Jeremiah

Jeremiah 43:1-3

It appears Jezeniah may have influenced Johanan and the crowd to seek Jeremiah.  Now another name makes a one-time appearance, Azariah.  Suddenly there are arrogant men speaking for the crowd and swaying their opinion.  They decided Jeremiah was lying; this was their way of not keeping the oath and following their own fears and protection of their flesh.  Once again they failed in trust and obedience. 

Jeremiah 43:4-7

All the people together disobeyed.  The arrogant men swayed the crowd and a few arrogant and disobedient men lead a scared group of citizens as well as the folks that had been left with Gedaliah, to their death and destruction.  The people trusted the leaders instead of trusting God.  

Jeremiah 43:8-13

The Lord sets Jeremiah to the symbolic act of setting two stones as markers for where Nebuchadnezzar would set his throne after picking Egypt clean.  No one can escape the Lord's will; there would be death for those destined to die, captivity for the captives and the sword for those destined for the sword.

The gods of the conquered nation were often taken to captivity or placed in the temple of the god of the conquering nation to show superiority over their gods.  The 'Temple of the Sun' is Beth Shemesh or the ancient city of Heliopolis.  This was the center of worship for the sun god Re (see Ezek 30:17).

©2019 Doug Ford