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The scene here in chapter 41 is reminiscent of a Hollywood blockbuster action movie. The nation is already mourning the total destruction of Jerusalem, and with a dramatic twist, the body count continues to rise as the suffering is intensified.
We pick up the chapter with Gedaliah still in charge. If you remember, he is a Babylonian governor set to rule over the nation of Judah during this time. However, he must have been a fair and honest man, because the nation regrouped under him and the remnant of Israel were not afraid to come back and serve under him even though he was from Babylon. It was not uncommon for a nation to kill everything when invading, leaving no one alive and burning the place to the ground. Gedaliah did not do this, however, he also did not exhibit any form of street smarts.
After being warned of his assassination, he brushes it off and welcomes Ishmael (a traitor paid by the nation of Ammon) into his presence. He and his family are slaughtered. Why would Ishmael want Gedaliah dead?
First off, if we look back to Jeremiah chapter 27, we can see one answer. God had chosen for the nation of Babylon to rule over all others, and had used Jeremiah symbolically to represent the yoke in which all nations must saddle their necks. Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon would rule this era. Verse 3 of chapter 27 includes all who would be subject to this plan…”and send word to the king of Edom, to the king of Moab, to the king of the sons of Ammon, to the king of Tyre and to the king of Sidon by the messengers who come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah.”
So you see, the sons of the king of Ammon were certainly not pleased with this. This is why they agree to pay the rebel Ishmael to murder Gedaliah.
The second reason is simple. Ishmael was a descendant of David (2 Samuel 5:16) and a relative of King Zedekiah who had just been horribly tortured by Babylon. His entitlement of royal blood coupled with his “patriot” attitude would fuel him to stop at nothing in reversing the absolute humility that came from the Babylonian invasion.
So, in the end, this plot would benefit both Ammon as well as Ishmael and an unlikely alliance is made. Chapter 41 is the completion of this plan.
There is so much going on in this chapter, but I was most drawn to the actions of Ishmael. The takeaway for me today is that no matter how entitled we think that we are to something, it should never rule above the authority of God in our lives. Ishmael took matters into his own hands because he refused to trust the plan of God. It is not out of the question to consider that God used Nebuchadnezzar’s pride, arrogance, and ego to both discipline His people and also change king’s attitude toward the one True God.
We don’t always understand God’s plan, but we must not fight against it. We must believe, like Jeremiah, that God works for the good of those who love him, and have been called according to his purpose.