Rev. Dan Speckhard, pastor at St. Peter Lutheran Church and School in North Judson, IN, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Jeremiah 39:1-18.
The long foretold event finally arrives. In the eleventh year of King Zedekiah, Jerusalem falls to the Babylonians. Foreigners invade God’s holy city. Despite Jeremiah’s consistent warnings, Zedekiah tries to flee, only to be captured and receive horrific judgment from Nebuchadnezzar. In the aftermath, Jeremiah’s preaching continues to be proven faithful as those who submit to Babylon live. Jeremiah himself receives clemency from the Babylonians, living in Judah under care of Gedaliah. The LORD does not fail to care for His faithful people, even the foreigner. Through such a dark event, the LORD allows for the light of His Gospel to shine all the greater.
“A Time to Destroy and a Time to Build” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Jeremiah. The prophet calls the people of Judah and Jerusalem to repent of their faithless idolatry and warns them of the destruction that is coming in the Babylonian exile. Yet Jeremiah does not leave us without hope in the midst of such dark days. Jeremiah and all who believe the Word of God he preached survive because of hope that is found in the righteous Branch from the line of David, Jesus Christ.
