24 August

Bible In 365 Days                                                                                            

Jeremiah 42-45

Jeremiah 42

Before going forward, Johanan and those associated with him, gathered to Jeremiah, and asked that he pray for them and seek divine guidance. He consented at once to their request, and they promised obedience to whatever command was laid upon them. Ten days elapsed, and then Jeremiah delivered the message of the Lord in answer to Johanan.

It was a distinct command to remain in the land, and not to go into Egypt. Divine protection was promised them if they were obedient, but they were warned solemnly that if they went to Egypt in the hope of escaping from war and hunger, they would find there both the sword and famine.

The end of Jeremiah's message shows that he knew, in all probability by divine revelation, that the prayer they had asked him to offer for them had not been honest. He seems to have known that, in spite of his message, they would go down into Egypt, and he told them so; and finally declared to them that they would die in Egypt by the sword, famine, and pestilence.

Jeremiah 43

The accuracy of Jeremiah's judgment of the people was immediately manifest. Their leaders charged him with having spoken falsely under the inspiration of Baruch, and immediately all of them passed over into Egypt, taking with them both Jeremiah and Baruch. Again the intrepid courage of the man is manifest, for while he, with perhaps Baruch, to all appearances stood alone, he immediately continued his ministry of denunciation and warning.

At Tahpanhes he announced the coming of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, against Egypt, and foretold Nebuchadnezzar's complete victory over all that power in which these men had chosen to put their trust. They had fled to Egypt to escape from Babylon. Babylon was to become victorious over Egypt. Thus Jeremiah declared to them, in effect, the utter folly of any attempt to escape finally from the government of God. Willingly abiding therein, they would have been safe in the land, even under the dominion of Babylon. Departing therefrom, in fear of Babylon, they found themselves in the very place where Babylon was again to set up its authority by the victory of war.

Jeremiah 44

The next prophecy in Egypt was of a fiery protest against the persistent rebellion of the people of God. The prophet reminded them of the patience of God, and of how His anger had already been poured out on Jerusalem, and declared that the rebellious remnant which had found its way into Egypt would be wholly cut off.

This message was answered by a defiant and persistent declaration of rebellion, in which they misinterpreted their own history by declaring that all the evils that had befallen them resulted from attacks on idolatry, and deliberately declared their intention to continue their idolatrous practices.

This drew from Jeremiah his final prophecy, in which he answered their argument by declaring that their sorrows were the result of their idolatry rather than, as they affirmed, the result of turning from idols. He foretold the determined judgment of God, saying that they would be consumed, only a small remnant escaping from Egypt; and ended by announcing that the sign of Jehovah to them would be the defeat of Pharaoh-Hophra, and his being handed over to those who sought his life.

Jeremiah 45

The messages of Jeremiah to the chosen people practically ended with the last chapter. Before coming to his messages concerning the surrounding nations we have the brief story told in this chapter of the special word which he was charged to speak to Baruch when he wrote his words in a book in the fourth year of Jehoiakim.

A perusal of this message makes it evident that this faithful ally of the prophet had become depressed. If this message was delivered to him in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, it was evidently before the book was actually written and the words read. His lamentation suggests that he was depressed over the circumstances in which he lived, and the word which Jeremiah was commissioned to speak to him, charging him not to seek great things for himself, would lead us to suppose that the emphasis in his lamentation is to be placed on the word "me"- "Woe is me now." Evidently he had been overwhelmed with the sorrows of his people, and had hoped to do something to deliver them. In his aspiration there had been something of self-seeking. Yet he had been sincere, and therefore a word of rebuke and comfort was spoken to him. He was reminded of Jehovah's right to deal as He thought best with the people; but he was also promised protection in the difficult circumstances. Such a word as this would prepare him for writing the words of Jeremiah, and the reading of them which fell to his lot.