Lesson 12 December 12-18
Back to Egypt
Study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, December 19.
http://www.ssnet.org/lessons/15d/less12.html
Sabbath Afternoon
Memory Text: “May the Lord be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act in
accordance with everything the Lord your God sends you to tell us” (Jeremiah 42:5, NIV).
This week's lesson brings us toward the end of the saga of Jeremiah the prophet. However,
this is not a “and they lived happily ever after” ending. In a sense, one could summarize this week's
study, and even a good portion of the book of Jeremiah, by saying that what we see here is an
example of the limits of grace. That is, grace will not save those who utterly refuse to accept it.
No matter how much the Lord spoke to them, offering them salvation, protection, redemption,
peace, and prosperity, all but a tiny and faithful remnant scorned and rebuffed God's offer.
And what of Jeremiah? His was a life and work that from all human appearances seemed futile! The
“weeping prophet” had plenty to weep about. Even after everything he warned about came to
pass, the people still clung to their sins and paganism and rebellion, openly defying the prophet to
his face and scorning the Word of the Lord to them.
How we need to be careful ourselves. Grace is grace because it's given to the undeserving, yes; but
it's not forced on anyone. We must be willing to accept it.
Sunday December 13
Political Anarchy
One would think that with the destruction of the city and the total defeat by the
Babylonians, all the people would have learned their lesson. Unfortunately, not all did, and the
drama wasn't over yet.
Read Jeremiah 40:7-16. “Now when all the captains of the forces which were in the fields, even they and their men, heard
that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed unto him men, and women, and
children, and of the poor of the land, of them that were not carried away captive to Babylon;
Jer 40:8 Then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah
the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of a Maachathite, they and their men.
Jer 40:9 And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan sware unto them and to their men, saying, Fear not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell
in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.
Jer 40:10 As for me, behold, I will dwell at Mizpah to serve the Chaldeans, which will come unto us: but ye, gather ye wine, and summer fruits,
and oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that ye have taken.
Jer 40:11 Likewise when all the Jews that were in Moab, and among the Ammonites, and in Edom, and that were in all the countries, heard that
the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah, and that he had set over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan;
Jer 40:12 Even all the Jews returned out of all places whither they were driven, and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah, unto Mizpah, and
gathered wine and summer fruits very much.
Jer 40:13 Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah,
Jer 40:14 And said unto him, Dost thou certainly know that Baalis the king of the Ammonites hath sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to slay
thee? But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam believed them not.
Jer 40:15 Then Johanan the son of Kareah spake to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly, saying, Let me go, I pray thee, and I will slay Ishmael the son of
Nethaniah, and no man shall know it: wherefore should he slay thee, that all the Jews which are gathered unto thee should be scattered, and the
remnant in Judah perish?
Jer 40:16 But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said unto Johanan the son of Kareah, Thou shalt not do this thing: for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael.
What message was given (again) to the people? ? A possible Answer: Fear not to serve the
Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.
What is the significance of the word remnant used in Jeremiah 40:11? A possible Answer: The
significance of the word ‘remnant’ is seen in that it refers to when do who dictating been left in
Jerusalem but excluded those who fled to nearby countries to escape capture by the Chaldeans.
Despite the message of peace, and even the ensuing prosperity (see Jer. 40:12), not everyone was
content with the status quo.
Read Jeremiah 41 What new problems would the “remnant” now face?
Jer 41:1 Now it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, and the princes of
the king, even ten men with him, came unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and there they did eat bread together in Mizpah.
Jer 41:2 Then arose Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the ten men that were with him, and smote Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of
Shaphan with the sword, and slew him, whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land.
Did eat bread together. Ishmael and his ten fellow conspirators paid a visit to Gedaliah, ostensibly on a mission
of courteous recognition of Gedaliah’s high office, but in reality intent on murdering Gedaliah and all his
adherents.1
Jer 41:3 Ishmael also slew all the Jews that were with him, even with Gedaliah, at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans that were found there, and the men
of war.
Jer 41:4 And it came to pass the second day after he had slain Gedaliah, and no man knew it,
Jer 41:5 That there came certain from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even fourscore men, having their beards shaven, and their
clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with offerings and incense in their hand, to bring them to the house of the LORD.
Jer 41:6 And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went forth from Mizpah to meet them, weeping all along as he went: and it came to pass, as he met
them, he said unto them, Come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam.
Jer 41:7 And it was so, when they came into the midst of the city, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah slew them, and cast them into the midst of
the pit, he, and the men that were with him.
Jer 41:8 But ten men were found among them that said unto Ishmael, Slay us not: for we have treasures in the field,
of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey. So he forbare, and slew them not among their brethren.
Jer 41:9 Now the pit wherein Ishmael had cast all the dead bodies of the men, whom he had slain because of Gedaliah, was it which Asa the king
had made for fear of Baasha king of Israel: and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled it with them that were slain.
7. Slew them. The purpose of this atrocious act is not clear. Any one of the following may have been the
cause: (1) an ungovernable bitterness of spirit aroused by the presence of these mourners; (2) a suspicion that
the willingness of the pilgrims to recognize Gedaliah as the leader appointed by the Babylonians, indicated a
traitorous act against Judah; (3) Ishmael’s vindictive retaliation for the slaying of the “princes of Judah” (see ch.
52:10); (4) plunder of the pilgrims’ goods.
9. Because of Gedaliah. Ishmael had slain these men by the deception of using Gedaliah’s name (v. 6).
Jer 41:10 Then Ishmael carried away captive all the residue of the people that were in Mizpah, even the king's daughters, and all the people that
remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had committed to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam: and Ishmael the son of
Nethaniah carried them away captive, and departed to go over to the Ammonites.
10. The king’s daughters. Zedekiah’s sons had been killed at Riblah (ch. 39:6). The daughters had been
spared and given over to Gedaliah for his protection. In taking them into his custody and protection, Ishmael
was claiming to be the ruling representative of the royal house, according to Eastern custom.
Ammonites. Since they had been allied with Zedekiah (see on chs. 27:3; 39:5), Ishmael felt he could find
safety there. Indeed, ch. 40:14 indicates that their king had “sent Ishmael” to murder Gedaliah.
Jer 41:11 But when Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of
Nethaniah had done,
Jer 41:12 Then they took all the men, and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and found him by the great waters that are in
Gibeon.
Nichol, F. D. (Ed.). (1977). The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary (Vol. 4, p. 495). Review and
Herald Publishing Association.
1
Jer 41:13 Now it came to pass, that when all the people which were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the
forces that were with him, then they were glad.
13. They were glad. An indication that Gedaliah had been popular, and that those who had been under his rule
rejoiced that the murder was avenged.
Jer 41:14 So all the people that Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah cast about and returned, and went unto Johanan the son of
Kareah.
Jer 41:15 But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men, and went to the Ammonites.
Jer 41:16 Then took Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, all the remnant of the people whom he
had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, from Mizpah, after that he had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, even mighty men of war, and
the women, and the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought again from Gibeon:
Jer 41:17 And they departed, and dwelt in the habitation of Chimham, which is by Bethlehem, to go to enter into Egypt,
Jer 41:18 Because of the Chaldeans: for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam,
whom the king of Babylon made governor in the land.
A possible Answer: Ishmael, treacherously kills Gedaliah (the person whom the king of Babylon
meet governor in the land) and others, purposed with the residue to flee unto the Ammonites.
Johanan recovers the captives, and has a mind to flee into Egypt. The result was that they live in
fear because of the death of the official Bablonian representative.
Though the reasons for the assassination weren't given, the fact that it had been done by someone
of the “royal family and of the officers of the king” (Jer. 41:1, NKJV) suggests that these elitists
still had not accepted the idea that the chosen nation needed to submit to Babylonian rule.
Because Gedaliah had been put on the throne by the king of Babylon (see Jer. 40:5), these people
might have seen him as a treasonous puppet who was disloyal to the nation and who therefore had
to be eliminated along with his court.
As the chapter continues, we can see that this remnant now faced a new threat: fear of the
Babylonians, who-perhaps not knowing the details of what happened-would seek revenge for the
death of Gedaliah and the Babylonian soldiers (see Jer. 41:3).
The sins of Ishmael and his men caused fear among those who had nothing to do with
those sins. What should this tell us about how, by our disobedience, we can bring pain
and suffering to others, even those who had nothing to do with our sins? A Possible
Answer: it should tell us that when we act we should take in consideration the repercussions of our
actions upon others. Such actions are not only selfish and inconsiderate but underscores the reality
of the cost and effect principle but under scores the reality of the principle of cost and effect.
Monday December 14
Seeking Divine Guidance
Read Jeremiah 42:1-22. What powerful message is found there, not just for them, but for
anyone who seeks guidance from the Lord in prayer?
Jeremiah 42:1 “Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from
the least even unto the greatest, came near,
Jer 42:2 And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the LORD thy
God, even for all this remnant; (for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us:)
Jer 42:3 That the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.
Jer 42:4 Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto the LORD your God according to your words; and
it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing the LORD shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you.
Jer 42:5 Then they said to Jeremiah, The LORD be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which
the LORD thy God shall send thee to us.
Jer 42:6 Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with
us, when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.
Jer 42:7 And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah.
Jer 42:8 Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces which were with him, and all the people from the least even
to the greatest,
Jer 42:9 And said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before him;
Jer 42:10 If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up: for I
repent me of the evil that I have done unto you.
Jer 42:11 Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the LORD: for I am with you to save you, and to
deliver you from his hand.
Jer 42:12 And I will shew mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land.
Jer 42:13 But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your God,
Jer 42:14 Saying, No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of
bread; and there will we dwell:
Jer 42:15 And now therefore hear the word of the LORD, ye remnant of Judah; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; If ye wholly set
your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there;
Jer 42:16 Then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye
were afraid, shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die.
Jer 42:17 So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by
the pestilence: and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them.
Jer 42:18 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As mine anger and my fury hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of
Jerusalem; so shall my fury be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt: and ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a
curse, and a reproach; and ye shall see this place no more.
Jer 42:19 The LORD hath said concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah; Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished you this day.
Jer 42:20 For ye dissembled in your hearts, when ye sent me unto the LORD your God, saying, Pray for us unto the LORD our God; and
according unto all that the LORD our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it.
Jer 42:21 And now I have this day declared it to you; but ye have not obeyed the voice of the LORD your God, nor any thing for the which he
hath sent me unto you.
Jer 42:22 Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go
and to sojourn.
A Possible Answer: if you are going to seek guidance from the Lord, you should do so with the
intentions of implicitly following his directions.
Fearful of the Babylonians, the people seek out Jeremiah and ask him to pray for them for divine
guidance. They must have known by now that Jeremiah was indeed a prophet of God, and what he
said when he spoke in the name of the Lord would come true.
They also vowed they would do whatever God asked or commanded them to do. So, as we read, we
see a people who seem to have learned their lesson, who want not only to know what God's will is,
but, more important, to follow it. The words-“Whether it is pleasing or displeasing, we will obey
the voice of the Lord our God to whom we send you, that it may be well with us when we obey the
voice of the Lord our God” (Jer. 42:6, NKJV)-were a powerful confession of faith. After all that had
happened, it was about time.
Notice the parallel here with Jeremiah's earlier messages: don't trust in foreign powers.
Trust in the Lord, and He will prosper you and He will deliver you when the time is right.
Salvation isn't from anywhere or anyone else. The foreign powers didn't help you before, and they
won't help you now.
God has to warn them because He knows the tendency of their hearts: He knows that they are
thinking of going back to Egypt (think of the symbolism here) in order to seek the protection they
wanted. So, the Lord gave them very clear and specific commands not to do that, that such a
course would bring ruin upon them.
Again, such a stark choice, the choice we all have to face: life and peace through faith and
obedience to Jesus, or misery and death through lack of faith and lack of obedience. No matter the
different circumstances, in the end the issue is the same for all of us. Unlike these people, we
don't always have the warnings given to us so specifically and so clearly expressed, but we have
been given the warnings just the same.
Life or death, blessing or cursing. What kind of choices are you making, every day,
either for life or for death? A Possible Answer: 1. Choices relating to diet. 2. Choices related to
obedience. 3. Choices related to following cultural customs or God’s way. 4. Choices related to
following the natural carnal heart or that of reflecting the graces and spirit of Christ.
Tuesday
December 15
Returning to Egypt
Jer 42:1 Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least
even unto the greatest, came near,
Jer 42:2 And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the LORD thy
God, even for all this remnant; (for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us:)
Jer 42:3 That the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.
Jer 42:4 Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto the LORD your God according to your words; and
it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing the LORD shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you.
Jer 42:5 Then they said to Jeremiah, The LORD be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which
the LORD thy God shall send thee to us.
Jer 42:6 Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with
us, when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.
Jer 42:7 And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah.
Jer 42:8 Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces which were with him, and all the people from the least even
to the greatest,
Jer 42:9 And said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before him;
Jer 42:10 If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up: for I repent me
of the evil that I have done unto you.
Jer 42:11 Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the LORD: for I am with you to save you, and to
deliver you from his hand.
Jer 42:12 And I will shew mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land.
Jer 42:13 But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your God,
Jer 42:14 Saying, No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of
bread; and there will we dwell:
Jer 42:15 And now therefore hear the word of the LORD, ye remnant of Judah; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; If ye wholly set
your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there;
Jer 42:16 Then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye
were afraid, shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die.
Jer 42:17 So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by
the pestilence: and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them.
Jer 42:18 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As mine anger and my fury hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of
Jerusalem; so shall my fury be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt: and ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a
curse, and a reproach; and ye shall see this place no more.
Jer 42:19 The LORD hath said concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah; Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished you this day.
Jer 42:20 For ye dissembled in your hearts, when ye sent me unto the LORD your God, saying, Pray for us unto the LORD our God; and
according unto all that the LORD our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it.
Jer 42:21 And now I have this day declared it to you; but ye have not obeyed the voice of the LORD your God, nor any thing for the which he
hath sent me unto you.
Jer 42:22 Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go
and to sojourn.
If you haven't read ahead, Jeremiah 42:1-22 could be very exciting. What will the people do?
Would they reach out in faith, a faith that is revealed in obedience, and remain in Judah? Or would
they make the same mistakes that were made in the past, and instead of following a clear “thus
saith the Lord,” do what they want to do, despite the Lord's clear warning in the last few verses of
chapter 42 about what would await them if they did go back to Egypt?
Read Jeremiah 43:1-7. What did they do? Jer 43:1 And it came to pass, that when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking
unto all the people all the words of the LORD their God, for which the LORD their God had sent him to them, even all these words,
Jer 43:2 Then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, Thou speakest
falsely: the LORD our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there:
2. Azariah. The fact that Azariah is named before the acknowledged group leader Johanan (chs. 41:13, 16;
42:1, 8) would seem to indicate that Azariah was the real leader of the prevailing discontent. This charge that
Jeremiah spoke falsely, and for the purpose of delivering the people “into the hand of the Chaldeans” (ch. 43:3),
repeated the former accusation against him (see ch. 37:13, 14).
Proud. Literally, “insolent,” or “presumptuous.” This adjective suggests that these “men” by no means
represented all the people; but, as so often happens, their vocal aggressiveness enabled them to seize the
initiative.
Jer 43:3 But Baruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us, for to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they might put us to
death, and carry us away captives into Babylon.
Jer 43:4 So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, and all the people, obeyed not the voice of the LORD, to dwell in the
land of Judah.
Jer 43:5 But Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, took all the remnant of Judah, that were returned from all nations,
whither they had been driven, to dwell in the land of Judah;
5. Took all the remnant. This included Jeremiah and Baruch. (v. 6).
Returned from all nations. A reference to the fugitives from Moab, Ammon, or Edom (ch. 40:11), whose
inclusion in this emigration meant that practically the whole of Judea would be left unpopulated.
Jer 43:6 Even men, and women, and children, and the king's daughters, and every person that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left
with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah.
A Possible
Answer: They choose to not exercise faith but rather band together and went down to Egypt.
Jer 43:7 So they came into the land of Egypt: for they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: thus came they even to Tahpanhes.
When God's Word does not agree with our intentions or desires, we tend to have doubts about its
divine origins. Likewise, the people and the leaders had doubts about Jeremiah. Apparently, in
Israel, only the circumstances had changed, but the people remained the same in their thinking
and in their heart. They excused themselves from their vow by attacking the prophet Jeremiah.
However, they did not want to attack the aged Jeremiah directly. So they blamed Baruch, his
friend and sometimes scribe, and turned their wrath against him, claiming that he had turned the
prophet against them.
Read Exodus 16:3 and Numbers 16:13. What parallels exist between what the people said to
Jeremiah and what their ancestors said to Moses?
Exodus 16:3
3 And the children of Israel said to them, “Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when
we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill
this whole assembly with hunger.”
Numbers 16:13
13 Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the
wilderness, that you should keep acting like a prince over us?
A Possible Answer: the parallel is seen in that 1) They preferred to do anything other then that
which God wanted them to do. 2) Not seeing the situation for what it was, they blamed their
leaders. 3) Memories of their history motivated them rather than faith in God’s will and visions of
their future. 4) Their hearts were still attached to the pass.
Human nature is human nature, always looking for someone else to blame for its problems,
always looking for an excuse to do what it wants. Thus, for whatever reason, Baruch was accused
of wanting all of his countrymen to die by the hand of the Babylonians or to be taken into exile
there. Jeremiah 43:1-7 does not say why the people thought Baruch wanted this to happen, any
more than Scripture explains why the children of Israel thought Moses wanted them to die in the
wilderness after they had left Egypt. People in the thrall of emotions and passions may not have
sound reasons for their thinking. How crucial it is then that we keep our passions and emotions
submitted to the Lord!
How often do we allow emotions or passions to cloud our judgment or even override a
clear “thus saith the Lord”? A Possible Answer: More often that that which we would like to
believe.
How can we protect ourselves from letting emotions and passions get the better of us?
(See 2 Cor. 10:5.) A Possible Answer: 1) Pray and ask God to help us keep in mind that we need to
act on the bases of Faith and obedience. 2) Buy purposing to act on the basis of principle. 3) By
permitting the Holy Spirit to move us to act. 4) Stop and think before acting.
Wednesday
December 16
Taken Into Exile
Read Jeremiah 43:8-13.
Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying,
Jer 43:9 Take great stones in thine hand, and hide them in the clay in the brick kiln, which is at the entry of
Pharaoh's house in Tahpanhes, in the sight of the men of Judah;
Jer 43:10 And say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will send and take
Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will set his throne upon these stones that I have hid; and he
shall spread his royal pavilion over them.
Jer 43:11 And when he cometh, he shall smite the land of Egypt, and deliver such as are for death to death; and
such as are for captivity to captivity; and such as are for the sword to the sword.
Jer 43:12 And I will kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt; and he shall burn them, and carry them away
captives: and he shall array himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepherd putteth on his garment; and he shall go
forth from thence in peace.
Jer 43:13 He shall break also the images of Bethshemesh, that is in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods
of the Egyptians shall he burn with fire.
What did the Lord say through Jeremiah? A Possible Answer: That God would use Babylon to
concur Egypt rendering even those who went there for safety would find none.
Tahpanhes was a town at the northeastern border of Egypt, which had significant fortifications and
where a great number of Jewish colonists lived. Here again, the Lord wants Jeremiah to act out a
prophecy symbolically. Even though words are powerful, sometimes when things are done in real
life, when they are acted out before us, the point comes through even more strongly.
How exactly Jeremiah was to bury stones at the entrance to Pharaoh's house, we aren't told.
The point, however, was clear: even the mighty Pharaohs were no match for the Lord, and He
would fulfill His word just as He had said. The refugees who thought that they would find
protection and safety by going to Egypt were as wrong as those who, as we saw earlier, thought
that they could find protection and safety by having Egypt come to them (Jer. 37:7-8). The
Egyptian gods were useless, figments of warped imaginations; these gods were pagan abominations
that kept the people in abject ignorance of truth. The Israelites should have known, as we should
now know, that our only true protection and safety is in obeying the Lord.
“When self-denial becomes a part of our religion, we shall understand and do the will of God; for
our eyes will be anointed with eye-salve so that we shall behold wonderful things out of his law.
We shall see the path of obedience as the only path of safety. God holds his people responsible in
proportion as the light of truth is brought to their understanding. The claims of his law are just and
reasonable, and through the grace of Christ he expects us to fulfill his requirements.”-Ellen G.
White, The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, February 25, 1890.
Think about the symbolism, too, in the Israelites' going back to Egypt in their desire to
find safety. How ironic! In a spiritual sense, what are ways that we could be tempted to
“go back to Egypt” to find what we think we can't find with the Lord? A Possible Answer: In
times of need, we ted to want to depend on financial securities. Our tendency to rely on social
‘appendages’ whether they be people or activities to satisfy the deep yearnings of the heart. More
subtly, the inclination to go back to our former religious experience instead of walking by faith in
the present.
Ellen G. White, The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, February 25, 1890.
Need of Earnestness in the Cause of God
The Lord knocks at the door of your heart, desiring to enter, that he may impart spiritual riches to your soul. He would
anoint the blind eyes, that they may discover the holy character of God in his law, and understand the love of Christ,
which is indeed gold tried in the fire. There are old, yet new truths still to be added to the treasures of our knowledge.
We do not understand or exercise faith as we should. Christ has made rich promises in regard to bestowing the Holy
Spirit upon his church, and yet how little these promises are appreciated! We are not called to worship and serve God
by the use of the means employed in former years. God requires higher service now than ever before. He requires the
improvement of the heavenly gifts. He has brought us into a position where we need higher and better things than have
ever been needed before. The slumbering Church must be aroused, awakened out of its spiritual lethargy, to a
realization of the important duties which have been left undone. The people have not entered into the holy place,
where Jesus has gone to make an atonement for his children. We need the Holy Spirit in order to understand the truths
for this time; but there is spiritual drought in the churches, and we have accustomed ourselves to be easily satisfied
with our standing before God. We say that we are rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing, while we
are poor, and wretched, and miserable, and blind, and naked.
It is essential that we study the Scriptures far more earnestly than we do. With fervent prayer we should earnestly and
thoroughly examine the pillars of our faith, to see that we have no false support. God will not bless men in indolence,
nor in zealous, stubborn opposition to the light he gives to his people. Many who have come to the faith have received
the truths from the lips of teachers, and have not sought a knowledge of the truth themselves. They are content with
mere surface evidence. They have not obtained increased light by diligent investigation of the Scriptures, and are not
quick to discern the temptations and delusions of Satan. Some are described in the words of Malachi: “Ye are departed
out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of
hosts.”
Those who claim to keep and teach the holy law of God, and are continually transgressing that law, are stumblingblocks not only to sinners, but also to believers in the truth. They oppose they know not what, because, unfortunately,
they are leavened with the spirit of opposition. The loose, lax way in which many regard the law of Jehovah and the
gift of his Son, is an insult to God. The only way in which we can correct this wide-spread evil, is to closely examine
every one who would become a teacher of the word. Those upon whom this responsibility rests, should acquaint
themselves with his history since he has professed to believe the truth. His Christian experience and his knowledge of
the Scriptures, the way in which he holds the present truth, should all be understood. There has been too little done in
examining ministers, and for this very reason churches have had the labors of unconverted, inefficient men, who have
lulled the members to sleep, instead of awakening them to greater zeal and earnestness in the cause of God.
The truth has been represented as a “treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy
thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.” The man who had bought the field would plow every
part of it to make himself possessor of the treasure. Thus it is with the word of God. It is filled with precious things; it
is a field containing the unsearchable riches of Christ. Yet many who teach the truth have no ambition to become Bible
students, and do not work the mine that contains the precious jewels of truth. They get a runway of a few discourses
which they think will make them pass as preachers, but it is impossible for them to bring from the treasure-house of
Gods word, things new and old. They are not thoroughly furnished for every good work, and are unable to preach the
unsearchable riches of Christ.
Let our prayers ascend to God for his converting, transforming grace. Meetings should be held in every church for
solemn prayer and earnest searching of the word to know what is truth. Take the promises of God, and ask God in
living faith for the outpouring of his Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit is shed upon us, marrow and fatness will be drawn
from the word of God. Ministers will not handle it carelessly, but prayerfully, reverently, as the guide-book of heaven.
They will see the altar upon which they are to present their bodies a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God,
which is their reasonable service. When self-denial becomes a part of our religion, we shall understand and do the will
of God; for our eyes will be anointed with eye-salve so that we shall behold wonderful things out of his law. We shall
see the path of obedience as the only path of safety. God holds his people responsible in proportion as the light of
truth is brought to their understanding. The claims of his law are just and reasonable, and through the grace of Christ
he expects us to fulfill his requirements. The demands of his law must be fully met. Men must advance in the path of
duty from light to a greater light, for light unimproved becomes darkness, and a means of treasuring up wrath for
themselves against the day of wrath.
Every member of the church is responsible for the talents intrusted to him; and in order to meet his responsibilities he
needs to be instructed diligently, patiently, and with the spirit of Christ. This work devolves largely on the minister,
but often his work is so slightly done that it cannot be acceptable to God or accomplish his purpose. Talent must be
trained that the very highest service may be rendered by individual members of the church. When the churches
become living, working churches, the Holy Spirit will be given in answer to their sincere request. Then the truth of
Gods word will be regarded with new interest, and will be explored as if it were a revelation just from the courts
above. Every declaration of inspiration concerning Christ will take hold of the inmost soul of those who love him. Envy,
jealousy, evil surmising, will cease. The Bible will be regarded as a charter from heaven. Its study will absorb the
mind, and its truths will feast the soul. The promises of God now repeated as if the soul had never tasted of his love,
will then glow upon the altar of the heart, and fall in burning words from the lips of the messengers of God. They will
then plead with souls with an earnestness that cannot be repulsed. Then the windows of heaven will be open for the
showers of the latter rain. The followers of Christ will be united in love.
The only way the truth can be presented to the world, in its pure and holy character, is for those who claim to believe
it, to be exponents of its power. The Bible requires the sons and daughters of God to stand on an elevated platform;
for God calls upon them to represent Christ to the world. As they represent Christ, they represent the Father. Unity of
believers testifies of their oneness with Christ, and this unity is required by the accumulated light which now shines
upon the pathway of the children of God. It is not the want of knowledge, or of spiritual understanding, that will
separate us from the divine presence, and witness against us in the last day, but the truth that has reached the
understanding, the light that has shone upon the soul and has not been appreciated, will judge and condemn us before
God. My brethren, if we were blind, we would not sin, but we have been privileged to look upon great light. The
treasures of truth and knowledge have been bestowed upon us without limit, and we are guilty in proportion to our
failure to live up to the truth that has been placed within our reach. The character and work of many of the professed
followers of Christ will not bear the test of Gods holy law. The Spirit of God is not in their worship, and the worship is
not acceptable to God. There is no excuse for their present coldness. They have the riches of the truth, and make a
boast of their knowledge, but they are content to make no advancement. Many plead that their fathers believed
certain things, that they loved God and were favored by him, and therefore we shall be favored in taking a like
position. But we cannot stand where our fathers stood. We cannot be accepted of God in rendering the same service
that our fathers rendered. In order to have our life-work blessed of God, we must be as faithful, as zealous, in our time
as they were in theirs; we must improve our light as they improved theirs, and do as they would have done if the
increased light shining upon us had shone upon them.
We should not open the sacred volume with a light and trifling spirit. We should study Gods word with humility, with
hope, with prayerful hearts, grateful that such a treasure has been vouchsafed to us. Every doctrine must be brought
to the Bible. Every perplexing question must be settled by a “thus saith the Lord.”
The truth should be woven into our life, that it may influence our spirit and govern our actions. I declare to you in the
name of the Lord, that the ministry must be elevated. We are not anything like as efficient as we might be. Some of
the ministers do not teach the truth as it is in Jesus. They do not eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of God.
Christ says, “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” His words must become a part of our
very life; then we shall offer fervent, effectual prayers with that faith which will bring returns. Then if ministers see
that their labors are not effectual to the saving of souls, they will fast and pray, and the Holy Spirit will come upon
them. They will work diligently to correct what may be wrong in their character. The sincerity of their prayers will be
determined by the earnest efforts they make to place themselves in right relation to God. When they see in themselves
sins and wrongs that must be confessed and renounced, they must exercise faith that when they repent of their sins,
God forgives; that renovating power is given to the soul. By faith, living faith, the victory will be gained. In this work
there should be no indolence indulged in, for God calls upon men for the exercise of every power, that he may work
with their efforts. Man can never be saved himself, or be an instrument for the salvation of others, until he exercises
living faith, and with determined effort acts his part in the work of God. He must take hold upon the strength of Christ,
which will subdue every unholy passion, and enable him to conquer self. God has given to his people the light of great
and solemn truths. He has opened to their understanding the mysteries of salvation; and if these truths are not
improved, the favor of God will be withdrawn.
Thursday
Read Jeremiah 44:1-10.
December 17
Open Defiance
The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which dwell in the land of Egypt, which dwell at Migdol, and
at Tahpanhes, and at Noph, and in the country of Pathros, saying,
Jer 44:2 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Ye have seen all the evil that I have brought upon
Jerusalem, and upon all the cities of Judah; and, behold, this day they are a desolation, and no man dwelleth therein,
Jer 44:3 Because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke me to anger, in that they went to burn
incense, and to serve other gods, whom they knew not, neither they, ye, nor your fathers.
Jer 44:4 Howbeit I sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, Oh, do not
this abominable thing that I hate.
Jer 44:5 But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense unto other
gods.
Jer 44:6 Wherefore my fury and mine anger was poured forth, and was kindled in the cities of Judah and in the
streets of Jerusalem; and they are wasted and desolate, as at this day.
Jer 44:7 Therefore now thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; Wherefore commit ye this great
evil against your souls, to cut off from you man and woman, child and suckling, out of Judah, to leave you none to
remain;
Jer 44:8 In that ye provoke me unto wrath with the works of your hands, burning incense unto other gods in the
land of Egypt, whither ye be gone to dwell, that ye might cut yourselves off, and that ye might be a curse and a
reproach among all the nations of the earth?
Jer 44:9 Have ye forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, and the wickedness of the kings of Judah, and the
wickedness of their wives, and your own wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives, which they have committed
in the land of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem?
Jer 44:10 They are not humbled even unto this day, neither have they feared, nor walked in my law, nor in my
statutes, that I set before you and before your fathers.
What were the captives doing in Egypt? A Possible Answer: Burning incense to Egyptian gods.
Refusing to live humbly. Forsaking God’s law and council.
During the Egyptian captivity, Jeremiah had to face the same problem he had while he and
his people had lived in Judah. At that time he had to talk to the leaders; now he had to talk to the
common people, who in captivity were committing some of the same sins that brought this
devastation on them to begin with.
What startling answer did they give to Jeremiah when confronted by them? (Jer. 44:15-19).
Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods, and all the women that stood by,
a great multitude, even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying,
Jer 44:16 As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee.
Jer 44:17 But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the
queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our
princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and
saw no evil.
Jer 44:18 But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we
have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine.
Jer 44:19 And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we
make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men? A Possible Answer:
They said that would not do what he is saying but rather do as they pleased because they
experienced more beneficial results not following what Jeremiah say God wanted them to do.
The hardness of their hearts and the deception that had overtaken them is astonishing. Basically,
they looked Jeremiah in the face and defied him and what he spoke to them in “the name of the
Lord.”
The rationale was simple: in the early days, before the reforms of Josiah, when they were heavily
steeped in worshiping pagan gods, even burning incense to the “queen of heaven” and pouring out
drink offerings to her, things went well for them. They were materially well off and dwelt in
safety. However, it was only after the reforms of Josiah (which were too late and half-hearted
anyway) that calamity struck. So, why should they listen to Jeremiah and all his warnings?
Jeremiah's response (Jer. 44:20-30) was, No, you don't understand. It was precisely because
you did all these things that these calamities have come upon you. Worse, your stubborn refusal to
change means that even more calamity will come, and the safety you thought you would find in
Egypt is a deception and a lie, just like the pagan gods you worship. In the end, you will know the
truth, but it will be too late.
What about those who, steeped in sin and unbelief, seem to be doing very well,
while at times faithful Christians go through terrible trials? A Possible Answer: We need
not be envious or even clamor for what they have. They have their reward now and even with that,
it doesn’t really satisfy the inner God-given cravings of the human heart.
How do we work our way through this reality? A Possible Answer: By keeping in mind that
God makes the sun shine on the just and the unjust. By bearing in mind that we are in a battle that
has many fronts... By dwelling on the following realities:...We work for an imperishable crown...
God has promised the humble trusting obedient Christian will be provided for and lifted up in the
end. The riches of the unrighteous will be stored up for the Righteous. Remembering that God calls
us to be faithful not necessarily successful.
Friday December 18
Further Thought:
All through the book of Jeremiah, as through all the Bible, we are confronted with the question of
good and evil. And as Christians we know good from evil, because God has defined these terms for
us in many different ways. (See, for example, Rom. 7:7, Mic. 6:8, Josh. 24:15, Matt. 22:37-39,
Deut. 12:8.) But what if you don't believe in God? How can you know good from evil? Well, atheist
author Sam Harris has a suggestion. He wrote a book called The Moral Landscape, in which he
argues that good and evil can and should be understood only in terms of science. That is, the same
way that science has helped us understand the difference between the strong nuclear force and
the weak nuclear force, it should help us know right from wrong, and good from evil. He even
speculates that science might one day cure evil. “Consider what would happen if we discovered a
cure for human evil. Imagine, for the sake of argument, that every relevant change in the human
brain can be made cheaply, painlessly, and safely. The cure for psychopathy can be put directly
into the food supply like vitamin D. Evil is now nothing more than a nutritional deficiency.”-The
Moral Landscape, How Science Can Determine Human Values (New York: Simon & Schuster, Inc.,
2010), Kindle Edition, p. 109. Most scientists, however, even those who don't believe in God, would
have a problem believing that science can solve these problems. If, however, you don't believe in
God, where else can you find these solutions?
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Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, book one, pp. 116 – 118.
Chapter 15 - When the Church Awakes
Prayer is needed in the home life, in the church life, in the missionary life. The efficiency of
earnest prayer is but feebly understood. Were the church faithful in prayer, she would not be
found remiss in so many things; for faithfulness in calling upon God will bring rich returns.
When the church awakes to the sense of her holy calling, many more fervent and effective
prayers will ascend to heaven for the Holy Spirit to point out the work and duty of Gods people
regarding the salvation of souls. We have a standing promise that God will draw near to every
seeking soul.
The church needs to be begotten again unto a lively hope “by the resurrection of Jesus from
the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away” (1 Peter 1:3,
4. When the church awakes to a sense of what must be done in our world, the members will have
travail of soul for those who know not God and who in their spiritual ignorance cannot understand
the truth for this time. Self-denial, self-sacrifice, is to be woven into all our experience. We are to
pray and watch unto prayer, that there may be no inconsistency in our lives. We must not fail to
show others that we understand that watching unto prayer means living our prayers before God,
that He may answer them.
The church will not retrograde while the members seek help from the throne of grace, that
they may not fail to cooperate in the great work of saving the souls that are on the brink of ruin.
The members of a church that is an active, working church, will have a realization that they are
wearing Christs yoke, and drawing with Him.
The HEAVENLY UNIVERSE IS WAITING for consecrated channels, through which God can
communicate with His people, and through them with the world. God will work through a
consecrated, self-denying church, and He will reveal His Spirit in a visible and glorious manner,
especially in this time, when Satan is working in a masterly manner to deceive the souls of both
ministers and people. If Gods ministers will cooperate with Him, He will be with them in a
remarkable manner, even as He was with His disciples of old.
Will not the church awake to her responsibility? GOD IS WAITING to impart the Spirit of the
greatest missionary the world has ever known to those who will work with self-denying, selfsacrificing consecration. When Gods people receive this Spirit, power will go forth from them.
The Passive Graces
The Lord permits circumstances to come that call for the exercise of the passive graces,
which increase in purity and efficiency as we endeavor to give back to the Lord His own in tithes
and offerings. You know something of what it means to pass through trials. These have given you
the opportunity of trusting in God, of seeking Him in earnest prayer, that you may believe in Him,
and rely upon Him with simple faith. It is by suffering that our virtues are tested, and our faith
tried. It is in the day of trouble that we feel the preciousness of Jesus. You will be given
opportunity to say, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15). Oh, it is so precious to
think that opportunities are afforded us to confess our faith in the face of danger, and amid
sorrow, sickness, pain, and death....
With us, everything depends on how we accept the Lords terms. As is our spirit, so will
be the moral result upon our future life and character. Each individual soul has victories to gain,
but he must realize that he cannot have things just as he wants them. We are to observe carefully
every lesson Christ has given throughout His life and teaching. He does not destroy; He improves
whatever He touches.
Humility and Faith
In the work for this time, it is not money or talent or learning or eloquence that are
needed so much as faith graced with humility. No opposition can prevail against truth presented
in faith and humility, by workers who willingly bear toil and sacrifice and reproach for the Masters
sake. We must be co-workers with Christ if we would see our efforts crowned with success. We
must weep as He wept for those who will not weep for themselves, and plead as He pleaded for
those who will not plead for themselves.
A Quick Work
When divine power is combined with human effort, the work will spread like fire in the
stubble. God will employ agencies whose origin man will be unable to discern; angels will do a
work which men might have had the blessing of accomplishing, had they not neglected to answer
the claims of God.
Discussion Questions:
1 “With us, everything depends on how we accept the Lord's terms.”-Ellen G. White, Selected
Messages, book one, p. 118. Why is it a mistake to assume that salvation comes with no
condition? Conditions are not the same things as works, or something that gives us merit
before God. How can we learn to differentiate between the false teaching of salvation by works
(legalism) and the false teaching that salvation is non-conditional (cheap grace)?
2 Dwell more on the difficult question at the end of Thursday's study. If someone says: “I don't believe
in Jesus, I don't even believe in God, and yet look at how well my life is going. In fact, I would
say that my life is going better than yours, and you are a Christian,” how would you respond?
Inside +++++++++++++
Mission Story
All Things Work Together for Good
Like many young people in Africa, Siyoka had migrated from his home village to a larger town in
search of a job. He lived with relatives and sent every penny he could back to his widowed mother
and two younger brothers.
It was the music that first attracted him to meetings held by Pastor Mbena, but when he heard the
story of Jesus, Siyoka could not stop thinking about how wonderful it would be to go to heaven with
Him. What would it be like, he wondered, never to be hungry, sad, lonely, or afraid again.
The meetings over, Siyoka decided to return home and go to school so that perhaps, someday, he
could become a pastor too. The local elder who took charge of following up those who had
attended the meeting thought Siyoka had lost interest when he left town. He did whatever work he
could find to pay for his school fees, as well as caring for the family garden. But that year the rains
did not come. Sadly the villagers watched their crops wither and die. Sometimes there would be
clouds and even a little rain, but not the steady, soaking rains needed to bring life to the barren
earth.
The famine was terrible. Many died and many more, including Siyoka, became sick. In desperation
his mother, seeing he was about to die, managed to bring him to a hospital in the nearest city. It
was there that Pastor Mbena, visiting some of his church members, found him.
After relating these events, Siyoka's thin face lit up as he said in a weak whisper, “God is good,
Pastor Mbena. He kept me from dying in the famine and now I will be alive to see my people
baptized. You will come to my village, won't you?”
“Yes, Siyoka, I must come to your village and hold some meetings so your people can learn about
Jesus,” answered the pastor warmly.
“Oh, they already know Jesus, Pastor!” Siyoka assured him earnestly.
“There are 25 ready to be baptized. I told them everything I learned when I attended your
meetings and taught them the songs, too. I met with them every Sabbath. Even when the famine
was really bad we prayed, and God answered our prayers. He brought me here so I could find you.
When can you come?”
Pastor Mbena could hardly believe his ears. This boy who had had so little opportunity to learn
had become a preacher for God! When Siyoka was well enough to go home the pastor accompanied
him. He visited the people and found that they had indeed been well taught. What a wonderful day
it was when Siyoka and his 25 converts were baptized. __ Written by Charlotte Ishkanian.
All Rights Reserved. No part of the Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide may be edited, altered,
modified, adapted, translated, reproduced, or published by any person or entity without prior
written authorization from the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
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