Old Testament: Jeremiah 42.7–12

To read the Bible in a year, read Jeremiah 40-42 on November 5, In the year of our Lord Christ 2025

By Don Ruhl 

Some men approached Jeremiah, asking him to inquire of the Lord for them. Several days later, the Lord gave his word to Jeremiah on how these men could protect themselves from death by the king of Babylon. 

This was not all that the Lord said to Jeremiah, but let’s consider the first part of it: “And it happened after ten days that the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah. Then he called Johanan the son of Kareah, all the captains of the forces which were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest, and said to them, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your petition before Him: If you will still remain in this land, then I will build you and not pull you down, and I will plant you and not pluck you up. For I relent concerning the disaster that I have brought upon you. Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid; do not be afraid of him,’ says the LORD, ‘for I am with you, to save you and deliver you from his hand. And I will show you mercy, that he may have mercy on you and cause you to return to your own land’” (Jeremiah 42.7-12). 

The Lord spoke of peace for them, which it seems that they would have wanted, but that was not the message they wanted to hear. They did not want to hear that they could stay in the land by submitting to King Nebuchadnezzar. 

They wanted the Lord to approve what they had already decided, that they were going to Egypt. 

Questions from today’s reading and devotional: 

• When you ask others to pray for you, are you ready for the possibility that God may answer in a way you do not want? 
• Where did the Lord say for them not to go? 

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Don preaches with the Savage Street Church of Christ in Grants Pass, Oregon. 

Listen to his sermons here: GrantsPassChurchOfChrist.com