Be Prepared for The Fallout

“But it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him, and smote Gedaliah, that he died, and the Jews and the Chaldees that were with him at Mizpah. And all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the armies, arose, and came to Egypt: for they were afraid of the Chaldees.” (2Ki 25:25-26 AV)

If you’re going to do something stupid, then at least have the character to see it all the way through.  Ishmael was a descendant of David and could lay rightful claim to be leader in Jerusalem.  However, Nebby left Gedaliah, a secretary, as governor of Jerusalem.  God chose Gedaliah because he had respect unto Jeremiah the prophet and because he encouraged the people to submit to the chastening of God’s hand for their repeated disobedience.  Ishmael comes along and murders Gedaliah as well as all his support staff – Hebrews and Chaldeans alike.  Rather than take the consequences like a man, he and his followers flee to Egypt.  It is there the Chaldeans catch up with him and deal with him.

Ishmael had some things wrong here.  Gedaliah was not trying to replace the promise of royal succession.  Nebby did not leave Gedaliah in Jerusalem as king.  Gedaliah was merely trying to make a bad situation livable.  Submitting to the authority of their captors would make life a lot easier.  More than that, the Jewish people deserved what they had received by the hand of Babylon.  In fact, because of their idolatry, they deserved far worse.  What Ishmael was thinking, we can only surmise.  Did he really think that he and his small band of men could overrule Babylon?  What was his end game?  Did he not think it all the way through?

Like many of us, we act impulsively because we think we have the higher moral ground.  We see some principles of the word of God – like the Davidic promise – but fail to see greater principles at play.  Like obedience to the LORD.  We go off half-cocked to defend a principle that is important to us, but fail to see the greater picture.  This is what the Pharisees did so often.  They saw the details of the law, but neglected to have equal passion for the weightier matters of the law.  The principle is this:  if we are steadfast to act upon that which we think is right, we had better be prepared to go all the way with it.  Think it all the way through because there are consequences for ever choice we make.  Wisdom is the key here.  The ability to prioritize truth.  That is what Ishmael lacked.