Jer 42: The remnant of Judah posed the question to Jeremiah:
"Should we go down into Egypt?" Despite an apparent profession of faith, we may
detect in the people's inquiry of God through Jeremiah the signs of neglect of
God and His laws. First of all, we see that they "approached" (v 1) Jeremiah --
which suggests a habitual distance from Yahweh. Secondly, they appear to be
"buttering up" the prophet, as though this might gain them a better message from
Yahweh. Thirdly, they make no confession of sin. (Notice also the revealing
phrase: "the Lord YOUR God": v 2.)
Their subsequent behavior showed also that they were
hypocritical in their whole attitude: whatever God might tell them, they had
already decided to go to Egypt. They had made up their mind as to what was best
for them to do, as their previous flight to this point had already proved. With
one foot in Canaan, as it were, and another out of it, they now pretended -- at
this late date -- to inquire of God. This is a very common practice, but it is
one which not only robs prayer of its meaning and power, but also brings upon
the head of those who are guilty of it a grievous curse. And so it happened
again.
Jer 42:6
WHETHER IT IS FAVORABLE OR UNFAVORABLE...: But nothing
God does toward us is ultimately evil; all things work together for good (Rom
8:28).
Jer 42:11
They were more afraid of the Babylonians than they were of
God.