Jeremiah 40-45: The Journey to Egypt
Introduction
1. This section concludes the historic-prophetic section;
the final unit is a collection of oracles about the nations.
2. These chapters record the fate of the remnant after
Judah’s defeat and contain the final sermons of Jeremiah.
I.
The Final Days in Judah (40:1-43:7)
A.
A Peaceful Program (40:1-12)
1.
Jeremiah’s
Release (40:1-6)
a)
After Jerusalem fell, Jeremiah was taken with the other captives to Ramah
for deportation.
(1)
It appears the Babylonians did not immediately recognize him.
(2)
Once he arrived in Ramah, a Babylonian general saw the prophet and freed
him.
b)
The captain affirmed the truth of Jeremiah’s prophecies about Judah’s
punishment. 40:2-3
(1)
He then allowed Jeremiah to choose where he would go. 40:4
(2)
The commander gave Jeremiah rations and a gift, and Jeremiah went to
Mizpah.
c)
Remember that this kindness by the Babylonians was a fulfillment of God’s
promise. 15:11
2.
Gedaliah’s
Reassurances (40:7-12)
a)
Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, a servant of King Josiah, was made governor
by Babylon.
(1)
Gedaliah was placed in charge of the poor who had been left in Judah.
(2)
Various Jewish fighting units were hiding in fields, but they too came to
Gedaliah.
b)
Gedaliah reassured the people with an oath that they need not fear the
Babylonians. 40:9-10
(1)
Others Jews who had fled to outlying countries heard about Gedaliah and
returned.
(2)
The people were comforted by his leadership, and they began gathering the
harvest.
B.
A Violent Plot (40:13-41:18)
1.
Ishmael’s
Treachery (40:13-41:10)
a)
Among the guerilla leaders who came to Gedaliah were Johanan and Ishmael.
(1)
Ishmael was from the royal family, but he was in league with the king of
Ammon.
(2)
Johanan warned Gedaliah that Ishmael had been sent to assassinate the
governor.
(3)
Johanan wanted to kill Ishmael, but Gedaliah did not believe the plot was
credible.
(4)
Ammon’s motive would appear to be weakening
Babylon’s control in the region.
b)
Some time later, in the seventh month, Ishmael brought ten men to eat
with Gedaliah.
(1)
After they ate, Ishmael and his men attacked Gedaliah and those with the
governor.
(2)
They killed all the Jews that were there and the Chaldeans, including men
of war.
c)
On the second day, before the murders had been discovered, eighty men
came from Samaria.
(1)
They were in mourning and came to present offerings at the Temple.
(2)
Ishmael and his men were outnumbered, but they had the element of
surprise.
(3)
Ishmael met them, weeping as he went, and invited them to come to
Gedaliah.
(4)
Once they entered Mizpah, Ishmael’s band killed them and threw them into
a pit.
d)
Ten of the men were spared because they told where they had hidden a
cache of food.
(1)
Ishmael captured the rest of the people at Mizpah, including the king’s
daughters.
(2)
Ishmael took his men and their captives and fled toward the country of
Ammon.
2.
Johanan’s
Recovery (41:11-18)
a)
When Johanan heard what had happened, he gathered men and went after
Ishmael.
b)
They caught up to the group at a pool in Gibeon; the hostages were glad
to see them.
c)
All of the hostages were recovered, but Ishmael and eight of his men
escaped.
d)
Johanan and the people feared Babylonian retribution for Gedaliah’s
murder.
e)
They decided to flee from the land to Egypt, and they gathered and
stopped near Bethlehem.
C.
A Faithless Plan (42:1-43:7)
1.
The People’s
Request (42:1-6)
a)
The people came to Jeremiah and asked him to pray to YHWH on their
behalf. 42:1-6
b)
They admitted their need for guidance and committed to obeying God no
matter the answer.
c)
Jeremiah agreed to seek Jehovah’s will and promised to declare it fully
to them.
2.
Jehovah’s
Response (42:7-22)
a)
Ten days later, the prophet returned to the people with Jehovah’s answer.
(1)
God promised to bless the people if they remained in the land. 42:8-12
(2)
God promised to curse the people if they journeyed to Egypt. 42:13-17
b)
Furthermore, Jehovah accused the people of insincerity in seeking His
word. 42:18-22
(1)
They were already bent on going to Egypt, their promise to obey
notwithstanding.
(2)
They had not obeyed the word of God before, and they would not start
doing so now.
3.
The People’s
Rebellion (43:1-7)
a)
The people accused Jeremiah of lying to them about the will of God.
43:1-2
(1)
The Bible describes them as proud men; they rejected God because of their
pride.
(2)
They accused Baruch of trying to expose them to Babylon and of using
Jeremiah.
(3)
This conspiracy theory is rather bizarre; perhaps Baruch had also been
preaching.
b)
The leaders gathered the people and went to Egypt; they did not give the
people a choice.
(1)
Jeremiah and Baruch were taken as well; tragedy upon tragedy for God’s
prophet.
(2)
God would continue to use Jeremiah to preach to the people while in
Egypt.
D.
Application: Seeking God’s Word
1.
What good is inquiring of God’s will if your mind is made up beforehand?
a)
Israel claimed they would obey no matter the answer, but they did not
obey the LORD.
b)
When Jeremiah did not say what they wanted, they accused him of preaching
falsely.
2.
How open are we to hearing the word of God? How willing are we to accept
a difficult answer?
a)
Do we assume that preaching that indicts or displeases us is
automatically false?
b)
How ready are we to accept God’s will when it
speaks contrary to our wishes? Jas. 1:22-25
E.
Application: Fulfilling Our Fears
1.
Why did the Israelites flee to Egypt and refuse God’s command to stay in
the land?
a)
They feared Babylonian retribution for Gedaliah’s murder.
b)
Nevertheless, Babylonian retribution is exactly what they would
experience in Egypt.
2.
When we allow fear to override the obedience of faith, the fears that
hindered us will be realized.
a)
God’s way is always the best way, even when it is difficult or
intimidating. Jos. 1:9
b)
Obeying God requires us to trust God; trusting obedience is the only
salvation from fear.
II.
The Flight to Egypt (43:8-44:30)
A.
The Sign of Stones (43:8-13)
1.
After the people arrived in Egypt, Jeremiah performed his last action
sermon. 43:8-13
a)
Stones were hidden at Pharaoh’s house in Tahpanhes in the sight of the
men of Judah.
b)
These stones marked the place where Nebuchadnezzar’s throne would be
established.
2.
Egypt was not a refuge; the Babylonians would defeat Egypt and bring
judgment on their gods.
B.
The Scathing Sermon (44:1-14)
1.
Jeremiah preached a powerful sermon of rebuke and condemnation to the
Israelites in Egypt.
a)
It was their wickedness and rejection of God’s prophets that brought
judgment on Judah.
b)
Now God would judge them in Egypt for continuing their idolatry in that
land. 44:7-14
2.
God intended the Israelites to be humbled by the judgment of Judah, but
they did not repent.
C.
The Sinful Stubbornness (44:15-19)
1.
The people reacted strongly to Jeremiah’s message; they angrily defended
their actions. 44:15-19
a)
When they worshipped idols they prospered, but when they ceased doing so
they suffered.
b)
This probably refers to the general conditions during the reigns of
Manasseh and Josiah.
2.
The defiance of the people was complete; they made no pretense of their
rejection of YHWH.
D.
The Settled Severance (44:20-30)
1.
Since the people rejected Jehovah, He would finally reject them.
a)
They had been judged for their continued rejection of Jehovah, not
rejection of an idol.
b)
YHWH’s name would not be with these people; His word would be vindicated.
44:24-30
2.
God gave the people up to their wickedness, as He
will all defiant rebels. 44:25 (cf. Ro. 1:24ff)
E.
Application: Hardened by Chastening
1.
Chastening should have softened the Jews’ hearts; instead it hardened
them in their sin.
a)
To profit from discipline we must embrace it, allow ourselves to be
trained by it. He. 12:11
b)
If we resist God’s discipline and harden ourselves against it, we will
never benefit from it.
2.
Pain and problems can serve a very helpful purpose in our lives, if we
make proper use of them.
a)
Sufferings can show us our inadequacy, our folly, our dependency, our
need for God.
b)
Or suffering can blind us, make us bitter and resentful, and encourage us
in rejecting God.
III.
The Faithful Word to Baruch (45:1-5)
A.
Baruch’s Problems, Jehovah’s Pain (1-4)
1.
This chapter occurs chronologically after chapter thirty-six, but its
placement here is deliberate.
a)
It shows us the faithfulness of God in fulfilling His promise to Baruch.
b)
It reinforces the importance of God’s admonition to Baruch in the
aftermath of Judah’s fall.
2.
Baruch was discouraged by persecution and danger associated with
publishing Jeremiah’s scroll.
a)
He lamented his grief and his inability to find relief from his sorrow.
b)
This type of discouragement was familiar to Jeremiah, who struggled with
it as well.
3.
Jehovah placed Baruch’s pain in its context by sharing something of the
divine sorrow. 45:3-4
a)
What Jehovah had built He now must tear down; what He had planted He
would pluck up.
b)
God’s investment in Judah was great; therefore His pain in their
destruction was great.
4.
Whenever you are tempted to obsess over your sorrow set it in the light
of God’s sorrow.
B.
Baruch’s Aspirations, Jehovah’s Admonition (5)
1.
Baruch had hopes for greatness, perhaps prominent recognition associated
with preaching.
2.
Jehovah warned Baruch not to set his hopes on this people who would be
judged. 45:5
a)
God was willing to give Baruch a greater prize than fame or fortune.
b)
Because of Baruch’s faithfulness, God would be with him and preserve his
life.
3.
This is a fitting end to the historical-prophetic arrangement of
Jeremiah’s book.
C.
Application: Seeking Greatness in this World
1.
What are we seeking? Where do we place our hope: in this life or in the
next?
a)
Most of us probably entertain dreams of fame and fortune from time to
time.
b)
But this whole world is destined for destruction and judgment. 2Pe.
3:10-13
2.
We cannot afford to set our hopes, dreams, and desires on this world or
this life.
a)
Like the foolish farmer, we may never get to enjoy the greatness that we
sought. (cf. Lk. 12)
b)
The greatest prize we can ever seek or receive is eternal life,
recognition by God. Lk. 10:20
Conclusion
1. Jeremiah was spared in the Babylonian judgment, but his
life didn’t get any easier.
2. His preaching finally vindicated, he was taken to Egypt
in a hostile crowd and subjected to further rejection.
3. God continued to use Jeremiah to preach the word to an
unwilling audience; his only relief was in death.