Transcript for Day 250: Final Wave of Exile (2022)

Hi, my name's Father Mike Schmitz and you're listening to the Bible in a year podcast where we encounter God's voice and live life through the lens of scripture. The Bible in a year podcast is brought to you by Ascension, using the great adventure Bible timeline will read all the way from Genesis to Revelation, discovering how the story of salvation unfolds and how we fit into that story today. It is day 250. It's awesome. You guys, congratulations. You have 115 days left. I think that's right. Anyways, we are trucking through Jeremiah and and Judith. We're almost at the end of Judith. We're Jeremiah 39 and 40 the fall of Jerusalem and Man, it's ups and downs, you know highs and lows and lows actually during my 39 and 40 as well as Judith 10 and 11 Proverbs chapter 17 versus 9 through 12 is always the Bible translation I'm reading from is the revised standard version second Catholic edition. I'm using the rate to ensure that I will from a sentient if you want to download your own Bible in a year reading plan. You can visit the sentientpress.com slash Bible in a year. And you can subscribe to the podcast by clicking on subscribe and receive daily updates and daily episodes in all the daily daily things. As I said, it's day 250. We're reading Jeremiah 39 and 40 due to 10 and 11 and Proverbs 17 verses 9 through 12. The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah, chapter 39, the Fall of Jerusalem. In the ninth year of Zedakaya, King of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, and all his army came against Jerusalem and besieged it. In the eleventh year of Zedakaya, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city. When Jerusalem was taken, all the princes of the King of Babylon came and sat in the middle gate. Nargala Sharazar, Sam Gardnibo, Sarsa Kim, the Rhapsaries, Nargal Sharazir, the Radmag, with all the rest of the officers of the King of Babylon. When Zedakaya, King of Judah, and all the soldiers saw them, they fled, going out of the city at night by way of the King's garden through the gate between the two walls, and they went toward the Arabah. But the army of the Caldeans pursued them and overtook Zedakaya in the plains of Jericho, And when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, at Riblah, in the land of Hamaf. And he passed sentence upon him. The King of Babylon slew the sons of Zedakaya at Riblah before his eyes, and the King of Babylon slew all the nobles of Judah. He put out the eyes of Zetakaya and bound him in chains to take him to Babylon. The Keldians burned the King's house and the house of the people and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. Then, Nibhuzara'dan, the captain of the guard, carried him to exile to Babylon, the rest of the people who were left in the city, those who had deserted to him and the people who remained. Nibhuzara'dan, the captain of the guard, left in the land of Judah some of the poor people who owned nothing and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time. Jeremiah is sent to Ebedmelek. Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon gave command concerning Jeremiah through Nabuzaradhan, the captain of the guard, saying, take him. Look after him well and do him no harm. But deal with him as he tells you. So Nabuzaradhan, the captain of the guard, Nabuzhazban, the rabseris, near Galsharazar, the rabmeg, and all the chief officers of the King of Babylon sent and took Jeremiah from the court of the guard. They entrusted him to get a liar, the son of Ahikum, son of Shafan, that he should take him home, so he dwelt among the people. The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah while he was shut up in the court of the guard. Go, and say to Ebedmelek the Ethiopian, thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel. Behold, I will fulfill my words against this city for evil and not for good, and they shall be accomplished before you on that day. But I will deliver you on that day, says the Lord, and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid. For I will surely save you, and you shall not fall by the sword. But you shall have your life as a prize of war, because you have put your trust in me, says the Lord. Chapter 40. Jeremiah with Getalaya, the Governor. The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord after Nibhuzardon, the captain of the guard had let him go from Rama when he took him bound in chains along with all the captives of Jerusalem and Judah who were being exiled to Babylon. The captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him, the Lord your God pronounced this evil against this place. The Lord has brought it about and has done, as he said. Because you sinned against the Lord and did not obey his voice, this thing has come upon you. Now, behold, I release you today from the chains on your hands. If it seems good to you to come with me to Babylon come and I will look after you well. But if it seems wrong to you, to come with me to Babylon, do not come. See, the whole land is before you, go wherever you think it good and right to go. If you remain, then return to get a liar, the Son of a Heekam, Son of Shafan, whom the King of Babylon appointed governor of the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people. Or go wherever you think it right to go. So the captain of the guard gave him an allowance of food and a present, and let him go. Then Jeremiah went to get a lie at the son of a he come, at Mizba, and dealt with him among the people who were left in the land. When all the captains of the forces in the open country and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed get a lie at the son of a he come, governor in the land, and had committed to him men, women, and children, those of the poorest of the land who had not been taken into exile to Babylon. They went to get a liar at Mizba. Ishmael, the son of Netanaya, Johanan, the son of Karia, Saraya, the son of Tanumeth, the sons of Ephai, the Nakafa Thait, the son of Akethait, they and their men. Get a liar, the son of Hikam, son of Shafan, swore to them, and their men, saying, do not be afraid to serve the Caldeans, dwell in the land and serve the King of Babylon, and it shall be well with you. As for me, I will dwell at Mispa to stand for you before the Caldeans who will come to us. But as for you, gather wine and summer fruits and oil and store them in your vessels and dwell in your cities that you have taken. Likewise, when all the Jews who were in Moab and among the Aminites and in Edom and in other lands heard that the King of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gettolaya, the Son of the Heekam, Son of Shafan, as governor over them. Then all the Jews returned from all the places to which they had been driven and came to the land of Judah to Gettolaya at Nizpa. and they gathered wine and summer fruits in great abundance. Now, Jahonan, the son of Korea, and all the leaders of the forces in the open country came to get a liah at Mispa and said to him. Do you know the Baalis, the king of the Aminites, has sent Ishmael the son of Nathanaa to take your life? but get a lie at the Son of a Heekom would not believe them. Then, Jehonen, the Son of Korea, spoke secretly to get a lie at Nispa. Let me go and slay Ishmael, the Son of Nethanaya, and no one will know it. Why should he take your life so that all the Jews who are gathered about you would be scattered, and the remnant of Judah would perish? But get a lie at the Son of a Heekom, said to Jehonen, the Son of Korea, you shall not do this thing, for you are speaking falsely of Ishmael. the book of Judith, chapter 10. Judith prepares to go to Hall Offerneys. When Judith had ceased crying out to the God of Israel, and had ended all these words, she rose from where she lay prostrate and called her maid and went down into the house where she lived on Sabbaths and on her feast days, and she removed the sackcloth which she had been wearing and took off her widow's garments and bathed her body with water and anointed herself with precious ointment and combed her hair and put on a tiara in a rage herself in most festive apparel, which she used to wear while her husband Minasa was living. And she put sandals on her feet, and put on her ankleets and bracelets and rings in her earrings and all her ornaments, and made herself very beautiful to entice the eyes of all men who might see her. And she gave her maid a bottle of wine and a flask of oil, and filled the bag with parched grain and a cake of dried fruit and fine bread, and she wrapped all her vessels and gave them to her to carry. Then they went out to the city gate of Bethelaya and found Uzaya standing there with the elders of the city, Shabri's and Shamis. When they saw her and noted how her face was altered and her clothing changed, they greatly admired her beauty and said to her, May the God of our fathers grant you favor and fulfill your plans that the people of Israel, may glory and Jerusalem may be exalted. And she worshipped God. Then she said to them, order the gate of the city to be opened for me, and I will go out and accomplish the things about which you spoke with me. So they ordered the young men to open the gate for her as she had said, when they had done this, Judith went out, she and her maid with her, and the men of the city watched her until she had gone down the mountain and passed through the valley and they could no longer see her. Judith is captured. The women went straight on through the valley and in the Syrian patrol met her and took her into custody and asked her to what people do belong and where are you coming from and where are you going? She replied, I am a daughter of the Hebrews, but I am fleeing from them. for they are about to be handed over to you to be devoured. I am on my way to the presence of Holophonies, the commander of your army, to give him a true report. And I will show him a way by which he can go and capture all the hill country without losing one of his men, captured or slain. When the men heard her words and observed her face, she was in their eyes marvelously beautiful. They said to her, you have saved your life by hurrying down to the presence of our Lord. Go at once to his tent. Some of us will escort you and hand you over to him. And when you stand before him, do not be afraid in your heart, but tell him just what you have said, and he will treat you well. They chose from their number a hundred men to accompany her and her maid, and they brought them to the tent of Holophrines. There was great excitement in the whole camp for her arrival was reported from tent to tent. and they came and stood around her as she waited outside the tent of holidays while they told him about her. And they marveled at her beauty, and admired the Israelites judging them by her, and everyone said to his neighbor, who can despise these people who have women like this among them? Surely not a man of them had better be left alive for if we let them go they will be able to ensnare the whole world. Judith is brought before Holopernies. Then, Holopernies' companions and all his servants came out and led her into the tent. Holopernies was resting on his bed under a canopy which was woven with purple and gold and emeralds and precious stones. When they told him of her, he came forward to the front of the tent with silver lamps carried before him. And when Judith came into the presence of a laffernies and his servants, they all marveled at the beauty of her face, and she prostrated herself and made obeisance to him, and his slaves raised her up. Chapter 11 Then Halopherny's said to her, take courage woman, and do not be afraid in your heart, for I have never hurt anyone who chose to serve Nebuchadnezzar, the king of all the earth. And even now, if your people who live in the hill country had not slided me, I would never have lifted my spear against them, but they have brought all this on themselves. Now tell me why you have fled from them and have come over to us since you have come to safety. Have courage, you will live. Tonight and from now on, no one will hurt you, but all will treat you well as they do with the servants of my Lord, King Nebuchadnezzar. Judith deceives Halaferniz. Judith replied to him. Except the words of your servant and let your maid servant speak in your presence and I will tell nothing false to my Lord this night. And if you follow out the words of your maid servant, God will accomplish something through you and my Lord will not fail to achieve his purposes. Nebuchadnezzar, the king of the whole earth lives, and as his power endures, who had sent you to direct every living soul not only to men serve him because of you, but also the beasts of the field and the cattle and the birds of the air will live by your power under Nebuchadnezzar and all his house. For we have heard of your wisdom and skill, and it is reported throughout the whole world that you are the one good man in the whole kingdom thoroughly informed and marvelous in military strategy. Now, as for the things Akhir said in your counsel, we have heard his words, for the men of Bethulaya spared him, and he told them all he had said to you. Therefore, my Lord and Master, do not disregard what he said, but keep it in your mind, for it is true. Our nation cannot be punished, nor can the sword prevail against them, unless they sin against their God. And now, in order that my Lord may not be defeated and His purpose frustrated, death will fall upon them for a sin has overtaken them by which they are about to provoke their God to anger when they do what is wrong. Since their food supply is exhausted and their water has almost given out, they have planned to kill their cattle and have determined to use all that God by His laws has forbidden them to eat. They have decided to consume the first fruits of the grain and the tides of wine and oil which they had consecrated and set aside for the priests who minister in the presence of our God at Jerusalem, although it is not lawful for any of the people so much as to touch these things with their hands. They have sent men to Jerusalem because even the people living there have been doing this, to bring back to them permission from the Senate. When the word reaches them and they proceed to do this, on that day, they will be handed over to you to be destroyed. Therefore, when I, your servant, learned all this, I fled from them. And God has sent me to accomplish with you things that will astonish the whole world as many as she'll hear about them. for your servant is religious, and serves the God of heaven day and night, therefore my Lord. I will remain with you, and every night your servant will go out into the valley, and I will pray to God, and He will tell me when they have committed their sins. And I will come and tell you. and then you shall go out with your whole army and not one of them will withstand you. Then I will lead you through the middle of Judea till you come to Jerusalem and I will set your throne in the midst of it and you will lead them like sheep that have no shepherd and not a dog will so much as open its mouth to growl at you. for this has been told me by my foreign knowledge. It was announced to me and I was sent to tell you. Her words, please to lafernies in all his servants, and they marveled at her wisdom and said, there is not such a woman from one end of the earth to the other either for beauty of face or wisdom of speech. and to the offerings said to her, God has done well to send you before the people to lend strength to our hands and to bring destruction upon those who have slided my Lord. You are not only beautiful in appearance, but wise in speech. And if you do as you have said, your God shall be my God. And you shall live in the House of King Nebuchadnezzar and be renowned throughout the whole world. The Book of Proverbs 17 verses 9 through 12. He who forgives and offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter alienates a friend. A review goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool. An evil man seeks only rebellion, and a cruel messenger will be sent against him. Let a man meet a shebear robbed of her cubs rather than a fool in his folly. Father and heaven, we give you praise and glory. Thank you so much. God and heaven, we thank you so much. You are the Lord of heaven and earth. You're Lord of all. You're Lord of everything. And we know that you are also the Lord of our stories. We know that you are the Lord of history. And that also means that you're the Lord of our history. You're the Lord of our past. You're the Lord of our future. And Lord God, you are the Lord of our present at this moment. We place ourselves under your dominion, we place ourselves under your lordship, under your kingship, under your guidance, under your will, under your rule, under you, because we can trust in you. And so we do. We trust in you today and every day. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen. And the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. So, I know it's been kind of a theme recently where I say something about the Proverbs, but Proverbs 17 verse 9 and 10, both just incredible. He forgives an offense, seeks love. And there's the next piece. But he who repeats a matter, alienates a friend. And that goes back again to the sins of speech and the way in which all of us need to guard our speech. He who repeats a matter, alienates a friend. Yeah, because some things don't need to be said, some things don't need to be repeated in fact. Some words can actually destroy relationships, as he says, the one who repeats a matter, alienates a friend. And that's so good. I mean, we have the difference between the wise person and the fool. And in verse 10, it's a review goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool. And that's just, review, here's a small correction, which was deeper into a person of understanding, a person who seeks wisdom, a person who wants to do the right than a hundred blows into a fool. And gosh, you think about the ways in which here we're reading Jeremiah, and we've got some big, big turns, some big things that happen. Jeremiah has been preaching for 40 plus years. that Jerusalem was going to fall. And so they're supposed to surrender to King Nebuchadnezzar. No one listened. And so now what happens is now there is 100 blows upon those who would not listen. And so here's the people of Israel who are being decimated and being destroyed. And I mean, he just hears chapter 39 is, I mean, it's key in Jeremiah, the book of the Prophet Jeremiah, because it's so key for the history of Israel. This is the final wave of destruction, final wave of exile, where finally, Nebuchadnezzar and his troops had surrounded Jerusalem the other way left, and they went to fight the armies of Egypt, but they came back. And here is these princes, essentially, leaders of Babylon. And he says, when Jerusalem was taken, this is verse 3 of chapter 39, when Jerusalem was taken, all the princes of the King of Babylon came and sat in the middle gate. Some funnames like Nargal Sharazar, which reminds me of Pokemon, whatever reason. But Nergal Sharazar, Samgar Nibo, Sarsa Kim, Nergal Sharazar, Rab Meg, all these people. And they, what do they do? They park themselves at the middle gate. What does that mean? I heard someone describe it like this. They said, it's kind of like if someone invaded Washington, DC, and they, you walked into the oval office, you know, sat behind the desk, put their feet up. That's essentially what these princes of Babylon are doing. sat in the middle sit in the middle gate they're basically saying yeah this is the place of trade this is a place of coming and going this is a place where decisions are made this is the heart of the city of Jerusalem in some kind of in like a secular way political way and so their camp in themselves out there now he's so interesting we have Zedakaya remember Zedakaya who He was weak. You know, it's such a fickle person. And we heard yesterday that he had gone to Jeremiah and said, OK, tell me privately, tell me privately the word of the Lord. And Jeremiah even says, I've told you publicly so many times. And you never listen to me. But I'll tell you privately. And then Zeta Kaya tells Jeremiah, OK, don't tell anyone. Don't tell anyone when you told me. And so Jeremiah's like, OK, fine. But here we have Zeta Kaya, who doesn't even take a stand against Nebuchadnezzar right for years. Zeta Kaya has said, No, we're gonna fight. No, we're gonna fight against Nebuchadnezzar, even though Jeremiah is saying, no, surrender to Nebuchadnezzar. And you'll live like surrender and he'll let you live in peace and God will do something in this that is gonna be great. And is that a guy says, no, we're gonna stand and fight, but here what happens when Nebuchadnezzar and his armies come against Jerusalem, is that a chia flees. And so they catch him on the plains of Jericho. And you know, I don't know, 15, 20 miles from Jerusalem. And then bring him up to Riblah. And as I said many times, Nebuchadnezzar kills Zedakaya's sons, right in front of his eyes, and then Nebuchadnezzar gouges out the eyes of Zedakaya. So that's the last thing he sees is the death of his sons. Now this reveals a number of things. But one of the things that reveals is that Nebuchadnezzar is a pretty brutal guy. This is a brutal time. You know, as we've been journeying through the Bible, like this, we recognize that The Bible stories are incredibly violent. The people, or incredibly brutal, they're living in brutal times. And this is part of that. This is a part of that story of brutality. Here's Nebuchadnezzar gouging out the king's eyes, and then taking him off, cutting him off the Babylon. Now, at the same time, there's Nebuzarodon, the captain of the guard who's going to play a role. And then Nebuzarodon, I mean, he recognizes that he is Jeremiah. Jeremiah has been I don't want to say on the side of the Babylonians. He hasn't been on the side of the Babylonians. He's been on the side of the people of Israel. The Jewish people, but he's been, but from Nebuchadnezzar's perspective, Jeremiah has kind of been his pal in the sense that he has been saying for years and years surrender to Nebuchadnezzar. And so, Nibhuzar had done the captain of the guard, recognizes something in Jeremiah, and he even recognizes something in the God of Israel where he says, you know, I want to give you a choice. I want to give you a choice and the choice is If you would come with me to Babylon, I'll make sure that you live comfortably. Like I'll make sure that you are taking care of. And so please come with me to Babylon. But if you want to, you can stay here in Jerusalem and I'll give you a gift and some provisions. And here is Jeremiah who has this choice, like the choice is what? I can go into exile and be taken care of, or I can stay here in Jerusalem and live off trusting in the Lord. And you think about this, this recognition of trusting in the Lord and how key this is, because there was a story here in chapter 39 of Ebedmelek. Remember Ebedmelek, the person who had interceded down behalf of Jeremiah when he was in the Cistern, and he was, you know, sinking in the mire. Ebedmelek had advocated on behalf of Jeremiah, and what happens? There's this gift. that he's given to Epidemic by the word of the Lord, where God speaks through Jeremiah. And he says this, he says, I will deliver you on that day. There's destruction coming still. But I will deliver you, Epidemic. Now, Epidemic, he's Ethiopian. He wasn't necessarily a Jew. In fact, he's called a UNIC and in many ways UNICs were not allowed to participate fully in the worship of the temple. But God says to Epidemellic, the UNIC, the Ethiopian. But how will deliver you on that day and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid? He goes on, I will surely save you. You shall not fall by the sword. You shall have your life as a price of war. Here's why. Here's the key reason. Because you have put your trust in me, says the Lord. Now this is so critical for every one of us to just hear, understand and interiorize. It's not because Ebben Melek was a great hero, not because he was perfect, not because all the things, right? Because his body was fully intact. I mean, as a unique, might have been castrated and whatnot. No, at the same time, this term unique. Sometimes just meant someone who worked in the King's Court, you know, but sometimes it meant someone who was castrated or worked in the King's Court. But none of those things mattered when it comes to this promise of God. God says, I'm going to deliver you from the people of whom you are afraid. Why? Because you put your trust in me. And there's something so, so powerful that we just need to interiorize and say, okay, Lord, that's what you're calling me to do, to live in your will, to simply trust you each moment, each day of my life, to do your will even when I don't understand it, but to be able to say, died that will be done and we in fact we have this we have this model by Jesus who says what Father let this cup pass for me but not my will your will be done. And speaking of God's will being done it's chapter 40 where where a Jeremiah is given the choice. He was Arad on says okay if you what do you want to do you want to go to Babylon you want to stay here with get a lie no get a lie is important for us to understand what get a lie is get a lie was a was a was a pointed as governor now he never can answer was done with uh letting Israel have kings so he appoints get a lie as the governor of the remnant right the poor the week the lamb the people who he didn't want to bring with him to Babylon And also not only that, but also the people who lived in the hills. Now, when it says about talks about the people in the hills, these are kind of rebels who didn't surrender still, but fled to the hills in order to be like resistance fighters, essentially. Because we're going to hear about, we heard actually at the end of chapter 40 about one of these resistance fighters. We'll get to him in just one second. But Jeremiah has this prayer and he asks to ask God, what do you want? And so, go to Babylon, stay here in Jerusalem. Jeremiah chooses to stay in Jerusalem. Now, as I said, at the end of chapter 40, we have this introduction of this particular person named Ishmael. And Ishmael, the son of Nathanaia, is once he's one of those rogues, right, the resistance fighters who are living in the hills and Johan on, comes to get a lie. And he says, listen, Ishmael son of Nathaniah is going to kill you and get a liar instead of instead of guarding himself instead of sort of believing this instead of saying oh gosh, then let's yeah take care of Ishmael get him out of the way Get a liar says now he's not gonna do that and we're gonna see we're gonna see where that leads tomorrow as for our reading in Judith Here is the wisdom of Judith also her beauty is every mark done quite a few times and But she proposes to Holophranez, this plan that she has, and the plan is, is so rooted in her Jewish faith that it is, it's remarkable, where she convinces Holophranez, that listen, God will fight for us. You know, Uzair or Akiyar when he spoke to you, he was not lying. He was telling the truth that as long as we're faithful to the Lord God, There's no one who can defeat us, but here's what's going to happen. We're not going to be faithful to him pretty soon because we're going to the people of my city by the Laya. They're not going to give the first fruits to the Lord. They're going to eat the first fruits themselves and then you'll know that the Lord God will not fight for them anymore. And so I'll offer these things great plan and we're going to see how that unfolds in the next couple days. We have two more days with Judith and then we're moving on to lamentations, which is Ha, and do one note about lamentations. In two days, we'll have lamentations. Lamentations is what Jeremiah saw during the siege of Jerusalem. And so, gosh, you know, so we have this quick chapter 39 where it just says, there was the siege and then Jerusalem fell and then they came in and sat at the gates. But in lamentations, Jeremiah gives us this incredibly tragic picture of here's what life was like during that siege. We're gonna hit that in three days from now. They after the day after tomorrow. But today I am praying for you. And please pray for me. My name's Father Mike and I cannot wait to see you tomorrow. God bless.