The passage

1The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur son of Malkijah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah. They said: 2“Inquire now of the Lord for us because Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is attacking us. Perhaps the Lord will perform wonders for us as in times past so that he will withdraw from us.” 8“Furthermore, tell the people, ‘This is what the Lord says: See, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death.

Also referenced today

The shape of the message

1. Jeremiah’s ongoing call despite deep lament
2. Zedekiah’s desperate request and misplaced hope for a miracle
3. God fighting against Jerusalem because of covenant unfaithfulness
4. Life or death set before the people: surrender as the only way to live
5. False excuses, personal accountability, and the mirror held up to the heart
6. Concrete steps of confession, obedience, Scripture intake, and public trust in Christ

Questions to hold while you listen

• Where are you tempted to seek God’s help in trouble while ignoring him in prosperity, and what would a “lasting relationship” with God look like for you?
• What is one area where you are resisting God—habit, bitterness, or hidden compromise—and what would it look like to name it and bring it into the light with another believer (James 5:16)?
• Why is “I’m not as bad as someone else” a dangerous excuse, and how does personal accountability before God change the way you think about repentance?
• What does it look like, in your situation, to choose “submission” as the response to God’s chastening hand rather than trying to rebuild your walls?

Notes

This week

Write down the one place you’re resisting God, tell a brother or sister before you leave, and pray together (James 5:16). Pick one concrete step of obedience and do it today—Jeremiah’s leaders were told to “do justice each morning” (Jer. 21:12).