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Freedom Rejected Truth Resisted Mercy Extended

Jeremiah 34-38

King Zedekiah receives a message from the Lord through Jeremiah that Jerusalem will fall into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar. In a brief moment of obedience, the people covenant to release their Hebrew slaves in accordance with God’s law. However, once the threat eases, they break their promise and re-enslave those they freed. God condemns this betrayal and vows judgment. The people’s reversal reflects the greater sin of defying God’s covenant and disregarding justice. When we ignore God’s command to love and set others free, we open ourselves to judgment. Freedom in God must be permanent and rooted in obedience.

God tells Jeremiah to invite the Rechabites to drink wine in the temple. They refuse, remaining faithful to their ancestor Jonadab’s commands not to drink wine or settle in cities. God uses their obedience as a contrast to Judah’s disobedience. Though the Rechabites obeyed a human command for generations, Judah consistently rejected God’s voice. As a result, God promises blessing to the Rechabites and judgment to Judah. The chapter reminds us that obedience pleases God and brings blessing. The Rechabites lived by discipline and faithfulness without compromise. How much more should we follow the voice of the living God?

Jeremiah dictates God’s words to Baruch, who writes them on a scroll and reads them publicly. The message reaches King Jehoiakim, who arrogantly cuts and burns the scroll section by section. Rather than humbling himself, the king silences the Word. But God commands Jeremiah to write it again, with added judgments. God’s Word is unbreakable, and though men try to suppress it, His truth endures. The chapter illustrates the defiance of human pride and the persistence of divine revelation. We are reminded not to resist or alter God’s Word, but to receive and respond in repentance and reverence.

Zedekiah, who placed Jeremiah under suspicion, faces pressure from Egypt’s temporary advance against Babylon. He asks Jeremiah to pray for him, hoping for a favorable word. Jeremiah warns that Babylon will still conquer Jerusalem, and though temporarily released, is later accused of defecting and imprisoned. Despite seeking God’s word, Zedekiah does not obey it. The chapter exposes how superficial trust in God—without true surrender—leads to ruin. Jeremiah, though imprisoned, remains faithful. Zedekiah, though free, remains bound by fear and rebellion. God’s truth requires not only listening but wholehearted obedience.

Jeremiah’s message of surrender is seen as treason, and he is cast into a cistern to die. Yet God uses Ebed-melech, an Ethiopian eunuch, to rescue him, showing God’s care through unexpected people. Zedekiah again secretly consults Jeremiah but lacks courage to follow his advice. The king fears people more than he fears God. The chapter displays the cost of compromise and the danger of delayed obedience. Jeremiah’s life hangs by a thread, yet God preserves him. The king’s failure to act in faith brings disaster to the nation. God calls us to bold, public trust, not private indecision.

Across these chapters we see God’s call to obedience and the consequences of rejecting His truth. From the broken promises in chapter 34, to the steadfastness of the Rechabites in 35, to the burning of God’s Word in 36, the refusal to believe in 37, and the silencing of God’s prophet in 38, the pattern is clear—when God’s Word is rejected, judgment follows. Yet in each chapter, God extends mercy and offers a way out. The faithfulness of Jeremiah and the Rechabites stands as a testimony to what God desires from His people. God’s character is just, His Word is unstoppable, and His mercy is still available to those who will listen and obey.

Reflection Questions:

  • What does God’s response to broken promises in chapter 34 reveal about His view of justice and integrity?

  • How does the obedience of the Rechabites challenge your own spiritual discipline and devotion?

  • In what ways are people today tempted to “cut and burn” God’s Word like Jehoiakim did in chapter 36?

  • How can we cultivate the courage to obey God’s voice like Jeremiah, even when it is unpopular or risky?

  • What does the persistence of God’s warnings and His use of unlikely people, like Ebed-melech, reveal about His redemptive plan and character?