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Ministry of Gates of Praise Ministries, Inc. Copyright Gates of Praise Ministries 2007
One of the most difficult jobs that G-d can give to someone is to be a
prophet. The one called to be a prophet had at least three tasks. He was to
call the wayward people to repentance evidenced by faithfulness to the
covenant by speaking into the issues of the day and warning them of
impending judgment. Second, he was to encourage the faithful remnant by
assuring them that G-d would keep the covenant even when the majority of
their fellow countrymen did not. Thirdly, he foretold the coming of the
Messiah and the Messianic age in order to warn those unrepentant that
Messiah’s coming meant judgment for them and to uplift the faithful by
reminding them that someday, all would be well.
If we were able to grade the difficulty of each prophet’s ministry, certainly
Jeremiah would be close to the top. Like Isaiah, G-d told him to speak to a
people who would not listen. Jeremiah not only had to deal with unreceptive
people but also many false prophets. Jeremiah received his call from G-d to
be a prophet in the year 627 BC. Jeremiah ministered through the reigns of
Jehoiakim, Zedekiah, and Jehoahaz & Jehoiachin. Jeremiah’s name
means The L-rd appoints or establishes. He was the son of Hilkiah the
priest. Because of Israel’s apostasy, Jeremiah was charged to indict Israel
for two specific things. 1.) G-d had warned them about forsaking G-d. The
Israelites not only forsook G-d but also replaced Him with worthless idols.
2.) The Israelites had agreed to let the slaves go free in 7 years, but after
they let them go they quickly put them back in bondage, breaking their
covenant. They also ignored the instructions of the Shabbat year. Good
intentions don’t count. This was evil in G-d’s sight. To discipline them, G-d
announced that they would have a release even if they did not release their
servants. Their release would be a release from polluting the land by their
disobedience to the Torah. It would be a 70-year release in Babylon.
Zedekiah was one of the most unfortunate Kings in history. He is the 3rd
son of Josiah. Josiah was a godly King who attempted to follow the Torah
and lead Israel in many religious reforms. Josiah is the only King that had
the distinction of having 3 sons who each, in turn, followed their father’s
footsteps and sat on the throne. None of the 3 came close to their father’s
love for G-d. The last of the 3 sons was Mattaniah. King Nebuchadnezzar,
the ruler of Babylon changed his name to Zedekiah. He became a puppet
king of the Babylonians and was never really accepted by his own people.
The people liked his brother Jehachin. Because of this, Zedekiah’s reign
was characterized by agitation and unrest. Some of his advisors urged him
to rebel from Babylon’s influence. This proved to be a most fatal mistake.
Nebuchadnesszr marched west, destroyed the Temple and set Jerusalem
up in flames. That was 586 BC. Zedekiah convinces his leaders to make a
covenant with the people to follow the instructions found in the Torah about
freeing Hebrew slaves/servants during the 7th year. We do not know why
Zedekiah decided to press this particular Torah observance. Jer. 34:21
informs us this covenant apparently was made during a period when the
Babylonians had gone away from Jerusalem but were threatening to return.
The Babylonians under General Nebuchadnezzar first entered the territory of
Israel after their stunning victory at Charchamish against the Egyptians in
605. He did not press his claims too much until he returned again in 597. At
which time he captured Jerusalem and took 10,000 citizens including
Ezekiel the prophet. It was after this trip Nebuchadnezzar installed Zedekiah
as the King of Jerusalem. It was probably during this time also that
Zedekiah made this covenant of freedom. Whatever the motive, the
covenant the people entered into was a real, genuinely binding agreement
with each other and with G-d. In light of the national, spiritual and moral
conditions of this time of Israel’s history, it is remarkable that they would
have agreed to do any practice taught in the Torah. They made their
covenant on holy precincts, the Temple. G-d said that they made their
covenant “before me in the house upon which My name is called.” With the
making of this covenant it looked like the people of Judah may have begun a
spiritual revival, which ultimately may even, have spared them the horrors of
the Babylonian invasion. Whatever spiritual revival may have been brewing
came to a screeching halt. No sooner had they made the covenant then they
went back on their words. In breaking the covenant they went back on their
own words to each other, their word to the slaves and they profaned G-d’s
name because the covenant was cut invoking G-d’s name as a witness and
under His jurisdiction. Breaking the covenant was making a mockery of G-
d Himself. Discord and bitterness now spread among the community as
they continued in their centuries old habit of breaking the Torah. Zedekiah
attempted to remain faithful to the covenant as evidenced by his fate. G-d
tells him through the prophet that although he will be captured by
Nebuchadnezzar and taken to Babylon he will not be neither put to death nor
die by the sword. Zedekiah’s death will come peacefully with people
lamenting his passing. Jer. 34:4-5. Nebuchadnezzar came and destroyed
Jerusalem. Zedekiah fled Jerusalem but was captured near Jericho.
Zedekiah’s sons were slain before his eyes and then his own eyes were put
out. He died a natural death in Babylon. If Israel for centuries had been
sinful why did G-d wait until this one sin was committed before He decreed
their demise? Because the sacred covenant was flagrantly violated and the
teaching of slavery was abused. Covenants are sacred. They are often
ratified by the death of innocent bid; the animal sacrifice. G-d was teaching
them that life is sacred and man’s words are also sacred, especially man’s
promises to each other and to G-d. They made their covenant in the
Temple. Breaking the covenant was like lying to G-d. If people treat such
covenants lightly, they can easily get the impression that G-d also regards
the covenants as unimportant. A slave in the holy community is to be
considered your brother and possesses rights. G-d made sure that those
who were unfortunate enough (usually because of financial reasons) would
never be treated like Israel when they were slaves in Egypt. He insures that
whoever would be a servant in Israel would be treated with dignity, fairly and
graciously. So Israel violated one of the most important provisions of G-d’s
covenant with their nation. When G-d says He is announcing a release for
them because they reneged on their release of the servants the words are
likradror, which means to proclaim liberty. The Holy One, blessed be He, is
purposely reminding the people of the Torah. What G-d is about to do
against the people, He is doing it because, by oath, He is acting out of
covenant obligation. In Jer. 34:17 G-d announces that Judah would be
released from the land and from His protection so as to fall victim to sword,
pestilence, and famine and to the shame of the Kingdoms of the earth. Jer.
34:22 He announces the return of the Babylonians to Jerusalem in order to
wreak havoc with the Holy City and its suburbs in Judah. In other words they
have forced the slaves to return to bondage, therefore, the Babylonians shall
return and be the instrument of the Divine punishment. If G-d did not bring
on the disciplines He promised, we would have every right to question his
veracity. Both Israel and Judah are a picture of how G-d relates to all of His
people. When we became believers in Yeshua, we also entered a covenant
with G-d. Just like Israel our relationship with G-d may be strained and rocky
at times because of our flesh. Just like with Israel, g-d may have to levy
discipline, even severe discipline upon us from time to time, yet we will
always remain His because He is always faithful to keep His covenants. G-
d’s oath to us is secure because Messiah’s death atoned for all our sin and
made us new creations with G-d’s like flowing through us. We all get
discouraged. Many of us become like wandering sheep falling victim to our
own demises. But we have a faithful G-d who seeks to remind us that if we
have entered into a covenant relationship with Him, He will ever and always
be faithful to that covenant.
prophet. The one called to be a prophet had at least three tasks. He was to
call the wayward people to repentance evidenced by faithfulness to the
covenant by speaking into the issues of the day and warning them of
impending judgment. Second, he was to encourage the faithful remnant by
assuring them that G-d would keep the covenant even when the majority of
their fellow countrymen did not. Thirdly, he foretold the coming of the
Messiah and the Messianic age in order to warn those unrepentant that
Messiah’s coming meant judgment for them and to uplift the faithful by
reminding them that someday, all would be well.
If we were able to grade the difficulty of each prophet’s ministry, certainly
Jeremiah would be close to the top. Like Isaiah, G-d told him to speak to a
people who would not listen. Jeremiah not only had to deal with unreceptive
people but also many false prophets. Jeremiah received his call from G-d to
be a prophet in the year 627 BC. Jeremiah ministered through the reigns of
Jehoiakim, Zedekiah, and Jehoahaz & Jehoiachin. Jeremiah’s name
means The L-rd appoints or establishes. He was the son of Hilkiah the
priest. Because of Israel’s apostasy, Jeremiah was charged to indict Israel
for two specific things. 1.) G-d had warned them about forsaking G-d. The
Israelites not only forsook G-d but also replaced Him with worthless idols.
2.) The Israelites had agreed to let the slaves go free in 7 years, but after
they let them go they quickly put them back in bondage, breaking their
covenant. They also ignored the instructions of the Shabbat year. Good
intentions don’t count. This was evil in G-d’s sight. To discipline them, G-d
announced that they would have a release even if they did not release their
servants. Their release would be a release from polluting the land by their
disobedience to the Torah. It would be a 70-year release in Babylon.
Zedekiah was one of the most unfortunate Kings in history. He is the 3rd
son of Josiah. Josiah was a godly King who attempted to follow the Torah
and lead Israel in many religious reforms. Josiah is the only King that had
the distinction of having 3 sons who each, in turn, followed their father’s
footsteps and sat on the throne. None of the 3 came close to their father’s
love for G-d. The last of the 3 sons was Mattaniah. King Nebuchadnezzar,
the ruler of Babylon changed his name to Zedekiah. He became a puppet
king of the Babylonians and was never really accepted by his own people.
The people liked his brother Jehachin. Because of this, Zedekiah’s reign
was characterized by agitation and unrest. Some of his advisors urged him
to rebel from Babylon’s influence. This proved to be a most fatal mistake.
Nebuchadnesszr marched west, destroyed the Temple and set Jerusalem
up in flames. That was 586 BC. Zedekiah convinces his leaders to make a
covenant with the people to follow the instructions found in the Torah about
freeing Hebrew slaves/servants during the 7th year. We do not know why
Zedekiah decided to press this particular Torah observance. Jer. 34:21
informs us this covenant apparently was made during a period when the
Babylonians had gone away from Jerusalem but were threatening to return.
The Babylonians under General Nebuchadnezzar first entered the territory of
Israel after their stunning victory at Charchamish against the Egyptians in
605. He did not press his claims too much until he returned again in 597. At
which time he captured Jerusalem and took 10,000 citizens including
Ezekiel the prophet. It was after this trip Nebuchadnezzar installed Zedekiah
as the King of Jerusalem. It was probably during this time also that
Zedekiah made this covenant of freedom. Whatever the motive, the
covenant the people entered into was a real, genuinely binding agreement
with each other and with G-d. In light of the national, spiritual and moral
conditions of this time of Israel’s history, it is remarkable that they would
have agreed to do any practice taught in the Torah. They made their
covenant on holy precincts, the Temple. G-d said that they made their
covenant “before me in the house upon which My name is called.” With the
making of this covenant it looked like the people of Judah may have begun a
spiritual revival, which ultimately may even, have spared them the horrors of
the Babylonian invasion. Whatever spiritual revival may have been brewing
came to a screeching halt. No sooner had they made the covenant then they
went back on their words. In breaking the covenant they went back on their
own words to each other, their word to the slaves and they profaned G-d’s
name because the covenant was cut invoking G-d’s name as a witness and
under His jurisdiction. Breaking the covenant was making a mockery of G-
d Himself. Discord and bitterness now spread among the community as
they continued in their centuries old habit of breaking the Torah. Zedekiah
attempted to remain faithful to the covenant as evidenced by his fate. G-d
tells him through the prophet that although he will be captured by
Nebuchadnezzar and taken to Babylon he will not be neither put to death nor
die by the sword. Zedekiah’s death will come peacefully with people
lamenting his passing. Jer. 34:4-5. Nebuchadnezzar came and destroyed
Jerusalem. Zedekiah fled Jerusalem but was captured near Jericho.
Zedekiah’s sons were slain before his eyes and then his own eyes were put
out. He died a natural death in Babylon. If Israel for centuries had been
sinful why did G-d wait until this one sin was committed before He decreed
their demise? Because the sacred covenant was flagrantly violated and the
teaching of slavery was abused. Covenants are sacred. They are often
ratified by the death of innocent bid; the animal sacrifice. G-d was teaching
them that life is sacred and man’s words are also sacred, especially man’s
promises to each other and to G-d. They made their covenant in the
Temple. Breaking the covenant was like lying to G-d. If people treat such
covenants lightly, they can easily get the impression that G-d also regards
the covenants as unimportant. A slave in the holy community is to be
considered your brother and possesses rights. G-d made sure that those
who were unfortunate enough (usually because of financial reasons) would
never be treated like Israel when they were slaves in Egypt. He insures that
whoever would be a servant in Israel would be treated with dignity, fairly and
graciously. So Israel violated one of the most important provisions of G-d’s
covenant with their nation. When G-d says He is announcing a release for
them because they reneged on their release of the servants the words are
likradror, which means to proclaim liberty. The Holy One, blessed be He, is
purposely reminding the people of the Torah. What G-d is about to do
against the people, He is doing it because, by oath, He is acting out of
covenant obligation. In Jer. 34:17 G-d announces that Judah would be
released from the land and from His protection so as to fall victim to sword,
pestilence, and famine and to the shame of the Kingdoms of the earth. Jer.
34:22 He announces the return of the Babylonians to Jerusalem in order to
wreak havoc with the Holy City and its suburbs in Judah. In other words they
have forced the slaves to return to bondage, therefore, the Babylonians shall
return and be the instrument of the Divine punishment. If G-d did not bring
on the disciplines He promised, we would have every right to question his
veracity. Both Israel and Judah are a picture of how G-d relates to all of His
people. When we became believers in Yeshua, we also entered a covenant
with G-d. Just like Israel our relationship with G-d may be strained and rocky
at times because of our flesh. Just like with Israel, g-d may have to levy
discipline, even severe discipline upon us from time to time, yet we will
always remain His because He is always faithful to keep His covenants. G-
d’s oath to us is secure because Messiah’s death atoned for all our sin and
made us new creations with G-d’s like flowing through us. We all get
discouraged. Many of us become like wandering sheep falling victim to our
own demises. But we have a faithful G-d who seeks to remind us that if we
have entered into a covenant relationship with Him, He will ever and always
be faithful to that covenant.
| MISHPATIM JER. 34:8-22/ 33:25-26 BY RABBI ESTHER BOUCHER |
Ministry of Gates of Praise Ministries, Inc. Copyright Gates of Praise Ministries 2007