Jeremiah

Jeremiah 40: The LORD sets His servant free

Begin in prayer

Before we read how the LORD set Jeremiah free from his chains and gathered His people again, let us come before Him in prayer. Ask Him to free our hearts to listen, to be with our family as we read, and to show us Jesus, who sets captives free.

Yahweh frees the prisoners.

Psalms 146:7

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us that You always do what You say, and that You set prisoners free. Show us Jesus, who came to free sinners, and help us to turn from our sin and trust Him. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

Nebuzaradan lets Jeremiah go from Ramah, where he had been bound in chains with the other captives (verse 1). The captain tells Jeremiah that the LORD brought this judgment because Judah had sinned and not obeyed His voice (verses 2 and 3). He takes off Jeremiah’s chains and lets him choose whether to go to Babylon or to stay in the land (verses 4 and 5). Jeremiah goes to Gedaliah at Mizpah, whom the king of Babylon has made governor over the cities of Judah (verses 5 and 6). Army captains come to Gedaliah, and people of Judah return from neighboring lands to gather wine and summer fruit (verses 7 to 12). Johanan warns Gedaliah that Ishmael plans to take his life, but Gedaliah does not believe him (verses 13 and 14). Johanan secretly offers to kill Ishmael, and Gedaliah refuses, saying Johanan speaks falsely (verses 15 and 16).

As you read Jeremiah 40, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

The LORD always does what He says, and He sets His servant free.

Jeremiah was freed from chains at Ramah, where he had been bound with the other captives from Jerusalem (verse 1). The captain saw that the LORD had done what He spoke, because Judah had sinned and not obeyed Him (verses 2 and 3). Gedaliah was a man of Judah, and the king of Babylon made him governor over the towns of Judah (verses 5 and 6). Mizpah was a city in the tribe of Benjamin, not far from Ramah, where Gedaliah chose to live (verses 6 and 10). Gedaliah promised it would go well if they served Babylon, and scattered people came back for wine, fruit and oil (verses 9 to 12). Johanan warned Gedaliah of a plot, but Gedaliah refused to believe the report and called Johanan’s words false (verses 13 to 16). Human plots cannot change what the LORD has said, and His word stands even when His people are scattered. Jesus was not held by the grave, and He sets free every sinner who turns from sin and trusts Him.

How does Jeremiah 40 show us that the LORD always does what He says, and that He sets His servant free?

The LORD always does what He says.

The captain says the LORD did exactly what He spoke, because Judah had sinned (verses 2 and 3). Jeremiah had warned them, and the LORD’s word came true in the way He had said. God never speaks falsely, and every word He speaks will be done. The greatest word He ever spoke is Jesus, the Son sent to save sinners.

The LORD sets His servant free.

Jeremiah was freed from the chains he had been bound with, and he could choose his path (verses 4 and 5). He went to Gedaliah, the governor the king of Babylon had set over the land (verses 5 and 6). Jesus frees sinners from the chains of sin when they turn from sin and trust Him.

The scattered people gathered to Gedaliah.

The people who had scattered came back to Judah and gathered to Gedaliah (verses 11 and 12). They found wine and summer fruit in great plenty (verse 12). Jesus gathers His people from every nation, and He keeps all whom the Father has given Him.

Memorize

Yahweh has brought it, and done according as he spoke

Jeremiah 40:3

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, have I come to Jesus to be set free from my sin?

Jeremiah was freed from his chains, and the captain said the LORD had done what He spoke (verses 1 to 3). Judah was scattered because of sin, but a remnant came back to the land (verses 11 and 12). The LORD still does what He says, and His word will stand.

Every sinner is held by something heavier than the chains on Jeremiah’s hands, the guilt and power of sin. Jesus is the faithful Servant who always did what the Father said. He bore the punishment our sin deserved, rose from the dead on the third day, and sets free everyone who turns from sin and trusts Him. His death is fully enough, and those who come to Him receive forgiveness.

So come to Jesus, the One who does what He says, and turn from your sin. Trust Him to set you free, and do not put off this call. The LORD still calls sinners to Himself today.

Parent's note

Tell your children that the LORD always does what He says, and that He sets His servant free. Parents, you may want to explain why the captain saw God’s judgment as true, and why God still sets people free. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God that He always does what He says, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

My soul rests in God alone. My salvation is from him.

Psalms 62:1

Lord, thank You that You always do what You say, and that You set sinners free. Forgive us for the times we doubt Your word or refuse to listen. Thank You for Jesus, who bore the punishment for our sin and rose from the dead. Help us to turn from sin, trust Him, and rest in Your word this week. Amen.