Chapter 39:1-10 (ESV) - In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and besieged it. In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city. Then all the officials of the king of Babylon came and sat in the middle gate: Nergal-sar-ezer of Samgar, Nebu-sar-sekim the Rab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag, with all the rest of the officers of the king of Babylon. When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled, going out of the city at night by way of the king's garden through the gate between the two walls; and they went toward the Arabah. But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. And when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, at Riblah, in the land of Hamath; and he passed sentence on him. The king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah at Riblah before his eyes, and the king of Babylon slaughtered all the nobles of Judah. He put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him in chains to take him to Babylon. The Chaldeans burned the king's house and the house of the people, and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, carried into exile to Babylon the rest of the people who were left in the city, those who had deserted to him, and the people who remained. Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, left in the land of Judah some of the poor people who owned nothing, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.
Question to consider: If Zedekiah loved the city of Jerusalem, why did he flee when the walls were breached?
The day of judgment had finally come. It was about a year and a half after the siege began. Once the wall was breached, Zedekiah bailed on Jerusalem and tried to sneak out of the south gate. It seems only fitting for the coward to bail on the city he claimed to have loved. All of Zedekiah’s actions were based on his fear of man. He feared the false prophets who lied about the LORD’s judgment against Jerusalem and let them continue to spout their poison despite secretly listening to the word given to Jeremiah.
He feared the princes of the city who falsely accused and imprisoned Jeremiah. Although he may have moved him to a place where he could continue to be fed as long as the bread held out, he didn’t stand up to these men and insist on his release.
Even at that point, the LORD was willing to show mercy to Zedekiah if only he would surrender to Nebuchadnezzar and let the city receive its time of desolation. However, Zedekiah feared the people who had obeyed the LORD and went into exile ahead of him believing that they would kill him. This fear was imaginary, for the people who obeyed the LORD by going into exile were the "good figs"— the people of faith. They would have welcomed Zedekiah’s obedience to the LORD with rejoicing. This is true of the church as well. Even if someone has spent their entire life persecuting Christians with impunity, when they honestly repent and turn to the LORD, there is great rejoicing as we welcome them into the family of Christ.
Zedekiah’s final and greatest fear was that of Nebuchadnezzar, the sword of God used to purge Jerusalem with fire. Even then, if Zedekiah had only feared the LORD and trusted in His word, he could have surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar and lived. Instead, he ran, and the full judgment came down upon those who went with him. Zedekiah was forced to helplessly witness this horror until they dug out his eyes.
The only ones where were spared were the poor and enslaved brethren. Most likely, they were the ones of whom the people pledged to free but then re-enslaved at the first opportunity. (Jeremiah 34:11) Nebuchadnezzar gave them vineyards and let them remain in peace. In doing so, Nebuchadnezzar wouldn’t have had to worry about them trying to retaliate against Babylon, for he freed them and put them in a better state than the people of Judah.
It can be easy to criticize Zedekiah for his fear of man when we are thousands of years removed from his situation, but it’s important that we be willing to judge our own lives the same way. Do we go along with the popular voices in our society who rail against the word of the LORD? Are we willing to trust that the LORD will sustain us in the midst of a world that hates Him and would like to see His people be destroyed?
Dear heavenly Father, please help us to have faith in You and not live in fear of the world. Help us to continue to boldly proclaim the good news that all who repent and are clothed in Christ will be saved from the judgment that is coming upon the sin of all mankind. It is only by His finished work on the cross that we are made righteous in Your eyes. Amen.