Daily Devotions
Jeremiah
"As they went on their way to Egypt"
Text: Jeremiah 41:17
FEAR OF THE CHALDEANS
The attempt to rescue the Captives of Ishmael was good and it was successfully done. That which was wrong was corrected. But what were the plans for the future?
“Then Johanan the son of Kareah,
and all the captains of the forces that were with him,
took from Mizpah all the rest of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael
the son of Nethaniah after he had murdered Gedaliah the son of Ahikam—
the mighty men of war and the women and the children and the eunuchs,
whom he had brought back from Gibeon.
And they departed and dwelt in the habitation of Chimham, which is near Bethlehem,
as they went on their way to Egypt, because of the Chaldeans;
for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah
had murdered Gedaliah the son of Ahikam,
whom the king of Babylon had made governor in the land.”
Jeremiah 41:16-18
1. “Then Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him,
took from Mizpah all the rest of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael
the son of Nethaniah after he had murdered Gedaliah the son of Ahikam—
the mighty men of war and the women and the children and the eunuchs,
whom he had brought back from Gibeon”
a) The rescue team:
i) The leader was Johanan the son of Kareah.
ii) The captains of the forces and their men.
b) The people rescued from captivity:
i) Mighty men of war
ii) Women
iii) Children
iv) Eunuchs
c) The historical context:
i) Ishmael had murdered Gedaliah.
ii) He then captured the people living in Mizpah.
iii) He herded them towards the land of the Ammonites.
2. “And they departed and dwelt in the habitation of Chimham,
which is near Bethlehem, as they went on their way to Egypt”
a) They left Gibeon.
b) They went to Chimham, which was near Jerusalem.
c) They were making their way down to Egypt.
3. “Because of the Chaldeans; for they were afraid of them,
because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had murdered Gedaliah the son of Ahikam,
whom the king of Babylon had made governor in the land”
a) Johanan and the captains were afraid of the Chaldeans.
b) The reason was obvious:
i) Ishmael had murdered the governor Gedaliah.
ii) He had been appointed by the Chaldeans (Babylonians).
iii) They knew that the Chaldeans would retaliate.
iv) They would take vengeance upon the murderers.
c) Johanan and the captains:
i) They were not guilty of murdering Gedaliah.
ii) But they were regarded as rebels, resisting the authority of the Chaldeans.
iii) The Babylonians would show no mercy towards all rebel forces.