1. THE FIRST ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH
(Jer. 39:15-18)

2. King Hezekiah (726-696BC) = good king, survivor of Assyrian siege.
King Manasseh ( BC) = wicked king, taken into Babylonian captivity, repented and returned to Jerusalem.
King Amon ( BC) = wicked king, was killed by his own servants.
King Josiah ( BC) = good king, led great restoration, was killed in battle with Pharaoh Necho to spare him seeing Jerusalem’s fall.

3. King Jehoahaz (609BC) = wicked king who reigned only 3 months, deposed by Pharaoh Necho.
King Jehoiakim (Eliakim; BC) = brother of Jehoahaz, wicked king, taken into Babylonian captivity.
King Jehoiachin ( BC) = wicked king, taken into Babylonian captivity.
King Zedekiah ( BC) = Jehoiakim’s brother, wicked king, blinded after witnessing the killing of his sons and taken into captivity to Babylon.

4. 2 Kings 25:2
So the city was besieged until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.

5. 1. Who Ebed-Melech was. Jer. 38:7a
Now Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs, who was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon.

6. He was an Ethiopian eunuch of King Zedekiah (Jer. 38:7).
How did he come to be in the service of King Zedekiah? Unknown.
His being identified as a “eunuch” means only that he was a “valet, chamberlain, officer” (Strong’s Hebrew Definitions) in the king’s house.

7. What Ebed-Melech’s name means.
Ebed = servant Melech = king This was probably not his name, but one he took or one that was given to him (cp. Dan. 1:7). To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego.

8. 2. What Ebed-Melech did. Jer. 38:5
Because of his repeated prophesying of Jerusalem’s fall and his admonition to surrender, Jeremiah was not liked by the leaders of the war effort. Being a weak king, Zedekiah gave in to a request to have Jeremiah arrested.
Jer. 38:5
  Then Zedekiah the king said, “Look, he is in your hand. For the king can do nothing against you.”

9. Jeremiah was left to sink into the mud without food or water.
In a pathetic or cruel attempt at murder, they threw Jeremiah into Zedekiah’s son’s dungeon; a muddy cistern. Jeremiah was an old man who had been preaching for approx. 41 years (began in ~627BC, the 13th year of King Josiah-Jer. 1:2).
Jeremiah was left to sink into the mud without food or water.
  And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire. So Jeremiah sank in the mire (Jer. 38:6b).

10. Jer. 38:8-10
Ebed-Melech went out of the king’s house and spoke to the king, saying: “My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon, and he is likely to die from hunger in the place where he is. For there is no more bread in the city.” Then the king commanded Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, saying, “Take from here thirty men with you, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon before he dies.”

11. Jer. 38:11-13
So Ebed-Melech took the men with him and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took from there old clothes and old rags, and let them down by ropes into the dungeon to Jeremiah. Then Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, “Please put these old clothes and rags under your armpits, under the ropes.” And Jeremiah did so. So they pulled Jeremiah up with ropes and lifted him out of the dungeon. And Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.

12. Ebed-Melech was saved from the destruction of Jerusalem. Jer. 39:15-18
Meanwhile the word of the Lord had come to Jeremiah while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying, “Go and speak to Ebed- Melech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Behold, I will bring My words upon this city for adversity and not for good, and they shall be performed in that day before you. But I will deliver you in that day,” says the Lord, “and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid. For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me,” says the Lord.’”

13. 3. What we can learn from Ebed-Melech.
Bad times are no excuse to not do what is right.
Courage comes from trusting in the Lord.

14. Josh. 1:6-9
Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

15. Rev. 1:10
Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

16. The kindness of God’s people is distinctive!
Rom. 12:10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another “kindly affectionate” = Philostorgos Philo (love of friends) storgos (familial love)

17. Gal. 5:22, 23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 1 Cor. 13:4a Love suffers long and is kind;

18. God ALWAYS rewards faithfulness!!!
Heb. 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

19. 1 Cor. 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.