What was Zedekiah thinking? Why wouldn’t the king listen to a godly prophet? The more King Zedekiah feared men, the less he feared or respected God. Jeremiah, however, feared God more than he feared any man, even kings or angry mobs. The prophet stood by God’s messages even when he was thrown into a dungeon and then a cistern. Wisdom begins by trusting the Word of God no matter what.
Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.
A yoke is a piece of wood that usually goes over the necks of two animals, such as horses, mules, or oxen. The yoke helps the pair of animals pull a heavy load together. People sometimes think yokes are painful or oppressive. However, the yoke actually distributes the weight of a load across the strength of the pair of animals, making the job of pulling easier. In this story, Jeremiah wore a yoke as a visual warning for the people that they must serve under Babylon because it was part of God’s plan.
Using a photo or a drawing, create a picture with a message on it that can serve as a visual reminder to you to follow God’s plans. You might want to use Proverbs 19:21 or another Bible verse as part of the image.
Dear Lord, fill me with Your wisdom so that when choices are difficult, I will know what You want me to do. Amen.