Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go and to sojourn.
In the place where ye desire to go and to sojourn - for a time, until they could return to their country. They expected, therefore, to be restored, in spite of God's prediction to the contrary.
Remarks:
(1) Johanan and the Jews consulted God through Jeremiah, asking Him to show them "the way wherein they should walk, and the thing that they should do" (Jeremiah 42:3). Doubtless many, if not all of them, thought themselves sincere in their request, and that they really purposed to adopt whatever course God should command. But, such is the self-deceit of the human heart, many, in consulting God, desire not so much to know His will as to get His sanction to their own will, upon which they have already made up their minds.
(2) The minister of God, however, serves a God who is not to be deceived as to men's motives when professing to seek Him. Jeremiah reminds them that his God (Jeremiah 42:2) is also their God, whom they are as much bound to obey as he is (Jeremiah 42:4), and that he can only "declare to them whatever God shall answer," whether the divine reply accords with their wishes or not. The conscientious minister must not shun to declare to men the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:20), whether men will hearken or disregard it.
(3) The Jews, in their ignorance of their own hearts, appealed to the Lord to be "a faithful and true witness" that they engaged to do whatever God should direct, whether it should be agreeable to them or otherwise (Jeremiah 42:5-6). They recognized, as a theory, the sound principle that true piety obeys the clearly-revealed will of God at all costs, and that without questionings or complainings. Saul had lost his kingdom because, in the case of God's command to destroy the Amalekites, he had only obeyed in so far as was agreeable to his own wishes and those of his people. Johanan and the Jews admitted that they were bound to obey in "all things" that God should require. But to admit a principle in theory, and to act upon it in practice, are two very distinct things.
(4) A ten days' interval was allowed to elapse before God's answer came, in order to test their sincerity in professing themselves willing to obey, and to give them full time for deliberation. The ardour of hasty professions, made under the impulse o f the moment, soon cools down when tested by time. So it proved in this case. Jeremiah, in the nine of God, faithfully told them God's will concerning them, as they had wished. If they would abide in the land, God engaged to establish them in it safely, nor need they fear the Babylonian king, as they are inclined to do, for God, who even already repents Him of the evil that He had done unto them (Jeremiah 42:10), will save them out of his hand (Jeremiah 42:11), and show mercies unto them. (5) The prophet soon saw, when they were put to the test, marks in their countenance and manner, of disinclination to keep to their solemn engagement to obedience (Jeremiah 42:13). God looks to our acts, and not merely to our professions. Many promise to do what the Lord requires, hoping thereby to have the reputation of piety, and to retain all the while their favourite lusts.
(6) Yet how blind are sinners to their true interests! God will never let those really lose by it who trust in and act on His promises. He has revealed enough to silence the cause less fears which discourage us in the discharge of duty. But, the very evils which we fear by obeying God's will, and which we think to escape by disobedience, we surely bring on ourselves by rebellion and self-will. Change of place will bring no exemption from troubles, as restless sinners fancy; the true and only path to peace is the path of faith and obedience. Just as the Jews by fleeing to Egypt, in opposition to God's command, brought on themselves the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, which they thought to escape thereby (Jeremiah 42:13-17).
(7) How amazing also is the self-destroying infatuation of sinners! One would have thought that, after the fearful lesson just given in the destruction of Jerusalem, according to the word of the Lord, the Jews would have never more doubted that He is a God faithful to His threats as He is to His promises (Jeremiah 42:18). Yet practically they treated God's message as an empty denunciation, and that after having, with such marvelous hypocrisy, professed their sincere desire for Jeremiah's intercessions, as though their sole wish was to know God's will in order that they might do it (Jeremiah 42:20-21). They paid a fearful penalty of their hypocrisy and disobedience. May God tear off from each of us the mask of hypocrisy, self-deceit, self-will, and self-ignorance, which are so natural to us, and guide us always by His Spirit in the ways that are pleasing to Him!