Jeremiah 39:13-18: a reflection

13So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, Nebushazban, Rabsaris, and Nergal Sharezer, Rabmag, and all the chief officers of the king of Babylon 14sent and took Jeremiah out of the court of the guard, and committed him to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, that he should bring him home. So he lived among the people. 15Now the LORD’s word came to Jeremiah while he was shut up in the court of the guard, saying, 16“Go, and speak to Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘The LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I will bring my words on this city for evil, and not for good; and they will be accomplished before you in that day. 17But I will deliver you in that day,” says the LORD; “and you will not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid. 18For I will surely save you. You won’t fall by the sword, but you will escape with your life, because you have put your trust in me,” says the LORD.’”

Amid the fall of Jerusalem, God remembers one man who had trusted him and done right, and promises to deliver him: because you have put your trust in me. But I will deliver you in that day, God says to Ebed-Melech; you will not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid. For I will surely save you, because you have put your trust in me. Ebed-Melech was a foreigner, an Ethiopian, who had earlier risked himself to rescue Jeremiah from the pit. Now, as judgment fell on the city, God did not forget him. He sends a word of promise: Ebed-Melech would be delivered, kept safe from what he feared, because he had trusted in the LORD. God remembered and delivered the one who trusted him. This shows that God remembers and delivers the one who trusts in him. God remembers and delivers the one who trusts in him. Your trust in God is not forgotten by him. God does not forget those who trust him, even amid great trouble. Trust in God, whose faithfulness reaches even to the one who trusted him.

Notice whom God singles out, and why. As Jerusalem fell and judgment came upon the city, in the midst of great upheaval and destruction, God remembers one man: Ebed-Melech, a foreigner who had earlier put himself at risk to rescue Jeremiah. God sends him a specific word of promise: he would be delivered, not given into the hands of those he feared, kept safe amid the disaster; and God states the reason: because you have put your trust in me. Ebed-Melech's trust in God, shown in his willingness to do right at risk to himself, was not forgotten; God remembered him and promised to deliver him. This holds a comfort about God's faithfulness to those who trust him. In the midst of great trouble and upheaval, when much is falling and it might seem that individuals are lost in the disaster, God does not forget the one who has trusted him. Our trust in God, our doing of what is right in reliance on him, is not overlooked or forgotten; God remembers those who trust him, and his faithfulness reaches to deliver them. This does not promise we will always be spared every trouble, but it assures us that God remembers and cares for those who trust him, even amid great upheaval, and that our trust in him is never forgotten. We do well to trust in God, knowing that he remembers and cares for those who trust him, and that our trust is not forgotten by him. Trust in God, who remembers and delivers those who trust in him. Your trust in God is never overlooked or forgotten by him. Even amid great trouble, God does not forget the one who trusts him. God's faithfulness reaches to those who rely on him.

That is worth taking to heart, for God remembers and delivers the one who trusts in him, and our trust is not forgotten, as God remembered Ebed-Melech amid the fall of Jerusalem. We can feel forgotten and lost amid great trouble; but God remembered Ebed-Melech and promised to deliver him because he had trusted in the LORD. God remembers. When you are amid great trouble and feel forgotten, remember that God does not forget the one who trusts him; your trust in him is never overlooked. Trust in God, who remembers and delivers those who trust in him, so that your trust is never forgotten by him even amid great trouble, as amid the fall of Jerusalem God remembered one man who had trusted him and done right and promised to deliver him because he had put his trust in him, telling Ebed-Melech he would be delivered and not given into the hand of those he feared, for God would surely save him because he had trusted in the LORD; for Ebed-Melech was a foreigner who had earlier risked himself to rescue Jeremiah, and now as judgment fell on the city God did not forget him but sent a word of promise that he would be delivered and kept safe from what he feared because he had trusted in the LORD, so that God remembered and delivered the one who trusted him, which holds a comfort about God's faithfulness to those who trust him, since in the midst of great trouble and upheaval when much is falling and it might seem that individuals are lost in the disaster God does not forget the one who has trusted him, our trust in God and our doing of what is right in reliance on him not being overlooked or forgotten but God remembering those who trust him and his faithfulness reaching to deliver them, which does not promise we will always be spared every trouble but assures us that God remembers and cares for those who trust him even amid great upheaval and that our trust in him is never forgotten, so that we do well to trust in God.

Lord, amid the fall of Jerusalem, you remember one man who had trusted you and done right, and promise to deliver him: because you have put your trust in me. But I will deliver you in that day, you say to Ebed-Melech; you will not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid. For I will surely save you, because you have put your trust in me. Ebed-Melech was a foreigner, an Ethiopian, who had earlier risked himself to rescue Jeremiah from the pit. Now, as judgment fell on the city, you did not forget him. You send a word of promise: he would be delivered, kept safe from what he feared, because he had trusted in you. Show me whom you single out, and why. As Jerusalem fell and judgment came, in the midst of great upheaval and destruction, you remember one man: Ebed-Melech, a foreigner who had earlier put himself at risk to rescue Jeremiah. You send him a specific word of promise: he would be delivered, not given into the hands of those he feared; and you state the reason: because you have put your trust in me. His trust in you, shown in his willingness to do right at risk to himself, was not forgotten; you remembered him and promised to deliver him. This holds a comfort about your faithfulness to those who trust you. In the midst of great trouble and upheaval, when much is falling and it might seem that individuals are lost in the disaster, you do not forget the one who has trusted you. My trust in you, my doing of what is right in reliance on you, is not overlooked or forgotten; you remember those who trust you. This does not promise I will always be spared every trouble, but it assures me that you remember and care for those who trust you, even amid great upheaval, and that my trust in you is never forgotten. Take that to my heart. When I am amid great trouble and feel forgotten, help me remember, Lord, that you do not forget the one who trusts you, that my trust in you is never overlooked, and that your faithfulness reaches to those who rely on you; and help me trust in you, who remember and deliver those who trust in you.