Murder and mayhem

 Jeremiah 41:1–3 (ESV)

1In the seventh month, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, of the royal family, one of the chief officers of the king, came with ten men to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, at Mizpah. As they ate bread together there at Mizpah,
2Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and the ten men with him rose up and struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, with the sword, and killed him, whom the king of Babylon had appointed governor in the land.
3Ishmael also struck down all the Judeans who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, and the Chaldean soldiers who happened to be there.

Gedaliah did not receive the warning that Ishmael was coming to murder him. Ishmael presented himself to Gedaliah as a friend sharing food with him as a disguise to murder him. It was a political murder that ended in Ishmael fleeing for his life when Johanan came to rescue the people he had taken captive to bring to Ammon. God spared the lives of the people taken captive. He was still caring for his people in spite of the situation they faced. Difficult times and trials are part of living in a fallen world. We see the persecution and execution of Christians today in many countries. Their blood cries out to a just God who will bring justice to the persecutors and murderers. God is with us in these times of trials, and he will give us the strength to endure if immediate deliverance is not provided. The testimony of our faith and faithfulness to serve God is a strong message to the world that what we believe to be true is worth our suffering.