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Daily Devotions

Jeremiah

Jeremiah 
Day 
Day 245

"The way of life and the way of death"

Text: Jeremiah 21:8

A FURTHER WORD TO THE INHABITANTS OF JERUSALEM

A word had been given to king Zedekiah and his courtiers. It was a message of doom and disaster (Jeremiah 21:3-7).

This new word was given to all who lived in Jerusalem that was already under siege! There were only two options!

“Now you shall say to this people,
‘Thus says the LORD:
‘Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
He who remains in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence;
but he who goes out and defects to the Chaldeans who besiege you,
he shall live, and his life shall be as a prize to him.
For I have set My face against this city for adversity and not for good,’
says the LORD.
‘It shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon,
and he shall burn it with fire.””
Jeremiah 21:8-10

1. “Now you shall say to this people, ‘Thus says the LORD…'”

a) This word came from the LORD.
b) Jeremiah was only His spokesman.

2. “Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death”

a) There was “the way of life”.
b) There was “the way of death”.

3. “He who remains in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence”

a) The way of death awaits those who choose to live in the besieged city of Jerusalem.
b) Three ways they may die:
i) By the sword, killed by the Babylonians.
ii) By famine, the people will starve because they are under siege.
iii) By pestilence, disease will spread rapidly in the city where the people are locked in by the Babylonians.

4. “But he who goes out and defects to the Chaldeans who besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be as a prize to him”

a) Defection (surrender)
i) This decision was despised by those who lived in Jerusalem!
ii) Those who defect were seen as traitors or cowards.
b) But the defectors would live. Their life would be like a prize to them.

5. “‘For I have set My face against this city for adversity and not for good,’ says the LORD.
‘It shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.'”

a) This was a divine judgment/ decree.
b) God’s face was set against Jerusalem:
i) For adversity.
ii) Not for good.
c) The city of Jerusalem would be given to the king of Babylon.
d) The Babylonian king would burn the city with fire.