Year in the Bible Week 31
Jeremiah by Donatello (around 1427)
This week brought the end of Hezekiah’s benevolent reign, and now the Bible turns abruptly and speaks very poorly of his son Manasseh, who became king after Hezekiah died. We will hear Manasseh’s name mentioned a little more later, but despite his 55-year reign, God’s Word does not record any military campaigns, political alliances, or social interaction. We covered his entire 55 years in one day of reading!
When Manasseh’s grandson Josiah takes the throne he does his best to return the nation to worship the Lord, especially after the book of the law is discovered during temple renovations. We also get to start the amazing book of Jeremiah, which is eloquently described in the Bible Project video below. Jeremiah 1:4-10 have been a source of comfort and confidence for countless generations of believers!
One might guess that during Josiah’s reign, when the Lord was being lifted high and the idols and pagan altars were being destroyed, that God would smile on these good deeds and restore Israel to good fortune. No doubt many false prophets spoke during this time, reassuring the people and telling them that God wasn’t angry anymore, but Jeremiah was telling a much scarier story, and his visions would be the ones that came to pass.
Next week brings Nebuchadnezzar’s siege and victory over Jerusalem, and selected captives get taken back to Babylon. The book of Daniel begins there, in Nebuchadnezzar’s court, so now the Greatest Story Ever Told will be told in two places; the waning Jerusalem and the ascending Babylon. Keep reading!