The Assassination That Became a Biblical Fast Day

But tonight, my friends, we're going to go through the fast of the seventh. So we'll begin again with the scripture, and then we'll continue with why this day is important and for us to understand it from a historical standpoint, but also from a personal standpoint as well, as we look at the scriptures. So, Zechariah 8:18-20, it says, "Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, Thus says the Lord of hosts, The fast of the fourth month, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth shall be joy and gladness and cheerful feasts for the house of Judah. Therefore, love truth and peace." Amen and amen and amen. So, why did this become a fast day on the fast of the seventh? It goes into the assassination of Gedaliah, or some people call it Gallayia, depending on the English and things like that. We can find this in Jeremiah 41:1-3, and it says this: "Now it came to pass in the seventh month that Ishmael, the sons of the royal family of Judah, and the officers of the king came with 10 men to Gedaliah.

And they were there, and they ate bread together in Mizpah." So again, Ishmael came with his men, and they ate with the governor that Nebuchadnezzar installed after Jerusalem was destroyed. So, remember in Jeremiah 39, that was the destruction of Jerusalem. So this is after the destruction of Jerusalem, after the destruction of the temple. Remember what Nebuchadnezzar's guard told the people and Jeremiah? He left a remnant, a small remnant in the land to take care of the vineyards and all of these things. The remnant always stays. And then you have Jeremiah and the captain of the guard of Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar told him, "Whatever Jeremiah tells you to do, you do it." It's a pretty amazing story when you look at it because God promised Jeremiah He would deliver him. In the first chapter of Jeremiah, go to chapter 39. That's one of the beautiful deliverances and love stories that you'll find between Yah and Jeremiah, and what Jeremiah went through.

He survived, of course, and then Nebuchadnezzar told his guard to do everything Jeremiah tells you to do. It's pretty amazing that the king of Babylon knew about the prophet because obviously word got around that he was warning the people that this was going to happen, and it did happen. So, just think about this as we go forward, that they were these, like Ishmael and all of the people with him, the rebels, they understood what Jeremiah said, and it came all true. Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the place, and there was still rebellion in these men that came against the governor that Nebuchadnezzar put in. Remember, God told Jeremiah for the people to serve the king of Babylon, to humble themselves and serve the king of Babylon because of the judgment of the 70 years. So, with that being said, I'll read it again just to give you some backdrop on the story. "But it came to pass in the seventh month, which is right now, my friends, Tishri 3, that Ishmael, the son of the royal family of Judah, and the officers of the king came with 10 men to Gedaliah.

And they ate bread together in Mizpah." So they were eating bread with him. They broke bread with him. And then Ishmael and the 10 men who were with him arose, and they struck Gedaliah with the sword, and they killed him, whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land. So Ishmael also struck down all of the Jewish people as well who were with him, that is, with Gedaliah at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans who were found there as well, the men of war. So again, God told them to be subservient to the king of Babylon. So they were rebelling against God, the God of Israel, and they killed the governor that Nebuchadnezzar put in, which God appointed to happen. So they were in rebellion against God, not really against Nebuchadnezzar. Gedaliah was the governor of Judah appointed by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon after Jerusalem's destruction. Gedaliah's assassination was devastating because he represented the fragile Jewish remnant that remained in the land after the Babylonian conquest.

And notice the opening words of Jeremiah 41:1, "in the seventh month," which is where we are right now, Tishri, we entered into tonight, wherever you may be. That is the direct connection to the later biblical phrase, "the fast of the seventh month," that's spoken of in Zechariah 8:19, that we just read. Gedaliah's assassination became such a significant national tragedy. So in Jeremiah 39, which I just mentioned, that's when Jerusalem falls. The city and the temple were destroyed. Excuse me. Let me take this banner off really quick. Jerusalem is conquered by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. The city and temple are destroyed, and many of the people are carried away, including Daniel, Ezekiel, Daniel's three friends, etc., that you read in the Tanakh. Yet a remnant is deliberately left in the land in Jeremiah 39:10. "But Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, left in the land of Judah the poor people who had nothing, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time." So even after judgment, there was still a remnant, land, vineyards, and a possibility of continuing life in Judah.

Gedaliah is appointed over the remnant. In Jeremiah 40, Nebuchadnezzar appoints Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, as governor. In verse number seven, it says, "The king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the governor of the land, and had committed to him men, women, children, and the poorest of the land." Gedaliah then gives the remnant a message of stability. In Jeremiah 40:9-10, he essentially tells them, "Do not fear, remain in the land, serve the Babylonians, gather wine, summer fruit, and oil, and dwell in your cities."

So the grace and love of God is really amazing because even after the destruction, He kept the poor people in the land, the remnant who was probably faithful to Yah. And again, that's what the governor of Judah said, you know, to stay in the land and be fruitful, you know, remain in the land, serve the Babylonians, which God told Jeremiah for the people to do because of the judgment of the 70 years in Jeremiah 25.

That's very important. Judah had been judged, but there was still an opportunity for the remnant to remain in the land. Amen. Gedaliah is warned about the assassination. Then comes something especially significant. Johanan warns Gedaliah that Ishmael intends to kill him. In Jeremiah 40:14, they tell Gedaliah, "Do you certainly know that Baalis, the king of the Ammonites, has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to murder you?" But Gedaliah does not believe the report. So he does not believe the report, the good report, which is unfortunate. So Johanan even privately offers to kill Ishmael first, arguing that Gedaliah's death would scatter the remnant of Judah. And yet Gedaliah refuses, and that concern turns out to be exactly what happens. The seventh month, which is right now, Tishri, Gedaliah is assassinated. Then Jeremiah deliberately gives us the timing. Jeremiah 41:1 says, "Now it came to pass in the seventh month," which is right now.

And in what again, if one's not familiar with that, that is the seventh month with these feast days in it. Yom Teruah, Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, and also the Feast of Tabernacles from another angle. We have the Feast of Trumpets, 10 days to Atonement, and we're in Tishri 3 right now. So this is the third day of the 10 Days of Awe. All right, so again, Jeremiah 41:1 says, "It came to pass in the seventh month, Ishmael comes to Gedaliah at Mizpah with his 10 men." And notice something particularly tragic that happens. "And there they ate bread together in Mizpah." Okay, they are sharing a meal. I mean, this is insane. They were sharing a meal. And then what happens? Jeremiah 41:2, "Then Ishmael and the 10 men who were with him arose and struck Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, with the sword, and they killed him." So this wasn't merely the death of one political leader.