The background for our Scripture reading is Judah had been attacked twice by Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar’s soldiers had attacked Judah and Jerusalem 17 years earlier. It was in that assault that Daniel and many others among the healthiest and brightest were taken to Babylon.
Ten years before the time we read about this week, Nebuchadnezzar took Jerusalem’s treasures and more captives. Ezekiel was among those captives.
Now, for a third time, Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians were attacking Jerusalem. This time the aim was to destroy the city. King Zedekiah had refused to pay tribute to Nebuchadnezzar, angering the Babylonian king.
Zedekiah sent messengers to ask Jeremiah to intercede on their behalf with the Lord. Perhaps the Lord would deliver Jerusalem this time “according to all his wondrous works.” Zedekiah and Jerusalem’s citizens had not cared much for the Lord, but now that destruction seemed imminent, they sought His help.
Jeremiah did not give the king’s messengers the words they wanted to hear. The Lord said He would make Jerusalem’s weapons ineffective. He would open the city they thought was impenetrable, and bring the Babylonian army “into the midst of this city.”
The Lord Himself would fight against Jerusalem. In effect, to battle against the Babylonian army would be the same as battling against the Lord. Every inhabitant of Jerusalem, man and beast, would be stricken in one way or the other. Not only would they be attacked with swords and other instruments of war, the inhabitants of Jerusalem would experience a famine and pestilence.
King Zedekiah and any other people who survived would be delivered into the hands of the Babylonians, the Lord said.
The Lord also had a message for the people of Jerusalem: “Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.” To stay in the city would mean certain death, but they could desert and surrender to the Babylonians and live. Since the Lord was on the side of the Babylonians, surrender to them would mean surrender to the Lord.
The choice between life and death is one that the Lord presents to man. In Deuteronomy 30:15, we read, “See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil.”
Today, people have before them the way of life or the way of death. Which will they choose? There is no neutral ground. A decision must be made as to whether a person will repent of his sins, turn to Christ and live or will he reject the Savior and live eternally in hell?
It is a decision that will be made whether people like it or not.
The Sunday School Lesson is written by Ed Wilcox, pastor of Centerville Baptist Church. [email protected].