Friday, February 14, 2020

February 14 Reading through the Bible Day 45


EXODUS 37:1-38:31
MATTHEW 28:1-20
PSALM 34:11-22
PROVERBS 9:9-10

EXODUS 37:1-38:31
Next Bezalel made the Ark out of acacia wood. It was 3 feet long, 2 feet wide, and 2 feet high. 2 It was overlaid with pure gold inside and out, and it had a molding of gold all the way around. 3 Four gold rings were fastened to its four feet, two rings at each side. 4 Then he made poles from acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. 5 He put the poles into the rings at the sides of the Ark to carry it. 6 Then, from pure gold, he made the Ark's cover--the place of atonement. It was 3 feet long and 2 feet wide. 7 He made two figures of cherubim out of hammered gold and placed them at the two ends of the atonement cover. 8 They were made so they were actually a part of the atonement cover--it was all one piece. 9 The cherubim faced each other as they looked down on the atonement cover, and their wings were stretched out above the atonement cover to protect it. 10 Then he made a table out of acacia wood, 3 feet long, 1 feet wide, and 2 feet high. 11 It was overlaid with pure gold, with a gold molding all around the edge. 12 A rim about 3 inches wide was attached along the edges of the table, and a gold molding ran around the rim. 13 Then he cast four rings of gold and attached them to the four table legs 14 next to the rim. These were made to hold the carrying poles in place. 15 He made the carrying poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. 16 Next, using pure gold, he made the plates, dishes, bowls, and pitchers to be placed on the table. These utensils were to be used in pouring out drink offerings. 17 Then he made the lampstand, again using pure, hammered gold. Its base, center stem, lamp cups, blossoms, and buds were all of one piece. 18 The lampstand had six branches, three going out from each side of the center stem. 19 Each of the six branches held a cup shaped like an almond blossom, complete with buds and petals. 20 The center stem of the lampstand was also decorated with four almond blossoms. 21 One blossom was set beneath each pair of branches, where they extended from the center stem. 22 The decorations and branches were all one piece with the stem, and they were hammered from pure gold. 23 He also made the seven lamps, the lamp snuffers, and the trays, all of pure gold. 24 The entire lampstand, along with its accessories, was made from seventy-five pounds of pure gold.25 The incense altar was made of acacia wood. It was eighteen inches square and three feet high, with its corner horns made from the same piece of wood as the altar itself. 26 He overlaid the top, sides, and horns of the altar with pure gold and ran a gold molding around the edge. 27 Two gold rings were placed on opposite sides, beneath the molding, to hold the carrying poles. 28 The carrying poles were made of acacia wood and were overlaid with gold. 29 Then he made the sacred oil, for anointing the priests, and the fragrant incense, using the techniques of the most skilled incense maker.38:1 THE altar for burning animal sacrifices also was constructed of acacia wood. It was 7 feet square at the top and 4 feet high. 2 There were four horns, one at each of the four corners, all of one piece with the rest. This altar was overlaid with bronze. 3 Then he made all the bronze utensils to be used with the altar--the ash buckets, shovels, basins, meat hooks, and firepans. 4 Next he made a bronze grating that rested on a ledge about halfway down into the firebox. 5 Four rings were cast for each side of the grating to support the carrying poles. 6 The carrying poles themselves were made of acacia wood and were overlaid with bronze. 7 These poles were inserted into the rings at the side of the altar. The altar was hollow and was made from planks. 8 The bronze washbasin and its bronze pedestal were cast from bronze mirrors donated by the women who served at the entrance of the Tabernacle. 9 Then he constructed the courtyard. The south wall was 150 feet long. It consisted of curtains made of fine linen. 10 There were twenty posts, each with its own bronze base, and there were silver hooks and rods to hold up the curtains. 11 The north wall was also 150 feet long, with twenty bronze posts and bases and with silver hooks and rods. 12 The west end was 75 feet wide. The walls were made from curtains supported by ten posts and bases and with silver hooks and rods. 13 The east end was also 75 feet wide. 14 The courtyard entrance was on the east side, flanked by two curtains. The curtain on the right side was 22 feet long and was supported by three posts set into three bases. 15 The curtain on the left side was also 22 feet long and was supported by three posts set into three bases. 16 All the curtains used in the courtyard walls were made of fine linen. 17 Each post had a bronze base, and all the hooks and rods were silver. The tops of the posts were overlaid with silver, and the rods to hold up the curtains were solid silver.18 The curtain that covered the entrance to the courtyard was made of fine linen cloth and embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn. It was 30 feet long and 7 feet high, just like the curtains of the courtyard walls. 19 It was supported by four posts set into four bronze bases. The tops of the posts were overlaid with silver, and the hooks and rods were also made of silver. 20 All the tent pegs used in the Tabernacle and courtyard were made of bronze. 21 Here is an inventory of the materials used in building the Tabernacle of the Covenant. Moses directed the Levites to compile the figures, and Ithamar son of Aaron the priest served as recorder. 22 Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, was in charge of the whole project, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. 23 He was assisted by Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, a craftsman expert at engraving, designing, and embroidering blue, purple, and scarlet yarn on fine linen cloth.24 The people brought gifts of gold totaling about 2,200 pounds, all of which was used throughout the Tabernacle. 25 The amount of silver that was given was about 7,545 pounds. 26 It came from the tax of one-fifth of an ounce of silver collected from each of those registered in the census. This included all the men who were twenty years old or older, 603,550 in all. 27 The 100 bases for the frames of the sanctuary walls and for the posts supporting the inner curtain required 7,500 pounds of silver, about 75 pounds for each base. 28 The rest of the silver, about 45 pounds, was used to make the rods and hooks and to overlay the tops of the posts. 29 The people also brought 5,310 pounds of bronze, 30 which was used for casting the bases for the posts at the entrance to the Tabernacle, and for the bronze altar with its bronze grating and altar utensils. 31 Bronze was also used to make the bases for the posts that supported the curtains around the courtyard, the bases for the curtain at the entrance of the courtyard, and all the tent pegs used to hold the curtains of the courtyard in place.

MATTHEW 28:1-20
Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to see the tomb. 2 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, because an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and rolled aside the stone and sat on it. 3 His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. 4 The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint. 5 Then the angel spoke to the women. " Don't be afraid!" he said. " I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He isn't here! He has been raised from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. 7 And now, go quickly and tell his disciples he has been raised from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember, I have told you." 8 The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to find the disciples to give them the angel's message. 9 And as they went, Jesus met them. " Greetings!" he said. And they ran to him, held his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, " Don't be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there." 11 As the women were on their way into the city, some of the men who had been guarding the tomb went to the leading priests and told them what had happened. 12 A meeting of all the religious leaders was called, and they decided to bribe the soldiers. 13 They told the soldiers, " You must say, ` Jesus' disciples came during the night while we were sleeping, and they stole his body.' 14 If the governor hears about it, we'll stand up for you and everything will be all right." 15 So the guards accepted the bribe and said what they were told to say. Their story spread widely among the Jews, and they still tell it today. 16 Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him--but some of them still doubted! 18 Jesus came and told his disciples, " I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

PSALM 34:11-22
Come, my children, and listen to me,
and I will teach you to fear the LORD.
12 Do any of you want to live
a life that is long and good?
13 Then watch your tongue!
Keep your lips from telling lies!
14 Turn away from evil and do good.
Work hard at living in peace with others.
15 The eyes of the LORD watch over those who do right;
his ears are open to their cries for help.
16 But the LORD turns his face against those who do evil;
he will erase their memory from the earth.
17 The LORD hears his people when they call to him for help.
He rescues them from all their troubles.
18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
he rescues those who are crushed in spirit.
19 The righteous face many troubles,
but the LORD rescues them from each and every one.
20 For the LORD protects them from harm--
not one of their bones* will be broken!
21 Calamity will surely overtake the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be punished.
22 But the LORD will redeem those who serve him.
Everyone who trusts in him will be freely pardoned.

PROVERBS 9:9-10
Teach the wise, and they will be wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn more. Fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. Knowing the Holy One results in understanding.