ESOCS Devotional 5 May 2026 – The Wages of Sin is Death
MEMORY VERSE: “For I will surely deliver thee and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the Lord.” Jeremiah 39:18 KJV
TEXT: JEREMIAH 39:1-18
In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem, and besieged it. 2 In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, the city was penetrated.
3 Then all the princes of the king of Babylon came in and sat in the Middle Gate: Nergal-Sharezer, Samgar-Nebo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris, Nergal-Sarezer, Rabmag, with the rest of the princes of the king of Babylon.
4 So it was, when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, that they fled and went out of the city by night, by way of the king’s garden, by the gate between the two walls. And he went out by way of the plain. 5 But the Chaldean army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. And when they had captured him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced judgment on him. 6 Then the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes in Riblah; the king of Babylon also killed all the nobles of Judah. 7 Moreover he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, and bound him with bronze fetters to carry him off to Babylon. 8 And the Chaldeans burned the king’s house and the houses of the people with fire, and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. 9 Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive to Babylon the remnant of the people who remained in the city and those who defected to him, with the rest of the people who remained. 10 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left in the land of Judah the poor people, who had nothing, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.
11 Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, saying, 12 “Take him and look after him, and do him no harm; but do to him just as he says to you.” 13 So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard sent Nebushasban, Rabsaris, Nergal-Sharezer, Rabmag, and all the king of Babylon’s chief officers; 14 then they sent someone to take Jeremiah from the court of the prison, and committed him to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, that he should take him home. So he dwelt among the people.
15 Meanwhile the word of the Lord had come to Jeremiah while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying, 16 “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. 17 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. 18 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.’ ”
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In Romans 6:23, we read that “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” This assertion is undoubtedly firm and true, for the Word of God is Truth. This was also as true in the Old Testament times, as it is equally true in the New Covenant era of Christ Jesus.
As narrated in our text, during the reign of King Zedekiah, the people of Judah had become rebellious, and disobedient to the ways of the Lord. In spite of the Lord’s several warnings and instructions to the king through Jeremiah, the people remained adamant. They eventually fell to the sword of the Chaldeans, and King Zedekiah was taken captive. And to make matters worse, the whole land was burned down with fire. Zedekiah was imprisoned as a blind man, for his eyes were removed from him. His numerous wives were shared among the princes of Babylon. Such is the reward of disobedience and sinfulness, for “the soul that sinneth shall die.” (Ezekiel 18:20). However, in the midst of this devastation, Jeremiah’s life was spared for his obedience and faith in God, (v. 18).
Back to the New Testament, essentially, Romans 6:23 presents a powerful message of hope. While sin and rebellion lead to death – even eternal damnation, God offers a path to eternal life through faith in Christ Jesus. This lesson is a central tenet in Christian Theology, emphasizing that salvation is a free gift from God. It is not something that can be achieved by human merit. Just trust and obey; and it’s done. Glory to God.
Reflections
- To obey, or to sacrifice as fools: which do you subscribe to?
Prayer
- Lord, grant me the grace to trust and obey.
Further Reading: 2 Samuel 24:1-14; Mark 14:66-72; James 4:13-5:6
ESOCS Devotional 5 May 2026
