What does Jeremiah 38:21 mean?
"But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the LORD hath shewed me:" - Jeremiah 38:21
The verse Jeremiah 38:21 from the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible reads, "But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the Lord hath shewed me."
This verse comes from a passage in the book of Jeremiah, which is a prophetic book in the Old Testament. The book of Jeremiah recounts the life and prophecies of the prophet Jeremiah, who lived during a tumultuous time in the history of Israel. The people of Judah were facing the imminent threat of invasion and destruction by the Babylonians, and Jeremiah was a messenger of God, calling the people to repent and turn back to God before it was too late.
In the context of Jeremiah 38, the prophet finds himself in a dire situation. He has been imprisoned by King Zedekiah, who is seeking to silence Jeremiah's messages of impending doom. Zedekiah does not want to heed Jeremiah's warnings, and instead chooses to imprison him in the courtyard of the guard in the royal palace. Jeremiah is left to languish in a cistern, without food or water, as the king and his officials refuse to listen to his warnings from the Lord.
In this verse, Jeremiah is delivering a message from God to the king. The Lord is warning Zedekiah that if he continues to refuse to go forth and heed the warnings of impending destruction, then the word that the Lord has shown to Jeremiah will be fulfilled. The implication is that if Zedekiah remains obstinate and does not repent, then the judgment of God will come to pass, and the city of Jerusalem will fall to the Babylonians.
This verse carries several important themes and lessons. One of the central themes is the importance of heeding the word of God and the consequences of disobedience. Throughout the book of Jeremiah, the prophet repeatedly calls the people to repent and turn back to God, warning them of the impending judgment if they continue in their sinful ways. Zedekiah's refusal to listen to Jeremiah's warnings serves as a poignant example of the consequences of disobedience and the futility of resisting God's will.
Additionally, this verse reflects the theme of the sovereignty and faithfulness of God. The Lord is depicted as a God who reveals his word to his prophets and who fulfills his promises. Despite the king's efforts to silence Jeremiah and ignore his warnings, the word of the Lord cannot be thwarted. The verse also underscores the idea that God's judgments are just and merciful. While the impending destruction of Jerusalem is a result of the people's disobedience, the Lord continues to offer a way of escape and redemption if the people will repent and turn back to Him.
Symbolically, this verse represents the universal message of God's call to repentance and the consequences of rejecting His word. It serves as a reminder of the eternal truth that God's word is unchanging and that His promises, whether for judgment or for redemption, will come to pass. It also illustrates the delicate balance between God's justice and mercy, as His judgments are always tempered with the offer of forgiveness, restoration, and redemption for those who heed His word.
In conclusion, Jeremiah 38:21 is a powerful and poignant verse that encapsulates the themes of obedience, repentance, and the faithfulness of God. It serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of disobedience and the unwavering nature of God's word. It challenges us to heed the call to repent and turn back to God, and to trust in His sovereignty and faithfulness.
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Jeremiah 38:21 - "But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the LORD hath shewed me:"
"But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the LORD hath shewed me:" - Jeremiah 38:21
Jeremiah 38:13 - "So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him up out of the dungeon: and Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison."
Jeremiah 38:1–13
Jeremiah 38:24 - "¶ Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, and thou shalt not die."
Jeremiah 38:6 - "Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire."
Jeremiah 38:28 - "So Jeremiah abode in the court of the prison until the day that Jerusalem was taken: and he was there when Jerusalem was taken."
Jeremiah 32:38 - "And they shall be my people, and I will be their God:"
Jeremiah 38:12 - "And Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah, Put now these old cast clouts and rotten rags under thine armholes under the cords. And Jeremiah did so."
Jeremiah 38:19 - "And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me."
Jeremiah 38:14 - "¶ Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took Jeremiah the prophet unto him into the third entry that is in the house of the LORD: and the king said unto Jeremiah, I will ask thee a thing; hide nothing from me."
Jeremiah 51:38 - "They shall roar together like lions: they shall yell as lions' whelps."
Jeremiah 38:8 - "Ebed-melech went forth out of the king's house, and spake to the king, saying,"
Jeremiah 38:7 - "¶ Now when Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs which was in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon; the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin;"
Luke 21:38 - "And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him."
Jeremiah 38:6 (KJVA) 6 Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire.
Jeremiah 38:10 - "Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from hence thirty men with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die."
Jeremiah 38:1 - "Then Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashur the son of Malchiah, heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken unto all the people, saying,"
Psalms 38:21 - "Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me."
Jeremiah 49:38 - "And I will set my throne in Elam, and will destroy from thence the king and the princes, saith the LORD."
"And they shall be my people, and I will be their God:" - Jeremiah 32:38
Jeremiah 38:27 - "Then came all the princes unto Jeremiah, and asked him: and he told them according to all these words that the king had commanded. So they left off speaking with him; for the matter was not perceived."
Job 38:21 - "Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great?"
Jeremiah 38:15 - "Then Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, If I declare it unto thee, wilt thou not surely put me to death? and if I give thee counsel, wilt thou not hearken unto me?"
Jeremiah 50:38 - "A drought is upon her waters; and they shall be dried up: for it is the land of graven images, and they are mad upon their idols."
"So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him up out of the dungeon: and Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison." - Jeremiah 38:13
Jeremiah 38:11 - "So Ebed-melech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took thence old cast clouts and old rotten rags, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah."
Jeremiah 38:3 - "Thus saith the LORD, This city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon's army, which shall take it."
"¶ Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, and thou shalt not die." - Jeremiah 38:24
Jeremiah 38:20 - "But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the LORD, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live."