38:16-18
Zedekiah then swore an oath, promising not to harm Jeremiah in any way. He was desperate to get an answer from Jeremiah, though Jeremiah actually had nothing new to say, he had already given the message clearly. However, Jeremiah repeats his message. The king must surrender to the Babylonians. If he did so he and his family would live, if he did not do so he would not survive. There is a time to submit to God’s judgement.
38:19,20
The king is full of fear. In particular, he fears that if he does hand himself over to the Babylonians, those Jews who have already gone over would kill him. He is not putting his trust in the Lord. We need to look to God and what He has promised to do, not to men and what they threaten to do. Jeremiah tells the king that he needs to trust in God, if he does so “it will go well with you, and your life will be spared”. Looking to God, not to men or idols was the fundamental need of the Israelites, from the king down to the people.
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