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Zedekiah, Judah’s Last King
197
Why Submission Was So Important
God wanted them to submit and make their servitude as pleasant
as possible. His counsel was: “Build houses, and dwell in them;
plant gardens. ... Seek the peace of the city where I have caused
you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its
peace you shall have peace.”
Verses 5-7
.
Among the false teachers in Babylon were two men whose lives
[157]
were corrupt. Jeremiah had warned them of their danger. Angered
by reproof, they tried to stir up the people to act contrary to the
counsel of God concerning submitting to the king of Babylon. The
Lord testified through Jeremiah that these false prophets would be
delivered to Nebuchadnezzar and executed. Not long afterward, this
prediction was fulfilled.
To the end of time, people will arise to create confusion and
rebellion among those who claim to be representatives of God.
Those who prophesy lies will encourage people to look on sin as a
light thing. They will seek to make the one who has warned them
responsible for their difficulties, even as the Jews charged Jeremiah
with their evil fortunes. But, as anciently, God’s messages will prove
to be certain today.
Jeremiah had followed a consistent course in counseling submis-
sion to the Babylonians. Ambassadors from Edom, Moab, Tyre, and
other nations visited Zedekiah to learn whether he would join them
in a united revolt against Babylon. While these ambassadors were
awaiting a response, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: “Make
yourself a yoke of straps and bars, and put them on your neck. Send
word to the [neighboring kings] ... by the hand of the envoys who
have come to Jerusalem.”
Jeremiah 27:2, 3
, NRSV. God had given
them all into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, and they were to “serve
him and his son and his grandson, until the time of his own land
comes.”
Verse 7
, NRSV.
The ambassadors were further instructed that if they refused to
serve the Babylonian king, they would be punished “with the sword,
with famine, and with pestilence.” “You, therefore, must not listen
to your prophets,” the Lord declared, “your diviners, your dreamers.
... For they are prophesying a lie to you, with the result that you will
be removed far from your land. ... But any nation that will bring its