Today’s word comes from Jeremiah chapter 41 – 43. Ishmael was able to kill Gedaliah and all the Jews who he found at mizpah he also killed the Chaldeans who were there.He also killed some of the 80 men who came from Shechem, Shiloh and from Samaria with incense and offering to bring them to the house of the Lord but 10 of the men offered Ishmael the wheat,barley,oil and honey so that they were not to be killed. Ishmael carried into captivity all the other people who were left in mizpah they headed to the ammonite. Johanan and the other captain came to rescue of the captives and dwelt at chimham,which is near Bethlehem they were headed to Egypt. They were afraid of Chaldeans because Ishmael had killed the appointed governor.Johanna and all the people came to Jeremiah and asked him to pray to the Lord,that the Lord may show them the way in which they should walk and the thing they should do. After 10 days the Lord answered their prayer,that they should stay in Judah and he will build them and not destroy them but if they choose to go to Egypt they shall die by the sword,famine and pestilence but they choose to disobey the word of the Lord and they decided to go to Egypt and dwell there. They also accused Jeremiah that he has been sent to deliver them to the hands of the Chaldeans an so all the people went and dwelt in the land of Egypt. The Lord of host brought destruction upon them though the invasion of the king of Babylon. Those for death were killed and those to be taken into captivity were also taken into captivity. He also destroyed all the gods by fire in land of Egypt. He also broke the sacred pillars of beth shemesh and the house of the gods of the Egyptians.
As Christians do we understand that obedience to the Lord is better than sacrifice? What do we fear the wrath of the world or the anger and wrath of the Lord? Why do we inquire from the Lord when we have our worldly solutions? Why do we bring destruction to ourselves through our wicked ways?
To the Lord of host obedience to Him is better than all the sacrifice and incense we would like to offer Him. We should only fear the Lord and pray to the Lord to send His Holy spirit to calm our other anxiety and fear.