Jeremiah 39-44 Sept 27, 2009

For Wordlisteners after a three week break it was good to meet again.
We will be off next week again for Praise and Worship, but look forward
to meeting again October 11.

For tonight's meeting we had 6 people in attendance and we covered
Jeremiah 39-44. I asked the members to pray for God's direction in
terms of what to cover next.

The lay speaking training class (our last two weeks - why we didn't
meet) had several suggestions for small groups. We seek His guidance.

My notes are as follows, the discussion was lively. Its amazing how
similar we often are to those people written about.

Chapter 39
The final siege of Jerusalem was 18 months. Stuck in a city for 18 months. Zedekiah tried to escape and was caught, God said he would be. His sons and nobles were killed - based on his decision not to surrender (God offered to protect him Jer 38:17), and then he was blinded (because he could not see?). The royal palace, the Temple, the homes, the walls were leveled- totally destroyed. The people were rounded up and taken off to exile. The homeless - those who had nothing (I guess before the city was burned) he left. These were the people who knew how to survive and didn't surrender when their house was burned. This destruction of Jerusalem is also told in Jer 52, II Kings 25, and II Chronicles 36.

Jeremiah is protected, somehow Nebuchadnezzar made provisions for him, and now he got the choice to go to Babylon or stay. He was put in the care of Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Ahikam was the man that stood up for Jeremiah at his trial - when they wanted to kill him for his message (Jer 26:24), and the fact that one man stood up prevented his death. Jeremiah decided to remain in Judah.

Before the fall- Jeremiah imprisoned, Zedekiah free. God acted- Jeremiah free Zedekiah a prisoner. Jeremiah saved by his faithfulness (all those years), Zedekiah destroyed through fear. Jeremiah had concern for the people and got respect, Zedekiah was concerned for himself and got contempt.

Ebed-Melek the Ethiopian that petitioned the king that it wasn't right when Jeremiah was put in the well, was protected during the siege and overthrow (Jer 38:8). He would see it but be protected- he would walk out of the city safe.

So two reminders of those that stood up for God's messenger that were taken care of- either directly or their family.

Chapter 40
The Babylonians knew Jeremiah had been a prisoner, he had predicted their victory, so they set him free. The even acknowledged God as being the author of their victory. Jeremiah was given the option of going to Babylon or staying in Judah- the choice was his. In Babylon the exiles would have hated him, he would have been a constant reminder that they should have listened to him, and it would have given credence to the charge that Jeremiah was a traitor. He chose instead to stay with those left in Judah. It showed he wasn't a traitor and he knew from his message God may not have been done dealing with those left yet.
So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam that stood up for him Jer 26:24.

Gedaliah accepted everyone, and encouraged them to live in peace and go about the daily task of making a living off the land. He would intercede for them as needed with the Babylonians. People out in the countryside hiding came out and he accepted them as well.

Gedaliah gets warned that someone is out to kill him. The warning doesn't come from Jeremiah (maybe God wanted this to happen). The follow up is an offer to kill the would be assassin "no one (man) would know"- but God would.

Did Gedaliah do the right thing? Killing the assassin and hiding it from other's knowledge would have preserved his "now life" but risked his infinity "eternal life". Instead he risked death now and as it turns out would be killed.

He also refused to listen and accused the informer of spreading a false rumor. Is somebody a criminal before they act? If you talk about it, and it is your intention -then you probably are, but is that reason enough to perform a criminal act though to prevent it?

Chapter 41
As was foretold by Johanan to Gedaliah (Jer 40) came to pass. Ishmael a son of Nethaniah came to Mizpah and killed Gedaliah. He and his men ambushed them while eating. Ishmael was of royal blood, but why would he do such a thing? Clearly the Babylonians were in control, and Gedaliah was trying to establish peaceable lives. Maybe he saw him as a representative of the Babylonians and struck back for that reason.

The next day pilgrims to Jerusalem come along. Shaved heads, ripped clothing and gashes on their bodies indicate the distraught nature of someone making a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem only to find it burned and destroyed (Jer 39). They too are murdered (all but 10) by Ishmael and his men. So now he has struck against God's people as well. He dumped their bodies on top of Gedaliah's and his men to hide them, and conceal his deeds.

He then takes the people of Mizpah and heads for Ammon. Johanan (who warned Gedaliah originally) pursues him and gets the hostages back but Ishmael escapes. Johanan and the people fear retribution from the Babylonians and decide to head for Egypt. Stopping near Bethlehem.

Chapter 42
Johanan and the people feared Babylonian wrath for the murder of Gedaliah - which they weren't responsible for. God knew, but man did not (at least not the Babylonians).

They came to Jeremiah to ask God's advice and guidance for them, and Jeremiah said he would. This sounds like a great first step in solving a dilemma. Then they swear to do whatever God tells them to do through Jeremiah- another good thing to do. its as it should be. What would be our comfort level in doing that? Their words were right but their actions are like ours. Wouldn't we probably want to wait for the message, and then decide?

They waited 10 days for the answer to their question. How many days are we willing to wait? Our culture wants answers "now".

The message "don't fear Babylon"- Man (which they did, and why they came to Jeremiah). God is on their side (He is on everyone's side that will listen to Him, and He longs to bring those that won't listen to Himself). God will make the king of Babylon show them mercy.

Jeremiah continues, showing that God is knowledgeable of their thought processes. Don't refuse to obey God by seeking what looks better, easier, more pleasing. Deciding your own way will cause your fears to catch up to you. Going to Egypt will result in being exposed to war, famine and death.

God was very plain- don't go to Egypt. They swore they would listen to His message and yet when it was received did not. They decide to go to the "wonderful country" and they will die there. The remnant still does not listen to God. They still won't obey. So innocent people run from feared punishment, thus making themselves appear guilty.

Chapter 43
Jeremiah relayed God's message to them. God told them what they were thinking so how could Jeremiah know this? They called Jeremiah's message from God a lie and that Jeremiah was a liar. One theory is they had a plan and wanted God's confirmation. In not confirming it, and wanting to really do their own thing, they had no choice but to deny the message Jeremiah gave. They truly weren't interested in listening to God unless He agreed with their plan. They didn't compare Jeremiah's previous messages against history. Baruch is given credit for influencing Jeremiah's message and somehow setting a trap for them.

So they gather all the refugees, including Baruch and Jeremiah, and go to Egypt to Tahpanhes. If you didn't like their messages, and thought they were against you, why would you take them to Egypt? They listened to their fear, but also heard truth. They acted out of fear, but didn't want to lose the truth. Maybe it was clear to them that God had protected Jeremiah all these years, so if he was with them there was protection- Jeremiah's presence didn't protect Gedaliah - which was why they were running?

At Tahpanhes Jeremiah is given a message to bury some stones and proclaim the Nebuchadnezzar would come and set up his throne on those stones. The message Jeremiah gave them in Judah would be true. War, famine and death would come to Egypt. Historically there is evidence this happened.

Chapter 44
Well Jeremiah ended up in Egypt with the rest of those left from Judah. They had gone there to escape hardship even though God warned them they would experience it if they went. Approximately 12 years before Nebuchadnezzar conquers Egypt, Jeremiah give this message to those Judeans in Egypt, and probably several times after God brought it to their minds- longing for them to choose Him.

God reminded them that the destruction they saw in Jerusalem was the result of their disobedience. They worshiped gods that weren't gods, and they were warned by the true God. Who unleashed destruction and that is why they are in Egypt. This is a recent past history lesson.

Now God turns to their current actions, they didn't listen to God's advice to stay in Judah, and they are continuing the same behaviors that caused judgment to come to Judah. God asks if they have forgotten, and states that there is no remorse. Nobody is listening to God.

So here is God's decree- if you won't turn and repent, listen to Me, and have no other gods before Me then this is what will happen. They will die in Egypt of war or famine. Only a few fugitives will make it back.

The people's response to Jeremiah's message - we're not listening, we're going to do what we think is right. It seems to us it should work, and we're going to ignore or find something else to blame for the times it did not. We have our own explanation as to why Jerusalem was destroyed and it was not because of God. Seems like a combination of not realizing how big God is (ignorance? or denial?) If you deny God, you can talk yourself into some degree of control in your own life- of course it is a lie. When things go awry you just tell yourself another lie- you get more used to it as you do it. Ignorance? or denial?

Jeremiah answered and told them that they broke the covenant. God had kept up His end of the covenant for generations even though He was not being revered or respected. He finally had enough.

God said "keep your vows to the other gods", in rejecting the true God, they will seal their destruction as well. They will become targets of doom. God will bring this doom to them by giving Pharaoh over to his enemy (Nebuchadnezzar) just like God gave Zedekiah over. This message is given 12 years before it happened, not while it was happening and at a time when Egypt looked like a "wonderful country".