JEREMIAH 33:1-34:22
1 TIMOTHY 4:1-16
PSALM 89:1-13
PROVERBS 25:23-24
JEREMIAH 33:1-34:22
While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the LORD gave him this second message: 2 " The LORD, the Maker of the heavens and earth--the LORD is his name--says this: 3 Ask me and I will tell you some remarkable secrets about what is going to happen here. 4 For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Though you have torn down the houses of this city and even the king's palace to get materials to strengthen the walls against the siege weapons of the enemy, 5 the Babylonians will still enter. The men of this city are already as good as dead, for I have determined to destroy them in my terrible anger. I have abandoned them because of all their wickedness. 6 " Nevertheless, the time will come when I will heal Jerusalem's damage and give her prosperity and peace. 7 I will restore the fortunes of Judah and Israel and rebuild their cities. 8 I will cleanse away their sins against me, and I will forgive all their sins of rebellion. 9 Then this city will bring me joy, glory, and honor before all the nations of the earth! The people of the world will see the good I do for my people and will tremble with awe! 10 " This is what the LORD says: You say, ` This land has been ravaged, and the people and animals have all disappeared.' Yet in the empty streets of Jerusalem and Judah's other towns, there will be heard once more 11 the sounds of joy and laughter. The joyful voices of bridegrooms and brides will be heard again, along with the joyous songs of people bringing thanksgiving offerings to the LORD. They will sing, ` Give thanks to the LORD Almighty, for the LORD is good.
His faithful love endures forever!'
For I will restore the prosperity of this land to what it was in the past, says the LORD. 12 " This is what the LORD Almighty says: This land--though it is now desolate and the people and animals have all disappeared--will once more see shepherds leading sheep and lambs. 13 Once again their flocks will prosper in the towns of the hill country, the foothills of Judah, the Negev, the land of Benjamin, the vicinity of Jerusalem, and all the towns of Judah. I, the LORD, have spoken! 14 " The day will come, says the LORD, when I will do for Israel and Judah all the good I have promised them. 15 At that time I will bring to the throne of David a righteous descendant, and he will do what is just and right throughout the land. 16 In that day Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will live in safety. And their motto will be ` The LORD is our righteousness!' 17 For this is what the LORD says: David will forever have a descendant sitting on the throne of Israel. 18 And there will always be Levitical priests to offer burnt offerings and grain offerings and sacrifices to me." 19 Then this message came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 20 " If you can break my covenant with the day and the night so that they do not come on their usual schedule, 21 only then will my covenant with David, my servant, be broken. Only then will he no longer have a descendant to reign on his throne. The same is true for my covenant with the Levitical priests who minister before me. 22 And as the stars cannot be counted and the sand on the seashores cannot be measured, so I will multiply the descendants of David, my servant, and the Levites who minister before me." 23 The LORD gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, 24 " Have you heard what people are saying?--` The LORD chose Judah and Israel and then abandoned them!' They are sneering and saying that Israel is not worthy to be counted as a nation. 25 But this is the LORD's reply: I would no more reject my people than I would change my laws of night and day, of earth and sky. 26 I will never abandon the descendants of Jacob or David, my servant, or change the plan that David's descendants will rule the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Instead, I will restore them to their land and have mercy on them."34:1 KING Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came with all the armies from the kingdoms he ruled, and he fought against Jerusalem and the towns of Judah. At that time this message came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 2 " Go to King Zedekiah of Judah, and tell him, ` This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I am about to hand this city over to the king of Babylon, and he will burn it. 3 You will not escape his grasp but will be taken into captivity. You will stand before the king of Babylon to be judged and sentenced. Then you will be exiled to Babylon.' 4 " But listen to this promise from the LORD, O Zedekiah, king of Judah. This is what the LORD says: ` You will not be killed in war 5 but will die peacefully among your people. They will burn incense in your memory, just as they did for your ancestors. They will weep for you and say, " Alas, our king is dead!" This I have decreed, says the LORD.' " 6 So Jeremiah the prophet delivered the message to King Zedekiah of Judah. 7 At this time the Babylonian army was besieging Jerusalem, Lachish, and Azekah--the only cities of Judah with their walls still standing.8 This message came to Jeremiah from the LORD after King Zedekiah made a covenant with the people, proclaiming freedom for the slaves. 9 He had ordered all the people to free their Hebrew slaves--both men and women. No one was to keep a fellow Judean in bondage. 10 The officials and all the people had obeyed the king's command, 11 but later they changed their minds. They took back the people they had freed, making them slaves again. 12 So the LORD gave them this message through Jeremiah: 13 " This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I made a covenant with your ancestors long ago when I rescued them from their slavery in Egypt. 14 I told them that every Hebrew slave must be freed after serving six years. But this was never done. 15 Recently you repented and did what was right, following my command. You freed your slaves and made a solemn covenant with me in my Temple. 16 But now you have shrugged off your oath and defiled my name by taking back the men and women you had freed, making them slaves once again. 17 " Therefore, this is what the LORD says: Since you have not obeyed me by setting your countrymen free, I will set you free to be destroyed by war, famine, and disease. You will be considered a disgrace by all the nations of the earth. 18 Because you have refused the terms of our covenant, I will cut you apart just as you cut apart the calf when you walked between its halves to solemnize your vows. 19 Yes, I will cut you apart, whether you are officials of Judah or Jerusalem, court officials, priests, or common people--for you have broken your oath. 20 I will give you to your enemies, and they will kill you. Your bodies will be food for the vultures and wild animals. 21 I will hand over King Zedekiah of Judah and his officials to the army of the king of Babylon. And though Babylon's king has left this city for a while, 22 I will call the Babylonian armies back again. They will fight against this city and will capture and burn it. I will see to it that all the towns of Judah are destroyed and left completely empty."
1 TIMOTHY 4:1-16
Now the Holy Spirit tells us [believers] clearly that in the last times some will turn away from what we believe; they will follow lying spirits and teachings that come from demons. 2 These teachers are hypocrites and liars. They pretend to be religious, but their consciences are dead. 3 They will say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods. But God created those foods to be eaten with thanksgiving by people who know and believe the truth. 4 Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it. We may receive it gladly, with thankful hearts. 5 For we know it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.6 If you explain this to the brothers and sisters,* you will be doing your duty as a worthy servant of Christ Jesus, one who is fed by the message of faith and the true teaching you have followed. 7 Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives' tales. Spend your time and energy in training yourself for spiritual fitness. 8 Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next. 9 This is true, and everyone should accept it. 10 We work hard and suffer much in order that people will believe the truth, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and particularly of those who believe. 11 Teach these things and insist that everyone learn them. 12 Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you teach, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. 13 Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them. 14 Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecies spoken to you when the elders of the church laid their hands on you. 15 Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress. 16 Keep a close watch on yourself and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right, and God will save you and those who hear you.
PSALM 89:1-13
A psalm of Ethan the Ezrahite.
1 I will sing of the tender mercies of the LORD forever!
Young and old will hear of your faithfulness.
2 Your unfailing love will last forever.
Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens.
3 The LORD said, " I have made a solemn agreement with David, my chosen servant.
I have sworn this oath to him:
4 ` I will establish your descendants as kings forever;
they will sit on your throne from now until eternity.' "
Interlude5 All heaven will praise your miracles, LORD;
myriads of angels will praise you for your faithfulness.
6 For who in all of heaven can compare with the LORD?
What mightiest angel is anything like the LORD?
7 The highest angelic powers stand in awe of God.
He is far more awesome than those who surround his throne.
8 O LORD God Almighty!
Where is there anyone as mighty as you, LORD?
Faithfulness is your very character.
9 You are the one who rules the oceans.
When their waves rise in fearful storms, you subdue them.
10 You are the one who crushed the great sea monster.
You scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
11 The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours;
everything in the world is yours--you created it all.
12 You created north and south.
Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon praise your name.
13 Powerful is your arm!
Strong is your hand!
Your right hand is lifted high in glorious strength.
PROVERBS 25:23-24
As surely as a wind from the north brings rain, so a gossiping tongue causes anger! It is better to live alone in the corner of an attic than with a contentious wife in a lovely home.
