Jeremiah 21:1-4 - I am about to turn against you

21:1,2

“The word came ..” This phrase does not appear again until chapter 25, indicating that chapters 21 to 24 are an integral section. The Pashhur mentioned here is not the same one we encountered in chapter 20. Zedekiah means “the Lord is my righteousness”. Names are important in the Bible. However, Zedekiah is a warning against taking this too far, the Lord was certainly not his righteousness! It seems that Zedekiah and the priest were somewhat confused. Babylon was now starting to attack Judah, so perhaps Jeremiah had been right all along, or at least something worth listening to. However, they had not listened that closely, for they had not grasped that repentance was the only “escape route” open to them.

21:3,4

Jeremiah is not for being bought off or flattered. He repeats the message from God that He has been preaching to them for some time by now. God was against Judah, and Zedekiah in particular. All Judah’s efforts would come to nought, they would even be turned against them. There was one way out, repentance.