1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:04,760 Speaker 1: Let us pray all the kingdoms of the earth. Hath 2 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:07,880 Speaker 1: the Lord, God of Heaven given me, and he hath 3 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:11,600 Speaker 1: charged me to build him and house in Jerusalem, which 4 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:18,360 Speaker 1: is in Judea Second Chronicles thirty six twenty three. Heavenly Father, 5 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:23,439 Speaker 1: in the midst of my most trying circumstances, and in 6 00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:26,560 Speaker 1: the moments where I feel like I'm being held captive 7 00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:32,000 Speaker 1: to my past mistakes, my heart will rejoice in the 8 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:35,720 Speaker 1: words you've spoken over me to day through the Prophet Jeremiah. 9 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:41,159 Speaker 1: In spite of what I see, I choose to declare 10 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 1: that you know every plan and purpose for my life. 11 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:51,760 Speaker 1: I rejoice that in your great plan you desire to 12 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 1: give me hope and a future life and not death. Therefore, 13 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:03,240 Speaker 1: like the words in today's reading, I will change the 14 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:08,120 Speaker 1: environment I am in and hold steadfast to your ways 15 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 1: until the time of my deliverance, because you promised to 16 00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:17,560 Speaker 1: bring me out and set my feet on fertile soil, 17 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:22,440 Speaker 1: soil ready to receive my seed of faith to unlock 18 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:28,480 Speaker 1: the harvest of abundance that you have for me. In 19 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:35,639 Speaker 1: Jesus's name, Amen, thank you for praying with us today. 20 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:39,840 Speaker 1: Continue your time with God by listening to Today's Bible 21 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:43,280 Speaker 1: story brought to you by Bible in a Year dot. 22 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 2: Com the destruction of Judah. In our last story, we 23 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:59,560 Speaker 2: learned of God speaking through the prophet Jeremiah. His words 24 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:03,560 Speaker 2: have come, comfort, justice, and repentance began to truly affect 25 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:06,840 Speaker 2: the hearts of Judah. However, the king planted seeds of 26 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:10,560 Speaker 2: doubt and burned his words in the fire. Now we 27 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:13,880 Speaker 2: learn about the destruction of Judah at the hands of Babylon. 28 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:17,480 Speaker 2: The enormous nation rises up like a great. 29 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:22,480 Speaker 3: Beast to completely destroy Judah and all its inhabitants. Captives 30 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:25,640 Speaker 3: are taken like cattle back to Babylon, but not without 31 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:28,800 Speaker 3: a glimmer of hope for the future. Inspired by the 32 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 3: books of Second Chronicles, Second Kings, and Jeremiah. 33 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:38,560 Speaker 4: Hello, this is Jack Graham with today's episode of the 34 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 4: Bible in a Year. In our last episode, we heard 35 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 4: how Jeremiah's words often fell on deaf ears, and how 36 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:48,240 Speaker 4: the priest of Judah were some of the biggest opponents, 37 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:51,600 Speaker 4: even trying to put him the prophet, to death. But 38 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:55,160 Speaker 4: Jeremiah was not afraid, and along with his scribe Barut, 39 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 4: Jeremiah recorded God's warnings on a scroll to speak truth 40 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:04,000 Speaker 4: to his generationation and generations to come. Sparks of revival 41 00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:07,880 Speaker 4: flickered in the land, but the harshness and hardhearted nature 42 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 4: of King Johoica kept the people from truly turning back 43 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:15,440 Speaker 4: to God. Today we'll hear how the enemy from the north, 44 00:03:15,480 --> 00:03:18,920 Speaker 4: the great nation of Babylon, finally descends upon Judah to 45 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:22,359 Speaker 4: enact God's judgment on his people. God's people are led 46 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:26,680 Speaker 4: away as slaves amid destruction and devastation of their home. 47 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 4: But this is not a story without hope, because we 48 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:33,400 Speaker 4: know that God always has a plan and a purpose 49 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 4: for his own and that God is faithful. Let's listen 50 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:38,000 Speaker 4: now to God's word. 51 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:43,720 Speaker 3: Josiah's time as king was over. The battlefield claimed him, 52 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 3: and the reforming king was sent to the dust. His son, 53 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:50,880 Speaker 3: Jehoah has took his place as king. He was a 54 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:54,640 Speaker 3: young man, only twenty three years old. Although he possessed 55 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:57,680 Speaker 3: similar traits as his father, he would be unable to 56 00:03:57,760 --> 00:04:03,120 Speaker 3: rule rightly in Judah threat emerged from the south. Egypt 57 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:06,480 Speaker 3: had risen up against Judah with chariots of iron. The 58 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:09,840 Speaker 3: king of Egypt, Neko, met Jehoah Has on the battlefield 59 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 3: and claimed him. He captured the king and drug him 60 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:17,279 Speaker 3: back to Egypt as captive. The king desired to dominate Judah, 61 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:20,600 Speaker 3: but not rule it, so he appointed Jehoah has his 62 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:24,560 Speaker 3: younger brother as king in his place. Iliakim was also 63 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:28,640 Speaker 3: the son of Josiah, but possessed none of his noble qualities. 64 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:32,039 Speaker 3: He was a quiet and brooding man. He was a 65 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:36,560 Speaker 3: wicked and self serving king. Pharaoh changed his name to 66 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:41,719 Speaker 3: Jehora Kim. Egypt was cruel and dominant. However, it was 67 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 3: but a fish compared to the shark that lurked in 68 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:48,640 Speaker 3: the distance. The great beast Babylon was growing in the north. 69 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:53,279 Speaker 3: Its mighty army was vast, unlike any in history. Babylon 70 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:56,240 Speaker 3: was the great boiling point from the north that Jeremiah 71 00:04:56,279 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 3: had once seen, And like a shark that sens his blood, 72 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:03,160 Speaker 3: Baba Lan approached when Judah was at its most vulnerable. 73 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:06,200 Speaker 3: King Jehoa Kim woke in the middle of the night 74 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:09,160 Speaker 3: to screaming. He looked out his window to see pillars 75 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:12,760 Speaker 3: of fire lighting up the horizon. The city of Jerusalem 76 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:16,480 Speaker 3: was burning. Women and children rushed out of burning buildings 77 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:20,240 Speaker 3: as men lifted their swords to attack the incoming Babylonians. 78 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:25,160 Speaker 3: Jehoakim watched as every man was slaughtered in the streets. Panicked, 79 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:28,240 Speaker 3: Jehoakim gathered his things to escape out the back of 80 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 3: the palace. As he went to open his door, it 81 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:34,720 Speaker 3: burst open with fours. Jehoakim fell flat on his back 82 00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:37,280 Speaker 3: and looked up to see him. He was tall and 83 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:41,599 Speaker 3: dripping with power. His armored chest was broad and puffed outward. 84 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:45,200 Speaker 3: His salt and pepper beard was dirtied from ash and blood. 85 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 3: His eyes were dark and glaring. Jehoakim looked up in 86 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 3: terror at the infamous King Nebuconessea. The Babylonian king said nothing. 87 00:05:55,839 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 3: He sauntered towards the half naked King of Judah and 88 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:02,120 Speaker 3: leaned down. He picked him up with ease, as if 89 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:05,479 Speaker 3: he was lifting a cat by its neck fur. Johoakim 90 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:09,839 Speaker 3: trembled and begged for mercy. Neber Canzer gave an impassive stare. 91 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:14,000 Speaker 3: His eyes were pits of unrepentant evil. There would be 92 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:17,599 Speaker 3: no mercy dispensed from him. He threw the small king 93 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:20,400 Speaker 3: onto the ground and had his men bind him in chains. 94 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 3: Jehoakim said nothing. He knew that this would be the 95 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 3: end of his life. It would be the end of 96 00:06:26,839 --> 00:06:31,800 Speaker 3: Judah itself. King Neberkonezzar and his army scoured the city 97 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:34,960 Speaker 3: of Jerusalem for wealth. They went from house to house, 98 00:06:35,279 --> 00:06:38,680 Speaker 3: seizing any and all gold and silver. They opened up 99 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:40,960 Speaker 3: the house of the Lord and carried away all its 100 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:46,719 Speaker 3: vessels and precious items. After stripping Judah naked, never Canza left. 101 00:06:47,279 --> 00:06:51,039 Speaker 3: He allowed for Johoakim's son, jehoa Kin, to reign in 102 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:55,000 Speaker 3: his father's place. Neber Canezza needed Judah to remain a 103 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:59,800 Speaker 3: nation as a strategic edge over Egypt and Assyria. Jehoahkin 104 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:04,680 Speaker 3: was evil like his brother and a willing servant of Neberconeser. However, 105 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:08,160 Speaker 3: his rule was short lived. After only three months and 106 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:11,560 Speaker 3: ten days, he was summoned to Babylon and kept there 107 00:07:11,640 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 3: for the rest of his days. After jehoah Kin was 108 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:20,440 Speaker 3: taken away, Neberconezza appointed his uncle Zedekiah as king. Zedekiah 109 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:23,520 Speaker 3: was a young man, only twenty one years old. He 110 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:27,280 Speaker 3: was filled with pride and patriotism. He ignored the cause 111 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:31,160 Speaker 3: of Jeremiah to repent and instead ward against God and 112 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:35,840 Speaker 3: the kingdom of Babylon. Vainly, he rebelled against King Neberconzzar, 113 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:39,240 Speaker 3: He provoked him to anger. This would prove to be 114 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:41,800 Speaker 3: more fuel for the King of Babylon to tighten his 115 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:45,600 Speaker 3: grip on Judah. The priests and leaders of Judah followed 116 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:49,760 Speaker 3: in Zedekiah's footsteps. They rebelled against God and turned to 117 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:53,400 Speaker 3: the idols of ancient cultures. They defiled the house of 118 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 3: the Lord and sent Judah's leaders into madness. Yet the 119 00:07:56,920 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 3: Lord continued to send his message of compassion. He used 120 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:03,760 Speaker 3: his profits to warn them of their ways. He wanted 121 00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:05,960 Speaker 3: them to turn to him and cry out to him, 122 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:09,440 Speaker 3: as the slaves in Egypt once did. If they had 123 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:13,480 Speaker 3: just humbled themselves and asked, he would have answered. Instead, 124 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 3: they dug their own graves by warring against Babylon and 125 00:08:17,120 --> 00:08:20,800 Speaker 3: turning from God. The image of the Potter burned in 126 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:24,440 Speaker 3: Jeremiah's mind as he watched his nation break. There would 127 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:27,720 Speaker 3: be hope soon, but now was the time for destruction. 128 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:31,560 Speaker 3: The Chaldeans were the next nation to rise up against 129 00:08:31,640 --> 00:08:35,200 Speaker 3: Judah under the banner of Babylon. The great army stormed 130 00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:38,960 Speaker 3: Jerusalem like a great beast. The walls of Jerusalem began 131 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:42,840 Speaker 3: to crack under the force of Chaldean battering rams. Balls 132 00:08:42,880 --> 00:08:46,160 Speaker 3: of fire were sent flying through the air, crashing into hopes. 133 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 3: The Chaldeans broke down the walls of Jerusalem. The crumbling 134 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:53,840 Speaker 3: stone shook the earth and signaled for the entire city 135 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:59,000 Speaker 3: to run. Panic filled the streets. Chaldean soldiers showed no mercy. 136 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:02,800 Speaker 3: Women were pinned to the floor, and rate men's heads 137 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:05,960 Speaker 3: were thrown onto pikes. Children were chained up and sent 138 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:09,440 Speaker 3: into slavery. The city charred as the screams of men 139 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:12,360 Speaker 3: and women rose up with the smoke. There in the 140 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:15,520 Speaker 3: middle of the city was the Temple of God. The 141 00:09:15,559 --> 00:09:18,839 Speaker 3: cedar beams and golden walls were turning to black as 142 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:22,439 Speaker 3: the fire consumed it. All its altars turned to ash, 143 00:09:22,679 --> 00:09:26,760 Speaker 3: and all hope faded into oblivion. The surviving Judeans were 144 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:29,960 Speaker 3: captured and chained. With the burning city of Jerusalem at 145 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:33,640 Speaker 3: their backs, they marched forward to Babylon. God's people were 146 00:09:33,679 --> 00:09:38,520 Speaker 3: carted off like cattle, once again slaves. The heart of 147 00:09:38,559 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 3: God ached for his people to cry out to him. 148 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:44,120 Speaker 3: He had Jeremiah send a word to them, a word 149 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:48,880 Speaker 3: of hope and clarity. My children, God said, you will 150 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:51,920 Speaker 3: be taken captive by Babylon. But this is not the 151 00:09:52,040 --> 00:09:56,760 Speaker 3: end of you. Go there and thrive, plant gardens, build homes, 152 00:09:56,800 --> 00:10:00,600 Speaker 3: and start families. Be there and affect the culture for good. 153 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:04,120 Speaker 3: When seventy years are completed, I will come to you. 154 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:07,840 Speaker 3: I will free you and bring you back. The words 155 00:10:07,880 --> 00:10:11,520 Speaker 3: filled the captives' hearts with both joy and sorrow. I 156 00:10:11,559 --> 00:10:15,640 Speaker 3: have great plans for you, plans for good and not evil. 157 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:19,280 Speaker 3: I will give you a future and a hope. When 158 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:22,160 Speaker 3: you call upon me, I will be there when you 159 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:25,560 Speaker 3: seek me. I will restore your soul. I will set 160 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:29,439 Speaker 3: you free. So the people of Judah were brought to Babylon, 161 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:33,320 Speaker 3: where they would be captives for seventy years. 162 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:40,520 Speaker 4: As we begin today's reading, Judah has fallen into the 163 00:10:40,520 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 4: hands of Egypt, But rather than take Judah into captivity, 164 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:47,960 Speaker 4: Egypt only controls the nation, appointing one of Josiah's son, 165 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:51,600 Speaker 4: Ilaiacum as king. Though he was a king with no 166 00:10:51,720 --> 00:10:55,120 Speaker 4: real power and lacking the integrity of his father. The 167 00:10:55,240 --> 00:10:59,040 Speaker 4: King of Egypt even made him change his name to Jehokam. 168 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:04,560 Speaker 4: Experiencing hardship and suffering, but nothing like what was coming. 169 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:07,840 Speaker 4: The Lord had shown Jeremiah the prophet the vision of 170 00:11:07,840 --> 00:11:11,840 Speaker 4: a pot boiling with water facing north. It represented Babylon, 171 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:15,240 Speaker 4: the giant nation had risen to greater power than any 172 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:20,160 Speaker 4: other before. Josiah had foolishly allowed the Babylonians into Judah 173 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:23,120 Speaker 4: to show off the prosperity of a small nation, and 174 00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:26,360 Speaker 4: thus set in motion a conquest that would bring about 175 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:30,280 Speaker 4: God's punishment for the disobedience and unfaithfulness of his people. 176 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:33,839 Speaker 4: The destruction of Judah did not happen all at once. 177 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:38,199 Speaker 4: It began with a Babylonian invasion of Jerusalem while Jehoicam 178 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:42,360 Speaker 4: was ruler. King Nebuconazar easily overtook the city and sent 179 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:47,920 Speaker 4: Jehoicam into captivity to Babylon. The Babylonians began to pillage 180 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:51,960 Speaker 4: everything of value from Judah. The treasures Josiah had so 181 00:11:52,040 --> 00:11:55,160 Speaker 4: willingly shown them were taken and sent back to Babylon, 182 00:11:55,880 --> 00:11:59,680 Speaker 4: and so began a cycle of oppression. As Nevicanazar and 183 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:03,800 Speaker 4: his own armies picked Jerusalem apart, taking wealth of any kind, 184 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:07,560 Speaker 4: even from the House of God, the Babylonians would appoint 185 00:12:07,559 --> 00:12:11,840 Speaker 4: a Jewish king who did not believe in God. And yet, 186 00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:14,440 Speaker 4: even as Judah was being conquered and ruled by a 187 00:12:14,480 --> 00:12:18,640 Speaker 4: pagan nation, God continued calling his people back to himself 188 00:12:18,679 --> 00:12:22,480 Speaker 4: through prophets like Jeremiah. It was not God's desire to 189 00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:26,520 Speaker 4: punish his people permanently, but to cause them and to 190 00:12:26,640 --> 00:12:29,839 Speaker 4: call them back to Him that they would cry out 191 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:35,720 Speaker 4: for forgiveness, deliverance, and salvation. The Babylonians were God's rod 192 00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:40,480 Speaker 4: of iron to chastise his people. Sadly, they turned the 193 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:44,839 Speaker 4: other way, falling back again into idle worship forgetting. Their 194 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:49,480 Speaker 4: only hope for rescue was God Almighty. Next came the 195 00:12:49,559 --> 00:12:53,600 Speaker 4: Chaldeans who served Babylon. They invaded Jerusalem and tore down 196 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:59,920 Speaker 4: her waltz, death, destruction, violation, Everything imaginable you can think 197 00:12:59,920 --> 00:13:02,960 Speaker 4: of happened to the people of Judah. It was a 198 00:13:03,080 --> 00:13:06,240 Speaker 4: terrible and tragic time for the people who refused to 199 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:10,840 Speaker 4: call out to God. However, when all seemed lost, God 200 00:13:10,920 --> 00:13:13,280 Speaker 4: sent a word of hope and a promise and a 201 00:13:13,400 --> 00:13:16,679 Speaker 4: letter from Jeremiah. He had not abandoned his plan to 202 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:19,280 Speaker 4: bless these people and use them to bless the world. 203 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:22,319 Speaker 4: God made a promise to Israel, and he would keep 204 00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:26,440 Speaker 4: it even in the midst of captivity. Israel was to 205 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:30,000 Speaker 4: be a force for good. In Jeremiah twenty nine to seven, 206 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:33,640 Speaker 4: God says, but seek the welfare of the city where 207 00:13:33,679 --> 00:13:36,360 Speaker 4: I have sent you into exile, and pray to the 208 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:40,480 Speaker 4: Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you also 209 00:13:40,640 --> 00:13:45,840 Speaker 4: will find welfare. This is such a powerful and important lesson. 210 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:49,720 Speaker 4: You may actually find yourself far from God right now, 211 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:53,760 Speaker 4: or God may seem far away. You may be under 212 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:58,200 Speaker 4: the hand of judgment or discipline in your life. Maybe 213 00:13:58,200 --> 00:14:00,000 Speaker 4: some of the dreams that you had for your life 214 00:14:00,160 --> 00:14:03,440 Speaker 4: and your future have fallen apart. But God will not 215 00:14:03,520 --> 00:14:06,199 Speaker 4: give up on you. God still loves you. It has 216 00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:09,240 Speaker 4: a plan for your life, and that plan is to 217 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:12,920 Speaker 4: be a light even in the darkness. Jesus would one 218 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:15,800 Speaker 4: day give a command which said, bless those who cursed you, 219 00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:19,840 Speaker 4: and pray for those who abuse you. Even in the 220 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:24,000 Speaker 4: toughest and the most terrible of circumstances, God is faithful 221 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:27,680 Speaker 4: to his people. For seventy years, Judah was held captive 222 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:31,920 Speaker 4: in Bablon, but God's plan to rescue them remained, as 223 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:35,520 Speaker 4: did his faithfulness to all of his people. Dear God, 224 00:14:35,560 --> 00:14:39,360 Speaker 4: we are reminded in the reading today that no matter 225 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:43,000 Speaker 4: our circumstances, where we find ourselves, that You are always 226 00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:47,800 Speaker 4: seeking us, give us hearing ears and hearing hearts to 227 00:14:47,880 --> 00:14:51,160 Speaker 4: receive and respond to your correction, turning to you in 228 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:55,000 Speaker 4: repentance and faith. Thank you for the forgiveness that we 229 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:58,680 Speaker 4: have in Christ, for the Cross and the Resurrection, the 230 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:02,240 Speaker 4: good news that saves us all who trust in Him. 231 00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:05,920 Speaker 4: Thank you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast. 232 00:15:06,440 --> 00:15:09,880 Speaker 4: I'm Pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Let me encourage 233 00:15:09,880 --> 00:15:12,600 Speaker 4: you to go ahead right now and download thepray dot 234 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:16,760 Speaker 4: Com app and make the Word of God and prayer 235 00:15:16,960 --> 00:15:20,720 Speaker 4: a huge priority in your life. Let me also encourage 236 00:15:20,720 --> 00:15:24,120 Speaker 4: you to tell others about this podcast because you can 237 00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:27,160 Speaker 4: pass the word to others. And if you want more 238 00:15:27,240 --> 00:15:30,760 Speaker 4: resources on how to tap into God's power for living 239 00:15:30,760 --> 00:15:34,720 Speaker 4: the Christian life, be sure to visit Jack Graham dot org. 240 00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:38,360 Speaker 4: That's Jack Graham dot org. We would love to connect 241 00:15:38,360 --> 00:15:40,000 Speaker 4: with you right now. 242 00:15:45,720 --> 00:15:49,520 Speaker 2: This episode is sponsored by Meta Share, an innovative healthcare 243 00:15:49,560 --> 00:15:53,680 Speaker 2: solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality.