OVERVIEW:
The destruction of Jerusalem (39:1–10); God’s deliverance of Jeremiah and Ebedmelech (39:11–18); Jeremiah’s release (40:1–16); the plot against Gedaliah, Babylon’s appointed governor over those remaining in the land (41:1–10); the hostages taken by Ishmael are rescued (41:11–18); the Jews request a word from God through Jeremiah (42:1–6); Jeremiah delivers God’s word (42:7–22); the people reject God’s word (43:1–7); God’s rejection of the people (43:8–13).
HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:
That fateful day, of which Jeremiah had been prophesying, had finally arrived. Verse one of chapter 39 says that Nebuchadrezzar and “all his army came against Jerusalem, and they besieged it.” Those who had been called to be the holy people of God, blessed with a holy standing before Him, with a holy temple, in a holy land, had finally desecrated their holy calling. King Zedekiah escaped in the middle of the night out of a secret passage way, but was overtaken in the plain and brought before Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon. (39:4–5) Nebuchadrezzar killed Zedekiah’s sons right “before his eyes” (39:6), just before he “put out Zedekiah’s eyes.” (39:7) Imagine, the last thing you ever see being your own children being slaughtered, and then, going the remainder of your life knowing full well that it was because of your own sin! It is an amazing phenomenon, that as parents, we can choose to be so willfully blinded to the consequences of our sinful choices upon our own precious children! Sadly, the example of Zedekiah’s selfishness and cluelessness regarding the effects of his sin upon his children, has historically, represented the rule rather than the exception, right up to this present day! (Galatians 6:7–8)
Just as God promised Jeremiah when He first called him (1:17–19), Jeremiah’s life was spared in the whole demise of the nation. (39:11–18) How ironic it is, that Jeremiah was shown more kindness by the King of Babylon than he had ever received from the previous four kings of Judah! In chapter 40, Jeremiah is actually freed by the Babylonians, being presented with the option of either being provided for in Babylon or remaining with the remnant that had been permitted to stay in the land. (40:4) In the great spirit and tradition of Moses before him, Jeremiah chose “to suffer affliction with the people of God, rather than to enjoy the pleasures of” Egypt (Hebrews 11:24–26) or, in this case, Babylon!
In 40:5–6, the king of Babylon appoints Gedaliah as governor over the people who were permitted to remain in the land. Gedaliah encouraged the people to quietly and respectfully serve Babylon, assuring them that if they did, things would go well with them. (40:9) Unfortunately, a plot was devised against Gedaliah, and in chapter 41, Ishmael not only murdered him, but many others who were with Gedaliah, taking many others as hostages as well. Ishmael’s plan was to flee to the city of Ammon, leaving the Jews around Jerusalem to suffer the wrath of the Babylonians. At that point, the people understood that they had two possibilities: they could flee to Egypt and trust them to help against the Babylonians or, they could remain where God had placed them and trust Him to help them. Stating it in that fashion makes the decision they “should have made” an absolute “no brainer” but as we look back over our shoulder and see how many times during a time of difficulty or trial we trusted the world’s (Egypt’s) solution, rather than trusting God, we find that in the moment, it doesn’t always feel like such a “no brainer”! May God BE our wisdom and discernment to see the choices before us as He sees them!
Surprisingly, the people of Judah actually sought Jeremiah’s counsel as to what they should do (42:1–4) pledging that whatever God said through him, regardless of what it was, they would obey it. (42:5–6) Wow! That’s a switch!
God’s word came back through Jeremiah, telling them that if they would remain in the land, He would protect them and bless them (42:7–12), but if they went to Egypt for help, He would allow them to be blasted to “kingdom come”! (42:13–18) Jeremiah prophesied that they were all full of “talk” but no “walk” and full of “show” but no “go” (42:19–22), and chapter 43 proved true. Rather than obey Jeremiah’s words to them, which is to say, God’s words to them, they accuse Jeremiah of telling them the things he did so they would fall to the Babylonians. What this really proved, is that they had planned to do what they wanted to do all along. They had just hoped that God’s will lined up with theirs. Recognize, that the same empty promises of surrender to God’s will, that will only be carried out if it lines up with what we want to do, are constantly and consistently made in our day! (2nd Timothy 3:1–5) As the old saying goes, “The more things change, the more they remain the same.”
Chapter 43 ends with another of God’s many object lessons through Jeremiah, this time, pointing to the fact that Babylon would conquer Egypt just as they had Judah.
SPECIFIC REFERENCES TO “THE DAY OF THE LORD”:
- 39:16 – “in that day”
- 39:17 – “in that day”
CHRIST IS REVEALED:
Through GEDALIAH, as he instructed the Jews to pay homage to the heathen nation that ruled over them — Jeremiah 40:9 (Matthew 22:21)