Jeremiah 43

He will also come and strike the land of Egypt; those who are meant for death will be given over to death, and those for captivity to captivity, and those for the sword to the sword. Jer 43:11

When I got ready to leave for Army Basic Training, I called my uncle who is an officer in the Army. I asked him what I should expect, and all he would tell me is "don't volunteer for anything." So when we were all snapped to attention in week three, I tried to look as inconspicuous as possible. They started calling names, and I did my best to be invisible. The drill sergeants were just berating these guys as they pulled them out of formation. Finally my name was called and I went through an hour of being put in stress positions before being told I was now placed in charge of the platoon. I couldn't have avoided being called on, because they had already chosen me and five squad leaders to lead the platoon. It seemed random, but had been completely thought through and set up.

It seems that the original reason these Jews in Jeremiah 43 were leaving was because they were afraid they would be blamed for a murder they didn't commit. After God makes it clear that they will not, the people accuse Jeremiah of lying about what God said and they head off to Egypt anyway. Their intention no longer seems to be avoiding punishment for the murder, but to avoid living under Babylonian rule. But the Babylonians came because all of Judah, including these people, had lived in rebellion against God. They would not be permitted to just escape correction, so now they have carried their sins amongst the Egyptians who will also suffer because of the disobedience of the Jews. These Jews thought that they had just hit some bad luck and they were trying to escape. Just like my experience in basic training, the Jews were receiving the judgment that was specifically laid out for them. Some would die, some would fight, and some would simply be imprisoned. They couldn't even escape to Egypt to avoid it. God would have made things easier if they had obeyed, but they chose their own way. Do you want to avoid judgment over your sin? Do you know how to do it? Repent. It doesn't mean we'll always miss the correction that God brings, but there are plenty of examples in the Bible where people were able to lessen the judgment by recognizing their sin (Zeph 2:1-3, 1 Corinthians 11:29-31). So what sin have you been trying to ignore, in the hopes that God will too? Perhaps He has withheld correction to give you a chance to recognize the problem as you choose to make different choices. Stop trying to avoid the truth of your sin, and confront it in the grace and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.