The Remnant Left Behind

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SYLLABUS
STUDIES IN THE BOOK OF Jeremiah

JEREMIAH 40-42
Lesson #38
THE REMNANT LEFT BEHIND

• Memory Verse: Pro 3:5-6
  • In the last lesson we arrived at the point where Babylon totally destroyed Jerusalem and the Southern Kingdom of Judah. The year was 586 BC.
    • This date is extremely important to God and to Israel’s history.
    • This date marks the beginning of the prophetic period of time called, “the times of the Gentiles”.
      • “The times of the Gentiles” refers to the period of time when Gentiles will control the Promised Land and includes the time when God will work with the Gentiles.
      • This period begins in 586 BC and continues until the event of the second coming of Jesus Christ.
  • The large majority of Israelites have been taken as slaves to Babylon.
  • However, there was a small remnant of Jews scattered in the Promised Land that managed to escape the destruction and slavery. Jeremiah is with them and ministers to them.
• Read Jer 40:1-6 The Remnant
  • Who were the people that made up the remnant in the land? Why were they left behind?
    • These were the very poor, the lame, the very old, the blind, the sick, and the criminals.
    • When Babylon took the Israelites captive to move them to Babylon, they did not move them by means of vehicles of transportation. These people were made to walk naked and in chains across the desert 650 miles.
    • They were left behind because of their physical conditions that meant they probably would not survive the trip. Or in case of the criminals, they would be too much trouble to control.
  • Jeremiah was given a choice. He chose to stay with the remnant left in the land instead of going to Babylon.
    • Why did Jeremiah choose not to go to Babylon with his people?
      • They were the people that had rejected Jeremiah and his ministry.
      • God was going to use Jeremiah to minister to the remnant left in the land.
    • God had chosen another prophet, Ezekiel, to minister to the people in Babylon.
• Read Jer 40:7-16 Gedaliah, Ishmael and Johanan
  • Who was Gedaliah?
    • He was a Jew whose name means = “Jehovah is great”.
    • His father was one of the princes of the Southern Kingdom of Judah who defended Jeremiah when the people were against him. (Jer 26:24)
    • He was known by everyone to be a mild-mannered man of wisdom.
    • Gedaliah became the governor over the cities of the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
    • He was established in this position by Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon who trusted him to remain faithful to Babylon and not lead a rebellion.
  • Who was Ishmael?
    • Ishmael’s name means = “God hears”.
    • Descended from the royal family of David, he was a traitor to Israel. (2Kin 25:25)
      • Perhaps he thought to establish himself on the throne as a true descendant from King David.
      • However, remember that God placed a curse on the descendants from Jeconiah. They would never sit on David’s throne.
    • Ishmael was sent by the king of Ammon to kill the new governor in Israel. (14)
  • Who was Johanan?
    • His name means = “Jehovah is gracious”.
    • He was a captain from Israel’s army that survived the destruction of Jerusalem.
    • He sided with Gedaliah, the governor (2Kin 25:23).
    • He was faithful to Israel and tried to stop a murder.
  • The concern by the remnant as to their situation being left behind.
    • A group representing the remnant approached the governor, Gedaliah, to determine exactly what was going to happen to them.
    • The governor tells them to live in obedience to the king of Babylon and they will live in peace. (9)
      • Remember earlier God told the people through Jeremiah to submit to the king of Babylon and they would live in peace.
      • That message from God was still valid.
    • The people will not own the land but can enjoy the benefit of the products from the land. (10)
      • Gedaliah did not extract taxes from the people that would benefit his own treasury.
      • He considered his position of authority as a means of serving the people.
    • During the time of the Babylonian attack, many Jews had fled to surrounding countries of Edom, Moab, and Ammon to escape death.
    • Because the Babylonian army had left and returned to Babylon with the captives, these displaced Jews returned to Israel to live under the governor, Gedaliah. (11-12)
    • However, Ishmael plotted to kill the governor.
      • Ishmael was sent by the king of Ammon to kill Gedealiah because of his hatred for the new governor. Ammon and Israel were always enemies.
      • Johanan tried to stop the plot by warning Gedaliah.
      • However, Gedaliah did not believe there was a threat to his life. He believed in the good character of Ishmael. Gedaliah did nothing to stop the plot.
    • Ishmael, with a group of mal-contents, carry out the plot killing everyone around Gedaliah, both Jews and Babylonians.
• Read Jer 41:1-10 Anarchy and chaos
  • After the killing of Gedaliah, the governor, Ishmael with his band of ten men also attacked 80 innocent travelers.
    • These travelers were devout men going to Jerusalem in mourning to give offerings to God at the destroyed temple site.
    • Ishmael and his outlaw band killed 70 of the travelers. Their bodies were dumped in a pit.
  • Ishmael took 10 travelers captive that promised him wealth. Then with others of the remnant left in the land, he took them captive, and led them to Ammon.
• Read Jer 41:11-18 To Egypt or Not
  • On hearing of Gedaliah’s death, Johanan and his men desired to take the remnant to Egypt to avoid repercussions from Babylon for the death of the governor that Nebuchadnezzar had established.
  • However, Johanan learned that Ishmael had taken them captive and was on his way to Ammon.
  • Johanan intercepts them and rescues the remnant, but Ishmael and 8 of his band escaped to Ammon.
• Read Jer 42:1-6 Jeremiah’s Counsel
  • Johanan and the remnant seek God’s guidance from Jeremiah.
    • Should they flee to Egypt?
    • Should they stay in Israel and wait for Babylon’s retribution?
  • There was evidently a difference of opinion as to what they should do now that Johanan was in charge.
    • In the same way as many believers today, they make plans and then ask God to bless them.
    • They should have asked God’s direction first.
  • Notice that the answer does not come from God until 10 days later.
    • The number 10 in the Bible is a number that means testing according to God’s standard.
      • For example: the Ten Commandments.
      • God was testing the remnant.
• Read Jer 42:7-22 Attitude
  • What is the attitude of the fleeing remnant?
    • For years these people heard Jeremiah’s messages but never repented.
    • Because their lives were spared when the Babylonians came, pride entered into their thinking.
    • Because they survived Ishmael’s great slaughter, pride grew.
    • However, they are desperate for unity and guidance.
    • They promise to be obedient to what God told them to do. Were they sincere? No.
  • What very important counsel does Jeremiah give to the fleeing remnant? (Jer 42)
    • Jeremiah tells them not to go to Egypt.
    • They should remain in the land and trust God.
      • What is the lesson we should learn here?
      • Throughout the Bible you will find times when the Israelites must decide whether to remain in the Promised Land or go down to Egypt. For example:
        • Abraham faced this decision when a famine tested his faith. He and Sarah went to Egypt.
        • Isaac faced this decision when his faith was tested. He and his family went to Egypt and became slaves in Egypt.
      • Through the Bible, Egypt is a symbol of trusting in the world while the Promised Land is a symbol of trusting in the full blessings of God.
    • Application:
      • In the Christian life we are faced with this same choice of trusting in the world or trusting God.
      • When we rely on our own works, our own understanding, or on our own resources, we are not trusting in God.
      • The remnant in Jeremiah’s day had never learned to trust in God by faith. Their pride got in the way.
      • As believers in Jesus Christ, we must grow our faith by reading and studying the Word of God and then exercising our faith so that it grows strong under testing.

Homework
Jeremiah 43-44

• Application of Jer 40-42
  • In what areas of your life are you like the remnant left behind trusting in your own resources?
  • How can you change your perspective to trust more in the Lord?
• Preparation for Jer 43-44
  • Read Jer 43:1-13
  • Read Jer 44:1-30
    • What sin did the remnant continue in Egypt that gave God no choice but to judge them?
  • Memory Verse: 2Sam 22:22