Jeremiah 34:1-5: a reflection

1The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, with all his army, all the kingdoms of the earth that were under his dominion, and all the peoples, were fighting against Jerusalem and against all its cities, saying: 2“The LORD, the God of Israel, says, ‘Go, and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him, the LORD says, “Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon and he will burn it with fire. 3You won’t escape out of his hand, but will surely be taken and delivered into his hand. Your eyes will see the eyes of the king of Babylon, and he will speak with you mouth to mouth. You will go to Babylon.”’ 4“Yet hear the LORD’s word, O Zedekiah king of Judah. The LORD says concerning you, ‘You won’t die by the sword. 5You will die in peace; and with the burnings of your fathers, the former kings who were before you, so they will make a burning for you. They will lament you, saying, “Ah Lord!” for I have spoken the word,’ says the LORD.”

As Jerusalem is about to fall, God sends Jeremiah to king Zedekiah with a hard word: the city will be taken and burned, and Zedekiah himself will be captured and carried to Babylon. Yet even in this word of judgment, God grants a measure of mercy: You won't die by the sword; you will die in peace; and they will lament you. In the midst of the deserved judgment, God grants Zedekiah a mercy, that he would not die violently by the sword, but in peace, and be mourned. Even under judgment, a measure of mercy was given.

Notice the mercy granted even within the judgment. Zedekiah's judgment was real and deserved; the city would fall, and he would be taken captive. Yet God, even in pronouncing this judgment, granted a mercy: Zedekiah would not die by the sword, but in peace, and would be lamented. Even in the midst of judgment on the guilty, God tempered it with a measure of mercy. He did not withhold all mercy even from the one under judgment; a grace was granted even there. God's judgment was not without a measure of mercy even to the guilty.

That is worth taking to heart, for it shows a God who grants a measure of mercy even to those under his judgment. We can think of God's judgment as unmixed severity, without any mercy; but even in judging the guilty Zedekiah, God granted a measure of mercy. God is not without mercy even toward those who bear the consequences of their sin; he tempers even judgment with grace. When you face the consequences of your own wrong, do not imagine that God is only severe, without any mercy; he granted a measure of mercy even to Zedekiah under judgment. Trust that God, even when we bear the consequences of our sin, is not without mercy, but grants a measure of grace even in judgment, as he granted Zedekiah, under the judgment his sin had brought, the mercy of dying in peace and being mourned; for God tempers even his judgment with mercy, and is not without grace even toward those who bear the consequences of their wrong.

Lord, as Jerusalem is about to fall, you send Jeremiah to king Zedekiah with a hard word: the city will be taken and burned, and Zedekiah himself will be captured and carried to Babylon. Yet even in this word of judgment, you grant a measure of mercy: you won't die by the sword; you will die in peace; and they will lament you. In the midst of the deserved judgment, you grant Zedekiah a mercy. Even under judgment, a measure of mercy was given. Show me the mercy granted even within the judgment. Zedekiah's judgment was real and deserved; yet you, even in pronouncing it, granted a mercy: he would not die by the sword, but in peace, and would be lamented. Even in the midst of judgment on the guilty, you tempered it with mercy. You did not withhold all mercy even from the one under judgment. Take that to my heart, for it shows a God who grants a measure of mercy even to those under his judgment. I can think of your judgment as unmixed severity, without any mercy; but even in judging the guilty Zedekiah, you granted a measure of mercy. You are not without mercy even toward those who bear the consequences of their sin. When I face the consequences of my own wrong, keep me from imagining that you are only severe, without any mercy; you granted a measure of mercy even to Zedekiah. Help me trust that you, even when I bear the consequences of my sin, are not without mercy, Lord, but grant a measure of grace even in judgment.