Jeremiah 51

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The Lord had a message for the great superpower of the Ancient Near East in the days of Jeremiah: “I will stir up the spirit of a destroyer against Babylon.” God had used Babylon against His people, yet He assured His chosen ones that “Israel and Judah have not been forsaken by their God.” The day would come when Babylon would be suddenly broken, since she herself was “full of guilt.”

The Almighty spoke of a future time when the call would go out to His flock, “Flee from the midst of Babylon; let everyone save his life!” The story of the old kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar would have a spiritual significance long beyond her relatively brief days of glory. The command to escape would be repeated in a far distant era for all who would need to disassociate themselves from a much bigger “Babylon” (Revelation 14:8).

The ungodly centers of worldly power would have many names among various lands in far-off days, but “Babylon” would one day fail in all her globalist pretensions. Only God would be able to establish the eternal kingdom. All of the proudest rulers would quickly come and go without achieving their grandest schemes.

In the case of the ancient city of Babylon, her ambitions would end through the Lord's use of the Medes and the Persians. The One who “made the earth by His power” would show His supremacy by the destruction of a regime that was very impressive to everyone during her few great years. Babylon had trusted in her idols, but they would all be shown to be “a work of delusion.”

Despite all the impressive statues and temples of the pagans of old, they all would fail the only test of any lasting significance: “No stone shall be taken from you for a corner and no stone for a foundation.” The God of the Jews would Himself lay a cornerstone in Zion (Isaiah 28:16 and 1 Peter 2:6). He would be the living image of the invisible God in a world plagued by vanity and death.

Babylon of old and every great nation on this earth can lose everything they thought was theirs in just a few short years. The Lord can speedily make the proudest “mighty voice” completely silent. Soon the land that expected to set the standard for eternal dominion would have instead a “perpetual sleep.” Only the Kingdom of God will stand, and only Jesus, the great King of the Kingdom, will reign forever.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Father God, who can survive when You bring judgment? Who will stand when You punish the earth? What a Babylon we live in. The world is against You and Your people. You have stirred up the spirit of one land to bring down another. Those who trust in their treasures will fall when foreign enemies come by Your Hand. You bring forth the rain and the snow. You control the wind and the waves. You formed all things. You use armies for Your purposes. Idols are formed by men. These false gods are nothing and they can form nothing. You are God. If You are against the world, against men, against idols, You can bring about a complete destruction of a whole nation, breaking them in pieces. Your purposes shall stand. Did we really imagine that any empire would be able to remain by her own power? You will repay the people groups of the world for the way they have expressed their hatred against Your church. With a Word You create, and with a Word You will destroy. If we are able to even live through such an ordeal, it is only by Your mercy. Why are we so amazed by the trials that we face when we live amongst a world that will surely face judgment? Did not the prophets suffer the violence of men? Why are our expectations so different from their earthly destiny, when You will surely judge the world? Lord, there is no safety in any place where we live. There is no land here below where we will have peace and prosperity. It is not by the wisdom or power of empires that the new heavens and the new earth will be established. When You say the word, every Babylon shall sink and rise no more. Our safety is in You. Our citizenship is in heaven. Our home is in the body of Christ. We are eternally grateful for Your many mercies.

Jeremiah 50

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For a period of less than 100 years between the supremacy of the Assyrian Empire and the time of the Medes and the Persians, the Babylonians were the regional superpower in the ancient Middle East. They were raised up by God to discipline rebellious Judah. Like the Assyrians before them who conquered many nations, the Babylonians had a special role in taking over Jerusalem and whatever other cities of the Promised Land that had not already fallen in earlier conflicts. The Lord instructed the kings of Judah to surrender to them.

Because Jeremiah brought this message to God's elect, many incorrectly supposed that he was a secret sympathizer of the Babylonians when he was simply proclaiming the Word of the Lord. When it was time to deliver God's message against the Babylonians, Jeremiah did not hold back.

Though God determined to use Babylon for the chastisement of Judah, that foreign power was never supposed to rejoice over the defeat of the Lord's children. They would have to face a day of judgment for their own sins. God spoke plainly about the trouble that would soon come to Babylon, and He also announced a future era of blessing for His chosen Zion.

Though the period of Babylonian rule was comparatively brief, the name of Babylon continued to be used throughout the Scriptures as the example of an ungodly tyranny that would one day face destruction. In the New Testament the name “Babylon” was frequently a reference to Rome as the great empire of the first century. But “Babylon” also referred more generally to all the powers of the world that would one day face the wrath of Christ.

The Lord has a fire that He can bring against any foe. Though He is a most exacting Judge, He is also a powerful Redeemer over the people He has determined to save.

Only King Jesus will reign forever. The world will one day stand before Him who is coming to judge the living and the dead. Despite that frightening prospect, God, who is rich in mercy, has a way of raising up His elect even from among the likes of a proud Babylon. Those who are truly wise will hear the Word of the Lord and humble themselves now before the great King of Kings.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Lord God, in every age there would seem to be a superpower. Each one imagines itself to be invincible. Can we see nothing from history? Will we not believe Your Word? You make a people of power to be an instrument of Your plan for a brief time. When their pride reaches a summit, they will be brought low, like all the great nations that have come before. Your wrath, O Lord, is far too much for the mightiest Babylon. How strong is Your Son, and how invincible in His Kingdom! We marvel at Your ways, O God. Your Son came in weakness. When He died on the cross, it would have appeared to every observer that His days were gone forever. How could this one man be anything compared to mighty empires like the Assyrians or the Romans? Yet He has established a kingdom that shall not perish. Through His death and resurrection a temple is being built up that will never be torn down. All those who have proudly defied Your Son will find an enemy in Him that is glorious in mighty power. The God-Man who died on a cross will come again to judge the living and the dead. We rest in Him. Whatever strength or wisdom other kingdoms may seem to have, it is only for a moment. Our Jesus lives, and His Kingdom is forever. How we long for the fulfillment of all Your promises! We dream about the peaceful valleys of Your great Land! There we will live in security and joy forever. Every brutal enemy will be harmless against us in that great day.

Jeremiah 49

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The Ammonites, part of the descendents of Lot, are remembered because they would not help the Israelites on the way from Egypt to the Promised Land. They took advantage of the weak in their distress. Jeremiah announced that God would bring terror upon them. One of their cities would become a “desolate mound.” They had harassed the Jewish tribe of Gad. They would therefore face trouble from neighboring enemies, but afterward God promised to restore the fortunes of the Ammonites.

The Edomites were the descendants of Esau, the brother of Jacob. They also brought trouble upon the Israelites when the Lord's chosen ones were leaving Egypt. The two nations, Israel and Edom, continued to stand against each other for centuries. Unfortunately certain kings of God’s people became interested in the gods of Edom, and this idolatry brought great difficulties upon Israel. According to Jeremiah, the Edomites would face serious consequences. The nation would be “stripped bare” by conquerors.

Syria or Aram was also an ancient land. According to Deuteronomy 26:5, it was part of the confession of an Israelite concerning his heritage to say publicly, “My father was a wandering Aramean.” In the land of the Syrians were the old gods that continued to have such a pull upon the hearts of the Lord’s children. Damascus, the capital of Syria, would also face devastating days according to the prophesy of Jeremiah.

We know much less about the remaining people groups mentioned in Jeremiah 49. Kedar, Hazor, and Elam would face great troubles. The Babylonians would prove to be formidable opponents for all the nations within their reach. They brought “terror on every side.” All of this loss was from the fierce anger of the Lord.

The root problem that any nation of the ancient world faced was not merely the greatest military superpower of their era; their most frightening adversary was the Lord God Almighty.

The only one way to make peace with God is through the blood of Jesus Christ. With Him, inhabitants of strange lands are now counted as the Lord's elect. They are not Jews by birth, but today as they hear the gospel, believe, and repent, they are rightly called sons of God. It is the Lord’s plan to display His righteous wrath against His enemies, but it is also His sovereign will that His church proclaim a way of mercy through Jesus.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Glorious God of the Nations, what a variety of false gods the peoples of the world have invented. You are the Creator of the heavens and the earth. Where are the Ammonites and the Edomites today? What has become of ancient Damascus and Kedar and Hazor? Where are the many cities and people groups that men have utterly forgotten? They once had mighty powers to give them a great defense against powerful foes, but could they stand against You, O Lord God Almighty? Father, You are a sure foundation and a mighty fortress in the day of trouble. Any challenge that men face in this world is nothing compared to the coming wrath that will be a true terror on every side. You are right to be angry with men because of our sin. You are the Maker of the world and of all that is in it. Surely You have the right to determine our destiny and to punish us for our iniquities. Nonetheless, You have not been content to show only Your righteous wrath. You have a plan for latter days that involves an amazing restoration of fortunes for all who trust in Your Son.

Jeremiah 48

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Like the other nations that were neighbors of Judah, Moab would soon face a military struggle. The Moabites had much national pride. Their soldiers thought of themselves as glorious men of war, but they would not be able to prevent the destruction of their country. They were once a “mighty scepter,” but their land would soon be decimated.

God likened Moab to a jar of old wine that had settled at ease for too long. They should have been poured from vessel to vessel in a way that would have produced the best taste. Now the Lord God would come and break the jar that symbolized the nation of Moab. The whole people group would be a shattered piece of pottery for which no one would care. The Lord Almighty of Judah would show Himself to be far stronger than Chemosh, the false god of the Moabites.

Despite the Lord's judgment against them, Jeremiah ended this oracle with these words of promise: “I will restore the fortunes of Moab in the latter days.” The phrase “in the latter days” was often used by the Old Testament prophets to describe the coming realities of the New Testament era or even the culmination of all of God’s promises in the new resurrection age.

God's plans for Moab included this note of hope. How would Moab be restored? As strange as it may sound, good news for Moab began with the destruction of idols like Chemosh. These false gods of national pride and military might were of little use to the Moabites in their time of need. On the other hand, the victory of the Lord Jesus Christ through His atoning death on the cross has brought the greatest blessing not only to the elect of Judah, but also to the chosen people of God who were descendants of many other nations. People of faith would come from all lands in the centuries to come.

Idols are of no real use to those who trust in them. They are never able to give any gift of true worth. In contrast to this disappointing track record, the true God who created the heavens and the earth has blessed us with His only-begotten Son. Any restoration that the people groups of the earth would enjoy in the “latter days” could only come through Jesus and the gospel. There is no other name by which we must be saved.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Sovereign Lord, ancient cities have been planted and plucked up in accord with Your great plan. Many names of peoples and places mean nothing to anyone today. They have had their great moment, and are now gone from all memory. Will we not be humble before You? How foolish we are when we demand only comfort in our lives. We need to be brought to You, at times through great suffering. In a time of trouble we may finally turn away from false gods. They are an abomination in Your sight. What is the might that we are counting on today? Do we have muscles or weapons beyond our neighbors? Are we people of the highest wit and wisdom? Will we defend ourselves against the Lord through our clever responses or our great military tactics? Father, we have been foolish in our lofty pride. Our boasts have been false. Our deeds and achievements will amount to nothing. Our labors will be utterly vain unless they are in Your Son. We hear Your Word today calling us to a better hope than man can provide. We have turned away from the love of money, and the pleasure that seems to come from the applause of men. There is a better foundation for life in the greatness of Your Son. We will no longer magnify ourselves against You, for You are God, even our God. We are pleased to be Your children, and we submit ourselves to Your will and Your holy commandments.

Jeremiah 47

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The Philistines were great enemies of the Israelites for many centuries. They came to the Mediterranean coast of Canaan from Crete. Recognized here and in other places as the Caphtorim, they settled south of Tyre and Sidon and were regularly battling God's people for land and power.

In Jeremiah 47 the prophet announced that the Philistines would face overwhelming trouble from the north. An invading army would fill their territory. They might have expected some help from their international alliances, but no one would come to their aid. We are told that it would be the Lord Himself who would bring disaster by raising up a foreign power against them.

Any nation lasts as long as God allows them to exist. Pagan people might take desperate actions in order to please their gods in the vain hope that an idol would bring them lasting victory. Such measures could never stop “the sword of the Lord” from coming against them. If the time for their destruction was at hand, no incantations or solemn rituals would be able to hold back the Almighty.

The anger of God is a frightening prospect, not only for ancient nations, but for individuals throughout the world who are following Jesus Christ today. Those who claim to know God’s love but continue in rebellion deserve His wrath. Yet when the sword of divine justice was coming against us, the Lord came in person and stood in the way. Our Redeemer visited us in our affliction and received a mortal wound for our sake.

The Philistine system of false gods could never have saved those who worshiped them. Only the God of the Jews will bring His people eternal security. It is imperative for all who desire eternal life to be found in the protective custody of God's own Son. Jesus has gone forth in our place to take the “sword of the Lord” and has defeated mortality for us. Our hope is in Him alone.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Father God, for generations people of power have feigned a great confidence in their strength, yet at heart men know that they are dust. Who can pretend that the day of our death is so very far away? Make us sensible to the fact of Your existence. Help us to worship You in the beauty of holiness.

Jeremiah 46

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Just as there is no covenant relationship between the Lord and any political entity today, God was not in any special relationship with Egypt in the days of Jeremiah. Israel and Judah had the written Law of God. They had the place of Jehovah’s presence in the temple. They were the chosen people, but the Egyptians were not. Yet God had something to say even to the Egyptians in the days of the Old Testament.

The Lord rules over all the nations. By His providential plan, kingdoms rise and fall. In Jeremiah 46 God announced that the Babylonians would defeat Pharaoh and his people. The Egyptians were a mighty military power, but they would be like a big “heifer” nipped “by a biting fly from the north.”

Egypt was proud, and Pharaoh thought that he ruled the world. He imagined that he could overtake every other nation around him. Though Pharaoh had great warriors under his command from many lands, he would not win in a contest against the God of creation. The Almighty would raise the Babylonians above the Egyptians, at least for a time.

The Lord understood the sins of Egypt. He knew the pride of their hearts and the wickedness of their lives. He called out their false gods by name and taunted them with Jeremiah's words. Their mighty ones would soon be face down on the ground in defeat. Their young women would be put to shame and their idols would be of no use to them.

It was appalling that some in Judah, the covenant people of the Lord, took refuge in the power of Egypt rather than trusting in the Lord their God. We who serve the Almighty today must never trust in worldly pride and strength. Jesus, the Captain of our salvation, achieved His unparalleled success through faithfulness to the Word of God in the face of an intense trial.

The cross exposed the folly of humanity. Through the suffering of the Son of God enemies seen and unseen were put to flight. By the proclamation of the death and resurrection of Jesus, people have been saved from hell and kept in the faith. The strongest powers of this world will be utterly overwhelmed in the twinkling of an eye, but the church of Jesus Christ will succeed by the strength of God.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Lord God Almighty, all nations are known to You. People groups devoted to idolatry cannot pretend that they do not know of Your great works of creation. Yet men and women everywhere are full of confidence in themselves. You are in charge of the affairs of every land. The warrior considers his own strength invincible, but a greater foe can come in a moment. Your people must not put their trust in the powers of this world. We trust in You. One nation may seem to have the strength to last forever, but that country will not stand forever against you. You, O Lord of hosts, will judge the rulers and idols of all nations. Give us hope in a better day, a hope that is secure not through the weapons of this world, but through Your divine power and love.

Jeremiah 45

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Jeremiah 45 is one of the briefest chapters in the Bible. It is also one of the most personal, as God spoke through Jeremiah to the prophet’s scribe Baruch. This oracle came during the reign of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah. Jehoiakim was a wicked king. In Chapter 36 we learned about how he treated the Word of God, burning Jeremiah's (and Baruch's) great work piece by piece in the fire pot in his winter house. Jeremiah 45 came from God during the preparation of the scroll, but before it was read publicly.

We do not know the specifics of what was troubling Baruch. He had brought a lament to God in prayer, but now the Lord brought His own complaint to Baruch. God, for His own good purposes, was breaking down His beloved nation that He had spent centuries building up. He was plucking up the whole unfruitful land that He Himself had planted. Jehovah did not have the slightest doubt concerning the good that He would bring through the exile of Judah. Such perfect knowledge did not take away the sadness that the Lord experienced over the disobedience of the nation and her upcoming destruction by foreign powers.

Was it right for Baruch to have a lament? It was. Even God laments. Yet Baruch needed a bigger perspective regarding his troubles. He was seeking great things for himself while God was bringing destruction upon the whole land. Through the Lord's words the scribe could learn to measure his own expressions of sadness according to the scale of the Lord’s perfectly holy lament.

The exile of Judah was by no means the biggest trouble that God ever faced. The death of His Son was a far more horrific loss. God faced that trial not only with true grief, but with the perfect faith of One who knew the good that was ordained through the suffering of the Lamb.

Baruch was given a great promise from the Almighty. “I will give you your life as a prize of war in all places to which you may go.” More than that, Jeremiah's scribe was granted eternal blessings through the death of a Messiah who had not yet been born. Jesus took our hell so that we might know His heaven.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Great God, You have grieved deeply over the trouble of Your covenant people. Help us to see our own trials in light of Your greater grief. Grant us faith in Your Word, for You have given us the gift of life today and forever.

Jeremiah 44

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God told His people not to go down to Egypt and they went there anyway. When Jeremiah spoke to the Jews who wanted to run away and clearly informed them that God commanded them not to go to Egypt, this was the voice of the Lord on that matter. When He also told them not to worship other gods, His instruction was not debatable. They concluded that there was no need to obey His command. In fact they decided that everything had gone better for them when they were offering special cakes to a female deity they called the “queen of heaven.”

Jehovah did not give up on them. He called them to remember the disaster that had so recently come upon Jerusalem. The discipline against Judah had come to their generation because they had been intent upon serving other gods. Would they choose that same evil option again?

The Lord further reminded them of the role of the prophets over the centuries in bringing the Word of God to the people. Their message had not been difficult to understand regarding idolatrous worship. Unfortunately the people had not listened to the prophets.

The Almighty also presented to them the sanctions that would come against them for their continued insistence to go against His revealed will. They would be consumed by the sword, famine, and disease. Only a few fugitives would survive.

Their response? “We will not listen to you.” They were plainly mistaken in their interpretation of recent history. The disobedient actions that they remembered so fondly were the very events that had brought about the Lord's anger.

Jeremiah had one more instruction: “Go ahead!” They could keep their promises to the supposed goddess. But if they insisted on continuing in false worship, they needed to stop using the Lord's Name in any of their petitions for help. He would be “watching over them for disaster and not for good.”

The contest was on. Who would win? It was the Word of God against the word of a rebellious people. Would Pharaoh and his land be destroyed as God had said, or would the people be safe because they offered gifts to the queen of heaven?

The rebellious leaders of the Jews were very wrong, but would we have done any better on our own? Our salvation required the arrival of the Word of God in person. Jesus heard all of the commandments of the Father and obeyed them in full. Idolatry was very far from His heart. He confirmed His faithfulness to what was right at the cost of His life.

If we were to insist on a new arrangement with God based on our own obedience, there is no reason for us to conclude that we would have succeeded where Old Testament Israel and Judah failed. Our hope today is in Christ alone and not in our own holiness. Jesus is the perfect Word of God. He is the King that we must receive and follow.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Great Provider, You know how to save the righteous who are forced to live among the wicked. You can never be charged with wrong. We do not understand the events swirling all around us, but we do know You and we love Your Word. Lying men have claimed to follow You, but they continue in idolatry with impunity. We fear You, O God, and we will walk in Your statutes. How could we be back in the land of slavery again? Have mercy on the weak. O Father, our situation is very dangerous, and our hope is failing. Yet You are God. Those who claim Your Name are brazen and hardened in their rebellion against Your Word. The issues are not complex. You say, “Yes!” Your people insist on “No!” The people who bear Your Name have lied about their troubles. They cling to idols and pretend that all was well when they were scrupulously dedicated to evil. Go then, evil men! Do your wickedness! But do not let them use Your Name, Father, for they are not for You. They are against Your Word and would destroy the people who truly love You. Deliver us from evil, O God, and have mercy on us, that we might be strong in a day of overwhelming temptation and sorrow.

Jeremiah 43

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After the murder of Gedaliah, Johanan and the other leaders with him were determined to flee to Egypt. There was nothing that could change their minds on this point. They would do what God had expressly forbidden through the words of Jeremiah. These men came to the conclusion that this unwanted oracle was actually the fault of the messenger. They insisted that Jeremiah and his assistant Baruch were lying traitors.

Was Jeremiah a secret Babylonian spy? If so he would have gone to be with the king in Babylon, since he was invited to do so. Instead he chose to remain with the poor who would suffer in the land. Furthermore, Jeremiah wrote honest words regarding the Lord's judgment against the Babylonians. He was God's prophet and not a political agent for any earthly power.

Johanan’s rebellious choice to trust in Egypt was not only for himself. Many others were forced to go with him, including Jeremiah and Baruch. Egypt was the place from which Israel had been rescued in the days of Moses. God brought about a mighty exodus from that land of slavery many centuries before. He had told them that they should never return that way again.

This ancient account of Johanan's sin is important for God's people in every era to consider. We should have more sense than to return to enslaving patterns of life from which we were delivered. We have been freed from sin and death by the powerful redemption of our Savior. Why would we ever want to return to our past? We have also been granted our good standing as children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. Why would we ever turn away from what we believe?

We need to patiently wait for the fulfillment of all the Lord's plans. Our security is not in our own resourcefulness. The Lord has rescued us. He will protect our liberty. All our hope is in Christ alone. There is no peace for us if we run back to false gods, moralism, or some self-help plan of positive thinking.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

O Lord of Hosts, against our holiest impulses and the plain teaching of Your Word, some have been forced to walk a dangerous path that is against Your revealed will. Please help us and be with us. Powerful men who usurp authority among Your people have forced our hands in ways that are wrong. How are we to submit to such foolish and unspiritual men? Yet we may have no choice today. Surely there are brothers and sisters who have been led away in chains into wicked situations and places. Meet us in our despair and have mercy upon us. We would not willingly choose this slavery. Help us and deliver us.

Jeremiah 42

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Gedaliah was put in his position as governor by the Babylonians. A leading man named Johanan had rightly tried to warn Gedaliah about the murderous plans of a third man, Ishmael. Though rebuffed by the governor, when the day of Gedaliah's assassination came, Johanan and those with him went out to rescue the remaining survivors from the wicked Ishmael.

Johanan appeared to be both insightful and courageous. He went to Jeremiah and asked the prophet to plead for the people before God, seeking the Lord's mercy. They needed direction from God. Where should the few remaining people of Judah go now? Should they stay in the land, or should they try to find security in the protection of another mighty power, such as the Egyptians?

Jeremiah agreed to pray for them. Johanan and the others with him claimed that they would do whatever God revealed as the right plan of action. The word that Jeremiah brought back to Johanan and the people was consistent with what God had said in the past. At that moment in time the Lord was working through the king of Babylon. It was not a time to look to some other king for help. The Lord clearly instructed His people to stay in the land and He promised them peace. Even if the king of Babylon had come against them, God would have protected them. If instead they fled to Egypt, the Lord promised to give them the sword, famine, and disease. The consequences for disobedience would be severe.

Jeremiah had proven to be a reliable prophet. God's promise of safety for those who stayed in the land should have been a reassuring directive if they had been willing to receive it with faith. Yet Jeremiah seemed well aware that despite their professed allegiance to do whatever God said, they would not follow the Lord's Word. They were determined to follow their own plan to go to Egypt. Therefore Jeremiah assured them that they would die in Egypt in the place where they had hoped to find security.

The Lord will never bless outright rebellion. God's people always need to seek the will of the Almighty with a teachable heart. Our Savior showed us what true obedience is in the Garden of Gethsemane. He knew the plan of the covenant of grace and had told His disciples of the cross that was coming for Him. He also understood the horror of facing the Lord’s wrath for our sins, and He asked if there were any other way. Yet His heart was true to God from beginning to end. “Not my will, but Yours, be done.” This is what Johanan and his men had professed in their dealings with God through Jeremiah. They did not really mean it, but Jesus did.

The way we know whether someone is sincere in what he says is through testing. The trial of the cross came swiftly for Jesus Christ. He was true to His pledge when He died for our sins. No greater love has any man, than to lay down his life for his friends. The cross was the will of God. The Father loved us at the cost of His only-begotten Son, who was obedient even though it meant a horrid death at the most frightful moment in the history of our salvation. There is no better King than Jesus. Let us resolve to follow His will and to do all that He commands.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Great God, there is danger around us on all sides in a time of great trouble. Still we know that Your ways are right. You are working out Your holy will. We will obey Your voice. This is our promise, but do we know what we are saying? What if Your Word goes against the strong intentions of our own thoughts and feelings? Will we really follow You? Please forgive us, O Lord. The dangers of our day are too serious for us to rely on our own understanding. We cannot safely follow the customs of the world. Even the church may be very weak in her commitment to the Scriptures. Father, protect us from foolishness. We do not want to go back to the place of worldly wisdom. We must be kept by You through Your strong Word.

Jeremiah 41

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Johanan is the hero of Jeremiah 41, but in Chapter 43 he and his companions will reject the plain word of the Lord. Despite this later breach of faith, we should not overlook the good that he displayed here in this passage of Scripture.

What did Johanan do right? He warned the governor selected by the Babylonians, Gedaliah, concerning a man named Ishmael. Ishmael was in league with the Ammonites and he would eventually assassinate Gedaliah. Full of lies and deception, Ishmael and ten men with him pretended to be men of peace, enjoying table fellowship with Gedeliah. They then took their host's life.

When God spoke through Jeremiah about living peacefully under the yoke of the Babylonians, that direction was to be obeyed. Ishmael was nothing more than a ruthless criminal. He assassinated not only Gedaliah, but went on to kill those desiring to come to Jerusalem to worship God. He and his band of rebels threw the bodies of their victims into a deep cistern, only sparing the lives of those who could lead them to some hidden supplies of food.

Ishmael’s secret plan of an alliance with the Ammonites was soon obvious to all. Johanan, the leader who had earlier warned Gedaliah of Ishamael’s murderous plot, looked like a promising deliverer at this point. Those who had been forced to join with Ishmael rejoiced in the arrival of Johanan. Ishmael escaped with a few of his men. Though he was gone from the scene, the damage was done. Surely the Babylonians would return and bring great trouble with them. Johanan and all those who were trusting in him made immediate plans to escape to Egypt, for they were afraid of the vengeance of the Babylonians.

We long for the appearance of a strong Deliverer. We do not want to be taken away to some strange land by a false messiah. Our Redeemer will bring us to our eternal home. He was courageous even unto death in His life on earth, and there will be no denying Him in His second coming. There is no evil empire that He cannot defeat. He is the best answer to all of our prayers.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

O God our Help, wicked men would murder those in authority and bring horror and trouble upon many people and lands. We do not know the secrets of men’s hearts as You do. We are unable to see the dangers all around us. You must protect us. Defend us against secret foes who insist on their own ways. Provide for us everything necessary for life and godliness in this world. We know that our labor in Your Kingdom is not in vain.

Jeremiah 40

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There was no reason for celebration when the people of God were going into exile. We find Jeremiah in shackles along with the rest of God's children who were being carried away to another land. The rulers of the people had not listened to Jeremiah, and now the prophet was in chains like everyone else.

The situation changed abruptly as the Babylonian captain of the guard spoke of the Lord’s judgment against Judah. Jeremiah listened as this official recounted words that were like Jeremiah’s own messages from earlier days. What had happened to Judah was an expression of God’s judgment against them. It was because they had not obeyed His voice.

Jeremiah was suddenly granted freedom. Other men would have no such option. The prophet could choose to go to Babylon if that seemed right to him, or he could remain in the land of Judah. Jeremiah decided to stay with the poor and the despised who would not be wanted in Babylon, taking up residence with the new governor of the land.

The new governor, Gedaliah, had been chosen by the king of Babylon. The former king of Judah, Zedekiah, was now a blind man and his sons were dead. Gedaliah’s message to the remaining Jews was one of relative peace. The people needed to submit to the Babylonians and serve the foreign king, and then it would go well for them.

For a time it appeared that life would be surprisingly stable. People began to come back to Judah who had been driven away to other lands in earlier days. Nonetheless, Gedaliah had been joined by a number of the captains of various military forces in the open country, one of whom would soon assassinate him. There would be much turmoil in Judah and in Jeremiah’s own life. The order and peace of life under Gedaliah would be very short-lived as powerful people arose trying to establish themselves through murder and insurrection.

In this world we face many dangers. There are wars and rumors of wars. Nations rise and fall, and the swords of men pierce through many mothers’ hearts. Yet the Son of Man has won a lasting peace for us through His blood.

The old city of Jerusalem would never be a place of lasting peace for the ancient Jews. But now Christ is building a new “Jerusalem.” The trials of this present age will be more than overcome by the glory of the renewed life that Jesus has already won for us. His promises to us of a resurrection society with perfect security and blessing give us courage to face the challenges that are a part of our current daily existence in this temporary world of sorrow.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Father God, we are a part of a larger whole. We are closely associated with one another in the body of Christ. We care for each other in days of difficulty and distress. We are willing to associate with the poor and lowly in their need. Provide us with faithful leaders in a day of trouble. Bring us food day by day, though we are captives of men. We know that You are the one true God. Help us to hear the Word of warning that comes to us, that we might be informed concerning the dangers all around us. Preserve our lives forever that we might love and serve You always.