Day 330 – November 26, 2022

Jeremiah 45-48

​¹ Shephatiah the son of Mattan, Gedaliah the son of Pashhur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah heard the words Jeremiah spoke to the people, saying, ² “Thus says the Lord: ‘He who dwells in this city shall die by the sword and famine, but he who goes out to the Chaldeans shall live. His life shall be as finding a treasure, for he shall live.’ ³ For thus says the Lord: ‘This city shall most assuredly be given into the hands of the army of the king of Babylon, and they shall take it.’ ” ⁴ Therefore they said to the king, “Indeed, let that man be put to death, for by speaking to them such words, he weakens the hands of the fighting men left in the city and the hands of all the people. This man does not prophesy peace for this people, but evil.” ⁵ Then the king replied, “Behold, he is in your hands,” for the king could not resist them. ⁶ So they cast him into the pit of Malchiah the king’s son, who was in the court of the prison. They let Jeremiah down into the pit where there was no water, except for mud; thus he was in the mud.
⁷ Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian was in the household of the king; and he heard they put Jeremiah into the pit, and that the king was at the Gate of Benjamin. ⁸ So he went out to the king and spoke to him, saying, ⁹ “You did evil in what you did, to kill this man by hunger, for there is no more bread in the city.” ¹⁰ Then the king commanded Ebed-Melech, saying, “Take with you thirty men from here and lift him out of the pit, lest he die.” ¹¹ So Ebed-Melech took the men and entered into the underground area of the king’s house. From there, they took old rags and old ropes and threw them down into the pit to Jeremiah. ¹² Then he said, “Put these under the ropes,” and Jeremiah did so. ¹³ So they pulled Jeremiah up with the ropes and lifted him out of the pit. But Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.
  Zedekiah Converses with Jeremiah
¹⁴ Then the king sent and summoned Jeremiah to himself at the third entrance of the Lord’s house. The king said to him, “I will ask you a question, and indeed do not hide anything from me.” ¹⁵ Jeremiah replied to the king, “If I tell you, will you not surely put me to death? But if I advise you, you will not heed me.” ¹⁶ So the king swore to him, saying, “As the Lord lives who made this soul in us, surely I will not put you to death, nor will I give you into the hands of these men.”
¹⁷ Jeremiah then said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘If you will indeed go out to the leaders of the king of Babylon, your soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and you and your house will live. ¹⁸ But if you do not go out, this city shall be delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans. They shall burn it with fire, and you will not escape.’ ” ¹⁹ The king said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Judeans who fled to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hands, and they mock me.” ²⁰ But Jeremiah said, “They will not deliver you. Hear the word of the Lord I speak to you, and it will be good for you; and your soul will live. ²¹ But if you refuse to go out, this is the word the Lord showed me: ²² ‘Behold, all the women who were left behind in the house of the king of Judah and were led out to the rulers of the king of Babylon said, “Your peace-loving men deceived you and will prevail against you. They will cause your feet to slide and fail, and will turn away from you.” ²³ They will also lead out your wives and children to the Chaldeans, and you shall not escape; for you will be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon, and this city shall be burned.’ ”
²⁴ Then the king said to him, “Let no man know of these words, and you shall not die. ²⁵ But if the rulers hear that I talked with you, and they come to you and say, ‘Tell us, what did the king say to you? Do not hide it from us, and we will not put you to death. So what did the king say to you?’ ²⁶ Then you shall say to them, ‘I brought my supplications before the presence of the king, that he would not send me back to the house of Jonathan to die there.’ ” ²⁷ Then all the rulers came to Jeremiah and asked him, and he told them all these words the king commanded him. So they were silent, for the word of the Lord was not to be heard. ²⁸ Jeremiah then remained in the court of the prison until the time Jerusalem was taken.
The Fall of Jerusalem
​¹ Now it came to pass in the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and besieged it. ² Then in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, the city was broken apart. ³ All the leaders of the king of Babylon went in and sat in the middle gate: Nergal-Sharezer, Samgar-Nebo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris, Nergal-Sarezer, and Rabmag, with the rest of the rulers of the king of Babylon.
Jeremiah Is Released to Gedaliah
⁴ They sent and took Jeremiah from the court of the prison, and committed him to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan; then they brought him out and sat him in the midst of the people.
⁵ The word of the Lord then came to Jeremiah in the court of the prison, saying, ⁶ “Go and say to Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, ‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel: “Behold, I will bring My words upon this city for calamities and not for good. ⁷ But I shall deliver you in that day, and I shall not give you into the hands of the men before whose presence you are afraid. ⁸ For I shall surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword. Instead, your life shall be as finding a treasure, because you trusted in Me,” says the Lord.’ ”
  Jeremiah with the Governor of Judah
​¹ The word came from the Lord to Jeremiah after Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard released him from Ramah, when he took him in manacles in the midst of the captivity of Judah, those being led into Babylon. ² The captain of the guard took him and said to him, “The Lord your God pronounced all these calamities upon this place, ³ and the Lord did this because you did not heed His voice. ⁴ Behold, I have freed you from the manacles placed on your hands. If it seems good to you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look after you. ⁵ But if not, run hard and return to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon appointed over the land of Judah, and dwell with him among the people in the land of Judah. Go wherever in your eyes it seems best to go.” Then the chief of the guard gave him rations and a gift and sent him away. ⁶ So Jeremiah came to Gedaliah at Mizpah and remained among the people who were left in the land.
⁷ Now all the leaders of the army in the field, they and their men, heard the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah to govern over the land, and that he entrusted to him their men and women whom he had not carried away captive to Babylon. ⁸ Then Ishmael the son of Nethaniah came to Gedaliah at Mizpah, along with Johanan the son of Kareah, Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of Mechati, they and their men. ⁹ Gedaliah swore an oath to them and their men, saying, “Do not be afraid in the presence of the servants of the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land and work for the king of Babylon; for it shall be beneficial for you. ¹⁰ Behold, I sit in your presence at Mizpah to stand before the Chaldeans who come against us. Gather together wine and fruit, together with olive oil, and put them in your containers. Dwell in the cities you possess.” ¹¹ Then all the Jews in Moab, and those among the children of Ammon, and those in Edom, and those in all the land heard the king of Babylon had granted a remnant in Judah and set over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam. ¹² So they came to Gedaliah in the land of Judah at Mizpah, and gathered together a great abundance of wine, fruit, and olive oil.
¹³ Then Johanan the son of Kareah and all the field leaders of the army came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. ¹⁴ They said to him, “Do you indeed know that king Baalis of the sons of Ammon has sent Ishmael to slay you?” But Gedaliah did not believe them. ¹⁵ Then Johanan spoke secretly to Gedaliah at Mizpah, “Indeed, I shall go and smite Ishmael, but let no one know it, lest he take your life, and all Judah gathered to you be scattered by him, and the remnant in Judah perish.” ¹⁶ But Gedaliah said to Johanan, “Do not do this deed, for you speak lies concerning Ishmael.”
Uprising against Gedaliah
​¹ Now it came to pass in the seventh month that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal family, came with ten men to Gedaliah at Mizpah. There they ate bread together. ² Then Ishmael and the ten men with him arose and struck Gedaliah, whom the king of Babylon appointed over the land, ³ and all the Jews with him at Mizpah, and all the Chaldeans found there.
⁴ It came to pass on the second day after he struck Gedaliah, while no one yet knew, ⁵ that eighty men came from Shechem, Salem, and Samaria with beards shaved, tearing their clothes and beating their breasts. In their hands were manna and frankincense to bring into the house of the Lord. ⁶ Now Ishmael went out to meet with them, and they walked and wept. He said to them, “Come to Gedaliah.” ⁷ Then it came to pass that when they entered into the midst of the city, he killed them at the well. ⁸ But ten men were found there among them, and they said to Ishmael, “Do not kill us, for we have treasures of wheat, barley, honey, and oil in the field.” So he passed by and did not kill them in the midst of their brethren. ⁹ Now the well into which Ishmael cast all whom he killed is the great well King Asa made for fear of Baasha king of Israel. Thus Ishmael filled this with the slain. ¹⁰ After this, Ishmael brought back all the people left in Mizpah, including the daughter of the king whom the captain of the guard committed to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam; then he went away beyond the sons of Ammon.
¹¹ But Johanan the son of Kareah and all the leaders of the army with him heard of all the evil things Ishmael did, ¹² and they brought their entire army to wage war against him. They found him near the great pool in Gibeon. ¹³ So it came to pass, when all the people with Ishmael saw Johanan and the leaders of the army with him, ¹⁴ they returned to Johanan. ¹⁵ But Ishmael escaped with eight men and went to the sons of Ammon. ¹⁶ Then Johanan and all the leaders of the army with him brought back all of the remaining people whom he took from Ishmael: the mighty men of war, all the women and the rest, and the eunuchs, whom they brought back from Gibeon. ¹⁷ They departed and encamped in Gaberoth-Chimham towards Bethlehem to go into Egypt, ¹⁸ away from the presence of the Chaldeans; for they were afraid of them because Ishmael killed Gedaliah, whom the king of Babylon appointed over the land.

Psalm 118:49–64

⁴⁹ Remember Your word to Your servant,
In which You give me hope.
⁵⁰ This comforted me in my humiliation,
For Your teaching gives me life.
⁵¹ The arrogant transgressed exceedingly,
But I did not turn away from Your law.
⁵² I remembered Your judgments of old, O Lord,
And I was comforted.
⁵³ Despondency held me because of sinners
Who abandon Your law.
⁵⁴ Your ordinances were sung to me
In the place of my sojourning.
⁵⁵ I remembered Your name in the night, O Lord,
And I kept Your law.
⁵⁶ This happened to me in the night,
Because I searched Your ordinances.
⁵⁷ You are my portion, O Lord;
I said I will keep Your law.
⁵⁸ I sought Your presence with my whole heart;
Have mercy on me according to Your teaching.
⁵⁹ I considered Your ways,
And I turned my feet toward Your testimonies.
⁶⁰ I prepared myself, and I was not troubled,
That I might keep Your commandments.
⁶¹ The ropes of sinners ensnared me,
But I did not forget Your law.
⁶² At midnight I arose to give thanks to You
Because of the judgments of Your righteousness.
⁶³ I am a companion of all who fear You
And keep Your commandments.
⁶⁴ O Lord, the earth is full of Your mercy;
Teach me Your ordinances.

Proverbs 26:1–5

​¹ As dew in harvest and as rain in summer,
So honor is not for a man without discernment.
² As birds and sparrows fly,
So a curse will not come upon anyone without a cause.
³ As a whip for a horse and a prod for a donkey,
So is a rod for a lawless nation.
⁴ Do not answer an undiscerning man in relation to his lack of discernment,
Lest you become like him.
⁵ But answer an undiscerning man contrary to his lack of discernment,
So he may not appear wise to himself.

1 Peter 2

​¹ Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking,
² as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,
³ if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
The Chosen Stone and His Chosen People
(Ps. 118:22; Is. 28:16)
⁴ Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious,
⁵ you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
⁶ Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,
“Behold, I lay in Zion
A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”
⁷ Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,
“The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone,”
⁸ and
“A stone of stumbling
And a rock of offense.”
They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
⁹ But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
¹⁰ who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
Living Before the World
¹¹ Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,
¹² having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Submission to Government
(cf. Rom. 13:1–5)
¹³ Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme,
¹⁴ or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good.
¹⁵ For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men—
¹⁶ as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.
¹⁷ Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
Submission to Masters
(Is. 53:7–9)
¹⁸ Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.
¹⁹ For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.
²⁰ For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.
  ²¹ For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
²² “Who committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;
²³ who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;
²⁴ who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.
²⁵ For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.