Jeremiah 43

Bible Passage: Jeremiah 43

Some Jews had murdered the governor Gedaliah who had been installed by the occupying Babylonians (Jer 41:2). Everyone was afraid that the Babylonians would take revenge on the Jews. But God through Jeremiah told the Jews to stay put in Judah (Jer 41:1-17). The people who did not want to listen to God’s word through Jeremiah set out a most incredulous reason to be disobedient:

3 “But Baruch the son of Neriah has set you against us, to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they may put us to death or carry us away captive to Babylon.”

Sometimes, people call this a ‘straw man’ argument. They could not discredit the prophet Jeremiah directly as he had a proven track record of accurate prophecies. So they diverted the attention to the less known figure of Baruch. They insisted that there was a hidden agenda behind the command to stay in Judah and Baruch, who did not have the credentials of Jeremiah, was behind it. It was now easier to attack the command because Baruch, the ‘straw man’ was an easy target.

Jeremiah 45:3 recorded that Baruch felt distressed. Although he had served God by serving Jeremiah, he lost everything to the Babylonians and was now even maligned by his fellow Jews. But God comforted him by pointing out that he had still been rewarded with his life:

“And do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek [them]; for behold, I will bring adversity on all flesh,” says the LORD. “But I will give your life to you as a prize in all places, wherever you go.”                                                                                                  ~ Jeremiah 45:5

Have you ever been blamed for something you did not do?

The way out of distress from a great sense of injustice is to look to God’s justice and grace. Justice because your tormentor will ultimately be judged by God if he does not repent:

For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The LORD will judge His people.”                                                                   ~ Hebrews 10:30

Grace because God preserves our life and soul:

… Please, obey the voice of the LORD which I speak to you. So it shall be well with you, and your soul shall live.                                                                                          ~ Jeremiah 38:20