Friday, June 25 2010
Jeremiah 40
Verse of the Week: V2 “And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and said unto him, The LORD thy God hath pronounced this evil upon this place.”
1. God Freed His Man (V1-6)
V4 “And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which were upon thine hand. If it seem good unto thee to come with me into Babylon, come; and I will look well unto thee: but if it seem ill into thee to come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold, all the land is before thee: whither it seemeth good and convenient for thee to go, thither go.”
God moved the heart of the captain of the Babylonian army to realize that the God of Israel was behind the defeat of His own nation, Israel. God also moved the captain to free prophet Jeremiah as well as take great care of him. Indeed, God not only delivered Jeremiah from death, but protected and blessed him through the Babylonians.
Proverbs 16:7
“When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.”
2. God Appointed His Man (V7-12)
V7 “Now when all the captains of the forces which were in the fields, even they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed unto him men, and women, and children, and of the poor of the land, of them that were not carried away captive to Babylon;”
God moved the King of Babylon to appoint Gedaliah, one of the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, to be the governor of his people who were left behind. Indeed, God never fails to protect and provide for His people when we obey Him.
V9 “And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan sware unto them and to their men, saying, Fear not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.”
3. God Warned His Man (V13-16)
V14 “And said unto him, Dost thou certainly know that Baalis the king of the Ammonites hath sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to slay thee? But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam believed them not.”
God warned his man, Gedaliah, that Ishmael, one of the princes of Judah, was plotting to kill him, yet Gedaliah refused to take heed of the warning, and was eventually killed by Ishmael. Let us take heed when God warns us of impending dangers as God knows best.
Prayer of the Week
Dearest God, please help me to trust You as You know best.
