A Message from Matthew:
“For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4).
In Genesis 15, God promised to give the land of Canaan to Abraham’s descendants.
After hundreds of years of Egyptian oppression God told Moses: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows…So I have come down to deliver them…and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus 3:7-8).
After leaving Egypt, God gave very clear instructions to Israel to “drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places” (Numbers 33:50-56). In Deuteronomy 7 and 20 we see similar commands. Sadly, these commands weren’t fully obeyed. Judges 1:27-28 says, “Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants..and did not utterly drive them out.”.
Finally, due to persistent disobedience, the kingdom of Judah was under threat of another invasion by Babylon. There was only a remnant of faithful people left. In the shadow of this looming threat, the remnant of Judah come to Jeremiah to ask him to pray for them (Jer. 42:1-6). The remnant vows to be obedient to whatever God tells them. “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.”
This seems to be a very admirable heart posture. But God knew the people of Judah were being dishonest – “For you were hypocrites in your hearts when you sent me to the Lord your God, saying, ‘Pray for us to the Lord our God, and according to all that the Lord your God says, so declare to us and we will do it’” (Jer. 42:20).
They said they wanted Gods input on what they should do, but God knew the truth – they didn’t want to listen. They were deceived by the fears of Babylon (which represents strong opposition) and the desire for Egypt (which represents former slavery).
We find a very critical lesson here:
We must pray with an honest heart when we ask God for answers.
James 1:5-8 says, “He who doubts is like a wave of the sea..let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.”
Psalm 139:23-24 says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart..”
Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart..and He shall direct your paths.”
We need to be honest to ourselves, to each other, and before God in our prayers. Let’s not ask for God’s will to be done while secretly hoping He agrees with our own will. Real surrender is trusting God’s leadership, not just seeking approval for your own plans.
After ten days, God answers. He tells them to remain in Judah and promises to protect and bless them (Jer. 42:10-12). He warns that if they go to Egypt, they’ll face the very dangers they hoped to escape.
Babylon had already caused large amounts of destruction. Many of their friends and family had already been taken captive and killed. The remnant was filled with fear of what might become of them if they stayed. In this chaos they ended up placing their own desires for “peace and safety” before Gods direction.
They decided to run off to Egypt.
We need to place God’s directions above our own desires.
The Israelites believed that if they followed their own desires they would be safe. “We will go to the land of Egypt where we shall see no war..” (Jer. 42:13-14).
They just wanted to escape by running to Egypt. But God was with them in the Promised Land, and that was safer. They didn’t need to run to Egypt.
But they feared Babylon more than they trusted God. This pushed them to put their own desires and fears before God’s Word – which was a crucial error. Their fears sent them packing off to Pharoah.
Matthew 26:39 is the perfect representation of the proper mindset we need to have when we pray – “Not as I will, but as You will”
Amidst all this fear of Babylon’s might and desire for Egyptian comfort, they forgot an extremely important fact:
They were already in the Land of Promise.
Jer. 42:10 says, “if you will still remain in this land, then I will build you and not pull you down, and I will plant you and not pluck you up..” They were standing in the land God promised to Abraham, yet they still longed for Egypt. Babylon’s threats made them forget they were living in fulfilled prophecy.
Deuteronomy 6:10-12 warns, “When you have eaten and are full-then beware, lest you forget the Lord..”
We should never abandon Gods promise because of pressure. Sometimes we are standing in answered prayer – but fear keeps us from recognizing or remembering it.
They had complete access to God’s peace – if they obeyed.
Jeremiah 42:10-12 says, “Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon.. For I am with you to save you and deliver you from his hand.” . Babylon was still present – but so was God’s promise of peace, if they obeyed.
Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You..”.
Leviticus 26 says, “I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none will make you afraid…”
Not even the king of Babylon should make us tremble if we are in God’s will.
God said the “peace” in Egypt was an illusion. He warned them that disaster would come upon them in Egypt. “then it shall be that the sword which you feared shall overtake you…the famine of which you were afraid shall follow close after you…they shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence…none of them shall remain or escape from the disaster that I will bring upon them” (Jer. 42:16-18).
But they didn’t listen.
Egypt is their old life of control, fear, and slavery. They reverted back to their old ways. Galatians 5:1 says, “Stand fast.. and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.”
Don’t rebuild what God tore down. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation..” Obedience means leaving Egypt behind, even when it may seem easier to run to Egypt than to stand in faith and obedience against Babylon.
We need to leave our old life behind. Otherwise, if we grow weary, we’ll be tempted to go back to Egypt.
Babylon had worn them down. “We will go to the land of Egypt where we shall see no war nor hear the sound of the trumpet…” (Jer. 42:14). They were quite literally in a warzone. Understandably, Egypt looked easier – but it was bondage.
When we get tired of obedience, we will be tempted to return to Egypt.
Galatians 6:9 says, “Let us not grow weary while doing good..”. Obedience can be exhausting – but returning to “Egypt” will never help. Allow God to strengthen us in the moment of pressure, so we don’t run back to what He has freed us from.
Jeremiah 42 contains many fascinating symbols of where we are today.
Some desire to return to the old life of sin (Egypt) God has rescued us from.
There is strong opposition (Babylon) against us walking further into obedience to God’s Word.
You can pray for God’s will – and still plan to ignore it.
God’s will may not match your desire – but it’s always right.
You might already be standing in the Promise Land – don’t run from it.
Let’s not forget how God has so clearly worked in our lives.
Maybe the reason why we don’t feel complete peace is because we haven’t fully obeyed what God has said. Peace is found in obedience – not escape.
May we ask for God’s leading with honest intentions to completely follow whatever He says – “Not as I wil, but as You will.”
Lincoln House Churches 