March 6: THE TRAGEDY OF CHOOSING BLINDNESS

But the army of the Chaldeans . . . overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. All his army was scattered from him. Jeremiah 52:8

Jeremiah’s book—a jumble of events, sermons, loving warnings of God, and dashes of divine visions of the future—carries a unique punch of power in its presentation. Toward the end of the book, in chapters 46-49, the LORD addresses specific groups, all of which had become known for exalting themselves against the LORD—and all of which will fall under the rulership of Babylon.

Chapters 50 and 51 are directed at Babylon. Her blinding influence in the world is pointed out in seventeen other books of the Bible, in addition to Jeremiah. Like the seventy-year captivity in Babylon—a lifetime for those who were carried off (see Jeremiah 25:11)—the entire world has been ‘carried off’ to spiritual Babylon. Rescue from her is possible, but only with God. Apart from His written word, no one today would have an awareness of her existence, for she hides in plain sight behind a multiplicity of various names, many of which claim to be Christian.  

Jeremiah’s last chapter, 52, tells for the third time, the incredibly sad story of Zedekiah. He was appointed a vassal king in Judah by Nebuchadnezzar following the failed services of Jehoiakim and Jehoiachin, both of whom had acted treacherously at every turn. Zedekiah swore an oath of loyalty to Nebuchadnezzar invoking the name of Yahweh, but secretly pursued an alliance with Egypt, thinking the Pharaoh could defeat Babylon. Jeremiah’s warnings had repeatedly specified that the only safety was in genuine, humble submission to Babylon in acceptance of God’s divine discipline.

In a cowardly fashion, Zedekiah would consult Jeremiah privately, but he totally lacked the moral courage to obey God, for that would involve the humility of surrendering his pride publicly, the one thing he continually refused to do. After nine years, his feigned loyalty to Babylon became an open revolt. This precipitated a Babylonian siege around Jerusalem lasting two years, one of the most devastating such events in history (see Lamentations!). In an attempt to save himself, Zedekiah tried to escape. His voluntary spiritual blindness toward God’s instructions turned into literal blindness. The last scene he witnessed was the cruel execution of his sons (they made him watch). The bronze fetters* with which he was bound after being blinded foreshadow the onslaught of heavy influence upon God’s people via Greek mythology.

So they took the king [Zedekiah] and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah . . . and he pronounced judgement on him. Then the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. And he killed all the princes of Judah in Riblah. He also put out the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him in bronze fetters, took him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death. Jeremiah 52:9-11

*Greece foreshadowed: Daniel 2:32, 35,39,45; 7:19 (This last verse indicates Greek influence in Roman culture)