Gedalliah is Made Ruler of Judah
October 10, 2020
Commentary
Gedaliah, who was Josiah’s secretary of state, was appointed governor of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar. He set up his headquarters at Mizpah, which was about eight miles north of Jerusalem, because Jerusalem lay in ruins. The governor tried to convince a group of men who remained in the land to serve Nebuchadnezzar. Ishmael, who was of royal descent and wanted to govern Judah, conspired against Gedaliah and succeeded in assassinating him (Jer. 41). Fearing reprisals from Nebuchadnezzar all the people, including the officers of the governor, fled to Egypt for safety and they forced Jeremiah to go with them (Jer. 41-43).
In the meantime a new king, Evil-Merodach, had become ruler of Babylon and he decided to give freedom to the exiles. Jehoiachin who had been imprisoned for 37 years was one of those who was given freedom. In fact, the former Jewish king was given a prominent position and new appropriate garments. He was even allowed to eat at the king’s table (v. 29).
Application
The books of Kings remind us that sinfulness can coexist with most religious groups. General revival can only be accomplished by a change on the inside. Happily, the books of the Kings do not complete the account of God’s working with His people. Many years later a promise was made for man to have a new birth through the death of His Son on the cross. I am so glad to know that Jesus Christ paid for my sins on the cross and He has given me eternal life.
2 Kings 25:22– 30 (NET)
22 Now King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, as governor over the people whom he allowed to remain in the land of Judah. 23 All the officers of the Judahite army and their troops heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah to govern. So they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. The officers who came were Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah son of the Maacathite. 24 Gedaliah took an oath so as to give them and their troops some assurance of safety. He said, “You don’t need to be afraid to submit to the Babylonian officials. Settle down in the land and submit to the king of Babylon. Then things will go well for you.” 25 But in the seventh month Ishmael son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, who was a member of the royal family, came with ten of his men and murdered Gedaliah, as well as the Judeans and Babylonians who were with him at Mizpah. 26 Then all the people, from the youngest to the oldest, as well as the army officers, left for Egypt, because they were afraid of what the Babylonians might do.
27 In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of King Jehoiachin of Judah, on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month, King Evil Merodach of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, pardoned King Jehoiachin of Judah and released him from prison. 28 He spoke kindly to him and gave him a more prestigious position than the other kings who were with him in Babylon. 29 Jehoiachin took off his prison clothes and ate daily in the king’s presence for the rest of his life. 30 He was given daily provisions by the king for the rest of his life until the day he died.