Counsel for Kings

Introduction: Just as Pastor Brandon mentioned last week when studying the book of Jeremiah (and other Old Testament prophets), you must be ready to jump in and out of prophecy and historical narrative. Remember that Jeremiah began his ministry preaching and that God later instructed him to compile his messages into a scroll. We are told in Jeremiah 36 that Jeremiah does so by employing a scribe named Baruch, who compiled Jeremiah's messages as well as personal details about Jeremiah into the book we have today. Now when Baruch arranged the records of Jeremiah's life and ministry, he does so to present Jeremiah as the messenger of God's justice and grace. This is important because as you read through the prophets, it becomes clear that the people who lived during that time mostly ignored the prophets (unless, of course, they were imprisoning them or persecuting them in a variety of others ways). But the messages of Jeremiah and the other prophets becomes vitally important for the people who lived during the captivity of Babylon and the nations that would come after. The messages of these prophets would provide the answers as to why they were living in captivity and provide hope of a coming Messiah who would bring the righteous kingdom of God.

We just finished a prophetic section of Jeremiah in chapters 30-33, and now we are ready to jump back into the historical narrative concerning what was about to take place as Babylon laid siege to Jerusalem.

Transition: If you still have your outlines of Jeremiah, you will see that we are now at the section of the book providing counsel for kings.

The Warning to Zedekiah (34:1-7)

Babylon is here! (v. 1)

You cannot escape (v. 3)

You will come face-to-face with Nebuchadnezzar (v. 3)

But the Chaldean army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. And when they had captured him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced judgment on him. Then the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes in Riblah; the king of Babylon also killed all the nobles of Judah. Moreover, he put out Zedekiah's eyes and bound him with bronze fetters to carry him off to Babylon. (Jeremiah 39:5-7)

You will not be executed (v. 5)

This was in contrast to Jehoiakim.

The Warning to the People (34:8-22)

Your repentance is disingenuous (Vv. 8-11)

You have violated our covenant (Vv. 12-16)

You will be judged according to the covenant (Vv. 17-22)

The Consistency of the Rechabites (35:1-19)

The offering of wine (Vv. 1-5)

The obedience of the Rechabites (Vv. 6-11)

The people of Judah condemned (Vv. 12-17)

The reward of the Rechabites (Vv. 18-19)

Conclusion: Judah refused to obey the voice of the Lord because they refused to recognize one basic truth - the kingdoms of this world are not our home. Hebrews 11:13-16 makes it clear that a defining characteristic of the faithful is that they await the kingdom of God. The author of Hebrews states, "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city."