Handed Over
By Shirley Mitchell
“Give them a message for their masters and say, ‘This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says, ‘Tell this to your masters: With my great power and outstretched arm I made the earth and its people and the animals that are on it, and I give it to anyone I please. Now I will hand all your countries over to my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; I will make even the wild animals subject to him.’’”
Jeremiah 27:4-6
Today, I was led by God to take us through the history of the downfall of Judah. Through history, we learn through others’ wise decisions, as well as their mistakes. We also learn about the character of God.
The prophet Isaiah pleaded with the people of Judah to destroy their idols and worship God. The people did not heed his warning and continued to burn incense to other gods and worship what their hands had made.
Isaiah is followed by Jeremiah, who is called by God to be His prophet at an early age. Jeremiah saw in a vision invaders from the North coming to destroy Judah. God told him, “Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But my people have exchanged their Glory for worthless idols” (Jeremiah 2:11). He said His bride had forgotten Him (Jeremiah 2:32). The deceitful priests poured lies of peace to the people. God says of them in Jeremiah 6:14 and 8:11, “They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.” God told Jeremiah to say at the gate of the temple, “If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your forefathers for ever and ever. But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless” (Jeremiah 7:5-8).
For his warnings, Jeremiah was beaten up and put in stocks by the priest Pashhur (Jeremiah 20:1-2). When he was released, Jeremiah said that he may be ridiculed and mocked because he proclaimed destruction, but he would speak the Word of the Lord. He refused to not mention His name or to not speak in His Name. He said, “His word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones” (Jeremiah 20:9).
In the early years, Jeremiah saw King Josiah get rid of mediums, spiritists, household gods, and idols (2 Kings 23:24). But King Josiah died in battle against the king of Egypt, Neco. Neco took the next King Jehoahaz to Egypt in chains and made Josiah’s son Jehoiakim king. In Jehoiakim’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, invaded the land, and Jehoiakim became his vassal for three years. He paid him tribute money, and the king took his best princes as hostages. Jeremiah knew the downfall of Judah was near. He warned the people that God was allowing them to be punished for their sins. Baruch wrote down the words God had given Jeremiah. The scroll was read to the king who was so angry that he cut it up piece by piece and threw it into the fire. He ordered Jeremiah and his scribe Baruch to be thrown into prison. While the two men hid, they wrote another scroll. Meanwhile, Jehoiakim was planning to break his agreement with Babylon. When Jeremiah heard of his rebellion plan, he knew time was short. King Jehoiakim suddenly died, but his son carried out his father’s revolt. King Nebuchadnezzar attacked with full force and sieged Jerusalem. King Jehoiachin surrendered. This time Nebuchadnezzar took the treasures, nobles, skilled workers, and the king. He removed all the treasures from the temple of the Lord – those sacred items fashioned in the days of Moses.
Prince Zedekiah is made king after he promised to be loyal to Babylon. Early in the reign of King Zedekiah, the LORD sent a word to Jeremiah. He told him to make a yoke of straps and crossbars and put them on his neck. He said twice Babylon had struck, and it will strike again. This time Jerusalem will be destroyed. Israel’s only hope was to wear the yoke of Babylon. Jeremiah was thrown into prison and eventually into an old cistern beneath the prison floor to starve to death. During the siege, some friends released him from the hole. While the city is starving, the frightened king asked Jeremiah what to do. Jeremiah told him to surrender, but the king refused. In 30 months, Jerusalem was destroyed. Sadly some of the closing words of the 52 chapters of Jeremiah filled with warnings from God, opportunity after opportunity, are “So Judah went into captivity, away from her land” (Jeremiah 52:27b).
My dear friend, we should never forget that God gives us repeated chances to turn from our sin. He is patient and slow to anger. He desires repentance and longs to give mercy. But after multiple warnings, God will discipline with His outstretched arm and hand over those who sin against Him to others who are subject to Him. Oh, my, I do not want God to hand me over in judgment to reap the consequences of my sins and disobedience. May you and I have ears to listen to the warnings He sends and walk in full repentance and loyalty to our God.
Pray with me: Oh, God, You are merciful! You desire repentance. Lord, we know that as Your bride that we have been unfaithful and have worshiped other gods. We have fallen into self-indulgence and self-gratification. We pray for us as individuals to be consecrated to You. We pray for Your bride to be faithful to You. We pray for our country to not mock You. We pray for no more innocent blood to be shed by choice. May we surrender to You and not be handed over to those that are subject to You. It’s in the Name above all names, in Jesus’ Name, Yeshua’s Name, we pray. Amen.
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