Jeremiah 39:1-10
The Death of A Nation
Outline:
I. \\#Jer 1:1-19\\ Jeremiah’s Calling
II. \\#2:1-37\\ God’s Case Against Judah
III. \\#3:1-25\\ Israel’s Three Time Zones
IV. \\#4:1-6:30\\ Sins and Judgments
V. \\#7:1-\\ Some Specific Messages
A. \\#Jer 7:1-34\\ A Message to the Religious
B. \\#Jer 8:1-22\\ A Message to the Continuous Backslider
C. \\#Jer 9:1-10:25\\ A Message to the Believer
D. \\#Jer 11:1-12:6\\ A Message About Jeremiah
E. \\#Jer 12:7-17\\ A Message to the Pastors
1. \\#Jer 12:7-9\\ An Astonishing Statement
2. \\#Jer 12:10-13\\ A Horrendous Failure
3. \\#Jer 12:14-17\\ A Strange Invitation
F. \\#Jer 13:1-7\\ A Message of Ruin
G. \\#Jer 15:15-21\\ Message to Self - Feet of Clay
H. \\#Jer 21:1-7\\ A Message to Zedekiah - The News
I. \\#Jer 22:1-2, Jer 24:1-3\\ A Message to the People -
Don’t Miss the Ride Out
J. \\#Jeremiah 25:1-3\\ A Message about Nebuchadnezzer -
The King Is Coming
H. \\#Jer 27:1-7\\ A Message to the Nations - Bad to Worse
I. \\#Jer 29:1-7\\ A Message of the Future - God's Not
Finished
J. \\#Jer 32:1-15\\ A Message of Hope - The End for the Jews
K. \\#Jer 35:1-8\\ A Message of Example - The Extent of
Disobedience
L. \\#Jer 38:1-6\\ Message with A Price - When There Is
Nothing You Can Do
M. \\#Jer 39:1-10\\ Message of Death - The Death of A Nation
Some of you may have seen some horrible images. We have an unusually
high number of safety workers in our church—nurses, firemen, and
paramedics. You can not work in that field for long without seeing
some shocking sights. In addition, some have served in the military.
I know that our military witnesses sights which could easily torture
one’s mind. But I do not believe that any one in our midst today has
ever seen the death of a nation.
Jeremiah devoted two chapters to Judah’s death, chapters 39 and 52,
with chapters 40-51 recording the events which occurred after
Judah’s fall. However, God devoted many others sections in the
Scripture to it. Some record Judah’s death as it happened and some
record it BEFORE it happened. Why? Because of the importance of
this event.
Let’s study it for a few moments tonight.
I. Judah’s death - Judah’s death was slow, painful, and thorough
A. \\#Jer 39:1-10, 52:1-11\\ The Fall
1. After the city had been under siege for about 1 1/2
years, the walls were breached, so much so that it
appears the princes of Babylon army walked in and
sat inside the gate \\#Jer 39:3\\.
2. The city of Jerusalem had a wall around it (Old
Jerusalem does today as well). The city was built on
a hill with the palace being on a high point.
Apparently, around portions of the palace, a second
wall was built and the king had a garden there. Once
the walls were compromised, the king and the people
fled through whatever gate or entry was there.
3. It must have taken some time to capture them for the
king and his higher court were brought before King
Nebuchadnezzar in Riblah, a city 200 miles to the
north of Jerusalem.
B. \\#Jer 52:24-27\\ Death of the leaders
1. No doubt the first round of executions occurred at
Jerusalem, although no details are given of them.
2. Some of the king’s court are mentioned as being
executed at Riblah.
3. Perhaps these are those who escaped with the king or
perhaps they were just kept TO BE executed with him.
C. \\#Jer 52:17-23\\ Plunder of the temple
1. The details of the plunder are quite detailed, very
similar to the description given at the building and
dedication by Solomon.
2. The temple and its furnishings would be more than 350
years old at that time.
3. As I have mentioned in Sunday school, it is
interesting that the Ark of the Covenant is not
listed here.
(a) Something that important to the Jews should have
been listed no matter what.
(b) The fact that it is not mentioned as lead some to
believe it was hid by some devout Jewish priests
and the hope that God will one day return it to
the temple.
D. \\#Jer 52:12-15\\ Destruction of the city and temple
1. To get a picture of the destruction, read Nehemiah.
2. The theme of his book is the rebuilding of the walls
and he described it condition after 70 plus years.
E. \\#Jer 52:29-30\\ Captivity
1. This is probably speaking of the city of Jerusalem,
not the whole nation. Perhaps Nebuchadnezzar took
captives from the remainder of the country as well.
2. The number of Jews taken to Babylon was really quite
small.
(a) In Nebuchadnezzar’s 18th year, he took 832.
(b) In his 19th year (when Judah fell), he took
3,023.
(c) In his 23rd year, he took 745.
(d) In all, he only took 4,600.
(e) Interestingly, 70 years later 42,360
\\#Ez 2:64\\.
3. What happened to everyone else?
(a) Today, Old Jerusalem is approximately a 1/2
square mile in area with an estimated 30,000
people living inside of it.
(b) Let’s do some math.
(1) It is estimated that when Israel came into
the land 800 plus years earlier they
numbered around 2 million.
(2) In 800 years, would they be larger or
smaller?
(3) This was a time of war.
i. We know the Rechabites, a wandering
people, came into the city walls for
protection Jer 35).
ii. Would not most ALL of the outlying
people have done so?
(c) I would suggest that there were tens of thousands
crammed into that walled city.
(d) Again, what happened to them?
(1) Some of the poor were left to tend the land.
Jer 52:16 But Nebuzaradan captain of the
guard left certain of the poor of the land for
vinedressers and for husbandmen.
(2) The REST were taken captive.
Jer 52:15 Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the
guard carried away captive certain of the poor
of the people, and the residue of the people
that remained in the city, and those that fell
away, that fell to the king of Babylon, and the
rest of the MULTITUDE.
(3) They must have been killed!
Eze 5:1 And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp
knife, take thee a barber’s razor, and cause it
to pass upon thine head and upon thy beard: then
take thee balances to weigh, and divide the hair.
2 Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the
midst of the city, when the days of the siege
are fulfilled: and thou shalt take a third part,
and smite about it with a knife: and a third part
thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will draw
out a sword after them.
3 Thou shalt also take thereof a few in number,
and bind them in thy skirts.
4 Then take of them again, and cast them into
the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire;
for thereof shall a fire come forth into all the
house of Israel.
(4) Whether these captivity figures relate to
the single city of Jerusalem (probably) or
the whole nation of Israel, this action
was replicated at every city in Israel!
(5) The ratio of dead to those left and taken
captive would be the same or worse!
II. Release of Jeremiah
Jer 38:28 So Jeremiah abode in the court of
the prison until the day that Jerusalem was
taken: and he was there when Jerusalem was taken.
A. Last week we saw that Jeremiah spent the last year or two
of Judah’s existence in dungeons and prisons, in some of
the most deplorable conditions.
B. However, God did not leave him totally abandoned.
1. \\#Jer 38:8-13\\ God sent Ebed Melech to rescue
Jeremiah from the dungeon and Zedekiah, the king
himself, showed Jeremiah some mercy in allowing him
to stay in the court prison and in feeding him.
2. For that, both men were rewarded with their lives.
a. \\#Jer 39:16-18\\ Ebed Melech was promised
deliverance and life.
b. Zedekiah, although his family was killed and his
eyes were put out, he lived and died with some
measure of honor \\#Jer 34:4-5\\.
Jer 34:4 Yet hear the word of the LORD, O
Zedekiah king of Judah; Thus saith the LORD of
thee, Thou shalt not die by the sword:
5 But thou shalt die in peace: and with the
burnings of thy fathers, the former kings which
were before thee, so shall they burn odours for
thee; and they will lament thee, saying, Ah lord!
for I have pronounced the word, saith the LORD.
C. \\#Jer 39:11-14\\ Jeremiah was allowed freedom.
1. Nebuchadnezzar heard about Jeremiah’s message
a. For years Jeremiah had preached Nebuchadnezzar
would come.
b. For years Jeremiah had preached that Judah would
be defeated.
c. For years Jeremiah had told the Jews to surrender.
2. It was for that preaching that Jeremiah was branded a
traitor and imprisoned.
3. Nebuchadnezzar probably wanted to demonstrate the
advantages that came with supporting him.
4. Jeremiah was allowed to either roam freely throughout
the land of Israel or to go to Babylon
\\#Jer 40:1-6\\.
III. The Revealed Things
A. However, it is one of those other passages that I want us
to mainly consider this evening.
B. Deuteronomy spends a good bit of time prophesying the
death of Judah.
1. One section is Deuteronomy chapter 28-29.
2. There God gave great detail about what He would do to
Israel if they turned from Him.
3. At the end of that section, this is what the Bible
says:
Deut 29:29 The secret things belong unto
the LORD our God: but those things which
are revealed belong unto us and to our
children for ever, that we may do all the
words of this law.
4. That verse was God telling the Jews from the very
beginning that they would never need to wonder about
what would happen to them. The "secret things" had
been revealed!
a. If they served God, they would be blessed.
b. If they did not, they would be miserably destroyed
as Jeremiah details happened.
5. There, God told the Jews that He wants us to know what
will happen so that we will obey Him.
6. That is just as true for us today.
C. So that you never need to wonder, here is what will
happen.
1. The days are going to get more evil. Let me remind
you of some of the things I have been saying for
years.
a. Governments and the public will turn further from
God’s standards of morality.
(1) We know that the anti-Christ will be one who
seeks to change God’s laws.
Da 7:25 And he shall speak great words against
the most High, and shall wear out the saints of
the most High, and think to change times and
laws: and they shall be given into his hand
until a time and times and the dividing of time.
(2) We also know that his spirit is already
present \\#1John 4:3\\.
(3) Because of man’s wickedness, the closer we
get to the end times, the more man will turn
from righteous works.
Romans 1:21 Because that, when they knew God,
they glorified him not as God, neither were
thankful; but became vain in their imaginations,
and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they
became fools,
b. The occult and false religions will flourish.
2Tim 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly,
that in the latter times some shall depart
from the faith, giving heed to seducing
spirits, and doctrines of devils;
c. Churches will turn away from truth to error.
2Ti 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own
selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers,
disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers,
false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers
of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of
pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the
power thereof: from such turn away.
6 For of this sort are they which creep into
houses, and lead captive silly women laden with
sins, led away with divers lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to
the knowledge of the truth.
2. The righteous are going to be hated.
a. Pastors and churches will lose their tax-exempt
status.
b. Freedom of speech/religion will be censored in the
name of prejudice and national security.
3. At some point, God will rapture the church.
1Thess 4:13 But I would not have you to be
ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are
asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which
have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose
again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus
will God bring with him.
4. Wicked nations are going to be destroyed.
Re 18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong
voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is
fallen, and is become the habitation of devils,
and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of
every unclean and hateful bird.
5. Lost souls are going to be condemned.
6. People are going to quit believing the very words that
I am preaching to you.
a. I guess I should say "more people."
b. All of that may sound like "old" news to you, but
that is exactly what the Jews thought about their
judgment!
c. For more than 800 years, the Jews had been told
their future.
d. Somewhere along the way, the news got old and the
people began to scoff…
2Peter 3:4 …saying, Where is the promise of his
coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all
things continue as they were from the beginning of
the creation.
e. Sadly, that is exactly what is happening and will
happen more and more until the rapture occurs.
All of this means that what happened to the northern and southern
kingdoms of Israel is an example and warning to us!
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