Jeremiah 34 - A Bad Name

 

Jeremiah 34 – A Bad Name

 

Jeremiah prophesied that the city of Jerusalem was to be burned by the King of Babylon and that the King Zedekiah would be taken captive. When Zedekiah heard this news, he made a promise to the people that all the Hebrew servants would be set free. In Exodus 21:2 the Lord had said that this covenant was right in His sight. But, Zedekiah did not keep his promise and the Lord said of him that he polluted (profaned) God’s name. By doing as he promised he could have shown the people that he was different from the other kings and that he served the living and true God. But it was just a pretense and brought on a bad name for himself and for God.

 

It is through the life of the child of God that people see God’s name and the furtherance of His word. If we profess to be Christians but don’t live as one, then we not only give ourselves a bad name, (hypocrite), but we also profane the name of God.

 

When the enemy finally broke through the city wall, king Zedekiah tried to escape but failed. Jeremiah told the king to submit to Babylon, but he would not obey. Therefore, the king was captured, bound, and blinded, and taken to Babylon where he would die. His bondage to sin led to bondage of the enemy. He destroyed himself.

 

Obedience must come from devotion within us (Eph. 6:6) and not depend on circumstances around us. These masters were in greater slavery than their servants because they did not seek to please the Lord.

 

 

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J. Vernon McGee Commentary and Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah