Jeremiah 42:1

 Jeremiah 42:1 says, Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even unto the greatest, came near,  Verse two adds, And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the LORD thy God, even for all this remnant; (for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us:)  The ones who called themselves the remnant of the few of Judah came to Jeremiah asking that he beseech God for them.  Jeremiah had survived Ishmael's attack, and even though the people had ignored Jeremiah before when he prophesied for God, they now wanted him to pray for them. God had protected Jeremiah, just as He will those who are faithful to Him today.   Verse three continues, That the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.  They referred to God as Jeremiah's God, and asked that Jeremiah determine what God would have them do.  These were people who referred to themselves as the remnant of Judah, but they did not call God their God.  If we are a follower of Christ, we are a part of the family of God and have direct access to Him.  If we are His in name only then we need someone else to pray for us that we might know the will of God, which begins by accepting Jesus Christ as one's personal Savior and Lord.   Verse four declares, Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto the LORD your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing the LORD shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you.  Jeremiah said he would grant their request, and that he would tell them what God said, no matter what that was.  This is all we can ever do as well. Verse five states, Then they said to Jeremiah, The LORD be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which the LORD thy God shall send thee to us.  The people asked that they would call on the LORD God of Jeremiah to be a witness that they would do whatever Jeremiah said his God told them to do.  They still were not calling God their God.  Verse six adds, Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.  Then, they said that they would obey the voice of the LORD their God, whether what He said was good or bad.  They now called God their God, as Jeremiah had referred to Him in granting their request.  If we expect God to answer our pratyers, we must sincerely acknowledge Him as our God.  Verse seven says, And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah.  God did not immediately answer Jeremiah's prayer, just as He may not immediately answer ours.  Verse eight adds, Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces which were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest,  Jeremiah called all the people together, from the greatest to the least.  God's word applies to all people, no matter their status in this world.  Verse nine continues, And said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before him;  Jeremiah said that he would give them God's answer.  Verse ten states, If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up: for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you.  Jeremiah told them that God said that if they stayed in the land that He would once again bless them because they would be obedient to Him.  This was the positive part of God's message, just as the gospel is the positive part of God's word today.  Verse eleven adds, Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the LORD: for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand. God told them to not fear the king of Babylon, because God would deliver them from him.  If we are Christians, we do not need to fear anyone in the world today, no matterhow power they may be.  Verse twelve continues, And I will shew mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land.  Once again, God said that if they obeyed Him, He would bless them.  If we want God's blessings, we must obey Him.

Jeremiah 41:10

 Jeremiah 41:10 says, Then Ishmael carried away captive all the residue of the people that were in Mizpah, even the king’s daughters, and all the people that 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.  Those that he didn't kill, Ishmael was carrying away captive to the Ammorites, including two of the king’s daughters.  These would have been the poor people who had been given the vineyards and land to utilize.   Matthew Henry says that Ishmael was probably going to give them to the Ammonites as a present and that it is a warning that we should never become to secure in our circumstances.  Verse eleven states, 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,  Verse twelve adds, Then they took all the men, and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and found him by the great waters that are in Gibeon.  When Johanan and the captains of the guard heard what Ishmael had done, they went after him and his forces.  If Gedaliah had listened to Johanan when he warned him about Ishmael, this would not have happened.  If we do not listen to God's warnings today, we should not be surprised if destruction comes in our life.  Verse thirteen declares, Now it came to pass, that when all the people which were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, then they were glad.  When the people with Ishmael saw Johanan and his forces coming, they were glad.  They may have been the enemy forces, but they were better than Ishmael.  Sometimes, we may have to choose the lesser of two evils, even if it still does not bring us complete freedom in the world.  Of course,  if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, then we are always spirituality free from the power of sin.  Verse fourteenth adds, So all the people that Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah cast about and returned, and went unto Johanan the son of Kareah.  Those who were being taken away captive did not wait for Johanan and his forces to get there, but turned around and ran toward them.  Likewise, when we realize sin has come into our life, we need to turn around and run to God for deliverance.  Verse fifteen states, But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men, and went to the Ammonites.  Ishmael didn't stay to fight, but took eight men with him and fled to the Ammonites.  Ishmael may have felt powerful when fighting defenseless people, but he ran from those who were powerful.  We need to remember that as Christians we are never powerless and that God will always deliver us from the forces of evil, if not in this life, then in the one to come.  Verse sixteen adds, Then took Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, from Mizpah, after that he had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, even mighty men of war, and the women, and the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought again from Gibeon:  Verse seventeen continues, And they departed, and dwelt in the habitation of Chimham, which is by Bethlehem, to go to enter into Egypt,  Johanan did not return the people to where they had been under the peaceful rule of Gedaliah, but took them to Egypt instead.   Verse eighteen concludes, Because of the Chaldeans: for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon made governor in the land.  Johanan did this because he was afraid of what the Chaldeans would do because of what Ishmael had done. The people still were not free, just as we cannot find spiritual freedom anywhere but in faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. 

Jeremiah 41:1

 Jeremiah 41:1 says, Now it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, and the princes of the king, even ten men with him, came unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and there they did eat bread together in Mizpah.  Ishmael and ten princes of the king came to Mizpah and ate together there with Gedaliah.  They should have been celebrating the fact that one of their own people was in a position of power, but that wasn't why they were there.  We should not be surprised when some people who claim to be friends with us as followers of Christ today are really just looking for ways to harm or destroy us, or at least our witness for Christ.  Verse two declares, Then arose Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the ten men that were with him, and smote Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan with the sword, and slew him, whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land.  While eating with Gedaliah, Ishmael and the ten with him killed him with the sword, which was was actually an act of rebellion against the king of Babylon as well, since he had appointed Gedaliah governor.  Verse three adds, Ishmael also slew all the Jews that were with him, even with Gedaliah, at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans that were found there, and the men of war. Ishmael not only killed Gedaliah,  but he killed all the Jews and the Chaldeans that were with Gedaliah.  Verse four states,  And it came to pass the second day after he had slain Gedaliah, and no man knew it. Two days passed without anyone knowing what Ishmael and his friends had done.  That is hard to imagine in our world of instant communication, but there are still atrocities that are committed in the world today that are not immediately known and probably some that are never known.  Matthew Henry says that some might question why God allowed this to happen, but the it was just another example of how far away from God many of the peope of Judah had gotten.  Verse five says, That there came certain from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even fourscore men, having their beards shaven, and their clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with offerings and incense in their hand, to bring them to the house of the LORD.  A band of devout men came in mourning to worship God.  Not all the people of Judah had turned away from God, just as all the people today have not,   Verse six declares, And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went forth from Mizpah to meet them, weeping all along as he went: and it came to pass, as he met them, he said unto them, Come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam.  Ishmael met them with false mourning and invited them to come to Gedaliah.  Verse seven adds, And it was so, when they came into the midst of the city, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah slew them, and cast them into the midst of the pit, he, and the men that were with him.  When these men got to the city, Ishmael and those with him killed them and threw them into the pit as well.  Verse eight states, But ten men were found among them that said unto Ishmael, Slay us not: for we have treasures in the field, of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey. So he forbare, and slew them not among their brethren.  There were ten men in the group who bargained with Ishmael by asking him not to slay them because they had treasures in the field, so he spared them.  Verse nine concludes, Now the pit wherein Ishmael had cast all the dead bodies of the men, whom he had slain because of Gedaliah, was it which Asa the king had made for fear of Baasha king of Israel: and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled it with them that were slain.  Ishmael filled the pit which had been made by Asa because fear of Baasha the king of Israel with the bodies of those he and his friends had slain.

Jeremiah 40:7

 Jeremiah 40:7 says, Now when all the captains of the forces which were in the fields, even they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed unto him men, and women, and children, and of the poor of the land, of them that were not carried away captive to Babylon;  Gedaliah was a Judean, and he had been made a governor.  Matthew Henry points out that Ahikam, the father of  Gedaliah, had defended Jeremiah in the past.  Verse eight adds, Then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of a Maachathite, they and their men.  Many of the people of Judah came to Gedaliah when they heard that he had been made governor.  He was one of their own, God's chosen people.  We should pray that we have Christian people in positions of power today,  and if we do, we should rally around them.  Verse nine states, And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan sware unto them and to their men, saying, Fear not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.  Gedaliah told them to dwelt in the land and serve the king of Babylon and if they did it would go well with them.  Though they had been defeated, all was not lost.  Verse ten adds, As for me, behold, I will dwell at Mizpah to serve the Chaldeans, which will come unto us: but ye, gather ye wine, and summer fruits, and oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that ye have taken.  Gedaliah said he was going to live in Mizpah and serve the Chaldeans, but that the others should go to their cities to live.  We as followers of Christ cannot all live in the same place, but must live wherever we are, obeying the government as much as possible, until and unless it interferes with our relationship with God.  Verse eleven declares, Likewise when all the Jews that were in Moab, and among the Ammonites, and in Edom, and that 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;  Verse twelve adds, Even all the Jews returned out of all places whither they were driven, and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah, unto Mizpah, and gathered wine and summer fruits very much.  When other Jews heard that the king of Babylon had left aa remnant of Judah and placed Gedaliah over them, they came there as well and lived successfully.  Verse thirteen says, Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah,  All the forces of Judah left in the field came to Gedaliah.  Verse fourteen states, And said unto him, Dost thou certainly know that Baalis the king of the Ammonites hath sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to slay thee? But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam believed them not.  They told Gedaliah that Ishmael had been sent by the king of the Ammonites to kill him.  The king of Babylon may have placed Gedaliah in power,  but evidently not all other kings agreed with his decision.  Even if we as Christians are at peace with some of those in power in the world today, it does not mean that we will be at peace with all of them.  Verse fifteen adds, Then Johanan the son of Kareah spake to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly, saying, Let me go, I pray thee, and I will slay Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no man shall know it: wherefore should he slay thee, that all the Jews which are gathered unto thee should be scattered, and the remnant in Judah perish?  Johanan came to Gedaliah in secret and asked Gedaliah to let him go and slay Ishmael so that the Jews who were gathered would not be scattered again.   This may have seemed like a good solution, but we must be careful that we don't start following our own plans instead of God's plan, even if the plan seems sensible.  Verse sixteen declares, But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said unto Johanan the son of Kareah, Thou shalt not do this thing: for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael.  Gedaliah told  Johanan to not do this, because what he said about Ishmael was not true.  If we are going to take some action for God today, we must make sure that it is based on truth and is inaccordance with God's will. 

Jeremiah 40:1

 Jeremiah 40:1 says, The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, after that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him being bound in chains among all that were carried away captive of Jerusalem and Judah, which were carried away captive unto Babylon.  Jeremiah had been led away in chains as had the rest of the people of Judah, but now he had been set free.  God's word came to him again at this time.  As followers of Christ, we were once bound by the chains of sin, but through faith in Jesus Christ we are set free and God's word should always guide us.  Verse two states.  And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and said unto him, The LORD thy God hath pronounced this evil upon this place.  The captain of the guard of the Babylonian army recognized that God had sent Babylon to defeat Judah.  The people of Judah would not acknowledge that God was going to bring their destruction as Jeremiah had warned, but this captain of the enemy army recognized that God was the One responsible.  It is sad to think that the people of the world may recognize the work of God before those who are supposed to be His people do.  Veree three adds, Now the LORD hath brought it, and done according as he hath said: because ye have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed his voice, therefore this thing is come upon you.  The captain of the guard told the captives that it was because oof their sin that they were enslaved, and if we are enslaved to the world today, it is because of our sin.  Matthew Henry says that the captain seemed to take pride in being a part of God's judgment.   Verse four states, And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which were upon thine hand. If it seem good unto thee to come with me into Babylon, come; and I will look well unto thee: but if it seem ill unto thee to come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold, all the land is before thee: whither it seemeth good and convenient for thee to go, thither go.  The captain of the guard invited Jeremiah to come with him after he was freed, and said that he would keep an eye out for Jeremiah, but told him that the choice was his.  When we are freed from the bandage of sin, it is our choice where we go, but it should always be under the leadership of God.  We need to remember that although it was the captain of the guard speaking, that this passage begins by saying that the wordof the LORD came to Jeremiah.  God can speak to us in various ways.  Verse five adds, Now while he was not yet gone back, he said, Go back also to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon hath made governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people: or go wheresoever it seemeth convenient unto thee to go. So the captain of the guard gave him victuals and a reward, and let him go.  The captain of the guard then told Jeremiah that he could go to Gedaliah, who was a Jew who had been made ruler over a certain area by the kingof Babylon according to Matthew Henry.  Then he gave Jeremiah provisions for the journey.   If we are going where God sends us, then He will always provide for our needs.  Verse six declares, Then went Jeremiah unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and dwelt with him among the people that were left in the land.  Jeremiah went to Gedaliah and dwelt among the people there.  Though Jeremiah was still a captive in a foreign land, he was not enslaved in chains.  Until God calls us home to glory, we will always be living in a foreign land, but as Christians we will never be under the bondage of sin.  

Jeremiah 39:11

 Jeremiah 39:11 says, Now Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, saying,  Verse twelve adds, Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee.  Nebuchadrezzar charged the king of the guard with looking after Ieremiah, and told him to treat him well and do whatever Jeremiah asked him to do,  Jeremiah was being shown more respect by the king of Babylon than he had been by the king of Judah.  Hopefully we today as Christians do not show less respect to those who proclaim God's word than the lost of the world do simply because we don't like what they have to say,  Verse thirteen states, So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard sent, and Nebushasban, Rabsaris, and Nergalsharezer, Rabmag, and all the king of Babylon’s princes;  Verse fourteen adds, Even they sent, and took Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and committed him unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, that he should carry him home: so he dwelt among the people.  Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, took several princes with him and took Jeremiah out of the courtyard where he had been held prisoner.  There is coming a day when all of God's people will be set free from whatever is imprisoning them in this world.  We, like Jeremiah, must simply remain true to God until this happens,  no matter what.  Verse fifteen declares, Now the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying,  Verse sixteen adds, Go and speak to Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be accomplished in that day before thee.  God sent Jeremiah with a message for Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, telling him that the city of Jerusalem would be destroyed, which is what Jeremiah had been prophesying all along.  God's message was not changing, nor will it today.  Verse seventeen states, But I will deliver thee in that day, saith the LORD: and thou shalt not be given into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid.  God's message to Ebedmelech was that God was going to deliver him from those that he feared.  Matthew Henry says that Ebedmelech was another true prophet of God, though he may not have been from the nation of Judah.  We should never feel that we are the only Christians in the world today because of our nationality,  nor should we expect better treatment.  Verse eighteen adds, I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the LORD.  God said that Ebedmelech was being rewarded for his trust in God,  just as we will be as followers of Christ.

Jeremiah 39:1

Jeremiah 39:1 says, In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and they besieged it.  Nebuchadnezzar and his army besieged Jerusalem, as Jeremiah had said he would.  No many how many people claim God's word will not come to pass, it always will in His time.  Verse two states, And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, the city was broken up.  Around two and a half years later, Jerusalem fell to Babylon.  They no longer had God's protection but were under His judgment.  No matter how long we may avoid God's judgment, we can be certain that it is one day going to come.  Verse three says, And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate, even Nergalsharezer, Samgarnebo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris, Nergalsharezer, Rabmag, with all the residue of the princes of the king of Babylon.  The princes of Babylon took control of the city.  All those prophets who had stated that Jerusalem was not going to fall were proven wrong, even though they were all aligned against Jeremiah.  Verse four declares, And it came to pass, that when Zedekiah the king of Judah saw them, and all the men of war, then they fled, and went forth out of the city by night, by the way of the king’s garden, by the gate betwixt the two walls: and he went out the way of the plain.  Zedekiah and those with him fled the city by night.  God had already told Zedekiah to surrender, but he would not listen to Him.  We may think that when the judgment of God comes that we will be able to slip away and avoid it, but that will never happen.  God gives everyone plenty of opportunities to accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and if they do not listen they will be even more defeated than Zedekiah and the people of Jerusalem were.  Verse five adds, But the Chaldeans’ army pursued after them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho: and when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he gave judgment upon him.  Zedekiah's escape was not successful, and he was soon brought before Nebuchadnezzar.  Verse six states, Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes: also the king of Babylon slew all the nobles of Judah.  Nebuchadnezzar killed all of Zedekiah's sons and the nobles while Zedekiah watched.  He would probably have preferred to die.  Death at time might be the lesser of two evils.  Verse seven adds, Moreover he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, and bound him with chains, to carry him to Babylon.  After that, Nebuchadnezzar put out Zedekiah's eyes, chained him and led him away captive to Babylon.  The last thing that Zedekiah saw was the killing of his sons and the princes around him.  This was indeed a cruel punishment.  Verse eight says, And the Chaldeans burned the king’s house, and the houses of the people, with fire, and brake down the walls of Jerusalem.  Though he would not see it, Zedekiah house, and those of all the people of Jerusalem were burned and the walls were broken down.  When God's judgment comes, there will be nothing left standing between His people and Him.  Verse nine adds, Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive into Babylon the remnant of the people that remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to him, with the rest of the people that remained.  The captian of the guard carried away the rest of the people of Jerusalem into captivity.  Then verse ten concludes, But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the people, which had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.  The poor people were left in Judah and were given vineyards and fields.  Maybe sometimes it pays to be poor.  Whether we are poor or not, when God's judgment comes, those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord will be left in God's kingdom.  We will have all that we ever need.