Then said Jeremiah to Zedekiah, Thus says the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel: If you will go forth and surrender to the princes of the king of Babylon, then you will live and this city will not be burned with fire; and you will live—you and your house. But if you will not go forth and surrender to the princes of the king of Babylon, then this city will be given into the hands of the Chaldeans and they will burn it with fire; and you will not escape out of their hands. – Jeremiah 38:17-18, Amplified Bible (AMP)

In Jeremiah 38:17-18 (AMP), the prophet delivered a very clear warning from God to King Zedekiah. Sadly, Zedekiah allowed his fear of the princes of Judah to override the wisdom of hearkening to God’s Word. As a result, the city of Jerusalem burned, and the last thing Zedekiah saw before Nebuchadnezzar put out his eyes was the king of Babylon murdering his two sons.

Had Zedekiah made the choice to heed God’s warning, he would have saved his family and his people. But within his failure to do so lies the weighty truth of leadership: people will prosper or suffer as a result of the choices their leaders make. To make good choices for our families, for our churches, for our businesses, and for our governments, we need to be immersed in godly wisdom and instruction. It is through the study of God’s Word and a heart attuned to the witness of the Holy Spirit (also see 1 Corinthians 6:19) that we will tap into the wisdom that leads to God’s blessings. On the contrary, it is through an unholy focus on worldly wisdom that we will make the choices that incur God’s wrath. Zedekiah rested his fateful decision upon the latter, and that is why he eventually experienced this prediction from Jeremiah 38:22, (AMP):

Behold, [in it] all the women who are left in the house of the king of Judah will be brought forth to the king of Babylon’s princes and will say [to you, King Zedekiah], Your friends have prevailed against your better judgment and have deceived you. Now when your feet are sunk in the mire [of trouble], they have turned their backs.

Worldly wisdom – and it’s proponents – will always flee when times get tough. But godly wisdom – and it’s Proponent – will never leave you nor forsake you.

Never take the responsibility of leadership lightly. And, never forget that the best leaders obey God’s Word, not worldly wisdom, when making their decisions.