IRTWBEY365 (I Read The Whole Bible Every Year Podcast)

Ezekiel chapter 1

Ezekiel was in exile in Babylon when he saw a vision from God. From a windstorm comes four creatures human form but with four faces each and four wings .These heavenly creatures look dazzling . Later in the chapter , Ezekiel saw the high above the throne was a figure of man "I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

Ezekiel 1:27 - 28

Ezekiel chapter 2

The magnificent figure spoke to Ezekiel. As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.

Ezekiel 2:2

He said: “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day.

Ezekiel 2:3 NIV

He was told not to be afraid of them though they are obstinate and stubborn. God told him he should deliver His message to them as it is.

Ezekiel was given a scroll to eat ;

But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious people; open your mouth and eat what I give you.” which he unrolled before me. On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe.

Ezekiel 2:8 , 10

Ezekiel chapter 3

Ezekiel was instructed to eat the scroll. After eating it Ezekiel said it tasted like honey.

He then said to me: “Son of man, go now to the people of Israel and speak my words to them.

Ezekiel 3:4 NIV

He was again told to be strong and courageous.

Ezekiel was tasked to be a watchman for the people of Israel .

"When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. But if you do warn the wicked person and they do not turn from their wickedness or from their evil ways, they will die for their sin; but you will have saved yourself."

Ezekiel 3:18 - 19

Ezekiel chapter 4

Ezekiel was instructed to draw Jerusalem on a block of clay.

He will build a seige around it signifying the attack coming on Jerusalem .

Ezekiel was to lie on his sides for a number of days. He was told to eat rationed food to symbolise what will happen to Israel .

He then said to me: “Son of man, I am about to cut off the food supply in Jerusalem. The people will eat rationed food in anxiety and drink rationed water in despair, for food and water will be scarce. They will be appalled at the sight of each other and will waste away because of their sin.

Ezekiel 4:16 - 17

Lessons :

God wants his people to give him their whole . Living in obedience to God's commandment attracts his great favour. He is our loving father who we should serve whole heartedly.

Also , we should preach the gospel .

Lamentations 4-5

In Lamentations Chapter 4, the focus is on the devastating consequences of the siege and destruction of Jerusalem. It begins with vivid descriptions of the city's desolation and the suffering of its people. The once-prosperous city is now deserted, its prominent citizens reduced to beggars. It reflects on how the sins of the people have led to this tragedy, and the severity of God's judgment upon them.

 

The text also highlights the suffering of children, who are starving and dying due to the famine resulting from the siege. The situation is so dire that even the most compassionate mothers are driven to unthinkable acts to survive. It laments the loss of the Temple and the sacred vessels, acknowledging the severity of God's anger and the absence of divine protection.

 

Chapter 5:

Lamentations Chapter 5 is a heartfelt communal plea to God for restoration and mercy. The people are broken and desperate, expressing their feelings of abandonment by God. They recount the humiliation and oppression they have suffered at the hands of their enemies. The once proud and respected nation has been reduced to a state of humiliation and shame.

 

In their lament, the people acknowledge their ancestors' sins and ask for God's forgiveness and restoration. They plead with God to remember His covenant with their forefathers and to show them compassion once again. The chapter ends with a desperate call for God to turn His people back to Him, recognizing that only through His mercy can they find true redemption and restoration.

Lamentations 3 records Jeremiah's lamentation for the destruction of Jerusalem from the perspective of the people of Judah. In Lamentations 3:1–18 we learn how the wicked people of Judah described their relationship with God.

Lamentations 3 also brutally honest about pain. We see Jeremiah in lament, saying, “I have forgotten what happiness is; so I say, 'My endurance has perished; so has my hope from the Lord.” Jeremiah is honest about his circumstances and the way he feels.

Lesson

I understood that no matter what he felt, God is good. You can always count on the Lord to give fresh mercies every day. Regardless of what happened yesterday, God is willing to start fresh with mercy and grace today.

The cry for Jerusalem

Summary Jeremiah 51 - 52

Jeremiah 51: The prophecy of Jeremiah continues from the previous chapter. In what was probably a collection of prophecies against Babylon collected together, God announced His coming judgment against the empire that Yahweh Himself used to bring judgment against Judah. God used the picture of a destroying wind that would winnow Babylon as grain is processed, with a wind blowing away the useless chaff. They would utterly destroy all her army. God’s judgment upon Babylon would be one display of the truth that He had not forsaken His people, but would bring judgment against those who conquered them. His people had sinned, but they were not forsaken of God.

It is never good to remain in a place that is a target of God’s judgment. Because Babylon’s fall was sure, it was best to flee to save one’s life.

The right standing of God’s people was revealed in the eventual judgment of Babylon. This showed that it was not merely a matter of Babylon’s gods being mightier than Yahweh. The eventual judgment of Babylon showed that Yahweh was in control; that He used Babylon as it pleased Him and judged them when it pleased Him. This was a kind of a justification of God’s people and a revelation of their righteousness and of the work of the LORD our God. God’s judgment against Babylon was in part because they destroyed the temple Solomon had built unto the LORD. It was a strange process, repeated often through history. Jeremiah gave a copy of the prophecy to Seriah because he did not go to Babylon himself. Jeremiah ended his days in Egypt.

Jeremiah Chapter 52: Tells us more of the evil of Zedekiah, specifically that he did not listen to Jeremiah or other messengers of God. Instead, he mocked and disregarded the message. He was not willing to listen to God’s word through Jeremiah; he broke an oath made in Yahweh’s name as a vassal of Babylon, he was unrepentant and failed to restrain leaders and priests from defiling the temple with the reintroduction of idolatrous practices.” God’s patience and longsuffering had finally run its course and He allowed – even prompted – the Babylonian conquest of the Kingdom of Judah. Jeremiah tells us that there were many false prophets in those days who preached a message of victory and triumph to Zedekiah, and he believed them instead of Jeremiah and other godly prophets like him. Therefore, he rebelled against the king of Babylon. At this desperate point for Judah at the siege of Jerusalem, Zedekiah made a last-chance effort to escape the grip of the nearly-completely successful siege. They planned a secret break through the city walls and the siege lines of the Babylonians, using a diversionary tactic. This was a considerable distance from Jerusalem. Zedekiah probably thought that his strategy was successful, and that he had escaped the judgment that prophets such as Jeremiah had promised. Yet God’s word was demonstrated to be true and he was captured in the plains of Jericho.

Jer 45—58 Summary

Chapter 46 contains a prophecy against Egypt. Jeremiah proclaims that Egypt will be defeated by Babylon, highlighting the impending judgment that will come upon the nation. God promises to bring punishment upon Egypt and its idols, demonstrating His sovereignty over all nations.

 

Chapter 47 delivers a prophecy specifically against the Philistines. Jeremiah warns the Philistines of their impending destruction, as Babylon's invasion will bring devastation upon them. The chapter describes the devastating impact of Babylon's conquest on the Philistine cities and their inhabitants.

 

Chapter 48 focuses on the judgment against Moab. Jeremiah pronounces the downfall and humiliation of Moab due to their pride, arrogance, and mistreatment of others. The prophecy foretells the destruction that will befall Moab, emphasizing their punishment for their rebellion against God. Jeremiah mourns over the devastation of Moab and expresses sorrow for their downfall.

 

In these chapters, the messages of judgment continue as Jeremiah delivers prophetic warnings to various nations. The prophecies reveal the consequences of pride, idolatry, and disobedience, while also emphasizing the sovereignty, justice, and authority of God over all nations. The chapters serve as a reminder of God's righteous judgment and the need for repentance and obedience to avoid His wrath.

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Jeremiah 40

Prophet Jeremiah was set free by Nebuzaradan the commander of the imperial guard. He had asked Jeremiah to come with him to Babylon if he chooses to .

[5] However, before Jeremiah turned to go, Nebuzaradan added, “Go back to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the towns of Judah, and live with him among the people, or go anywhere else you please.” Then the commander gave him provisions and a present and let him go.

Gedaliah the appointed leader of the remnants in Judah started attracting Jews from far and wide.

Jeremiah 40:8

[8] they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maakathite, and their men.

Meanwhile ; Jeremiah 40:14

[13] Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers still in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah [14] and said to him, “Don’t you know that Baalis king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them.

Johanan even asked Gedaliah the permission to go and kill Ishmael but Gedaliah didn't approve .

Jeremiah 41

Ishmael succeeded in assassinating Gedaliah. He came with ten men to visit Gedaliah. He murdered him and all the men with him. Ishmael also killed seventy out of eighty men who came bringing grain offering and incense to the house of God in Shiloh.

Jeremiah 41:10

[10] Ishmael made captives of all the rest of the people who were in Mizpah—the king’s daughters along with all the others who were left there, over whom Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Ishmael son of Nethaniah took them captive and set out to cross over to the Ammonites.

Johanan later got wind of the assassination of Gedaliah ,He came with his army officers and attacked Ismael who later escaped .

Jeremiah 42

Johanan with the army officers and the people recovered from Ishmael came to Jeremiah to ask instructions from the Lord on where to go and what to do .

Ten days later , the Lord spoke to Jeremiah warning the Jews not to move away from the land .

Jeremiah 42:10 - 12

[10] ‘If you stay in this land, I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you, for I have relented concerning the disaster I have inflicted on you. [11] Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, whom you now fear. Do not be afraid of him, declares the Lord, for I am with you and will save you and deliver you from his hands. [12] I will show you compassion so that he will have compassion on you and restore you to your land.’

However if they go away , Jeremiah 42:16

[16] then the sword you fear will overtake you there, and the famine you dread will follow you into Egypt, and there you will die.

Jeremiah 43

The people refused to heed the word of God spoken by Jeremiah. They called him a liar and decided to head for Egypt. They took everyone including Jeremiah with them. . Jeremiah 43:7

[7] So they entered Egypt in disobedience to the Lord and went as far as Tahpanhes.

At Tahpanhes God instructed Jeremiah to bury large stones on clay brick pavement at the entrance of Pharaoh's Temple.

God promised to bring Nebuchadnezzar to destroy Egypt .

Jeremiah 44

The Lord continued the pronouncement of destruction on Egypt. Jeremiah 44:1

[1] This word came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews living in Lower Egypt—in Migdol, Tahpanhes and Memphis—and in Upper Egypt:

God said the same destruction they witnessed in jerusalem will also become of them in Egypt. This was ...

Jeremiah 44:3

[3] because of the evil they have done. They aroused my anger by burning incense to and worshiping other gods that neither they nor you nor your ancestors ever knew.

In these chapters, Jerusalem falls to the Babylonians Jeremiah is in prison and later rescued, and he continues to deliver his prophetic message despite opposition.

Chapter 33

Those who expect to receive comforts from God, must call upon him. Promises are given, not to do away, but to quicken and encourage prayer. These promises lead us to the gospel of Christ; and in that God has revealed truth to direct us, and peace to make us easy.

Lesson

God is giving hope to His people. Even though the judgment they are enduring is brought about by their own refusal to repent, God is gracious enough to give them hope and an escape from their troubles. After their judgment is complete, God will once again be able to pardon their iniquities and dwell among them.

Chapter 34

This chapter anticipates the final moments in the assault of the Babylonian army against Jerusalem, when Jeremiah foretold the destruction of the city and the captivity of King Zedekiah (Jeremiah 34:1-7), and sharply criticized the treacherous dealings of the princes and people with the slaves that provoked the punishment from God.

Lesson

really consists of two separate messages. We have verses 1-7 which deal with a message given to Zedekiah. And then we have the rest of the chapter which deals with the importance of keeping promises. And it teaches that lesson by using Zedekiah as a bad example that people shouldn't follow.

Chapter 35

This chapter records the meeting of Jeremiah with the Rechabites, a nomadic clan, in which the prophet "contrast[s] their faithfulness to the commands of a dead ancestor with the faithlessness of the people of Judah to the commands of a living God".

Lesson

While the Recabites obey their forefather, the rest of the people do not obey God himself” (234). The application for us today parallels the lesson God intended for ancient Israel: We should faithfully obey all that God has commanded us to do, eager to “receive instruction and listen to [his] words”

Chapter 36

the Lord told Jeremiah to write all the prophecies he made against Israel, Judah, and other nations. Because Jeremiah was under arrest, a scribe named Baruch wrote all of Jeremiah's prophecies and then read them on the steps of the temple.

Lesson

he did as the Lord has commanded him to do.

The prophecies found in Jeremiah 30–30 to convey a message of hope and restoration for Israel. Despite the intimate judgment and exile God promises to restore his people establish a new covenant and demonstrate his everlasting love for them. These prophecies, hold significance, not only in their historical context, but also in the relevance to Israel’s future conveying the hope of a renewed relationship with God and the ultimate restoration of his people.