Fast of the Seventh Month: Gedaliah's Assassination

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.

It shattered the fragile stability of the remnant remaining in Judah. So fear follows the assassination. The spirit of fear follows this. This is where the story becomes even more important to understand. After Gedaliah's murder, the surviving people became terrified of Babylonian retaliation from Nebuchadnezzar. Jeremiah 41:18 explains that they were afraid, "the spirit of fear, because of the Chaldeans, for they were afraid of them because Ishmael had murdered Gedaliah." Then in Jeremiah 42, they come to Jeremiah asking him to seek Yah concerning what they should do. And what does Yahweh tell him? It's pretty remarkable the answer that He gave Jeremiah. In Jeremiah 42:10, it says, "If you will still remain in this land, then I will build you up and not pluck you down, pull you down. I will plant you and I will not pluck you up." In other words, stay in the land. Don't run. Don't have the spirit of fear.

And trust Yahweh. But they rebelled. The remnant goes to Egypt in Jeremiah 43. So despite asking Jeremiah for Yah's word, they rejected. So why even ask the prophet for the word if you're not going to believe it, right? So in Jeremiah 43:7, "So they went to the land of Egypt, for they did not obey the voice of Adonai." That's why the assassination becomes bigger than simply Gedaliah was murdered. The sequence is: Jerusalem destroyed, the remnant preserved, Gedaliah appointed, Gedaliah assassinated in the seventh month, which is the holiest, one of the holiest months of the biblical calendar. Fear enters the remnant. Yahweh tells them to remain, have faith, trust Him. They refuse, they rebel, and the remnant flees to Egypt. And Egypt carries enormous biblical symbolism, as we all know, because Yahweh originally brought Israel out of Egypt. Now, because of the spirit of fear, disobedience, rebellion, this remnant is moving back towards Egypt.

Egypt resembles bondage, everybody. So they were moving back to bondage. After Gedaliah's assassination, the remnant feared that Babylon would retaliate. They asked Jeremiah to seek Yah for direction. Yah's answer was essentially, "Remain in Judah. Do not fear the king of Babylon. I will protect you. Not maybe, not might. I will protect you if you have faith." Jeremiah 42, "Do not go to Egypt." Yah gives them a very specific warning in Jeremiah 42:13-16. If they refuse to remain in the land and instead say, "No, but we will go to the land of Egypt, back to bondage," then it shall be that the sword which you feared shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt. The famine of which you were afraid shall follow close after you there in Egypt, and there you shall die. That's striking because Egypt appeared to them to be a place of safety. But Yahweh tells them that these very things they were running from would follow them there.

And just like someone saying nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. When we're in disobedience to Yahweh, then Yahweh makes it even stronger. Jeremiah 42:17, "So shall it be with all the men who set their faces to go to Egypt to dwell there. They shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, by the plague," just like He told the people before Nebuchadnezzar came to town, that they were going to die by the sword, the famine, and the pestilence. So they weren't going to get away from this. And in Jeremiah 42:19, Jeremiah says plainly, "The Lord has said concerning you, O remnant of Judah, Do not go to Egypt." But they go anyway. Rebellion. Jeremiah 43. They accused Jeremiah again and again and again of speaking falsely and refused Yahweh's command in Jeremiah 43:7. So they went to the land of Egypt. So they arrive in Egypt. But then something remarkable happens. The God of Israel sends Jeremiah right down into Egypt with them.

At Egypt, or at Tahpanhes, Yah tells Jeremiah to take large stones and hide them in the clay brickwork at the entrance of Pharaoh's house as a prophetic sign. And then comes judgment. Jeremiah 43:10-11, "Behold, I will send and bring Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, my servant. When he comes, he will strike the land of Egypt and deliver to death those appointed for death, and to captivity those appointed for captivity, and to the sword those appointed for the sword." I mean, goodness gracious. Again, "Behold, I will send Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, my servant. When he comes, he shall strike the land of Egypt and deliver to death those appointed for death, and to captivity those appointed for captivity, and to the sword those appointed for the sword." That's absolutely extraordinary in the context of this story. So if you don't remember this, my friends, even before Nebuchadnezzar went down after the destruction of Jerusalem, before the destruction of Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar defeated Assyria and also Egypt at the same time at the battle of Carchemish, because God raised him up to judge the entire Middle East.

So Egypt already had a taste of Nebuchadnezzar at the battle of Carchemish on the Euphrates River. And now, for the rebellion of the remnant that was there in Judah, they fled to Egypt. And here we go. Here comes Nebuchadnezzar again to rock Egypt again, this time in the land of Egypt. So again, that's extraordinary in the context of the story. They essentially thought Babylon is dangerous, so we'll escape Babylon by going to Egypt. The God of Israel says the Babylon you're running from is coming to Egypt. Jeremiah 44 makes this reason explicit. Once they are in Egypt, Jeremiah confronts them again because of their continued idolatry. In Jeremiah 44:12-13, Yah will punish those who determine to dwell in Egypt. "They shall be consumed and fall in the land of Egypt. They shall be consumed by the sword and by the famine." And then Yahweh says, "For I will punish those who dwell in the land of Egypt as I have punished Jerusalem by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence." So there's a very sobering spiritual progression here, my friends.

Jerusalem falls. Yahweh preserves a remnant. Gedaliah is appointed. Gedaliah is assassinated in the seventh month. Fear grips the remnant. They inquire of Yahweh. Yahweh tells them to remain in the land and have faith, have trust in Him. They rebel, they flee to Egypt. The sword they were running from follows them to Egypt. Nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. And there's a particular powerful irony here. Israel's foundation story was Egypt, deliverance, and promised land. That's the great foundational story that we all remember on Passover, including the crucifixion of our Messiah. But that generation effectively reverses the direction: promised land, fear, disobedience, lack of faith, and go back to Egypt to bondage and to the sword and the pestilence and to the plagues and the famine. Yet even there, God does not completely abandon His covenant purposes. Amen. There's always the remnant, everybody.

Jeremiah 44:28 says that a small number would escape the sword and return from Egypt to Judah. Accordingly, Zechariah 8 becomes very powerful. Years later, after the exile, the prophet Zechariah speaks about the fast commemorating these national tragedies that we've gone through with all of the fast days. In Zechariah 8:19, it says, "Thus says the Lord of hosts, The fast of the fourth, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth shall be joy and cheerful feasts for the house of Judah. Therefore, love, my friends, truth and shalom."

The seventh month fast remembers tragedy, assassination, fear, scattering, and the consequences surrounding Judah's rebellion. But Zechariah promises that Yahweh will ultimately reverse the mourning at His millennial kingdom. The fast becomes joy and gladness and cheerful feasts. Amen and amen and amen. That's actually very close to the heart of the chapter.

Judgment, restoration, mourning, joy, fasting, celebration, scattering, gathering, desolation, and dwelling again. That makes the assassination of Gedaliah much more than a historical footnote. Jeremiah 40-43 gives you the tragedy. Zechariah 8 gives you Yah's promised reversal of it. Amen. This makes Zechariah 8:19 even richer. The fast of the seventh month remembers an event that set off a chain involving assassination, fear, disobedience, scattering, Egypt, sword, famine, and death. Yet, Zechariah announces that Yahweh intends to reverse the story. "The fast of the fourth, and the fifth, and the seventh, and the tenth shall be joy, gladness, and cheerful feasts for the house of Judah. Therefore, love truth and peace."

And notice the final statement, my friends. "Therefore, love truth and peace." That's especially interesting against Gedaliah's story. His assassination involved conspiracy, violence, murder, and the destruction of peace among the remnant.

Zechariah describes the restored Jerusalem in almost the exact opposite terms: truth, peace, restoration, old men and women safely sitting in Jerusalem, children playing in the streets, and Yah's people dwelling there. Again, I think the larger message is stronger than simply Gedaliah died, therefore they fasted. It is the fast of the seventh remembers where assassination, fear, rebellion, disobedience, lack of faith led the remnant. Zechariah 8 looks forward to Yahweh reversing that mindset, reversing that heart position, reversing the understanding of Torah, and also the obedience of the people, of the entire condition, turning mourning into joy, scattering into dwelling, and violence into truth and also peace. That's a very powerful backdrop for understanding why Zechariah says the fast will become an occasion of joy in Yeshua's millennial kingdom. Amen and amen and amen. So my friends, therefore, love truth and also love peace.