Jeremiah 42: A Test of Obedience
Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even unto the greatest, came near,
And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the Lord thy God, even for all this remnant; (for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us:)
That the Lord thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.
Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto the Lord your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing the Lord shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you.
Then they said to Jeremiah, The Lord be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which the Lord thy God shall send thee to us.
Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the Lord our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the Lord our God.
And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah.
Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces which were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest,
And said unto them, Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before him;
If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up: for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you.
Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the Lord: for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand.
And I will shew mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land.
But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the Lord your God,
Saying, No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread; and there will we dwell:
And now therefore hear the word of the Lord, ye remnant of Judah; Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; If ye wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there;
Then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye were afraid, shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die.
So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them.
For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; As mine anger and my fury hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem; so shall my fury be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt: and ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach; and ye shall see this place no more.
The Lord hath said concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah; Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished you this day.
For ye dissembled in your hearts, when ye sent me unto the Lord your God, saying, Pray for us unto the Lord our God; and according unto all that the Lord our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it.
And now I have this day declared it to you; but ye have not obeyed the voice of the Lord your God, nor any thing for the which he hath sent me unto you.
Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go and to sojourn.
Jeremiah 42 recounts a pivotal moment for the remnant of Judah left in the land after the Babylonian exile. Faced with uncertainty and fear, they sought guidance from God through the prophet Jeremiah, but their true intentions were soon revealed, highlighting the complexities of seeking God's will and the consequences of disobedience.
Seeking God's Guidance (Jeremiah 42:1-6)
Following the turmoil and violence detailed in the preceding chapters, a group of Israelites, representing the remnant of the people, approached Jeremiah with a seemingly pious request. They desired the prophet to inquire of the Lord on their behalf, seeking divine direction on the best course of action for their future (Jeremiah 42:1-3). This group, a "straggly band of Israelites," presented themselves to Jeremiah, requesting he seek the Lord's wisdom regarding their next steps.
Jeremiah, familiar with such requests, pledged to pray and faithfully relay God's message, holding nothing back (Jeremiah 42:4). In response, the people made a solemn vow, promising to obey the Lord's word regardless of whether it was favorable or unfavorable to their desires (Jeremiah 42:5-6). Their words sounded sincere, a commitment to follow God's lead without reservation.
God's Promise and Warning (Jeremiah 42:7-17)
Ten days later, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 42:7). This divine message contained both blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience, clearly outlining the path to prosperity and the consequences of rebellion.
God promised that if the people remained in Judah, He would rebuild and plant them, restoring them after the devastation of Jerusalem's destruction and the captivity (Jeremiah 42:9-10). God even declared, "I relent concerning the disaster that I have brought on you" (Jeremiah 42:10), offering them a chance to rebuild their lives in their homeland. This included influencing Nebuchadnezzar to show them compassion (Jeremiah 42:12), preventing him from retaliating against them for Ishmael's treacherous acts. This was a significant offer: recovery, prosperity, and protection, all contingent upon their obedience.
However, God also revealed the consequences of disobedience. He knew their fears and doubts: the ravaged land, the constant threat of Babylonian reprisal, and the weariness of war and hunger. Despite God's promise of protection, the people were tempted to flee to Egypt, seeking security and provision in a foreign land (Jeremiah 42:13-14). This decision was tantamount to rejecting God's plan, a declaration that they had a "better plan." They rationalized their decision, believing their stay in Egypt would be temporary (Jeremiah 42:17), a brief respite before returning to Judah.
Through Jeremiah, God warned that the very calamities they sought to escape—sword, famine, and plague—would follow them to Egypt, leading to their demise (Jeremiah 42:16-17). Their attempt to avoid hardship would ironically lead them directly into it.
The Consequences of Disobedience (Jeremiah 42:18-22)
God's warning, "Don't go to Egypt" (Jeremiah 42:19), underscored that their escape was not in accordance with His will. Their plan to hide in Egypt until the situation in Judah improved would backfire. God warned them that if they persisted in their plan, they would "never see this place (Judah) again" (Jeremiah 42:18). Abandoning their homeland would be a final, irreversible act.
Jeremiah, knowing their hearts, accused them of deceiving themselves and going astray at the cost of their lives (Jeremiah 42:20). While they claimed to seek God's truth, they had no genuine intention of obeying Him (Jeremiah 42:20-21). Their journey to Egypt would be a path to destruction.
Jeremiah's message serves as a powerful reminder: Don't presume to ask for the King's direction in your life if you aren't truly prepared to follow in obedience. The people's story is a cautionary tale about the dangers of seeking God's guidance with a pre-determined agenda, highlighting the importance of genuine submission to His will, even when it contradicts our own desires and fears. Jeremiah 42 underscores the critical need for obedience in our walk with God.
Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even unto the greatest, came near,
And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the Lord thy God, even for all this remnant; (for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us:)
That the Lord thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.
Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto the Lord your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing the Lord shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you.
Then they said to Jeremiah, The Lord be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which the Lord thy God shall send thee to us.
Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the Lord our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the Lord our God.
And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah.
Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces which were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest,
And said unto them, Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before him;
If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up: for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you.
Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the Lord: for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand.
And I will shew mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land.
But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the Lord your God,
Saying, No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread; and there will we dwell:
And now therefore hear the word of the Lord, ye remnant of Judah; Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; If ye wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there;
Then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye were afraid, shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die.
So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them.
For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; As mine anger and my fury hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem; so shall my fury be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt: and ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach; and ye shall see this place no more.
The Lord hath said concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah; Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished you this day.
For ye dissembled in your hearts, when ye sent me unto the Lord your God, saying, Pray for us unto the Lord our God; and according unto all that the Lord our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it.
And now I have this day declared it to you; but ye have not obeyed the voice of the Lord your God, nor any thing for the which he hath sent me unto you.
Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go and to sojourn.
Jeremiah 42 recounts a pivotal moment for the remnant of Judah left in the land after the Babylonian exile. Faced with uncertainty and fear, they sought guidance from God through the prophet Jeremiah, but their true intentions were soon revealed, highlighting the complexities of seeking God's will and the consequences of disobedience.
Seeking God's Guidance (Jeremiah 42:1-6)
Following the turmoil and violence detailed in the preceding chapters, a group of Israelites, representing the remnant of the people, approached Jeremiah with a seemingly pious request. They desired the prophet to inquire of the Lord on their behalf, seeking divine direction on the best course of action for their future (Jeremiah 42:1-3). This group, a "straggly band of Israelites," presented themselves to Jeremiah, requesting he seek the Lord's wisdom regarding their next steps.
Jeremiah, familiar with such requests, pledged to pray and faithfully relay God's message, holding nothing back (Jeremiah 42:4). In response, the people made a solemn vow, promising to obey the Lord's word regardless of whether it was favorable or unfavorable to their desires (Jeremiah 42:5-6). Their words sounded sincere, a commitment to follow God's lead without reservation.
God's Promise and Warning (Jeremiah 42:7-17)
Ten days later, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 42:7). This divine message contained both blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience, clearly outlining the path to prosperity and the consequences of rebellion.
God promised that if the people remained in Judah, He would rebuild and plant them, restoring them after the devastation of Jerusalem's destruction and the captivity (Jeremiah 42:9-10). God even declared, "I relent concerning the disaster that I have brought on you" (Jeremiah 42:10), offering them a chance to rebuild their lives in their homeland. This included influencing Nebuchadnezzar to show them compassion (Jeremiah 42:12), preventing him from retaliating against them for Ishmael's treacherous acts. This was a significant offer: recovery, prosperity, and protection, all contingent upon their obedience.
However, God also revealed the consequences of disobedience. He knew their fears and doubts: the ravaged land, the constant threat of Babylonian reprisal, and the weariness of war and hunger. Despite God's promise of protection, the people were tempted to flee to Egypt, seeking security and provision in a foreign land (Jeremiah 42:13-14). This decision was tantamount to rejecting God's plan, a declaration that they had a "better plan." They rationalized their decision, believing their stay in Egypt would be temporary (Jeremiah 42:17), a brief respite before returning to Judah.
Through Jeremiah, God warned that the very calamities they sought to escape—sword, famine, and plague—would follow them to Egypt, leading to their demise (Jeremiah 42:16-17). Their attempt to avoid hardship would ironically lead them directly into it.
The Consequences of Disobedience (Jeremiah 42:18-22)
God's warning, "Don't go to Egypt" (Jeremiah 42:19), underscored that their escape was not in accordance with His will. Their plan to hide in Egypt until the situation in Judah improved would backfire. God warned them that if they persisted in their plan, they would "never see this place (Judah) again" (Jeremiah 42:18). Abandoning their homeland would be a final, irreversible act.
Jeremiah, knowing their hearts, accused them of deceiving themselves and going astray at the cost of their lives (Jeremiah 42:20). While they claimed to seek God's truth, they had no genuine intention of obeying Him (Jeremiah 42:20-21). Their journey to Egypt would be a path to destruction.
Jeremiah's message serves as a powerful reminder: Don't presume to ask for the King's direction in your life if you aren't truly prepared to follow in obedience. The people's story is a cautionary tale about the dangers of seeking God's guidance with a pre-determined agenda, highlighting the importance of genuine submission to His will, even when it contradicts our own desires and fears. Jeremiah 42 underscores the critical need for obedience in our walk with God.