Reference links:
Old Testament
A continuation of the prediction of Babylon’s destruction. We then read a narrative bit which implies that these prophecies were made before the destruction of Judah, during the fourth year of Zedekiah’s reign (for context, Zedekiah reigned about 11 years before Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem). Which just goes to show, I suppose, that Jeremiah did not really like anyone.
And after that, it is declared that we have reached the end of Jeremiah’s messages. We finish the book with a historical postscript. It would have been much more useful to have this historical postscript earlier; maybe between the prophecies during Zedekiah’s reign and the narrative bits about the people going to Egypt.
One interesting thing about this postscript is that it puts numbers on the people who were exiled to Babylon: about 4600. That’s not many at all. I wonder if this is only counting the important people? Or maybe just the people from Jerusalem? If not, then Judah had dwindled terribly from any estimates we have ever seen of its population.
Also, as we have heard before, Jehoiachin was eventually treated pretty well by the Babylonians.
Tomorrow we start Lamentations.
New Testament
Submit to the government, do not slander, be gentle and humble. God through Jesus saved people from their terrible ways. Don’t get into foolish discussions or fights about Jewish law. Ignore disruptive people after warning them a couple times.
And then it the letter is closed. Altogether, Titus was a wholly uninspiring letter. It was pretty much redundant with the other pastorals, and it was kind of boring.
We are done with the pastorals. Hurrah!
Psalms and Proverbs
People who lie to their friends cause lots of damage. True true.