An unexpected hero

"For I will surely save you... because you have put your trust in me." Jeremiah 39.18

I have discovered a new Bible hero - his name is Ebed-melech - it doesn't exactly trip off the tongue. One of the great things about reading through the whole Bible, is that you discover jewels you never noticed before. Ebed-melech is one of them. He could also prove useful in a really hard Bible quiz!

The book of Jeremiah and the story of the prophets life is captivating. He is called to such a difficult task at such a dangerous time. By chapter 38, Jerusalem is surrounded by an invading army, that is set to overwhelm her. All the prophets of Jerusalem are prophesying the Lord's deliverance - preaching 'Peace, peace'. The ruling elite of Jerusalem, must have loved it - the prophets were a fantastic propaganda machine! Of course, when I say all the prophets were saying this, that doesn't include Jeremiah. No, he is telling the people of Jerusalem to surrender to the Babylonians, because the Lord God has given them victory as part of his judgment on his people.

Jeremiah, unsurprisingly, finds that he has made some powerful enemies in Jerusalem. He is seen as a fifth columnist, someone who will damage the morale of the people of Jerusalem. A traitor in their ranks who will weaken resolve and cause others to defect. It's difficult to imagine just how unpopular that must have made him. The upshot is that the king is persuaded to allow his nobles to put Jeremiah in a pit in the ground - in which he will certainly die. 

In walks our hero Ebed-melech.

He is a surprising hero. He is not from Israel, but is an outsider, an Ethiopian. More than that, he is a eunuch. This is a double reason for being an outsider as eunuchs were not permitted to enter the Temple - they were cut off from the direct presence of God.

Yet he trusts in God's word and is willing to risk unpopularity and hostility by standing up for Jeremiah before the king. At least Jeremiah had heard God's voice. Ebed-melech recognised God's voice in the words Jeremiah spoke. So one doubly on the outside shows more courage and faith than the rest of God's people. That made me think.

Am I willing to hold to God's word if it makes me unpopular? Am I willing to stand by and stand up for others who do likewise.

The end of the story is that in the midst of the terrifying and humiliating carnage of the fall of Jerusalem, God promises to protect Ebed-melech. But of course he does. Against all appearances Ebed-melech had backed the winner.