🍞 Jeremiah 40

Jeremiah 40 is a real chapter from the Old Testament. It starts, “The word which came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, after Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him being bound in chains among all the captives of Jerusalem and Judah, who were carried away captive to Babylon.” That is not a motto invented for a poster. It is the first sentence a family hears when this page is opened at night.

Keep going a little further. The chapter also says, “Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan swore to them and to their men, saying, “Don’t be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it will be well with you.” Jeremiah 40 opens with these words: “The word which came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, after Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him…” The line to keep is Jeremiah 40:2: “The captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and said to him, “Yahweh your God pronounced this evil on this place;” Carry the word “captain” from that verse into the rest of the day.

The line worth learning out loud is Jeremiah 40:2: “The captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and said to him, “Yahweh your God pronounced this evil on this place;” If the rest of the chapter feels crowded, hold that one sentence until the room is quiet.

What happens first in Jeremiah 40? Then try this: Read “The captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and said to him, “Yahweh your God pronounced this evil on this place;” once more. What does it show you about God? You do not have to finish every verse. You can close the book after the memory verse and still have read the Bible together.