Just as a reminder our Christmas eve service starts at 6 PM
ZECHARIAH 6:1-7:14
REVELATION 15:1-8
PSALM 143:1-12
PROVERBS 30:24-28
ZECHARIAH 6:1-7:14
Then I [Zechariah] looked up again and saw four chariots coming from between two bronze mountains. 2 The first chariot was pulled by red horses, the second by black horses, 3 the third by white horses, and the fourth by dappled-gray horses. 4 " And what are these, my lord?" I asked the angel who was talking with me. 5 He replied, " These are the four spirits of heaven who stand before the Lord of all the earth. They are going out to do his work. 6 The chariot with black horses is going north, the chariot with white horses is going west, and the chariot with dappled-gray horses is going south." 7 The powerful horses were eager to be off, to patrol back and forth across the earth. And the LORD said, " Go and patrol the earth!" So they left at once on their patrol. 8 Then the LORD summoned me and said, " Those who went north have vented the anger of my Spirit there." 9 Then I received another message from the LORD: 10 " Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah will bring gifts of silver and gold from the Jews exiled in Babylon. As soon as they arrive, meet them at the home of Josiah son of Zephaniah. 11 Accept their gifts and make a crown from the silver and gold. Then put the crown on the head of Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. 12 Tell him that the LORD Almighty says: Here is the man called the Branch. He will branch out where he is and build the Temple of the LORD. 13 He will build the LORD's Temple, and he will receive royal honor and will rule as king from his throne. He will also serve as priest from his throne, and there will be perfect harmony between the two. 14 " The crown will be a memorial in the Temple of the LORD to honor those who gave it--Heldai, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Josiah son of Zephaniah." 15 Many will come from distant lands to rebuild the Temple of the LORD. And when this happens, you will know my messages have been from the LORD Almighty. All this will happen if you carefully obey the commands of the LORD your God.7:1 ON December 7 of the fourth year of King Darius's reign, another message came to Zechariah from the LORD. 2 The people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regemmelech, along with their men, to seek the LORD's favor. 3 They were to ask this question of the prophets and of the priests at the Temple of the LORD Almighty: " Should we continue to mourn and fast each summer on the anniversary of the Temple's destruction, as we have done for so many years?" 4 The LORD Almighty sent me this message: 5 " Say to all your people and your priests, ` During those seventy years of exile, when you fasted and mourned in the summer and at the festival in early autumn, was it really for me that you were fasting? 6 And even now in your holy festivals, you don't think about me but only of pleasing yourselves. 7 Isn't this the same message the LORD proclaimed through the prophets years ago when Jerusalem and the towns of Judah were bustling with people, and the Negev and the foothills of Judah were populated areas?' " 8 Then this message came to Zechariah from the LORD: 9 " This is what the LORD Almighty says: Judge fairly and honestly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. 10 Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and poor people. And do not make evil plans to harm each other. 11 " Your ancestors would not listen to this message. They turned stubbornly away and put their fingers in their ears to keep from hearing. 12 They made their hearts as hard as stone, so they could not hear the law or the messages that the LORD Almighty had sent them by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. That is why the LORD Almighty was so angry with them.13 " Since they refused to listen when I called to them, I would not listen when they called to me, says the LORD Almighty. 14 I scattered them as with a whirlwind among the distant nations, where they lived as strangers. Their land became so desolate that no one even traveled through it. The land that had been so pleasant became a desert."
REVELATION 15:1-8
Then I [John] saw in heaven another significant event, and it was great and marvelous. Seven angels were holding the seven last plagues, which would bring God's wrath to completion. 2 I saw before me what seemed to be a crystal sea mixed with fire. And on it stood all the people who had been victorious over the beast and his statue and the number representing his name. They were all holding harps that God had given them. 3 And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb: " Great and marvelous are your actions,
Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
O King of the nations.
4 Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come and worship before you,
for your righteous deeds have been revealed."
5 Then I looked and saw that the Temple in heaven, God's Tabernacle, was thrown wide open! 6 The seven angels who were holding the bowls of the seven plagues came from the Temple, clothed in spotless white linen with gold belts across their chests. 7 And one of the four living beings handed each of the seven angels a gold bowl filled with the terrible wrath of God, who lives forever and forever. 8 The Temple was filled with smoke from God's glory and power. No one could enter the Temple until the seven angels had completed pouring out the seven plagues.
PSALM 143:1-12
A psalm of David.
1 Hear my prayer, O LORD;
listen to my plea!
Answer me because you are faithful and righteous.
2 Don't bring your servant to trial!
Compared to you, no one is perfect.
3 My enemy has chased me.
He has knocked me to the ground.
He forces me to live in darkness like those in the grave.
4 I am losing all hope;
I am paralyzed with fear.
5 I remember the days of old.
I ponder all your great works.
I think about what you have done.
6 I reach out for you.
I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain.
Interlude7 Come quickly, LORD, and answer me,
for my depression deepens.
Don't turn away from me,
or I will die.
8 Let me hear of your unfailing love to me in the morning,
for I am trusting you.
Show me where to walk,
for I have come to you in prayer.
9 Save me from my enemies, LORD;
I run to you to hide me.
10 Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God.
May your gracious Spirit lead me forward
on a firm footing.
11 For the glory of your name, O LORD, save me.
In your righteousness, bring me out of this distress.
12 In your unfailing love, cut off all my enemies
and destroy all my foes,
for I am your servant.
PROVERBS 30:24-28
There are four things on earth that are small but unusually wise: Ants--they aren't strong, but they store up food for the winter. Rock badgers--they aren't powerful, but they make their homes among the rocky cliffs. Locusts--they have no king, but they march like an army in ranks. Lizards--they are easy to catch, but they are found even in kings' palaces.
