2. The legacy of Zedekiah: the last remnant follow in his steps
Jeremiah 39-44

3. Key events in Jeremiah 39 - 44
Reference
A tiny, impoverished remnant was left in the land, and were given possession of land by king Nebuchadnezzar.
Jer 39:10
Jeremiah freed and given the choice of where he wished to go – he chooses to stay in the land.
Jer 39:11-14
Jer 40:1-6
Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan installed as governor in Mizpah by Nebuchadnezzar.
Jer 40:5,7
A great company of Jews who had fled to the surrounding areas and nearby countries return to the land and are exhorted by Gedaliah to serve the Babylonians in peace.
Jer 40:7-12
Gedaliah is warned of a conspiracy to murder him but does not believe it
Jer 40:13-16

4. Key events in Jeremiah 39 - 44
Reference
Ishmael the son of Nethaniah (of the seed royal) slays Gedaliah and all his supporters as well as the Chaldean soldiers present.
Jer 41:1-9
Ishmael carries the remnant of the people captive intending to flee to the territory of the Ammonites
Jer 41:10
Johanan the son of Kareah opposes Ishmael and the people follow him instead of Ishmael. Fearing reprisals from the Babylonians, they move south, intending to seek safety in Egypt.
Jer 41:11-18
The people now seek Jeremiah’s advice – what should they do now?
Jer 42:1-3
Jeremiah agrees to help them and seek God’s direction.
Jer 42:4
The people swear by God that they will do whatever God says, no matter what it is.
Jer 42:5-6
No response comes from God to Jeremiah for 10 days.
Jer 42:7

5. Key events in Jeremiah 39 - 44
Reference
Jeremiah gives the answer of God to the people – they should stay.
Jer 42:8-18
God reveals the true thoughts of the people: they had lied and were always intending to go to Egypt and because of their hardness of heart they were choosing to die.
Jer 42:19-22
The people reject the word of Jeremiah and Johanan carries the whole lot of them down into Egypt seeking safety there.
Jer 43:1-7
Jeremiah foretells their destruction at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar in Egypt.
Jer 43:8-13
Jeremiah exhorts the Jews in Egypt that the great calamities which had befallen the nation were due to their hardness of heart and idolatry, which they had now embraced again in Egypt
Jer 44:1-14
The Jews reply that they were better off when they served idols
Jer 44:16-19

6. Key events in Jeremiah 39 - 44
Reference
Jeremiah responds that the very idolatry to which they had turned was the reason that their God had brought destruction at the hand of the Babylonians upon them.
Jer 44:20-30
The closing verse reveals that the Pharoah they sought to for protection would suffer the very same fate as Zedekiah king of Judah.

7. Influences on Character
The big issues
Influences on Character
The inputs we consume – what affects our thoughts and feelings
The relationships we pursue – our experiences
The habits we develop – what we do repeatedly over time

8. Character determines destiny
The big issues
Character determines destiny
Bro John Carter – Letter to the Ephesians p 133 
“But saints are separated from the world, and it becomes them not to let the mind dwell on the sins of the world. The mind insensibly is affected by the stream of thought passing through it, and it is desirable to have the stream as pure as possible. A mind familiarised by pictures of evil is not strongly fortified if sin should assail.”

9. The big issues The need for change
Rom 12:2 And do not follow the customs of the present age, but be transformed by the entire renewal of your minds. (Weymouth)