Friday - Jeremiah 34 - Keeping One's Word

T

HE Jews of Jerusalem in Jeremiah's day reneged openly and with stubbornly duplicitousness. In their case, they initially set their slaves free, in keeping with God's and king Zedekiah's instructions (due evidently to the pressures of His discipline). Yet, as soon as they realized what this had cost them (and likely as soon as they thought the pressure was off so that they felt free to do so), they went back on their word, subjugating all of those same people to slavery (Jeremiah 34:11 & 16). Even practically speaking, this was worse than if they had never allowed them to go free in the first place. Imagine the hope in the hearts of those slaves and how crushed it must have been when they were forced to return to their former life.

But Hallelujah, there is One who keeps His word without exception. God is a "Man" of His word. In this chapter, it is recorded that He promised to preserve Zedekiah's life (Jeremiah 34:4). Not that Zedekiah was going to prove worthy of such grace. Yet God keeps His promises. We aren't so faithful, but God is always faithful.  He can be depended on.  He can be trusted.  He keeps His word.  "The word… from the Lord" was sure and certain.  It was reliable.  God is always reliable.   Men will fail you and let you down, but God never does. He can't lie any more than an elephant can fly.