Jeremiah 38

“If you will surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then your life will be spared …” (v17). Jeremiah’s insistence on telling King Zedekiah the truth about the Babylonian invasion landed him in a deep, muddy cistern. However, Zedekiah knew that Jeremiah was God’s prophet, and he continued to consult with Jeremiah secretly (v25). Jeremiah’s message was that Zedekiah needed to repent, face reality, and surrender to the Babylonians, who were being used by God to discipline to Judah. But Zedekiah refused.

“Obey now the voice of the Lord …” (v20). Obeying the Lord is the only way out of the tangled mess of sin and its consequences. We can trust His justice and mercy.