“And they came into the land of Egypt, for they did not obey the voice of the Lord. And they arrived at Tahpanhes.” (Jeremiah 43:7)
This place of disobedience is a rough place to be. Jeremiah had specifically told them, “The Lord has said to you, O remnant of Judah, ‘Do not go to Egypt.’ Know for a certainty that I have warned you this day” (42:19)
The rebellious heart will deny that water is wet to do what it wants to do. Clearly, Jeremiah had warned them not to go to Egypt, in contrast to Azariah’s and Johanan’s claim to the contrary. While they are, without a doubt, rebelling against God’s word, the underlying issue is a fear of man over trust in God. They are afraid that they are being set up to be taken to Babylon. (43:3)
I do not doubt that their fear of exile or worse is real. But God told them not to go to Egypt. In those circumstances, we – not just them – must obey God. The fear of man is a powerful force in our heads and hearts that convinces us that we can take care of ourselves better than God can. Then, off we go in rebellion to God to “care” for us.
Interestingly, once they arrived into the “safety” of Egypt, God sent another word through Jeremiah: “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will send and take Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and I will set his throne above these stones that I have hidden, and he will spread his royal canopy over them.” (43:10) In the end, what appeared to them to be a safe zone wasn’t. Rebelling against God put them exactly in the situation they intended to avoid in Jerusalem. And, rebelling against God does the same for me!
Father, please grow my faith in you. Help me to eradicate the fear of man in my heart that I may be more faithful to you. Amen.
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