11/28'/12  Jeremiah 40-43
Jeremiah is freed from his chains by Nebuzaradan, the Chaldean captain of the the bodyguard.  This man knows exactly what Jeremiah has been telling Judah, that God has brought about all that has occurred because of the sins of Judah.  This foreigner "gets it" while the priests and kings and leaders don't!   This man also offers Jeremiah anything he wants.  He can go with Nebuzaradan and be taken care of in Babylon, he can go back to  Mizpah where the remnant of Judah is staying, or he can go wherever he wants.    Jeremiah, God's prophet was thrown in prison by God's people and freed by a captain in Babylon.   How backward that seems, but that is so often the way things seem to happen.
It is the same way Jesus was treated.  Killed because of the Jewish leaders, when the Roman authority wanted to release Him.

Gedaliah takes over the governing of the remnant in Judah.  But, Ishmael comes along and kills him.  He also takes the people with him until Johanan comes to the rescue. This starts out well, but takes a bad turn.  Johanan and his fellow commanders come to Jeremiah and ask him to pray and seek the Lord's direction for what they should do next.  Jeremiah prays and speaks the Word to the people, and although they had pledged to obey, they instead call him a  liar and head to Egypt.  And they force Jeremiah to go with them.  This spells doom for Egypt too.

It is not enough to pray and ask God to reveal His will for us.
It is not enough for us to pray and pledge that we will obey.
It is only when we pray, listen, and OBEY that we will bring about God's wonderful plan for us, to bless us and save us.  To build us up and not tear us down, to plant us and not uproot us.  ( 42:10)

Like the remnant of Judah, we deceive ourselves if we pray and pledge to obey, but refuse to follow through.  "Trust and Obey for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey!"
Lord Jesus, Help me to hear when You speak and to obey completely.   Help me to truly hear the Voice of the Shepherd.