Nebuchadnezzar had made Gedaliah governor over Judah and the
Jews who were left behind, as Jeremiah 40:7-8 describes. “Now
when all the captains of the forces which were in the fields, even they and
their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam
governor in the land, and had committed unto him men, and women, and children,
and of the poor of the land, of them that were not carried away captive to
Babylon; Then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of
Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of
Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of a
Maachathite, they and their men.”
Gedeliah encouraged the people to do exactly what Jeremiah
had been telling them for years, that if they would yield, they could be at
peace. As a result even Jews who had
taken refuge in other countries returned to Judah, as Jeremiah 40:9-12
describes. “And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan sware unto them and
to their men, saying, Fear not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and
serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you. As for me, behold, I will dwell at Mizpah, to
serve the Chaldeans, which will come unto us: but ye, gather ye wine, and
summer fruits, and oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities
that ye have taken. Likewise when all
the Jews that were in Moab, and among the Ammonites, and in Edom, and that were
in all the countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant of
Judah, and that he had set over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of
Shaphan; Even all the Jews returned out of all places whither they were driven,
and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah, unto Mizpah, and gathered wine and
summer fruits very much.”
For years, the Jewish royalty had opposed Jeremiah, accusing
him of treason for telling them that God would bless them if they would just
surrender. When the people came to
gogether to Gedeliah, some of the military leaders warned Gedaliah that The Ammonite
king was conspiring with those princes to overthrow him, in hopes of regaining
control, but Geeliah didn’t believe they would take the chance of destroying
their country, in Jeremiah 40:13-16. “Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah, and all
the captains of the forces that were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah,
And said unto him, Dost thou certainly know that Baalis the king of the
Ammonites hath sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to slay thee? But Gedaliah the
son of Ahikam believed them not. Then
Johanan the son of Kareah spake to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly, saying, Let me
go, I pray thee, and I will slay Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no man shall
know it: wherefore should he slay thee, that all the Jews which are gathered
unto thee should be scattered, and the remnant in Judah perish?
But Gedaliah the son
of Ahikam said unto Johanan the son of Kareah, Thou shalt not do this thing:
for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael.”
Two months after Gedaliah was made governor, the Jewish
royalty met with Gedaliah, and murdering him and the leaders who supported him,
saving ten men who offered a ransom for their lives, in Jeremiah 41:1-9. “Now it
came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah the son of
Elishama, of the seed royal, and the princes of the king, even ten men with
him, came unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and there they did eat
bread together in Mizpah. Then arose
Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the ten men that were with him, and smote
Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan with the sword, and slew him,
whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land. Ishmael also slew all the Jews that were with
him, even with Gedaliah, at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans that were found there,
and the men of war.
And it came to pass
the second day after he had slain Gedaliah, and no man knew it, That there came
certain from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even fourscore men, having
their beards shaven, and their clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with
offerings and incense in their hand, to bring them to the house of the LORD. And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went forth
from Mizpah to meet them, weeping all along as he went: and it came to pass, as
he met them, he said unto them, Come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam. And it was so, when they came into the midst
of the city, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah slew them, and cast them into
the midst of the pit, he, and the men that were with him.
But ten men were found
among them that said unto Ishmael, Slay us not: for we have treasures in the
field, of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey. So he forbare, and
slew them not among their brethren. Now
the pit wherein Ishmael had cast all the dead bodies of the men, whom he had
slain because of Gedaliah, was it which Asa the king had made for fear of
Baasha king of Israel: and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled it with them
that were slain.”
Fearing Babylonian retribution, Ishmael took the people to
Ammon for protection, in Jeremiah 41:10.
“Then Ishmael carried away captive
all the residue of the people that were in Mizpah, even the king's daughters,
and all the people that remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the
guard had committed to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam: and Ishmael the son of
Nethaniah carried them away captive, and departed to go over to the Ammonites.”
God has given people the ability to make their own
decisions, and unfortunately, some refuse to learn. Ishmael and his followere ignored even the
destruction of Jerusalem in their efforts to maintain control. History is replete with stories of people who
are willing to murder their own people to get and keep control.
Hi Donald,
ReplyDeleteSad but true, that some rulers place their own selfish ends ahead of those of the people they are supposed to serve and protect. Also sad that the vast majority ignored God's prophets and instead listened to worldly wisdom, often to their own destruction.
Thanks as always for the excellent post and God bless,
Laurie
Thanks, Laurie.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, those who ignore God's word make it easy for those selfish rulers to gain control.