WEBVTT

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 It's great to see you all talking and getting to know each other.

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 Today, the passage is Jeremiah chapter 40, verse 1 through chapter 43, verse 7.

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 Because it's a long passage, I'll be referencing it as I preach.

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 And in the beginning, I'm only going to read the first 12 verses of chapter 40.

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 Before I do that, let me pray and seek God's help.

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 Heavenly Father, we are here gathered in your presence as people who are indwelled by your spirit.

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 Seeking to grow in our knowledge of your voice.

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 In our ability to hear it.

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 And in our faith and commitment to follow it.

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 We ask that as we hear from you, from this passage of scripture.

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 That you speak to us.

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 That your spirit would open the eyes of our hearts.

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 That we might see your truth, believe it and live in accordance with it.

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 In Jesus' name we pray.

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 Amen.

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 So let me read Jeremiah 40, verses 1 to 12 to begin.

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 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord after Nebuchadnezzar, the captain of the guard, had let him go from Ramah.

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 When he took him bound in chains along with all the captives of Jerusalem and Judah who were being exiled to Babylon.

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 The captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him,

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 The Lord your God pronounced this disaster against this place.

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 The Lord has brought it about and has done as he said.

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 Because you sinned against the Lord and did not obey his voice, this thing has come upon you.

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 Now behold, I release you today from the chains on your hands.

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 If it seems good to you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look after you well.

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 But if it seems wrong to you to come with me to Babylon, do not come.

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 See, the whole land is before you.

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 Go wherever you think it good and right to go.

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 If you remain, then return to Gedaliah the son of Ahicham, son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon appointed governor of the cities of Judah.

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 And dwell with him among the people.

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 Or go wherever you think it right to go.

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 So the captain of the guard gave him an allowance of food and a present and let him go.

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 Then Jeremiah went to Gedaliah the son of Ahicham at Mizpah and lived with him among the people who were left in the land.

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 When all the captains of the forces in the open country and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahicham, governor in the land,

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 and had committed to him men, women, and children, those of the poorest of the land who had not been taken into exile to Babylon,

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 they went to Gedaliah at Mizpah, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah,

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 and Jeremiah, Johanan the son of Kariah,

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 Sariah the son of Tanhumeth,

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 the sons of Ephai the Netophathite,

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 Jezaniah the son of Mekathite,

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 they and their men.

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 Gedaliah the son of Ahicham, son of Shaphan,

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 swore to them and their men, saying,

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 Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans.

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 Dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon,

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 and he shall be well with you.

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 As for me,

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 I will dwell at Mizpah to represent you before the Chaldeans who will come to us.

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 But as for you,

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 gather wine and summer fruits and oil,

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 and store them in your vessels,

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 and dwell in your cities that you have taken.

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 Likewise,

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 when all the Judeans who were in Moab and among the Ammonites,

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 and in Edom and in other lands,

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 heard that the king of Babylon had left the remnant in Judah,

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 and had appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahicham,

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 son of Shaphan,

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 as governor over them,

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 then all the Judeans returned from all the places to which they had been driven,

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 and came to the land of Judah,

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 to Gedaliah at Mizpah.

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 And they gathered wine and summer fruits in great abundance.

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 This is the word of the Lord.

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 Our depth of disappointment

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 is often directly proportional to our expectations,

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 how high our expectations were.

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 When we fully expect something to come through for us,

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 but it doesn't,

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 we become disappointed.

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 When we expect a certain favorable response from somebody,

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 but when we talk to them,

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 we get a different response,

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 we become disappointed.

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 When we are decidedly set on a course of action,

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 but our course gets derailed,

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 and we don't get our way,

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 we get disappointed, right?

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 With God, though,

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 God is not a person that we can manipulate

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 according to our own whims and wishes.

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 He is the sovereign king

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 who executes his own will,

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 and exerts his power over our lives,

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 and over the entire universe.

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 So, and as his subjects,

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 then,

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 whether it is agreeable to us or not,

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 we must obey the voice of the Lord,

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 and that's for our good.

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 But when God contradicts our desires,

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 alters our plans,

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 or upsets our expectations,

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 we can be disappointed,

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 even sullen and angry with God,

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 or we could resort to denial.

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 And this is exactly what happens

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 to the people of Judah

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 after the Babylonian conquest

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 and the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple.

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 And we see two characteristic responses

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 of sinful human beings when that happens.

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 And first, in chapter 40 and 41,

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 we see their defiance,

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 and in chapters 42 and 43,

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 we see their denial.

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 And the main point of this sermon,

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 really, and this passage,

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 is that whether it is agreeable to us or not,

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 we must obey the voice of the Lord for our good.

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 The people of Judah were complacent and secure

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 because they had Jerusalem as their city,

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 the capital city,

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 chosen,

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 and King David and his descendants

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 reigning over them.

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 And because they said among themselves,

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 their attitude was that God promised

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 to have the descendants of David

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 rule over this kingdom forever.

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 And he did, 2 Samuel 7.

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 And God lives here with us

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 because this is where the temple of the Lord is.

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 What can then possibly happen to this place?

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 Who can do us harm

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 when God is with us?

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 And that kind of assurance,

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 false assurance, really,

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 made them commit idolatry

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 in the complacency.

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 They did not pursue the Lord wholeheartedly,

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 and they became deaf

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 to the repeated warnings of Prophet Jeremiah

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 about God's impending judgment.

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 And because of that,

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 you can imagine their deep confusion,

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 disillusionment, and despair

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 when the city of Jerusalem was destroyed

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 and the temple was burned to the ground.

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 And chapter 40 tells us

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 what happened after that,

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 in particular to Prophet Jeremiah.

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 So we already saw

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 at the end of chapter 39,

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 verses 11 to 14,

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 it kind of gave us a high-level summary

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 of what happened to Jeremiah.

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 So Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon,

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 ordered Nebuchadnezzar,

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 the captain of the guard,

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 to deal well with Jeremiah.

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 He ordered him to do that

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 and to have him free to stay

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 in Judah under the care of Gedaliah,

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 the son of Ahicham,

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 the son of Shaphan.

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 And now chapter 40,

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 verses 1 to 6,

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 kind of gives us the low-level details

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 about how Nebuchadnezzar

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 executed this command.

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 So look at verse 1 with me.

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 It says,

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 The word that came to Jeremiah

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 from the Lord

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 after Nebuchadnezzar,

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 the captain of the guard,

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 had let him go from Ramah

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 when he took him bound in chains

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 along with all the captives

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 of Jerusalem and Judah

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 who were being exiled to Babylon.

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 So it appears that Jeremiah

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 wasn't released immediately

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 after Nebuchadnezzar told Nebuchadnezzar

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 to treat him well.

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 Instead, he was taken in chains

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 to transport along with the rest

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 of the captives of Judah

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 to Ramah,

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 where the official kind of Babylonian tribunal

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 was deciding the fate

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 of all the Judean captives.

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 And why Nebuchadnezzar,

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 the captain of the guard,

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 did this becomes apparent

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 in verses 2 to 6.

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 Read with me.

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 The captain of the guard

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 took Jeremiah and said to him,

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 The Lord your God

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 pronounced this disaster

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 against this place.

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 And the Lord has brought it about

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 and has done as he said,

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 because you sinned against the Lord

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 and did not obey his voice.

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 This thing has come upon you.

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 Now behold,

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 I release you today

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 from the chains on your hands.

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 If it seems good to you

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 to come with me to Babylon,

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 come,

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 and I will look after you well.

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 But if it seems wrong to you

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 to come with me to Babylon,

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 do not come.

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 See, the whole land is before you.

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 Go wherever you think

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 it's good and right to go.

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 If you remain,

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 then return to Getolah,

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 the son of Ike,

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 and the son of Shaphan,

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 whom the king of Babylon

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 appointed governor

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 of the cities of Judah,

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 and dwell with him

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 among the people.

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 Or go wherever you think

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 it right to go.

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 So the captain of the guard

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 gave him an allowance of food

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 and a present

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 and let him go.

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 Now,

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 it's a little bit unfortunate

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 that the English

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 second person pronoun,

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 you,

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 doesn't distinguish

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 the singular from the plural.

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 So it's just you.

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 It could be or you all.

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 But it's making

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 an important point here

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 because in the Hebrew,

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 when in verse 2,

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 Nebuchadnezzar then says,

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 the Lord,

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 your God,

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 pronounced this disaster

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 against this place.

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 The second person pronoun,

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 your,

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 is singular.

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 So the Babylonian

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 captain of the guard

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 is referring to the Lord

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 as Jeremiah's God,

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 your God.

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 But then in verse 3,

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 when he says,

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 because you sinned

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 against the Lord

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 and did not obey his voice,

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 this thing has come upon you.

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 The you there

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 is in the second person plural.

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 It's not,

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 he's not speaking there

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 to Jeremiah,

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 but he's speaking to

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 all the Judean captives

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 that are there

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 watching this public trial.

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 So this is a public trial,

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 Jeremiah,

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 that Nebuchadnezzar

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 intended

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 as a public rebuke

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 to the Judeans

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 who refused to surrender

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 to the Babylonians

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 in spite of repeated

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 urgings of Jeremiah.

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 So Nebuchadnezzar

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 then associates

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 God with Jeremiah.

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 He's your God,

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 but he associates

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 the sin and the disobedience

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 that brought this judgment

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 to all the Judeans,

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 you all.

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 And that's a frightful thing,

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 right?

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 There are some people here

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 for whom the Lord

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 is not your God,

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 but his God

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 or her God,

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 their God,

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 but he's not your God.

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 And that is a big problem.

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 Do you have a relationship

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 with God

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 so that you can say of him,

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 the Lord,

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 my God?

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 Have you aligned yourself

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 with God's purposes?

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 Or are you living for yourself

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 in rebellion

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 and disobedience?

00:10:56.300 --> 00:10:57.300
 If that's the case,

00:10:57.360 --> 00:10:58.220
 I urge you this morning

00:10:58.220 --> 00:10:59.260
 to not leave this place

00:10:59.260 --> 00:11:00.680
 until you know clearly

00:11:00.680 --> 00:11:01.440
 where you stand

00:11:01.440 --> 00:11:02.200
 in relation to God

00:11:02.200 --> 00:11:03.040
 and say in faith

00:11:03.040 --> 00:11:04.900
 that the Lord is your God.

00:11:05.620 --> 00:11:06.360
 So in short,

00:11:06.500 --> 00:11:06.880
 Nebuchadnezzar

00:11:06.880 --> 00:11:08.600
 then the pagan military commander

00:11:08.600 --> 00:11:10.500
 is bringing a stinging rebuke

00:11:10.500 --> 00:11:11.399
 to the people of Judah.

00:11:11.960 --> 00:11:13.279
 Your own prophet

00:11:13.279 --> 00:11:14.659
 spoke the word of God

00:11:14.659 --> 00:11:16.120
 whom you were supposed

00:11:16.120 --> 00:11:16.580
 to worship,

00:11:17.080 --> 00:11:18.560
 but you did not listen.

00:11:18.700 --> 00:11:20.000
 That's why this disaster

00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:20.800
 has come upon you.

00:11:21.240 --> 00:11:22.360
 And here's what will happen

00:11:22.360 --> 00:11:23.980
 to the friends of Babylon.

00:11:24.820 --> 00:11:25.220
 Jeremiah,

00:11:25.860 --> 00:11:26.899
 you're free to go

00:11:26.899 --> 00:11:27.779
 wherever you want.

00:11:27.899 --> 00:11:28.600
 You can go with us

00:11:28.600 --> 00:11:29.019
 to Babylon

00:11:29.019 --> 00:11:30.639
 where I will take good care

00:11:30.639 --> 00:11:30.920
 of you,

00:11:31.060 --> 00:11:32.460
 or you can remain here

00:11:32.460 --> 00:11:34.220
 under the care of Gedaliah

00:11:34.220 --> 00:11:35.399
 whom we have appointed governor.

00:11:35.399 --> 00:11:36.600
 In fact,

00:11:36.759 --> 00:11:37.519
 here's some food

00:11:37.519 --> 00:11:38.740
 that you can take with you,

00:11:39.100 --> 00:11:39.879
 even a present.

00:11:41.179 --> 00:11:42.699
 It's a public try

00:11:42.699 --> 00:11:44.919
 intended to rebuke the Judeans.

00:11:45.319 --> 00:11:46.620
 He's making a public example

00:11:46.620 --> 00:11:47.240
 of Jeremiah

00:11:47.240 --> 00:11:48.899
 to advance their political agenda.

00:11:49.039 --> 00:11:49.480
 And of course,

00:11:49.740 --> 00:11:50.919
 it's not exactly true

00:11:50.919 --> 00:11:51.500
 that Jeremiah

00:11:51.500 --> 00:11:52.840
 is a friend of Babylon

00:11:52.840 --> 00:11:54.559
 because he was warning Judah

00:11:54.559 --> 00:11:55.980
 for their own sake

00:11:55.980 --> 00:11:57.480
 so that they might follow the Lord

00:11:57.480 --> 00:11:58.579
 and repent of their sins.

00:11:59.079 --> 00:11:59.819
 But nevertheless,

00:12:00.259 --> 00:12:01.579
 what he was urging them to do

00:12:01.579 --> 00:12:02.500
 to surrender to Babylon

00:12:02.500 --> 00:12:03.779
 was a message

00:12:03.779 --> 00:12:05.159
 that the Babylonians approved.

00:12:05.659 --> 00:12:06.620
 And so they considered him

00:12:06.620 --> 00:12:07.419
 a friend of Babylon.

00:12:08.379 --> 00:12:09.279
 But even though

00:12:09.279 --> 00:12:11.459
 he's invited to Babylon,

00:12:11.659 --> 00:12:12.879
 Jeremiah's heart remains

00:12:12.879 --> 00:12:13.860
 with the people of God.

00:12:14.439 --> 00:12:15.480
 He does not see it fit

00:12:15.480 --> 00:12:16.139
 to go to Babylon.

00:12:16.339 --> 00:12:18.100
 So he stays in Judah

00:12:18.100 --> 00:12:19.439
 under the care of Gedaliah

00:12:19.439 --> 00:12:20.240
 the son of Ike,

00:12:20.860 --> 00:12:21.879
 son of Shaphan.

00:12:22.620 --> 00:12:22.899
 Now,

00:12:23.179 --> 00:12:24.240
 we keep reading that,

00:12:24.379 --> 00:12:24.519
 right?

00:12:24.679 --> 00:12:25.959
 It's a mouthful to read.

00:12:26.100 --> 00:12:27.199
 Gedaliah the son of Ike,

00:12:27.199 --> 00:12:27.919
 son of Shaphan.

00:12:27.980 --> 00:12:28.860
 But does that ring a bell

00:12:28.860 --> 00:12:29.399
 at all

00:12:29.399 --> 00:12:30.860
 as we've gone through

00:12:30.860 --> 00:12:31.740
 this book of Jeremiah?

00:12:31.740 --> 00:12:34.080
 Because Gedaliah's genealogy

00:12:34.080 --> 00:12:34.779
 is given here

00:12:34.779 --> 00:12:36.039
 because it's significant.

00:12:36.700 --> 00:12:38.480
 He's the grandson of Shaphan

00:12:38.480 --> 00:12:39.860
 who, as you might recall,

00:12:39.960 --> 00:12:41.560
 is the head of the noble family

00:12:41.560 --> 00:12:44.139
 who are frequently found

00:12:44.139 --> 00:12:45.180
 throughout the book of Jeremiah,

00:12:45.759 --> 00:12:46.799
 sheltering the prophet

00:12:46.799 --> 00:12:48.299
 and protecting him

00:12:48.299 --> 00:12:49.680
 using their political leverage.

00:12:50.240 --> 00:12:51.340
 Shaphan was the secretary

00:12:51.340 --> 00:12:53.000
 of King Josiah

00:12:53.000 --> 00:12:54.500
 during his reforms.

00:12:54.899 --> 00:12:55.740
 And his family

00:12:55.740 --> 00:12:56.519
 appears to have been

00:12:56.519 --> 00:12:57.700
 a godly, faithful people

00:12:57.700 --> 00:12:58.560
 who did their best

00:12:58.560 --> 00:12:59.860
 to shield Jeremiah.

00:12:59.860 --> 00:13:00.940
 So, for example,

00:13:01.060 --> 00:13:02.440
 in Jeremiah 26, 24,

00:13:02.820 --> 00:13:03.060
 it said,

00:13:03.240 --> 00:13:04.220
 The hand of Ike,

00:13:04.240 --> 00:13:05.759
 the son of Shaphan,

00:13:05.960 --> 00:13:07.180
 was with Jeremiah

00:13:07.180 --> 00:13:08.360
 so that he was not

00:13:08.360 --> 00:13:09.320
 given over to the people

00:13:09.320 --> 00:13:10.259
 to be put to death.

00:13:11.000 --> 00:13:13.139
 And in Jeremiah 36, 10 and 26,

00:13:13.480 --> 00:13:14.940
 another one of Shaphan's sons,

00:13:15.039 --> 00:13:15.639
 Gemariah,

00:13:15.840 --> 00:13:17.360
 urges King Jehoiakim

00:13:17.360 --> 00:13:19.259
 not to burn Jeremiah's scroll.

00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:21.379
 And here in chapter 40,

00:13:21.740 --> 00:13:22.800
 Shaphan's grandson

00:13:22.800 --> 00:13:24.300
 and Ike's son, Gedaliah,

00:13:24.659 --> 00:13:25.920
 takes charge of Jeremiah

00:13:25.920 --> 00:13:27.300
 and ensures his survival

00:13:27.300 --> 00:13:28.500
 after the fall of Jerusalem.

00:13:28.500 --> 00:13:30.700
 Isn't this a great example

00:13:30.700 --> 00:13:31.539
 of God's providence

00:13:31.539 --> 00:13:32.120
 in our lives?

00:13:33.379 --> 00:13:34.639
 Nebuchadnezzar could have chosen

00:13:34.639 --> 00:13:37.299
 from dozens of royal heirs

00:13:37.299 --> 00:13:38.539
 and nobility,

00:13:39.019 --> 00:13:40.120
 but of them all,

00:13:40.179 --> 00:13:41.879
 he chooses Gedaliah,

00:13:42.259 --> 00:13:43.879
 the grandson of Shaphan.

00:13:44.940 --> 00:13:46.080
 What luck, you might say,

00:13:46.139 --> 00:13:46.620
 for Jeremiah,

00:13:46.759 --> 00:13:47.639
 but this is not luck.

00:13:47.720 --> 00:13:49.379
 It's the providence of God.

00:13:49.940 --> 00:13:51.340
 Even in the small detail,

00:13:51.500 --> 00:13:52.240
 scripture reveals

00:13:52.240 --> 00:13:53.879
 God's gracious and provident

00:13:53.879 --> 00:13:55.539
 care for his servants.

00:13:55.539 --> 00:13:57.620
 Do you know that this is how

00:13:57.620 --> 00:13:59.099
 God cares for all of his children?

00:14:00.399 --> 00:14:02.120
 Even in the tumult of war

00:14:02.120 --> 00:14:03.000
 and captivity,

00:14:03.579 --> 00:14:05.039
 the Lord, your God,

00:14:05.099 --> 00:14:05.740
 is sovereign.

00:14:07.039 --> 00:14:08.579
 There's no corner of the earth

00:14:08.579 --> 00:14:11.480
 where his power does not reach,

00:14:11.899 --> 00:14:13.379
 and there's no event in history,

00:14:13.500 --> 00:14:15.279
 no detail in your own life

00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:16.519
 that does not follow

00:14:16.519 --> 00:14:17.559
 the course of God's will.

00:14:17.879 --> 00:14:19.120
 God cares for us.

00:14:20.799 --> 00:14:22.259
 He's watching over us.

00:14:22.259 --> 00:14:24.919
 And under Gedaliah's governorship,

00:14:25.120 --> 00:14:25.840
 the remnant of Judah

00:14:25.840 --> 00:14:27.439
 begins to come together again.

00:14:27.879 --> 00:14:28.819
 Verses 7 to 8,

00:14:28.879 --> 00:14:29.379
 read with me.

00:14:29.460 --> 00:14:29.659
 It says,

00:14:29.759 --> 00:14:30.799
 When all the captains

00:14:30.799 --> 00:14:31.419
 of the forces

00:14:31.419 --> 00:14:32.439
 in the open country

00:14:32.439 --> 00:14:33.360
 and their men

00:14:33.360 --> 00:14:34.720
 heard that the king of Babylon

00:14:34.720 --> 00:14:35.919
 had appointed Gedaliah,

00:14:35.960 --> 00:14:36.819
 the son of Aikim,

00:14:37.139 --> 00:14:37.899
 governor in the land,

00:14:37.980 --> 00:14:39.039
 and had committed to him

00:14:39.039 --> 00:14:40.240
 men, women, and children,

00:14:40.360 --> 00:14:41.460
 those of the poorest of the land

00:14:41.460 --> 00:14:42.220
 who had not been taken

00:14:42.220 --> 00:14:43.259
 into exile to Babylon,

00:14:43.679 --> 00:14:45.480
 they went to Gedaliah at Mizpah.

00:14:46.019 --> 00:14:47.439
 Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah,

00:14:47.559 --> 00:14:48.720
 Johanan, the son of Kariah,

00:14:48.860 --> 00:14:50.259
 Sariah, the son of Tamimuth,

00:14:50.259 --> 00:14:53.139
 the sons of Ephi, the Netaphathite,

00:14:53.580 --> 00:14:55.259
 Jezaniah, the son of Macathite,

00:14:55.439 --> 00:14:56.100
 they and their men.

00:14:56.759 --> 00:14:57.639
 Now the captains

00:14:57.639 --> 00:14:58.779
 of the Judean army

00:14:58.779 --> 00:15:00.059
 and the people

00:15:00.059 --> 00:15:01.360
 under their supervision

00:15:01.360 --> 00:15:02.759
 had, some of them

00:15:02.759 --> 00:15:04.039
 had managed to escape

00:15:04.039 --> 00:15:05.080
 the Babylonian army.

00:15:05.620 --> 00:15:06.879
 And when they hear

00:15:06.879 --> 00:15:07.939
 of Gedaliah's appointment,

00:15:08.139 --> 00:15:09.039
 they all rally back

00:15:09.039 --> 00:15:09.879
 to him in Mizpah.

00:15:10.379 --> 00:15:11.519
 And in verses 9 to 10,

00:15:11.720 --> 00:15:12.980
 Gedaliah assures them

00:15:12.980 --> 00:15:14.340
 that he will represent them

00:15:14.340 --> 00:15:15.639
 faithfully to the Babylonians.

00:15:16.059 --> 00:15:17.059
 And he assures them

00:15:17.059 --> 00:15:17.960
 that they will be safe

00:15:17.960 --> 00:15:19.000
 if they continue

00:15:19.000 --> 00:15:19.960
 to resume their life,

00:15:19.960 --> 00:15:20.800
 resume their farming

00:15:20.800 --> 00:15:22.060
 to restore some normalcy

00:15:22.060 --> 00:15:22.600
 to their life

00:15:22.600 --> 00:15:24.200
 after becoming conquered

00:15:24.200 --> 00:15:25.900
 by Babylon.

00:15:26.700 --> 00:15:27.720
 And not only the Judeans

00:15:27.720 --> 00:15:28.300
 that were scattered

00:15:28.300 --> 00:15:28.920
 throughout Judah,

00:15:29.040 --> 00:15:30.200
 but also those refugees

00:15:30.200 --> 00:15:31.620
 from Moab and Edom,

00:15:31.800 --> 00:15:32.500
 they come back

00:15:32.500 --> 00:15:33.320
 to gather under

00:15:33.320 --> 00:15:35.000
 Gedaliah's leadership.

00:15:35.680 --> 00:15:36.379
 And he says,

00:15:36.540 --> 00:15:37.000
 in verse 12,

00:15:37.060 --> 00:15:37.680
 that they gathered

00:15:37.680 --> 00:15:38.879
 wine and summer fruits

00:15:38.879 --> 00:15:40.400
 in great abundance.

00:15:40.980 --> 00:15:41.720
 So the people

00:15:41.720 --> 00:15:42.980
 are resuming their life

00:15:42.980 --> 00:15:44.740
 and even though

00:15:44.740 --> 00:15:45.879
 the war was devastating,

00:15:45.980 --> 00:15:46.720
 the conditions now

00:15:46.720 --> 00:15:47.900
 seem to be improving.

00:15:47.899 --> 00:15:49.019
 They're doing better.

00:15:49.740 --> 00:15:50.399
 And Gedaliah seems

00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:51.579
 to be unifying the people.

00:15:52.360 --> 00:15:53.879
 But there's a plot twist here

00:15:53.879 --> 00:15:55.720
 at the end of verse 8.

00:15:56.199 --> 00:15:57.299
 Some of the captains

00:15:57.299 --> 00:15:58.019
 of the forces

00:15:58.019 --> 00:15:59.279
 that had joined Gedaliah

00:15:59.279 --> 00:16:00.220
 were named

00:16:00.220 --> 00:16:01.059
 at the end of verse 8

00:16:01.059 --> 00:16:01.939
 because they are

00:16:01.939 --> 00:16:02.799
 the main characters

00:16:02.799 --> 00:16:03.840
 in this plot twist

00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:05.019
 which now unfolds

00:16:05.019 --> 00:16:06.480
 in verses 13 to 15.

00:16:06.919 --> 00:16:07.600
 Read with me.

00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:08.899
 Now Johanan,

00:16:09.100 --> 00:16:10.060
 the son of Kareah,

00:16:10.220 --> 00:16:11.379
 and all the leaders

00:16:11.379 --> 00:16:11.920
 of the forces

00:16:11.920 --> 00:16:12.740
 in the open country

00:16:12.740 --> 00:16:13.840
 came to Gedaliah

00:16:13.840 --> 00:16:14.980
 at Mizpah and said to him,

00:16:15.740 --> 00:16:16.540
 Do you know

00:16:16.540 --> 00:16:17.980
 that Baalus,

00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:19.420
 the king of the Ammonites,

00:16:19.659 --> 00:16:20.879
 has sent Ishmael,

00:16:20.940 --> 00:16:21.899
 the son of Nethaniah,

00:16:21.940 --> 00:16:22.879
 to take your life?

00:16:24.560 --> 00:16:25.639
 But Gedaliah,

00:16:25.860 --> 00:16:26.779
 the son of Ahikim,

00:16:26.840 --> 00:16:27.639
 would not believe them.

00:16:28.820 --> 00:16:29.740
 Then Johanan,

00:16:29.840 --> 00:16:30.519
 the son of Kareah,

00:16:30.580 --> 00:16:31.379
 spoke secretly

00:16:31.379 --> 00:16:32.840
 to Gedaliah at Mizpah.

00:16:32.840 --> 00:16:33.280
 Please,

00:16:34.759 --> 00:16:35.519
 let me go

00:16:35.519 --> 00:16:36.820
 and strike down Ishmael,

00:16:36.899 --> 00:16:37.800
 the son of Nethaniah,

00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:39.280
 and no one will know it.

00:16:39.820 --> 00:16:41.160
 Why should he take your life

00:16:41.160 --> 00:16:42.420
 so that all the Judeans

00:16:42.420 --> 00:16:43.340
 who are gathered about you

00:16:43.340 --> 00:16:44.100
 would be scattered

00:16:44.100 --> 00:16:45.899
 and the remnant of Judah

00:16:45.899 --> 00:16:47.040
 would perish?

00:16:47.860 --> 00:16:49.440
 So one of the military commanders,

00:16:49.560 --> 00:16:49.980
 Johanan,

00:16:50.259 --> 00:16:51.019
 son of Kareah,

00:16:51.120 --> 00:16:52.240
 informs Gedaliah

00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:54.040
 of Ishmael's conspiracy

00:16:54.040 --> 00:16:57.060
 and he offers

00:16:57.060 --> 00:16:58.240
 a preemptive strike

00:16:58.240 --> 00:16:59.200
 to get rid of this

00:16:59.200 --> 00:17:00.120
 would-be assassin.

00:17:00.840 --> 00:17:01.759
 And Johanan seems

00:17:01.759 --> 00:17:02.759
 to understand

00:17:02.759 --> 00:17:03.720
 the importance

00:17:03.720 --> 00:17:04.400
 of Gedaliah

00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:05.519
 as a unifying figure

00:17:05.519 --> 00:17:06.059
 because he was

00:17:06.059 --> 00:17:07.220
 an effective leader

00:17:07.220 --> 00:17:07.980
 that was bringing back

00:17:07.980 --> 00:17:08.740
 the people of Judah.

00:17:09.460 --> 00:17:10.579
 And if he were assassinated,

00:17:10.700 --> 00:17:10.980
 the remnant

00:17:10.980 --> 00:17:11.799
 would be scattered again

00:17:11.799 --> 00:17:12.379
 and they would be

00:17:12.379 --> 00:17:13.400
 at risk of perishing

00:17:13.400 --> 00:17:14.079
 altogether.

00:17:14.660 --> 00:17:15.759
 But Gedaliah

00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:17.039
 doesn't believe Ahikim

00:17:17.039 --> 00:17:19.099
 and he said

00:17:19.099 --> 00:17:20.180
 to Johanan,

00:17:20.319 --> 00:17:20.859
 son of Kareah,

00:17:20.960 --> 00:17:22.379
 you shall not do this thing

00:17:22.379 --> 00:17:23.940
 for you are speaking

00:17:23.940 --> 00:17:25.400
 falsely of Ishmael.

00:17:26.420 --> 00:17:27.420
 Gedaliah does not believe

00:17:27.420 --> 00:17:27.779
 Johanan,

00:17:27.779 --> 00:17:28.519
 and instead believes

00:17:28.519 --> 00:17:29.700
 better of Ishmael.

00:17:30.619 --> 00:17:31.480
 We don't get

00:17:31.480 --> 00:17:32.440
 too many details

00:17:32.440 --> 00:17:34.240
 here on their motivations

00:17:34.240 --> 00:17:34.980
 and why,

00:17:35.480 --> 00:17:36.799
 but we may have

00:17:36.799 --> 00:17:37.640
 some clues

00:17:37.640 --> 00:17:38.640
 in the next chapter.

00:17:38.779 --> 00:17:39.519
 So turn with me

00:17:39.519 --> 00:17:40.420
 to chapter 41,

00:17:40.559 --> 00:17:41.160
 verse 1.

00:17:41.819 --> 00:17:42.220
 It says,

00:17:42.220 --> 00:17:43.279
 In the seventh month,

00:17:43.600 --> 00:17:44.039
 Ishmael,

00:17:44.100 --> 00:17:45.220
 the son of Nethaniah,

00:17:45.319 --> 00:17:46.460
 son of Elishamah,

00:17:46.860 --> 00:17:48.220
 of the royal family,

00:17:48.680 --> 00:17:50.019
 one of the chief officers

00:17:50.019 --> 00:17:50.539
 of the king,

00:17:51.039 --> 00:17:52.299
 came with ten men

00:17:52.299 --> 00:17:53.019
 to Gedaliah,

00:17:53.059 --> 00:17:53.960
 the son of Ahikim,

00:17:54.100 --> 00:17:54.960
 at Mizpah.

00:17:55.559 --> 00:17:56.620
 So we learn here

00:17:56.620 --> 00:17:57.779
 that Ishmael came

00:17:57.779 --> 00:17:59.500
 from a very prominent

00:17:59.500 --> 00:18:00.279
 Judean family.

00:18:00.799 --> 00:18:01.559
 His grandfather

00:18:01.559 --> 00:18:02.880
 was one of the chief officers

00:18:02.880 --> 00:18:03.339
 of the king.

00:18:03.460 --> 00:18:03.839
 In fact,

00:18:03.900 --> 00:18:05.880
 he was of royal blood.

00:18:06.700 --> 00:18:08.160
 So for these reasons,

00:18:08.319 --> 00:18:09.420
 Ishmael may have felt

00:18:09.420 --> 00:18:10.920
 that he had better claimed

00:18:10.920 --> 00:18:12.120
 to be ruler of Judah

00:18:12.120 --> 00:18:13.019
 than Gedaliah

00:18:13.019 --> 00:18:14.539
 and may have resented

00:18:14.539 --> 00:18:15.660
 the fact that Gedaliah

00:18:15.660 --> 00:18:16.140
 was appointed

00:18:16.140 --> 00:18:17.180
 by the foreign intruders.

00:18:17.279 --> 00:18:17.980
 We can't know for sure,

00:18:18.080 --> 00:18:18.840
 but it's a possibility.

00:18:19.560 --> 00:18:20.220
 But Gedaliah,

00:18:20.279 --> 00:18:20.800
 on the other hand,

00:18:20.820 --> 00:18:22.220
 is very trusting of Ishmael.

00:18:22.340 --> 00:18:23.240
 Why could that be?

00:18:23.880 --> 00:18:24.400
 Elishamah,

00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:25.800
 Ishmael's grandfather

00:18:25.800 --> 00:18:26.480
 that's named here,

00:18:26.539 --> 00:18:27.300
 was the secretary

00:18:27.300 --> 00:18:28.980
 of King Joachim of Judah

00:18:28.980 --> 00:18:31.539
 who served with Gemariah,

00:18:31.600 --> 00:18:32.560
 the son of Shaphan.

00:18:32.740 --> 00:18:34.440
 So Ishmael's grandfather

00:18:34.440 --> 00:18:35.640
 was a close colleague

00:18:35.640 --> 00:18:36.920
 of Gedaliah's uncle

00:18:36.920 --> 00:18:38.420
 and they may have already

00:18:38.420 --> 00:18:38.920
 had prior relationship

00:18:38.920 --> 00:18:40.700
 because of that connection

00:18:40.700 --> 00:18:42.700
 and perhaps that familiarity

00:18:42.700 --> 00:18:44.160
 predisposed Gedaliah

00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:45.180
 to trust Ishmael

00:18:45.180 --> 00:18:46.180
 and accuse Johanan

00:18:46.180 --> 00:18:47.100
 of speaking falsely

00:18:47.100 --> 00:18:47.660
 of Ishmael.

00:18:48.519 --> 00:18:49.980
 And since Johanan and Ishmael

00:18:49.980 --> 00:18:51.519
 were kind of both captains

00:18:51.519 --> 00:18:52.180
 of the forces,

00:18:52.560 --> 00:18:53.180
 rival leaders

00:18:53.180 --> 00:18:54.620
 jockeying for more influence

00:18:54.620 --> 00:18:56.840
 within this new Judean coalition,

00:18:57.340 --> 00:18:58.400
 Gedaliah may have suspected

00:18:58.400 --> 00:18:59.560
 Johanan of simply wanting

00:18:59.560 --> 00:19:00.680
 to eliminate a rival.

00:19:01.820 --> 00:19:03.320
 But Ishmael betrays

00:19:03.320 --> 00:19:04.220
 Gedaliah's trust

00:19:04.220 --> 00:19:05.620
 and it says in verses 2-3,

00:19:05.619 --> 00:19:08.019
 as they ate bread together

00:19:08.019 --> 00:19:09.239
 there at Mizpah,

00:19:09.859 --> 00:19:10.339
 Ishmael,

00:19:10.419 --> 00:19:11.419
 the son of Nethaniah

00:19:11.419 --> 00:19:12.979
 and the ten men with him

00:19:12.979 --> 00:19:15.079
 rose up and struck down

00:19:15.079 --> 00:19:15.719
 Gedaliah,

00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:16.659
 the son of Aikim,

00:19:16.799 --> 00:19:17.519
 son of Shaphan,

00:19:17.819 --> 00:19:18.539
 with the sword

00:19:18.539 --> 00:19:19.719
 and killed him

00:19:19.719 --> 00:19:21.239
 whom the king of Babylon

00:19:21.239 --> 00:19:22.339
 had appointed governor

00:19:22.339 --> 00:19:22.879
 in the land.

00:19:23.559 --> 00:19:24.879
 Ishmael also struck down

00:19:24.879 --> 00:19:25.539
 all the Judeans

00:19:25.539 --> 00:19:26.659
 who were with Gedaliah

00:19:26.659 --> 00:19:27.199
 at Mizpah

00:19:27.199 --> 00:19:29.099
 and the Chaldean soldiers

00:19:29.099 --> 00:19:30.299
 who happened to be there.

00:19:30.959 --> 00:19:32.379
 The stories written

00:19:32.379 --> 00:19:32.859
 in scripture

00:19:32.859 --> 00:19:34.039
 don't give us

00:19:34.039 --> 00:19:35.439
 unnecessary details

00:19:35.439 --> 00:19:36.659
 and everything written here

00:19:36.659 --> 00:19:37.879
 is there to tell us something

00:19:37.879 --> 00:19:38.959
 because it says

00:19:38.959 --> 00:19:39.779
 that the assassination

00:19:39.779 --> 00:19:40.479
 took place

00:19:40.479 --> 00:19:42.979
 as they ate bread together.

00:19:43.379 --> 00:19:44.859
 That highlights

00:19:44.859 --> 00:19:46.479
 how shameful

00:19:46.479 --> 00:19:48.279
 and a hateful act this was

00:19:48.279 --> 00:19:49.979
 because in the ancient Near East

00:19:49.979 --> 00:19:51.259
 hospitality was taken

00:19:51.259 --> 00:19:52.479
 extremely seriously

00:19:52.479 --> 00:19:54.199
 and the mutual trust

00:19:54.199 --> 00:19:54.879
 and obligation

00:19:54.879 --> 00:19:56.000
 between the host

00:19:56.000 --> 00:19:56.719
 and guest

00:19:56.719 --> 00:19:58.119
 was a sacred bond.

00:19:58.779 --> 00:19:59.619
 But Ishmael

00:19:59.619 --> 00:20:02.699
 betrays him

00:20:02.699 --> 00:20:04.199
 while Gedaliah

00:20:04.199 --> 00:20:05.239
 was providing for him

00:20:05.239 --> 00:20:06.199
 with his own food

00:20:06.199 --> 00:20:07.459
 and protecting him

00:20:07.459 --> 00:20:08.599
 under his own roof.

00:20:09.399 --> 00:20:09.739
 Gedaliah,

00:20:10.419 --> 00:20:11.739
 Ishmael rises up

00:20:11.739 --> 00:20:12.519
 to strike Gedaliah

00:20:12.519 --> 00:20:13.319
 and down with the sword.

00:20:14.559 --> 00:20:15.339
 And sin always

00:20:15.339 --> 00:20:16.159
 begets more sin

00:20:16.159 --> 00:20:17.559
 and his murder here

00:20:17.559 --> 00:20:19.019
 leads to a string of others

00:20:19.019 --> 00:20:19.979
 because he kills

00:20:19.979 --> 00:20:20.799
 all the Judeans

00:20:20.799 --> 00:20:22.079
 that were with Gedaliah

00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:22.539
 at Mizpah

00:20:22.539 --> 00:20:24.479
 and all the Babylonian soldiers

00:20:24.479 --> 00:20:26.339
 who happened to be there.

00:20:26.559 --> 00:20:27.419
 Presumably because he wanted

00:20:27.419 --> 00:20:28.459
 to eliminate all witnesses

00:20:28.460 --> 00:20:29.460
 so that the word doesn't get out

00:20:29.460 --> 00:20:30.600
 to the Babylonian empire

00:20:30.600 --> 00:20:31.880
 that he has done this.

00:20:33.799 --> 00:20:35.980
 And that's a big problem, right?

00:20:36.019 --> 00:20:36.600
 Because the narrator

00:20:36.600 --> 00:20:37.519
 reminds us that

00:20:37.519 --> 00:20:39.279
 Ishmael killed Gedaliah

00:20:39.279 --> 00:20:39.799
 who was

00:20:39.799 --> 00:20:41.220
 whom the king of Babylon

00:20:41.220 --> 00:20:41.860
 had appointed

00:20:41.860 --> 00:20:42.660
 governor in the land.

00:20:42.940 --> 00:20:43.900
 So not only is this

00:20:43.900 --> 00:20:45.380
 a gross violation

00:20:45.380 --> 00:20:47.340
 of that ancient Near Eastern trust

00:20:47.340 --> 00:20:48.900
 and the laws of hospitality,

00:20:49.360 --> 00:20:50.460
 this was treachery

00:20:50.460 --> 00:20:51.380
 and rebellion

00:20:51.380 --> 00:20:53.180
 against the Babylonian rule

00:20:53.180 --> 00:20:54.860
 which was sure to bring

00:20:54.860 --> 00:20:56.660
 swift reprisal

00:20:56.660 --> 00:20:57.640
 from the Babylonians.

00:20:58.460 --> 00:20:59.980
 But Ishmael's crime

00:20:59.980 --> 00:21:00.700
 doesn't end there.

00:21:00.920 --> 00:21:02.259
 Verses 4-5 tells us

00:21:02.259 --> 00:21:03.539
 that on the day

00:21:03.539 --> 00:21:04.779
 after the murder

00:21:04.779 --> 00:21:05.519
 of Gedaliah,

00:21:05.640 --> 00:21:07.220
 before anyone knew of it,

00:21:07.680 --> 00:21:08.900
 80 men arrived

00:21:08.900 --> 00:21:10.160
 from Shechem and Shiloh

00:21:10.160 --> 00:21:11.279
 and Samaria

00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:13.259
 with their beard shaped

00:21:13.259 --> 00:21:14.579
 and their clothes torn

00:21:14.579 --> 00:21:16.299
 and their bodies gashed,

00:21:16.680 --> 00:21:17.860
 bringing grain offerings

00:21:17.860 --> 00:21:18.440
 and incense

00:21:18.440 --> 00:21:19.840
 to present at the temple

00:21:19.840 --> 00:21:20.319
 of the Lord.

00:21:20.900 --> 00:21:22.120
 So Shechem, Shiloh,

00:21:22.200 --> 00:21:22.640
 and Samaria

00:21:22.640 --> 00:21:24.240
 are all kind of centers

00:21:24.240 --> 00:21:24.779
 of worship

00:21:24.779 --> 00:21:25.759
 in northern Israel.

00:21:25.759 --> 00:21:25.839
 Israel,

00:21:26.319 --> 00:21:28.220
 and that their origin

00:21:28.220 --> 00:21:28.940
 as well as the fact

00:21:28.940 --> 00:21:29.500
 that they brought

00:21:29.500 --> 00:21:30.299
 grain offerings

00:21:30.299 --> 00:21:30.900
 and incense

00:21:30.900 --> 00:21:31.759
 to present the temple

00:21:31.759 --> 00:21:32.180
 of the Lord,

00:21:32.460 --> 00:21:33.200
 tell us that they're

00:21:33.200 --> 00:21:34.420
 worshipers of the true God.

00:21:35.019 --> 00:21:35.940
 They're pilgrims

00:21:35.940 --> 00:21:37.180
 and they've come to worship

00:21:37.180 --> 00:21:39.019
 and they have come mourning

00:21:39.019 --> 00:21:39.619
 because it says

00:21:39.619 --> 00:21:40.720
 that their beards are shaven,

00:21:40.799 --> 00:21:41.559
 their clothes are torn,

00:21:41.640 --> 00:21:42.259
 their bodies are gashed.

00:21:42.319 --> 00:21:42.879
 They're mourning

00:21:42.879 --> 00:21:44.059
 the destruction of the temple

00:21:44.059 --> 00:21:45.359
 for the fall of Jerusalem

00:21:45.359 --> 00:21:46.439
 and they're coming

00:21:46.439 --> 00:21:49.079
 to pledge their ongoing allegiance

00:21:49.079 --> 00:21:50.339
 and faithfulness to God.

00:21:51.899 --> 00:21:52.719
 And when you get

00:21:52.719 --> 00:21:53.939
 these innocent guests coming,

00:21:54.479 --> 00:21:55.339
 Ishmael acts like

00:21:55.339 --> 00:21:56.179
 a complete snake.

00:21:56.479 --> 00:21:57.859
 Read verses 6 to 8 with me.

00:21:58.859 --> 00:21:59.579
 And Ishmael,

00:21:59.639 --> 00:22:00.559
 the son of Nethaniah,

00:22:00.699 --> 00:22:01.699
 came out from Mizpah

00:22:01.699 --> 00:22:02.299
 to meet them,

00:22:02.839 --> 00:22:04.199
 weeping as he came.

00:22:05.240 --> 00:22:06.000
 As he met them,

00:22:06.039 --> 00:22:06.679
 he said to them,

00:22:06.899 --> 00:22:08.259
 come in to Gedaliah,

00:22:08.519 --> 00:22:09.779
 the son of Ahicham.

00:22:11.199 --> 00:22:12.319
 Ishmael greets them

00:22:12.319 --> 00:22:13.319
 in Gedaliah's name,

00:22:13.319 --> 00:22:15.179
 probably because these pilgrims

00:22:15.179 --> 00:22:16.919
 had come to see Gedaliah,

00:22:17.279 --> 00:22:18.299
 which shows that Gedaliah,

00:22:18.460 --> 00:22:19.619
 like his father and grandfather

00:22:19.619 --> 00:22:20.139
 before him,

00:22:20.179 --> 00:22:21.519
 was a worshiper of the true God

00:22:21.519 --> 00:22:23.139
 and they saw him,

00:22:23.220 --> 00:22:23.720
 for that reason,

00:22:23.799 --> 00:22:24.980
 as a safe figure.

00:22:25.720 --> 00:22:26.139
 So Gedaliah,

00:22:26.339 --> 00:22:27.279
 so he uses,

00:22:27.500 --> 00:22:28.700
 invokes Gedaliah's name

00:22:28.700 --> 00:22:30.119
 and earns their trust

00:22:30.119 --> 00:22:32.059
 by faking his mourning.

00:22:32.599 --> 00:22:33.879
 But when they came

00:22:33.879 --> 00:22:34.480
 into the city,

00:22:34.579 --> 00:22:34.899
 it says,

00:22:35.299 --> 00:22:35.720
 Ishmael,

00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:36.859
 the son of Nethaniah

00:22:36.859 --> 00:22:37.759
 and the men with him,

00:22:38.200 --> 00:22:38.899
 slaughtered them

00:22:38.899 --> 00:22:40.259
 and cast them into a cistern.

00:22:40.740 --> 00:22:41.899
 But there were ten men

00:22:41.899 --> 00:22:42.359
 among them

00:22:42.359 --> 00:22:43.259
 who said to Ishmael,

00:22:43.519 --> 00:22:44.439
 do not put us to death

00:22:44.439 --> 00:22:45.200
 for we have stores

00:22:45.200 --> 00:22:46.220
 of wheat, barley, oil

00:22:46.220 --> 00:22:47.439
 and honey hidden in the fields.

00:22:47.700 --> 00:22:48.480
 So he refrained

00:22:48.480 --> 00:22:49.639
 and did not put them to death

00:22:49.639 --> 00:22:51.099
 with their companions.

00:22:51.819 --> 00:22:53.539
 He spares only ten of them,

00:22:53.659 --> 00:22:56.159
 not because he has mercy on them,

00:22:56.299 --> 00:22:57.759
 but because of his greed.

00:22:58.240 --> 00:22:59.819
 He wants to acquire

00:22:59.819 --> 00:23:02.240
 their hidden wheat,

00:23:02.399 --> 00:23:03.279
 barley, oil and honey.

00:23:04.539 --> 00:23:05.700
 And then it tells us

00:23:05.700 --> 00:23:06.359
 in verse 10,

00:23:06.460 --> 00:23:07.639
 Ishmael took captive

00:23:07.639 --> 00:23:08.639
 all the rest of the people

00:23:08.639 --> 00:23:09.519
 who were in Mizpah,

00:23:09.799 --> 00:23:10.579
 the king's daughters

00:23:10.579 --> 00:23:11.299
 and all the people

00:23:11.299 --> 00:23:12.319
 who were left in Mizpah,

00:23:12.319 --> 00:23:13.299
 whom Nebuchadnezzar,

00:23:13.419 --> 00:23:14.359
 the captain of the guard,

00:23:14.419 --> 00:23:15.419
 had committed to Gedaliah,

00:23:15.480 --> 00:23:16.299
 the son of Ahicham.

00:23:16.899 --> 00:23:17.299
 Ishmael,

00:23:17.339 --> 00:23:18.059
 the son of Nethaniah,

00:23:18.139 --> 00:23:18.980
 took them captive

00:23:18.980 --> 00:23:20.839
 and set out to cross over

00:23:20.839 --> 00:23:22.399
 to the Ammonites.

00:23:23.200 --> 00:23:24.700
 So Nebuchadnezzar

00:23:24.700 --> 00:23:25.639
 then had entrusted

00:23:25.639 --> 00:23:27.619
 certain prominent people

00:23:27.619 --> 00:23:29.200
 to Gedaliah,

00:23:29.259 --> 00:23:30.379
 including the king's daughters

00:23:30.379 --> 00:23:31.000
 and as we saw

00:23:31.000 --> 00:23:31.700
 in chapter 40,

00:23:31.799 --> 00:23:32.240
 Jeremiah.

00:23:32.240 --> 00:23:34.559
 But now those people

00:23:34.559 --> 00:23:35.519
 whom Nebuchadnezzar

00:23:35.519 --> 00:23:36.180
 had freed,

00:23:36.339 --> 00:23:37.759
 Ishmael takes captive again

00:23:37.759 --> 00:23:39.359
 and likely fearing

00:23:39.359 --> 00:23:40.720
 the Babylonian retaliation,

00:23:40.819 --> 00:23:41.900
 he begins to flee again

00:23:41.900 --> 00:23:42.640
 to the territory

00:23:42.640 --> 00:23:43.519
 of the Ammonites.

00:23:45.079 --> 00:23:46.759
 Ishmael is a classic example

00:23:46.759 --> 00:23:47.900
 of human defiance

00:23:47.900 --> 00:23:48.579
 against God.

00:23:49.019 --> 00:23:50.880
 As a proud citizen of Judah,

00:23:51.019 --> 00:23:52.000
 Ishmael resisted

00:23:52.000 --> 00:23:53.079
 the Babylonian rule

00:23:53.079 --> 00:23:53.660
 over Judah,

00:23:54.039 --> 00:23:55.000
 even though God

00:23:55.000 --> 00:23:56.460
 had clearly revealed

00:23:56.460 --> 00:23:57.240
 through his prophet

00:23:57.240 --> 00:23:58.460
 that the Babylonian invasion

00:23:58.460 --> 00:23:59.980
 was his judgment,

00:24:00.279 --> 00:24:01.079
 which they ought

00:24:01.079 --> 00:24:01.759
 to submit to.

00:24:02.939 --> 00:24:04.519
 As a proud descendant

00:24:04.519 --> 00:24:05.220
 of royalty,

00:24:05.439 --> 00:24:06.960
 Ishmael resisted

00:24:06.960 --> 00:24:08.240
 Gedaliah's governorship

00:24:08.240 --> 00:24:09.139
 of Judah,

00:24:09.539 --> 00:24:10.519
 even though he was

00:24:10.519 --> 00:24:11.659
 a godly and clearly

00:24:11.659 --> 00:24:13.159
 effective and unifying leader.

00:24:14.460 --> 00:24:16.639
 This is how we often respond

00:24:16.639 --> 00:24:17.699
 to God's will

00:24:17.699 --> 00:24:18.460
 in our lives too,

00:24:18.519 --> 00:24:18.799
 isn't it?

00:24:20.720 --> 00:24:22.579
 We might not murder

00:24:22.579 --> 00:24:23.839
 anyone in retaliation,

00:24:24.199 --> 00:24:25.079
 but we nonetheless

00:24:25.079 --> 00:24:26.659
 get angry with God

00:24:26.659 --> 00:24:28.240
 and with others.

00:24:28.480 --> 00:24:29.939
 We defy God

00:24:29.940 --> 00:24:31.100
 by resisting his will

00:24:31.100 --> 00:24:32.299
 and disobeying his commands.

00:24:32.740 --> 00:24:33.820
 We think we deserve

00:24:33.820 --> 00:24:34.640
 better than what God

00:24:34.640 --> 00:24:35.320
 has given us.

00:24:36.140 --> 00:24:36.980
 When we don't get

00:24:36.980 --> 00:24:37.980
 the job or promotion

00:24:37.980 --> 00:24:39.480
 that we thought

00:24:39.480 --> 00:24:40.000
 we deserved.

00:24:40.200 --> 00:24:40.880
 When we don't get

00:24:40.880 --> 00:24:41.519
 into the school

00:24:41.519 --> 00:24:42.299
 or the program

00:24:42.299 --> 00:24:43.480
 that we thought

00:24:43.480 --> 00:24:44.160
 we deserved.

00:24:44.259 --> 00:24:44.840
 When we don't get

00:24:44.840 --> 00:24:45.940
 the good night of sleep

00:24:45.940 --> 00:24:46.799
 that we thought

00:24:46.799 --> 00:24:47.279
 we deserved

00:24:47.279 --> 00:24:48.460
 because of a crying baby.

00:24:49.180 --> 00:24:50.000
 When we don't get

00:24:50.000 --> 00:24:51.000
 the quiet morning

00:24:51.000 --> 00:24:53.460
 with a cup of coffee

00:24:53.460 --> 00:24:55.440
 and the Bible in hand.

00:24:55.440 --> 00:24:58.100
 when we don't get

00:24:58.100 --> 00:24:58.779
 a quiet evening

00:24:58.779 --> 00:24:59.320
 to relax

00:24:59.320 --> 00:25:00.100
 after a long day

00:25:00.100 --> 00:25:00.519
 at work

00:25:00.519 --> 00:25:01.640
 with a good book

00:25:01.640 --> 00:25:02.440
 or a good show

00:25:02.440 --> 00:25:03.420
 that we thought

00:25:03.420 --> 00:25:04.019
 we deserved.

00:25:05.220 --> 00:25:05.900
 In short,

00:25:06.000 --> 00:25:07.080
 when we disapprove

00:25:07.080 --> 00:25:07.920
 of the twists

00:25:07.920 --> 00:25:09.340
 and turns of life,

00:25:09.920 --> 00:25:10.820
 the dips and bumps

00:25:10.820 --> 00:25:11.600
 of our lives,

00:25:11.720 --> 00:25:12.519
 we get sullen

00:25:12.519 --> 00:25:13.100
 and angry.

00:25:14.360 --> 00:25:15.460
 We take our anger

00:25:15.460 --> 00:25:16.380
 out on other people,

00:25:17.200 --> 00:25:18.059
 on other things,

00:25:18.220 --> 00:25:19.460
 but really we're angry

00:25:19.460 --> 00:25:20.059
 at God

00:25:20.059 --> 00:25:21.660
 who in his sovereign

00:25:21.660 --> 00:25:22.240
 will fit

00:25:22.240 --> 00:25:23.680
 fit to send these

00:25:23.680 --> 00:25:24.579
 our way.

00:25:27.259 --> 00:25:28.339
 How we handle

00:25:28.339 --> 00:25:28.960
 suffering

00:25:28.960 --> 00:25:30.680
 and other undesirable

00:25:30.680 --> 00:25:31.299
 circumstances

00:25:31.299 --> 00:25:31.920
 of our lives,

00:25:32.480 --> 00:25:33.539
 whether with humble

00:25:33.539 --> 00:25:34.039
 submission

00:25:34.039 --> 00:25:35.259
 or with prideful

00:25:35.259 --> 00:25:35.900
 defiance,

00:25:36.019 --> 00:25:37.460
 reveals our true character.

00:25:39.920 --> 00:25:40.740
 Whether it is

00:25:40.740 --> 00:25:41.539
 agreeable to us

00:25:41.539 --> 00:25:41.799
 or not,

00:25:41.839 --> 00:25:42.460
 we must obey

00:25:42.460 --> 00:25:43.799
 the voice of the Lord

00:25:43.799 --> 00:25:44.920
 and that's for our good.

00:25:45.779 --> 00:25:46.400
 Now look at what

00:25:46.400 --> 00:25:47.279
 happens to Ishmael.

00:25:47.440 --> 00:25:48.480
 Verses 11 to 12.

00:25:48.819 --> 00:25:49.620
 But when Johanan,

00:25:49.720 --> 00:25:50.480
 the son of Cariah,

00:25:50.559 --> 00:25:51.220
 and all the leaders

00:25:51.220 --> 00:25:52.140
 of the forces with him

00:25:52.140 --> 00:25:53.259
 heard of all the evil

00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.759
 that Ishmael,

00:25:53.820 --> 00:25:54.660
 the son of Nethaniah,

00:25:54.700 --> 00:25:55.120
 had done,

00:25:55.560 --> 00:25:56.780
 they took all their men

00:25:56.780 --> 00:25:57.580
 and went to fight

00:25:57.580 --> 00:25:58.440
 against Ishmael,

00:25:58.480 --> 00:25:59.580
 the son of Nethaniah.

00:26:01.020 --> 00:26:01.800
 When Johanan

00:26:01.800 --> 00:26:02.480
 and his soldiers

00:26:02.480 --> 00:26:03.960
 intercept Ishmael

00:26:03.960 --> 00:26:04.420
 in Gibeon,

00:26:04.540 --> 00:26:05.360
 verses 13 to 14

00:26:05.360 --> 00:26:06.000
 tell us that all

00:26:06.000 --> 00:26:06.480
 the people that

00:26:06.480 --> 00:26:06.840
 had been taken

00:26:06.840 --> 00:26:07.759
 captive by Ishmael

00:26:07.759 --> 00:26:09.220
 rejoiced to see

00:26:09.220 --> 00:26:09.960
 this,

00:26:10.360 --> 00:26:10.660
 I guess,

00:26:10.740 --> 00:26:11.460
 their savior

00:26:11.460 --> 00:26:13.580
 in Johanan

00:26:13.580 --> 00:26:14.960
 and they defected

00:26:14.960 --> 00:26:15.340
 to him

00:26:15.340 --> 00:26:16.400
 so that Ishmael,

00:26:16.620 --> 00:26:17.060
 instead of

00:26:17.060 --> 00:26:17.940
 returning to the

00:26:17.940 --> 00:26:19.140
 Ammonites triumphantly

00:26:19.140 --> 00:26:19.940
 with his spoils

00:26:19.940 --> 00:26:20.680
 and captives,

00:26:21.120 --> 00:26:21.840
 barely managed

00:26:21.839 --> 00:26:22.419
 to escape

00:26:22.419 --> 00:26:22.839
 with only

00:26:22.839 --> 00:26:23.399
 eight men

00:26:23.399 --> 00:26:24.439
 running for their lives.

00:26:25.359 --> 00:26:25.919
 And Johanan

00:26:25.919 --> 00:26:26.639
 then recovers

00:26:26.639 --> 00:26:27.299
 all the people

00:26:27.299 --> 00:26:27.720
 that Ishmael

00:26:27.720 --> 00:26:28.359
 had taken captive

00:26:28.359 --> 00:26:29.099
 and brings them,

00:26:29.159 --> 00:26:29.359
 it says,

00:26:29.439 --> 00:26:30.619
 to Gareth-Chimhem

00:26:30.619 --> 00:26:31.579
 near Bethlehem.

00:26:31.919 --> 00:26:32.339
 And it says

00:26:32.339 --> 00:26:33.579
 in verses 17 to 18

00:26:33.579 --> 00:26:34.039
 that they were

00:26:34.039 --> 00:26:35.339
 intending to go

00:26:35.339 --> 00:26:36.059
 to Egypt

00:26:36.059 --> 00:26:37.500
 because of

00:26:37.500 --> 00:26:38.579
 the Chaldeans.

00:26:38.959 --> 00:26:39.539
 For they were

00:26:39.539 --> 00:26:40.439
 afraid of them

00:26:40.439 --> 00:26:41.179
 because Ishmael,

00:26:41.240 --> 00:26:42.319
 the son of Nethaniah,

00:26:42.359 --> 00:26:43.199
 had struck down

00:26:43.199 --> 00:26:43.599
 Gedali,

00:26:43.759 --> 00:26:44.500
 the son of Ikem,

00:26:44.839 --> 00:26:45.339
 whom the king

00:26:45.339 --> 00:26:45.720
 of Babylon

00:26:45.720 --> 00:26:46.439
 had made governor

00:26:46.440 --> 00:26:47.019
 over the land.

00:26:47.720 --> 00:26:48.420
 Even though

00:26:48.420 --> 00:26:49.000
 they themselves

00:26:49.000 --> 00:26:50.080
 had not killed

00:26:50.080 --> 00:26:52.340
 Gedaliah

00:26:52.340 --> 00:26:52.880
 and rebelled

00:26:52.880 --> 00:26:53.440
 against Babylon,

00:26:53.660 --> 00:26:54.700
 it looked like

00:26:54.700 --> 00:26:55.519
 they had

00:26:55.519 --> 00:26:56.799
 because of

00:26:56.799 --> 00:26:57.820
 what Ishmael

00:26:57.820 --> 00:26:58.240
 had done.

00:26:58.660 --> 00:26:59.400
 So instead of

00:26:59.400 --> 00:27:00.100
 waiting in Judah

00:27:00.100 --> 00:27:00.900
 to find out

00:27:00.900 --> 00:27:01.799
 what the Babylonians

00:27:01.799 --> 00:27:02.680
 would do to them,

00:27:03.080 --> 00:27:03.620
 they figured

00:27:03.620 --> 00:27:04.460
 they'd be better off

00:27:04.460 --> 00:27:05.259
 fleeing to Egypt.

00:27:06.340 --> 00:27:07.400
 And we can deduce

00:27:07.400 --> 00:27:07.860
 that they were

00:27:07.860 --> 00:27:08.700
 already set

00:27:08.700 --> 00:27:09.440
 on going to Egypt

00:27:09.440 --> 00:27:11.100
 by where they went

00:27:11.100 --> 00:27:12.380
 because Bethlehem,

00:27:12.600 --> 00:27:13.400
 where they went,

00:27:13.400 --> 00:27:14.380
 is six miles

00:27:14.380 --> 00:27:15.400
 southwest of Jerusalem,

00:27:15.759 --> 00:27:16.640
 well on their way

00:27:16.640 --> 00:27:17.740
 to Egypt already.

00:27:18.820 --> 00:27:19.700
 And that brings us

00:27:19.700 --> 00:27:20.540
 to chapter 42

00:27:20.540 --> 00:27:21.519
 and my second point,

00:27:21.780 --> 00:27:22.200
 denial,

00:27:23.340 --> 00:27:24.340
 which is another way

00:27:24.340 --> 00:27:25.480
 that sinful human beings

00:27:25.480 --> 00:27:26.820
 typically respond

00:27:26.820 --> 00:27:27.540
 when God's will

00:27:27.540 --> 00:27:28.360
 is not agreeable

00:27:28.360 --> 00:27:28.720
 to them.

00:27:29.960 --> 00:27:30.780
 But first,

00:27:30.960 --> 00:27:32.060
 in verses 1 to 3,

00:27:32.120 --> 00:27:32.880
 we see a hopeful

00:27:32.880 --> 00:27:33.320
 development.

00:27:33.460 --> 00:27:33.720
 It says,

00:27:34.120 --> 00:27:35.480
 Then all the commanders

00:27:35.480 --> 00:27:36.259
 of the forces

00:27:36.259 --> 00:27:37.460
 and Johanan,

00:27:37.560 --> 00:27:38.360
 the son of Kerea,

00:27:38.700 --> 00:27:39.480
 and Jezaniah,

00:27:39.540 --> 00:27:40.560
 the son of Hoshiah,

00:27:41.080 --> 00:27:42.280
 and all the people

00:27:42.280 --> 00:27:43.000
 from the least

00:27:43.000 --> 00:27:43.700
 to the greatest,

00:27:44.099 --> 00:27:44.880
 came near

00:27:44.880 --> 00:27:45.940
 and said to Jeremiah

00:27:45.940 --> 00:27:46.539
 the prophet,

00:27:47.039 --> 00:27:48.039
 Let our plea

00:27:48.039 --> 00:27:48.740
 for mercy

00:27:48.740 --> 00:27:49.700
 come before you

00:27:49.700 --> 00:27:51.059
 and pray to the Lord

00:27:51.059 --> 00:27:52.019
 your God for us

00:27:52.019 --> 00:27:54.140
 for all this remnant

00:27:54.140 --> 00:27:55.039
 because we are left

00:27:55.039 --> 00:27:55.799
 with but a few

00:27:55.799 --> 00:27:57.019
 as your eyes see us,

00:27:57.740 --> 00:27:58.339
 that the Lord

00:27:58.339 --> 00:27:58.759
 your God

00:27:58.759 --> 00:27:59.480
 may show us

00:27:59.480 --> 00:28:00.660
 the way we should go

00:28:00.660 --> 00:28:01.480
 and the thing

00:28:01.480 --> 00:28:02.420
 that we should do.

00:28:03.079 --> 00:28:04.200
 So while at a rest stop

00:28:04.200 --> 00:28:04.839
 in Bethlehem

00:28:04.839 --> 00:28:05.859
 on their way to Egypt,

00:28:06.059 --> 00:28:06.900
 the remnant of Judah

00:28:06.900 --> 00:28:07.339
 determined

00:28:07.339 --> 00:28:08.039
 it would be best

00:28:08.039 --> 00:28:08.500
 for them

00:28:08.500 --> 00:28:09.900
 to consult Jeremiah

00:28:09.900 --> 00:28:11.000
 since this

00:28:11.000 --> 00:28:12.299
 prominent prophet

00:28:12.299 --> 00:28:13.000
 was already

00:28:13.000 --> 00:28:13.839
 with them.

00:28:14.379 --> 00:28:15.720
 So all the commanders

00:28:15.720 --> 00:28:16.819
 and all the people

00:28:16.819 --> 00:28:17.319
 from the least

00:28:17.319 --> 00:28:17.839
 to the greatest,

00:28:17.960 --> 00:28:18.200
 it says,

00:28:18.279 --> 00:28:19.000
 the whole community,

00:28:19.339 --> 00:28:20.839
 they plead with Jeremiah,

00:28:21.000 --> 00:28:21.500
 come together

00:28:21.500 --> 00:28:23.259
 and inquire of God

00:28:23.259 --> 00:28:24.059
 to find out

00:28:24.059 --> 00:28:24.779
 where they should go

00:28:24.779 --> 00:28:25.599
 and what they should do.

00:28:26.259 --> 00:28:27.460
 So this is a big,

00:28:27.619 --> 00:28:28.579
 weighty decision for them

00:28:28.579 --> 00:28:29.259
 because there's only

00:28:29.259 --> 00:28:30.099
 a few of them left

00:28:30.099 --> 00:28:31.019
 and they're afraid

00:28:31.019 --> 00:28:32.619
 that the remnant,

00:28:32.759 --> 00:28:33.579
 all the people of Judah,

00:28:33.639 --> 00:28:34.519
 would perish altogether.

00:28:36.059 --> 00:28:37.139
 And as they are

00:28:37.139 --> 00:28:38.960
 pleading with him,

00:28:39.399 --> 00:28:40.539
 Jeremiah tells them

00:28:40.539 --> 00:28:41.139
 in verse 4,

00:28:41.500 --> 00:28:42.279
 I have heard you,

00:28:42.379 --> 00:28:42.759
 behold,

00:28:42.879 --> 00:28:43.500
 I will pray

00:28:43.500 --> 00:28:44.599
 to the Lord your God

00:28:44.599 --> 00:28:45.779
 according to your request

00:28:45.779 --> 00:28:47.220
 and whatever the Lord

00:28:47.220 --> 00:28:47.920
 answers you,

00:28:48.019 --> 00:28:48.779
 I will tell you,

00:28:48.940 --> 00:28:49.720
 I will keep nothing

00:28:49.720 --> 00:28:50.779
 back from you.

00:28:51.359 --> 00:28:52.220
 And then the people

00:28:52.220 --> 00:28:53.480
 respond by expressing

00:28:53.480 --> 00:28:54.319
 their sincerity

00:28:54.319 --> 00:28:56.119
 and they vow to obey

00:28:56.119 --> 00:28:57.119
 whatever the Lord says.

00:28:57.659 --> 00:28:58.659
 In verses 5 to 6,

00:28:59.159 --> 00:29:00.500
 may the Lord be a true

00:29:00.500 --> 00:29:01.599
 and faithful witness

00:29:01.599 --> 00:29:02.440
 against us

00:29:02.440 --> 00:29:03.559
 if we do not act

00:29:03.559 --> 00:29:04.659
 according to all the word

00:29:04.659 --> 00:29:05.539
 with which the Lord

00:29:05.539 --> 00:29:06.500
 your God sends you

00:29:06.500 --> 00:29:07.099
 to us.

00:29:07.099 --> 00:29:08.500
 Whether it is good

00:29:08.500 --> 00:29:08.980
 or bad,

00:29:09.299 --> 00:29:10.259
 we will obey

00:29:10.259 --> 00:29:11.099
 the voice of the Lord

00:29:11.099 --> 00:29:11.559
 our God

00:29:11.559 --> 00:29:12.980
 to whom we are sending you

00:29:12.980 --> 00:29:14.500
 that it may be well

00:29:14.500 --> 00:29:15.039
 with us

00:29:15.039 --> 00:29:15.619
 when we obey

00:29:15.619 --> 00:29:16.219
 the voice

00:29:16.219 --> 00:29:16.879
 of the Lord

00:29:16.879 --> 00:29:17.719
 our God.

00:29:18.439 --> 00:29:19.659
 So when making a pledge

00:29:19.659 --> 00:29:20.399
 to do something,

00:29:20.519 --> 00:29:21.039
 it was common

00:29:21.039 --> 00:29:21.799
 in this culture

00:29:21.799 --> 00:29:22.819
 to call people

00:29:22.819 --> 00:29:23.379
 as a witness

00:29:23.379 --> 00:29:23.919
 against them

00:29:23.919 --> 00:29:24.980
 should they fail

00:29:24.980 --> 00:29:25.480
 to do that.

00:29:26.059 --> 00:29:26.879
 And so if I don't do

00:29:26.879 --> 00:29:27.539
 such and such,

00:29:27.740 --> 00:29:28.399
 he will be a witness

00:29:28.399 --> 00:29:28.980
 against me.

00:29:29.299 --> 00:29:30.019
 Now when you wanted

00:29:30.019 --> 00:29:31.639
 to be extra emphatic,

00:29:31.779 --> 00:29:32.759
 you would call someone

00:29:32.759 --> 00:29:34.259
 to be a faithful witness.

00:29:34.439 --> 00:29:35.119
 If I don't do

00:29:35.119 --> 00:29:35.619
 such and such,

00:29:35.679 --> 00:29:36.839
 he will be a faithful witness

00:29:36.839 --> 00:29:37.539
 against me.

00:29:37.599 --> 00:29:38.039
 You see that

00:29:38.039 --> 00:29:38.899
 throughout scripture.

00:29:39.339 --> 00:29:40.159
 But here the people

00:29:40.159 --> 00:29:41.699
 are even more emphatic

00:29:41.699 --> 00:29:42.039
 than that.

00:29:42.119 --> 00:29:42.419
 They say,

00:29:42.500 --> 00:29:43.559
 if we don't do this,

00:29:43.919 --> 00:29:44.479
 may the Lord

00:29:44.479 --> 00:29:45.159
 be a true

00:29:45.159 --> 00:29:46.719
 and faithful witness

00:29:46.719 --> 00:29:47.479
 against us

00:29:47.479 --> 00:29:48.399
 if we do not act

00:29:48.399 --> 00:29:49.519
 according to all the word

00:29:49.519 --> 00:29:50.239
 with which the Lord

00:29:50.239 --> 00:29:50.539
 your God

00:29:50.539 --> 00:29:51.799
 sends you to us.

00:29:52.379 --> 00:29:53.139
 And they say that

00:29:53.139 --> 00:29:54.079
 whether it's good

00:29:54.079 --> 00:29:54.959
 or bad,

00:29:55.079 --> 00:29:55.579
 they will obey

00:29:55.579 --> 00:29:56.359
 the voice of the Lord.

00:29:56.919 --> 00:29:57.699
 Whether we like it

00:29:57.699 --> 00:29:58.079
 or not,

00:29:58.399 --> 00:29:59.039
 whether it seems

00:29:59.039 --> 00:30:00.000
 good to us

00:30:00.000 --> 00:30:00.479
 or not,

00:30:00.539 --> 00:30:01.199
 no matter what

00:30:01.199 --> 00:30:02.019
 the Lord says,

00:30:02.239 --> 00:30:03.659
 we will obey.

00:30:05.119 --> 00:30:06.839
 It's encouraging

00:30:06.839 --> 00:30:08.059
 to hear them say that,

00:30:08.099 --> 00:30:08.219
 right,

00:30:08.259 --> 00:30:09.500
 after all the unfaithful

00:30:09.500 --> 00:30:10.099
 and disobedience

00:30:10.099 --> 00:30:10.479
 we've seen

00:30:10.479 --> 00:30:10.959
 throughout the book

00:30:10.959 --> 00:30:11.319
 of Jeremiah.

00:30:11.439 --> 00:30:11.959
 It seems like

00:30:11.959 --> 00:30:12.599
 finally people

00:30:12.599 --> 00:30:13.039
 have learned

00:30:13.039 --> 00:30:13.559
 their lesson

00:30:13.559 --> 00:30:14.659
 after the fall

00:30:14.659 --> 00:30:15.159
 of Jerusalem

00:30:15.159 --> 00:30:15.859
 and are now

00:30:15.859 --> 00:30:16.819
 about to sincerely

00:30:16.819 --> 00:30:18.279
 obey the Lord

00:30:18.279 --> 00:30:18.959
 and follow him.

00:30:20.159 --> 00:30:21.099
 But God keeps them

00:30:21.099 --> 00:30:22.319
 waiting for a little while.

00:30:22.439 --> 00:30:23.119
 In verse 7,

00:30:23.539 --> 00:30:24.079
 it tells us that

00:30:24.079 --> 00:30:25.779
 at the end of 10 days,

00:30:26.399 --> 00:30:27.279
 the word of the Lord

00:30:27.279 --> 00:30:28.299
 came to Jeremiah.

00:30:29.379 --> 00:30:30.459
 This is instructive

00:30:30.459 --> 00:30:30.919
 for us

00:30:30.919 --> 00:30:32.539
 because it shows us

00:30:32.539 --> 00:30:33.119
 once again

00:30:33.119 --> 00:30:33.939
 that Jeremiah

00:30:33.939 --> 00:30:34.959
 was a true prophet.

00:30:35.119 --> 00:30:37.319
 Jeremiah could have

00:30:37.319 --> 00:30:38.699
 manipulated this situation

00:30:38.699 --> 00:30:40.479
 by simply telling them

00:30:40.479 --> 00:30:41.979
 his personal preference

00:30:41.979 --> 00:30:44.379
 and styling it

00:30:44.379 --> 00:30:45.119
 as the word of the Lord.

00:30:45.379 --> 00:30:46.559
 But he doesn't do that.

00:30:46.619 --> 00:30:48.279
 He waits on the Lord

00:30:48.279 --> 00:30:49.119
 and listens

00:30:49.119 --> 00:30:50.859
 until he hears from him

00:30:50.859 --> 00:30:52.439
 and it takes 10 days.

00:30:56.659 --> 00:30:57.659
 Especially here

00:30:57.659 --> 00:30:58.399
 in Cambridge

00:30:58.399 --> 00:30:59.139
 and nowadays,

00:30:59.259 --> 00:31:00.159
 I feel like it's rare

00:31:00.159 --> 00:31:01.500
 to find people

00:31:01.500 --> 00:31:02.500
 really earnestly

00:31:02.500 --> 00:31:03.539
 praying and waiting

00:31:03.539 --> 00:31:04.099
 on the Lord.

00:31:04.099 --> 00:31:08.099
 I think sometimes

00:31:08.099 --> 00:31:08.599
 it's because

00:31:08.599 --> 00:31:09.480
 we've let our hearts

00:31:09.480 --> 00:31:10.119
 get too busy.

00:31:11.439 --> 00:31:12.319
 We're hurried.

00:31:13.059 --> 00:31:13.799
 We've become

00:31:13.799 --> 00:31:15.279
 too preoccupied

00:31:15.279 --> 00:31:16.199
 with our own purposes

00:31:16.199 --> 00:31:16.859
 and priorities

00:31:16.859 --> 00:31:17.599
 that we don't wait

00:31:17.599 --> 00:31:18.179
 to find out

00:31:18.179 --> 00:31:19.039
 what God wants.

00:31:21.219 --> 00:31:22.059
 Other times,

00:31:22.199 --> 00:31:23.219
 we don't wait on God

00:31:23.219 --> 00:31:24.399
 because we no longer

00:31:24.399 --> 00:31:25.899
 believe that God speaks.

00:31:25.900 --> 00:31:29.000
 we think that we're

00:31:29.000 --> 00:31:29.660
 on our own

00:31:29.660 --> 00:31:30.560
 in our decision making

00:31:30.560 --> 00:31:31.980
 so we create a chart,

00:31:32.540 --> 00:31:33.560
 weigh the pros and cons,

00:31:33.900 --> 00:31:34.480
 make a decision

00:31:34.480 --> 00:31:35.800
 using our pragmatic wisdom.

00:31:38.740 --> 00:31:39.540
 I'm not saying

00:31:39.540 --> 00:31:40.460
 you shouldn't do those things.

00:31:41.300 --> 00:31:42.140
 Making a chart

00:31:42.140 --> 00:31:42.560
 is great.

00:31:43.600 --> 00:31:44.060
 Weighing the pros

00:31:44.060 --> 00:31:44.500
 and cons

00:31:44.500 --> 00:31:45.420
 is great.

00:31:45.860 --> 00:31:47.040
 Using our practical wisdom

00:31:47.040 --> 00:31:48.180
 is great.

00:31:48.660 --> 00:31:49.100
 And yes,

00:31:49.200 --> 00:31:49.980
 God can

00:31:49.980 --> 00:31:50.840
 and he does

00:31:50.840 --> 00:31:52.019
 use those processes

00:31:52.019 --> 00:31:53.100
 to lead us.

00:31:53.099 --> 00:31:54.259
 but what about

00:31:54.259 --> 00:31:55.779
 waiting on the voice

00:31:55.779 --> 00:31:57.039
 of the Lord?

00:32:00.099 --> 00:32:01.619
 God still speaks.

00:32:03.779 --> 00:32:04.859
 And sometimes

00:32:04.859 --> 00:32:05.399
 his will

00:32:05.399 --> 00:32:06.199
 confounds

00:32:06.199 --> 00:32:06.879
 the best

00:32:06.879 --> 00:32:07.779
 of human wisdom.

00:32:07.779 --> 00:32:10.779
 The same

00:32:10.779 --> 00:32:11.460
 Spirit of God

00:32:11.460 --> 00:32:11.940
 who spoke

00:32:11.940 --> 00:32:13.119
 to prophet Jeremiah

00:32:13.119 --> 00:32:14.180
 now indwells

00:32:14.180 --> 00:32:14.879
 every follower

00:32:14.879 --> 00:32:15.759
 of Jesus Christ

00:32:15.759 --> 00:32:18.759
 and we can

00:32:18.759 --> 00:32:19.639
 hear from him.

00:32:20.920 --> 00:32:21.779
 People often

00:32:21.779 --> 00:32:22.279
 ask me,

00:32:22.399 --> 00:32:22.960
 how do I hear

00:32:22.960 --> 00:32:23.440
 from God?

00:32:24.259 --> 00:32:25.039
 How can I

00:32:25.039 --> 00:32:25.940
 recognize his voice?

00:32:27.220 --> 00:32:28.059
 The Bible

00:32:28.059 --> 00:32:28.980
 doesn't explicitly

00:32:28.980 --> 00:32:30.259
 answer that question

00:32:30.259 --> 00:32:31.519
 because it was

00:32:31.519 --> 00:32:32.339
 never supposed

00:32:32.339 --> 00:32:32.960
 to be

00:32:32.960 --> 00:32:33.639
 mysterious.

00:32:35.700 --> 00:32:36.720
 Voice recognition

00:32:36.720 --> 00:32:37.359
 is a pretty

00:32:37.359 --> 00:32:38.099
 remarkable thing.

00:32:38.219 --> 00:32:38.459
 Nowadays,

00:32:38.659 --> 00:32:39.219
 we have

00:32:39.219 --> 00:32:39.779
 caller ID

00:32:39.779 --> 00:32:40.559
 on all of our phones

00:32:40.559 --> 00:32:41.019
 so we don't

00:32:41.019 --> 00:32:41.500
 really have to

00:32:41.500 --> 00:32:42.059
 use that anymore.

00:32:42.199 --> 00:32:42.919
 But back in the day

00:32:42.919 --> 00:32:43.599
 when you were

00:32:43.599 --> 00:32:44.500
 using landlines,

00:32:44.919 --> 00:32:45.699
 people would call

00:32:45.699 --> 00:32:46.319
 and you would

00:32:46.319 --> 00:32:46.899
 pick up and say

00:32:46.899 --> 00:32:47.679
 hello and as soon

00:32:47.679 --> 00:32:48.159
 as you hear

00:32:48.159 --> 00:32:48.699
 their hello,

00:32:49.319 --> 00:32:49.939
 you could tell

00:32:49.939 --> 00:32:50.459
 who it was

00:32:50.459 --> 00:32:50.839
 because you

00:32:50.839 --> 00:32:51.439
 recognized

00:32:51.439 --> 00:32:52.259
 the person's

00:32:52.259 --> 00:32:52.719
 voice.

00:32:55.759 --> 00:32:56.439
 Our voices

00:32:56.439 --> 00:32:56.919
 are unique,

00:32:57.000 --> 00:32:57.179
 right?

00:32:57.240 --> 00:32:58.059
 That's why

00:32:58.059 --> 00:32:59.339
 voice recognition

00:32:59.339 --> 00:33:00.339
 works with Siri

00:33:00.339 --> 00:33:01.179
 and Google Assistant

00:33:01.179 --> 00:33:01.579
 and such,

00:33:01.659 --> 00:33:01.819
 right?

00:33:02.359 --> 00:33:03.199
 And we learn

00:33:03.199 --> 00:33:03.939
 someone's voice

00:33:03.939 --> 00:33:04.299
 how?

00:33:04.399 --> 00:33:05.019
 By spending

00:33:05.019 --> 00:33:05.740
 time

00:33:05.740 --> 00:33:06.740
 with that person.

00:33:07.359 --> 00:33:08.659
 By getting

00:33:08.659 --> 00:33:09.339
 to know

00:33:09.339 --> 00:33:10.240
 that person

00:33:10.240 --> 00:33:11.139
 through repetition,

00:33:11.299 --> 00:33:11.740
 hearing that

00:33:11.740 --> 00:33:12.559
 person's voice

00:33:12.559 --> 00:33:14.179
 again and again.

00:33:14.759 --> 00:33:15.619
 It's the same

00:33:15.619 --> 00:33:16.279
 in our relationship

00:33:16.279 --> 00:33:16.839
 with God.

00:33:17.759 --> 00:33:18.839
 Galatians 5.25

00:33:18.839 --> 00:33:19.579
 speaks of

00:33:19.579 --> 00:33:20.699
 keeping in step

00:33:20.699 --> 00:33:21.379
 with the Spirit.

00:33:21.719 --> 00:33:22.159
 We're supposed

00:33:22.159 --> 00:33:23.279
 to walk with Him,

00:33:23.699 --> 00:33:24.759
 keep up with Him.

00:33:25.379 --> 00:33:27.019
 1 Corinthians 2.14-16

00:33:27.019 --> 00:33:27.799
 teaches that

00:33:27.799 --> 00:33:28.879
 a Christian is taught

00:33:28.879 --> 00:33:30.039
 by the Spirit of God

00:33:30.039 --> 00:33:30.779
 and therefore

00:33:30.779 --> 00:33:31.639
 have the mind

00:33:31.639 --> 00:33:32.319
 of Christ.

00:33:33.019 --> 00:33:33.859
 When you walk

00:33:33.859 --> 00:33:35.119
 closely with Christ,

00:33:35.119 --> 00:33:35.719
 when you seek

00:33:35.719 --> 00:33:36.379
 God's mind

00:33:36.379 --> 00:33:37.419
 regularly in His

00:33:37.419 --> 00:33:38.319
 Word and Scriptures,

00:33:38.719 --> 00:33:39.099
 when you're

00:33:39.099 --> 00:33:39.799
 accustomed to

00:33:39.799 --> 00:33:40.959
 obeying the

00:33:40.959 --> 00:33:42.099
 impressions of the

00:33:42.099 --> 00:33:42.839
 Spirit on your

00:33:42.839 --> 00:33:43.139
 heart,

00:33:43.199 --> 00:33:44.159
 you come to have

00:33:44.159 --> 00:33:45.159
 the mind of Christ

00:33:45.159 --> 00:33:45.859
 so that you

00:33:45.859 --> 00:33:46.739
 think like Him.

00:33:47.839 --> 00:33:48.839
 You know what

00:33:48.839 --> 00:33:49.799
 He would think

00:33:49.799 --> 00:33:50.819
 or say or do

00:33:50.819 --> 00:33:51.219
 in a given

00:33:51.219 --> 00:33:51.739
 situation.

00:33:52.739 --> 00:33:53.219
 In John,

00:33:53.359 --> 00:33:53.919
 Jesus says,

00:33:54.039 --> 00:33:54.739
 I am the good

00:33:54.739 --> 00:33:55.179
 shepherd.

00:33:55.719 --> 00:33:56.659
 In John 10,

00:33:56.739 --> 00:33:57.279
 He says that

00:33:57.279 --> 00:33:58.500
 when the shepherd

00:33:58.500 --> 00:34:00.039
 has brought out

00:34:00.039 --> 00:34:01.039
 all his own,

00:34:01.899 --> 00:34:02.879
 he goes before

00:34:02.879 --> 00:34:03.799
 them and the

00:34:03.799 --> 00:34:05.039
 sheep follow Him

00:34:05.039 --> 00:34:06.240
 for they know

00:34:06.240 --> 00:34:07.519
 His voice.

00:34:08.179 --> 00:34:08.940
 A stranger

00:34:08.940 --> 00:34:09.500
 they will not

00:34:09.500 --> 00:34:09.940
 follow,

00:34:10.400 --> 00:34:10.940
 but they will

00:34:10.940 --> 00:34:11.759
 flee from Him

00:34:11.759 --> 00:34:12.659
 for they do not

00:34:12.659 --> 00:34:13.820
 know the voice

00:34:13.820 --> 00:34:14.820
 of strangers.

00:34:17.099 --> 00:34:17.699
 There's an

00:34:17.699 --> 00:34:18.539
 incredible YouTube

00:34:18.539 --> 00:34:19.340
 video I saw

00:34:19.340 --> 00:34:19.820
 recently.

00:34:20.139 --> 00:34:20.840
 It's entitled,

00:34:21.380 --> 00:34:22.759
 Do Sheep Only

00:34:22.759 --> 00:34:23.300
 Obey Their

00:34:23.300 --> 00:34:24.079
 Master's Voice?

00:34:24.559 --> 00:34:25.099
 I guess some of

00:34:25.099 --> 00:34:25.380
 you guys seen

00:34:25.380 --> 00:34:25.559
 that.

00:34:25.719 --> 00:34:25.980
 I don't know.

00:34:27.619 --> 00:34:28.579
 It takes place

00:34:28.579 --> 00:34:29.380
 at a farm in

00:34:29.380 --> 00:34:29.659
 Norway.

00:34:31.219 --> 00:34:32.139
 Several strangers

00:34:32.139 --> 00:34:33.779
 try to mimic

00:34:33.780 --> 00:34:34.480
 the call of

00:34:34.480 --> 00:34:34.880
 the shepherd

00:34:34.880 --> 00:34:36.560
 and try to

00:34:36.560 --> 00:34:37.100
 bring the

00:34:37.100 --> 00:34:37.780
 flock of sheep

00:34:37.780 --> 00:34:38.380
 back to the

00:34:38.380 --> 00:34:38.620
 fold.

00:34:40.140 --> 00:34:41.140
 Several visitors

00:34:41.140 --> 00:34:41.840
 attempt it,

00:34:42.280 --> 00:34:43.300
 but as they're

00:34:43.300 --> 00:34:44.240
 trying their best,

00:34:44.360 --> 00:34:44.740
 the sheep

00:34:44.740 --> 00:34:45.820
 completely ignore

00:34:45.820 --> 00:34:46.100
 them.

00:34:46.600 --> 00:34:47.140
 They don't even

00:34:47.140 --> 00:34:47.620
 lift their head,

00:34:47.660 --> 00:34:48.100
 they just keep

00:34:48.100 --> 00:34:48.740
 eating the grass.

00:34:49.440 --> 00:34:50.320
 It's really

00:34:50.320 --> 00:34:51.100
 entertaining to

00:34:51.100 --> 00:34:51.360
 watch.

00:34:52.500 --> 00:34:53.360
 And then after

00:34:53.360 --> 00:34:54.019
 they've all taken

00:34:54.019 --> 00:34:54.580
 their turns,

00:34:54.860 --> 00:34:55.440
 the shepherd

00:34:55.440 --> 00:34:56.760
 calls out to

00:34:56.760 --> 00:34:56.980
 them.

00:34:57.880 --> 00:34:58.840
 They immediately

00:34:58.840 --> 00:34:59.760
 look up,

00:34:59.920 --> 00:35:00.540
 turn their heads

00:35:00.540 --> 00:35:01.080
 toward the shepherd.

00:35:01.340 --> 00:35:01.960
 They start

00:35:01.960 --> 00:35:03.400
 bawling in response,

00:35:03.400 --> 00:35:03.840
 and then they

00:35:03.840 --> 00:35:04.940
 all run over

00:35:04.940 --> 00:35:05.920
 to the fold.

00:35:06.720 --> 00:35:07.460
 It's amazing

00:35:07.460 --> 00:35:07.880
 to see.

00:35:07.980 --> 00:35:08.380
 It's almost

00:35:08.380 --> 00:35:09.340
 moving to

00:35:09.340 --> 00:35:09.920
 watch it.

00:35:10.500 --> 00:35:10.599
 Yeah.

00:35:11.599 --> 00:35:12.099
 And Jesus

00:35:12.099 --> 00:35:12.460
 said,

00:35:12.639 --> 00:35:13.340
 My sheep

00:35:13.340 --> 00:35:14.559
 hear my

00:35:14.559 --> 00:35:15.079
 voice,

00:35:15.619 --> 00:35:17.260
 and I know

00:35:17.260 --> 00:35:17.619
 them,

00:35:17.820 --> 00:35:18.240
 and they

00:35:18.240 --> 00:35:19.059
 follow me.

00:35:20.660 --> 00:35:21.579
 You may not

00:35:21.579 --> 00:35:22.440
 hear the audible

00:35:22.440 --> 00:35:23.420
 voice of God,

00:35:23.559 --> 00:35:24.579
 but God speaks

00:35:24.579 --> 00:35:25.019
 through his

00:35:25.019 --> 00:35:25.320
 word.

00:35:25.880 --> 00:35:26.780
 God speaks

00:35:26.780 --> 00:35:27.539
 through his

00:35:27.539 --> 00:35:27.940
 spirit,

00:35:28.099 --> 00:35:28.780
 and God often

00:35:28.780 --> 00:35:29.780
 uses his people,

00:35:30.000 --> 00:35:30.420
 the church,

00:35:30.500 --> 00:35:31.139
 to speak as

00:35:31.139 --> 00:35:31.400
 well.

00:35:31.400 --> 00:35:32.039
 Are you

00:35:32.039 --> 00:35:32.920
 familiar with

00:35:32.920 --> 00:35:33.260
 the voice

00:35:33.260 --> 00:35:33.740
 of the Lord?

00:35:36.139 --> 00:35:36.700
 Is it

00:35:36.700 --> 00:35:37.180
 your habit

00:35:37.180 --> 00:35:37.820
 to wait

00:35:37.820 --> 00:35:38.840
 on the

00:35:38.840 --> 00:35:39.240
 voice of

00:35:39.240 --> 00:35:39.579
 the Lord?

00:35:41.700 --> 00:35:42.360
 It was a

00:35:42.360 --> 00:35:42.740
 good thing

00:35:42.740 --> 00:35:43.160
 that Jeremiah

00:35:43.160 --> 00:35:43.780
 waited,

00:35:44.139 --> 00:35:45.300
 because God's

00:35:45.300 --> 00:35:46.180
 word challenged

00:35:46.180 --> 00:35:46.820
 in this case

00:35:46.820 --> 00:35:47.340
 their common

00:35:47.340 --> 00:35:47.820
 sense.

00:35:48.920 --> 00:35:49.599
 Jeremiah says

00:35:49.599 --> 00:35:49.940
 in verses

00:35:49.940 --> 00:35:50.700
 10 to 12,

00:35:51.139 --> 00:35:51.720
 If you will

00:35:51.720 --> 00:35:52.519
 remain in this

00:35:52.519 --> 00:35:52.800
 land,

00:35:53.039 --> 00:35:53.559
 then I will

00:35:53.559 --> 00:35:54.380
 build you up

00:35:54.380 --> 00:35:55.099
 and not

00:35:55.099 --> 00:35:55.720
 pull you down.

00:35:55.840 --> 00:35:56.660
 I will plant

00:35:56.660 --> 00:35:57.300
 you and not

00:35:57.300 --> 00:35:58.160
 pluck you up,

00:35:58.380 --> 00:35:59.200
 for I relent

00:35:59.200 --> 00:35:59.840
 of the disaster

00:35:59.840 --> 00:36:00.260
 that I did

00:36:00.260 --> 00:36:00.639
 to you.

00:36:01.460 --> 00:36:01.739
 Do not

00:36:01.739 --> 00:36:02.400
 fear the

00:36:02.400 --> 00:36:02.739
 king of

00:36:02.739 --> 00:36:03.019
 Babylon,

00:36:03.199 --> 00:36:03.420
 of whom

00:36:03.420 --> 00:36:03.659
 you are

00:36:03.659 --> 00:36:04.000
 afraid.

00:36:04.139 --> 00:36:04.440
 Do not

00:36:04.440 --> 00:36:04.900
 fear him,

00:36:04.980 --> 00:36:05.219
 declares

00:36:05.219 --> 00:36:05.519
 the Lord,

00:36:05.579 --> 00:36:06.239
 for I am

00:36:06.239 --> 00:36:06.719
 with you

00:36:06.719 --> 00:36:07.559
 to save

00:36:07.559 --> 00:36:07.940
 you and

00:36:07.940 --> 00:36:08.440
 to deliver

00:36:08.440 --> 00:36:08.839
 you from

00:36:08.839 --> 00:36:09.259
 his hand.

00:36:09.539 --> 00:36:10.019
 I will

00:36:10.019 --> 00:36:10.619
 grant you

00:36:10.619 --> 00:36:11.019
 mercy,

00:36:11.420 --> 00:36:11.920
 that he

00:36:11.920 --> 00:36:12.379
 may have

00:36:12.379 --> 00:36:12.920
 mercy on

00:36:12.920 --> 00:36:13.119
 you,

00:36:13.379 --> 00:36:13.739
 and let

00:36:13.739 --> 00:36:14.179
 you remain

00:36:14.179 --> 00:36:14.440
 in your

00:36:14.440 --> 00:36:15.039
 own land.

00:36:15.799 --> 00:36:16.119
 It's a

00:36:16.119 --> 00:36:16.460
 wonderful

00:36:16.460 --> 00:36:16.859
 promise.

00:36:17.000 --> 00:36:17.339
 God says

00:36:17.339 --> 00:36:17.579
 he has

00:36:17.579 --> 00:36:18.139
 relented

00:36:18.139 --> 00:36:18.500
 of the

00:36:18.500 --> 00:36:18.900
 disaster

00:36:18.900 --> 00:36:19.339
 that he

00:36:19.339 --> 00:36:19.739
 brought

00:36:19.739 --> 00:36:20.119
 to them.

00:36:20.400 --> 00:36:20.579
 His

00:36:20.579 --> 00:36:20.980
 justice

00:36:20.980 --> 00:36:21.420
 has been

00:36:21.420 --> 00:36:22.019
 satisfied,

00:36:22.460 --> 00:36:22.699
 and he's

00:36:22.699 --> 00:36:23.259
 no longer

00:36:23.259 --> 00:36:23.920
 pouring out

00:36:23.920 --> 00:36:24.659
 his wrath

00:36:24.659 --> 00:36:25.159
 upon them,

00:36:25.379 --> 00:36:25.719
 and if

00:36:25.719 --> 00:36:26.279
 they obey

00:36:26.279 --> 00:36:27.179
 him now,

00:36:27.359 --> 00:36:27.859
 the same

00:36:27.859 --> 00:36:28.539
 promise that

00:36:28.539 --> 00:36:28.840
 God had

00:36:28.840 --> 00:36:29.139
 made to

00:36:29.139 --> 00:36:29.239
 the

00:36:29.239 --> 00:36:29.619
 exiles

00:36:29.619 --> 00:36:30.039
 will be

00:36:30.039 --> 00:36:30.360
 theirs.

00:36:30.360 --> 00:36:31.000
 They will

00:36:31.000 --> 00:36:31.480
 not be

00:36:31.480 --> 00:36:31.960
 plucked out,

00:36:32.039 --> 00:36:32.179
 they will

00:36:32.179 --> 00:36:32.739
 be planted

00:36:32.739 --> 00:36:33.460
 and restored

00:36:33.460 --> 00:36:34.480
 to the

00:36:34.480 --> 00:36:34.800
 land.

00:36:35.320 --> 00:36:35.679
 But,

00:36:36.519 --> 00:36:36.960
 Jeremiah

00:36:36.960 --> 00:36:37.699
 continues in

00:36:37.699 --> 00:36:38.380
 verses 13

00:36:38.380 --> 00:36:38.800
 to 18,

00:36:38.860 --> 00:36:39.239
 if you

00:36:39.239 --> 00:36:39.619
 say,

00:36:40.340 --> 00:36:40.539
 we will

00:36:40.539 --> 00:36:41.079
 not remain

00:36:41.079 --> 00:36:41.400
 in this

00:36:41.400 --> 00:36:41.800
 land,

00:36:43.300 --> 00:36:43.759
 disobeying

00:36:43.759 --> 00:36:44.219
 the voice

00:36:44.219 --> 00:36:44.699
 of the

00:36:44.699 --> 00:36:45.139
 Lord your

00:36:45.139 --> 00:36:45.420
 God,

00:36:45.480 --> 00:36:45.860
 and saying,

00:36:46.199 --> 00:36:46.400
 no,

00:36:46.559 --> 00:36:47.099
 we will

00:36:47.099 --> 00:36:47.599
 go to

00:36:47.599 --> 00:36:48.059
 the land

00:36:48.059 --> 00:36:48.599
 of Egypt,

00:36:49.000 --> 00:36:49.380
 where we

00:36:49.380 --> 00:36:49.920
 shall not

00:36:49.920 --> 00:36:50.539
 see war,

00:36:50.639 --> 00:36:50.940
 or hear

00:36:50.940 --> 00:36:51.440
 the sound

00:36:51.440 --> 00:36:51.679
 of the

00:36:51.679 --> 00:36:51.960
 trumpet,

00:36:52.039 --> 00:36:52.259
 or be

00:36:52.259 --> 00:36:52.759
 hungry for

00:36:52.759 --> 00:36:53.059
 bread,

00:36:53.199 --> 00:36:53.559
 and we

00:36:53.559 --> 00:36:53.880
 will dwell

00:36:53.880 --> 00:36:54.219
 there.

00:36:54.960 --> 00:36:55.400
 Then,

00:36:55.619 --> 00:36:56.079
 hear the

00:36:56.079 --> 00:36:56.559
 word of the

00:36:56.559 --> 00:36:56.719
 Lord,

00:36:56.719 --> 00:36:57.139
 O remnant

00:36:57.139 --> 00:36:57.519
 of Judah.

00:36:58.039 --> 00:36:58.339
 Thus,

00:36:58.459 --> 00:36:58.759
 says the

00:36:58.759 --> 00:36:59.059
 Lord of

00:36:59.059 --> 00:36:59.319
 hosts,

00:36:59.399 --> 00:36:59.719
 the God

00:36:59.719 --> 00:37:00.159
 of Israel,

00:37:00.359 --> 00:37:00.759
 if you

00:37:00.759 --> 00:37:01.199
 set your

00:37:01.199 --> 00:37:01.799
 faces to

00:37:01.799 --> 00:37:02.659
 enter Egypt

00:37:02.659 --> 00:37:03.399
 and go to

00:37:03.399 --> 00:37:04.059
 live there,

00:37:04.139 --> 00:37:04.500
 then the

00:37:04.500 --> 00:37:05.039
 sword that

00:37:05.039 --> 00:37:05.519
 you fear

00:37:05.519 --> 00:37:06.359
 shall overtake

00:37:06.359 --> 00:37:07.119
 you there

00:37:07.119 --> 00:37:07.719
 in the land

00:37:07.719 --> 00:37:08.179
 of Egypt,

00:37:08.399 --> 00:37:08.899
 and the

00:37:08.899 --> 00:37:09.399
 famine of

00:37:09.399 --> 00:37:09.719
 which you

00:37:09.719 --> 00:37:10.239
 are afraid

00:37:10.239 --> 00:37:10.939
 shall follow

00:37:10.939 --> 00:37:11.679
 close after

00:37:11.679 --> 00:37:12.000
 you to

00:37:12.000 --> 00:37:12.279
 Egypt,

00:37:12.439 --> 00:37:12.899
 and there

00:37:12.899 --> 00:37:13.559
 you shall

00:37:13.559 --> 00:37:14.319
 die.

00:37:15.539 --> 00:37:16.119
 All the

00:37:16.119 --> 00:37:16.579
 men who

00:37:16.579 --> 00:37:17.000
 set their

00:37:17.000 --> 00:37:17.519
 faces to

00:37:17.519 --> 00:37:17.759
 go to

00:37:17.759 --> 00:37:18.179
 Egypt to

00:37:18.179 --> 00:37:18.559
 live there

00:37:18.559 --> 00:37:19.079
 shall die

00:37:19.079 --> 00:37:19.459
 by the

00:37:19.459 --> 00:37:19.859
 sword,

00:37:19.980 --> 00:37:20.579
 by famine,

00:37:20.679 --> 00:37:21.000
 and by

00:37:21.000 --> 00:37:21.579
 pestilence.

00:37:22.059 --> 00:37:22.599
 They shall

00:37:22.599 --> 00:37:23.519
 have no

00:37:23.519 --> 00:37:24.319
 remnant or

00:37:24.319 --> 00:37:25.599
 survivor from

00:37:25.599 --> 00:37:26.159
 the disaster

00:37:26.159 --> 00:37:26.719
 that I

00:37:26.719 --> 00:37:27.399
 will bring

00:37:27.399 --> 00:37:28.819
 upon them.

00:37:29.579 --> 00:37:30.299
 The people

00:37:30.299 --> 00:37:31.480
 were considering

00:37:31.480 --> 00:37:32.119
 fleeing to

00:37:32.119 --> 00:37:32.960
 Egypt because

00:37:32.960 --> 00:37:33.659
 they feared

00:37:33.659 --> 00:37:34.000
 that the

00:37:34.000 --> 00:37:34.359
 remnant of

00:37:34.359 --> 00:37:34.779
 Judah would

00:37:34.779 --> 00:37:35.179
 perish.

00:37:35.339 --> 00:37:35.500
 They would

00:37:35.500 --> 00:37:36.019
 not survive

00:37:36.019 --> 00:37:36.279
 if they

00:37:36.279 --> 00:37:36.539
 stayed in

00:37:36.539 --> 00:37:36.839
 the land

00:37:36.839 --> 00:37:37.259
 because of

00:37:37.259 --> 00:37:38.299
 the Babylonian

00:37:38.299 --> 00:37:39.460
 retaliation.

00:37:39.879 --> 00:37:40.279
 But Jeremiah

00:37:40.279 --> 00:37:40.899
 warns them

00:37:40.899 --> 00:37:41.480
 instead that

00:37:41.480 --> 00:37:42.139
 if you flee

00:37:42.139 --> 00:37:42.699
 to Egypt,

00:37:42.839 --> 00:37:43.239
 what you

00:37:43.239 --> 00:37:44.039
 fear will

00:37:44.039 --> 00:37:44.859
 exactly happen

00:37:44.859 --> 00:37:45.339
 to you,

00:37:45.579 --> 00:37:45.920
 and there

00:37:45.920 --> 00:37:46.480
 will be no

00:37:46.480 --> 00:37:47.019
 remnant or

00:37:47.019 --> 00:37:48.059
 survivor left

00:37:48.059 --> 00:37:48.779
 from the

00:37:48.779 --> 00:37:49.379
 disaster that

00:37:49.379 --> 00:37:49.739
 I will bring

00:37:49.739 --> 00:37:50.399
 upon those

00:37:50.399 --> 00:37:51.279
 who flee to

00:37:51.279 --> 00:37:51.739
 Egypt.

00:37:51.739 --> 00:37:54.179
 And as

00:37:54.179 --> 00:37:54.859
 Jeremiah is

00:37:54.859 --> 00:37:55.459
 relaying this

00:37:55.459 --> 00:37:55.779
 word of

00:37:55.779 --> 00:37:56.279
 God to

00:37:56.279 --> 00:37:56.599
 them,

00:37:56.939 --> 00:37:57.559
 he must be

00:37:57.559 --> 00:37:57.979
 looking at

00:37:57.979 --> 00:37:58.459
 their faces

00:37:58.459 --> 00:37:59.000
 or something

00:37:59.000 --> 00:37:59.559
 and seeing

00:37:59.559 --> 00:38:00.559
 their disapproval

00:38:00.559 --> 00:38:01.339
 or disbelief

00:38:01.339 --> 00:38:02.459
 because he

00:38:02.459 --> 00:38:03.379
 anticipates what

00:38:03.379 --> 00:38:03.859
 their response

00:38:03.859 --> 00:38:04.500
 will be in

00:38:04.500 --> 00:38:05.219
 verses 19

00:38:05.219 --> 00:38:05.819
 to 22.

00:38:06.299 --> 00:38:06.879
 Jeremiah says,

00:38:06.880 --> 00:38:07.500
 The Lord has

00:38:07.500 --> 00:38:08.079
 said to you,

00:38:08.140 --> 00:38:08.460
 O remnant

00:38:08.460 --> 00:38:08.880
 of Judah,

00:38:09.140 --> 00:38:09.840
 do not go

00:38:09.840 --> 00:38:10.440
 to Egypt.

00:38:10.900 --> 00:38:11.680
 Know for a

00:38:11.680 --> 00:38:12.640
 certainty that

00:38:12.640 --> 00:38:13.280
 I have warned

00:38:13.280 --> 00:38:13.820
 you this day

00:38:13.820 --> 00:38:14.579
 that you have

00:38:14.579 --> 00:38:15.340
 gone astray

00:38:15.340 --> 00:38:16.160
 at the cost

00:38:16.160 --> 00:38:16.980
 of your lives.

00:38:17.640 --> 00:38:18.440
 For you sent

00:38:18.440 --> 00:38:18.800
 me to the

00:38:18.800 --> 00:38:19.260
 Lord your God

00:38:19.260 --> 00:38:19.519
 saying,

00:38:19.640 --> 00:38:20.240
 Pray for us,

00:38:20.300 --> 00:38:20.880
 the Lord our God,

00:38:20.940 --> 00:38:21.360
 and whatever

00:38:21.360 --> 00:38:22.039
 the Lord our God

00:38:22.039 --> 00:38:22.400
 says,

00:38:22.840 --> 00:38:23.880
 declare to us

00:38:23.880 --> 00:38:24.800
 and we will

00:38:24.800 --> 00:38:25.440
 do it.

00:38:26.500 --> 00:38:27.640
 And I have

00:38:27.640 --> 00:38:28.640
 this day

00:38:28.640 --> 00:38:29.320
 declared it to

00:38:29.320 --> 00:38:29.539
 you,

00:38:29.800 --> 00:38:30.519
 but you have

00:38:30.519 --> 00:38:31.900
 not obeyed

00:38:31.900 --> 00:38:32.579
 the voice

00:38:32.579 --> 00:38:33.119
 of the Lord

00:38:33.119 --> 00:38:33.539
 your God

00:38:33.539 --> 00:38:34.300
 in anything

00:38:34.300 --> 00:38:34.920
 that he has

00:38:34.920 --> 00:38:35.320
 sent me to

00:38:35.320 --> 00:38:35.760
 tell you.

00:38:35.760 --> 00:38:36.760
 Now therefore

00:38:36.760 --> 00:38:37.360
 know for a

00:38:37.360 --> 00:38:38.080
 certainty that

00:38:38.080 --> 00:38:38.980
 you shall die

00:38:38.980 --> 00:38:39.500
 by disorder,

00:38:39.600 --> 00:38:40.040
 by famine,

00:38:40.120 --> 00:38:40.820
 and by pestilence

00:38:40.820 --> 00:38:41.380
 in the place

00:38:41.380 --> 00:38:42.060
 where you desire

00:38:42.060 --> 00:38:42.620
 to go live.

00:38:43.340 --> 00:38:44.000
 These Judeans

00:38:44.000 --> 00:38:44.600
 just did not

00:38:44.600 --> 00:38:45.600
 see this coming.

00:38:46.840 --> 00:38:47.440
 They were so

00:38:47.440 --> 00:38:48.320
 sure that

00:38:48.320 --> 00:38:49.140
 God's word

00:38:49.140 --> 00:38:50.580
 would agree

00:38:50.580 --> 00:38:51.400
 with their own

00:38:51.400 --> 00:38:52.840
 view of things

00:38:52.840 --> 00:38:53.160
 that they

00:38:53.160 --> 00:38:53.840
 had vowed

00:38:53.840 --> 00:38:54.720
 to obey God

00:38:54.720 --> 00:38:56.120
 no matter what,

00:38:56.300 --> 00:38:56.660
 whether for

00:38:56.660 --> 00:38:57.220
 good or bad.

00:38:57.680 --> 00:38:58.320
 But it turns

00:38:58.320 --> 00:38:58.860
 out that they

00:38:58.860 --> 00:38:59.720
 were not

00:38:59.720 --> 00:39:00.580
 actually prepared

00:39:00.580 --> 00:39:01.220
 to obey God

00:39:01.220 --> 00:39:01.940
 at all costs.

00:39:02.200 --> 00:39:02.780
 They were only

00:39:02.780 --> 00:39:03.520
 prepared to obey

00:39:03.520 --> 00:39:04.600
 God as long

00:39:04.600 --> 00:39:05.200
 as his word

00:39:05.200 --> 00:39:05.720
 agreed.

00:39:05.760 --> 00:39:06.280
 with their

00:39:06.280 --> 00:39:06.560
 own.

00:39:08.940 --> 00:39:09.700
 They wanted

00:39:09.700 --> 00:39:10.220
 God to

00:39:10.220 --> 00:39:11.100
 confirm their

00:39:11.100 --> 00:39:11.740
 own opinions,

00:39:11.940 --> 00:39:12.980
 not contradict

00:39:12.980 --> 00:39:13.480
 them.

00:39:16.600 --> 00:39:17.140
 And so they

00:39:17.140 --> 00:39:18.140
 respond tragically.

00:39:18.260 --> 00:39:18.740
 They don't

00:39:18.740 --> 00:39:19.220
 respond.

00:39:19.540 --> 00:39:20.360
 They disobey

00:39:20.360 --> 00:39:20.720
 the voice

00:39:20.720 --> 00:39:21.160
 of the Lord.

00:39:21.840 --> 00:39:22.180
 In fact,

00:39:22.260 --> 00:39:23.120
 they accuse

00:39:23.120 --> 00:39:26.780
 Jeremiah

00:39:26.780 --> 00:39:27.440
 of telling

00:39:27.440 --> 00:39:27.940
 a lie.

00:39:28.940 --> 00:39:29.660
 And they

00:39:29.660 --> 00:39:30.740
 accuse Baruch,

00:39:30.820 --> 00:39:31.580
 his scribe,

00:39:31.640 --> 00:39:32.120
 of setting

00:39:32.120 --> 00:39:32.580
 him up,

00:39:33.040 --> 00:39:33.760
 of pressuring

00:39:33.760 --> 00:39:34.160
 him to do

00:39:34.160 --> 00:39:34.440
 this.

00:39:34.440 --> 00:39:36.599
 And at

00:39:36.599 --> 00:39:36.880
 the end

00:39:36.880 --> 00:39:37.099
 of,

00:39:37.500 --> 00:39:38.179
 in verse

00:39:38.179 --> 00:39:38.460
 seven,

00:39:38.519 --> 00:39:38.780
 it says,

00:39:38.900 --> 00:39:39.119
 and they

00:39:39.119 --> 00:39:39.559
 came into

00:39:39.559 --> 00:39:39.900
 the land

00:39:39.900 --> 00:39:40.400
 of Egypt,

00:39:40.920 --> 00:39:41.300
 for they

00:39:41.300 --> 00:39:41.740
 did not

00:39:41.740 --> 00:39:42.280
 obey the

00:39:42.280 --> 00:39:42.700
 voice of

00:39:42.700 --> 00:39:43.059
 the Lord,

00:39:43.599 --> 00:39:43.980
 and they

00:39:43.980 --> 00:39:44.780
 arrived at

00:39:44.780 --> 00:39:46.019
 Tephenus.

00:39:46.820 --> 00:39:47.460
 They fell

00:39:47.460 --> 00:39:48.039
 into denial.

00:39:48.599 --> 00:39:49.200
 They were

00:39:49.200 --> 00:39:50.079
 so persuaded

00:39:50.079 --> 00:39:50.460
 that going

00:39:50.460 --> 00:39:50.840
 to Egypt

00:39:50.840 --> 00:39:51.300
 was the

00:39:51.300 --> 00:39:52.019
 only way

00:39:52.019 --> 00:39:52.599
 to ensure

00:39:52.599 --> 00:39:53.340
 their safety,

00:39:53.760 --> 00:39:54.200
 their mind

00:39:54.200 --> 00:39:54.840
 was completely

00:39:54.840 --> 00:39:55.519
 closed off

00:39:55.519 --> 00:39:55.840
 to any

00:39:55.840 --> 00:39:56.519
 other possibility.

00:39:56.519 --> 00:39:58.000
 and they

00:39:58.000 --> 00:39:58.380
 don't dare

00:39:58.380 --> 00:39:58.759
 say that

00:39:58.759 --> 00:39:59.119
 God is

00:39:59.119 --> 00:39:59.400
 wrong,

00:39:59.460 --> 00:39:59.699
 but they

00:39:59.699 --> 00:40:00.539
 deny that

00:40:00.539 --> 00:40:00.780
 that's

00:40:00.780 --> 00:40:01.280
 what God

00:40:01.280 --> 00:40:01.759
 really

00:40:01.759 --> 00:40:02.579
 said.

00:40:04.280 --> 00:40:04.699
 And note

00:40:04.699 --> 00:40:05.239
 the repetition

00:40:05.239 --> 00:40:06.139
 of the phrase

00:40:06.139 --> 00:40:06.739
 the voice

00:40:06.739 --> 00:40:06.980
 of the

00:40:06.980 --> 00:40:07.400
 Lord here.

00:40:07.800 --> 00:40:08.159
 In verse

00:40:08.159 --> 00:40:09.239
 four and

00:40:09.239 --> 00:40:09.880
 verse seven,

00:40:10.039 --> 00:40:10.420
 it says the

00:40:10.420 --> 00:40:11.099
 voice of the

00:40:11.099 --> 00:40:11.199
 Lord,

00:40:11.259 --> 00:40:11.579
 they did not

00:40:11.579 --> 00:40:12.039
 obey the

00:40:12.039 --> 00:40:12.340
 voice of

00:40:12.340 --> 00:40:12.599
 the Lord.

00:40:12.900 --> 00:40:13.199
 Earlier

00:40:13.199 --> 00:40:13.519
 in chapter

00:40:13.519 --> 00:40:13.960
 40,

00:40:14.039 --> 00:40:14.619
 verse 3,

00:40:14.759 --> 00:40:15.199
 Nebuchadrach

00:40:15.199 --> 00:40:15.960
 accused the

00:40:15.960 --> 00:40:16.280
 people of

00:40:16.280 --> 00:40:16.659
 Judah of

00:40:16.659 --> 00:40:17.219
 sinning against

00:40:17.219 --> 00:40:17.619
 the Lord

00:40:17.619 --> 00:40:18.480
 and not

00:40:18.480 --> 00:40:19.039
 obeying

00:40:19.039 --> 00:40:20.280
 his voice.

00:40:20.719 --> 00:40:21.079
 And in

00:40:21.079 --> 00:40:21.800
 chapter 42,

00:40:22.059 --> 00:40:22.500
 the phrase

00:40:22.500 --> 00:40:23.039
 voice of the

00:40:23.039 --> 00:40:23.519
 Lord was

00:40:23.519 --> 00:40:24.619
 repeated four

00:40:24.619 --> 00:40:25.480
 times and

00:40:25.480 --> 00:40:26.000
 here again

00:40:26.000 --> 00:40:27.159
 twice in

00:40:27.159 --> 00:40:27.579
 short,

00:40:27.880 --> 00:40:28.420
 in a few

00:40:28.420 --> 00:40:28.980
 verses of

00:40:28.980 --> 00:40:29.780
 chapter 43.

00:40:30.320 --> 00:40:30.980
 So this is a

00:40:30.980 --> 00:40:31.760
 major theme of

00:40:31.760 --> 00:40:32.280
 these chapters.

00:40:32.500 --> 00:40:33.320
 God has

00:40:33.320 --> 00:40:34.199
 spoken,

00:40:34.719 --> 00:40:35.360
 his voice

00:40:35.360 --> 00:40:35.780
 has been

00:40:35.780 --> 00:40:36.260
 heard,

00:40:36.480 --> 00:40:36.800
 but the

00:40:36.800 --> 00:40:37.320
 people of

00:40:37.320 --> 00:40:37.639
 Judah

00:40:37.639 --> 00:40:38.880
 disobey.

00:40:40.719 --> 00:40:41.519
 We too

00:40:41.519 --> 00:40:42.199
 often ask

00:40:42.199 --> 00:40:42.619
 God for

00:40:42.619 --> 00:40:43.679
 direction when

00:40:43.679 --> 00:40:44.199
 we are at

00:40:44.199 --> 00:40:45.420
 crossroads of

00:40:45.420 --> 00:40:45.920
 our lives.

00:40:46.619 --> 00:40:47.559
 We ask him

00:40:47.559 --> 00:40:47.880
 what his

00:40:47.880 --> 00:40:48.539
 will for us

00:40:48.539 --> 00:40:49.239
 really is.

00:40:49.719 --> 00:40:50.400
 But perhaps

00:40:50.400 --> 00:40:50.980
 the more

00:40:50.980 --> 00:40:51.960
 important question

00:40:51.960 --> 00:40:53.000
 to ask is

00:40:53.000 --> 00:40:53.599
 whether or

00:40:53.599 --> 00:40:54.440
 not we are

00:40:54.440 --> 00:40:55.320
 prepared to

00:40:55.320 --> 00:40:55.800
 obey

00:40:55.800 --> 00:40:56.580
 the voice

00:40:56.580 --> 00:40:56.980
 of the

00:40:56.980 --> 00:40:57.220
 Lord.

00:41:00.220 --> 00:41:00.860
 It's all

00:41:00.860 --> 00:41:01.400
 too familiar,

00:41:01.560 --> 00:41:01.880
 isn't it?

00:41:02.680 --> 00:41:03.060
 Our young

00:41:03.060 --> 00:41:03.640
 man says,

00:41:04.519 --> 00:41:04.720
 I will

00:41:04.720 --> 00:41:05.120
 follow you

00:41:05.120 --> 00:41:05.400
 God,

00:41:05.480 --> 00:41:05.960
 wherever you

00:41:05.960 --> 00:41:06.440
 go Lord.

00:41:07.300 --> 00:41:07.580
 I will

00:41:07.580 --> 00:41:07.980
 become a

00:41:07.980 --> 00:41:09.200
 pastor or

00:41:09.200 --> 00:41:10.560
 missionary to

00:41:10.560 --> 00:41:11.200
 serve you and

00:41:11.200 --> 00:41:11.620
 I'm going to

00:41:11.620 --> 00:41:12.180
 win the world

00:41:12.180 --> 00:41:13.300
 back for you.

00:41:15.140 --> 00:41:15.900
 He says

00:41:15.900 --> 00:41:16.480
 this because

00:41:16.480 --> 00:41:17.280
 he thinks

00:41:17.280 --> 00:41:18.620
 that ministry

00:41:18.620 --> 00:41:19.060
 will make

00:41:19.060 --> 00:41:19.460
 much of

00:41:19.460 --> 00:41:19.700
 him.

00:41:20.560 --> 00:41:21.160
 Because he

00:41:21.160 --> 00:41:21.600
 thinks he's

00:41:21.600 --> 00:41:22.200
 going to get

00:41:22.200 --> 00:41:22.760
 a large

00:41:22.760 --> 00:41:23.400
 following right

00:41:23.400 --> 00:41:23.700
 away.

00:41:25.320 --> 00:41:25.960
 Speak at

00:41:25.960 --> 00:41:26.420
 conferences,

00:41:27.039 --> 00:41:27.619
 write books.

00:41:29.000 --> 00:41:29.480
 But when

00:41:29.480 --> 00:41:30.400
 God entrusts a

00:41:30.400 --> 00:41:30.940
 small church

00:41:30.940 --> 00:41:32.220
 to him and

00:41:32.220 --> 00:41:32.800
 instead of

00:41:32.800 --> 00:41:34.000
 widespread acclaim

00:41:34.000 --> 00:41:34.579
 he receives

00:41:34.579 --> 00:41:35.579
 frequent criticism

00:41:35.579 --> 00:41:36.280
 from his own

00:41:36.280 --> 00:41:37.480
 members, he

00:41:37.480 --> 00:41:38.200
 calls it quits

00:41:38.200 --> 00:41:38.680
 because that's

00:41:38.680 --> 00:41:39.139
 not what he

00:41:39.139 --> 00:41:39.480
 had signed

00:41:39.480 --> 00:41:39.840
 up for.

00:41:44.360 --> 00:41:45.160
 We often

00:41:45.160 --> 00:41:46.360
 say, just

00:41:46.360 --> 00:41:46.740
 say the

00:41:46.740 --> 00:41:47.180
 word God,

00:41:47.440 --> 00:41:48.280
 just tell me

00:41:48.280 --> 00:41:49.660
 clearly and

00:41:49.660 --> 00:41:50.380
 I'll do it.

00:41:50.380 --> 00:41:52.599
 but when

00:41:52.599 --> 00:41:54.680
 obeying God's

00:41:54.680 --> 00:41:55.519
 revealed will

00:41:55.519 --> 00:41:56.180
 in scripture

00:41:56.180 --> 00:41:57.140
 makes us

00:41:57.140 --> 00:41:57.860
 unpopular,

00:41:58.740 --> 00:42:00.000
 when we

00:42:00.000 --> 00:42:00.579
 find its

00:42:00.579 --> 00:42:01.059
 teaching

00:42:01.059 --> 00:42:02.059
 disagreeable

00:42:02.059 --> 00:42:02.599
 to our

00:42:02.599 --> 00:42:03.320
 sensibilities,

00:42:03.800 --> 00:42:05.220
 we rationalize

00:42:05.220 --> 00:42:07.300
 it or

00:42:07.300 --> 00:42:07.980
 simply ignore

00:42:07.980 --> 00:42:08.320
 it.

00:42:11.140 --> 00:42:11.900
 Like

00:42:11.900 --> 00:42:12.760
 Azariah and

00:42:12.760 --> 00:42:13.360
 Johanan and

00:42:13.360 --> 00:42:14.019
 the rest of

00:42:14.019 --> 00:42:14.440
 the quote

00:42:14.440 --> 00:42:15.180
 insolent men

00:42:15.180 --> 00:42:15.559
 of Judah,

00:42:15.660 --> 00:42:16.320
 we deny

00:42:16.320 --> 00:42:17.260
 God's

00:42:17.260 --> 00:42:17.940
 word.

00:42:17.940 --> 00:42:19.900
 But whether

00:42:19.900 --> 00:42:20.179
 it is

00:42:20.179 --> 00:42:20.720
 agreeable to

00:42:20.720 --> 00:42:20.960
 us or

00:42:20.960 --> 00:42:22.420
 not, we

00:42:22.420 --> 00:42:22.920
 must obey

00:42:22.920 --> 00:42:23.380
 the voice

00:42:23.380 --> 00:42:23.639
 of the

00:42:23.639 --> 00:42:23.860
 Lord.

00:42:25.260 --> 00:42:26.159
 And because

00:42:26.159 --> 00:42:26.740
 the Judean

00:42:26.740 --> 00:42:27.240
 remnant did

00:42:27.240 --> 00:42:27.700
 not obey

00:42:27.700 --> 00:42:28.039
 the voice

00:42:28.039 --> 00:42:28.280
 of the

00:42:28.280 --> 00:42:28.400
 Lord,

00:42:28.480 --> 00:42:28.960
 they will

00:42:28.960 --> 00:42:29.500
 perish.

00:42:30.360 --> 00:42:30.760
 Throughout

00:42:30.760 --> 00:42:31.360
 these few

00:42:31.360 --> 00:42:31.880
 chapters we

00:42:31.880 --> 00:42:32.320
 saw a

00:42:32.320 --> 00:42:33.179
 recurring fear

00:42:33.179 --> 00:42:33.539
 that the

00:42:33.539 --> 00:42:34.000
 remnant of

00:42:34.000 --> 00:42:34.480
 Judah would

00:42:34.480 --> 00:42:35.019
 perish

00:42:35.019 --> 00:42:35.720
 forever.

00:42:36.740 --> 00:42:37.500
 In chapter

00:42:37.500 --> 00:42:38.340
 40, 15,

00:42:38.460 --> 00:42:39.220
 Johanan asked

00:42:39.220 --> 00:42:39.980
 to take out

00:42:39.980 --> 00:42:41.079
 Ishmael ahead

00:42:41.079 --> 00:42:41.720
 of time because

00:42:41.720 --> 00:42:42.240
 he worried

00:42:42.240 --> 00:42:42.920
 that if

00:42:42.920 --> 00:42:43.559
 Gedaliah is

00:42:43.559 --> 00:42:44.220
 murdered that

00:42:44.220 --> 00:42:46.300
 the remnant

00:42:46.300 --> 00:42:46.720
 of Judah would

00:42:46.720 --> 00:42:47.179
 be no more.

00:42:47.179 --> 00:42:48.000
 In chapter

00:42:48.000 --> 00:42:48.759
 42, verse

00:42:48.759 --> 00:42:50.079
 2, the

00:42:50.079 --> 00:42:52.279
 remnant, after

00:42:52.279 --> 00:42:53.079
 being recovered

00:42:53.079 --> 00:42:53.679
 from Ishmael,

00:42:53.739 --> 00:42:54.199
 they said to

00:42:54.199 --> 00:42:54.599
 Jeremiah,

00:42:55.199 --> 00:42:55.639
 let our plea

00:42:55.639 --> 00:42:56.339
 for mercy come

00:42:56.339 --> 00:42:57.000
 before you and

00:42:57.000 --> 00:42:57.500
 pray to the

00:42:57.500 --> 00:42:58.000
 Lord your God

00:42:58.000 --> 00:42:58.480
 for us, for

00:42:58.480 --> 00:42:58.940
 all this

00:42:58.940 --> 00:43:00.119
 remnant, because

00:43:00.119 --> 00:43:00.719
 we are left

00:43:00.719 --> 00:43:01.440
 with but a

00:43:01.440 --> 00:43:01.799
 few.

00:43:03.299 --> 00:43:03.899
 And this is

00:43:03.899 --> 00:43:04.399
 because the

00:43:04.399 --> 00:43:04.819
 people who

00:43:04.819 --> 00:43:05.339
 were made in

00:43:05.339 --> 00:43:05.980
 Judah believed

00:43:05.980 --> 00:43:06.819
 that they were

00:43:06.819 --> 00:43:07.460
 the future of

00:43:07.460 --> 00:43:07.980
 God's people.

00:43:08.539 --> 00:43:09.179
 And because of

00:43:09.179 --> 00:43:09.519
 that, they

00:43:09.519 --> 00:43:10.179
 believed it was

00:43:10.179 --> 00:43:11.399
 absolutely necessary

00:43:11.399 --> 00:43:12.539
 that they survive

00:43:12.539 --> 00:43:13.799
 for God's plan

00:43:13.799 --> 00:43:14.599
 of salvation to

00:43:14.599 --> 00:43:15.000
 unfold.

00:43:15.000 --> 00:43:17.019
 But their

00:43:17.019 --> 00:43:17.500
 return to

00:43:17.500 --> 00:43:18.000
 Egypt meant

00:43:18.000 --> 00:43:18.239
 that they

00:43:18.239 --> 00:43:18.460
 would be

00:43:18.460 --> 00:43:19.019
 wiped out.

00:43:20.059 --> 00:43:20.579
 So then is

00:43:20.579 --> 00:43:20.980
 that the

00:43:20.980 --> 00:43:21.579
 end of God's

00:43:21.579 --> 00:43:21.840
 people?

00:43:23.360 --> 00:43:24.099
 Did God's

00:43:24.099 --> 00:43:24.579
 plan to

00:43:24.579 --> 00:43:25.179
 redeem a

00:43:25.179 --> 00:43:25.739
 people for

00:43:25.739 --> 00:43:26.559
 himself and

00:43:26.559 --> 00:43:27.219
 to establish

00:43:27.219 --> 00:43:27.900
 the kingdom

00:43:27.900 --> 00:43:28.460
 of God

00:43:28.460 --> 00:43:29.099
 here on

00:43:29.099 --> 00:43:29.880
 earth fail?

00:43:33.099 --> 00:43:33.820
 That's the

00:43:33.820 --> 00:43:34.260
 question we're

00:43:34.260 --> 00:43:35.019
 left with at

00:43:35.019 --> 00:43:36.539
 this part of

00:43:36.539 --> 00:43:37.039
 the passage.

00:43:37.539 --> 00:43:37.940
 But hope

00:43:37.940 --> 00:43:38.739
 springs from a

00:43:38.739 --> 00:43:39.340
 seemingly hopeless

00:43:39.340 --> 00:43:39.880
 place.

00:43:39.880 --> 00:43:40.820
 even though

00:43:40.820 --> 00:43:41.579
 the remnant

00:43:41.579 --> 00:43:42.140
 in Judah

00:43:42.140 --> 00:43:43.119
 will die

00:43:43.119 --> 00:43:44.720
 off because

00:43:44.720 --> 00:43:45.260
 they flee to

00:43:45.260 --> 00:43:45.559
 Egypt.

00:43:45.840 --> 00:43:46.559
 God's plan to

00:43:46.559 --> 00:43:47.119
 redeem a

00:43:47.119 --> 00:43:47.500
 people for

00:43:47.500 --> 00:43:48.300
 himself continues

00:43:48.300 --> 00:43:48.840
 through the

00:43:48.840 --> 00:43:49.900
 Judean exiles

00:43:49.900 --> 00:43:51.280
 in Babylon,

00:43:51.800 --> 00:43:52.480
 as God had

00:43:52.480 --> 00:43:52.980
 promised in

00:43:52.980 --> 00:43:53.700
 chapter 24.

00:43:54.760 --> 00:43:55.640
 Matthew 1,

00:43:55.740 --> 00:43:56.440
 12 to 16,

00:43:56.559 --> 00:43:57.240
 tells us how

00:43:57.240 --> 00:43:57.800
 this promise

00:43:57.800 --> 00:43:58.440
 was fulfilled.

00:43:58.579 --> 00:43:58.880
 Remember,

00:43:59.460 --> 00:44:00.240
 Jeconiah was

00:44:00.240 --> 00:44:00.940
 the king of

00:44:00.940 --> 00:44:01.460
 Judah that was

00:44:01.460 --> 00:44:02.099
 exiled to

00:44:02.099 --> 00:44:02.400
 Babylon.

00:44:02.400 --> 00:44:04.000
 And after the

00:44:04.000 --> 00:44:05.119
 deportation to

00:44:05.119 --> 00:44:05.980
 Babylon,

00:44:05.980 --> 00:44:09.860
 Jeconiah was

00:44:09.860 --> 00:44:10.480
 the father of

00:44:10.480 --> 00:44:11.139
 Sheothiah,

00:44:11.559 --> 00:44:12.280
 and Sheothiah

00:44:12.280 --> 00:44:12.900
 the father of

00:44:12.900 --> 00:44:13.539
 Zerubbabel,

00:44:13.900 --> 00:44:14.599
 and Zerubbabel

00:44:14.599 --> 00:44:15.380
 the father of

00:44:15.380 --> 00:44:15.860
 Abiud,

00:44:16.059 --> 00:44:16.960
 and Abiud the

00:44:16.960 --> 00:44:17.320
 father of

00:44:17.320 --> 00:44:17.920
 Eliakim,

00:44:18.260 --> 00:44:18.940
 and Eliakim

00:44:18.940 --> 00:44:19.619
 the father of

00:44:19.619 --> 00:44:20.079
 Azor,

00:44:20.460 --> 00:44:21.039
 and Azor the

00:44:21.039 --> 00:44:21.740
 father of

00:44:21.740 --> 00:44:22.159
 Zadok,

00:44:22.699 --> 00:44:23.360
 and Zadok the

00:44:23.360 --> 00:44:23.860
 father of

00:44:23.860 --> 00:44:24.240
 Aachim,

00:44:24.420 --> 00:44:25.240
 and Aachim the

00:44:25.240 --> 00:44:25.699
 father of

00:44:25.699 --> 00:44:26.079
 Eliud,

00:44:26.340 --> 00:44:27.159
 and Eliud the

00:44:27.159 --> 00:44:27.619
 father of

00:44:27.619 --> 00:44:28.219
 Elesser,

00:44:28.519 --> 00:44:29.300
 and Elesser the

00:44:29.300 --> 00:44:29.780
 father of

00:44:29.780 --> 00:44:30.280
 Maz Esther,

00:44:30.539 --> 00:44:31.320
 and cose tom

00:44:31.320 --> 00:44:31.760
 the father of

00:44:31.760 --> 00:44:32.380
 Jacob,

00:44:32.719 --> 00:44:33.659
 and grave the

00:44:33.659 --> 00:44:34.240
 father of

00:44:34.240 --> 00:44:35.039
 Joseph the

00:44:35.039 --> 00:44:35.619
 husband of

00:44:35.619 --> 00:44:35.940
 Mary,

00:44:35.980 --> 00:44:38.639
 of whom Jesus was born,

00:44:39.679 --> 00:44:42.380
 who is called Christ,

00:44:43.740 --> 00:44:45.179
 the anointed one,

00:44:46.380 --> 00:44:47.500
 the Messiah,

00:44:48.240 --> 00:44:49.659
 the Savior King

00:44:49.659 --> 00:44:51.539
 that was to come

00:44:51.539 --> 00:44:53.579
 to establish the kingdom of God,

00:44:53.679 --> 00:44:55.340
 to lead the people of God.

00:44:55.480 --> 00:44:57.099
 Jesus is that promised king

00:44:57.099 --> 00:44:59.400
 and what did the Judean people

00:44:59.400 --> 00:45:00.880
 fail to do for themselves

00:45:00.880 --> 00:45:03.519
 because even the exiles of Babylon

00:45:03.519 --> 00:45:05.300
 will continue to sin against the Lord

00:45:05.300 --> 00:45:06.880
 and be unfaithful to him.

00:45:07.100 --> 00:45:08.620
 They will not heed the voice of the Lord

00:45:08.620 --> 00:45:10.900
 but God sends his only son,

00:45:11.019 --> 00:45:11.780
 Jesus Christ,

00:45:12.200 --> 00:45:13.340
 as a man

00:45:13.340 --> 00:45:18.039
 to live the life of perfect obedience,

00:45:18.220 --> 00:45:19.960
 heeding the voice of the Lord perfectly

00:45:19.960 --> 00:45:21.180
 and he,

00:45:21.539 --> 00:45:23.620
 the perfect son of man

00:45:23.620 --> 00:45:24.360
 and son of God,

00:45:24.460 --> 00:45:26.900
 dies in the place of sinners like us

00:45:26.900 --> 00:45:28.280
 who have refused

00:45:28.280 --> 00:45:30.700
 to heed the voice of the Lord

00:45:30.700 --> 00:45:32.940
 and he dies on the cross for our sins

00:45:32.940 --> 00:45:34.600
 so that we can once again

00:45:34.599 --> 00:45:35.619
 have the path

00:45:35.619 --> 00:45:37.239
 to enter the kingdom of God

00:45:37.239 --> 00:45:38.219
 through him.

00:45:42.219 --> 00:45:43.619
 We were captives

00:45:43.619 --> 00:45:46.360
 to sin and Satan,

00:45:47.839 --> 00:45:48.460
 exiles

00:45:48.460 --> 00:45:50.279
 in foreign territory

00:45:50.279 --> 00:45:53.719
 but King Jesus calls us home

00:45:53.719 --> 00:45:57.299
 and it's by aligning ourselves to him,

00:45:57.639 --> 00:45:59.279
 submitting to him in faith,

00:45:59.280 --> 00:46:00.500
 that's how we enter

00:46:00.500 --> 00:46:02.380
 the kingdom of God.

00:46:03.800 --> 00:46:04.820
 So let me ask you,

00:46:04.880 --> 00:46:05.460
 have you heard

00:46:05.460 --> 00:46:07.160
 and followed the voice of this king?

00:46:08.700 --> 00:46:10.700
 Are you attuned to the voice of the Lord?

00:46:14.360 --> 00:46:15.380
 Please take a moment,

00:46:15.600 --> 00:46:16.540
 feel free to close your eyes

00:46:16.540 --> 00:46:18.500
 to reflect on that question.

00:46:18.500 --> 00:46:20.340
 what is the Lord

00:46:20.340 --> 00:46:22.000
 saying to you

00:46:22.000 --> 00:46:23.280
 this morning

00:46:23.280 --> 00:46:25.460
 through his word?

00:46:25.460 --> 00:46:25.579
 Amen.

00:46:25.579 --> 00:46:25.639
 Amen.

00:46:25.639 --> 00:46:25.659
 Amen.

00:46:25.659 --> 00:46:25.760
 Amen.

00:46:25.760 --> 00:46:26.139
 Amen.

00:46:26.139 --> 00:46:26.639
 Amen.

00:46:26.639 --> 00:46:27.639
 Amen.

00:46:27.639 --> 00:46:27.659
 Amen.

00:46:27.659 --> 00:46:27.699
 Amen.

00:46:27.699 --> 00:46:28.539
 Amen.

00:46:28.539 --> 00:46:29.559
 Amen.

00:46:29.559 --> 00:46:29.599
 Amen.

00:46:29.599 --> 00:46:29.659
 Amen.

00:46:29.659 --> 00:46:31.679
 Amen.

00:46:31.679 --> 00:46:31.719
 Amen.

00:46:31.719 --> 00:46:32.639
 Amen.

00:46:32.639 --> 00:46:33.599
 Amen.