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Chapter 38:1-13 (ESV) - Now Shephatiah the son of Mattan, Gedaliah the son of Pashhur, Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur the son of Malchiah heard the words that Jeremiah was saying to all the people: “Thus says the Lord: He who stays in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, but he who goes out to the Chaldeans shall live. He shall have his life as a prize of war, and live. Thus says the Lord: This city shall surely be given into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon and be taken.” Then the officials said to the king, “Let this man be put to death, for he is weakening the hands of the soldiers who are left in this city, and the hands of all the people, by speaking such words to them. For this man is not seeking the welfare of this people, but their harm.” King Zedekiah said, “Behold, he is in your hands, for the king can do nothing against you.” So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king's son, which was in the court of the guard, letting Jeremiah down by ropes. And there was no water in the cistern, but only mud, and Jeremiah sank in the mud.
When Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, a eunuch who was in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern—the king was sitting in the Benjamin Gate— Ebed-melech went from the king's house and said to the king, “My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they did to Jeremiah the prophet by casting him into the cistern, and he will die there of hunger, for there is no bread left in the city.” Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, “Take thirty men with you from here, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.” So Ebed-melech took the men with him and went to the house of the king, to a wardrobe in the storehouse, and took from there old rags and worn-out clothes, which he let down to Jeremiah in the cistern by ropes. Then Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, “Put the rags and clothes between your armpits and the ropes.” Jeremiah did so. Then they drew Jeremiah up with ropes and lifted him out of the cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.
Question to consider: How is Jeremiah a type of Christ in this passage?
Even though Zedekiah was the king, it is obvious that the ones who truly wielded power were the princes of the city. They were not willing to accept the judgment that was coming and hated Jeremiah for bringing the word of the LORD to them. They saw it as a self-fulfilling prophecy. The soldiers and people would hear the LORD’s message of judgment from Jeremiah and believe it so that they would lose heart in battle and lose to the Babylonians.
Like the guard who accused Jeremiah of being a deserter when he was merely going back to his hometown to get his affairs in order, these princes accused him of treason for speaking a word against Jerusalem and causing the soldiers and people to doubt. What is described as a cistern was basically an empty well with mud at the bottom.
Like good politicians, they didn’t want to rile up the people by pushing him into the well, but they were also ready to let him starve to death while he was in there. King Zedekiah, who secretly believed Jeremiah was receiving his oracles from the LORD, was too afraid of these men to stand up to their request to put Jeremiah in the well.
Fortunately, the LORD worked through a visiting Gentile from Ethiopia who heard what was going on and had the fortitude to stand up and say that letting Jeremiah starve in the well was not the right thing to do. Throughout scripture there are examples of Gentiles who understood right from wrong better than those who professed to be men of faith. Kings, who were supposed to be the LORD’s representatives to the people were often faithless cowards who cared more about the judgment of men than of God.
Jeremiah was a type of Christ being as good as dead and buried in the earth— even sinking in the mire— and then raised up to life, always faithful to bring the word of the LORD in order for people to be saved from their sins.
Dear heavenly Father, thank You for providing Jeremiah’s daily bread and sending a helper to advocate for him. Please continue to do these things for us as Your people even when things look bleak in our own generation. Amen.