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Royalty and Ruin
The Babylonians Respect Jeremiah
Of Jeremiah it is recorded, “Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon
gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the captain of the
guard, saying, ‘Take him ... and do him no harm; but do to him just
as he says to you.’”
Jeremiah 39:11, 12
.
Released from prison by the Babylonian officers, the prophet
chose to stay with the feeble remnant left by the Chaldeans to be
“vinedressers and farmers.”
Jeremiah 52:16
. Over these the Babylo-
nians set Gedaliah as governor. Only a few months passed before the
governor was treacherously killed. After passing through many diffi-
culties, the people were persuaded to take refuge in Egypt. Jeremiah
lifted his voice in protest against this move: “Do not go to Egypt,”
he pleaded. But the people did not listen to the inspired counsel, and
“all the remnant of Judah” fled into Egypt. “They did not obey the
voice of the Lord.”
Jeremiah 43:2, 5, 7
.
The Book of Lamentations reveals the prophet’s sorrow over
the stubborn rebellion of those who should have been the light of
the world and over the fate of Zion and the people carried captive
to Babylon. Jeremiah left these laments on record as a memorial
of the folly of turning from the counsels of Jehovah to human wis-
dom. Amid the ruin, Jeremiah could still declare, “Through the
Lord’s mercies we are not consumed.” His constant prayer was, “Let
us search out and examine our ways, and turn back to the Lord.”
Lamentations 3:22, 40
.
But now Zion was completely destroyed, and the people of God
were in captivity. Overwhelmed with grief, the prophet exclaimed:
How lonely sits the city that once was full of people!
How like a widow has she become, she that was great among
the nations!
She that was a princess among the provinces has become a vassal.
She weeps bitterly in the night, with tears on her cheeks;
among all her lovers she has no one to comfort her;
all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they have
become her enemies.
Judah ... finds no resting place; ...