Through the ESV Bible in a Year with Jackie Hill Perry

Episode: October 22 (Jeremiah 4–5; Psalm 105:1–25; Romans 2)
Date: October 22, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode continues the daily journey through the English Standard Version (ESV) Bible, featuring selected passages from the Old and New Testaments and the Psalms. The readings for today are Jeremiah chapters 4 and 5, Psalm 105:1–25, and Romans chapter 2. The main theme for the episode centers around the consequences of spiritual unfaithfulness (Jeremiah 4–5), God’s historical faithfulness (Psalm 105), and the foundational principle that God’s true people are marked by inward transformation, not merely outward rituals (Romans 2).

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Jeremiah 4–5: Calls to Repentance and Warnings of Judgment

(00:01–~13:30)

• The Lord pleads for Israel's repentance, highlighting the depth of their idolatry:
  • “If you return, O Israel, declares the Lord, to me, you should return. If you remove your detestable things from my presence and do not waver..." (00:02)
• Warning to Judah and Jerusalem: inward change is needed, not just outward displays.
  • “Circumcise yourselves to the Lord. Remove the foreskin of your hearts...” (00:08)
• Vivid imagery of coming destruction and exile due to persistent sin:
  • “A lion has gone up from his thicket. A destroyer of nations has set out...” (00:13)
• The people are described as willfully foolish and skilled only at evil:
  • “My people are foolish, they know me not... they are wise in doing evil, but how to do good they know not.” (00:48)
• The Lord affirms that He will not completely annihilate Israel despite judgment:
  • “Yet I will not make a full end...” (01:45, repeated throughout)
• Social injustice is rampant—leaders, prophets, and people alike are condemned:
  • “They judge not with justice the cause of the fatherless... they do not defend the rights of the needy.” (12:52)
• The episode underscores the theme that external religious identity is meaningless without justice and truth, foreshadowing the message of Romans 2.

2. Psalm 105:1–25: Remembering God’s Covenant Faithfulness

(~13:31–16:08)

• A psalm of praise calling God’s people to remember His mighty acts and faithfulness:
  • “O, give thanks to the Lord. Call upon his name. Make known his deeds among the peoples.” (13:31)
  • “He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded for a thousand generations...” (14:10)
• Recounts God’s protection and provision for the patriarchs and Joseph:
  • “He had sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave. ... the word of the Lord tested him...” (14:58)
• Emphasizes that God is faithful through history, even in suffering and exile.

3. Romans 2: True Righteousness Comes from the Heart

(~16:09–end)

• Paul rebukes hypocrisy in judging others while practicing the same sins:
  • “For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.” (16:15)
• God’s intention in kindness is to draw people to repentance, not to excuse sin:
  • “Do you presume on the riches of his kindness ... not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” (17:11)
• God’s judgment is impartial, based on what individuals actually do, not on heritage or ritual:
  • “He will render to each one according to his works ... For God shows no partiality.” (18:00)
• True obedience comes from the heart, not outward ritual:
  • “For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter.” (19:45)

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Warning to Jerusalem:
  “O Jerusalem, wash your heart from evil that you may be saved. How long shall your wicked thoughts lodge within you?” (Jeremiah 4:14, 00:41)
• God’s Lament:
  “My anguish, my anguish. I writhe in pain. Oh, the walls of my heart. My heart is beating wildly. I cannot keep silent, for I hear the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.” (Jeremiah 4:19, 00:52)
• Condemnation of Hypocrisy:
  “You, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal?” (Romans 2:21, 18:41)
• Spiritual Identity:
  “A Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter.” (Romans 2:29, 19:45)
• Assurance of God’s Faithfulness:
  “He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded for a thousand generations...” (Psalm 105:8, 14:10)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:01 – Jeremiah 4–5: Prophecy of Judgment and Call to Repentance
• 13:31 – Psalm 105:1–25: Praise for God’s Faithfulness and Covenant
• 16:09 – Romans 2: Warning against Hypocrisy; True Circumcision of the Heart

Tone and Language

The readings are solemn, urgent, and poetic, capturing prophetic warnings, psalmic praise, and apostolic admonition. The episode maintains a reverent, scripturally centered atmosphere, designed to provoke reflection on the seriousness of sin, the weight of God’s promises, and the call to inward transformation.

Summary

This episode invites listeners to examine their hearts, turn from hypocrisy and empty ritual, and trust in God’s faithfulness. With warnings from Jeremiah, songs of praise in the Psalms, and the piercing evaluation of the heart in Romans, it frames biblical faith as a matter not of external appearance, but of inward reality—one marked by repentance, gratitude, and true obedience.