Through the ESV Bible in a Year with Jackie Hill Perry

Episode: October 25 (Jeremiah 10–12; Psalm 106:24–48; Romans 7)
Host: Crossway
Date: October 25, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode offers a daily journey through the scriptures, featuring sequential readings from the Old Testament (Jeremiah 10–12), the Psalms (Psalm 106:24–48), and the New Testament (Romans 7). The reading illuminates the persistent challenge of idolatry and unfaithfulness among God’s people, God’s enduring covenant love, and the spiritual struggle within every believer. The segment for the day is a reflective meditation on human rebellion, divine judgment and mercy, and the hope of transformation through Christ.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Jeremiah 10–12: Condemnation of Idolatry and Covenant Breaking

[00:01–13:50]

• Idolatry Ridiculed:
  The prophet Jeremiah derides the practices of surrounding nations—crafting lifeless idols which cannot speak, walk, or act. He contrasts these with the living God who alone creates and judges.

  "Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak. ... There is none like you, O Lord." [02:12–02:38]

• God's Supremacy & Judgment:
  Jeremiah declares the Lord as the true and eternal God whose power gives life to the earth and brings judgment upon its inhabitants.

  "Not like these is he who is the portion of Jacob, for he is the one who formed all things ..." [05:35]

• The Broken Covenant:
  God calls out Israel and Judah for falling back into the sins of their ancestors, specifically their idolatry and disregard for the covenant.

  "They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers ... They have gone after other gods to serve them." [09:00]

• Call for Repentance & Warning of Disaster:
  God warns of impending consequences for covenant unfaithfulness, urging Judah to return to genuine obedience. He withholds hope of rescue for those persistently rebellious.

• Jeremiah’s Lament:
  Jeremiah questions God about the prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the faithful, feeling personally threatened even by his own people.

  "Righteous are you, O Lord, when I complain to you. Yet I would plead my case before you: Why does the way of the wicked prosper?" [11:43]

• Promise of Restoration:
  Despite stern warnings, God still extends hope for repentance and restoration to both Israel and the nations, should they learn God's ways.

  "After I have plucked them up, I will again have compassion on them ..." [13:30]

Psalm 106:24–48: Israel’s Unfaithfulness and God’s Mercy

[13:51–18:35]

• Rebellion in the Wilderness:
  Israel’s historic refusal to trust God and persistent idolatry is recounted, including grave sins like sacrificing children to idols.

  "They served their idols, which became a snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons." [15:42]

• God’s Judgment and Persistent Love:
  God’s righteous anger leads to judgment and exile, but again and again, He hears His people's cries and shows mercy for the sake of His covenant.

  "Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress when he heard their cry. For their sake he remembered his covenant and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love." [17:20]

• Plea for Salvation:
  The Psalmist concludes with a plea to God to restore and gather His people for worship and thanksgiving.

  "Save us, O Lord, our God, and gather us from among the nations ..." [17:58]

Romans 7: The Struggle with Sin and Hope in Christ

[18:36–26:27]

• Freedom from the Law’s Condemnation:
  Paul uses the analogy of marriage to explain how believers are released from the law through death with Christ and are free to belong to Him, bearing fruit for God.

  "Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another." [19:40]

• Goodness of the Law & Reality of Sin:
  The law is affirmed as holy, but unable to save. Instead, it reveals sin’s power and exposes human inability.

  "So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good." [22:14]

• The Internal Battle:
  Paul describes the profound struggle of wanting to do good, but being captive to sin’s influence in the flesh.

  "For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing." [24:26]
  "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" [25:30]

• Hope in Christ:
  The climactic answer is that deliverance comes through Jesus Christ, not self-effort.

  "Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord!" [25:35]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "The instruction of idols is but wood beaten ... But the Lord is the true God. He is the living God and the everlasting king." (A, 03:45)
• "If you have raced with men on foot and they have wearied you, how will you compete with horses?" (A, 12:48 – a poetic warning about endurance and trust)
• "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! And let all the people say, Amen! Praise the Lord!" (A, 18:30)
• "I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out ... Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (A, 24:26–25:35)

Structure and Flow

• The episode follows a sacred reading format, allowing each passage to speak for itself with minimal commentary, creating space for reflection on scripture’s unity: human fallenness, God’s faithfulness, and ultimate hope in Christ.

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |------------|---------------------------------| | 00:01–13:50| Jeremiah 10–12 | | 13:51–18:35| Psalm 106:24–48 | | 18:36–26:27| Romans 7 |

Tone & Delivery

Jackie Hill Perry’s reading is reverent, direct, and earnest—emphasizing both judgment and grace, God’s holiness and His mercy, and the honest struggle of faith.

Conclusion

This episode thoughtfully weaves together the confrontation of idolatry and unfaithfulness (Jeremiah), a psalm of historical confession and hope (Psalm 106), and Paul’s deep wrestling with sin and grace (Romans 7). It invites listeners to reflect on their own hearts, cling to God’s faithfulness, and trust in the salvation found solely in Jesus Christ.