Calvary
Chapel Bible College
October
28, 2020
Homework Review
I hope you took the “quiz” about your reading as well as those for your
memory verse and prayer requests.
Would anyone like to try reciting our memory verse for the week?
(Jeremiah
23:28 NKJV) “The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a
dream; And he who
has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What is the chaff to the
wheat?” says the Lord.
Class Project – At our last class of the semester I’m going
to ask each of you to present a 5-minute Bible Study on a passage of your
choice from Jeremiah. Pick a passage
that has meant something to you personally.
It can be one of our memory verses. I want you to teach as if you were
doing a devotional to a small home group that has not been in Jeremiah with
us. I want you explain
your passage, give one point of application from your passage, and share an
illustration about the principle.
I think I’d like you to each pick
a different passage, so when you decide on your passage, let me know
and no one else will get to use your passage.
You can use powerpoint, but you don’t have to.
Does anyone want to reserve a passage to teach from?
Introduction
His name means “Yahweh appoints”
Jeremiah was the chief prophet during the days of the destruction of the
nation of Judah. There were other
prophets around at the time as well:
Daniel, Ezekiel, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah, but Jeremiah was the main
prophet. His ministry began about 60 years after the death of the prophet
Isaiah.
Jeremiah was born into a family of priests, but he would function more as a
prophet.
His ministry was destined from the beginning to be a ministry of
“failure”. The people were not going to
pay attention to him. The people were on
the way downhill and destined for judgment.
One of Jeremiah’s nicknames is the “weeping prophet”.
It’s possible this nickname comes from the book of Lamentations,
also written by Jeremiah.
Lamentations is Jeremiah’s weeping over the destruction of
Jerusalem.
It’s not a bad thing to keep in mind though as you read this book. We don’t often hear the “emotion” of the
writer as we read.
The prophecies are not in chronological order.
We know this because he dates many of his prophecies.
We are now in a series of chapters that give the historical account of the
fall of Jerusalem.
Jeremiah is now in his sixties and has been prophesying for over 40 years.
Jeremiah 39
39:1-10 Jerusalem falls
The events of this chapter are also recorded in Jeremiah
52.
:1 In the ninth year of
Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and
all his army came against Jerusalem, and besieged it.
:2 In the eleventh year
of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, the
city was penetrated.
:1 the ninth year of
Zedekiah king …
The siege would last about 30 months, from Jan. 15, 588, to July 18, 586 B.C.
This is such a hugely traumatic date in the nation’s life that it is
recorded in three other places as well: 2 Kings
25:1; Jer. 52:4; Ezek. 24:1-2
(2 Kings
25:1 NKJV) Now it came to pass in the ninth year of his
reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, that
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and
encamped against it; and they built a siege wall against it all around.
(Jeremiah
52:4 NKJV) Now it came to pass in the ninth year of his
reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, that
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and
encamped against it; and they built a siege wall against it all around.
(Ezekiel 24:1–2
NKJV) —1 Again, in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day
of the month, the word of the Lord
came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, write down the name of
the day, this very day—the king of Babylon started his siege against Jerusalem
this very day.
Jeremiah’s ministry started in 627 BC (the 13th year of Josiah,
Jer. 1:2). For much of that time, he has
been warning the people of Judah of the day of coming destruction. He’s warned them for 41 years. It finally happens.
Lesson
Jesus IS coming back
(2 Peter 3:1–12
NKJV) —1 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of
which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may
be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of
the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days,
walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying,
“Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all
things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens
were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded
with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which
are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of
judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, do not forget this one
thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand
years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His
promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering
toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to
repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which
the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with
fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of
persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of
which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt
with fervent heat?
People may mock us and say that we’ve been claiming for years that Jesus
would be coming back and yet things go on just like they always have been.
Peter says that this is what people said before the flood of Noah.
I’m sure this is the kind of thing that people thought in Jeremiah’s day,
“Hey old man, you’ve been saying that for years …”
And then it happened.
Our part is to be “looking for and hastening” the return of Jesus to the
earth.
Each year our church, like many other Calvary Chapels, does a “Prophecy
Update” where we see that a few more pieces have fallen into place. It will happen.
I think that this year, more than ever, we see more pieces falling into
place.
Video: Rapture
in Church
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qI1r2XJJWqQ
What kind of condition do you want Jesus to find you in when He comes back?
(Matthew 24:45–51
NKJV) —45 “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made
ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will
find so doing. 47 Assuredly, I say to you that he will
make him ruler over all his goods. 48 But if that
evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink
with the drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come
on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not
aware of, 51 and will cut him in two and appoint him
his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
It’s the “evil servant” that says, “My master is
delaying…” It’s the faithful servant
that is doing the things the Master told him to do.
When we think about Jesus coming back, it’s not just
important to be thinking about Jesus coming back tomorrow (though that is
indeed possible), but what if He were to come back in five years?
Are there some things you might do a little different in
your life if you knew you had five years left to before you brought your life
before Jesus?
We need to be sure to be busy about
those things.
:3 Then all the princes
of the king of Babylon came in and sat in the Middle Gate: Nergal-Sharezer, Samgar-Nebo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris,
Nergal-Sarezer, Rabmag, with the rest of the princes
of the king of Babylon.
:3 all the princes of the king
Nergal-Sharezer – Nergal Shar’etser = “prince of fire”.
This fellow was also known as Neriglissar,
son-in-law of Nebuchadnezzar; he would be one of the rulers in Babylon from
560-556 B.C.
Samgar-Nebo – Camgar N@bow = “sword of Nebo”
Sarsechim – Sarc@kiym – “prince of the eunuchs”
Rabsaris – “great eunuch”
Nergal-Sarezer – Nergal Shar’etser = “prince of
fire”.
Two guys with the same name. (Larry and his brother Larry).
Rabmag – “great magician”
:4 So it was, when
Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, that they fled and
went out of the city by night, by way of the king’s garden, by the gate between
the two walls. And he went out by way of the plain.
It has been suggested that Zedekiah was trying to get across the Jordan
River to the land of the Ammonites, hopefully to find safety at Rabbah, the
capital of the Ammonites.
:5 But the Chaldean army
pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. And when they had
captured him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, to Riblah
in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced judgment on him.
Video: Map to Riblah
So Zedekiah sneaks out of Jerusalem at night and
is captured near Jericho. He thought he
might make it as far as Ammon. The
Babylonians will take him all the way north to Riblah, and eventually he will
end up in Babylon.
:6 Then the king of
Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes in Riblah; the king of
Babylon also killed all the nobles of Judah.
:7 Moreover he put out
Zedekiah’s eyes, and bound him with bronze fetters to
carry him off to Babylon.
:7 he put out Zedekiah’s eyes
The last thing that Zedekiah sees is the death of his sons.
Part of Zedekiah’s fears was what they would do to him if he got caught.
(Jeremiah
38:19 NKJV) And Zedekiah the king said to Jeremiah, “I am
afraid of the Jews who have defected to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me
into their hand, and they abuse me.”
This was his reason for NOT obeying the Lord and surrendering to
Nebuchadnezzar.
Instead of being mistreated by fellow Jews, he faced much pain with
Nebuchadnezzar.
:8 And the Chaldeans
burned the king’s house and the houses of the people with fire,
and broke down the walls of Jerusalem.
:8 broke down the
walls of Jerusalem
Breaking down a city’s walls was to keep the city defenseless. It would keep them from being able to defend
themselves from their enemies.
The city’s walls are a great picture for us in our defenses against
sin. When we give in to sin and refuse
to turn from it, our “walls” are broken down and it’s more
and more difficult to guard yourself from sin.
One of the best defenses against sin is to not do it.
:9 Then Nebuzaradan the
captain of the guard carried away captive to Babylon the remnant of the people
who remained in the city and those who defected to him, with the rest of the
people who remained.
:10 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard
left in the land of Judah the poor people, who had nothing, and gave them
vineyards and fields at the same time.
:10 the poor people
Only peasants are left in the land.
They are not likely to cause trouble.
They will keep the land from becoming over-run with wild animals. Because they are given vineyards and fields,
the thought is that they will now be loyal to Babylon because they’ve now hit
the jackpot.
39:11-14 Jeremiah rescued
:11 Now Nebuchadnezzar
king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the captain of
the guard, saying,
:12 “Take him and look
after him, and do him no harm; but do to him just as
he says to you.”
:12 do him no harm
Early in his ministry, God gave Jeremiah a promise:
(Jeremiah
1:8 NKJV) Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am
with you to deliver you,” says the Lord.
God had encouraged Jeremiah NOT to be afraid of people. And God took care of Jeremiah. Even when he was in the muddy cistern.
The order protecting Jeremiah comes from Nebuchadnezzar himself.
I am curious how Nebuchadnezzar even knows about Jeremiah.
:13 So Nebuzaradan the
captain of the guard sent Nebushasban, Rabsaris,
Nergal-Sharezer, Rabmag, and all the king of Babylon’s chief officers;
:14 then they sent someone
to take Jeremiah from the court of the prison, and committed him to Gedaliah
the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, that he should take him home. So he dwelt among the people.
Jeremiah is going to live with the newly appointed governor.
39:15-18 Ebed-Melech rewarded
:15 Meanwhile the word of
the Lord had come to Jeremiah
while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying,
:16 “Go and speak to
Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Behold, I will bring My
words upon this city for adversity and not for good, and they shall be performed
in that day before you.
:16 Go and speak to
Ebed-Melech
Remember Ebed-Melech? He’s the Ethiopian eunuch who spoke up for
Jeremiah to the king and had Jeremiah rescued from the muddy dungeon (Jer. 38)
Ebed-Melech is told that
Jerusalem is going to face adversity – it will be wiped out.
:17 But I will deliver
you in that day,” says the Lord,
“and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are
afraid.
:18 For I will surely
deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be as a
prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me,” says the Lord.’ ”
:17 I will deliver you in
that day
Ebed-Melech, like Jeremiah, was a fellow who did not allow his fear of
people keep him from doing the right thing.
As a result, he received protection from God during the fall of Jerusalem.
Lesson
The Servant’s Reward
(keyword)
Remember what his name means? It
means “servant of the king”.
Ebed-Melech was faithful in his service to Zedekiah in that he let him know
about Jeremiah sinking in the miry dungeon.
He was also faithful to the Lord God, His King, for defending and rescuing
Jeremiah.
(Colossians 3:22–25
NKJV) —22 Bondservants, obey in all things your masters
according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity
of heart, fearing God. 23 And whatever you do, do it heartily,
as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will
receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. 25 But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and
there is no partiality.
Larry Burkett writes,
“Those who are resentful about the success of others,
whose feelings are hurt because of the lack of recognition, or who use jobs as
their alter egos all suffer from the same spiritual malady: They are in service
to men instead of to God. If a Christian approaches a job with the attitude
that some person must recognize him as “better” or “best,” there almost always
will be disappointment, because the first time the boss forgets to show
appreciation, resentment creeps in.”
Illustration
Howard Hendricks was a professor at Dallas Theological
Seminary. Because he did a lot of
traveling around the country and speaking at various meetings, American
Airlines made him kind of an undercover “inspector”. He was a guy who would write critiques about
his flights, and give the reports to the
managers.
I heard him tell a story about one flight, a particularly
difficult one. The flight was filled
with turbulence, fasten-your-seat-belt signs, drunk businessmen, and crying
babies. But through the whole flight,
nothing stopped this one stewardess from smiling and serving politely. At the end of the flight, he stopped to talk
to her, to tell her that he was going to write a special report about her to
American Airlines. She replied, “But Mr.
Hendricks, I don’t work for American Airlines.”
Seeing he had this puzzled look on his face she continued, “I work for
Jesus Christ.”
Illustration
Years ago I used to work at
McDonnell Douglas. Even though my dad
was a very important part of the company, I was a new hire, my job was as an
“Engineering Scheduling Analyst”. The
engineers used to call our job “bean counters”.
When you worked in the engineering building, there were two kinds of
employees. There were the “DAC”
employees”, people who worked for McDonnell Douglass and we all had badges with
a red-white-blue logo on it. Then there
were the “brown badgers”. These guys
were engineers who worked for various “temp” agencies instead of for McDonnell
Douglass. We all worked in the same
building. We all worked on the same
aircraft project. But technically the
two groups worked for different employers.
God’s desire is that you be a “God-badger”. Work for God, on loan to your current earthly
employer.
What do you do when things at work aren’t going well? Do you complain to the boss? Or do you take it to your Boss?
What do you do when the present contract runs out and your
earthly employer no longer needs your services?
You go back to your agency and see if there’s another company you can
contract out to.
If you’re working for Jesus, then you’ll receive rewards from Him.
Jesus told the story about a Master who asked His servants to manage His
money while He was gone.
(Matthew
25:19–21 NKJV) —19 After a long time the lord of those
servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 “So he who had received five talents
came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five
talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ 21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant;
you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
Yes, sometimes we get earthly rewards for doing the right
things. Generally
you will find that if you do the right thing, you will get promoted and you
might make a better salary. But not always.
Our reward is not always going to come in this life. But it will still come. We will enter into
His joy.
Jeremiah 40
40:1-6 Jeremiah released
:1 The word that came to
Jeremiah from the Lord after Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard
had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him bound in chains among all who
were carried away captive from Jerusalem and Judah, who were carried away
captive to Babylon.
:1 let him go from Ramah
Ramah – a city just five miles north of Jerusalem. (see map)
Apparently Nebuzaradan had all the people of Jerusalem put into chains when
they captured the city, including Jeremiah.
The people were then taken to Ramah where they were screened before
being taken to Babylon.
Back in 39:12; Nebuchadnezzar had declared that Jeremiah should be
freed. This is the actual process of how
that happened.
:2 And the captain of the
guard took Jeremiah and said to him: “The Lord
your God has pronounced this doom on this place.
:2 The Lord your God has
pronounced
It’s interesting that Nebuzaradan is using the name of God.
On the other hand, one hundred years earlier, so did Rabshakeh when the
Assyrians laid siege to Jerusalem.
(2 Kings
18:25 NKJV) Have I now come up without the Lord against this place to destroy it?
The Lord said to me, ‘Go up
against this land, and destroy it.’ ”
Just using
God’s name doesn’t make it true. But it might be.
But it seems to me that
Nebuzaradan is aware of the things that Jeremiah has prophesied.
:3 Now the Lord has brought it,
and has done just as He said. Because you people have sinned
against the Lord, and not obeyed
His voice, therefore this thing has come upon you.
:3 you people have sinned against the LORD
Lesson
Testimony
What a wonderful testimony the nation of Judah had
before the world. Not.
When David watched Bathsheba bathing on the rooftop and then committed
adultery, the prophet Nathan said,
(2 Samuel
12:14 NKJV) However, because by this deed you have given
great occasion to the enemies of the Lord
to blaspheme…
We want the testimony that
others have about us to be about how we lived holy lives.
(1 Peter 2:11–12
NKJV) —11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from
fleshly lusts which war against the soul, 12 having your
conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as
evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God
in the day of visitation.
How you live your life is everything.
I know I’ve used this story before, but it’s worth
repeating.
In 1947, when Jackie Robinson was brought up to play in
the major leagues by Branch Rickey, he was warned about how his conduct would
affect the future of baseball.
Video: 42
– Fine Gentleman and Great Baseball Player
The way you live your life affects
how effective your testimony is.
:4 And now look, I free
you this day from the chains that were on your hand. If it seems good to
you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look after you. But if it
seems wrong for you to come with me to Babylon, remain here. See, all the land is
before you; wherever it seems good and convenient for you to go, go there.”
It seems that the Babylonians have heard about Jeremiah and the things he
had been saying to the people. Jeremiah is given his choice of what to do.
:5 Now while Jeremiah had
not yet gone back, Nebuzaradan said, “Go back to Gedaliah the son of
Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has made governor over the
cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people. Or go wherever it seems
convenient for you to go.” So the captain of the guard
gave him rations and a gift and let him go.
:5 Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan
Gedaliah was one of the grandsons of Shaphan, who was that godly priest
with the godly family, and friend to King Josiah.
When Jeremiah decides not to go to Babylon, he is allowed to go wherever he
wants. He’s given some provisions and
allowed to leave.
:6 Then Jeremiah went to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, to Mizpah, and dwelt with him
among the people who were left in the land.
:6 Jeremiah went to … Mizpah
Mizpah means “watchtower”. see map
Though there are several cities named “Mizpah” (the name means
“watchtower”).
Perhaps one of the more famous city was where
Jacob made his deal with his father-in-law Laban.
This would appear to be the one that belonged to the tribe of Benjamin, is
the one that is a few miles north of Jerusalem, only three miles from Ramah,
where these “exit” interviews are taking place.
This will become the temporary “capitol” of the land.
Meanwhile, Nebuchadnezzar is conducting the campaign against the area of
Palestine from Riblah (200+ miles north of Jerusalem)
Break
40:7-12 Gedaliah governs
:7 And when all the
captains of the armies who were in the fields, they and their men, heard
that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the
land, and had committed to him men, women, children, and the poorest of the
land who had not been carried away captive to Babylon,
:8 then they came to
Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons
of Kareah, Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of a Maachathite,
they and their men.
:7 captains of the armies who were in the fields
There were apparently Jewish guerilla or “insurgency” units operating out
in the countryside.
They are urged to drop their weapons and join with Gedaliah.
Two names to pay attention to are Ishmael and Johanan. You will hear more from these two.
:9 And Gedaliah the son
of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, took an oath before them and their men, saying,
“Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land and serve the king
of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.
Gedaliah swears to them that if they lay down their arms, they won’t be
imprisoned.
:10 As for me, I will
indeed dwell at Mizpah and serve the Chaldeans who come to us. But you, gather
wine and summer fruit and oil, put them in your vessels, and dwell in
your cities that you have taken.”
:10 gather wine and summer fruit
Gedaliah encourages the men to go home and take care of their families.
Remember it was summer (July) when Jerusalem fell.
Summer is harvest time. There are fields that still need harvesting.
:11 Likewise, when all
the Jews who were in Moab, among the Ammonites, in Edom, and who were
in all the countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant of
Judah, and that he had set over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of
Shaphan,
:12 then all the Jews
returned out of all places where they had been driven, and came to the land of
Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and gathered wine and summer fruit in abundance.
Apparently many of the Jews had fled the land of
Israel, across the Jordan River, and were refugees in Moab, Ammon, and Edom
(see map). They too come back to
resettle.
40:13-16 Johanan’s warning
:13 Moreover Johanan the
son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces that were in the fields
came to Gedaliah at Mizpah,
:14 and said to him, “Do
you certainly know that Baalis the king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael the
son of Nethaniah to murder you?” But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam did not believe
them.
:14 Baalis the king of the Ammonites
Baalis – Ba‘alic – “lord of the banner”
Remember that Zedekiah may have been trying to flee to Ammon when he was
captured at Jericho.
The Ammonites were not friendly with Babylon, nor the people that Babylon
puts into power.
:14 Ishmael the son of Nethaniah
Ishmael was part of the guerilla forces that had come out of the field to
be with Gedaliah (40:8).
Some of the people have returned from the Ammonites, perhaps Ishmael was
part of this group (40:11).
Ishmael is part of the royal line of King David (41:1) and had been one of
Zedekiah’s officers (41:1).
:15 Then Johanan the son
of Kareah spoke secretly to Gedaliah in Mizpah, saying, “Let me go, please, and
I will kill Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no one will know it. Why
should he murder you, so that all the Jews who are gathered to you would be
scattered, and the remnant in Judah perish?”
:16 But Gedaliah the son
of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, “You shall not do this thing, for
you speak falsely concerning Ishmael.”
:15 I will kill Ishmael
Johanan is afraid that if something happens to Gedaliah that this will
cause more problems with Babylon and what few people are left will all be wiped
out.
Perhaps Gedaliah thinks that Johanan was just jealous for some reason.
Perhaps he thought it was just a vicious rumor.
Perhaps he thinks that Johanan has some old long-standing grudge against
Ishmael.
There’s actually a lot of political intrigue going
on in the background here:
BKC: Why would the king of Ammon conspire with Ishmael to kill Gedaliah?
The answer lies in understanding the relationship between Judah and Ammon. Both
nations were vassals to Babylon and had participated
in a secret meeting of nations in 593 b.c.
to evaluate their prospects of uniting in rebellion against Babylon (cf.
27:1-11). That meeting did not produce any definite action; but in 588 b.c. Egypt’s new Pharaoh (Hophra)
persuaded Judah, Ammon, and Tyre to revolt against
Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar had to decide which nation to attack first, and God
directed him to Judah instead of to Ammon (cf. Ezek. 21:18-23).
Judah and Ammon were still allies when Jerusalem fell, and Zedekiah was
probably heading for Ammon when he was captured (Jer. 39:4-5). But in spite of their union as allies, Judah and Ammon did not
care for each other. Their union was a “marriage of convenience”.
Ammon rejoiced over Jerusalem’s fall because they knew that if
Nebuchadnezzar committed his army against Jerusalem he
would not be able to attack Ammon (cf. comments on 49:1-6; Ezek. 25:1-7).
Thus Gedaliah’s commitment to Babylon was
unsettling to Ammon. If Judah did submit to Babylon, then after Nebuchadnezzar
finished his siege of Tyre (cf. Ezek. 29:17-18) he
would probably attack Ammon next. But a destabilized Judah could force
Nebuchadnezzar to commit large numbers of troops there to maintain order, which
would improve Ammon’s chances for survival. So it was
to Ammon’s advantage to replace pro-Babylonian Gedaliah with an anti-Babylonian
leader like Ishmael.[1]
This all sounds so much like all the political intrigue that happens today
between nations. Nothing is new.
Lesson
Warnings
Some warnings seem absolutely ridiculous
Illustration
These are actual product labels:
On a blanket from Taiwan - NOT TO BE USED AS PROTECTION
FROM A TORNADO.
On a helmet mounted mirror used by US cyclists - REMEMBER,
OBJECTS IN THE MIRROR ARE ACTUALLY BEHIND YOU.
On a Sears hairdryer - DO NOT USE WHILE SLEEPING.
On Tesco's Tiramisu dessert (printed on bottom of the box)
- DO NOT TURN UPSIDE DOWN.
On a Korean kitchen knife - WARNING KEEP OUT OF CHILDREN.
Some warnings are good, but we don’t quite get the message …
Illustration
Wrong Way!
As a fellow was driving down the freeway, his cell phone
rang. Answering, he heard his wife’s voice urgently warning him, “Herman, I
just heard on the news that there’s a car going the wrong way on the 280.
Please be careful!” Herman said, “It’s
not just one car, honey, it’s hundreds of them!”
Sometimes it’s simply hard to know what to do with warnings. Should I pay attention to it or not?
Judging Johanan by what he’s going to do in the next couple of chapters,
I’d say that he’s not the best of spiritual examples. He may have a good head on his shoulders, but
human wisdom often falls short.
If I was in Gedaliah’s spot and knew something about
Johanan’s character, I might not pay attention to his warning either.
But I’d be wrong, just as Gedaliah will be.
On the other hand, if I paid attention to every “warning”, I would never
accomplish anything in life.
In today’s incredibly contentious political climate, both sides are warning
that the election of the other party will lead to doomsday.
May God give us discernment to pay attention to the
warnings we’re supposed to and ignore the one’s that aren’t for us.
Jeremiah 41
41:1-3 Gedaliah is assassinated
:1 Now it came to pass in
the seventh month that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of
Elishama, of the royal family and of the officers of the king, came with ten
men to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, at Mizpah. And there they ate bread together
in Mizpah.
:1 it came to pass in
the seventh month
This would be the September-October time frame. We aren’t given the year, but it would seem
unlikely that this is still 586 BC.
There isn’t enough time for all the various events to occur. It’s more likely this is a couple of years
later.
In 582 BC, there was another smaller Babylonian deportation (Jer. 52:30),
and it could have been in response to the assassination of Gedaliah. Perhaps this is in 583 BC.
:2 Then Ishmael the son
of Nethaniah, and the ten men who were with him, arose and struck Gedaliah the
son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, with the sword, and killed him whom the king
of Babylon had made governor over the land.
:3 Ishmael also struck
down all the Jews who were with him, that is, with Gedaliah at Mizpah,
and the Chaldeans who were found there, the men of war.
:3 struck Gedaliah … and killed him
Part of Ishmael’s motivation may have been the fact that
he had been passed over to be governor of Judah.
It sounds like Ishmael kills quite a few people.
He not only kills Gedaliah, but also some of the people who had gathered to
Gedaliah, as well as the Babylonian soldiers left behind to assist Gedaliah.
41:4-9 More killed by Ishmael
:4 And it happened, on the second day after he had killed Gedaliah,
when as yet no one knew it,
:5 that certain men came
from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, eighty men with their beards
shaved and their clothes torn, having cut themselves, with offerings and
incense in their hand, to bring them to the house of the Lord.
:5 from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria
See map. These are all cities of the
old northern kingdom, all of them in the hills of Ephraim, on the way to Mizpah
and Jerusalem.
:5 their beards shaved … having cut themselves
What are these men doing?
Their appearance shows they are in mourning.
Shaving their beards and tearing their clothes were acceptable under the
Law of Moses. The cutting of themselves
was not acceptable.
(Leviticus 19:28 NKJV) You shall not make any cuttings in
your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the Lord.
So even though they are heading “to the house of the
LORD”, they have some of their doctrine wrong.
Since this is the “seventh month” (41:1), it’s very likely that they are
observing one of the annual feasts.
The feast of Trumpets was on the first day of the seventh month (Lev. 23:24).
The Day of Atonement took place on the 10th of the month – it
was to be a day of “affliction” or “fasting” (Lev. 23:27) (this is the most likely candidate)
The feast of Tabernacles started on the 15th
day of the seventh month (Lev. 23:34).
When Josiah was king, he had brought reform not only to the Southern
kingdom, but to those still living in the north as well (2Chron. 34:33). Apparently some of
the reforms were still working, though there was already some kind of
perversion (cutting themselves) that had crept in.
:5 to bring them to the house of the Lord
They are on their way to Jerusalem.
They aren’t mourning because of Gedaliah’s death, but because of what has
happened to the nation.
Though it’s possible they might not know that the Temple has been
destroyed, it’s more likely that they know that it’s been destroyed and are in
mourning because of it. People still worshipped at the site of the Temple, even after it
was destroyed (just as they still do today).
:6 Now Ishmael the son of
Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he went along; and it
happened as he met them that he said to them, “Come to Gedaliah the son of
Ahikam!”
:6 weeping as he went along
Ishmael is probably weeping in order to draw these
men close enough to kill them.
Why does Ishmael want to kill these men?
Perhaps he sees a group of men like this as a security threat.
It’s probably just to rob them.
These guys are bringing a lot of “stuff” (offerings and
incense v.5) with them to offer to the Lord.
:7 So it was, when they
came into the midst of the city, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah killed them and
cast them into the midst of a pit, he and the men who were with him.
:7 Ishmael the son of
Nethaniah killed them
How’s that for a leader?
These people are on their way to church, and end
up dead and dumped into a pit.
:8 But ten men were found
among them who said to Ishmael, “Do not kill us, for we have treasures of
wheat, barley, oil, and honey in the field.” So he
desisted and did not kill them among their brethren.
:8 we have treasures of wheat, barley, oil, and
honey
Here’s where we see Ishmael’s greed.
He lets these guys go as long as they pay him.
:9 Now the pit into which
Ishmael had cast all the dead bodies of the men whom he had slain, because of
Gedaliah, was the same one Asa the king had made for fear of Baasha king
of Israel. Ishmael the son of Nethaniah
filled it with the slain.
:9 the pit … Asa the king had made for fear of Baasha
Lesson
The “Faithless Pit”
(keyword)
There’s some interesting history behind this “pit”.
Asa became king of the southern kingdom of Judah in 910 BC.
That’s three hundred years before Jeremiah’s day.
Early in Asa’s reign he was faced with a huge army of one million Ethiopian
warriors, yet because he trusted in the Lord, God gave him a great
victory.
Towards the end of a long reign, in his 36th year, he started
having trouble with the northern kingdom, ruled by Baasha.
Because the city of Ramah (yes, same Ramah we’ve seen) was on the road to
Jerusalem, Baasha had captured the city of Ramah, built it up, and had begun to
threaten to cut off all trade to Jerusalem.
(see map of Ramah and the other current cities).
Instead of asking God for help, older Asa felt he had the resources to
handle the problem. He sent some money
to the king of Syria (north of the kingdom of Israel) and asked him to cause
Baasha some trouble up north. Baasha
shifted his resources and abandoned his Ramah project.
(2
Chronicles 16:6 NKJV) Then King Asa took all Judah, and they carried away the stones and
timber of Ramah, which Baasha had used for building; and with them he built
Geba and Mizpah.
Apparently part of Asa’s
construction projects in Mizpah included this pit where the bodies were slain.
Asa’s story doesn’t end there. It
looked like his smart, well thought out plan worked. But that’s not what God thought.
(2 Chronicles
16:7–10 NKJV) —7 And at that time Hanani the seer
came to Asa king of Judah, and said to him: “Because
you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on the Lord your God, therefore the army of
the king of Syria has escaped from your hand. 8 Were the
Ethiopians and the Lubim not a huge army with very
many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you relied on the Lord, He delivered them into your hand.
9 For the eyes of the Lord
run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those
whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.” 10 Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in prison, for he
was enraged at him because of this. And Asa oppressed some of the
people at that time.
Sometimes it’s hard to trust God.
Video: OneTimeBlind – Trust Fall
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhnRvb-M-P4
Trusting in our own ways rather than God’s ways leads to
trouble.
I think there’s some irony that the messiness of Gedaliah,
Johanan, Ishmael, and these victims all wind up in a pit connected to a man who
preferred to trust his own devices rather than trust in God.
God is looking for people who will be loyal to Him. He wants to “show Himself strong” for them.
We’re going to see this theme of “trusting or not
trusting” in the coming chapters of Jeremiah.
41:10-18 Johanan rescues the people from Ishmael
:10 Then Ishmael carried
away captive all the rest of the people who were in Mizpah, the king’s
daughters and all the people who remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the
captain of the guard had committed to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam. And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah
carried them away captive and departed to go over to the Ammonites.
It’s possible that Jeremiah is in this group of people taken captive by
Ishmael.
:11 But when Johanan the son of Kareah and all
the captains of the forces that were with him
heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done,
:12 they took all the men
and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah; and they found him by the
great pool that is in Gibeon.
:12 the great pool that is in Gibeon
See map. Ishmael is fleeing from Mizpah and is caught at Gibeon three miles
away.
There’s some history here too…
After the death of Israel’s first king, Saul, the nation was divided for a
time between those who followed David, and those who followed Saul’s son
Ishbosheth.
It was at this pool that David’s men held a sort of “contest” with Saul’s
men.
It was a bloody contest, twelve men against twelve men, fight to the death.
David’s men killed all twelve of their opponents.
(2 Samuel 2:16 NKJV) And each one grasped his opponent by
the head and thrust his sword in his opponent’s side; so
they fell down together. Therefore
that place was called the Field of Sharp Swords, which is in Gibeon.
The “contest” turned into fierce fighting between David’s
men and those who followed Ishbosheth. (2Sam. 2:12-32)
In the end, not one of David’s men perished, but those who
followed Ishbosheth lost 360 men.
It’s ironic that this “field of sharp swords” is where they caught up with
Ishmael.
:13 So it was, when all
the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all
the captains of the forces who were with him, that they were glad.
They were rescued!
:14 Then all the people
whom Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah turned around and came back, and went to Johanan the son of Kareah.
:15 But Ishmael the son
of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men and went to the Ammonites.
Remember he had ten with him when he murdered all those people.
He’s apparently lost two of them.
:16 Then Johanan the son
of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, took from
Mizpah all the rest of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of
Nethaniah after he had murdered Gedaliah the son of Ahikam—the mighty men of war
and the women and the children and the eunuchs, whom he had brought back from
Gibeon.
:17 And they departed and
dwelt in the habitation of Chimham, which is near Bethlehem, as they went on
their way to Egypt,
:18 because of the
Chaldeans; for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah
had murdered Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had made
governor in the land.
:17 the habitation of Chimham
Johanan doesn’t think it’s safe to stay in Mizpah or Gibeon for very
long.
He’s afraid that when the Babylonians find out what has happened, that
they’ll all be wiped out. So he starts heading for Egypt.
Here’s another place with history.
Chimham was a servant (or possibly a son) of a fellow named Barzillai.
When David had temporarily been dethroned by the rebellion of his son
Absalom, Barzillai was the fellow who hosted David and his men until they
returned to Jerusalem.
As a reward for being such a generous host, David gave Chimham a piece of
property (2Sam. 19:37-40).
This property was near David’s own hometown of Bethlehem (see map), about
12+ miles south of Mizpah.
Homework
Read Jer. 26-38 in NIV (each week a different version).
Memorize 29:11
(Jeremiah
29:11 NKJV) For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,
says the Lord, thoughts of peace
and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Today’s ending quiz
What were the two key words from our lesson? (…)
The Servant’s Reward
The Faithless Pit
What could you apply to your life from today’s lesson?
Four classes left
November 4 – Jer. 42-44
November 11 – Jer. 45-48
November 18 – Jer. 49-50
November 25 - Thanksgiving
December 2 – Jer. 51-52
December 9 – Class Projects