This study has nothing to do with exposure to abusive people. While we are expected to forgive every person who asks our forgiveness and through God’s power, we are not expected to continue being abused or exposed to danger or mistreatment. Forgiveness in those circumstances can come, but it takes time and wisdom.
“Indeed, I will certainly deliver you so that you do not fall by the sword. Because you have trusted in me, you will retain your life like the spoils of war. This is the Lord’s declaration. Jeremiah 39:18 (CSB)
Ebed-Melech. Does that name mean anything to you?
Well, he sure meant something to Jeremiah, the prophet.
Ebed-Melech was an Ethiopian Moor. He was a servant to the Hebrew king, Zedekiah. In the interest of brevity, I am going to leave it to you to read his story in Jeremiah 38 & 39. I hope that you will do that. If you don’t, the rest of today’s study won’t mean that much to you. This is a great story for kids to hear.
The purpose of our study today is not to focus on any one person’s good deeds. Our focus is on the goodness of God for the least likely of people.
Actually, that would be all of us. But in human terms, there are certain people that we deem least likely. In Jeremiah’s day, the Hebrews considered Gentiles and pagans to always be the least likely.
But can I tell you something? All lost people have pagan hearts when they are absent God’s grace.
Where does the notion begin that we deserve salvation?
In our black hearts, of course. The best person that we know does not deserve what our Jesus did to redeem us.
He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:21 (CSB)
But our enemy, Satan, and his demons hate God’s mercy and forgiveness for mankind. He wants every living soul in Hell with him. He wants us all to hate each other. He wants us to be merciless and unforgiving, too.
I will put hostility between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring.
He will strike your head,
and you will strike his heel.
Genesis 3:15 (CSB)
Much to Satan’s dismay, God showers mercy and forgiveness on us when we aren’t even looking for Him. He is pursuing us. Ebed-Melech is one of those souls.
For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.[a]
Romans 10:13 (CSB)
Ebed-Melech came from a pagan nation, and he landed in Babylon as a servant to a pagan nation. By what human measure could he ever be good enough to know God?
Did you read his story?
Ebed-Melech was a real hero. He saved God’s man, Jeremiah in a courageous way.
Do you believe that is why he is currently in Heaven?
If you think that, look at the last line of our key verse. “Because you have trusted in me, you will retain your life“
Like every true believer, the only reason any one of us makes it to Heaven is because of the kindness, mercy and forgiveness of God. Nothing we know about our Savior ever tells us that we have finally done such great things that we can be saved. Grace is through faith, alone. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
So why then, do we look at other people with hopeless thoughts? We judge others mercilessly. We develop bitter and resentful feelings for others, including family, friends, neighbors and even people we don’t even know!
In the middle. Swallowed up.
Those green with life look down.
But beauty missed by arrogance
is a lowly sinner’s Crown.
How could we even want to so closely resemble the evil one?
Satan, our accuser, (Revelation 12:10) hates the mercy and forgiveness that God has granted to every true believer in Christ. He not only accuses us before God, but he also tempts us to cast judgment and accusation on others in the world.
This is so sinful. If we do not extend mercy and forgiveness (Micah 6:8) to believers and non-believers alike, then we are behaving like the evil one who does the same to us (1 Peter 5:6-11).
We must fight the urge to accuse others and to assume that they are disdaining us. This is self-glorification. Pride. Satanic.
Take another look at Ebed-Melech. Would you be surprised that God led him to salvation?
The Bible is filled with stories of the least likely to be saved. Is there someone in your family or workplace that you deem unworthy? Someone who seems to bring judgment on themselves due to their immorality or combative nature. Or someone in your life who just ticks you off, making it hard to forgive or be around them?
Hatred. Animosity. Vengeance – Satan.
For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
Mercy. Grace. Forgiveness. God.
It’s your choice. But as a believer, you can’t have it both ways. The Holy Spirit does not live in the soul of a person who also entertains Satan.
Lion of Judah
So, what does this have to do with Ebed-Melech? His salvation wasn’t a prize because he rescued Jeremiah.
He found salvation in the mercy and forgiveness for all his sins, in the heart of God, because God so loved Ebed-Melech.
“…Because you have trusted in me, you will retain your life like the spoils of war. This is the Lord’s declaration.’”” Jeremiah 39:18
And God so loved you!
Share the Good News in your world!
Isaiah 52:7
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
Getting the Seed out of the basket and into hungry hearts. Matthew 13 