Ebed-Melech, Man of Faith

Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian may not be a household name, but he stands along with Abraham, Moses, David and Jeremiah as people of faith in God He called by name.  Ebed-Melech was a eunuch who was in king Zedekiah's house in Jerusalem.  We are introduced to him in Jeremiah 38 when he went to the king out of concern for the prophet Jeremiah who had been thrown into a dungeon.  After he appraised the king of the inhumane and woeful conditions Jeremiah faced, the king commanded Ebed-Melech to take 30 men to haul Jeremiah out of the pit to be kept in the court of the prison.

It was not long thereafter Nebuchadnezzar came against Jerusalem and besieged it.  With no hope of overcoming his adversary, king Zedekiah attempted to flee by night and was captured.  The king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah, put out his eyes, burned the king's house and broke down the walls of Jerusalem.  Jeremiah 39:15-18 reads, "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.'"

The words God said concerning the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians came to pass, and the promise God gave to the Gentile eunuch Ebed-Melech would come to pass as well.  God did not just have a word for the King of Judah but for this man who trusted in Him.  Though the city would fall, Ebed-Melech would be delivered and would not be given into the hand of those of whom he was afraid.  He would not fall by the sword and his life would be spared because he trusted in God.  And these words spoken by the prophet Jeremiah would have been most comforting to a person who did indeed trust God.  God had outlined the means of deliverance to the king previously, yet he refused to heed them.  He was unwilling to meet the demands of faith, which is obedience to God.

It is important to see God delivered Ebed-Melech, not because he delivered the prophet Jeremiah from the dungeon, but due to his trust in God.  He did not put his trust in the savvy of Zedekiah or the promises of Nebuchadnezzar.  God looked upon Ebed-Melech with lovingkindness and was prompted to speak to assuage his fears and build his faith in the LORD Most High.  God does the same for all people who put their trust in Him today:  will you receive God's words as spoken to you?  In a world full of adversity and we need not be troubled when we believe in Jesus because He says so.  Even when we have failed to walk in faith like Peter, we can have confidence in God's goodness and faithfulness.

Ebed-Melech was afraid of sword-wielding men yet God delivered him; Peter denied knowing Jesus but God would restore Him.  John 13:38-14:1 records the words of Jesus to Peter, "Jesus answered him, "Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times. ¹ Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me."  Our faith in God does not make us without flaws, and those who believe in Jesus ought to receive His words to walk accordingly.  Praise the LORD He is God over Jew and Gentile, free and slave, apostle or eunuch, and He speaks to us words that comfort and guide us to trust Him more.