Podcast Summary

Podcast: Through the ESV Bible in a Year with Jackie Hill Perry
Host: Crossway
Episode Date: November 28, 2025
Episode Title/Content: Ezekiel 24–26; Psalm 119:161–168; 1 Thessalonians 3–5

Episode Overview

This episode features daily Bible readings as part of the year-long journey through the ESV translation. The readings for November 28 include chapters from Ezekiel, a passage from Psalm 119, and the concluding chapters of 1 Thessalonians. The episode focuses on God’s righteous judgment on Israel and the surrounding nations, personal faithfulness amidst persecution, and practical instructions for living as a Christian in anticipation of Christ’s return.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ezekiel 24–26: The Judgment and the Sign

• The Siege of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 24)
  • A defining moment: "In the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: Son of man, write down the name of this day, this very day. The king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day." (00:02)
  • Metaphor of the boiling pot symbolizing Jerusalem’s corruption and impending judgment.
  • God’s ultimate declaration: "I am the Lord. I have spoken; it shall come to pass. I will do it. I will not go back; I will not spare; I will not relent. According to your ways and your deeds, you will be judged." (00:13)
  • Ezekiel’s personal suffering becomes a prophetic sign: The sudden death of his wife and his command not to mourn publicly, demonstrating the kind of desolation that will befall Jerusalem.
    • "So I spoke to the people in the morning, and at evening my wife died. And on the next morning I did as I was commanded." (00:24)
• Judgment on Surrounding Nations (Ezekiel 25–26)
  • Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia are condemned for their animosity and rejoicing at Israel’s downfall.
  • Pronouncements against Tyre: Due to her pride and opportunism amidst Jerusalem’s ruin, Tyre will be subjected to conquest and utter desolation.
    • "They shall destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers, and I will scrape her soil from her and make her a bare rock." (00:55)

2. Psalm 119:161–168: Love for God’s Law

• The psalmist’s perseverance under persecution and steadfast devotion to God’s word.
  • "Princes persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of your words." (01:35)
  • Repeated praise for God’s commandments, with testimony to their value: "Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble." (01:40)

3. 1 Thessalonians 3–5: Standing Firm and Living in Hope

• Paul’s Joy and Exhortation (Ch. 3)
  • Paul expresses comfort and gratitude upon hearing of the Thessalonians’ ongoing faith amid affliction: "For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord." (01:47)
  • Emphasis on mutual longing for fellowship and ongoing prayer: "Night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith." (01:52)
• Call to Holiness and Love (Ch. 4)
  • Clear guidance on sanctification: "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality." (02:05)
  • Living quietly and industriously: "Aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you." (02:14)
• Hope in Christ’s Return (Ch. 4–5)
  • Assurance about those who have died ("fallen asleep") in Christ.
    • "For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first." (02:22)
    • "Encourage one another with these words." (02:33)
  • Call to spiritual alertness and encouragement as "children of light."
    • "Let us not sleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober." (02:45)
  • Final practical exhortations for Christian living:
    • "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances...Do not quench the Spirit." (02:56)
    • A prayer for their sanctification: "Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (03:05)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Judgment and Justice:
  "According to your ways and your deeds you will be judged, declares the Lord God." (00:13, Speaker A/Ezekiel narration)

• On Personal Obedience Amidst Suffering:
  "So I spoke to the people in the morning, and at evening my wife died. And on the next morning I did as I was commanded." (00:24, Speaker A/Ezekiel narration)

• On Steadfastness in Affliction:
  "For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord." (01:47, Paul in 1 Thess 3:8)

• On Christian Hope:
  "And so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words." (02:33, Paul in 1 Thess 4:17–18)

• On Christian Living:
  "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (02:56, Paul in 1 Thess 5:16–18)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00 – Ezekiel 24: The Siege Parable and Ezekiel’s Sign
• 00:25 – Ezekiel 25–26: Oracles Against Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, and Tyre
• 01:35 – Psalm 119:161–168: Devotion to God’s Word
• 01:47 – 1 Thessalonians 3: Paul’s Encouragement and Prayers
• 02:05 – 1 Thessalonians 4: Call to Holiness and Brotherly Love
• 02:22 – 1 Thessalonians 4:13–5:11: The Hope of the Resurrection and Christ’s Return
• 02:56 – 1 Thessalonians 5: Final Exhortations and Prayer

Tone & Language

• The language blends solemnity (God’s judgment and prophetic signs), heartfelt encouragement (Paul’s words to the Thessalonians), and devotional awe (Psalmist’s love for God’s word).
• The tone is sober in readings about judgment, but warm and exhortative in passages focusing on hope, holiness, and community.

Summary

This episode weaves together themes of divine justice and judgment (Ezekiel), steadfast faith under pressure (Psalm 119), and practical, hope-filled instructions for Christian living (1 Thessalonians 3–5). Ezekiel’s dramatic sign acts as a warning of Jerusalem’s fate, while Paul offers both deep comfort and challenging guidance for believers awaiting Christ’s return: to live holy, loving, and vigilant lives, encouraging one another in light of eternal hope.