Obedience • Requesting the scroll looked like reverence, but the king’s heart was unchanged (see v. 23, where he cuts and burns the scroll). • True obedience involves submission, not mere curiosity or formality (James 1:22). • God measures obedience by response, not exposure. Hearing without heeding equals rebellion (Ezekiel 33:31–32). Lessons for Us Today • Proximity to Scripture is not obedience. Owning a Bible, attending church, or listening to a sermon is only the first step. • Delegated religion is dangerous. The king let others fetch and read the scroll; personal engagement is required (Deuteronomy 6:6–7). • Delayed obedience often turns into disobedience. The moment the king heard words of judgment, he chose rejection rather than repentance (2 Kings 22:18–19 shows the opposite in King Josiah). • Obedience begins in the heart. Outward actions must match an inward surrender (1 Samuel 15:22). New Testament Echoes • Matthew 7:24–27—Building on the rock demands doing, not merely hearing. • Luke 6:46—“Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I say?” • John 14:15—“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” Practical Takeaways • Open the Word with the intention to obey whatever it says. • Refuse a passive, spectator attitude toward Scripture. Engage, submit, respond. • Measure obedience by transformed conduct, not by the amount of biblical input received. The king’s action in Jeremiah 36:21 shows that listening without surrender is hollow. Genuine obedience welcomes God’s Word, bows to its authority, and acts upon it. |
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