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"Please let this man be put to death"

Text: Jeremiah 38:4

DETERMINATION TO KILL JEREMIAH

“Therefore the princes said to the king,
‘Please, let this man be put to death,
for thus he weakens the hands of the men of war who remain in this city,
and the hands of all the people, by speaking such words to them.
For this man does not seek the welfare of this people, but their harm.’
Then Zedekiah the king said,
‘Look, he is in your hand. For the king can do nothing against you.’
So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the king’s son,
which was in the court of the prison, and they let Jeremiah down with ropes.
And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire.
So Jeremiah sank in the mire.”
Jeremiah 38:4-6

1. “Therefore the princes said to the king,
‘Please, let this man be put to death,
for thus he weakens the hands of the men of war who remain in this city,
and the hands of all the people, by speaking such words to them.
For this man does not seek the welfare of this people, but their harm'”

a) The princes made a case against Jeremiah.

b) They determined to have the king put him to death.

c) The charges against Jeremiah:

i) He weakens the army by his messages.

ii) He also weakens the hearts of the people in the city.

iii) He seeks to harm the people.

iv) He does not seek the welfare of the people.

d) These were false charges.

i) If the people surrendered, lives would be saved.

ii) If they resisted, all would die!

2. “Then Zedekiah the king said,
‘Look, he is in your hand. For the king can do nothing against you'”

a) Zedekiah was very weak as a ruler.

b) He acceded to the wishes of the princes.

c) He was powerless against the princes.

3. “So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the king’s son,
which was in the court of the prison, and they let Jeremiah down with ropes.
And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire. So Jeremiah sank in the mire”

a) Jeremiah was taken out of the court of the prison.

b) He was cast into the dungeon of Malchiah, who was the king’s son.

c) Jeremiah was let down into a deep well.

i) This well held no water.

ii) It was full of mire instead.

iii) The mire being soft sucked Jeremiah in.