Study 23 From the Book of Jeremiah is: Jeremiah 34
Two incidents that occurred during the siege of Jerusalem at the
end of Zedekiah’s reign.
1.
Nebuchadrezzar doubtless thought that he, with his numerous and
powerful force (verse 1), was master of the situation. But, who is revealed here as the controlling
power, deciding the fate of cities and kings? Cf. Is. 40:15, 17, 21-24; Lk.
3:1, 2.
2.
Why was the failure to go through with the freeing of the slaves
so severely condemned? Cf. @c. 5:4, 5; Mt. 7:21; 21:28-31a; Lk. 9:62. With
verse 17, cf. 22:16. Do I owe some promised obedience which has not yet been
performed.
Notes
1.
Verses 2-5. Cf. 32:3-5; 52:11.
2.
Verse 14. Cf. Dt. 15:12-15.
3.
Verse 17. ‘Liberty to the sword’: i.e., freedom to be destroyed
by conquest.
4.
Verses 18, 19. The ceremony of the covenant of repentance (verse
15) included the participants’ passing between the parts of a calf which had
been cut in two (cf. Gn. 15:7-18). By such ritual, they asked to be put to
death in a similar violent manner, if they failed to keep their promise. See
verse 20.
