Today is the thirteenth day of October. Welcome to the daily audio Bible. I am Brian. It is fantastic to be here with you today.

A joy to come around the global campfire together and continue moving day by day, step by step, week by week, month by month on our journey through the Bible this year.

Today we'll lead us back into the book of Jeremiah, which we've been working our way through.

When we get to the New Testament, we will arrive at the doorstep to another letter known as second Thessalonians.

And we'll talk about that when we get there, but first reading from the new living translation this week, Jeremiah chapter 22 verse 1 through 23 verse 20.

This is what the Lord said to me. Go over and speak directly to the king of Judah. Say to him, listen to this message from the Lord, you king of Judah sitting on David's throne.

Let your attendance and your people listen to. This is what the Lord says. Be fair-minded and just. Do what is right. Help those who have been robbed. Rescue them from their oppressors. Quit your evil deeds. Do not mistreat foreigners, orphans and widows. Stop murdering the innocent.

If you obey me, there will always be a dissentant of David sitting on the throne here in Jerusalem. The king will ride through the palace gates and chariots and on horses, with his parade of attendance and subjects.

But if you refuse to pay attention to this warning, I swear by my own name says the Lord that this palace will become a pile of rubble.

And this is what the Lord says concerning Judah's royal palace. I love you as much as fruitful Gilead and the green forests of Lebanon. But I will turn you into a desert with no one living within your walls.

I will call for records who will bring out their tools to dismantle you. They will tear out all your fine cedar beams and throw them on the fire.

People from many nations will pass by the ruins of this city and say to one another, why did the Lord destroy such a great city?

And the answer will be because they violated their covenant with the Lord their God by worshipping other gods.

Do not weep for the dead king or mourn his loss. Instead weep for the captive king being led away.

For he will never return to see his native land again. For this is what the Lord says about Jehoa has who succeeded his father, King Josiah, and was taken away as a captive.

He will never return. He will die in a distant land and will never again see his own country.

And the Lord says, what sorrow awaits Jehoa Kim who builds his palace with forced labor.

He builds injustice into its walls for he makes his neighbors work for nothing. He does not pay them for their labor.

He says, I will build a magnificent palace with huge rooms and many windows. I will panel it throughout with fragrant cedar and paint it lovely red.

But a beautiful cedar palace does not make a great king. Your father, Josiah, also had plenty to eat and drink, but he was just and right in all his dealings.

That is why God blessed him. He gave justice and help to the poor and needy and everything went well for him.

Isn't that what it means to know me, says the Lord? But you, you have eyes only for greed and dishonesty.

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