Year 3, Day 94: Jeremiah 41

Betrayal

Ishmael comes in peace to Gedaliah.  Gedaliah receives Ishmael and the 10 men that come with him.  In fact, Gedaliah receives them and invites them into his company.  The Jews and the Babylonian soldiers who were there to watch over the new government all sat down to eat with Ishmael.  It would be their last meal.

Ishmael slaughtered the people in Gedaliah’s company.  Gedaliah was an honorable man – if not far too trusting.  Ishmael has an easy time.  If fact, the assassination goes so well that even the next day nobody knows about it.  The next day mourners come looking for Gedaliah to mourn the state of Judah’s captivity.  Interestingly enough, these are mourners from the northern kingdom.  These are probably Hebrew people who were either refugees from the recent Babylonian conquest or more likely Israelites who had come south to mourn with the people of Judah with respect to their captivity.  Ishmael slaughtered these people as well.

We don’t really know why Ishmael slaughtered these 80 mourners.  However, it is likely that greed had something to do with it.  We know Ishmael was already a hired mercenary being paid to do these things by Ammon.  As Ishmael is killing the mourners, ten of these mourners cry out to be spared.  How do they get to be spared?  They know Ishmael’s key.  They buy their freedom with supplies hidden in a nearby field.  Ishmael seems to desire things, and he seems to be willing to use any means necessary to acquire possession of what he wants.  Greed takes over.

Isn’t it scary what greed will cause people to do?  How many of us have a price?  How much of our loyalty is really for sale?  On how many people are we willing to step in order to rise to the top?

The Cistern of Asa

Jeremiah takes a brief moment to explain the cistern of Asa.  Several hundred years prior to this tragedy, Baasha – king of Israel – had a war with Asa – king of Judah.  Asa built the cistern as a part of his defense against the advances against Baasha.  The cistern could have held water, supplies, or even fighting troops out of view.

What is sad is that this cistern which was once used to save lives was now being used to hide the dead.  What once had a glorious purpose was now being used to cover up sinful behavior.  Again we see a crystal clear presentation of how sin corrupts the things of this world.  It is not the cistern that is bad.  It is the person who is in control of the cistern that corrupts the cistern through their sinful behavior.

Advancing on to Ammon

Notice what Ishmael does next.  He takes all of the people who had been assigned to Gedaliah’s care and begins marching them towards Ammon.  Ishmael was delivering those who had humbled themselves to the idea of Babylonian captivity and instead using them as spoils of war with Ammon.  I think this act more than anything else exposes Ishmael’s true motivation.  Ishmael is even willing to use his fellow human beings as a means to profit and higher status.

Johanan Son of Kareah

Johanan, the son of Kareah – whom we know virtually nothing about, eventually hears about what is happening at Mizpah.  We don’t know if Johanan hears about the assassinations.  It could be that Johanan hears about the people of Gedaliah being dragged away towards Ammon.

Either way, we can learn that sin cannot be covered up forever.  Sin has a way of being found out.  Sin often grows too large to be hidden.  As we sin, sometimes we get so confident and even arrogant that we are no longer interested in hiding our sin.  Ishmael’s sinful actions become known to the people who remain in Judah.

However they found out, Johanan and the other officers of the army of Judah once more mobilize their men.  They go off to challenge Ishmael.  They are successful.  As they come upon Ishmael, the majority of Ishmael’s force has to flee.  The captives are spared and come under the protection of Johanan.

Johanan doesn’t plan on returning to Mizpah, however.  Johanan already knows the treachery that happened there once.  He likely figures that if it happened once it can happen again.  Johanan begins to plan to go to Egypt.  In Egypt, Johanan believes he can not only escape any revenge plot from Ishmael or Ammon but he also knows that he will be out of the reach of the Babylonians.

This is a fairly interesting point.  It seems that Johanan fears Babylonian return.  On one hand, this would make sense.  The ruler that Nebuchadnezzar appointed has been slain.  So has the Babylonian force left behind to make sure Gedaliah remained a faithful vassal.  There is reason to fear retribution.

However, Johanan can point to the ones responsible.  Johanan did nothing wrong.  Johanan could have trusted in the truth and not been overcome with his fear of Babylon.  Although Johanan did well in rescuing the captives from Ishmael, he did poorly in trusting the Lord’s provision and protection for those who humble themselves to the king of Babylon as the Lord desired.

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