“He Has Done Just As He Said He Would” [Matt's Messages] ~ Matt Mitchell

“He Has Done Just As He Said He Would”

Uprooted - The Words of Jeremiah

Lanse Evangelical Free Church

February 19, 2023 :: Jeremiah 39:1-41:18

The happy words of Jeremiah 29:11 come from what we called “The Book of Comfort” or “The Book of Hope." And they are true, and what they have to say will come true. The LORD does knows the plans He has for His people. They are plans of ultimate shalom, not of ultimate harm. They are plans for a hope-filled future.

But they are plans for down the road. First, there must be exile. First, there must be justice. First, there must be consequences for the disobedience and sins of God’s people. First, there must be judgment.

Ever since chapter 34, we have not been in the Book of Hope, but in the “Book of Failure.” We have seen the failures of Jehoiakim who tore up and burnt the holy Scriptures! We have seen the failures of Zedekiah who spun around in cowardly indecision. We have seen the failures of the people of Judah to keep the covenant they had made with Yahweh. Failure, failure, failure. They had only one job, but they refused to do it.

And for forty years, the Prophet Jeremiah has been a broken record about that broken covenant and the broken and burnt city that will come from it. And now, that judgment has arrived.

Our passage for today begins with the words, “This is how Jerusalem was taken...”

The title of this message is “He Has Done Just As He Said He Would.” And the subject of that sentence is the LORD. The LORD has done just as He said He would do.

And that should not be a surprise. We know from the rest of the Bible that God always keeps His promises. He is faithful that way; praise His name!

But it might be a surprise to find out who says those words in today’s chapters. It might be a very unlikely person to you and me.

And it might not be very surprising that the LORD has done just as He said He would, but it is still pretty scary! Because of what He said He would do. He said that He would burn down His own beloved city. Or, a least, see that it was burnt down and see that all of its citizens are carried off into captivity.

We’ve reached one of the lowest points in the whole story of the Old Testament, the sack of Jerusalem and what came next.

What I want to do today is to read through three chapters of God’s Word. The next six chapters basically tell the story in historical order of how Jerusalem fell and the chaos that followed. We’ll take three chapters today (39, 40, and 41), and, Lord-willing, we’ll take the next three chapters together next Sunday (42, 43, and 44).

And while I want us to go slowly enough to explain features of the story, I’m going to save most of the application for four brief summary points at the end.

So as I read, be thinking to yourself, “How does this apply to my life today?” “If the LORD has done just as He said He would, and He’s the same God today as He was then, then what difference does this story make for my life this week?”

Do you remember back in chapter 1 when the LORD asked the young prophet Jeremiah what He saw, and the young prophet Jeremiah said, “I see a boiling pot, tilting away from the north...” (1:13). Do you remember that? His vision?

A great big pot bubbling with cooking oil in it. And it’s threatening to tip over from the north and pour down onto the land of Judah. Do you remember that?

And do you remember what the LORD said next, what that meant? He said, “‘From the north disaster will be poured out on all who live in the land. I am about to summon all the peoples of the northern kingdoms,’ declares the LORD. ‘Their kings will come and set up their thrones in the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem; they will come against all her surrounding walls and against all the towns of Judah. I will pronounce my judgments on my people because of their wickedness in forsaking me, in burning incense to other gods and in worshiping what their hands have made’ (Jer. 1:13-16 NIVO).

Do you remember that? That day is now here.

It’s been forty years, but it has now arrived. The boiling pot is going to be poured out. Let’s look at Jeremiah chapter 39, verse 1.

“This is how Jerusalem was taken: In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army and laid siege to it. And on the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah's eleventh year, the city wall was broken through.

Then all the officials of the king of Babylon came and took seats in the Middle Gate: Nergal-Sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-Sarsekim a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer a high official and all the other officials of the king of Babylon” (vv.1-3).

The boiling pot has been poured out. Nebuchadnezzar has sent his army a few times against Judah. They have been effectively ruling Judah now for more than a decade. They have drawn off the cream of the crop into exile, including king Jehoiachin and his mom and put King Zedekiah on the throne in Jerusalem.

But Zedekiah has rebelled. And Nebuchadnezzar won’t stand for it. He has been patient, but now he’s going to take down the city and drag its residents off into exile in Babylon.

This last siege goes about 18 months. From January 588BC in verse 1 to July 18th, 586BC in verse 2. The ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year.

They broke through. And just like Yahweh said in chapter one, they set up their thrones in the gates of the city and took total control.

Zedekiah thought this was about to happen, and so he had escape route planned. And he makes a run for it. Verse 4.

“When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled; they left the city at night by way of the king's garden, through the gate between the two walls, and headed toward the Arabah.

But the Babylonian army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. They captured him and took him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced sentence on him.

There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes and also killed all the nobles of Judah. Then he put out Zedekiah's eyes and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon” (vv.4-7).

The LORD said this was going to happen, too (21:7, 34:3, 38:14-23). He said that Zedekiah would see Nebuchadnezzar with his own eyes and also not die of violence. So the last thing that Zedekiah ever saw was Nebuchadnezzar and Nebuchadnezzar killing his sons. But he didn’t die. Zedekiah was taken off to Babylon, blind

And then they burnt the city. V.8

“The Babylonians set fire to the royal palace and the houses of the people and broke down the walls of Jerusalem.” What a short sentence to describe what was incomprehensibly awful to the people of Jerusalem!

To see how Jeremiah felt about it, read the book of Lamentations. Have you read that lately?

It starts, “How deserted lies the city, once so full of people! How like a widow is she, who once was great among the nations! She who was queen among the provinces has now become a slave. Bitterly she weeps at night, tears are upon her cheeks” (Lam. 1:1-2 NIVO).

Five chapters like that, full of sorrow and tears. Those walls that have given them safety, security, and shalom have been broken down. The Babylonians have pulled them down. Just like the LORD said would happen (28:1-10, 27:1-15, 32:1-5l 37:1-10)!

And then the exile. Verse 9.

“Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard carried into exile to Babylon the people who remained in the city, along with those who had gone over to him, and the rest of the people.”

Exile has occurred. Just like He said. The streets are empty. It’s like a post-apocalyptic world. The dystopian future has arrived.

The majority are gone. Just a few scattered people, here and there, are left. Mostly the poor who don’t seem to be a threat. V.10

“But Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard left behind in the land of Judah some of the poor people, who owned nothing; and at that time he gave them vineyards and fields.”

Isn't that interesting? These folks who often were mistreated by their Jewish kinsmen are now given vineyards and fields by the pagans! The LORD moves in mysterious ways His justice to perform!

And it's not just the poor who are surprisingly well-treated. Jeremiah is, too! V.11

“Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had given these orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard: ‘Take him and look after him; don't harm him but do for him whatever he asks.’ So Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard, Nebushazban a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer a high official and all the other officers of the king of Babylon sent and had Jeremiah taken out of the courtyard of the guard. They turned him over to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to take him back to his home. So he remained among his own people.”

You wonder how Nebuchadnezzar knew about Jeremiah! I guess word gets around. And Nebuchadnezzar probably liked what he thought Jeremiah’s message was. It seemed pretty pro-Babylon, right? “Babylon is going to win. Give up! Judah is going to lose. Surrender! Settle down, exiles and seek the peace and prosperity of Babylon” (see Jeremiah 29).

“I like this guy!” Nebuchadnezzar says.

So Babylon takes better care of the Prophet Jeremiah than did the Kings of Judah! Jeremiah’s feet are no longer in the mud. He isn’t even under house arrest in the courtyard of the guard. He is placed in the custody and care of the newly appointed governor Gedaliah who is a basically good man from a good family. How weird is that?!

So that’s where Zedekiah is and where Jeremiah is. Where is Ebed-Melech? Whatever happened to that African guy who rescued Jeremiah from the cistern? Here’s where we find out the rest of his story. Verse 15.

“While Jeremiah had been confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the LORD came to him: ‘Go and tell Ebed-Melech the Cushite, 'This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am about to fulfill my words against this city through disaster, not prosperity. At that time they will be fulfilled before your eyes. But I will rescue you on that day, declares the LORD; you will not be handed over to those you fear. I will save you; you will not fall by the sword but will escape with your life, because you trust in me, declares the LORD.'”

Those are the most hope-filled words in these three chapters! Ebed-Melech is saved. The rescuer is rescued. And not because he earned it. It doesn’t say that he somehow earned his way to this salvation. It says that he is rescued because He trusted in the LORD. He put his faith in Him. That’s where his courage came from, to speak those uncomfortable words to the king. Ebed-Melech put his confidence in the LORD. He was like the tree in chapter 17. Remember that tree? It was our last memory verse:

“But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit” (Jer. 17:7-8 NIVO). That was Ebed-Melech. Flourishing because of his faith.

But these last three verses are also haunting verses because the LORD says that the destruction is imminent and it is the fulfillment of the LORD’s promises. Look again at verse 16.

“'This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am about to fulfill my words against this city through disaster, not prosperity. At that time they will be fulfilled before your eyes.” He is going to do what He said He will do. And now He has.

From my perspective, it would be fine to end the book right here. The city is destroyed. The people are in exile. Zedekiah is blind. Jeremiah and Ebed-Melech are safe. Close the book. But that’s not what Jeremiah did. He didn’t stop there, and neither did God.

So we turn the page to chapter 40 and see what happened next. And, in a word, it’s chaos. More chaos. More judgment. Look at verse 1.

“The word came to Jeremiah from the LORD after Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had released him at Ramah. He had found Jeremiah bound in chains among all the captives from Jerusalem and Judah who were being carried into exile to Babylon” (v.1).

Oops! Nebuchadnezzar had said to look after Jeremiah, but he has somehow gotten swept up and re-arrested with the folks being shipped to Babylon. That was probably okay with him because he knows what he said in chapter 29. But Nebuzaradan is under strict orders to take care of him, so when he finds Jeremiah, he pulls him out of the line-up and...says something completely amazing to him. Look at verse 2.

“When the commander of the guard found Jeremiah, he said to him, ‘The LORD your God decreed this disaster for this place. And now the LORD has brought it about; he has done just as he said he would. All this happened because you people sinned against the LORD and did not obey him” (vv.2-3).

Do you see who said the words of our title for today? “He has done just as he said he would.”

It wasn’t the prophet. It was the pagan! Nebuzaradan said to Jeremiah, “The LORD your God poured out the boiling pot on Jerusalem. And it’s because you folks were such sinners!”

Can you imagine the look on Jeremiah’s face? In my mind, he’s smiling and shaking his head. He can’t believe what he’s hearing here. “That’s what I’ve been trying to say for forty years!”

For forty years he’s basically been just about the only person saying it. And now it’s actually happened an the pagan is telling it to him.

Verse 1 says that word came to Jeremiah from the LORD, but he never delivers a prophecy in chapter 40. Nebuzaradan does. He sees what the Judahites refused to see. They have brought this on themselves and God has followed through on all of His threats. He has done just as he said he would.

Nebuzaradan invites Jeremiah to come with him to Babylon. That might have been a nice vacation. He was clearly being well-treated. But Jeremiah decides to stay with the people in the land. V.4

“But today I [Nebuzaradan] am freeing you [Jeremiah] from the chains on your wrists. Come with me to Babylon, if you like, and I will look after you; but if you do not want to, then don't come. Look, the whole country lies before you; go wherever you please.’ However, before Jeremiah turned to go, Nebuzaradan added, ‘Go back to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the towns of Judah, and live with him among the people, or go anywhere else you please.’ Then the commander gave him provisions and a present and let him go. So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah and stayed with him among the people who were left behind in the land” (vv.4-6).

But, of course, that’s not the end of the story either. Here’s what happened next. V.7

“When all the army officers and their men who were still in the open country heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam as governor over the land and had put him in charge of the men, women and children who were the poorest in the land and who had not been carried into exile to Babylon, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah–Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite, and their men [some of those guys are going to be important for the next few chapters]. Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, took an oath to reassure them and their men. ‘Do not be afraid to serve the Babylonians,’ he said. ‘Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you. I myself will stay at Mizpah to represent you before the Babylonians who come to us, but you are to harvest the wine, summer fruit and oil, and put them in your storage jars, and live in the towns you have taken over.’ When all the Jews in Moab, Ammon, Edom and all the other countries heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, as governor over them, they all came back to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, from all the countries where they had been scattered. And they harvested an abundance of wine and summer fruit” (vv.7-13).

Gedaliah seems to be about the best thing that could have happened to Judah at that time. He is pulling together the various leaders from throughout the land who are left behind, a remnant, and instead of organizing them as an insurgency, he has encouraged them to settle down in the land, submit to Babylon like Jeremiah said, and experience an abundant harvest. A little taste of shalom. But it doesn’t last. It all falls apart. The leaders are not godly and attack each other from within. V.13

“Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers still in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah and said to him, ‘Don't you know that Baalis king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to take your life?’ [Both of those guys were named in verse 8. Johanan has intel on Ishmael and gives a warning. V.14] But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them. Then Johanan son of Kareah said privately to Gedaliah in Mizpah, ‘Let me go and kill Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and no one will know it. Why should he take your life and cause all the Jews who are gathered around you to be scattered and the remnant of Judah to perish?’ [It’s like mobster offering to take out a rival in the gang.] But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan son of Kareah, ‘Don't do such a thing! What you are saying about Ishmael is not true” (vv.13-16).

But, sadly, it was. Gedaliah was apparently too trusting. He didn’t know what was in the heart of his men (cf. John 2:24-25). And he paid for it, and so did Judah. Chapter 41, verse 1.

“In the seventh month Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was of royal blood and had been one of the king's officers, came with ten men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah. While they were eating together there, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the ten men who were with him got up and struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, with the sword, killing the one whom the king of Babylon had appointed as governor over the land. [What treachery! What an atrocity!] Ishmael also killed all the Jews who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, as well as the Babylonian soldiers who were there.”

This is rebellion. Flat-out rebellion. But it gets worse. Verse 4.

“The day after Gedaliah's assassination, before anyone knew about it, eighty men who had shaved off their beards, torn their clothes and cut themselves came from Shechem, Shiloh and Samaria, bringing grain offerings and incense with them to the house of the LORD. [They know it’s been torn down. They are mourning the fact that there is no temple. See their sacrifices are bloodless. They know there is no altar. And they lamenting. V.6] Ishmael son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he went. [The big fake!] When he met them, he said, ‘Come to Gedaliah son of Ahikam.’ [Whom he had killed the day before.] When they went into the city, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the men who were with him slaughtered them and threw them into a cistern. But ten of them said to Ishmael, ‘Don't kill us! We have wheat and barley, oil and honey, hidden in a field.’ So he let them alone and did not kill them with the others. [You can tell that Ishmael is no patriot. He’s just a greedy bloodthirsty rebel. V.9] Now the cistern where he threw all the bodies of the men he had killed along with Gedaliah was the one King Asa had made as part of his defense against Baasha king of Israel. Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled it with the dead.

Ishmael made captives of all the rest of the people who were in Mizpah–the king's daughters along with all the others who were left there, over whom Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Ishmael son of Nethaniah took them captive and set out to cross over to the Ammonites [who had been apparently funding this rebellion]” (vv.4-10).

Now, here’s Johanan again. He’s the one who tried to warn Gedaliah. He still wants to stop Ishmael. Verse 11.

“When Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers who were with him heard about all the crimes Ishmael son of Nethaniah had committed, they took all their men and went to fight Ishmael son of Nethaniah. They caught up with him near the great pool in Gibeon. When all the people Ishmael had with him saw Johanan son of Kareah and the army officers who were with him, they were glad. All the people Ishmael had taken captive at Mizpah turned and went over to Johanan son of Kareah. But Ishmael son of Nethaniah and eight of his men escaped from Johanan and fled to the Ammonites” (vv.11-15).

Johanan has won. But now what? What should they do next? They should probably ask Jeremiah, right?

We haven’t heard from him this whole chapter! He was living with Gedaliah. Was he killed? Was he one of the men in buried in the cistern after all? No. He survived. Perhaps he was one of those that Johanan has rescued here in chapter 41. We don’t know. We don’t know because they don’t ask him anything. Not yet. Not until the next chapter. And when they do, they don’t listen.

No, Johanan decides that the best thing to do is head towards Egypt. He figures Nebuchadnezzar is going to hear about the rebellion in Judah, and send some guys in to stamp it out. And anybody with a sword is in trouble of reprisal. So he panics and runs the South. V.16

“Then Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers who were with him led away all the survivors from Mizpah whom he had recovered from Ishmael son of Nethaniah after he had assassinated Gedaliah son of Ahikam: the soldiers, women, children and court officials he had brought from Gibeon. And they went on, stopping at Geruth Kimham near Bethlehem on their way to Egypt to escape the Babylonians. They were afraid of them because Ishmael son of Nethaniah had killed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed as governor over the land” (vv.16-18).

Obviously, we’re still in the middle of the story of the end. There’s more to come next time. But what points of application do you already have in your mind?

For me, the key thing here is what Nebuzaradan said to Jeremiah. That pagan guy knew what was up!

“The LORD your God decreed this disaster for this place. And now the LORD has brought it about; he has done just as he said he would” (40:2-3). Here are four points of application to consider.

#1. REPENT.

Nebuzaradan said, “All this happened because you people sinned against the LORD and did not obey him” (40:3). The pagan said that! Jeremiah said that for forty years! How often did he call them, invite them, plead with them to “shuv”? To turn. To turn back. To repent. All of this could have been avoided if they had listened and turned around while there was still time.

Seeing the smouldering ruin of Jerusalem should make every person stop and consider the direction of their life.

We tend to assume that God will not keep His threats.

We take His patience for weakness.

We take His longsuffering for ambivalence.

We assume that we’re not so bad and God’s not so mad.

But the Fall of Jerusalem should reminds us of the holiness of God.

He has done just as he said he would. Tremble. And take his threats seriously.

Are you harboring unconfessed sin in your life? Are you refusing to repent? Are you running from God? Hear His inviting call to come to Him. Turn while you can. He wants you back! But don’t assume that He won’t do everything He said He would do to the unrepentant. Including judgment.

Come to Jesus Christ for cleansing. Turn from your sin and trust in the Savior and what He did on that Cross.

“He took [your] sins and [your] sorrows, He made them His very own;

He bore the burden to Calvary, and suffered and died alone.” (Charles Gabriel)

Repent and put your faith and trust in the Savior’s love for you. Come to Jesus Christ for cleansing. Come back to Him. Confess your hidden sins. Repent of those things you don’t want to let go of. He is faithful and just and will forgive all your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. But do not presume upon His mercy. Come and receive it! Repent.

#2. LAMENT.

He has done just as he said he would. And that led Jeremiah and all of the remnant to lamentations. When they surveyed the destruction of their beloved city, they sang songs of sadness and sorrow.

And to the degree that we see God carrying out His threats and bringing His painful discipline into our world, we can lament, as well. It’s right and good to weep over sin and sorrow and suffering. Even if the suffering is warranted, even if someone had it coming, it’s okay to weep over the consequences. And the collateral damage.

I confess that I just shake my head as I read these chapters about Gedaliah and Ishmael and Johanan. They show up at the end, make all kinds of mistakes that affect other people, and then die and go off the scene. So much chaos. And it didn’t have to be that way. And it’s right that God has brought this chaos as a judgment on the people because of their sin. But we don’t have to be all happy about it. We can weep over the consequences even if we see that they are just.

There are probably people in your life right now who are suffering from self-inflicted pain. They have sowed the wind and reaped the whirlwind. And the tornado is wrecking the lives of the people around them. It’s okay to hurt for them. And not just the people that they have hurt, but how they are hurting themselves.

Our Lord Jesus wept over this same rebuilt city several hundred years later. He said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate” (Matt. 23:37-38 NIVO). Lament.

#3. DEPEND.

In all of this, don’t forget about Ebed-Melech! Don’t forget that the LORD always keeps for Himself a remnant who trust and obey. Remember that Ebed-Melech was like that tree from Jeremiah 17. He puts his faith and confidence in the LORD and was rescued. He rescued Jeremiah, and the LORD rescued Him. Chapter 39, verse 18, He said to Ebed-Melech, “I will save you; you iwll not fall by the sword but will escape with your life; because you trust in me, declares the LORD.”

Trust and obey! That’s the way. He has done just as he said he would. So we should, too! We should put our faith and trust in Him and then do what He asks us to do.

What is He asking you to do these days? Does it take courage? We may be in the Book of Failures, but there are still profiles of courage even in these dark chapters. Ebed-Melech stepped out in faith and rescued Jeremiah from the mud. You and I can step out in faith and do whatever God has called us to do, as well.

Perhaps there is someone you need to invite to the Wild Game Dinner this year? When Jamie was talking, you had a thought of who you might give a ticket to. Or maybe you thought, “I could do that” when Jamie had the list of things that still need done. Or maybe you thought, “I need to flat out talk to that one guy about Jesus. Trust and obey. Depend on God and do what He says.

#4. REJOICE!

He has done just as he said he would. And if He will keep His all threats to do what is bad, how much more will He keep all His promises to do what is good?!

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” (Jer. 29:11 NIVO).

Nebuzaradan might not have believed that. But we do!

We believe that He will do just as He said He would.