DAILY BIBLE READING: Jeremiah 37, 38, 39; Hebrews 3
TEXT: Jeremiah 38:7-13
The consistency of Jeremiah the prophet of God earned him untold hardship. In contrast, we have in this generation those who could not endure the word of God and thus give themselves to all kinds of compromise. Jeremiah was called at the time when the people had completely derailed from the path of righteousness. Jeremiah made several attempts to confront disobedience and evil in the land. But this is scarce now in this generation.
In chapter 37, Jeremah made God’s word known but Zedekiah and his cabinet members rebuffed it. “And king Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned instead of Conaih the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah. But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, did hearken unto the words of the LORD, hearken unto the words of the LORD, which he spake by the prophet Jeremiah” vv.1-2
This did not stop there but rather led the princes to think that, Jeremiah was weakening the hand of the warrior but they failed to understand that it was their disobedience to the word of God. At this the weak king said: “Then Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hands: for the king is in no position to do anything against you.” Jeremiah 38:6 (Amp). At this, they proceeded to put him into dungeon without water but mire, and Jeremiah sank into it. This attitude did not go down well with Ebedmeleck, he made a logical presentation to the king. In fact, he called what the people have done as evil: “My lord the king, he said, these men have done a very evil thing in putting Jeremiah the prophet into the cistern. He will soon die of hunger, for almost all the bread in the city is gone” v. 9 (NLT) Upon hearing, the king granted him the privilege to pull him out of the dungeon where he was cast.
Unfortunately, what we saw Ebed-Meleck do is rare today. Can you also be a mouth piece to any individual who is unjustly oppressed using your office? Some of us who prefer to keep quiet at such a time like that and thus waste such precious life, can cut short the influence of such individuals in his immediate constituency and the world at large. Can God depend on you like this Ebed-Meleck, an important official who used his position to salvage the situation which could have led to the death of a prophet raised up by God for an important corrective assignment in the land of Judah? Oh! How many people have suffered unjustly under your nose because you failed to do what is necessary. Ebed-Meleck secured the permission of the king and the king also gave assistance of thirty men who could render helping hand to him.
Be bold and stand before the king to secure the freedom of people who are groaning in pain unjustly in your office, neighbourhood, family, or anywhere you find yourself. Wake up and become another Ebed-Meleck in this generation to affect it positively. Never be intimidated by the outlook of the king or princes around you.
Prayer: Everlasting Father, help me not to waste the opportunity of rendering assistance in any way I could as long as I live in Jesus Christ name.
Rev. Julius Oluwole