2Ki 25:24 And Gedaliah sware to them, and to their men, and said unto them, Fear not to be the servants of the Chaldees: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon; and it shall be well with you.

Zedekiah was the last king of Judah. He ruled 11 years in Jerusalem. He did not walk in the way of God. In the ninth year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, came with all his army against Jerusalem and laid siege to it. The city was besieged till the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. As a result of the war, a severe famine broke out in the city that there was no food for the people of the land. Zedekiah and all the men of war fled out of the city. The Babylonian army pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. They captured Zedekiah and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah. They slew his sons before his eyes, put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him in chains and took him to Babylon (v.1-7). Nebuchadnezzar ransacked Jerusalem, took the people away, and left of the poor of the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen. He appointed a man called Gedaliah to be the governor of Judah. Gedaliah called on the people that remained in Judah to serve the king of Babylon and it would be well with them (v.24). Gedaliah spoke the truth. It was the right thing to do but it was hard to accept. Yes, it is hard to submit to the oppressors. However, the Babylonians were doing the work of God in bringing this judgment upon Judah. Judah had departed from God and in spite of God’s warning, refused to take heed and return to God. Therefore, to resist the Babylonians was to resist God. It was better to humble one’s self and submit to the judgment of God brought through the Babylonians than to rebel and suffer a worse fate. Sadly, certain of the Jews rebelled and killed Gedaliah (v.25). The fall of Judah and Jerusalem was a warning for all time to all nations. God had been very patient with Judah and Israel. He had given them ample warnings. But they refused to listen. They had to pay a price for their sins. Every message God sends us is for our good. Some of it may seem unloving. This is because He loves us and is warning us about the consequences for disobeying Him. To neglect it is to neglect our eternal salvation: “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him” (Hebrews 2:1-3). If it is worth God’s while to speak to us, it is worth our while to listen. God speaks because He has an important message for us. Therefore, it is worth to listen when God speaks. Habakkuk 2:20 says: “But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.” Habakkuk couldn’t understand why God would judge a sinful nation (Judah) by an even more sinful nation (Babylon). God reminds him of His own wisdom and strength, and of His ultimate triumph over the wicked. Habakkuk realizes God is always right. God may seem to be unloving but the things He is doing are good for His people. Therefore, the whole earth should be silent in His presence and show Him respect – Don’t argue with God – just listen and obey. Judah and Israel failed to listen when God spoke; they suffered for their neglect. Likewise, we cannot escape when we neglect His warnings and instructions (Hebrews 2:1-3). God speaks; let us listen and obey.