Day 2

The Prophet and the Promise



Lamentations 5:1-22, Jeremiah 31:31-34, John 6:53-58, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

BY Guest Writer

Lent is more than a season on the Church calendar. It’s a journey.

The road we take from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday is not an easy one. It is a path of preparation and testing, and as we travel, we are invited to set our faces toward the cross. But it is not a road without joy, for Jesus Himself travels with us, inviting us into a deeper relationship with Him and a richer experience of His kingdom.

In the book of Jeremiah, the stones are laid for the road to Calvary. Through the prophet the Lord first revealed the mystery of the new covenant. Jeremiah announced to Israel that God was going to do something new in this world, something that would unravel the knots of sin and death and bring us back to our Creator.

Through Jeremiah, the Lord promised, “I will forgive their iniquity and never again remember their sin” (Jeremiah 31:34), and it was Jesus who gave these words their fulfillment. Holding up the cup at the Last Supper, He made the connection to the cross clear: “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:20).

The book of Jeremiah recounts the last days of Judah before the destruction of Jerusalem and the sorrow of the Babylonian exile. It is itself a picture of where our sins lead us apart from the grace of God. In this account, we see our own depravity. Though our sins may differ from those of our ancient counterparts, our hearts are just as prone to wander. And it is only when we see the depths of our own sin that we can see the glory of the cross for what it truly is. During Lent, we take time to reflect on Christ’s sacrifice, and we repent of our own sins that made the cross necessary in the first place.

There is also much to gain in getting to know Jeremiah, who stands apart as a faithful man among faithless people—persecuted, beaten, and left for dead because he spoke the words God gave him to speak. He suffered for the gospel long before there was a complete and proper gospel message to proclaim. His life is an arrow pointing to Jesus, who was also obedient despite the cost, and who recognized that God-given joy is worth more than anything this world has to offer.

This Lenten season, we will follow Jesus to the mount of crucifixion, but we will do so with Jeremiah as our guide and fellow disciple for the journey. “‘Look, the days are coming’—this is the Lord’s declaration—‘when I will fulfill the good promise that I have spoken’” (Jeremiah 33:14). The cross proclaims this truth, and the empty tomb assures us that our hope is not in vain.

As the content director for She Reads Truth, He Reads Truth, and Kids Read Truth, John Greco has the best job in the world. He wakes up every morning hardly believing he actually gets paid to study Scripture and write about it. He is the author of three books, Gospel Here and Now: Your Life in the Story of God, Manger King: Meditations on Christmas and the Gospel of Hope, and Broken Vows: Divorce and the Goodness of God. John and his wife, Laurin, live south of Nashville, where they daily wrangle their three small boys and dream of someday being the ones who get to take all the naps.

Post Comments (93)

93 thoughts on "The Prophet and the Promise"

  1. Mercy Rock says:

    Instead of giving something up, I’ve decided to take something in this Journey.

    1. K D says:

      Me as well…Lord revive my heart.

  2. Kate Nunn says:

    I’m hopeful that this study and lent will bring me closer to God than ever before. I’m opening my bible. Digging into his words and praying to hear from him daily. Today is just the beginning but I need to remember gods promises are true. He always fills me with the right thing at the right time.

  3. Stephanie Gray says:

    I look forward to seeing how the book of Jeremiah ties to our Lenten journey. I’ve never done anything so focused on Lent and I’m excited to see where this study will take me.

  4. Hilary Voigt says:

    Our hope is not in vain.

  5. Tabitha Cehulik says:

    As a first time annual subscriber, I love how the year started with Genesis and continues into Jeremiah for Lent. Reading Genesis first helped explain God’s covenants and now reading through Jeremiah you see his new covenant.

  6. Amanda says:

    Welcome Hayley!

  7. Hayley Hails says:

    Finding this study overwhelming. I’m new to the bible and Christianity.

    1. Bernadette BeckstedPerry says:

      Hayley, ask your questions! Everyone here is helpful in explaining. I have learned so much from all these sisters.

    2. Amy EitemillerMorrison says:

      Hi Hayley! Welcome to the family! This is overwhelming, absolutely! Here’s the good news, you won’t understand everything about the Bible and Christianity probably ever. There is always more to learn, always new ways to grow. Some of us have been on this journey for a long time, and we love that you’re here, and are putting in the daily time to learn and grow. So, gain what you can from each day’s reading, and just keep coming back. God is faithful, and He will meet you where you are. ❤️❤️❤️

    3. Christina Maddox says:

      Hayley – praying for you – whisper “God please help me understand and drive out anxiety”. He will hear your voice!

    4. Kathleen King says:

      It gets easier in time… I was always very intimidated by scripture. I never feel like I “got it” and everyone else seemed too. But I have clung to this. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” James 1:5. Ask for him to show you even one thing to take away. He’s faithful to do so!!! And…. lean in on these woman who have been in scripture awhile… God speaks through others I believe to help us u sees tabs scripture. Ultimately the Holy Spirit is at work in you and his word will do its job in you. Keep after it.

    5. Laura Quines says:

      I’ve been a Christian my whole life and work for a church and I also find it a little overwheleming—don’t feel like you aren’t good enough! We’ll just take in as much as we can and ask God to help us grasp what He wants to show us!

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