Bible Commentaries
Jeremiah 34

Verses 1-22

1. Intro:
   1. Promises Promises!
      1. Prov.20:25 “It is a snare for a man to devote rashly something as holy, And afterward to reconsider his vows.”
      2. Remember Acts 5 with Ananias & Sapphira his wife, when they sold a possession.
      3. Eccl.5:4,5 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed; Better not to vow than to vow and not pay. “
   2. Outline: Ch.34 – Promise Breakers; ch.35 – Promise Keepers.
2. WHOSE SLAVE ARE YOU? (1-7)
   1. ​​​​​​​Rom.6:16 “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?”
      1. They choose a sin leading to death!
   2. Here we have Babylon finally breaking through the wall(Jerusalem).
      1. They were down to 2 cities: Lachish (23 m. from Jerusalem); & Azekah (18 m. from Jerusalem).
         1. Neb. required the countries he’d conquer to send recruits. So literally the whole Near East was attacking God’s chosen people.
      2. King Zed. Will try to escape(3) but would fail.
      3. Read 2 Kings 25:1-7 for account of it.
      4. His bondage of sin led to the bondage of his enemy.
   3. During this stormy time for Judah – she looked around for Allies instead of up for the Almighty!
3. THE CHANGE OF MIND! (8-11)
   1. ​​​​​​​They got kicked out of their land for not keeping the Sabbath Land Rule (every 7th year mandatory land rest). Now a problem with the 7^th year Slave Rule.
      1. Read Deut.15:12-15 “Law concerning Bond-servants”.
   2. They were not to enslave their brethren.
      1. Every 7^th year set free.
   3. They obeyed this law all of a sudden, coincidence or zeal?
      1. Just so happens their was a nasty famine (2 Kings 25:3). So it would be tough to feed all your family & servants.
         1. Just so happens that Egypt came up & scared off Babylon temporarily.But when they came back they took their slaves back.
      2. They were trying to appease God. When things got better they changed their minds!
         1. ​​​​​​​Ps.66:13,14 “I will go into Your house with burnt offerings; I will pay You my vows, Which my lips have uttered And my mouth has spoken when I was in trouble.”
      3. Here we have a masters in greater slavery than their servants!
         1. Because they did not seek to please God!
   4. Be a man/women of your word!
      1. Prov.12:22 “Lying lips are an abomination unto the Lord.”
   5. They forgot one thing! The last word is w/God!!!
4. THE SERMON! (12-22)
   1. ​​​​​​​Vs.15 – Even made the cov. down at the temple (remember Eccl.5:4!)
   2. Vs.17 – Here, I’ll give you liberty…Liberty to “Fall by the sword, plague, & famine!”
   3. Vs.18 – to “cut” a covenant = “made” (8,13,15,18)
      1. Whoever doesn’t keep the cov. will be ground beef!
   4. Now before we condemn them too much lets look inward!
      1. Q: Do we as God’s people ever make commitments, promises, vows, during the rough times, only to recant when things go better?
      2. How many times I’ve heard the verbal commitments of people on death beds, then God heals them & they walk away from the Lord after answering their prayers.
      3. Or commitments to follow Christ when things are bad, then walk as soon as things turn around.
         1. Lord just heal me & I’ll….; Lord, let me get this house & I’ll…; Lord secure this job & I’ll…