Ebedmelech

2022-01-01

Not many people accepted the message of Jeremiah that their city was going to be destroyed. It would not be easy for us to accept that God was going to destroy our country and homes and that God was extremely angry with us, either. One man accepted the message of Jeremiah; he was an Ethiopian named Ebedmelech. Because he trusted in the Lord, he was spared when the Chaldeans broke through the walls of Jerusalem. His acceptance was demonstrated by helping Jeremiah get out of the miry dungeon.

Go and speak to Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be accomplished in that day before thee. But I will deliver thee in that day, saith the LORD: and thou shalt not be given into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid. For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the LORD. (Jeremiah 39:16-18)

The Lord will also one day destroy the nations of the world, including our nation. It is out of the bad news of judgment that comes the good news of eternal life by trusting in Christ. He is not interested in saving the nations of the world. “All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity” (Isaiah 40:17). Do not get comfortable here; if you are a Christian, your real home is with Jesus.