Sat.’s Devo - Take Courage

Read: Jeremiah 39:1-41:18; 2 Timothy 1:1-18; Psalm 90:1-91:16; Proverbs 26:1-2 Jeremiah had prophesied during the reign of four kings of Judah about the fall of Jerusalem and finally during Zedikiah’s ninth year, Jerusalem was besieged. During his eleventh year the wall was broken down and all the officers of the Babyloniahn army came and sat in triumph at the Middle Gate. When King Zedekiah and his officers saw this they fled instead of surrendering. They waited it’ll night then slipped there the gate behind the kings’ garden and headed toward the Jordan Valley. But the Babylonians chased them, and captured Zedekiah and took him to see King Nebuchadnezzar face to face just as Jeremiah had prophesied. Nebuchadnezzar pronounced judgment against Zedekiah and the last thing he saw was his own sons being executed before his eyes were gouged out. Then he was marched to Babylon in chains. The walls of Jerusalem were torn down and the city burned. The people were taken as slaves to Babylon. Some of the poorest people of the land were allowed to stay and keep the land. Nebuchadnezzar had the captain of his guard find Jeremiah and make sure he was treated well. They brought him out of prison and put him under the care of Gedaliah who took him to his home. He was allowed to stay in Judah. Jeremiah told the Ethiopian, Ebed-melech that because he had rescued him from the cistern, God would rescue him from the Babyloniahn and he would live and be safe. The captain of the guard had found Jeremiah in chains among the captives that were going to Babylon. He took off his chains and gave him the choice of going with him to Babylon or staying in Judah with his people. He gave him food and money and set him free. Jeremiah chose to stay in Judah. Gedaliah had been made governor of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar but Ishmael, being of the royal seed of David (Jer 41:1) envied Gedaliah and he thought himself entitled to the position. He joined himself with the ancient heathen enemy of Judah and staged a coup against Gedaliah. Gedaliah was warned but didn’t heed the warning and walked right into Ishmael’s trap. Ishmael killed Gedaliah and his officers and the Babylonian officers who were with Gedaliah. He took captive all the people he hadn’t killed and prepared to march them as captives to the land of Ammon. When the military, led by Johanan found out about what Gedaliah had done they came after him and rescued the people. Ishmael and eight of his men escaped. Johanan took the survivors to Bethlehem whee he prepared to take them to Egypt. They were afraid of what the Babylonians would do when they heard Gedaliah had been murdered since he was their appointed governor. Paul wrote Timothy a second letter. He encouraged him to have courage and to remember his spiritual gifts and not be afraid to use them. Also, don’t be ashamed to testify of Christ. Paul, himself was in prison but unashamed of why he was there. He felt privileged to suffer for Christ. Though he was in chains, his spirit was free to serve Christ. Lord, may we realize that our freedom was in Christ.