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how he knew

Jeremiah 34:1-7 (JDV)

Jeremiah 34:1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from Yahveh when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, his whole army, all the kingdoms of the lands under his control, and all other peoples were fighting against Jerusalem and all its surrounding cities:
Jeremiah 34:2 “This is what Yahveh, the God of Israel, says: Go, speak to King Zedekiah of Judah, and tell him, ‘This is what Yahveh says: I am about to hand this city over to the king of Babylon, and he will burn it.
Jeremiah 34:3 As for you, you will not escape from him but are certain to be captured and handed over to him. You will meet the king of Babylon eye to eye and speak face to face; you will go to Babylon.
Jeremiah 34:4 ” ‘Yet hear Yahveh’s word, King Zedekiah of Judah. This is what Yahveh says concerning you: You will not die by the sword;
Jeremiah 34:5 you will die peacefully. There will be a burning ceremony for you just like the burning ceremonies for your fathers, the kings of old who came before you. “Tragedy, lord!” will be the lament for you, because I have spoken this word. this is what Yahveh declares.'”
Jeremiah 34:6 So the prophet Jeremiah related all these words to King Zedekiah of Judah in Jerusalem
Jeremiah 34:7 while the king of Babylon’s army was attacking Jerusalem and all of Judah’s remaining cities – that is, Lachish and Azekah, because they were the only ones left of Judah’s fortified cities.

how he knew

The Egyptians had gathered to do battle with the Babylonians, and they caused the Babylonians to withdraw ( verse 21). King Zedekiah might have thought that this was going to be the deliverance his people needed, except that that annoying prophet Jeremiah refused to give them any hope. He still insisted that God was going to judge his own people. How could he really know?

Then Jeremiah comes and says that God was going to bring them back, and that they would take the city, and capture the king — who would not die in battle. How could he know?

It did happen just as Jeremiah said. Here’s how he knew: God is real, and he knows the end from the beginning. He knows all about us. You can fool a lot of people, but you cannot fool their creator.

Lord, our lives are open to you, so we dare not claim any special privilege. We throw ourselves at your mercy, and cling to the cross of Jesus Christ as our only hope.