Wednesday after Ki Tisa
Wednesday after Ki Tisa
Weekday Reading
Jeremiah chapter 39 & 40
Jer 39:1 It happened when Yerushalayim was taken, (in the ninth year of Tzidkiyahu king of Yehudah, in the tenth month, came Nevukhadnetzar king of Bavel and all his army against Yerushalayim, and besieged it;
Jer 39:2 in the eleventh year of Tzidkiyahu, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city),
Jer 39:3 that all the princes of the king of Bavel came in, and sat in the middle gate, [to wit], Nergal-Sar’etzer, Samgarnebo, Sarsekhim, Rav-Saris, Nergal-Sar’etzer, Rav-Mag, with all the rest of the princes of the king of Bavel.
We commemorate these days as the Fast day of 10 Tevet and as the Fast day of 17 Tammuz, respectively. In the Messianic Kingdom, these days will be changed into feast days instead of fasts, along with the Fast of the 10th of Av and the Fast of Tishri 3rd. These are “Biblical” fasts, established by the sages to commemorate sad events in the times of the Prophets.
Zec 8:18 The word of YHWH Tzeva’ot came to me. Zec 8:19 Thus says YHWH Tzeva’ot: “The fasts of the fourth fifth, seventh, and tenth months shall be for the house of Yehudah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and shalom.” Zec 8:20 Thus says YHWH Tzeva’ot: “Many peoples, and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come; Zec 8:21 and the inhabitants of one shall go to another, saying, ‘Let us go speedily to entreat the favor of YHWH, and to seek YHWH Tzeva’ot. I will go also.’
But for now, we observe these dates with fasting and mourning, because our redemption is not yet complete and the Kingdom has not yet been established on earth.
Jeremiah, continued:
Jer 39:4 It happened that, when Tzidkiyahu the king of Yehudah and all the men of war saw them, then they fled, and went forth out of the city by night, by the way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls; and he went out toward the `Aravah.
Jer 39:5 But the army of the Kasdim pursued after them, and overtook Tzidkiyahu in the plains of Yericho: and when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nevukhadnetzar king of Bavel to Rivlah in the land of Chamat; and he gave judgment on him.
Jer 39:6 Then the king of Bavel killed the sons of Tzidkiyahu in Rivlah before his eyes: also the king of Bavel killed all the nobles of Yehudah.
Jer 39:7 Moreover he put out Tzidkiyahu’s eyes, and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Bavel.
The King ignored the promise that Jeremiah gave him in the last chapters, that if he submitted it would go well with him. Instead, he tried to run, and brought this evil on himself and his household.
Jeremiah, continued:
Jer 39:8 The Kasdim burned the king’s house, and the houses of the people, with fire, and broke down the walls of Yerushalayim.
Jer 39:9 Then Nevuzar’adan the captain of the guard carried away captive into Bavel the residue of the people who remained in the city, the deserters also who fell away to him, and the residue of the people who remained.
Jer 39:10 But Nevuzar’adan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the people, who had nothing, in the land of Yehudah, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.
These are the “am ha’aretz,” the humble poor, who not only were left unmolested but were given the lands and vinyards of those who had oppressed them by failing to observe Elohim’s just laws concerning economic and business activity and dealings with the poor. These were mostly Karaites, knowing only the words of the written Torah which they heard read aloud in synagogue every Shabbat, which they obeyed to the best of their ability. The convoluted philosophies of the oral law and the infighting among the various sects of Jews in the big cities was ignored by them, to their benefit.
Jeremiah, continued:
Jer 39:11 Now Nevukhadnetzar king of Bavel gave charge concerning Yirmeyahu to Nevuzar’adan the captain of the guard, saying,
Jer 39:12 Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do to him even as he shall tell you.
Jer 39:13 So Nevuzar’adan the captain of the guard sent, and Nevushazban, Rav-Saris, and Nergal-Sar’etzer, Rav-Mag, and all the chief officers of the king of Bavel;
Jer 39:14 they sent, and took Yirmeyahu out of the court of the guard, and committed him to Gedalyahu the son of Achikam, the son of Shafan, that he should carry him home: so he lived among the people.
Ironically, the officers of Babylon thought that Jeremiah was on their side, since he had prophesied that Jerusalem would fall. They didn’t think his prophecies were any more authentic than the prophets who claimed Jerusalem would escape unscathed. To them, his prophecies were simply a public declaration of a political position. Nothing could have been further from the truth, but prophets then and now suffer from the same misapprehension.
Jeremiah, continued:
Jer 39:15 Now the word of YHWH came to Yirmeyahu, while he was shut up in the court of the guard, saying,
Jer 39:16 Go, and speak to `Eved-Melekh the Kushite, saying, Thus says YHWH Tzeva’ot, the Elohim of Yisra’el: Behold, I will bring my words on this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be accomplished before you in that day.
Jer 39:17 But I will deliver you in that day, says YHWH; and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid.
Jer 39:18 For I will surely save you, and you shall not fall by the sword, but your life shall be for a prey to you; because you have put your trust in me, says YHWH.
In the midst of congregational, city, regional, state and national judgements, our personal repentance won’t necessarily keep us completely out of harm’s way, but the acts that we did in support of Elohim’s kingdom will not be forgotten by Him when judgement falls upon us personally or upon the group(s) with which we are affiliated.
Jeremiah, continued:
Jer 40:1 The word which came to Yirmeyahu from YHWH, after that Nevuzar’adan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him being bound in chains among all the captives of Yerushalayim and Yehudah, who were carried away captive to Bavel.
Jer 40:2 The captain of the guard took Yirmeyahu, and said to him, YHWH your Elohim pronounced this evil on this place;
Jer 40:3 and YHWH has brought it, and done according as he spoke: because you have sinned against YHWH, and have not obeyed his voice, therefore this thing is come on you.
Our enemies who don’t personally believe in or serve Elohim will still not hesitate to point out our hypocrisies to us and mock us for them. We must be diligent to obey all of Elohim’s commandments, to give our enemies no opportunity to reproach us. As it was later said:
1Th 5:22 Abstain from every appearance of evil.
Jeremiah, continued:
Jer 40:4 Now, behold, I loose you this day from the chains which are on your hand. If it seems good to you to come with me into Bavel, come, and I will take care of you; but if it seems bad to you to come with me into Bavel, don’t: behold, all the land is before you; where it seems good and right to you to go, there go.
Jer 40:5 Now while he was not yet gone back, Go back then, [said he], to Gedalyahu the son of Achikam, the son of Shafan, whom the king of Bavel has made governor over the cities of Yehudah, and dwell with him among the people; or go wherever it seems right to you to go. So the captain of the guard gave him food and a present, and let him go.
Jer 40:6 Then went Yirmeyahu to Gedalyahu the son of Achikam to Mitzpah, and lived with him among the people who were left in the land.
Jeremiah submitted, as he had counseled the King to do, and was thus granted choices that other captives did not have – to stay or to go. He chose to stay. We know that the priests were able to conceal the ark and many other important documents and artifacts from Babylon’s army. It could be that Jeremiah wanted to make sure nothing happened to them, and felt he could better help the people left behind in Israel than those who were going to Babylon. It was the common practice for a conquering power to bring in people from his own lands to inhabit conquered areas. Jeremiah no doubt wanted to make sure these people learned Torah and did not offend Elohim further.
Jeremiah, continued:
Jer 40:7 Now when all the captains of the forces who were in the fields, even they and their men, heard that the king of Bavel had made Gedalyahu the son of Achikam governor in the land, and had committed to him men, and women, and children, and of the poorest of the land, of those who were not carried away captive to Bavel;
Jer 40:8 then they came to Gedalyahu to Mitzpah, [to wit], Yishma’el the son of Netanyah, and Yochanan and Yonatan the sons of Kareach, and Serayah the son of Tanchumet, and the sons of `Efai the Netofatite, and Yezanyah the son of the Ma`akhatite, they and their men.
Jer 40:9 Gedalyahu the son of Achikam the son of Shafan swore to them and to their men, saying, Don’t be afraid to serve the Kasdim: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Bavel, and it shall be well with you.
Jer 40:10 As for me, behold, I will dwell at Mitzpah, to stand before the Kasdim who shall come to us: but you, gather you wine and summer fruits and oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that you have taken.
Jer 40:11 Likewise when all the Judeans who were in Mo’av, and among the children of `Ammon, and in Edom, and who were in all the countries, heard that the king of Bavel had left a remnant of Yehudah, and that he had set over them Gedalyahu the son of Achikam, the son of Shafan;
Jer 40:12 then all the Judeans returned out of all places where they were driven, and came to the land of Yehudah, to Gedalyahu, to Mitzpah, and gathered wine and summer fruits very much.
It was important for them to settle down and try and return to a more normal way of life, to stop disaffected persons from rising up in useless and counterproductive rebellions. Yet some did just that.
Jeremiah, continued:
Jer 40:13 Moreover Yochanan the son of Kareach, and all the captains of the forces who were in the fields, came to Gedalyahu to Mitzpah,
Jer 40:14 and said to him, Do you know that Baalis the king of the children of `Ammon has sent Yishma’el the son of Netanyah to take your life? But Gedalyahu the son of Achikam didn’t believe them.
Jer 40:15 Then Yochanan the son of Kareach spoke to Gedalyahu in Mitzpah secretly, saying, Please let me go, and I will kill Yishma’el the son of Netanyah, and no man shall know it: why should he take your life, that all the Judeans who are gathered to you should be scattered, and the remnant of Yehudah perish?
Jer 40:16 But Gedalyahu the son of Achikam said to Yochanan the son of Kareach, You shall not do this thing; for you speak falsely of Yishma’el.
It is the assignation of Gedeliah that we mourn on Tishri the 3rd of every year, the kickoff of the 7 days of Tribulation between Yom Teruah and Yom Kippur. He foolishly trusted people who were not trustworthy. The same thing will likely happen again in the future, since this date is now part of Elohim’s prophetic calendar. At some point in the future State of Israel, a leader will trust a Muslim leader (what was then Ammon is now part of Jordan, actually) but his trust will lead to his death. This will kick off the Tribulation, providing an opportunity for the False Messiah to make his treaty with the “new” leadership that takes the fallen man’s place, so we can look for this to happen very shortly after the Parousia of Yom Teruah.
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