Jeremiah 40 FSI - HEAR, O EARTH

> [!title|noicon] **Jeremiah 40 Notes** > [[Jeremiah 39 FSI|<Prev]]   [\[Bible\]](Bible%20Books%20Navigation.md)   [[Jeremiah 41 FSI|Next>]] [[Jeremiah 40|Verse list view]] > [Jeremiah 40:1](Jeremiah%2040.md#^1), [2](Jeremiah%2040.md#^2), [3](Jeremiah%2040.md#^3), [4](Jeremiah%2040.md#^4), [5](Jeremiah%2040.md#^5), [6](Jeremiah%2040.md#^6) note > > Verse 1 opens with, "THE word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD..." But as we go through the next several verses, where is the Word coming from? It's coming from the captain of the guard, from Nebuzar-adan. From this we can understand why Jeremiah remained in the land, the captain of the guard was allowing him to stay. So he had received a message from God, but it was through a most unusual source given that Nebuzar-adan is *Nebuchadnezzar*'s spokesman, who represents Satan. This reminds us of the wonderful messages that came through Balaam, that wicked soothsayer who wanted to destroy Israel. > > Given God's warnings that if they remained in the land they would be destroyed ([Jer 21:9](Jeremiah%2021.md#^9), [24:5](Jeremiah%2024.md#^5), [38:2](Jeremiah%2038.md#^2)), why did Jeremiah stay in the land? It is because he had a very particular commission that was never removed. Jeremiah was the Word of God to anyone who remained in Jerusalem in rebellion against God ([Jer 1:4](Jeremiah%201.md#^4), [5](Jeremiah%201.md#^5), [16](Jeremiah%201.md#^16), [18](Jeremiah%201.md#^18)). That was his task, even though it was a terrible, difficult task that went on for 40 years. And when we get to [verses 11](Jeremiah%2040.md#^11), [12](Jeremiah%2040.md#^12) we'll find that there was a substantial number of the Jews who remained (and even returned) to the land in rebellion against God. So Jeremiah stuck with his task to remain with them according to the commission God had given him to be the voice of God to them. ^jer40-1-6 > [Jeremiah 40:7](Jeremiah%2040.md#^7), [8](Jeremiah%2040.md#^8), [9](Jeremiah%2040.md#^9), [10](Jeremiah%2040.md#^10), [11](Jeremiah%2040.md#^11), [12](Jeremiah%2040.md#^12) note > > In [Jeremiah 21:9](Jeremiah%2021.md#^9), [24:5](Jeremiah%2024.md#^5), [38:2](Jeremiah%2038.md#^2) God had declared that those who fell out to the king of Babylon and left the city would live, while those who remained would die. But then in [Jeremiah 27:9](Jeremiah%2027.md#^9), [10](Jeremiah%2027.md#^10), [11](Jeremiah%2027.md#^11) it seems like an apparent contradiction where God says they only need to serve the king of Babylon and they would be able to remain in the land. And now we're in this situation where Nebuchadnezzar has made Gedaliah son of Ahikam governor of the land ([v5](Jeremiah%2040.md#^5), [7](Jeremiah%2040.md#^7), [11](Jeremiah%2040.md#^11)) and had allowed the poor of the land to remain to tend the vineyards and to till the ground ([Jer 39:10](Jeremiah%2039.md#^10)). > > When we look at Gedaliah, he wasn't just an ordinary, incidental person. He was a very important, trusted man with a fine reputation and an excellent family. He's been a very good friend of Jeremiah, and his family (Ahikam his father, Shaphan his grandfather, Gemariah his uncle and Michaiah his cousin) has been on Jeremiah's side ([Jer 26:24](Jeremiah%2026.md#^24), [36:10](Jeremiah%2036.md#^10), [11](Jeremiah%2036.md#^11), [13](Jeremiah%2036.md#^13)). So this is a family that wanted to be faithful to the LORD, and they were in a high position. And now we find this curious turn of events. As with many conquerers who look for someone locally who is trustworthy with ruling ability, checking their alliances and pedigrees and so on, the king set Gedaliah as governor. > > As we read through verse 12, we find that once all the Jews that were scattered around the countries heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant and had appointed Gedaliah to be governor, they returned out of all places they had been driven and came back into the land of Judah, to Gedaliah. But we just read in several places in Jeremiah where God had said if anyone remained there they would be destroyed. Yet then there was the one verse where apparently God said they could still dwell in the land, and that appears to be what is happening as they tend to the vineyards. > > God is really teaching us a big lesson here. We need to look at [Jer 27:11](Jeremiah%2027.md#^11) more carefully since it appears to run contrary to the other verses. Perhaps Gedaliah and his family heard this and believed they were being obedient to God's Word. And the translators of this verse ran into the same snare. The original Hebrew does not state, "*remain still in their own land,* " but, "*remain still in his land.*" It is a third-person masculine singular pronoun here. So the intention is that for those who fell away to Babylon, they would remain still in *his* land (that is, the land of the king of Babylon), not in the land of Judah. So this is not a change in the other verses, it is a reiteration of them. > > This is where we must be very careful. Gedaliah was a very trusted man of God with a high reputation and a godly family. The people came to him from all around ([vv8](Jeremiah%2040.md#^8), [11](Jeremiah%2040.md#^11), [12](Jeremiah%2040.md#^12)). And yet he freely accepted the governorship of Babylon after God had warned He would destroy them because Jeremiah 27:11 *appeared* to give him ample authority to remain in Jerusalem. Or, it's possible he simply felt he was indeed serving the king of Babylon without having to leave Jerusalem given they were allowed by the king to remain ([v11](Jeremiah%2040.md#^11)). But once we actually see what happens afterward, we'll find that it's all doom and gloom, it is destruction of every kind because this is in direct rebellion against God. And Gedaliah, this trusted man of God, is at the very head of it as he actively takes an oath to them that they can safely dwell in the land in peace ([v9](Jeremiah%2040.md#^9)). And we can see from [verse 10](Jeremiah%2040.md#^10) that greed had settled into this with all of the produce they now had available. > > The lesson for us applies very much to today. There are individuals who know a lot about the Bible, they have gone a long ways through various tests God has given. But somewhere along the line they stumble. Yet they are highly regarded as men of God who really understand God's Word. So the lesson here for us is that we cannot just trust someone because they appear very godly, and we must not fudge with the Bible. We must only trust the Bible itself. ^jer40-7-12 > [Jeremiah 40:13](Jeremiah%2040.md#^13), [14](Jeremiah%2040.md#^14), [15](Jeremiah%2040.md#^15), [16](Jeremiah%2040.md#^16) note > > Now we'll begin to see step-by-step the destruction of those who remained behind over the next several verses and into the next few chapters. It's all going to take place exactly as God said. > > First we'll look at Johanan, who, like Gedaliah, was a notable, faithful man. And he comes to Gedaliah, with all the captains of the forces in the fields, with some *very* serious information. He asks Gedaliah if he is aware that Baalis the king of the Ammonites sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to kill him. Johanan had his ear to the ground and was listening to the scuttlebutt and there was this rumor going around that Johanan believed had a lot of substance to it. And it was that this man Ishmael, an Ammonite, had come into Mizpah, into Judah, for no good at all because he wanted to be governor of the land. And Johanan even secretly offers to put Ishmael out of business in [verse 15](Jeremiah%2040.md#^15). And ironically, the purpose of this was to prevent those who remained in Judah from perishing, the very thing God had decreed against them. So this was all a man-made attempt to keep things going. > > Notice they aren't inquiring about any of this to Jeremiah to hear the Word of the LORD. He is right there in their presence. They know what God has been warning all along, but they aren't about to bring that up now. They want what they want and so they are avoiding the question. And that's how we are when we follow after sin that we would be convicted about in the Bible, we try to ignore it because we want what we want and don't want to be interrupted. So now they had the blessing of the king of Babylon to remain there and even to rule, with all of these riches in front of them, and they don't want to listen to Jeremiah. So they have a serious problem. > > So Gedaliah didn't believe the report. He was convinced that what he was doing was right. He was appointed governor, everything was coming together very smoothly, and he was completely wise in his own eyes. He didn't go to Jeremiah with such serious news, he felt secure. ^jer40-13-16 Tags: #Old_Testament #Jeremiah #Gods_judgment_on_His_people #FSI