King James Version, with Nii Okai's journal notes · 6 notes
1In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and they besieged it.
2And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, the city was broken up.
3And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate, even Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim, Rab-saris, Nergal-sharezer, Rab-mag, with all the residue of the princes of the king of Babylon.
4And it came to pass, that when Zedekiah the king of Judah saw them, and all the men of war, then they fled, and went forth out of the city by night, by the way of the king’s garden, by the gate betwixt the two walls: and he went out the way of the plain.
5But the Chaldeans’ army pursued after them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho: and when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he gave judgment upon him.
6Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes: also the king of Babylon slew all the nobles of Judah.
7Moreover he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, and bound him with chains, to carry him to Babylon.
8And the Chaldeans burned the king’s house, and the houses of the people, with fire, and brake down the walls of Jerusalem.
9Then Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard carried away captive into Babylon the remnant of the people that remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to him, with the rest of the people that remained.
At this time this man might have felt invincible, and so he was.
For the God of the whole universe was with him. Little did he know that he was walking 🚶 in the dictates of God.
10But Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the people, which had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.
Why were the poor of the people given the resources of the wealth to work in it?
Because they would know how to till and work in it, but lack the skills and complexity to grow it and harness it to have dominion and might for themselves.
They were the poor of the people.
It is the same thing even now. Many people have resources and gifts, abilities, but can only work it; they can work it but not grow it and harness it for greatness and influence.
That is the poor of the people.
11Now Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard, saying,
How did he know him? Likely he had heard of his many prophecies over the years, which prophecies had come to pass.
So he respected the Spirit of GOD with him and honoured him as a true prophet of GOD.
Sometimes politicians know how to honour and work with genuine ministers of GOD more than some religious priests and clergy.
12Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee.
13So Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard sent, and Nebushasban, Rab-saris, and Nergal-sharezer, Rab-mag, and all the king of Babylon’s princes;
14Even they sent, and took Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and committed him unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, that he should carry him home: so he dwelt among the people.
Jeremiah, was he among the poor of the people, because those were the ones left behind?
Maybe he was, maybe not, but at least we do know that he was kept not because he was poor but because he spoke the word of the Lord, which word was favourable to Nebuchadnezzar.
15Now the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying,
16Go and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be accomplished in that day before thee.
He helped Jeremiah escape from the pit, and GOD honoured him. Indeed, GOD honoured the righteous who dwelt among the wicked people of the land and kept them according to his many mercies.
They held high up their righteousness despite the many wicked intentions of the people, and GOD honoured them.
We see the same for Daniel and his friends as well. GOD kept them.
GOD has his own plans. He allowed these boys to be carried into captivity as eunuchs, a painful process; they lost so much, and yet in all that GOD was fulfilling his agenda — he blessed them in a strange land.
Indeed, to put it another way, GOD blessed what he, GOD, was already doing, and anyone who helped advance his cause got blessed alongside.
This is the doing of the Lord, and it is marvellous in our eyes.
17But I will deliver thee in that day, saith the LORD: and thou shalt not be given into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid.
18For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the LORD.
Because he trusted in me — Psalm 91.
It was not everyone who died in the invasion of Jerusalem.
This above lets us in on one of the criteria for exemption.
I remember reading the many times Israel goes to war, and we are told God was with them and gave them the victory, and yet many people die 🎲...
So I ask, what qualifies for one to live and others to die?
I was not expecting any deaths when God was with a nation to war.