“King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah the prophet and received him at the third entrance of the temple of the LORD. The king said to Jeremiah, “I will ask you a question; hide nothing from me.” Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “If I tell you, will you not surely put me to death? And if I give you counsel, you will not listen to me.”” (Jeremiah 38:14–15, ESV)
This scripture for today comes in the middle of a meeting of two very important people at a very crucial time in the history of Judah and Israel. King Zedekiah was in a difficult situation, with the army of Babylon in a threatening position. During these tense days, Zedekiah sent for the great prophet of his day, Jeremiah. Though Zedekiah had previously rejected Jeremiah’s prophesies and even threatened his life, the king knew that the time had come to listen to what the great prophet had to say. Fearing a looming war with the Babylonians, Zedekiah sent word to Jeremiah to meet at the Temple in Jerusalem.
The two great leaders met “at the third entrance of the temple of the Lord” (Jeremiah 38:14). There, the king began to ask Jeremiah for a message from God. The King desired that Jeremiah “hide nothing”. The King wanted the truth. He desired advice directly from God. In response, Jeremiah told Zedekiah, “If I tell you, will you not surely put me to death?” Then, Jeremiah chastised the king by saying that even with good “counsel”, the king would not heed the words anyway. After much pleading and promises of safety by the king, Jeremiah went on to give his advice. Jeremiah declared, “Thus says the Lord…..” (Jeremiah 38:17). With these words, Jeremiah delivered God’s direction to the king about the judgment that was coming. Because King Zedekiah had failed to listen to Jeremiah’s advice from God for so long, the king was unable to stop the destruction by the army of Babylon. Not long after, war did come. The king’s sons were all killed, and the king’s eyes were gouged out (Jeremiah 39). The city of Jerusalem was then utterly destroyed.
It is very important that you heed good advice. Jeremiah had been urging King Zedekiah to follow the word of God over and over and over again. Only when it was too late to change his fate did the king finally decide to heed the advice from Jeremiah. Day after day for months and years, Jeremiah had tried to convince the king to change his ways, but the king would not listen. This resulted not only in his own disfigurement but in the death of his sons and of thousands and thousands of people in Judah and Israel. Good advice heeded earlier would have saved Judah and Israel. When it was ignored, and the wrong advice followed, the result was inevitable suffering and death.
Good advice could have saved king Zedekiah. If it had been heeded, it would have saved Israel. God tried through the prophets to change Judah and Israel’s ways. They would not listen. Instead, the people followed the voices of those who told the leadership what they wanted to hear. Because Jeremiah’s advice was not easy to accept, the king took the easy route and listened to the politicians and military. He ignored Jeremiah. All Israel and Judah suffered the consequences.
Good advice is sometimes difficult to hear or accept. It may mean you have to change your ways. Good advice might make you uncomfortable. The truth is often uncomfortable, especially when you have been living a lie. Do you tend to heed good advice or listen to people who tell you what you want to hear? Do you look to God for direction in how to live or follow your own desires and instincts?
On a bright and warm summer day, Jamie gathered with his friends at the city’s biggest park. They spent hours throwing frisbees, playing music, and generally having a good time. As the sun was setting, the boys decided to go cruising. They also decided to stop at one boy’s home and sneak some alcohol to take with them. With almost a liter of whiskey siphoned into a mason jar, the boys cruised main street while sneaking sips of the alcohol with each passing hour. Now and then, they parked together and stole a few big gulps of the brew. They laughed among themselves at their antics.
Then, after midnight, two of the drivers decided to race each other for the last ounce of the whiskey. Jamie was not thrilled at the idea. He felt both drivers were drunk. He said something but was immediately shouted down. The youth all piled into the cars for the race. A half mile down the road, Jamie’s car veered off the road and into a tree. Jamie barely survived the accident. One friend never made it home that night.
Jamie told me the story of that night. He confided to me, “I never should have gotten in that car. I tried to tell them. I wanted them to listen. Not only did they not listen to me, but I was also so stupid to hop into the car with a drunk driver and then idiotic to do it when they were going to race. I wish to hell I would have listened to my gut. I knew something was going to happen. I knew it!”
I believe God was telling Jamie not only to warn the drivers but to NOT get into that car for the race. Jamie went to church every week. He knew God. He knew right from wrong. He had a very faithful family. He was raised right. However, Jamie’s friends would not listen to good advice. AND, Jamie ignored that voice from God shouting from his soul. Bad advice in the form of peer pressure or threats or manipulation or promises can sometimes be difficult to reject. Good advice when you are inebriated or fearful or insecure or too trusting can be hard to swallow. Even when you are a faithful person, you may find yourself following bad advice. God only wants you to follow good advice. God will only give you the best kind of advice.
When you are in a difficult position, remember to ask God for advice. Don’t be too afraid or insecure to follow through on that advice. When a faithful person sent by God gives you important direction, heed it! Don’t just learn the word of God, make sure to follow God’s voice and good advice when it comes your way. Yes, it may be hard to figure out good advice from bad. Still, your life and the lives of those around you may depend on you knowing which way God needs you to go and whose words are best followed. That is why prayer is so important. That is why faithful friends are worth their weight in gold!
Max Lucado wrote in his book, Eye of the Storm, the following bits of wisdom for Christians who need some good advice:
Love God more than you fear hell.
Once a week, let a child take you on a walk.
Make major decisions in a cemetery.
When no one is watching, live as if someone is.
Succeed at home first.
Don’t spend tomorrow’s money today.
Pray twice as much as you fret.
Listen twice as much as you speak.
Only harbor a grudge where God does.
Never outgrow your love of sunsets.
God has forgiven you; you’d be wise to do the same.
When you can’t trace God’s hand, trust His heart.
Toot your own horn and the notes will be flat.
The book of life is lived in chapters, so know your page number.
Live your Christianity.
The two great leaders met “at the third entrance of the temple of the Lord” (Jeremiah 38:14). There, the king began to ask Jeremiah for a message from God. The King desired that Jeremiah “hide nothing”. The King wanted the truth. He desired advice directly from God. In response, Jeremiah told Zedekiah, “If I tell you, will you not surely put me to death?” Then, Jeremiah chastised the king by saying that even with good “counsel”, the king would not heed the words anyway. After much pleading and promises of safety by the king, Jeremiah went on to give his advice. Jeremiah declared, “Thus says the Lord…..” (Jeremiah 38:17). With these words, Jeremiah delivered God’s direction to the king about the judgment that was coming. Because King Zedekiah had failed to listen to Jeremiah’s advice from God for so long, the king was unable to stop the destruction by the army of Babylon. Not long after, war did come. The king’s sons were all killed, and the king’s eyes were gouged out (Jeremiah 39). The city of Jerusalem was then utterly destroyed.
It is very important that you heed good advice. Jeremiah had been urging King Zedekiah to follow the word of God over and over and over again. Only when it was too late to change his fate did the king finally decide to heed the advice from Jeremiah. Day after day for months and years, Jeremiah had tried to convince the king to change his ways, but the king would not listen. This resulted not only in his own disfigurement but in the death of his sons and of thousands and thousands of people in Judah and Israel. Good advice heeded earlier would have saved Judah and Israel. When it was ignored, and the wrong advice followed, the result was inevitable suffering and death.
Good advice could have saved king Zedekiah. If it had been heeded, it would have saved Israel. God tried through the prophets to change Judah and Israel’s ways. They would not listen. Instead, the people followed the voices of those who told the leadership what they wanted to hear. Because Jeremiah’s advice was not easy to accept, the king took the easy route and listened to the politicians and military. He ignored Jeremiah. All Israel and Judah suffered the consequences.
Good advice is sometimes difficult to hear or accept. It may mean you have to change your ways. Good advice might make you uncomfortable. The truth is often uncomfortable, especially when you have been living a lie. Do you tend to heed good advice or listen to people who tell you what you want to hear? Do you look to God for direction in how to live or follow your own desires and instincts?
On a bright and warm summer day, Jamie gathered with his friends at the city’s biggest park. They spent hours throwing frisbees, playing music, and generally having a good time. As the sun was setting, the boys decided to go cruising. They also decided to stop at one boy’s home and sneak some alcohol to take with them. With almost a liter of whiskey siphoned into a mason jar, the boys cruised main street while sneaking sips of the alcohol with each passing hour. Now and then, they parked together and stole a few big gulps of the brew. They laughed among themselves at their antics.
Then, after midnight, two of the drivers decided to race each other for the last ounce of the whiskey. Jamie was not thrilled at the idea. He felt both drivers were drunk. He said something but was immediately shouted down. The youth all piled into the cars for the race. A half mile down the road, Jamie’s car veered off the road and into a tree. Jamie barely survived the accident. One friend never made it home that night.
Jamie told me the story of that night. He confided to me, “I never should have gotten in that car. I tried to tell them. I wanted them to listen. Not only did they not listen to me, but I was also so stupid to hop into the car with a drunk driver and then idiotic to do it when they were going to race. I wish to hell I would have listened to my gut. I knew something was going to happen. I knew it!”
I believe God was telling Jamie not only to warn the drivers but to NOT get into that car for the race. Jamie went to church every week. He knew God. He knew right from wrong. He had a very faithful family. He was raised right. However, Jamie’s friends would not listen to good advice. AND, Jamie ignored that voice from God shouting from his soul. Bad advice in the form of peer pressure or threats or manipulation or promises can sometimes be difficult to reject. Good advice when you are inebriated or fearful or insecure or too trusting can be hard to swallow. Even when you are a faithful person, you may find yourself following bad advice. God only wants you to follow good advice. God will only give you the best kind of advice.
When you are in a difficult position, remember to ask God for advice. Don’t be too afraid or insecure to follow through on that advice. When a faithful person sent by God gives you important direction, heed it! Don’t just learn the word of God, make sure to follow God’s voice and good advice when it comes your way. Yes, it may be hard to figure out good advice from bad. Still, your life and the lives of those around you may depend on you knowing which way God needs you to go and whose words are best followed. That is why prayer is so important. That is why faithful friends are worth their weight in gold!
Max Lucado wrote in his book, Eye of the Storm, the following bits of wisdom for Christians who need some good advice:
Love God more than you fear hell.
Once a week, let a child take you on a walk.
Make major decisions in a cemetery.
When no one is watching, live as if someone is.
Succeed at home first.
Don’t spend tomorrow’s money today.
Pray twice as much as you fret.
Listen twice as much as you speak.
Only harbor a grudge where God does.
Never outgrow your love of sunsets.
God has forgiven you; you’d be wise to do the same.
When you can’t trace God’s hand, trust His heart.
Toot your own horn and the notes will be flat.
The book of life is lived in chapters, so know your page number.
Live your Christianity.