Jeremiah 21:1-7: a reflection

1The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur the son of Malchijah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, saying, 2“Please inquire of the LORD for us; for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon makes war against us. Perhaps the LORD will deal with us according to all his wondrous works, that he may withdraw from us.” 3Then Jeremiah said to them, “Tell Zedekiah: 4‘The LORD, the God of Israel says, “Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, with which you fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans who besiege you outside the walls; and I will gather them into the middle of this city. 5I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, in wrath, and in great indignation. 6I will strike the inhabitants of this city, both man and animal. They will die of a great pestilence. 7Afterward,” says the LORD, “I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, his servants, and the people, even those who are left in this city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those who seek their life. He will strike them with the edge of the sword. He will not spare them, have pity, or have mercy.”’

As Babylon besieges Jerusalem, King Zedekiah sends to Jeremiah, hoping for a favorable word: Inquire of the LORD for us; perhaps the LORD will deal with us according to his wonderful works, and make Babylon withdraw. The king hopes God will rescue them by a wonder. But God's answer, through Jeremiah, is the opposite of what he hoped: I myself will fight against you; I will strike this city. Because of their persistent, unrepented sin, God would not deliver them, but stood against them.

Notice the false hope Zedekiah held. He hoped God would rescue Jerusalem by a wonder, while the people persisted in the sin that had brought the crisis. He wanted deliverance without repentance, a rescue that would let them continue as they were. But God would not simply deliver an unrepentant people; their sin had set them against him, and he would not rescue them while they refused to turn. Deliverance was not to be had apart from repentance.

That is a sobering word about a hope we can share. We can hope for God to rescue us from the consequences of our sin, to deliver us by a wonder, while we refuse to turn from the sin itself, wanting escape without repentance. But God's deliverance is not a magic escape hatch for those who will not turn; it comes through repentance, through turning from the sin that has set us against him. Do not hope for God's rescue while clinging to the sin that has brought your trouble. His deliverance is bound up with repentance, with turning back to him. Do not seek escape without repentance, as Zedekiah did; turn from your sin, return to God, and seek his mercy on the ground of repentance, rather than hoping he will rescue you while you refuse to change.

Lord, when Babylon besieged Jerusalem, King Zedekiah hoped you would rescue them by a wonder, even as the people persisted in their sin; but you said you would fight against them, for you would not deliver an unrepentant people. Sober me with that word about a hope I can share. I can hope for you to rescue me from the consequences of my sin, to deliver me by a wonder, while I refuse to turn from the sin itself, wanting escape without repentance. But your deliverance is not a magic escape hatch for those who will not turn; it comes through repentance, through turning from the sin that has set me against you. Keep me from hoping for your rescue while clinging to the sin that has brought my trouble. Your deliverance is bound up with repentance, with turning back to you. Keep me from seeking escape without repentance, as Zedekiah did; help me turn from my sin, return to you, and seek your mercy on the ground of repentance, rather than hoping you will rescue me while I refuse to change. Grant me a repentant heart.