There is something intensely provocative about this passage and though it is easy for us to miss, it would have burned in the ears of the first hearers. It is the way Yahweh refers to Nebuchadnezzar as his ‘servant’. This was the way that God referred favourably to his own people! All of the favoured chief characters in the Bible are referred to with the title “my servant”. Abraham, Moses and David were referred to like this, and who can forget God’s doting reference to “my servant Job”. We saw also in the book of Isaiah that, when God refers to his people favourably, he refers to them as “my servant”. Now, however, the beloved servant had thrown off the yoke and forsaken God. The people of Judah are no longer willing to serve their God. So, God answers by calling on a pagan king to punish them and because that king is, in contrast with Israel at this time, going to serve his purpose, God refers to him as “my servant Nebuchadnezzar”. Interestingly, Nebuchadnezzar would become the only pagan king to convert to the worship of Yahweh, as we see later in Daniel 4. Babylon, however, would later be judged harshly for her evil just as Israel was being judged at this time of exile in Babylon. In the meantime, however, it is a sore indictment upon Israel that a pagan king is more in line with God’s purpose than they are. You also are the servant of God and God would refer to you as “my servant [insert your name here]”. Is your life reflecting this? Are you living out of this role?
Reflect on where you are investing your life.
Read Jeremiah 25:1-14
