Topical Bible: Jeremiah: The Prophet by Zedekiah

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Jeremiah, often referred to as the "weeping prophet," is a central figure in the Old Testament, known for his prophecies during the final years of the Kingdom of Judah. His ministry spanned the reigns of several kings, including the last king of Judah, Zedekiah. Jeremiah's interactions with King Zedekiah are particularly significant, as they highlight the prophet's unwavering commitment to God's message amidst political turmoil and impending judgment.

Background and Context

Jeremiah was called to be a prophet during the thirteenth year of King Josiah's reign (Jeremiah 1:2). His ministry continued through the reigns of Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and finally Zedekiah. The geopolitical landscape of the time was dominated by the rising power of Babylon, which posed a significant threat to Judah. Jeremiah's prophecies often warned of the impending Babylonian conquest as a divine judgment for the nation's idolatry and covenant unfaithfulness.

Jeremiah and Zedekiah

Zedekiah, originally named Mattaniah, was appointed king by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon after the exile of Jehoiachin (2 Kings 24:17). His reign was marked by political instability and pressure from both Babylon and Egypt. Despite being placed on the throne by Babylon, Zedekiah eventually rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, leading to the siege of Jerusalem.

Jeremiah's relationship with Zedekiah was complex. The prophet consistently urged the king to submit to Babylon as an act of obedience to God's will, promising that submission would spare the city from destruction (Jeremiah 27:12-13). However, Zedekiah, influenced by his officials and false prophets, often vacillated in his decisions, torn between Jeremiah's counsel and the political pressures of his court.

Key Interactions

1. The Warning of Destruction: Jeremiah repeatedly warned Zedekiah of the consequences of his rebellion against Babylon. In Jeremiah 21:3-7, the prophet delivers a message from the LORD, stating that the city would fall to the Babylonians and that Zedekiah would be captured. Despite these warnings, Zedekiah's fear of his officials and desire for political alliances led him to ignore Jeremiah's counsel.

2. The Imprisonment of Jeremiah: As the siege of Jerusalem intensified, Jeremiah was imprisoned for his prophecies, which were perceived as demoralizing to the people and the army (Jeremiah 37:11-16). Zedekiah, however, secretly consulted Jeremiah multiple times, seeking a word from the LORD (Jeremiah 37:17). Despite his private inquiries, Zedekiah lacked the resolve to act on Jeremiah's advice.

3. The Final Plea: In a poignant encounter, Jeremiah urged Zedekiah to surrender to the Babylonians, promising that his life and the city would be spared if he obeyed (Jeremiah 38:17-18). Zedekiah, fearing retribution from defectors to Babylon, hesitated and ultimately chose to resist, leading to the catastrophic fall of Jerusalem.

The Fall of Jerusalem

In 586 B.C., Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians. The city was burned, the temple destroyed, and the people taken into exile. Zedekiah attempted to flee but was captured near Jericho. As prophesied by Jeremiah, he was brought before Nebuchadnezzar, who executed his sons before him and then blinded him, taking him in chains to Babylon (Jeremiah 39:4-7).

Legacy

Jeremiah's interactions with Zedekiah underscore the prophet's role as a faithful messenger of God, even in the face of personal danger and national disaster. His life and ministry serve as a testament to the importance of obedience to God's word and the consequences of ignoring divine warnings. Jeremiah's prophecies, preserved in the Book of Jeremiah, continue to offer profound insights into the nature of God's justice, mercy, and the hope of restoration.

Nave's Topical Index

Jeremiah 37:3
And Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest to the prophet Jeremiah, saying, Pray now to the LORD our God for us.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

The World's Wages to a Prophet
... We have the weak Zedekiah, with his pitiable vacillation ... Sometimes he was afraid
to disobey Jeremiah, and then ... Thus he sends for the prophet stealthily, and his ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/the worlds wages to a.htm

Zedekiah
... Jeremiah was to Zedekiah the incarnation of God's unwearied pleadings. During his
whole reign, the prophet's voice sounded in his ears, through all the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/zedekiah.htm

That the King of Babylon Repented of Making Jehoiachin King, and ...
... 2. Now Zedekiah was twenty and one year's old when he took the ... what unjust and insolent
things they pleased; for which reason the prophet Jeremiah came often ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 7 that the king.htm

The Last King of Judah
... Zedekiah at the beginning of his reign was trusted fully by the king of
Babylon and had as a tried counselor the prophet Jeremiah. ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 36 the last king.htm

Jeremiah
... who accompanied King Zedekiah to Babylon (li.59). There is no probability, however,
that the oracle was written by Jeremiah. Doubtless the prophet foretold the ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/jeremiah.htm

The Fall of Judah
... 'Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and ... of the Lord his
God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/the fall of judah.htm

Carried Captive into Babylon
... rebellion against God, Zedekiah thought it too humiliating to say to his people,
I accept the word of the Lord, as spoken through the prophet Jeremiah; I dare ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 37 carried captive into.htm

How Nebuzaradan Set Gedaliah Over the Jews that were Left in Judea ...
... and children; among whom were the daughters of king Zedekiah, whom Nebuzaradan ... and
the rulers that were with him, came to Jeremiah the prophet, and desired ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 9 how nebuzaradan set.htm

On Daniel. I. Preface by the Most Holy Hippolytus, (Bishop) of ...
... holy and righteous man, a prophet and witness ... prophetic ministry of the blessed Jeremiah,
and in ... five sons"Jehoahaz, Eliakim, Johanan, Zedekiah, or Jeconiah ...
/.../the extant works and fragments of hippolytus/on daniel i preface by.htm

On the Diversity of Spiritual Gifts.
... 3578] I will deliver you up to the slaughter, as I did Zedekiah and Achiah, whom
the king of Babylon fried in a frying-pan," as says Jeremiah the prophet. ...
/.../various/constitutions of the holy apostles/sec i on the diversity of.htm