1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:04,720 Speaker 1: Let us pray all the kingdoms of the earth. Hath 2 00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:07,880 Speaker 1: the Lord, God of Heaven given me, and he hath 3 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:11,559 Speaker 1: charged me to build him and house in Jerusalem, which 4 00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:18,360 Speaker 1: is in Judea Second Chronicles thirty six twenty three. Heavenly Father, 5 00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:23,400 Speaker 1: in the midst of my most trying circumstances, and in 6 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:26,560 Speaker 1: the moments where I feel like I'm being held captive 7 00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 1: to my past mistakes, my heart will rejoice in the 8 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:35,800 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 00:00:47,000 --> 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 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:07,720 Speaker 1: environment I am in and hold steadfast to your ways 15 00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 1: until the time of my deliverance, because you promised to 16 00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:17,520 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 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:28,480 Speaker 1: the harvest of abundance that you have for me. In 19 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:35,640 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 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 1: story brought to you by Bible in a Year dot. 22 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:55,040 Speaker 2: Com the destruction of Judah. In our last story, we 23 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 2: learned of God speaking through the prophet Jeremiah. His words 24 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:03,520 Speaker 2: have comfort, justice, and repentance began to truly affect the 25 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:07,040 Speaker 2: hearts of Judah. However, the king planted seeds of doubt 26 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:10,760 Speaker 2: and burned his words in the fire. Now we learn 27 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:13,680 Speaker 2: about the destruction of Judah at the hands of Babylon. 28 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:17,799 Speaker 2: The enormous nation rises up like a great beast to 29 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 2: completely destroy Judah and all its inhabitants. Captives are taken 30 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 2: like cattle back to Babylon, but not without a. 31 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 3: Glimmer of hope for the future. Inspired by the books 32 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:35,040 Speaker 3: of Second Chronicles, Second Kings, and Jeremiah. 33 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:38,400 Speaker 4: Hello, this is Jack Graham with today's episode of the 34 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:41,919 Speaker 4: Bible in a Year. In our last episode, we heard 35 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 4: how Jeremiah's words often fell on deaf ears, and how 36 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:48,080 Speaker 4: the priest of Judah were some of the biggest opponents, 37 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:51,440 Speaker 4: even trying to put him the prophet, to death. But 38 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:55,079 Speaker 4: Jeremiah was not afraid, and along with his scribe bar Ute, 39 00:02:55,240 --> 00:02:59,120 Speaker 4: Jeremiah recorded God's warnings on a scroll to speak truth 40 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:03,840 Speaker 4: to his generation and generations to come. Sparks of revival 41 00:03:03,919 --> 00:03:07,720 Speaker 4: flickered in the land, but the harshness and hardhearted nature 42 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:11,000 Speaker 4: of King Johoicam kept the people from truly turning back 43 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:15,280 Speaker 4: to God. Today we'll hear how the enemy from the north, 44 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:18,760 Speaker 4: the great nation of Babylon, finally descends upon Judah to 45 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 4: enact God's judgment on his people. God's people are led 46 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:26,520 Speaker 4: away as slaves amid destruction and devastation of their home. 47 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:30,359 Speaker 4: But this is not a story without hope, because we 48 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:33,240 Speaker 4: know that God always has a plan and a purpose 49 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 4: for his own and that God is faithful. Let's listen 50 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 4: now to God's word. 51 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:43,560 Speaker 3: Josiah's time as king was over. The battlefield claimed him, 52 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:47,560 Speaker 3: and the reforming king was sent to the dust. His son, 53 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:50,720 Speaker 3: Jehoah has took his place as king. He was a 54 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 3: young man, only twenty three years old. Although he possessed 55 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:57,520 Speaker 3: similar traits as his father, he would be unable to 56 00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 3: rule rightly in Judah, for arise threat emerged from the south. 57 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:05,720 Speaker 3: Egypt had risen up against Judah with chariots of iron. 58 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:09,640 Speaker 3: The king of Egypt, Neko, met jehoahas on the battlefield 59 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:13,040 Speaker 3: and claimed him. He captured the king and drug him 60 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:17,080 Speaker 3: back to Egypt as captive. The king desired to dominate Judah, 61 00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 3: but not rule it, so he appointed Jehoah as his 62 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 3: younger brother as king in his place. Iliakim was also 63 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:28,479 Speaker 3: the son of Josiah, but possessed none of his noble qualities. 64 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 3: He was a quiet and brooding man. He was a 65 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:36,359 Speaker 3: wicked and self serving king. Pharaoh changed his name to 66 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:41,560 Speaker 3: Jehora Kim. Egypt was cruel and dominant. However, it was 67 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:44,359 Speaker 3: but a fish compared to the shark that lurked in 68 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:48,480 Speaker 3: the distance. The great beast Babylon was growing in the north. 69 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:53,120 Speaker 3: Its mighty army was vast, unlike any in history. Babylon 70 00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:56,080 Speaker 3: was the great boiling point from the north that Jeremiah 71 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:59,240 Speaker 3: had once seen, And like a shark that sens his blood, 72 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:03,920 Speaker 3: Babylon unapproached. When Judah was at its most vulnerable, King 73 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:06,680 Speaker 3: Jehoa Kim woke in the middle of the night to screaming. 74 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:09,480 Speaker 3: He looked out his window to see pillars of fire 75 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:13,240 Speaker 3: lighting up the horizon. The city of Jerusalem was burning. 76 00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:16,680 Speaker 3: Women and children rushed out of burning buildings as men 77 00:05:16,760 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 3: lifted their swords to attack the incoming Babylonians. Jehoa Kim 78 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:24,960 Speaker 3: watched as every man was slaughtered in the streets. Panicked, 79 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:28,040 Speaker 3: Jehoakim gathered his things to escape out the back of 80 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:30,720 Speaker 3: the palace. As he went to open his door, it 81 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:34,240 Speaker 3: burst open with force. Jehoa Kim fell flat on his 82 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:36,920 Speaker 3: back and looked up to see him. He was tall 83 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:40,560 Speaker 3: and dripping with power. His armored chest was broad and 84 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:44,040 Speaker 3: puffed outward. His salt and pepper beard was dirtied from 85 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:48,200 Speaker 3: ash and blood. His eyes were dark and glaring. Jehoa 86 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:51,880 Speaker 3: Kim looked up in terror at the infamous King Nebuconesse. 87 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:57,039 Speaker 3: The Babylonian king said nothing. He sauntered towards the half 88 00:05:57,120 --> 00:06:00,600 Speaker 3: naked King of Judah and leaned down picked him up 89 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:03,240 Speaker 3: with ease, as if he was lifting a cat by 90 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:07,719 Speaker 3: its neck fur. Johoakim trembled and begged for mercy. Neber 91 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:11,359 Speaker 3: Canzer gave an impassive stare. His eyes were pits of 92 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:15,680 Speaker 3: unrepentant evil. There would be no mercy dispensed from him. 93 00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:18,560 Speaker 3: He threw the small king onto the ground and had 94 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:22,839 Speaker 3: his men bind him in chains. Johoakim said nothing. He 95 00:06:22,920 --> 00:06:25,000 Speaker 3: knew that this would be the end of his life. 96 00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:29,960 Speaker 3: It would be the end of Judah itself. King Neberkonezzar 97 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:33,000 Speaker 3: and his army scoured the city of Jerusalem for wealth. 98 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:36,240 Speaker 3: They went from house to house, seizing any and all 99 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:39,120 Speaker 3: gold and silver. They opened up the house of the 100 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 3: Lord and carried away all its vessels and precious items. 101 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:47,680 Speaker 3: After stripping Judah naked, never Canza left. He allowed for 102 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:51,920 Speaker 3: Johoakim's son, jehoah Kin, to reign in his father's place. 103 00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:55,680 Speaker 3: Never Canezza needed Judah to remain a nation as a 104 00:06:55,720 --> 00:07:00,440 Speaker 3: strategic edge over Egypt and Assyria. Jehoa Kin was evil 105 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:04,520 Speaker 3: like his brother and a willing servant of Neberconeszer. However, 106 00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:08,000 Speaker 3: his rule was short lived. After only three months and 107 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:11,400 Speaker 3: ten days, he was summoned to Babylon and kept there 108 00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 3: for the rest of his days. After jehoah Kin was 109 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 3: taken away, Neberconeza appointed his uncle Zedekiah as king. Zedekiah 110 00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:23,320 Speaker 3: was a young man, only twenty one years old. He 111 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:27,080 Speaker 3: was filled with pride and patriotism. He ignored the cause 112 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:31,000 Speaker 3: of Jeremiah to repent and instead ward against God and 113 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:35,680 Speaker 3: the kingdom of Babylon. Vainly, he rebelled against King Neberconzzer, 114 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:39,080 Speaker 3: He provoked him to anger. This would prove to be 115 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 3: more fuel for the King of Babylon to tighten his 116 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:45,440 Speaker 3: grip on Judah. The priests and leaders of Judah followed 117 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:49,600 Speaker 3: in Zedekiah's footsteps. They rebelled against God and turned to 118 00:07:49,680 --> 00:07:53,240 Speaker 3: the idols of ancient cultures. They defiled the house of 119 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:56,720 Speaker 3: the Lord and sent Judah's leaders into madness. Yet the 120 00:07:56,760 --> 00:08:00,360 Speaker 3: Lord continued to send his message of compassion. He used 121 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:03,560 Speaker 3: his profits to warn them of their ways. He wanted 122 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:05,800 Speaker 3: them to turn to him and cry out to him, 123 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 3: as the slaves in Egypt once did. If they had 124 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:13,360 Speaker 3: just humbled themselves and asked, he would have answered. Instead, 125 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:16,840 Speaker 3: they dug their own graves by warring against Babylon and 126 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:20,640 Speaker 3: turning from God. The image of the Potter burned in 127 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:24,280 Speaker 3: Jeremiah's mind as he watched his nation break. There would 128 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:27,520 Speaker 3: be hope soon, but now was the time for destruction. 129 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:31,360 Speaker 3: The Chaldeans were the next nation to rise up against 130 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:35,040 Speaker 3: Judah under the banner of Babylon. The great army stormed 131 00:08:35,120 --> 00:08:38,800 Speaker 3: Jerusalem like a great beast. The walls of Jerusalem began 132 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:42,679 Speaker 3: to crack under the force of Chaldean battering rams. Balls 133 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 3: of fire were sent flying through the air, crashing into hopes. 134 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:50,439 Speaker 3: The Chaldeans broke down the walls of Jerusalem. The crumbling 135 00:08:50,559 --> 00:08:53,680 Speaker 3: stone shook the earth and signaled for the entire city 136 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 3: to run. Panic filled the streets. Chaldean soldiers showed no mercy. 137 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:02,800 Speaker 3: Women were to the floor and rate men's heads were 138 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 3: thrown onto pikes. Children were chained up and sent into slavery. 139 00:09:07,160 --> 00:09:09,720 Speaker 3: The city charred as the screams of men and women 140 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:12,559 Speaker 3: rose up with the smoke. There in the middle of 141 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:16,160 Speaker 3: the city was the Temple of God. The cedar beams 142 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:19,079 Speaker 3: and golden walls were turning to black as the fire 143 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:22,920 Speaker 3: consumed it. All its altars turned to ash, and all 144 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:27,560 Speaker 3: hope faded into oblivion. The surviving Judeans were captured and chained. 145 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:30,560 Speaker 3: With the burning city of Jerusalem at their backs, they 146 00:09:30,559 --> 00:09:34,680 Speaker 3: marched forward to Babylon. God's people were carted off like cattle, 147 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:39,400 Speaker 3: once again slaves. The heart of God ached for his 148 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:42,600 Speaker 3: people to cry out to him. He had Jeremiah send 149 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 3: a word to them, a word of hope and clarity. 150 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:50,360 Speaker 3: My children, God said, you will be taken captive by Babylon. 151 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:53,560 Speaker 3: But this is not the end of you. Go there 152 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:58,200 Speaker 3: and thrive, plant gardens, build homes and start families. Be 153 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:02,040 Speaker 3: there and affect the culture for good. When seventy years 154 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:05,160 Speaker 3: are completed, I will come to you. I will free 155 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:08,719 Speaker 3: you and bring you back. The words filled the captives' 156 00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:12,320 Speaker 3: hearts with both joy and sorrow. I have great plans 157 00:10:12,360 --> 00:10:16,439 Speaker 3: for you, plans for good and not evil. I will 158 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:19,480 Speaker 3: give you a future and a hope. When you call 159 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:22,480 Speaker 3: upon me, I will be there when you seek me. 160 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:25,839 Speaker 3: I will restore your soul. I will set you free. 161 00:10:27,080 --> 00:10:30,000 Speaker 3: So the people of Judah were brought to Babylon, where 162 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:33,120 Speaker 3: they would be captives for seventy years. 163 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:40,360 Speaker 4: As we begin today's reading, Judah has fallen into the 164 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:44,000 Speaker 4: hands of Egypt, but rather than take Judah into captivity, 165 00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:48,679 Speaker 4: Egypt only controls the nation, appointing one of Josiah's son, Ilaiacum, 166 00:10:48,960 --> 00:10:51,839 Speaker 4: as king. Though he was a king with no real 167 00:10:51,880 --> 00:10:55,280 Speaker 4: power and lacking the integrity of his father. The king 168 00:10:55,320 --> 00:10:58,880 Speaker 4: of Egypt even made him change his name to Jehokam. 169 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:03,720 Speaker 4: Judah was experiencing hardship and suffering, but nothing like what 170 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:07,160 Speaker 4: was coming. The Lord had shown Jeremiah the prophet, the 171 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:10,480 Speaker 4: vision of a pot boiling with water facing north. It 172 00:11:10,600 --> 00:11:14,480 Speaker 4: represented Babylon, the giant nation had risen to greater power 173 00:11:14,559 --> 00:11:19,440 Speaker 4: than any other before. Josiah had foolishly allowed the Babylonians 174 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:22,240 Speaker 4: into Judah to show off the prosperity of a small nation, 175 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 4: and thus set in motion a conquest that would bring 176 00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:30,160 Speaker 4: about God's punishment for the disobedience and unfaithfulness of his people. 177 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:33,679 Speaker 4: The destruction of Judah did not happen all at once. 178 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:38,080 Speaker 4: It began with a Babylonian invasion of Jerusalem while Jehoicam 179 00:11:38,160 --> 00:11:42,199 Speaker 4: was ruler. King Nebuconazar easily overtook the city and sent 180 00:11:42,320 --> 00:11:47,760 Speaker 4: Jehoicam into captivity to Babylon. The Babylonians began to pillage 181 00:11:47,880 --> 00:11:51,800 Speaker 4: everything of value from Judah. The treasures Josiah had so 182 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:55,000 Speaker 4: willingly shown them were taken and sent back to Babylon, 183 00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:59,560 Speaker 4: and so began a cycle of oppression. As Neviconazar and 184 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:03,640 Speaker 4: his arms picked Jerusalem apart, taking wealth of any kind, 185 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:07,360 Speaker 4: even from the House of God, the Babylonians would appoint 186 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:11,680 Speaker 4: a Jewish king who did not believe in God. And yet, 187 00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 4: even as Judah was being conquered and ruled by a 188 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:18,480 Speaker 4: pagan nation, God continued calling his people back to himself 189 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:22,320 Speaker 4: through prophets like Jeremiah. It was not God's desire to 190 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:26,360 Speaker 4: punish his people permanently, but to cause them and to 191 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:29,720 Speaker 4: call them back to Him that they would cry out 192 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:35,560 Speaker 4: for forgiveness, deliverance, and salvation. The Babylonians were God's rod 193 00:12:35,720 --> 00:12:40,320 Speaker 4: of iron to chastise his people. Sadly, they turned the 194 00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:44,720 Speaker 4: other way, falling back again into idle worship forgetting. Their 195 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:49,319 Speaker 4: only hope for rescue was God Almighty. Next came the 196 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:53,440 Speaker 4: Chaldeans who served Babylon. They invaded Jerusalem and tore down 197 00:12:53,440 --> 00:12:59,760 Speaker 4: her waltz, death, destruction, violation, Everything imaginable you can think 198 00:12:59,840 --> 00:13:02,800 Speaker 4: of happened to the people of Judah. It was a 199 00:13:02,920 --> 00:13:06,080 Speaker 4: terrible and tragic time for the people who refused to 200 00:13:06,160 --> 00:13:10,680 Speaker 4: call out to God. However, when all seemed lost, God 201 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:13,120 Speaker 4: sent a word of hope and a promise and a 202 00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:16,520 Speaker 4: letter from Jeremiah. He had not abandoned his plan to 203 00:13:16,559 --> 00:13:19,120 Speaker 4: bless these people and use them to bless the world. 204 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:22,160 Speaker 4: God made a promise to Israel, and he would keep 205 00:13:22,200 --> 00:13:26,280 Speaker 4: it even in the midst of captivity. Israel was to 206 00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:29,839 Speaker 4: be a force for good. In Jeremiah twenty nine to seven, 207 00:13:30,240 --> 00:13:33,439 Speaker 4: God says, but seek the welfare of the city where 208 00:13:33,520 --> 00:13:36,200 Speaker 4: I have sent you into exile, and pray to the 209 00:13:36,240 --> 00:13:40,320 Speaker 4: Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you also 210 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:45,680 Speaker 4: will find welfare. This is such a powerful and important lesson. 211 00:13:46,480 --> 00:13:49,559 Speaker 4: You may actually find yourself far from God right now, 212 00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:53,600 Speaker 4: or God may seem far away. You may be under 213 00:13:53,679 --> 00:13:58,040 Speaker 4: the hand of judgment or discipline in your life. Maybe 214 00:13:58,040 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 4: some of the dreams that you had for your life 215 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:03,280 Speaker 4: and your future have fallen apart. But God will not 216 00:14:03,360 --> 00:14:06,040 Speaker 4: give up on you. God still loves you. It has 217 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:09,080 Speaker 4: a plan for your life, and that plan is to 218 00:14:09,120 --> 00:14:12,760 Speaker 4: be a light even in the darkness. Jesus would one 219 00:14:12,840 --> 00:14:15,640 Speaker 4: day give a command which said, bless those who cursed you, 220 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:19,680 Speaker 4: and pray for those who abuse you. Even in the 221 00:14:19,760 --> 00:14:23,840 Speaker 4: toughest and the most terrible of circumstances, God is faithful 222 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:27,520 Speaker 4: to his people. For seventy years, Judah was held captive 223 00:14:27,640 --> 00:14:31,760 Speaker 4: in Bablon, but God's plan to rescue them remained, as 224 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:35,360 Speaker 4: did his faithfulness to all of his people. Dear God, 225 00:14:35,400 --> 00:14:39,240 Speaker 4: we are reminded in the reading today that no matter 226 00:14:39,280 --> 00:14:42,840 Speaker 4: our circumstances, where we find ourselves, that You are always 227 00:14:42,880 --> 00:14:47,640 Speaker 4: seeking us. Give us hearing ears and hearing hearts to 228 00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:51,000 Speaker 4: receive and respond to your correction, turning to you in 229 00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:54,840 Speaker 4: repentance and faith. Thank you for the forgiveness that we 230 00:14:54,920 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 4: have in Christ, for the Cross and the Resurrection, the 231 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:02,080 Speaker 4: good news that Say leaves us all who trust in Him. 232 00:15:02,560 --> 00:15:05,760 Speaker 4: Thank you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast. 233 00:15:06,280 --> 00:15:09,720 Speaker 4: I'm pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Let me encourage 234 00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:12,440 Speaker 4: you to go ahead right now and download thepray dot 235 00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:16,600 Speaker 4: com app and make the Word of God and prayer 236 00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:20,560 Speaker 4: a huge priority in your life. Let me also encourage 237 00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:23,960 Speaker 4: you to tell others about this podcast because you can 238 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:27,000 Speaker 4: pass the word to others. And if you want more 239 00:15:27,080 --> 00:15:30,600 Speaker 4: resources on how to tap into God's power for living 240 00:15:30,600 --> 00:15:34,560 Speaker 4: the Christian life, be sure to visit Jack Graham dot org. 241 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:38,200 Speaker 4: That's Jack Graham dot org. We would love to connect 242 00:15:38,200 --> 00:15:39,840 Speaker 4: with you right now.