Welcome to BibleBum where we are exploring the entire Bible in one year to better learn how to follow God’s instructions and discover the purpose for our lives.  The BibleBum blog uses The One Year Chronological Bible, the New Living Translation version.  At the end of each day’s reading, Rob, a cultural history aficionado and seminary graduate, answers questions from Leigh An, the blogger host, about the daily scripture.  To start from the beginning, click on “Index” and select Day 1.

Jeremiah 42-44

Ezekiel 33:21-33

Questions & Observations

Q. (Jeremiah 43:6): Why is Jeremiah fleeing to Egypt too?

A. He’s being taken there.  It’s not his idea to go in defiance of what God commanded.

Q. (44:28): It seems that God always gives hope or a way out.  In all the prophecies, He usually says that if they stop obeying idols, they will avoid His wrath.  But, here, God says that a small number of Judeans living in Egypt will escape the war and famine.  So, essentially, many of them may be hanging on — that there is hope they will spared.  Is there a reason God hands out this hope?

A. God is saying that He will not kill them all for their continued defiance, which is the same thing He has been saying all along — a remnant will survive, but it will be brutal for them.  It sure sounds like a warning to me, even if there is a note of hope in it.

Q. (Ezekiel 33:30-33): I wonder what God’s reason was for telling Ezekiel that the people think he is a big joke.

A. Perhaps He’s trying to stir Ezekiel up, but I’m not sure.  I honestly doubt it was news to Ezekiel that the people were ignoring him.