NUMBERS 16:41-18:32
MARK 16:1-20
PSALM 55:1-23
PROVERBS 11:7
NUMBERS 16:41-18:32
But the very next morning the whole community began muttering again against Moses and Aaron, saying, " You two have killed the LORD's people!" 42 As the people gathered to protest to Moses and Aaron, they turned toward the Tabernacle and saw that the cloud had covered it, and the glorious presence of the LORD appeared. 43 Moses and Aaron came and stood at the entrance of the Tabernacle, 44 and the LORD said to Moses, 45 " Get away from these people so that I can instantly destroy them!" But Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground. 46 And Moses said to Aaron, " Quick, take an incense burner and place burning coals on it from the altar. Lay incense on it and carry it quickly among the people to make atonement for them. The LORD's anger is blazing among them--the plague has already begun." 47 Aaron did as Moses told him and ran out among the people. The plague indeed had already begun, but Aaron burned the incense and made atonement for them. 48 He stood between the living and the dead until the plague was stopped. 49 But 14,700 people died in that plague, in addition to those who had died in the incident involving Korah. 50 Then because the plague had stopped, Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the Tabernacle.17:1 THEN the LORD said to Moses, 2 " Take twelve wooden staffs, one from each of Israel's ancestral tribes, and inscribe each tribal leader's name on his staff. 3 Inscribe Aaron's name on the staff of the tribe of Levi, for there must be one staff for the leader of each ancestral tribe. 4 Put these staffs in the Tabernacle in front of the Ark of the Covenant, where I meet with you. 5 Buds will sprout on the staff belonging to the man I choose. Then I will finally put an end to this murmuring and complaining against you." 6 So Moses gave the instructions to the people of Israel, and each of the twelve tribal leaders, including Aaron, brought Moses a staff. 7 Moses put the staffs in the LORD's presence in the Tabernacle of the Covenant. 8 When he went into the Tabernacle of the Covenant the next day, he found that Aaron's staff, representing the tribe of Levi, had sprouted, blossomed, and produced almonds! 9 When Moses brought all the staffs out from the LORD's presence, he showed them to the people. Each man claimed his own staff. 10 And the LORD said to Moses: " Place Aaron's staff permanently before the Ark of the Covenant as a warning to rebels. This should put an end to their complaints against me and prevent any further deaths." 11 So Moses did as the LORD commanded him. 12 Then the people of Israel said to Moses, " We are as good as dead! We are ruined! 13 Everyone who even comes close to the Tabernacle of the LORD dies. We are all doomed!"18:1 THE LORD now said to Aaron: " You, your sons, and your relatives from the tribe of Levi will be held responsible for any offenses related to the sanctuary. But you and your sons alone will be held liable for violations connected with the priesthood. 2 " Bring your relatives of the tribe of Levi to assist you and your sons as you perform the sacred duties in front of the Tabernacle of the Covenant. 3 But as the Levites go about their duties under your supervision, they must be careful not to touch any of the sacred objects or the altar. If they do, both you and they will die. 4 The Levites must join with you to fulfill their responsibilities for the care and maintenance of the Tabernacle, but no one who is not a Levite may officiate with you. 5 " You yourselves must perform the sacred duties within the sanctuary and at the altar. If you follow these instructions, the LORD's anger will never again blaze against the people of Israel. 6 I myself have chosen your fellow Levites from among the Israelites to be your special assistants. They are dedicated to the LORD for service in the Tabernacle. 7 But you and your sons, the priests, must personally handle all the sacred service associated with the altar and everything within the inner curtain. I am giving you the priesthood as your special gift of service. Any other person who comes too near the sanctuary will be put to death." 8 The LORD gave these further instructions to Aaron: " I have put the priests in charge of all the holy gifts that are brought to me by the people of Israel. I have given these offerings to you and your sons as your regular share. 9 You are allotted the portion of the most holy offerings that is kept from the fire. From all the most holy offerings--including the grain offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings--that portion belongs to you and your sons. 10 You must eat it as a most holy offering. All the males may eat of it, and you must treat it as most holy. 11 " All the other offerings presented to me by the Israelites by lifting them up before the altar also belong to you as your regular share. Any member of your family who is ceremonially clean, male and female alike, may eat of these offerings. 12 " I also give you the harvest gifts brought by the people as offerings to the LORD--the best of the olive oil, wine, and grain. 13 All the firstfruits of the land that the people present to the LORD belong to you. Any member of your family who is ceremonially clean may eat this food. 14 " Whatever is specially set apart for the LORD also belongs to you. 15 " The firstborn of every mother, whether human or animal, that is offered to the LORD will be yours. But you must always redeem your firstborn sons and the firstborn males of ritually unclean animals. 16 Redeem them when they are one month old. The redemption price is five pieces of silver, each piece weighing the same as the standard sanctuary shekel. 17 " However, you may not redeem the firstborn of cattle, sheep, or goats. They are holy and have been set apart for the LORD. Sprinkle their blood on the altar, and burn their fat as an offering given by fire, very pleasing to the LORD. 18 The meat of these animals will be yours, just like the breast and right thigh that are presented by lifting them up before the altar. 19 Yes, I am giving you all these holy offerings that the people of Israel bring to the LORD. They are for you and your sons and daughters, to be eaten as your regular share. This is an unbreakable covenant between the LORD and you and your descendants." 20 And the LORD said to Aaron, " You priests will receive no inheritance of land or share of property among the people of Israel. I am your inheritance and your share. 21 As for the tribe of Levi, your relatives, I will pay them for their service in the Tabernacle with the tithes from the entire land of Israel.22 " From now on, Israelites other than the priests and Levites are to stay away from the Tabernacle. If they come too near, they will be judged guilty and die. 23 The Levites must serve at the Tabernacle, and they will be held responsible for any offenses against it. This is a permanent law among you. But the Levites will receive no inheritance of land among the Israelites, 24 because I have given them the Israelites' tithes, which have been set apart as offerings to the LORD. This will be the Levites' share. That is why I said they would receive no inheritance of land among the Israelites." 25 The LORD also told Moses, 26 " Say this to the Levites: ` When you receive the tithes from the Israelites, give a tenth of the tithes you receive--a tithe of the tithe--to the LORD as a gift. 27 The LORD will consider this to be your harvest offering, as though it were the first grain from your own threshing floor or wine from your own winepress. 28 You must present one-tenth of the tithe received from the Israelites as a gift to the LORD. From this you must present the LORD's portion to Aaron the priest. 29 Be sure to set aside the best portions of the gifts given to you as your gifts to the LORD.' 30 " Also say to the Levites: ` When you present the best part, it will be considered as though it came from your own threshing floor or winepress. 31 You Levites and your families may eat this food anywhere you wish, for it is your compensation for serving in the Tabernacle. 32 You will not be considered guilty for accepting the LORD's tithes if you give the best portion to the priests. But be careful not to treat the holy gifts of the people of Israel as though they were common. If you do, you will die.' "
MARK 16:1-20
The next evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene and Salome and Mary the mother of James went out and purchased burial spices to put on Jesus' body. 2 Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they came to the tomb. 3 On the way they were discussing who would roll the stone away from the entrance to the tomb. 4 But when they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone--a very large one--had already been rolled aside. 5 So they entered the tomb, and there on the right sat a young man clothed in a white robe. The women were startled, 6 but the angel said, " Do not be so surprised. You are looking for Jesus, the Nazarene, who was crucified. He isn't here! He has been raised from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body. 7 Now go and give this message to his disciples, including Peter: Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died!" 8 The women fled from the tomb, trembling and bewildered, saying nothing to anyone because they were too frightened to talk. [Shorter Ending of Mark] Then they reported all these instructions briefly to Peter and his companions. Afterward Jesus himself sent them out from east to west with the sacred and unfailing message of salvation that gives eternal life. Amen. [Longer Ending of Mark] 9 It was early on Sunday morning when Jesus rose from the dead, and the first person who saw him was Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10 She went and found the disciples, who were grieving and weeping. 11 But when she told them that Jesus was alive and she had seen him, they didn't believe her. 12 Afterward he appeared to two who were walking from Jerusalem into the country, but they didn't recognize him at first because he had changed his appearance. 13 When they realized who he was, they rushed back to tell the others, but no one believed them. 14 Still later he appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating together. He rebuked them for their unbelief--their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. 15 And then he told them, " Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere. 16 Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. 17 These signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak new languages. 18 They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won't hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick and heal them." 19 When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God's right hand. 20 And the disciples went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked with them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs.
PSALM 55:1-23
For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be accompanied by stringed instruments.
1 Listen to my prayer, O God.
Do not ignore my cry for help!
2 Please listen and answer me,
for I am overwhelmed by my troubles.
3 My enemies shout at me,
making loud and wicked threats.
They bring trouble on me,
hunting me down in their anger.
4 My heart is in anguish.
The terror of death overpowers me.
5 Fear and trembling overwhelm me.
I can't stop shaking.
6 Oh, how I wish I had wings like a dove;
then I would fly away and rest!
7 I would fly far away
to the quiet of the wilderness.
Interlude8 How quickly I would escape--
far away from this wild storm of hatred.
9 Destroy them, Lord, and confuse their speech,
for I see violence and strife in the city.
10 Its walls are patrolled day and night against invaders,
but the real danger is wickedness within the city.
11 Murder and robbery are everywhere there;
threats and cheating are rampant in the streets.
12 It is not an enemy who taunts me--
I could bear that.
It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me--
I could have hidden from them.
13 Instead, it is you--my equal,
my companion and close friend.
14 What good fellowship we enjoyed
as we walked together to the house of God.
15 Let death seize my enemies by surprise;
let the grave swallow them alive,
for evil makes its home within them.
16 But I will call on God,
and the LORD will rescue me.
17 Morning, noon, and night
I plead aloud in my distress,
and the LORD hears my voice.
18 He rescues me and keeps me safe
from the battle waged against me,
even though many still oppose me.
19 God, who is king forever,
will hear me and will humble them.
Interlude For my enemies refuse to change their ways;
they do not fear God.
20 As for this friend of mine, he betrayed me;
he broke his promises.
21 His words are as smooth as cream,
but in his heart is war.
His words are as soothing as lotion,
but underneath are daggers!
22 Give your burdens to the LORD,
and he will take care of you.
He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.
23 But you, O God, will send the wicked
down to the pit of destruction.
Murderers and liars will die young,
but I am trusting you to save me.
PROVERBS 11:7
When the wicked die, their hopes all perish, for they rely on their own feeble strength.
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