The OTHER Ethiopian Eunuch, Ebed-Melech (Jer 38-39) – Guest Post by Myron Goins

Ebed-Melech, whose name means “servant of the king,” was an Ethiopian eunuch in the house of King Zedekiah, the last king of Judah before the exile. When Jeremiah the prophet had been lowered into a cistern and left there to die without bread, Ebed-Melech pled with the king for the prophet’s life. With the king’s permission, Ebed-Melech took thirty men with him, and they pulled Jeremiah from the cistern to safety. Read all about it in Jer 38:7-13.

Our brother Myron Goins, reflecting on what follows next for Ebed-Melech in Jer 39, has written the following. Our thanks to Myron for sharing this with our readers.

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Jeremiah 39’s account of God’s approbation for Ebed-Melech, the other righteous Ethiopian

Now the word of Jehovah came unto Jeremiah, while he was shut up in the court of the guard, saying, ¹⁶ Go, and speak to Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be accomplished before thee in that day. ¹⁷ But I will deliver thee in that day, saith Jehovah; and thou shalt not be given into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid. ¹⁸ For I will surely save 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 Jehovah.

Would that we hear such a blessing from the mouth of God, “I will surely save thee, because thou hast put thy trust in me.”  I might lose in Bible trivia, but I can’t draw on another such commendation from God of a man.

David, in the Spirit, wrote “Our fathers trusted in Thee, they trusted and Thou didst deliver them.”  And, Christ uttered from the same 22^nd Psalm from the cross of agony.

The Ebed-Melech’s parallels are rich with that of the treasurer from Queen Candace’s court who had come to Jerusalem to worship (Acts 8) and that Phillip joined upon his return to Ethiopia.

God pronounced the Ebed-Melech’s salvation, his justification based on trust in God.  This trust was evidenced by his obedient actions.  Jesus is the savior of all that obey Him.  We only obey that in which we trust and place our confidence.  Our actions are our evidence or fruit of trust and obedience.

As Jesus said as recorded at John 5:25-29, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour cometh, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in Himself, even so gave he to the Son also to have life in Himself: and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is a son of man.  Marvel not at this: for the hour cometh, in which all that are in the tombs shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment.”

These Ethiopians found favor in God’s sight–not universal salvation, not arbitrary justification, though He loves all mankind, but special grace and mercy because of their faithfulness as evidence by their willingness to trust and obey.  We are made perfect only in Christ (Phil 3:19).

If we, like they, place our faith, trust, hope, and confidence in God, then one day without regard to our imperfections and lack of merit we shall hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter into the joy of thy Lord.” (Matthew 25:21)

Written by Cory Collins