Picture the scene, a beautiful dining hall in Babylon set for kings. Kings are gathered with Evil-Merodach seated at the head of this magnificent company. Then enters a man who seems to be out of place. His posture is stooped along with his deep inner self as a result of 37 long years of imprisonment. Now this man has been set free. His bowed head has been lifted up. Rather than sitting at the edge of the splendor in the dining hall, this visitor is given a seat above all the other kings in Babylon.

This man is Jehoiachin, king of Judah who had been brought as a captive to Babylon 37 years earlier when King Nebuchadnezzar warred against Jerusalem. Evil-Merodach was King Nebuchadnezzar's son. When Evil-Merodach was prince he had tried to have Jehoiachin set free, but he did not succeed with his father on the throne. The name, Evil-Merodach is an accident of transliteration and has no relationship to the adjective evil. His Babylonian name was Amel-Marduk and he was a good and gracious leader. One of his first official acts as king was that of setting Jehoiachin free. In Jeremiah 52:31 we read, ".in the year that he became king, he lifted up the head of Jehoiachin, king of Judah, and brought him out of prison." Picture that in your mind, but don't stop there.

Since our form of government and ways of life are so different it might be difficult for us to draw an adequate comparison for today. With all the media frenzy, the release of Paris Hilton from prison this week would certain not be an accurate comparison. Probably, the closest analogy we might make would be to a presidential pardon. Some of these are made soon after a new leader takes office as was the case here. However, what King Amel-Marduk was much more.

King Amel-Marduk graciously freed Jehoiachin from prison, and also invited him to take off his prison garments and dine at the king's table. Listen to the next two verses from Jeremiah 52: "The king treated him most courteously and gave him preferential treatment beyond anything experienced by the political prisoners held in Babylon. Jehoiachin took off his prison garb and from then on ate his meals in company with the king. The king provided everything he needed to live comfortably for the rest of his life." This was indeed a tremendous act of grace.

What a marvelous Scripture for us to use as we share in Holy Communion this Sunday before Independence Day. God invites us all to be set free, to take off our prison garments, and to dine at His table. What imprisons you? What keeps you from being the marvelous person that God created you to be? Apart from the wonderful grace of God demonstrated as Jesus died on the cross we would all be in bondage to sin.

I realize that some today do not believe that they are in bondage. Jesus dealt with that issue personally 2000 years ago. In John 8:31-36 we read:

Jesus turned to the Jews who had claimed to believe in Him.

"If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you."

Surprised, they said, "But we're descendents of Abraham. We've never been slaves to anyone. How can you say, 'The truth will free you'?"

Jesus said, "I tell you most solemny that anyone who chooses a life of sin is trapped in a dead-end life, and is, in fact, a slave. A slave is a transient, who can't come and go at will. The Son, though, has an established position, the run of the house. So if the Son sets you free, you are free through and through."

Jesus desires to move among us - to take hold of us - to lift us up - to have us share in fellowship with Him. We can never earn a right place with God and prison garments are not appropriate in dining with the King. Yet some come to communion to dine with the King of Kings, thinking that their good works will save them.

Have you repented of your sin? Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord? Have you put off your garments of sin? Then you can come to dine with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords dressed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Through trusting Christ we have been set free from our own prison of sin and set free to be what God desires for us.

Let's come to God's Banquet

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