Sermons / Jeremiah / Jeremiah 39:1–18
God Keeps the Score
Jeremiah 39 shows Jerusalem finally falling after long warning, and Zedekiah learning too late that refusing God has real consequences. The chapter is proof that whatever a man sows, that shall he reap, and God both judges sin and rewards faithfulness.
The recording, chapter markers and searchable transcript appear here once the Sunday video is available.
In this message
- Refusing God eventually ends in being refused by God.
- God’s warnings are real, and delayed consequences do not mean there are exceptions.
- God can show grace even in the larger context of judgment, as seen in Jeremiah’s rescue and protection.
- God has special rewards for faithful people, but not everyone will receive them in this life.
- Silence when the Holy Spirit prompts you to speak can cost more than you realize.
The passage
The verses Lee stops on. Read Jeremiah 39 in full.
Jeremiah 39:2
2And on the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city wall was broken through.
the Siege lasted for eighteen months, from January 10 588 BC. To July 9, 587 B.C. For almost two years, the besieging armies of the Babylonians wore down the people of Jerusalem. But finally, because God’s people were not broken before God, they were broken men.
Jeremiah 39:3
3Then all the officials of the king of Babylon came and took seats in the Middle Gate: Nergal-Sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-Sarsekim a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer a high official and all the other officials of the king of Babylon.
Then all the princes of the King of Babylon came in and sat in the middle Gate – this showed their authority over the conquered city. It belonged to them. In a modern setting, this sitting in the gates of the city was similar to an enemy conquering Washington D.C. and then sitting in the Oval Office.
Jeremiah 39:8
8The Babylonians set fire to the royal palace and the houses of the people and broke down the walls of Jerusalem.
Ray Comfort – Warning Sinners of Judgement – Jeremiah warned King Zedekiah repeatedly that God would judge his people. The prophet pleaded with the king, but still he would not do what Jeremiah said. One cannot but wonder what the king thought about after he was blinded and bound with chains. Perhaps his thoughts were of the last thing he saw – the unspeakable agony of seeing his own beloved sons butchered before his eyes. Or perhaps the words of Jeremiah flashed before his tormented mind, warning him that all of Israel (Including his sons) could have been saved if only he had obeyed the voice of the Lord. We can’t begin to imagine the remorse he felt.
Chapter 39 is simply the proof that whatever a man sows, that shall he reap (Galatians 6:7).
What we have seen
- This is the very heart behind Be Bold for Jesus.
- Judah’s leaders persecuted Jeremiah repeatedly for faithfully proclaiming God’s messages.
What is Jeremiah 39 mainly showing about God and Jerusalem’s fall?
Jeremiah 39 shows the city being destroyed after it refused God, and God refusing it. The chapter presents judgment as the outworking of long-ignored warnings, not a surprise. It also holds up God’s grace within judgment, seen in Jeremiah being freed and protected and in Ebed-melech being delivered.
What does Jeremiah 39 teach about sowing and reaping?
Jeremiah 39 teaches that whatever a man sows, that shall he reap (Galatians 6:7). The passage is presented as proof that choices have consequences, even when those consequences are delayed. Zedekiah thought the coast was clear for a time, and he thought he was an exception, but there are no exceptions.
Why did Zedekiah end up running at night in Jeremiah 39?
Zedekiah ran at night because he refused to walk in the light. The result was fear-driven flight instead of steady obedience. His end is contrasted with Jeremiah’s, showing how different outcomes followed different responses.
How do Jeremiah 34:13 and Ezekiel 12:12 connect to Jeremiah 39?
Jeremiah 39 is described as fulfilling what had been prophesied in Jeremiah 34:13 and Ezekiel 12:12 and 13. Zedekiah was brought before Nebuchadnezzar just as foretold. The fulfilment highlights that God’s warnings were not empty threats.
What does Jeremiah 39 say about sin and its effects?
Jeremiah 39 is used to show that the horrific effects of sin are sometimes unspeakable. Zedekiah’s suffering is held up as a vivid example of consequences that come home personally. The passage is also used to warn that judgment is coming—both temporal and eternal—to those who live for the devil.
How does Jeremiah 39 describe the devil’s work in people’s lives?
Jeremiah 39 is applied to warn that many are taken captive to do the devil’s will and that he blinds the minds of those who don’t believe (2 Corinthians 4:4). The devil’s intent is tied to John 10:10: to steal, kill, and destroy. The point is that unbelief is not neutral and often leads to ruin that spreads through families and communities.
Why were Jeremiah and Zedekiah treated so differently in Jeremiah 39?
Jeremiah and Zedekiah had opposite outcomes: Jeremiah was freed and Zedekiah was imprisoned. Jeremiah was saved because of his faith, while Zedekiah was destroyed because of his fear. Even though Jeremiah’s own people ignored him, the Babylonians protected him, which is described as a demonstration of God’s grace in a time of judgment.
Who is Ebed-melech in Jeremiah 39, and why is he spared?
Ebed-melech is the Ethiopian God promised to deliver from judgment in Jeremiah 39:18. He had risked his life to help Jeremiah by securing his release from the cistern, and in doing so he expressed faith in God. When Babylon conquered Jerusalem, God protected Ebed-melech from the Babylonians.
What does Jeremiah 39 teach about mercy and reward?
Jeremiah 39 connects mercy shown to God’s servant with mercy received. Ebed-melech is compared to Rahab: both were spared when judgment fell because they assisted God’s people and God’s prophet. Matthew 5:7 is cited to underline that the merciful receive mercy, and the passage also stresses that God’s rewards are real even if they don’t arrive in this life.
What does Jeremiah 39 mean for someone who feels unnoticed in faithful service?
Faithful service is for God and not just for human approval. Judah’s leaders persecuted Jeremiah repeatedly for faithfully proclaiming God’s messages, and for decades he received no acclaim, yet God sustained him and rescued him. Matthew 25:21 is used to point to the day when God’s faithful servants will hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Where else scripture speaks
Every passage Lee reaches for. The ones he teaches from open here; the rest link out.
Passages picked up elsewhere in the series:
- Ezekiel 12:12 — When Repentance Doesn’t Last
- John 10:10 — Jeremiah Freed, What is your egypt?
- Galatians 6:7 — The Justice of God’s Judgment, Prophecy of the Captivity, God was Speaking, They Stopped Listening
- Matthew 5:7 — False Religion… Worthless, At the Potter’s House
- Matthew 25:21 — Unfaithful Israel, Continued., How to Spot a False Prophet, God Loves You Too Much To Settle
Take this with you
Chapter 39 is simply the proof that whatever a man sows, that shall he reap (Galatians 6:7).
Keep going
Scripture shown in NIV. Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.