November 30, 2011
Ishmael was plotting to kill Gedaliah and take over as ruler himself. Gedaliah was warned of the plot but just could not believe that his fellow Jew would try to kill him. Ishmael and his men went to Gedaliah and sat down "eating a meal" with him. Then they got up and killed him.
This is something that just blows my mind. How does someone do that? How does someone sit down to a meal together when they know what they are planning to do? My mind cannot fathom those actions, and for that I am grateful because evil actions have to start in the heart and mind. That is why the LORD says in Ezekiel 18:30–32:
Ishmael had just witnessed everything God said through Jeremiah come true. Everything. Yet he did not change his heart or mind. He instead saw it as an opportunity to further his own agenda and become powerful. He used schemes and trickery to kill Gedaliah. He used lies and deceit to kill innocent people who were coming to Jerusalem to worship God. He only let the people live that said they had things of value hidden in the fields, probably so he could take those things. He massacred many and took the rest captive. He started to take the captives to the Ammonites. Another man of Judah, Johanan, saw what was happening and went to fight Ishmael. When the captives saw them coming they were glad and turned and ran to them. Johanan took the people back to Jerusalem, but Johanan and the people were afraid of the Babylonians. What if? What if the Babylonians were angry at them for what Ishmael did? What if?
They too had just witnessed everything God had done. But instead of turning to God, they became afraid, "so they decided to run away to Egypt," the very place of bondage that God miraculously freed their ancestors from many years before. On the way there, Johanan went to see Jeremiah, the prophet. Everyone went, all the officers and all the people, from the least important to the greatest. They said, "Jeremiah, please listen to what we ask. Pray to the LORD your God for all the people left alive from the family of Judah... there were many of us... there are few of us now. So pray that the LORD your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do."
Next Entry: Jeremiah 40:1 – 45:5 (Continued)
Ishmael was plotting to kill Gedaliah and take over as ruler himself. Gedaliah was warned of the plot but just could not believe that his fellow Jew would try to kill him. Ishmael and his men went to Gedaliah and sat down "eating a meal" with him. Then they got up and killed him.
This is something that just blows my mind. How does someone do that? How does someone sit down to a meal together when they know what they are planning to do? My mind cannot fathom those actions, and for that I am grateful because evil actions have to start in the heart and mind. That is why the LORD says in Ezekiel 18:30–32:
"... I will judge each of you by what you do... Change your hearts and stop all your sinning so sin will not bring you ruin. Get rid of all the sins you have done, and get for yourselves a new heart and a new way of thinking. Why do you want to die, people of Israel? I do not want anyone to die, says the LORD God, so change you hearts and lives so you may live."Actions will never change unless the heart and mind changes, and the heart must change first. You can't "think" your way into a life change. You have to be willing to surrender your heart. The "thinking" and change of life will follow.
Ishmael had just witnessed everything God said through Jeremiah come true. Everything. Yet he did not change his heart or mind. He instead saw it as an opportunity to further his own agenda and become powerful. He used schemes and trickery to kill Gedaliah. He used lies and deceit to kill innocent people who were coming to Jerusalem to worship God. He only let the people live that said they had things of value hidden in the fields, probably so he could take those things. He massacred many and took the rest captive. He started to take the captives to the Ammonites. Another man of Judah, Johanan, saw what was happening and went to fight Ishmael. When the captives saw them coming they were glad and turned and ran to them. Johanan took the people back to Jerusalem, but Johanan and the people were afraid of the Babylonians. What if? What if the Babylonians were angry at them for what Ishmael did? What if?
They too had just witnessed everything God had done. But instead of turning to God, they became afraid, "so they decided to run away to Egypt," the very place of bondage that God miraculously freed their ancestors from many years before. On the way there, Johanan went to see Jeremiah, the prophet. Everyone went, all the officers and all the people, from the least important to the greatest. They said, "Jeremiah, please listen to what we ask. Pray to the LORD your God for all the people left alive from the family of Judah... there were many of us... there are few of us now. So pray that the LORD your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do."
Next Entry: Jeremiah 40:1 – 45:5 (Continued)
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