The King's "Yes"
As surely as I live,’ declares the King, whose name is the Lord Almighty, ...
Jeremiah 46:18a (NIV)
1. Under the Reign of King Zedekiah
Jeremiah served as a prophet during the reign of King Zedekiah, who was the last king of Judah. His name means “The LORD is my righteousness.” Without a relationship with God, Zedekia was dependent on his advisers.
2. Who Was Jeremiah?
Jeremiah was a prophet from Anathoth. God called him when he was still young. He found it difficult to proclaim God’s words and faced fierce opposition. The people rejected both him and God. But Jeremiah remained courageous and faithful.
During his approximately fifty years of ministry, the prophet Jeremiah had to endure much suffering. He was even sentenced to death. His message was: “This is what the LORD says: Anyone who remains in the city of Jerusalem will die by the sword, famine, or disease! But whoever goes out and surrenders to the Babylonians will at least save his life.”
Then the senior officials said to King Zedekiah, “This man should be put to death.” The king replied, “Do with him whatever you want. I cannot stop you.”
So they seized Jeremiah and lowered him by ropes into the cistern near the guard courtyard. There was no water left in the cistern, only mud, and Jeremiah sank deep into it.
3. The Intercession of Ebed-Melech
But Ebed-Melek, a Cushite, an official in the royal palace, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern. While the king was sitting in the Benjamin Gate, Ebed-Melek went out of the palace and said to him, ‘My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have thrown him into a cistern, where he will starve to death when there is no longer any bread in the city.’
Jeremiah 38:7-9 (NIV)
4. The King’s “Yes”
Then the king ordered Ebed-Melech: “Take thirty men with you and pull Jeremiah out of the cistern before he dies!”
Ebed-Melech and the men tied pieces of cloth together to make a rope for the rescue. Then they pulled Jeremiah out of the cistern.
Jeremiah was once again kept under guard in the courtyard. He had been rescued and set free. His king had shown him compassion and mercy.
When a king’s face brightens, it means life; his favour is like a rain cloud in spring.
Proverbs 16:15 (NIV)
5. Hope for Ebed-Melech
The rescue of Jeremiah was known not only to King Zedekiah, but also to the highest authority. While Jeremiah was still being held in the guard courtyard, he received a message from the LORD.
“Go to the Ethiopian and tell him: This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Jerusalem will fall, and you will see it with your own eyes. But I will rescue you; you will not fall into the hands of your enemies.
I will let you escape, and you will live, because you trusted in me.”
Ebed-Melech, the Ethiopian, had rescued Jeremiah.
6. Ebed-Melech – Our Role Model
Even today, intercessors are needed—people who stand before God on behalf of others, bringing different people and situations before Him in prayer.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to feel sympathy for our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrew 4:15-16 (NIV)
The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
Matthew 25:40 (NIV)
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