The Bible OverBrew - Bible in a YearSample

Week 20. Day 4. Jeremiah 16-22

Jer 16-20 Opposition to Jeremiah’s messages of judgment

Jeremiah was greatly opposed by his own people for his messages of judgment (as seen in Ch 7-10 the message people wanted to hear was ‘peace peace!’) These chapters detail this opposition, but also contain glorious promises of hope.

16:14-21 Promise of new exodus (return from exile)

• v16 fishers to gather people from exile – background to disciples as ‘fishers of men’?
• v21 all this is (like Exodus) so ‘they will know that my name is the Lord.’

17:9 Famous verse. But…

‘This strongly negative assessment of the human heart is not intended as a description of a believer under the new covenant where God promises to write his law on people’s hearts.’ (ESV study bible notes)

Ch18 image of potter and clay, that Paul develops in Rom 9-11.

Jer 21 begins a section of Jeremiah’s confrontation with kings

Ch 21 Jerusalem will fall. God’s might now used against his people (contrast exodus) – v5, 10. Only way to life is by accepting the exile – v9.

Ch 21-22 repeated refrain to ‘do justice and righteousness’ – the living that was required by the covenant. This is not salvation by works in the Old Testament, but rather how the people were to express and live out their faith.

NOTE: Days 1-5 of each week contain the scripture reading for that week. Day 6 has just the 'key chapters'. If you want a briefer version of this plan that still takes you through the whole Bible, you could just read the key chapters featured on day 6. Day 7 has the podcast video where we discuss the week's reading.