In our heart-wrenching Daily Devotional of Jeremiah 39 and 40, Jerusalem succumbs to Babylonian conquest, prompting introspection on divine judgment and human defiance. Do we, like the city’s inhabitants, risk provoking God’s wrath through our own disobedience? These passages compel us to ponder our spiritual standing and the consequences of straying from God’s path. Do you struggle as you serve the Lord, check out our Jeremiah 37 and 38 Daily Devotional.
Jeremiah’s prophecies reverberate through time, underscoring the cyclical nature of human folly and divine intervention. The fall of Jerusalem serves as a stark testament to the perils of persistent disobedience, yet amidst the wreckage, glimpses of divine mercy illuminate, sparing Jeremiah and offering a glimmer of hope amid the desolation.
What Does the Book of Jeremiah Mean?
Venturing deeper into the narrative, the Book of Jeremiah emerges as a timeless repository of wisdom, urging us to heed God’s warnings and return to Him wholeheartedly. Through Jeremiah’s unwavering fidelity amidst chaos, we glean invaluable lessons on trust, resilience, and divine favor. As we navigate life’s trials, may we emulate Jeremiah’s steadfast devotion, standing resolute in our faith despite the storms that assail us.
Jeremiah 39 and 40 Commentary by Allen J. Huth
Today, we read or listen to the fall of Jerusalem. Have you pushed God too far? Will He never leave you or forsake you? Please read or listen to the thirty-four verses of both Jeremiah 39 and 40.
In 1991, I read Jeremiah 36-39 on the same day. Concerning chapter 39, I wrote, “Jerusalem falls, as Jeremiah prophesied, because they would not repent or turn from their own ways. Such will probably be true of the USA.”
We skip 2004, when I was reading the Bible chronologically, and we move to my journal in 2016. “It happens just like Jeremiah had said. Babylon takes down Jerusalem in chapter 39. As Jeremiah said, King Zedekiah is spared but his eyes are put out. Many are taken to Babylon in exile, but some are left as a remnant in Jerusalem. God’s will is done; even the enemy knows it. Jeremiah is spared, like God said he would be. Jeremiah stays among the people. A sad reading.”
What Can We Learn from the Prophet Jeremiah?
What can we learn from the Book of Jeremiah? God warns us over and over and over to repent, to come back to Him. If we do not, He will punish. He gave Israel every chance, yet they refused to turn back to God. Through the Book of Jeremiah, are you heeding the warnings of God to come back to Him, to be fully committed to Him?
Jeremiah 39:11-12
I said once before in these devotions, if there was no punishment for disobedience, why would anybody obey? If you are suffering, maybe it is the Lord trying to get your attention to come back to Him. But look at how God treats Jeremiah. Even as the city is burned and falls around him, even though people are taken off into exile, Jeremiah is spared. Even the enemy king, Nebuchadnezzar, knew of Jeremiah. “Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave command concerning Jeremiah . . . ‘Take him, look after him well, and do him no harm, but deal with him as he tells you’” (39:11-12).
That is what can happen if you stand with the Lord. He gives you favor even with your enemies. Jeremiah chooses to stay. He does not go to Babylon. He stays with the people, “Jeremiah . . . lived with him among the people who were left in the land” (40:6).
I said in my journal, it is a sad reading. Yes, it is sad when God warns us over and over and over and we do not listen. Do not let that happen in your life. Heed the words of the Lord. Trust in God against all odds. Learn the lesson from Jeremiah’s life. He stayed true to the Lord. He never backed down. He never gave up. Though beaten, imprisoned, and thrown into a pit, Jeremiah stayed true to His God. Can you?
Almighty God, these chapters break our hearts. But we read them thousands of years later to admonish us and to encourage us. Holy Spirit, help us stand for You. Help us trust in You like Jeremiah did. Deliver us from the enemies around us like You did Jeremiah. To God be the glory. Amen.
