King Zedekiah feared man rather than God, and the judgment God had pronounced came upon him. His sons were killed. His eyes were put out. His house was burned.
This should be a lesson for us. Even if it does not look like things will turn out right, even if it seems scary, we should fear God. He is greater than man.
Ebedmelech, the Ethiopian, feared God rather than man. When judgment came on Judah and Jerusalem, God protected Ebedmelech. God told Jeremiah, “16Go and speak to Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith the LORD 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 in that day before thee. 17But I will deliver thee in that day, saith the LORD: and thou shalt not be given into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid. 18For I will surely deliver 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 the LORD." (Jeremiah 39:16-18)
God promised Ebedmelech that when he brought His judgment on the city of Jerusalem, God would deliver him and not give him into the hands of the Chaldeans, of whom Ebedmelech was afraid. God would surely deliver him. He would not be killed with the sword. God would preserve his life because he had put his trust in the LORD. Ebedmelech did fear the Chaldeans, but he trusted in the LORD and he feared God more than he feared man.
Zedekiah feared man more than God, and he received God's judgment. Ebedmelech feared God more than man, and he received God's deliverance.