Jeremiah’s prophecies proved true again and again. Every one. The Babylonians sacked Jerusalem, deposed the king and carried off all the treasure. After the carnage, a handful of survivors asked Jeremiah to seek the Lord on their behalf.

Should they stay in Judah or flee to Egypt?

Jeremiah took the question to the Lord. After several days, the Lord answered. If they stayed, the Lord promised blessings and a hopeful future—I will show you compassion…and restore you to your land.

However, if they decided to leave for Egypt, a harsh future awaited—the sword you fear will overtake you there, and the famine you dread will follow you into Egypt, and there you will die. Disaster along the Nile.

What did this band decide? To take the fast train to Egypt. They ignored the clear and certain word from the Lord, and later reaped all the disasters foretold through Jeremiah.

Pretty dumb, right? And yet, I’m prone to the same mistake.

The questioners of Jeremiah wanted a religious stamp of approval on their plans for their future, plans already formulated and agreed upon. All the wisdom of the day pointed to Egypt as a place of safety and prosperity, but God revealed the truth—in Egypt lay disaster.

I wonder where I seek to place a religious stamp on my plans for life? Where do I seek to uncover a couple of Bible verses to justify behaviour condemned by the Lord? Where do I want to look pious but live independently?

Finally, do I pray knowing that the regardless of the answer, I’m still headed to Egypt?

Jeremiah 42 & 43 in week forty-two of reading the Bible cover to cover

Photo by British Library