Flee from Babylon

 

 

Jeremiah prophesied for people to flee from the land of Babylon which includes their system, their culture and the worship of idols. This fleeing is both physical and spiritual, both devastating to a person and a nation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John prophesy’s is the same message in Revelation 18:4 to come out of her My people (flee from her).

Yisrael (Israel) plus Yahudah (Judah) have been wandering (lost) after the destruction of both Jerusalem and the land of Yisrael– Jeremiah 50:6.

 

 

 

 

But a time will come when all Yisrael will weep as they come to seek Yahuah again and then Yahuah brings on restoration – Jeremiah 50:4-5.

But until the end times, Yahuah warns us from Jeremiah’s time to flee from the midst of Babylon (their wicked system).

 

 

 

 

 

Yahuah commands us!

Jeremiah 50:8 Flee from the midst of Babylon, and go out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be as the he-goats before the flocks.

Yahuah says a 2^nd time in Jeremiah 51:6 Flee from the midst of Babylon; yea, each man deliver his soul. Do not be silenced in her iniquity. For it is the time of the vengeance of Yahuah. He will give her a just recompense. He will repay her.

 

Jeremiah 51:45 “Come out of her midst, My people! And let everyone deliver his being from the burning displeasure of Yahuah.

A direct command to flee Babylon or be destroyed.

But only a remnant will hear and do – as we read the last part of Jeremiah 50:20.

 

Jeremiah 50:20 In those days, and at that time (end time), states Yahuah, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and it is not; and the sins of Judah, and they will not befound; for I will pardon those whom I leave as a remnant.

 

 

Left behind

 

 

 

 

 

In chapters 39 to 44 of Jeremiah it speaks of Judah (Yahudah) and Jerusalem been attacked and destroyed by Babylon as prophesized by Jeremiah the prophet. It speaks about Yahudah been exiled to Babylon, of the people staying in the land and of people fleeing to Egypt.

Let us read what happened in this period to the people of Judah or correctly Yahudah and find that not all people were exiled out of the land of Yahudah.

Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem, and they besieged it in the 11^th year of King Zedekiah’s reign of Judah – Jeremiah 39:1-2. Read Jeremiah 52:4-11 for more details.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

King Zedekiah’s family and leaders were killed with the Kings eyes removed plus placed in prison until his death – Jeremiah 39:4-7 and Jeremiah 52:7-11.

The King before Zedekiah who also sinned against Yahuah, King Jehoiakim was placed in prison and released after the besieged of Yahudah and Jerusalem – Jeremiah 36:30-31 and Jeremiah 52:31-34.

A total of 4600 people of Yahudah were exiled to Babylon – Jeremiah 52:28-30. Many people in Yahudah and Jerusalem were killed and many fled to neighboring lands – Jeremiah 39:9 and Jeremiah 52:15.

But a few people or families were left behind in the land of Yahudah to become farmers and vine dressers. Farm land were mostly given to the poor people of Judah – Jeremiah 39:10 and Jeremiah 52:16.

 

 

 

From this study we know that families, mostly poor were left behind in Yahudah (Judah) to work the fields. All this was in Yahuah’s plan to leave a remnant in the land – Jeremiah 42:9-12.

What is known of these families and where are they today.

As mentioned above a few families from Yahudah were left behind in the land of Yahudah to be farmers and vinedressers.

Gedaliah, son of Ahikam was made governor over the cities of Yahudah by the king of Babylon after they took over the land of Yahudah (Judah) – Jeremiah 40:5. Gedaliah was one of the princes of Yahudah, a grandson of king Josiah’s nobles.

Jeremiah the prophet stayed with Gedaliah when released from prison (Jeremiah 26:24 & Jeremiah 39:14) and went back to Gedaliah when the chief of the guard from Babylon gave him a choice as to where he could go (Jeremiah 40:2-6).

It was all in Yahuah’s plan to let a remnant of people of Yahudah stay behind in the land after the Chaldeans (Babylon) besieged the land. Yahuah said in Jeremiah 38:2 people must leave Jerusalem before the attack on the city and give themselves over to the rule of Chaldeans. Yahuah gave this instruction again in Jeremiah 42:10-12 to the same people that was governed by Gedaliah.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A strange event happened next.

The armies of Yahudah that fled Jerusalem during the attack heard that Gedaliah and various families were allowed to stay in the land and so they came to visit them – Jeremiah 40:7-8. Among the men were Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah plus many other men – Jeremiah 40:8.

 

 

 

 

Who were Ishmael and Johanan: both were from Yahudah. Ishmael was of the royal seed (Jeremiah 41:1) who fled to the Ammonites and was close to king Baalis of Ammon – Jeremiah 40:14. Not much is known of Johanan except that he was a captain of Yahudah.

Johanan warned Gedaliah that Ishmael was planning to kill him and the people with him, but Gedaliah did not believe Ishmael would do this to him – Jeremiah 40:14 & 16.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But Ishmael and his men did kill Gedaliah and other people with him – Jeremiah 41:1-3. He also killed some men that came from Samara and Shiloh to visit Gedaliah and the temple – Jeremiah 41:5-7.

All the remaining families that were living in the land with Gedaliah were taken captive by Ishmael – Jeremiah 41:10.

But Johanan and his men went to fight against Ishmael and his men to free the captive families – Jeremiah 41:11-15.

It seems in all this Jeremiah the prophet was with these families when Ishmael killed Gedaliah.

Johanan and all the people asked Jeremiah to pray for Yahuah’s blessing and guidance in what would He want them to do next – Jeremiah 42:1-6.

After 10 days, Jeremiah received an answer from Yahuah – Jeremiah 42:7-9.

They had two options

Option 1 was the blessing if they stayed in the land of Judah.

Jeremiah 42:10-12 If you will still remain in this land, then I will build you up, and will not tear you down. And I will plant you, and will not pluck you up. For I repent as to the evil that I have done to you. Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid. Do not be afraid of his face, declares Yahuah, for I am with you to save you and to deliver you from his hand. And I will show mercies to you, so that he may have pity on you, and cause you to return to your own land.

Option 2 was a curse if they went to Egypt.

Jeremiah 42:13-17 But if you say, We will not live in this land or obey the voice of Yahuah your Elohim, saying, No, but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war or hear the sound of the ram's horn, and we will not hunger for bread, and there we will live; then hear now the Word of Yahuah, O remnant of Judah, So says Yahuah of Hosts, the Elohim of Israel: If you surely set your faces to go into Egypt, and go to live there, then it shall be, the sword which you feared shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt. And the famine which you were anxious about shall cling to you there in Egypt, and you shall die there. So it shall be to all the men who have set their faces to go into Egypt to reside there. They shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the plague. And none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring on them.

Jeremiah's warning from Yahuah is quite clear; stay in Yahudah (Judah) and Elohim will protect them or go to Egypt for help and die.

But the proud men, Azariah and Johanan (captains of Yahudah army) said Jeremiah was not telling the truth and convinced the rest of the army and people to disobey the word of Yahuah and go to Egypt – Jeremiah 42:2-7.

Jeremiah warned the people again who went to Egypt but ignored him and instead worshipped idols in Egypt – Jeremiah 44:1-13.

Jeremiah 44:15 through to 29 is the punishment that came upon those who went to live in Egypt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

But in all this disobedience, Yahuah still shows mercy on a remnant of people from Yahudah as we read in Jeremiah 44:14 so that none of the remnant of Judah which has gone into the land of Egypt, to reside there, will be a refugee, or a survivor, or turn back to the land of Judah to which they are lifting up their soul to return back to live there, for none shall return, except those who escape. Jeremiah 44:28 And he who escapes the sword shall return out of the land of Egypt to the land of Yahudah (Judah), few in number.

 

 

 

 

A remnant survives and returns to Yahudah.

What is the lesson for us: Listen and follow the word of Yahuah only.

 

 

Yehudim

 

 

 

 

Judah is the modern English word for one of the sons of Jacob. The letter “J” was only introduced into the English luggage about 600 years ago.

When the Hebrew name of Judah is transliterated to English it would be Yahudah or Yehudah (I believe Yahudah is the correct pronunciation).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yahudah became Judah, Yahusha became Jesus, etc.

 

 

 

 

Another word that was changed completely is the word Yehudim or Yehudi (Yahudim/Yahudi). Yedudim; the plural of Yedudi (Yahudi).

Yehudi (Yahudi) is an individual belonging to Yahudah (Judah). Today the word Yahudi (Yehudi) is changed to Jew. Why was it changed?

 

 

 

 

Yahudah has a deep meaning in it by having the Heavenly Father's name written in it and meaning: Let Yahuah be praised. Genesis 29:35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now I praise Yahuah.” So, she called his name Yehudah (Judah). And she ceased bearing.

The tribe Yahudah received part of a land area known as Yahudah or Yedudah belonging to the Yedudim.

 

 

 

Original names were changed to hide the Creator Father's name. Part of His name is contained in a person’s name, example Yahu dah, Yahu sha, Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah), Zakaryahu (Zechariah) etc.

 

 

 

 

 

Adding the letter “J” to a name changes the whole meaning of the original name and also removes the first letters of the Father’s name.

 

 

Jeremiah placed in prison

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jeremiah was put in a prison (pit / dungeon) by his own people for speaking the truth.

He was placed in prison because of a scroll that was read to Judah given by Yahuah of the punishment that would come upon them because of their sins.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yahuah was hoping that the people of Judah, including the rulers and king would realize their wrongs and turn back to Him – Jeremiah 36:7.

A few of the leaders did fear the words been read by Burachbut majority including king Jehoiakim did not hear and ignored the words from Yahuah – Jeremiah 36:10-21.

The King listened to the words from the scroll and then burnt it in the fire place – Jeremiah 36:22-23.

Some of the leaders pleaded with king not to burn the scroll but him and his servants had no fear – Jeremiah 36:24-25.

The king ordered for Jeremiah and Baruah to be put in prison but Yahuah hid them away – Jeremiah 36:26.

Yahuah told Jeremiah to write a second new scroll and read it to the people – Jeremiah 36:27-32.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After King Jehoiakim died and King Zedekiah took over as king of Judah, he and his people also did not fear Yahuah and listen to the words on the scroll – Jeremiah 37:1-2.

At this time Jeremiah was still free to walk around between the people to warn them of the punishment to come if they do not turn away from their sins – Jeremiah 37:4-11.

Then Jeremiah left Jerusalem to go to the land of Benjamin where he was arrested and a false statement was brought upon him – Jeremiah 37:12-14.

The rulers and the king were angry with Jeremiah and placed him in a prison (pit). Jeremiah was also beaten before placing him in the pit – Jeremiah 37:15-16.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The king called for Jeremiah and asked him if the words on the scroll are the truth. Jeremiah pleaded with the king to take the words written on the scroll seriously – Jeremiah 37:17-20.

Jeremiah was removed from the pit and placed under house arrest – Jeremiah 37:21. This would not be for long as he would be placed in the pit again.

The rulers and leaders were not happy with Jeremiah’s warnings and wanted him put to death – Jeremiah 38:4.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The King was afraid of these rulers and gave Jeremiah over to them – Jeremiah 38:5.

The rulers threw Jeremiah back into the pit, this time without water and food. Jeremiah stood in deep mud within the pit – Jeremiah 38:6.

The King’s servant an Ethiopian heard about the state Jeremiah was in and asked the King to help Jeremiah which the king did and Jeremiah was removed from the pit – Jeremiah 38:7-13. Yahuah rewarded the servant for his kindness to Jeremiah – read Jeremiah 39:15-18.

The king asked Jeremiah if the words that Yahuah gave to him were true and Jeremiah explained to him that what was about to happen to Judah and Jerusalem. The prophet explained to the king to not stay in the city as he and his family would die if they did not leave – Jeremiah 38:14-18.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The king then said something to Jeremiah which is a mystery to me in Jeremiah 38:19 Then Zedekiah the king said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Yehudim who have gone over to the Chaldeans, lest they give me into their hand, and they abuse me.”

Why was the king of Judah afraid of the Yehudim?

Jeremiah told not to be afraid but to obey Yahuah – Jeremiah 38:20.

The king promised Jeremiah not to let them put him back in the pit as long as he does not say that he the king took him out and placed him back in house arrest – Jeremiah 38:24-27.

Jeremiah remained in the court of the guardhouse until the day Jerusalem was taken over by the Babylonians – Jeremiah 38:28.