Jeremiah 34 started by describing Judah under heavy bombardment. Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar was the dominant force at this point. Together with the Babylonian army and all the forces from the nations under him, Nebuchadnezzar assaulted Jerusalem and all the cities of Judah. Verses 6-7 reveal that only two fortified cities - Lachish and Azekah - were left resisting the forces of Nebuchadnezzar. It was at this point that God’s words came to Jeremiah for Zedekiah.
The king was told that Jerusalem would be given into the hand of the king of Babylon who would burn it down. He himself would be taken captive and had to confront Nebuchadnezzar face to face and be taken to Babylon. However, he would not die a horrible death. He would die peacefully and be given a decent funeral and burial.
In
verses 8-11 we are told that Zedekiah had preciously enforced God’s stipulation
stated in Exodus 21:2. All the slave
owners were allowed to keep their Hebrew slaves to serve them for six years. But
on the Sabbath Year, all slaves bought must be set free, and all the debts they be canceled. For a long time, the people had violated this law. So Zedekiah’s enforcement
of this stipulation was unusual. From verse 8 we surmise that this was probably
the king’s last desperate attempt to save himself and Jerusalem. For it was
shortly after Zedekiah had enforced this stipulation that the word of the Lord given in verses 1-7 came to him through
Jeremiah. Sadly, the last part of verse 11 tells us that the people did not
stay faithful to this command. They were said to have reverted to their wayward
ways of not releasing the slaves on the Sabbath Year.
What
God desires is true repentance, not a cover-up. He can see through our actions to
our intention. Let us obey God genuinely not just for the sake of averting some
disasters.
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