No safety in Egypt.
Those left in Jerusalem rebel against Nebuchadnezzar’s appointed king. But it is more than rebellion, this remnant in Jerusalem kill the king. Now they fear that Nebuchadnezzar will seek retribution. They ask Jeremiah to inquire of God with the promise that they will obey God’s commands. When told to remain in Jerusalem, they instead pack up and go to Egypt. Jeremiah acknowledges that these people already had their mind made up about leaving Jerusalem. Jeremiah knew that their request to hear from the Lord was a sham. Trusting God to lead is challenging at times. There are times that we already have our mind made up about what we are going to do and then we seek God’s approval. Because our minds are made up, we interpret certain life events as “signs” that God wants us to move forward with our plans. Let’s acknowledge that there are times of tension between our will and God’s will. Let’s also acknowledge the importance of submitting to God’s will. Finally, let’s be prayerful about having a heart that seeks God’s will first rather than our intended plans.