September 8th, 25: Enduring Faith Amidst Separation: Lessons from Jeremiah and Revelation

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible, dear friends! In today’s episode, recorded on September 8th, 2025, Hunter invites us to journey together through the pages of Scripture—reading from Jeremiah 42-44, Psalm 48, and Revelation 13. As we see the story of the Israelites wrestling with obedience and trust, and witness John’s vivid vision of beasts and the mysterious number 666, Hunter encourages us to reflect on themes of separation, exile, and the relentless love of God.

We hear the struggles of God’s people as they debate listening to Jeremiah’s warnings, the powerful imagery from Revelation about the dangers of idolizing power, and a reminder in the Psalms that God is our steadfast fortress. Through heartfelt commentary and prayer, Hunter reminds us to reject the lie of separation from God and instead embrace the truth that Emmanuel—God with us—is ever-present.

Plus, we’re joined by a wonderful chorus of listeners from around the globe, sharing their greetings and reminding us that we are not walking this journey alone. So settle in, open your heart, and let’s explore God’s word together—encouraged that you are loved, and never alone.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

We are told that the number six hundred and sixty six is the number of a man. A lot has been written about this number. Three sixes, a trinity of numbers. But it is an unholy trinity. It is man, magnified, exalted and worshiped. It is a beastly reality in a stark contrast from the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We're told that great wisdom is required to understand what these numbers mean. And I don't pretend to have that kind of wisdom.

But it seems to me that whether it's the queen of Heaven that Jeremiah is confronting or the multi-headed dragon that John describes, the results are the same. When man is deceived by Satan and by the lie of separation, we see destruction in its wake. And in Jeremiah's case, they refused to believe that God was with them, that he would rescue them and give them life. So under that lie, they separated themselves from him and his will for them. And they went to Egypt, a land of exile.

And as we look back into the garden, we see that same pattern. Adam and Eve believe that God is not with them. They separate themselves from him. And in their separation, they live in exile in the garden. Over and over through time, through history, this tragic pattern is lived out. In our blindness, we refuse to see God's presence and so we separate ourselves from him, the Triune God of life. And instead we rely on the gods of our own making. And the results are the same.

Satan's great strategy has never really varied – from the beginning in the garden to this very moment that John is describing here: seeds of doubt are sown. God is not present. God is not with you. God is not for you. And so, believing we are alone, that God is indifferent and uncaring, we go it alone and we devise a way of life apart from God, from the triune life of love and flourishing that is waiting for all of us.

The psalmist tells us a different way in verse nine in today’s reading: O God, we meditate on your unfailing love. Our God is like a fortified wall, a citadel, a beacon. That's what our God is like. And we will continue to tell it to future generations. Psalm 48:9. God is not separate from you. God is with you. That is the truth.

Align your heart to his will and his purposes, his kingdom, and not your own. Renounce the lie of separation embedded in that number 666 and worship the God who is with us, Emmanuel, the God of love.

That’s the prayer that I have for my own soul. That’s the prayer that I have for my family, for my wife and my daughters and my son. And that’s the prayer that I have for you.

May it be so.