While your feet were stuck in the mud, they left you. (Jeremiah 38:22)
Zedekiah was the last king of Judah prior to Jerusalem's destruction by Babylonian forces, and its people being taken into exile. He was a wishy-washy king, who found it difficult to make a decision. In his defense, he was scared of being executed by the king of Babylon (Nebuchadnezzar), and things weren't looking good. His advisors were telling him to resist the invading army, while Jeremiah was telling him he should surrender. Zedekiah feared Jeremiah was right, but he was afraid of his advisors. After all he didn't want them thinking he was weak.
To shut Jeremiah up, the king's counselors were determined to imprison or kill him. Zedekiah didn't have the courage to resist them and gave the plan his permission. Jeremiah was thrown in a cistern, empty of water, but full of mud. Jeremiah was left there for a time, but thanks to another flip flop by the king, he was released. Zedekiah once again asked Jeremiah for advice, but Jeremiah was reticent to speak, considering where his words had already landed him.
Jeremiah told Zedekiah that, if he surrendered, he would fare better than by continuing the fight. He also said that if the king didn't listen to him, the women of Jerusalem would be taken captive by the Babylonians, and taunt him about being misled and abandoned by his most trusted friends. While your feet were stuck in the mud, they left you.
Jeremiah was the one dropped in the mud, but Zedekiah was the one who was stuck.
Have you ever been stuck and unable to make a decision? What did you do?
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