Ebed-Melek the Ethiopian
Let's go back to the book of Jeremiah to encounter another lesser-known Bible character named Ebed-Melek. Hight C. Moore points out this man's faithfulness and friendliness to Jeremiah in his time of trouble.
A Friend Who Went to the King
You see, Jeremiah had been thrown into a pit for preaching a message that the king's officials didn't like. But Ebed-Melek, who was also an official in the palace, heard of this, and went to the king to try and speak up for Jeremiah and secure his release. We read: "Ebed-Melek went out of the palace and said to him, "My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have thrown him into a cistern, where he will starve to death when there is no longer any bread in the city.""
So the king allows him to take thirty men to the pit Jeremiah had been thrown into, and to lift him out with his permission.
An Interracial, Intercessory Friendship
Moore observes that we can learn much from this friendship between the prophet and Ebed-Melek. For one thing, it was an interracial friendship - a Jew and an Ethiopian. In God's kingdom, good friendships are not based on skin colour or culture. We can love and respect each other, and look out for each other, regardless of such things.
It was also an intercessory friendship. When Jeremiah was in trouble, Ebed-Melek went to the king on his behalf, and begged for his help. This is a great picture of prayer! Friends in the Lord should be praying for each other. I wonder if there's a friend of yours in a pit somewhere, who needs you to go to God on their behalf because they're not able to themselves? Are you willing to intercede for those you love?
In particular, could this be a metaphor for sin and salvation? Is there somebody in your life who you care for who is in a pit of unbelief, who needs your prayers, for God to speak release for them from the pit, so that they can come into the kingdom of God and begin living under His protection?
I love the picture of Jeremiah being lifted up out of the pit by those makeshift ropes, under his armpits! There are so many who need that sort of help from us, and from God. Are we going, on His word, to lift others out of the pit?
Why don't you pray today, and ask God to show you how you can offer someone a rope of freedom? It might even be somebody who is a different race or different culture to you. Be a friend to them! The gospel message is too important. Let's not leave people in their pits. Let's lovingly intercede and reach out to them, like Ebed-Melek did for his friend Jeremiah.
Ebed-Melek risked his position to intercede for Jeremiah and lift him out of a literal pit. Ask God today to show you someone you can intercede for and help lift out of their pit.