JOSHUA 24:1-33
LUKE 21:1-28
PSALM 89:38-52
PROVERBS 13:20-23
JOSHUA 24:1-33
Then Joshua summoned all the people of Israel to Shechem, along with their elders, leaders, judges, and officers. So they came and presented themselves to God. 2 Joshua said to the people, " This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Your ancestors, including Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River, and they worshiped other gods. 3 But I took your ancestor Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him into the land of Canaan. I gave him many descendants through his son Isaac. 4 To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. To Esau I gave the hill country of Seir, while Jacob and his children went down into Egypt. 5 " Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I brought terrible plagues on Egypt; and afterward I brought you out as a free people. 6 But when your ancestors arrived at the Red Sea, the Egyptians chased after you with chariots and horses. 7 When you cried out to the LORD, I put darkness between you and the Egyptians. I brought the sea crashing down on the Egyptians, drowning them. With your very own eyes you saw what I did. Then you lived in the wilderness for many years. 8 " Finally, I brought you into the land of the Amorites on the east side of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I gave you victory over them, and you took possession of their land. 9 Then Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, started a war against Israel. He asked Balaam son of Beor to curse you, 10 but I would not listen to him. Instead, I made Balaam bless you, and so I rescued you from Balak.11 " When you crossed the Jordan River and came to Jericho, the men of Jericho fought against you. There were also many others who fought you, including the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. But I gave you victory over them. 12 And I sent hornets ahead of you to drive out the two kings of the Amorites. It was not your swords or bows that brought you victory. 13 I gave you land you had not worked for, and I gave you cities you did not build--the cities in which you are now living. I gave you vineyards and olive groves for food, though you did not plant them. 14 " So honor the LORD and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD alone. 15 But if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD." 16 The people replied, " We would never forsake the LORD and worship other gods. 17 For the LORD our God is the one who rescued us and our ancestors from slavery in the land of Egypt. He performed mighty miracles before our very eyes. As we traveled through the wilderness among our enemies, he preserved us. 18 It was the LORD who drove out the Amorites and the other nations living here in the land. So we, too, will serve the LORD, for he alone is our God." 19 Then Joshua said to the people, " You are not able to serve the LORD, for he is a holy and jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and sins. 20 If you forsake the LORD and serve other gods, he will turn against you and destroy you, even though he has been so good to you." 21 But the people answered Joshua, saying, " No, we are determined to serve the LORD!" 22 " You are accountable for this decision," Joshua said. " You have chosen to serve the LORD." " Yes," they replied, " we are accountable." 23 " All right then," Joshua said, " destroy the idols among you, and turn your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel." 24 The people said to Joshua, " We will serve the LORD our God. We will obey him alone." 25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day at Shechem, committing them to a permanent and binding contract between themselves and the LORD. 26 Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. As a reminder of their agreement, he took a huge stone and rolled it beneath the oak tree beside the Tabernacle of the LORD. 27 Joshua said to all the people, " This stone has heard everything the LORD said to us. It will be a witness to testify against you if you go back on your word to God." 28 Then Joshua sent the people away, each to his own inheritance. 29 Soon after this, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of 110. 30 They buried him in the land he had inherited, at Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. 31 Israel served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the leaders who outlived him--those who had personally experienced all that the LORD had done for Israel. 32 The bones of Joseph, which the Israelites had brought along with them when they left Egypt, were buried at Shechem, in the parcel of ground Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor for one hundred pieces of silver. This land was located in the territory allotted to the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, the descendants of Joseph. 33 Eleazar son of Aaron also died. He was buried in the hill country of Ephraim, in the town of Gibeah, which had been given to his son Phinehas.
LUKE 21:1-28
While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people putting their gifts into the collection box. 2 Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two pennies. 3 " I assure you," he said, " this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. 4 For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has." 5 Some of his disciples began talking about the beautiful stonework of the Temple and the memorial decorations on the walls. But Jesus said, 6 " The time is coming when all these things will be so completely demolished that not one stone will be left on top of another." 7 " Teacher," they asked, " when will all this take place? And will there be any sign ahead of time?" 8 He replied, " Don't let anyone mislead you. For many will come in my name, claiming to be the Messiah and saying, ` The time has come!' But don't believe them. 9 And when you hear of wars and insurrections, don't panic. Yes, these things must come, but the end won't follow immediately." 10 Then he added, " Nations and kingdoms will proclaim war against each other. 11 There will be great earthquakes, and there will be famines and epidemics in many lands, and there will be terrifying things and great miraculous signs in the heavens.12 " But before all this occurs, there will be a time of great persecution. You will be dragged into synagogues and prisons, and you will be accused before kings and governors of being my followers. 13 This will be your opportunity to tell them about me. 14 So don't worry about how to answer the charges against you, 15 for I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply! 16 Even those closest to you--your parents, brothers, relatives, and friends--will betray you. And some of you will be killed. 17 And everyone will hate you because of your allegiance to me. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish! 19 By standing firm, you will win your souls. 20 " And when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that the time of its destruction has arrived. 21 Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. Let those in Jerusalem escape, and those outside the city should not enter it for shelter. 22 For those will be days of God's vengeance, and the prophetic words of the Scriptures will be fulfilled. 23 How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for mothers nursing their babies. For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. 24 They will be brutally killed by the sword or sent away as captives to all the nations of the world. And Jerusalem will be conquered and trampled down by the Gentiles until the age of the Gentiles comes to an end. 25 " And there will be strange events in the skies--signs in the sun, moon, and stars. And down here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides. 26 The courage of many people will falter because of the fearful fate they see coming upon the earth, because the stability of the very heavens will be broken up. 27 Then everyone will see the Son of Man arrive on the clouds with power and great glory. 28 So when all these things begin to happen, stand straight and look up, for your salvation is near!"
PSALM 89:38-52
But now you [the LORD] have rejected him [David].
Why are you so angry with the one you chose as king?
39 You have renounced your covenant with him,
for you have thrown his crown in the dust.
40 You have broken down the walls protecting him
and laid in ruins every fort defending him.
41 Everyone who comes along has robbed him
while his neighbors mock.
42 You have strengthened his enemies against him
and made them all rejoice.
43 You have made his sword useless
and have refused to help him in battle.
44 You have ended his splendor
and overturned his throne.
45 You have made him old before his time
and publicly disgraced him.
Interlude46 O LORD, how long will this go on?
Will you hide yourself forever?
How long will your anger burn like fire?
47 Remember how short my life is,
how empty and futile this human existence!
48 No one can live forever; all will die.
No one can escape the power of the grave.
Interlude49 Lord, where is your unfailing love?
You promised it to David with a faithful pledge.
50 Consider, Lord, how your servants are disgraced!
I carry in my heart the insults of so many people.
51 Your enemies have mocked me, O LORD;
they mock the one you anointed as king.
52 Blessed be the LORD forever!
Amen and amen!
PROVERBS 13:20-23
Whoever walks with the wise will become wise; whoever walks with fools will suffer harm. Trouble chases sinners, while blessings chase the righteous! Good people leave an inheritance to their grandchildren, but the sinner's wealth passes to the godly. A poor person's farm may produce much food, but injustice sweeps it all away.
