The people of Judah, fleeing they believe for their lives, refuse to heed Jeremiah’s warning. God specifically wants them to stay in the land. They, however, are unwilling. They are going to Egypt. It is interesting that they feel Jeremiah’s assistant Baruch is their enemy. They also feel Jeremiah is plotting against them. And yet, they take Jeremiah with them to Egypt. It is unclear whether Jeremiah went willingly. If he did, he went in disobedience to the word of God. But perhaps, God knowing his people were determined, God told Jeremiah to go with them. We do not know this. On the other hand, why would they take Jeremiah with them believing he was a traitor?
I believe they took Jeremiah hostage. They knew he was the servant of the Lord. That’s why they came to him in the first place. Perhaps they believed God would not hurt them if his servant went with them.
In Egypt, Jeremiah undertakes a bold act. At the Lord’s direction, he digs up the walkway going to Pharaoh’s palace and places large stones beneath it. When asked what he is doing, he replies that the Babylonians are going to come and set up the king of Babylon’s throne over those stones and destroy the gods of Egypt.
At this point, bringing Jeremiah with them must have seemed like a really bad idea to the refugees in Egypt. What an embarrassment! But there is an important point: God’s people cannot escape the watchful eye of God – nor His judgment.