Ever had one of those little divine “coincidences” that encourage your faith? Well, I had one this morning. Today’s reading is Jeremiah 39. Interesting chapter. Mostly a bunch of names of people I’ve never heard of with a lot of other historical details. After reading the chapter, I poured a bowl of cereal and opened up my new issue of Christianity Today to peruse a few articles while eating my Frosted Miniwheats. There on page 19 in a section called “Quotation Marks” was this recent quote.
“A throwaway detail in the Old Testament turns out to be accurate and true. I think that it means that the whole of the narrative of Jeremiah takes on a new kind of power.” Irving Finkel, curator of the British Museum, on a cuneiform tablet recording a gift by Nebo-Sarsekim, which confirmed a name mentioned in Jeremiah 39.
“Whoa, Jeremiah 39, I just read that! What are the odds?”
I picked up Jeremiah 39 again to find Nebo-Sarsekim. He is in verse 3 with a listing of all the Babylonian princes who invaded Jerusalem. Just a minor detail that certainly didn’t catch my eye the first time. Now it takes on a little more meaning. When the Bible records history, it records history. This is not a made up story. Jeremiah is telling events exactly as they happened…even telling us the name of a Babylonian prince who happened to take part in conquering Jerusalem. If Jeremiah is that careful in his recording of the little details of history, then we can be even more confident that the rest of what he records is accurate too.
That little “divine coincidence” also reminded me that God cares about the little details of life. He didn’t have to record the names of any of these Babylonians, but He did…as a future testament to the accuracy of His Word and as a reminder that nothing escapes His notice. All of these people were players in God’s drama. They didn’t realize it but the simple things they did were part of God’s plan. The same is true today. My life does not escape God’s notice. My life is not just a blip on the random, meaningless pages of evolutionary history. I am a part of God’s drama…and I have a role to play…even in the simple details of life.
A good example is another name mentioned in Jeremiah 39–Ebed-Melech, the Ethiopian (Cushite). Here is Jerusalem being destroyed and the people being carted off to Babylon in droves and God stops the drama to send a simple message to Ebed-Melech.
“Go and tell Ebed-Melech the Cushite, ‘This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am about to fulfill my words against this city through disaster, not prosperity. At that time they will be fulfilled before your eyes. But I will rescue you on that day, declares the LORD; you will not be handed over to those you fear. I will save you; you will not fall by the sword but will escape with your life, because you trust in me, declares the LORD.’ ” (39:16-18)
Who was Ebed-Melech? We don’t really know much about him except that he was a foreigner (from Ethiopia) and a eunuch in the king’s court. He was probably someone captured in war who was made a eunuch to serve the king and his harem. However, in Jeremiah 38, it is Ebed-Melech who hears that Jeremiah has been thrown into a cistern where he will most likely starve to death and who intercedes for Jeremiah to get him removed from the cistern. His kindness is further illustrated by the fact that he makes sure to put padding on the ropes that are used to pull Jeremiah out of the pit (38:7-13). This simple act of kindness revealed a heart that trusted and loved the LORD…and the LORD saw it, remembered it, and rewarded it. [It is sort of ironic that the story of Acts also stops for a moment to mention a Ethiopian eunuch who was led to faith in Jesus Christ by Philip.]
Mark 9:41 came to my mind again. I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in My name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward. Ebed-Melech’s simple act of kindness to Jeremiah was rewarded by God. No detail is overlooked in God’s drama.
Lord, thank You for Your little assurances of faith. May I live today remembering that no detail is overlooked in Your plan and no act of kindness done in Your name will be forgotten.