Jeremiah 21
Jeremiah 21 begins with King Zedekiah of Judah facing the invasion of Babylon and seeking God’s will through the prophet Jeremiah. This chapter shows how the king and the people of Judah responded in a moment of crisis, and what God’s answer was. In particular, it is characterized by the fact that opportunities for repentance and God’s judgment are mentioned together.
1verseThe 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,
2verse“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.”
3verseThen Jeremiah said to them, “Tell Zedekiah:
4verse‘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.
5verseI myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, in wrath, and in great indignation.
6verseI will strike the inhabitants of this city, both man and animal. They will die of a great pestilence.
7verseAfterward,” 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.”’
8verse“You shall say to this people, ‘The LORD says: “Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
9verseHe who remains in this city will die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, but he who goes out and passes over to the Chaldeans who besiege you, he will live, and he will escape with his life.
10verseFor I have set my face on this city for evil, and not for good,” says the LORD. “It will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it with fire.”’
11verse“Concerning the house of the king of Judah, hear the LORD’s word:
12verseHouse of David, the LORD says, ‘Execute justice in the morning, and deliver him who is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my wrath go out like fire, and burn so that no one can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
13verseBehold, I am against you, O inhabitant of the valley, and of the rock of the plain,’ says the LORD. ‘You that say, “Who would come down against us?” or, “Who would enter into our homes?”
14verseI will punish you according to the fruit of your doings,’ says the LORD; ‘and I will kindle a fire in her forest, and it will devour all that is around her.’”
The Flow and Structure of the Passage
| Division | Content |
|---|---|
| Verses 1-2 | The king of Judah sends messengers to Jeremiah to ask what God’s will is. |
| Verses 3-7 | God’s response through Jeremiah: the invasion by Babylon cannot be reversed, and Judah must inevitably face judgment. |
| Verses 8-10 | A choice presented between the path of life and the path of death: a message of decision that those who surrender will live, and those who resist will be destroyed. |
| Verses 11-14 | An exhortation given directly to the king of Judah: carry out justice; otherwise, judgment will come. |
Overall Meaning and Message
- The attitude of faith revealed in moments of crisis: In a time of crisis, you can see a pattern of seeking only external help rather than true repentance and obedience that come from the depths of the heart, even while looking for God’s will.
- God’s justice: You can see God’s character in that He rebukes Judah’s sin and wrongdoing, and at the same time, He also points the way to a new path of life through judgment.
- An appeal for decisive action: God encourages the people to choose the right path when faced with a crossroads of decisions.
Reflection Point
- In moments of crisis, who do I rely on, and how do I seek God’s will?
- Rather than hesitating in the presence of God’s voice, am I truly ready to obey?
- Let us think deeply about what God’s “path of life” is that He is presenting in my life right now.
Try Applying It to Me
- In difficult situations, rather than insisting on my own way, I decide to listen to the path God is guiding me on.
- Even in everyday small things, I want to practice justice and obedience, review my relationship with God, and move forward with sincerity.
