Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today's reading is from Jeremiah chapters
5 and 6. Chapter 5. Run to and fro through the
streets of Jerusalem, see now and know, and seek
in her open places if you can find a man, if
there is anyone who executes judgment, who seeks
the truth, and I will pardon her. Though they
say, as the Lord lives, surely they swear falsely.
O Lord, are not your eyes on the truth? You have
stricken them, but they have not grieved. You
have consumed them, but they have refused to
receive correction. They have made their faces
harder than rock. They have refused to return.
Therefore I said, Surely these are poor. They
are foolish, for they do not know the way of
the Lord, the judgment of their God. I will go
to the great men and speak to them, for they
have known the way of the Lord, the judgment
of their God. but these have altogether broken
the yoke and burst the bonds therefore a lion
from the forest shall slay them a wolf of the
deserts shall destroy them a leopard will watch
over their cities everyone who goes out from
there shall be torn in pieces because their transgressions
are many their backslidings have increased how
shall i pardon you for this your children have
forsaken me and sworn by those that are not gods
when i had fed them to the full Then they committed
adultery and assembled themselves by troops in
the harlots' houses. They were like well -fed,
lusty stallions. Everyone kneed after his neighbor's
wife. Shall I not punish them for these things,
says the Lord? And shall I not avenge myself
on such a nation as this? Go up on her walls
and destroy, but do not make a complete end.
Take away her branches, for they are not the
Lord's. For the house of Israel and the house
of Judah have dealt very treacherously with me,
says the Lord. They have lied about the Lord
and said, It is not he, neither will evil come
upon us, nor shall we see sword or famine. And
the prophets become wind, for the word is not
in them. Thus shall it be done to them. Therefore
thus says the Lord, God of hosts, Because you
speak this word, behold, I will make my words
in your mouth fire, and this people wood, and
it shall devour them. Behold, I will bring a
nation against you from afar. O house of Israel,
says the Lord, it is a mighty nation. It is an
ancient nation, a nation whose language you do
not know, nor can you understand what they say.
Their quiver is like an open tomb. They are all
mighty men, and they shall eat up your harvest
and your bread, which your sons and daughters
should eat. They shall eat up your flocks and
your herds. They shall eat up your vines and
your fig trees. They shall destroy your fortified
cities in which you trust with the sword. Nevertheless,
in those days, says the Lord, I will not make
a complete end of you. And it will be when you
say, Why does the Lord our God do all these things
to us? Then you shall answer them, Just as you
have forsaken me and served foreign gods in your
land, so you shall serve aliens in a land that
is not yours. Declare this in the house of Jacob
and proclaim it in Judah, saying, Hear this now,
O foolish people. without understanding who have
eyes and see not and who have ears and hear not
do you not fear me says the lord will you not
tremble at my presence who have placed the sand
as the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree
that it cannot pass beyond it and though its
waves toss to and fro yet they cannot prevail
though they roar yet they cannot pass over it
but this people has a defiant and rebellious
heart they have revolted and departed they do
not say in their heart let us now fear the lord
our god who gives rain both the former and the
latter in its season he reserves for us the appointed
weeks of the harvest your iniquities have turned
these things away and your sins have withheld
good from you for among my people are found wicked
men they lie in wait as one who sets snares they
set a trap they catch men as a cage is full of
birds so their houses are full of deceit therefore
they have become great and grown rich they have
grown fat they are sleek yes they surpass the
deeds of the wicked they do not plead the cause
the cause of the fatherless yet they prosper
and the right of the needy they do not defend
shall i not punish them for these things says
the lord shall i not avenge myself on such a
nation as this an astonishing and horrible thing
has been committed in the land The prophets prophesy
falsely, and the priests rule by their own power,
and my people love to have it so. But what will
you do in the end? Chapter 6 O you children of
Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee from the
midst of Jerusalem. Blow the trumpet in Tekoa,
and set up a signal fire in Beit Hakiram. For
disaster appears out of the north, and great
destruction. I have likened the daughter of Zion
to a lovely and delicate woman. The shepherds
with their flocks shall come to her. They shall
pitch their tents against her all around. Each
one shall pasture in his own place. Prepare war
against her. Arise and let us go up at noon.
Woe to us, for the day goes away, for the shadows
of the evening are lengthening. Arise and let
us go by night, and let us destroy her palaces.
For thus has the Lord of hosts said, Cut down
trees and build a mound against Jerusalem. This
is the city to be punished. She is full of oppression
in her midst. As a fountain wells up with water,
so she wells up with her wickedness. Violence
and plundering are heard in her. Before me continually
are grief and wounds. Be instructed, O Jerusalem,
lest my soul depart from you, lest I make you
desolate, a land not inhabited. Thus says the
Lord of hosts, they shall thoroughly glean as
a vine the remnant of Israel. As a grape gatherer,
put your hand back into the branches. To whom
shall I speak and give warning, that they may
hear? Indeed their ear is uncircumcised, and
they cannot give heed. Behold, the word of the
Lord is a reproach to them. They have no delight
in it. Therefore I am full of the fury of the
Lord. I am weary of holding it in. I will pour
it out on the children outside, an unassembly
of young men together. For even the husband shall
be taken with the wife, the aged with him who
is full of days, and their houses shall be turned
over to others. fields and wives together. For
I will stretch out my hand against the inhabitants
of the land, says the Lord. Because from the
least of them, even to the greatest of them,
everyone is given to covetousness. And from the
prophet, even to the priest, everyone deals falsely.
They have also healed the hurt of my people slightly,
saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace.
Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination?
No, they were not at all ashamed. nor did they
know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall
among those who fall. At the time I punish them,
they shall be cast down, says the Lord. Thus
says the Lord, Stand in the ways and see, and
ask for the old path, where the good way is,
and walk in it. Then you will find rest for your
souls. But they said, We will not walk in it.
Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Listen
to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We
will not listen. Therefore hear, you nations,
and know, O congregation, what is among them.
Hear, O earth, behold, I will certainly bring
calamity on this people, the fruit of their thoughts,
because they have not heeded my words, nor my
law, but rejected it. For what purpose to me
comes frankincense from Sheba, and sweet cane
from a far country? Your burnt offerings are
not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet to
me. Therefore thus says the Lord. Behold, I will
lay stumbling blocks before this people, and
the fathers and the sons together shall fall
on them. The neighbor and his friend shall perish.
Thus says the Lord, Behold, the people comes
from the north country, and a great nation will
be raised from the farthest parts of the earth.
They will lay hold on bow and spear. They are
cruel and have no mercy. Their voice roars like
the sea, and they ride on horses. As men of war
set in array against you, O daughter of Zion.
We have heard the report of it. Our hands grow
feeble. Anguish has taken hold of us, pain as
of a woman in labor. Do not go out into the field,
nor walk by the way. Because of the sword of
the enemy, fear is on every side. O daughter
of my people, dress in sackcloth, and roll about
in ashes. Make mourning as for an only son, most
bitter lamentation. For the plunderer will suddenly
come upon us. I have set you as an assayer and
a fortress among my people, that you may know
and test their way. They are all stubborn rebels,
walking as slanderers. They are bronze and iron.
They are all corruptors. The bellows blow fiercely.
The lead is consumed by the fire. The smelter
refines in vain. For the wicked are not drawn
off. People will call them rejected silver, because
the Lord has rejected them. I hope you enjoyed
today's reading as much as I did and I look forward
to seeing you again tomorrow to continue on our
journey. God bless you and have a great day.