The remnants of Judah

JEREMIAH     CHAPTER 40

The Captain of the guard had found Jeremiah in chains among the captives of Jerusalem being sent to exile in Babylon. The captain called for Jeremiah and told him that the Lord God of Israel had brought disaster upon the land just as he said he would. The captain understood that the people had sinned so badly against the Lord and disobeyed him. So Jeremiah's chains were to be taken off and he was let go. The captain offered to take him to Babylon where Jeremiah would be well cared for, but Jeremiah took the food and money offered to him by the captain, and returned to Gedaliah's home in Judah with the few who were still left in the land.

Now the leaders of the Judean guerilla bands heard that Gedaliah had been appointed (by King Nebuchadnezzar) governor over the poor people left behind in Judah. These guerilla leaders came to see Gedaliah and Gedaliah assured them it would be safe for them to surrender to the Babylonians. He urged them to stay and settle in any town they wished and live off the land.

When the Judeans in Moab, Ammon, Edom and other nearby countries heard the king of Babylon had left a few people in Judah and Gedaliah was governor, they began to return to Judah. Among the guerillas was Ishmael, son of Nethaniah.They stopped at Mizpah to discuss their plans with Gedaliah and then went out into the Judean countryside to harvest grapes and other crops.

Soon some of the guerilla leaders came to Gedaliah and Johanan, son of Kareah, told him of a plot by the king of Ammon to assasinate Gedaliah, but he refused to believe them. In a private conference with Gedaliah, Johanan volunteered to kill Ishmael secretly, but Gedaliah forbid him to so such a thing and he thought Johanan was lying about Ishmael.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: Ishmael, in the line of David, may have been angry that he had been passed over for leadership.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY?

Why do you suppose Jeremiah chose to remain in Judah with the few poor people left? It was probably because if he had gone to Babylon and been given much comfort and power, he would have been hated by the Judean exiles. But in Judah, he would remain poor, but the remaining poor people would know he was not a traitor.


Doesn't it strike you as odd that the captain of the guard acknowledged God and the disaster he brought the land as a result of the people sinning and disobeying God? This was a Babylonian soldier who did not know God, yet he recognized that God existed.

How often do you run into people today who are like that captain? Many people know of God, but they don't personally have a relationship with him. What a shame. What can we do to change people like that captain? The answer is to keep God's word out there handy to show non-believers. Do good deeds and keep HIS word alive and spread it constantly.

Yours in Christ,
Mary


Prayer Requests are needed for:

HEALTH:

Pray for my grandson and new baby Gunar who was born with kidney problems.

Pray for Gabe.

Pray for Gary and Steve my insurance men who have prostate cancer.

Pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life.

Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer.

Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with a form of MS.

Pray for Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.

Pray for Gary Summers, my friend from church, who has cancer.

Pray too for Charly’s husband Robert who has been undergoing chemo. Pray also for Charly who longs to be 100 percent again and walk without an aid.

Pray for James’s sister Cynthia whose chemo has lost its effect as the cancer grows powerful.

SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary

RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John

LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian

SUPPORT: Pray for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom. Pray for our famers and those who raise livestock during this terrible drought.