Jeremiah 41:9-18: a reflection

9Now the pit in which Ishmael cast all the dead bodies of the men whom he had killed, by the side of Gedaliah (this was that which Asa the king had made for fear of Baasha king of Israel), Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled it with those who were killed. 10Then Ishmael carried away captive all of the people who were left in Mizpah, even the king’s daughters, and all the people who remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had committed to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam. Ishmael the son of Nethaniah carried them away captive, and departed to go over to the children of Ammon. 11But when Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were with him, heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done, 12then they took all the men, and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and found him by the great waters that are in Gibeon. 13Now when all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were with him, then they were glad. 14So all the people who Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah turned about and came back, and went to Johanan the son of Kareah. 15But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men, and went to the children of Ammon. 16Then Johanan the son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces who were with him took all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, from Mizpah, after he had killed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam—the men of war, with the women, the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought back from Gibeon. 17They departed and lived in Geruth Chimham, which is by Bethlehem, to go to enter into Egypt 18because of the Chaldeans; for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had killed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon made governor over the land.

This is a grim scene in the wreckage after Jerusalem's fall. Ishmael has murdered the governor Gedaliah and a crowd of others, filling a cistern with the dead, and carried off captives. Johanan rescues the captives, but the survivors are left shaken, and afraid of Babylon's reprisal, they set their faces toward Egypt.

Notice where fear sends them: back toward Egypt, the very land of their old slavery. Trauma had piled on trauma, and in their fear the remnant reached for the old refuge, the place God's people had once been enslaved. Fear has a way of pulling us backward, toward whatever once felt safe, even when it was the house of bondage.

That is worth watching for in ourselves. When trouble stacks up and we are frightened, the pull is to run back to an old comfort, an old habit, an old escape, even one God has already brought us out of. The remnant's flight to Egypt was fear making the decision. When you are shaken and tempted to bolt back toward the old bondage, stop and ask whether it is faith or fear choosing your direction. Do not let fear drive you back to Egypt.

Lord, when trouble piles up and I am afraid, keep me from fleeing back to the old bondage I have been delivered from. Let faith, not fear, choose my direction, and hold me steady in you.