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Wednesday 24 August 2011

Day 238: No help in Egypt


So might there be peace? Might Gedaliah prove a better ruler than many or most of Judah’s kings?
Gedaliah killed
Jeremiah 40:13-16, 41:1-9, 2 Kings 25:25
Ishmael’s escape
Jeremiah 41:10-15
The exodus to Egypt
2 Kings 25:26, Jeremiah 41:16-18
Jeremiah’s assistance requested
Jeremiah 42:1-6
Safety in Judah
Jeremiah 42:7-12
Destruction in Egypt
Jeremiah 42:13-22
Jeremiah taken to Egypt
Jeremiah 43:1-7
Conquest of Egypt foretold
Jeremiah 43:8-13

Sadly no one got to find out how good a ruler Gedaliah could be, because he was assassinated by an angry ex-officer in Zedekiah’s army. Smarting over defeat, he is blind to the goodness of Gedaliah. Manyt of his compatriots aren’t - they weep far more for Gedaliah then it is recorded they did for Zedekiah. Ismael butchers them - he is past caring.
In the chaos and confusion, many people decide that Egypt is the safest place to run to. Ironic - all those years after they ran from Egypt into the Promised Land, now they are running back.
They do stop to ask Jeremiah’s advice, though, and he warns them not to go to Egypt. Do the listen? Do they heck! Off they go to Egypt, taking Jeremiah with them by force. Jeremiah warns them that Nebuchadnezzar is coming - they cannot escape God’s warhammer.

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