Jeremiah 43:1-13

👉 Full disclosure? I almost didn’t post chapter 43 and just jumped to the next one because there “just wasn’t much there.” 😂 And – yes – I do see the obnoxious arrogance that would say, “Lord, I know that you saw the importance of these 13 verses but I’m not seeing it.” 😆

All that to say – if I don’t “get anything” from a passage – it’s ALWAYS a “me” problem. Sure, some passages are fuller and have more takeaways. But “all Scripture is God breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16). It’s “all” useful.

👉 So, a Bible study tip that I often use in my own study? Pause. Pray. Read it again.

👉 Azarías, Johanan, and all the insolent men:

• accused Jeremiah of lying to them
• did not obey the voice of the Lord
• took all the people to Egypt

Now – what had the Lord told the people would happen if they went to Egypt? I’ll wait while you look at chapter 42 (or look in my previous post).

👉 The Lord did exactly what he said he would do. The consequences were exactly what he said they would be: famine, pestilence, sword.

The Lord will be true to his Word. We like that when his Word is one of blessing. But what about when it is one of warning or correction? Guess what – he’s still going to be faithful to it.

Have a great day, friends! ♥️

Jeremiah 42:1-22

👉 All the people – from the least to the greatest – everyone:

• went to Jeremiah
• asked him to pray on their behalf
• wanted to know the Lord’s will
• promised to obey the Lord

👉 Ten days later – a word from the Lord came to Jeremiah – it involved two scenarios.

1. If you remain in the land…

• I will plant you, not pluck you up
• I will relent of the disaster
• I will be with you and deliver you
• I will grant you mercy
• you will remain in your own land

Or

2. If you disobey and turn to Egypt…

• the sword will overtake you
• famine shall follow you
• every man will die
• no remnant or survivor
• my wrath will be poured out
• you will not return to your land

👉 Now, I’m not claiming to be a know-it-all but I feel like this one is a no-brainer. Like I’m totally Team Remain in the Land. Right?!

But – before we judge any potential decisions made by these people – let’s not pretend like we haven’t chosen the less desirable option before.

How often do we choose panic over prayer?

Chaos over calm?

Self over Savior?

World over Word?

Worry over rest?

Our way over His way?

It’s easy for us to look at their choices on paper and maybe think – how could they? But – what if – generations from now – someone looked at the promises and commands in God’s Word and then at all the choices we made over the course of our lives? They may just be shaking their heads in disbelief at us. 😉

You are so crazy loved by God.

Jeremiah 41:1-18

👉 Ishmael’s Betrayal (v 1-3)

• of the royal family
• chief officer of the king
• ate bread with Gedaliah
• killed Gedaliah and all with him

Ugh. There we have it. Johanan had been telling the truth.

👉 The Next Day (v 4-10)

• Ishmael kills more people
• the dead are thrown in a cistern
• ten men are allowed to live
• those not killed are taken captive

👉 Johanan (v 11-18)

• had warned Gedaliah about Ishmael
• heard about what now happened
• took men and went after Ishmael
• the captives are freed
• Ishmael escapes
• Johanan hides near Bethlehem

This is some serious drama, y’all. If we read Scripture and find it boring – we are missing it. These are real people with real stories and – if their stories are recorded in Scripture – there is a reason.

What is going to happen to Johanan?

Stay tuned… (or keep reading 😉).

Happy Wednesday.

Jeremiah 39:1-18

👉 Babylon attacked Jerusalem and, after two years of battle, took over the city.

When Zedekiah and the soldiers saw this – they fled at night.

(This is why true study and note taking is so helpful. It may seem okay that Zedekiah fled when the enemy came. But what had the Lord instructed him to do? See Jeremiah 38:17.)

👉 The Result of Zedekiah’s Disobedience:

• his sons were slaughtered
• all the nobles of Judah were slaughtered
• Zedekiah’s eyes were put out
• he was bound with chains and taken to Babylon
• his house was burned down
• the walls of Jerusalem were broken down
• the people were carried into exile in Babylon
• the poor were left behind to work the land

👉 What about Jeremiah?

• Nebuchadnezzar instructed that he be looked after
• that no harm be done to him
• that he be listened to

👉 Ebed-melech (the Ethiopian):

• would be delivered
• not given into the hands of the enemy
• protected because of his trust in the Lord

👉 I can’t help but imagine Zedekiah trying to defend his decision to run. “Lord, what did you expect me to do?”

“Well, Zed, how about exactly what I had already told you to do?”

But we do it too.

“Lord, I was wronged. How did you expect me to respond?”

“I could have stood up and said something, Lord, but they may have mocked me. What was I supposed to do?”

“But he/she is my enemy, Lord. What do you want from me?”

In most situations – we know how to respond. The Lord has given clear instructions. The real question is whether or not we will trust and obey what we’ve already been told.

Happy Saturday!

Jeremiah 38:1-28

👉 The Officials (v 1-6):

• heard Jeremiah’s message
• went to King Zedekiah
• demanded Jeremiah’s death
• cast Jeremiah into a cistern to die

👉 King Zedekiah (v 5-24):

• refused to stand up to the officials
• quickly approved the rescue of Jeremiah from the cistern but still kept him in prison
• made secret promises to Jeremiah
• lived in fear of being given to the enemy
• told Jeremiah to lie to the officials if questioned

👉 Jeremiah (v 6-28):

• cast into cistern to die
• rescued from the cistern by ebed-melech
• gave Zedekiah the msg from the Lord
• lies to the officials regarding his talk with the king
• remained imprisoned until the day Jerusalem was taken

👉 Ebed-Melech (v 8-13):

• brave (especially in contrast to King Zedekiah)

King Zedekiah lived in fear – absolute terror – of being captured by the enemy. He did not think Jeremiah deserved death but would not publicly oppose the officials.

Much like Pilate trying to remain neutral and wash his hands of the whole trial as it related to Jesus.

Here’s the problem. There is no neutral ground. We are either for good or for evil. Christ followers don’t have the luxury of remaining neutral because the enemy is most certainly not neutral.

Stand firm, friends. You are loved.