I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Jeremiah 45-48.

Today’s passage contains a short message from God to Baruch, Jeremiah’s loyal assistant and scribe.  The message suggests that Baruch was an ambitious man, which may explain the suspicion that those remaining in Judah had towards him.  God said to Baruch through Jeremiah that he should give up on his ambitions because they would only lead him to greater sorrow.  However, God promised to preserve his life despite the destruction that so many around him would experience.   Baruch’s faithfulness did not gain him the reward for which he had hoped, but gained him a valuable reward nonetheless.  This message was delivered to Baruch before the fall of Jerusalem, but is recorded here after the accounts of he and Jeremiah being forced to join those who fled to Egypt.   Jeremiah had told those who fled to Egypt that neither they nor their children would see their homeland again.  However, not all of those who went to Egypt did so voluntarily and I think this message to Baruch is recorded here as a reminder that Jeremiah’s prophecy did not apply to them.