27th.: It Won’t Happen to Me
After King Nebuchadrezzar, of Babylon, conquered Jerusalem and Judah (see Jeremiah chapter 39).
he appointed Gedaliah of Ahikam to be the governor in the land of Israel (Jer. 40:5).
The prophet Jeremiah staid near the governor, in Mizpeh (Jer. 40:6).
After the Babylonian armies had left, the armed Jewish units that had been in the country came to Gehaliah (Jer. 40:13).
Johanan, the leader of the Jewish forces, gave intelligence to Gedaliah that someone named Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah,
was hired to assassinate him (Jer. 40:14a-b).
This would have been a good time for Gedaliah to go to Jeremiah, and ask Jeremiah to ask the Lord, to verify that what Johanan had said.
But Gedaliah did not believe Johanan (Jer. 40:14c).
Maybe Gedaliah did not know that Jeremiah was a prophet.
Maybe Gedaliah knew Jeremiah was a prophet, but did not know that he could have Jeremiah ask the Lord for him.
Maybe Gedaliah just did not care.
For whatever reason, Gedaliah did not ask.
As things turned out, Ishmael assassinated Gedaliah. (Jer. 41:2).
We know that we can ask God.
Let us not be so foolish, that we not at least ask the Lord, when we hear of danger approaching.
“A prudent man foresees the evil, and hides himself,
but the simple pass on, and are punished” (Pr. 27:12, see also Pr. 22:3)