February 26, 2025

Everything Jeremiah told King Zedekiah was coming true; the fall of Jerusalem was at hand. Nebuchadnezzar and his army besieged the city, and his generals came in and sat at the middle gate. Zedekiah took off but was caught before he got to Jericho. The soldiers took him to Nebuchadnezzar, where he had his sons and nobles killed, then gouged his eyes out, put him in chains, and carried him off to Babylon. The Chaldeans burned down the palace and the homes of the people, then knocked down the walls. However, Nebuchadnezzar had a soft spot in his heart for Jeremiah, had his people treat him well, and let him out of prison. He had probably heard Jeremiah's warnings from God to Zedekiah about his invasion and conquering of Jerusalem. Before Nebuchadnezzar's conquest, Jeremiah got word from God to tell Zedekiah's servant, Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, that the invasion wouldn't harm him and God would deliver him out of the hands of men because he helped Jeremiah and listened to the Lord more than His own people.

Though we may go through tough times, we can see from this story that because we love Jesus and do our best to obey God, He will honor us by protecting us from His wrath, just as he did Jeremiah and Edebmelech. 

Now Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, saying, Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee. Jeremiah 39:11-12