November 16 Reading through the Bible

 

EZEKIEL 33:1-34:31

HEBREWS 13:1-25

PSALM 115:1-18

PROVERBS 27:21-22

EZEKIEL 33:1-34:31

Once again a message came to me [Ezekiel] from the LORD: 2 " Son of man, give your people this message: When I bring an army against a country, the people of that land choose a watchman. 3 When the watchman sees the enemy coming, he blows the alarm to warn the people. 4 Then if those who hear the alarm refuse to take action--well, it is their own fault if they die. 5 They heard the warning but wouldn't listen, so the responsibility is theirs. If they had listened to the warning, they could have saved their lives. 6 But if the watchman sees the enemy coming and doesn't sound the alarm to warn the people, he is responsible for their deaths. They will die in their sins, but I will hold the watchman accountable. 7 " Now, son of man, I am making you a watchman for the people of Israel. Therefore, listen to what I say and warn them for me. 8 If I announce that some wicked people are sure to die and you fail to warn them about changing their ways, then they will die in their sins, but I will hold you responsible for their deaths. 9 But if you warn them to repent and they don't repent, they will die in their sins, but you will not be held responsible. 10 " Son of man, give the people of Israel this message: You are saying, ` Our sins are heavy upon us; we are wasting away! How can we survive?' 11 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die? 12 " Son of man, give your people this message: The good works of righteous people will not save them if they turn to sin, nor will the sins of evil people destroy them if they repent and turn from their sins. 13 When I tell righteous people that they will live, but then they sin, expecting their past righteousness to save them, then none of their good deeds will be remembered. I will destroy them for their sins. 14 And suppose I tell some wicked people that they will surely die, but then they turn from their sins and do what is just and right. 15 For instance, they might give back a borrower's pledge, return what they have stolen, and obey my life-giving laws, no longer doing what is evil. If they do this, then they will surely live and not die. 16 None of their past sins will be brought up again, for they have done what is just and right, and they will surely live. 17 " Your people are saying, ` The Lord is not just,' but it is they who are not just. 18 For again I say, when righteous people turn to evil, they will die. 19 But if wicked people turn from their wickedness and do what is just and right, they will live. 20 O people of Israel, you are saying, ` The Lord is not just.' But I will judge each of you according to your deeds." 21 On January 8, during the twelfth year of our captivity, a man who had escaped from Jerusalem came to me and said, " The city has fallen!" 22 The previous evening the LORD had taken hold of me and opened my mouth, so I would be able to speak when this man arrived the next morning. 23 Then this message came to me from the LORD: 24 " Son of man, the scattered remnants of Judah living among the ruined cities keep saying, ` Abraham was only one man, and yet he gained possession of the entire land! We are many; surely the land should be given to us as a possession.' 25 Now give these people this message from the Sovereign LORD: You eat meat with blood in it, you worship idols, and you murder the innocent. Do you really think the land should be yours? 26 Murderers! Idolaters! Adulterers! Should the land belong to you? 27 " Give them this message from the Sovereign LORD: As surely as I live, those living in the ruins will die by the sword. Those living in the open fields will be eaten by wild animals. Those hiding in the forts and caves will die of disease. 28 I will destroy the land and demolish her pride. Her arrogant power will come to an end. The mountains of Israel will be so ruined that no one will even travel through them. 29 When I have ruined the land because of their disgusting sins, then they will know that I am the LORD.30 " Son of man, your people are whispering behind your back. They talk about you in their houses and whisper about you at the doors, saying, ` Come on, let's have some fun! Let's go hear the prophet tell us what the LORD is saying!' 31 So they come pretending to be sincere and sit before you listening. But they have no intention of doing what I tell them. They express love with their mouths, but their hearts seek only after money. 32 You are very entertaining to them, like someone who sings love songs with a beautiful voice or plays fine music on an instrument. They hear what you say, but they don't do it! 33 But when all these terrible things happen to them--as they certainly will--then they will know a prophet has been among them." 34:1 THEN this message came to me from the LORD: 2 " Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds, the leaders of Israel. Give them this message from the Sovereign LORD: Destruction is certain for you shepherds who feed yourselves instead of your flocks. Shouldn't shepherds feed their sheep? 3 You drink the milk, wear the wool, and butcher the best animals, but you let your flocks starve. 4 You have not taken care of the weak. You have not tended the sick or bound up the broken bones. You have not gone looking for those who have wandered away and are lost. Instead, you have ruled them with force and cruelty. 5 So my sheep have been scattered without a shepherd. They are easy prey for any wild animal. 6 They have wandered through the mountains and hills, across the face of the earth, yet no one has gone to search for them. 7 " Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: 8 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, you abandoned my flock and left them to be attacked by every wild animal. Though you were my shepherds, you didn't search for my sheep when they were lost. You took care of yourselves and left the sheep to starve. 9 Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD. 10 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I now consider these shepherds my enemies, and I will hold them responsible for what has happened to my flock. I will take away their right to feed the flock, along with their right to feed themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths; the sheep will no longer be their prey. 11 " For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search and find my sheep. 12 I will be like a shepherd looking for his scattered flock. I will find my sheep and rescue them from all the places to which they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day. 13 I will bring them back home to their own land of Israel from among the peoples and nations. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel and by the rivers in all the places where people live. 14 Yes, I will give them good pastureland on the high hills of Israel. There they will lie down in pleasant places and feed in lush mountain pastures. 15 I myself will tend my sheep and cause them to lie down in peace, says the Sovereign LORD. 16 I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak. But I will destroy those who are fat and powerful. I will feed them, yes--feed them justice! 17 " And as for you, my flock, my people, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will judge between one sheep and another, separating the sheep from the goats. 18 Is it not enough for you to keep the best of the pastures for yourselves? Must you also trample down the rest? Is it not enough for you to take the best water for yourselves? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? 19 All that is left for my flock to eat is what you have trampled down. All they have to drink is water that you have fouled. 20 " Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will surely judge between the fat sheep and the scrawny sheep. 21 For you fat sheep push and butt and crowd my sick and hungry flock until they are scattered to distant lands. 22 So I will rescue my flock, and they will no longer be abused and destroyed. And I will judge between one sheep and another. 23 And I will set one shepherd over them, even my servant David. He will feed them and be a shepherd to them. 24 And I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David will be a prince among my people. I, the LORD, have spoken! 25 " I will make a covenant of peace with them and drive away the dangerous animals from the land. Then my people will be able to camp safely in the wildest places and sleep in the woods without fear. 26 I will cause my people and their homes around my holy hill to be a blessing. And I will send showers, showers of blessings, which will come just when they are needed. 27 The orchards and fields of my people will yield bumper crops, and everyone will live in safety. When I have broken their chains of slavery and rescued them from those who enslaved them, then they will know that I am the LORD. 28 They will no longer be prey for other nations, and wild animals will no longer attack them. They will live in safety, and no one will make them afraid. 29 " And I will give them a land famous for its crops, so my people will never again go hungry or be shamed by the scorn of foreign nations. 30 In this way, they will know that I, the LORD their God, am with them. And they will know that they, the people of Israel, are my people, says the Sovereign LORD. 31 You are my flock, the sheep of my pasture. You are my people, and I am your God, says the Sovereign LORD."

HEBREWS 13:1-25

Continue to love each other with true Christian love. 2 Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! 3 Don't forget about those in prison. Suffer with them as though you were there yourself. Share the sorrow of those being mistreated, as though you feel their pain in your own bodies. 4 Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery. 5 Stay away from the love of money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, " I will never fail you.

I will never forsake you."

6 That is why we can say with confidence, " The Lord is my helper,

so I will not be afraid.

What can mere mortals do to me?"

7 Remember your leaders who first taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and trust the Lord as they do. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 9 So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your spiritual strength comes from God's special favor, not from ceremonial rules about food, which don't help those who follow them. 10 We have an altar from which the priests in the Temple on earth have no right to eat. 11 Under the system of Jewish laws, the high priest brought the blood of animals into the Holy Place as a sacrifice for sin, but the bodies of the animals were burned outside the camp. 12 So also Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates in order to make his people holy by shedding his own blood. 13 So let us go out to him outside the camp and bear the disgrace he bore. 14 For this world is not our home; we are looking forward to our city in heaven, which is yet to come.15 With Jesus' help, let us continually offer our sacrifice of praise to God by proclaiming the glory of his name. 16 Don't forget to do good and to share what you have with those in need, for such sacrifices are very pleasing to God. 17 Obey your spiritual leaders and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they know they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this joyfully and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit. 18 Pray for us, for our conscience is clear and we want to live honorably in everything we do. 19 I especially need your prayers right now so that I can come back to you soon.20-21 And now, may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, all that is pleasing to him. Jesus is the great Shepherd of the sheep by an everlasting covenant, signed with his blood. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen. 22 I urge you, dear brothers and sisters,* please listen carefully to what I have said in this brief letter. 23 I want you to know that our brother Timothy is now out of jail. If he comes here soon, I will bring him with me to see you. 24 Give my greetings to all your leaders and to the other believers there. The Christians from Italy send you their greetings. 25 May God's grace be with you all.

PSALM 115:1-18

Not to us, O LORD, but to you goes all the glory

for your unfailing love and faithfulness.

2 Why let the nations say,

" Where is their God?"

3 For our God is in the heavens,

and he does as he wishes.

4 Their idols are merely things of silver and gold,

shaped by human hands.

5 They cannot talk, though they have mouths,

or see, though they have eyes!

6 They cannot hear with their ears,

or smell with their noses,

7 or feel with their hands,

or walk with their feet,

or utter sounds with their throats!

8 And those who make them are just like them,

as are all who trust in them.

9 O Israel, trust the LORD!

He is your helper; he is your shield.

10 O priests of Aaron, trust the LORD!

He is your helper; he is your shield.

11 All you who fear the LORD, trust the LORD!

He is your helper; he is your shield.

12 The LORD remembers us,

and he will surely bless us.

He will bless the people of Israel

and the family of Aaron, the priests.

13 He will bless those who fear the LORD,

both great and small.

14 May the LORD richly bless

both you and your children.

15 May you be blessed by the LORD,

who made heaven and earth.

16 The heavens belong to the LORD,

but he has given the earth to all humanity.

17 The dead cannot sing praises to the LORD,

for they have gone into the silence of the grave.

18 But we can praise the LORD

both now and forever!

Praise the LORD!

PROVERBS 27:21-22

Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but a person is tested by being praised. You cannot separate fools from their foolishness, even though you grind them like grain with mortar and pestle.

November 15 reading through the Bible

EZEKIEL 31:1-32:32

HEBREWS 12:14-29

PSALM 113:1-114:8

PROVERBS 27:18-20

EZEKIEL 31:1-32:32

On June 21, during the eleventh year of King Jehoiachin's captivity, this message came to me [Ezekiel] from the LORD: 2 " Son of man, give this message to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and all his people: To whom would you compare your greatness? 3 You are as Assyria was--a great and mighty nation. Assyria, too, was once like a cedar of Lebanon, full of thick branches that cast deep forest shade with its top high among the clouds. 4 Deep springs watered it and helped it to grow tall and luxuriant. The water was so abundant that there was enough for all the trees nearby. 5 This great tree towered above all the other trees around it. It prospered and grew long thick branches because of all the water at its roots. 6 The birds nested in its branches, and in its shade all the wild animals gave birth to their young. All the great nations of the world lived in its shadow. 7 It was strong and beautiful, for its roots went deep into abundant water. 8 This tree became taller than any of the other cedars in the garden of God. No cypress had branches equal to it; no plane tree had boughs to compare. No tree in the garden of God came close to it in beauty. 9 Because of the magnificence I gave this tree, it was the envy of all the other trees of Eden, the garden of God. 10 " Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because it became proud and arrogant, and because it set itself so high above the others, reaching to the clouds, 11 I handed it over to a mighty nation that destroyed it as its wickedness deserved. I myself discarded it. 12 A foreign army--the terror of the nations--cut it down and left it fallen on the ground. Its branches were scattered across the mountains and valleys and ravines of the land. All those who lived beneath its shadow went away and left it lying there. 13 The birds roosted on its fallen trunk, and the wild animals lay among its branches. 14 Let no other nation proudly exult in its own prosperity, though it be higher than the clouds, for all are doomed. They will land in the pit along with all the proud people of the world. 15 " This is what the Sovereign LORD says: When Assyria went down into the grave, I made the deep places mourn, and I restrained the mighty waters. I clothed Lebanon in black and caused the trees of the field to wilt. 16 I made the nations shake with fear at the sound of its fall, for I sent it down to the grave with all the others like it. And all the other proud trees of Eden, the most beautiful and the best of Lebanon, the ones whose roots went deep into the water, were relieved to find it there with them in the pit. 17 Its allies, too, were all destroyed and had passed away. They had gone down to the grave--all those nations that had lived in its shade. 18 " O Egypt, to which of the trees of Eden will you compare your strength and glory? You, too, will be brought down to the pit with all these other nations. You will lie there among the outcasts who have died by the sword. This will be the fate of Pharaoh and all his teeming hordes. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!"32:1 ON March 3, during the twelfth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity, this message came to me from the LORD: 2 " Son of man, mourn for Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and give him this message: You think of yourself as a strong young lion among the nations, but you are really just a sea monster, heaving around in your own rivers, stirring up mud with your feet. 3 " Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will send many people to catch you in my net and haul you out of the water. 4 I will leave you stranded on the land to die. All the birds of the heavens will land on you, and the wild animals of the whole earth will gorge themselves on you. 5 I will cover the hills with your flesh and fill the valleys with your bones. 6 I will drench the earth with your gushing blood all the way to the mountains, filling the ravines to the brim. 7 When I blot you out, I will veil the heavens and darken the stars. I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not give you its light. 8 Yes, I will bring darkness everywhere across your land. Even the brightest stars will become dark above you. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken! 9 " And when I bring your shattered remains to distant nations that you have never seen, I will disturb many hearts. 10 Yes, I will bring terror to many lands, and their kings will be terrified because of all I do to you. They will shudder in fear for their lives as I brandish my sword before them on the day of your fall. 11 " For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: The sword of the king of Babylon will come against you. 12 I will destroy you with the swords of mighty warriors--the terror of the nations. They will shatter the pride of Egypt, and all its hordes will be destroyed. 13 I will destroy all your flocks and herds that graze beside the streams. Never again will people or animals disturb those waters with their feet. 14 Then I will let the waters of Egypt become calm again, and they will flow as smoothly as olive oil, says the Sovereign LORD. 15 And when I destroy Egypt and wipe out everything you have and strike down all your people, then you will know that I am the LORD. 16 Yes, this is the funeral song they will sing for Egypt. Let all the nations mourn for Egypt and its hordes. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!" 17 On March 17, during the twelfth year, another message came to me from the LORD: 18 " Son of man, weep for the hordes of Egypt and for the other mighty nations. For I will send them down to the world below in company with those who descend to the pit. 19 Say to them, ` O Egypt, are you lovelier than the other nations? No! So go down to the pit and lie there among the outcasts.' 20 The Egyptians will fall with the many who have died by the sword, for the sword is drawn against them. Egypt will be dragged away to its judgment. 21 Down in the grave mighty leaders will mockingly welcome Egypt and its allies, saying, ` They have come down; they lie among the outcasts, all victims of the sword.' 22 " Assyria lies there surrounded by the graves of all its people, those who were slaughtered by the sword. 23 Their graves are in the depths of the pit, and they are surrounded by their allies. These mighty men who once struck terror in the hearts of people everywhere are now dead at the hands of their enemies. 24 " Elam lies there buried with its hordes who descended as outcasts to the world below. They terrorized the nations while they lived, but now they lie in the pit and share the humiliation of those who have gone to the world of the dead. 25 They have a resting place among the slaughtered, surrounded by the graves of all their people. Yes, they terrorized the nations while they lived, but now they lie in shame in the pit, all of them outcasts, slaughtered by the sword. 26 " Meshech and Tubal are there, surrounded by the graves of all their hordes. They once struck terror into the hearts of all people. But now they are outcasts, all victims of the sword. 27 They are not buried in honor like the fallen heroes of the outcasts, who went down to the grave with their weapons--their shields covering their bodies, and their swords beneath their heads. They brought terror to everyone while they were still alive. 28 " You too, Egypt, will lie crushed and broken among the outcasts, all victims of the sword.29 " Edom is there with its kings and princes. Mighty as they were, they also lie among those killed by the sword, with the outcasts who have gone down to the pit. 30 All the princes of the north and the Sidonians are there, all victims of the sword. Once a terror, they now lie there in shame. They lie there as outcasts with all the other dead who have descended to the pit. 31 " When Pharaoh arrives, he will be relieved to find that he is not alone in having his entire army killed, says the Sovereign LORD. 32 For I have caused my terror to fall upon all the living. And Pharaoh and his hordes will lie there among the outcasts who have died by the sword. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!"

HEBREWS 12:14-29

Try to live in peace with everyone, and seek to live a clean and holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. 15 Look after each other so that none of you will miss out on the special favor of God. Watch out that no bitter root of unbelief rises up among you, for whenever it springs up, many are corrupted by its poison. 16 Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau. He traded his birthright as the oldest son for a single meal. 17 And afterward, when he wanted his father's blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he wept bitter tears. 18 You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai when God gave them his laws. 19 For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice with a message so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking. 20 They staggered back under God's command: " If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death." 21 Moses himself was so frightened at the sight that he said, " I am terrified and trembling." 22 No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to thousands of angels in joyful assembly. 23 You have come to the assembly of God's firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge of all people. And you have come to the spirits of the redeemed in heaven who have now been made perfect. 24 You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which graciously forgives instead of crying out for vengeance as the blood of Abel did. 25 See to it that you obey God, the one who is speaking to you. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, how terrible our danger if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! 26 When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: " Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also." 27 This means that the things on earth will be shaken, so that only eternal things will be left. 28 Since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be destroyed, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. 29 For our God is a consuming fire.

PSALM 113:1-114:8

Praise the LORD!

Yes, give praise, O servants of the LORD.

Praise the name of the LORD!

2 Blessed be the name of the LORD

forever and ever.

3 Everywhere--from east to west--

praise the name of the LORD.

4 For the LORD is high above the nations;

his glory is far greater than the heavens.

5 Who can be compared with the LORD our God,

who is enthroned on high?

6 Far below him are the heavens and the earth.

He stoops to look,

7 and he lifts the poor from the dirt

and the needy from the garbage dump.

8 He sets them among princes,

even the princes of his own people!

9 He gives the barren woman a home,

so that she becomes a happy mother.

Praise the LORD!

114:1 WHEN the Israelites escaped from Egypt--

when the family of Jacob left that foreign land--

2 the land of Judah became God's sanctuary,

and Israel became his kingdom.

3 The Red Sea saw them coming and hurried out of their way!

The water of the Jordan River turned away.

4 The mountains skipped like rams,

the little hills like lambs!

5 What's wrong, Red Sea, that made you hurry out of their way?

What happened, Jordan River, that you turned away?

6 Why, mountains, did you skip like rams?

Why, little hills, like lambs?

7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,

at the presence of the God of Israel.

8 He turned the rock into pools of water;

yes, springs of water came from solid rock.

PROVERBS 27:18-20

Workers who tend a fig tree are allowed to eat its fruit. In the same way, workers who protect their employer's interests will be rewarded. As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the person. Just as Death and Destruction are never satisfied, so human desire is never satisfied.

November 14 Reading through the Bible

 

EZEKIEL 29:1-30:26

HEBREWS 11:32-12:13

PSALM 112:1-10

PROVERBS 27:17

EZEKIEL 29:1-30:26

On January 7, during the tenth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity, this message came to me [Ezekiel] from the LORD: 2 " Son of man, turn toward Egypt and prophesy against Pharaoh the king and all the people of Egypt. 3 Give them this message from the Sovereign LORD: I am your enemy, O Pharaoh, king of Egypt--you great monster, lurking in the streams of the Nile. For you have said, ` The Nile River is mine; I made it for myself!' 4 I will put hooks in your jaws and drag you out on the land with fish sticking to your scales. 5 I will leave you and all your fish stranded in the desert to die. You will lie unburied on the open ground, for I have given you as food to the wild animals and birds. 6 " All the people of Egypt will discover that I am the LORD, for you collapsed like a reed when Israel looked to you for help. 7 Israel leaned on you, but like a cracked staff, you splintered and stabbed her in the armpit. When she put her weight on you, you gave way, and her back was thrown out of joint. 8 So now the Sovereign LORD says: I will bring an army against you, O Egypt, and destroy both people and animals. 9 The land of Egypt will become a desolate wasteland, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD. " Because you said, ` The Nile River is mine; I made it,' 10 I am now the enemy of both you and your river. I will utterly destroy the land of Egypt, from Migdol to Aswan, as far south as the border of Ethiopia. 11 For forty years not a soul will pass that way, neither people nor animals. It will be completely uninhabited. 12 I will make Egypt desolate, and it will be surrounded by other desolate nations. Its cities will be empty and desolate for forty years, surrounded by other desolate cities. I will scatter the Egyptians to distant lands. 13 " But the Sovereign LORD also says: At the end of the forty years I will bring the Egyptians home again from the nations to which they have been scattered. 14 I will restore the prosperity of Egypt and bring its people back to the land of Pathros in southern Egypt from which they came. But Egypt will remain an unimportant, minor kingdom. 15 It will be the lowliest of all the nations, never again great enough to rise above its neighbors. 16 " Then Israel will no longer be tempted to trust in Egypt for help. Egypt's shattered condition will remind Israel of how sinful she was to trust Egypt in earlier days. Then Israel will know that I alone am the Sovereign LORD."17 On April 26, during the twenty-seventh year of King Jehoiachin's captivity, this message came to me from the LORD: 18 " Son of man, the army of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon fought so hard against Tyre that the warriors' heads were rubbed bare and their shoulders were raw and blistered. Yet Nebuchadnezzar and his army won no plunder to compensate them for all their work. 19 Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. He will carry off their wealth, plundering everything they have to pay his army. 20 Yes, I have given him the land of Egypt as a reward for his work, says the Sovereign LORD, because he was working for me when he destroyed Tyre. 21 " And the day will come when I will cause the ancient glory of Israel to revive, and then at last your words will be respected. Then they will know that I am the LORD."30:1 THIS is another message that came to me from the LORD: 2 " Son of man, prophesy and give this message from the Sovereign LORD: Weep, 3 for the terrible day is almost here--the day of the LORD! It is a day of clouds and gloom, a day of despair for the nations! 4 A sword will come against Egypt, and those who are slaughtered will cover the ground. Their wealth will be carried away and their foundations destroyed. The land of Ethiopia will be ravished. 5 Ethiopia, Libya, Lydia, and Arabia, with all their other allies, will be destroyed in that war. 6 " For this is what the LORD says: All of Egypt's allies will fall, and the pride of their power will end. From Migdol to Aswan they will be slaughtered by the sword, says the Sovereign LORD. 7 Egypt will be desolate, surrounded by desolate nations, and its cities will be in ruins, surrounded by other ruined cities. 8 And the people of Egypt will know that I am the LORD when I have set Egypt on fire and destroyed all their allies. 9 At that time I will send swift messengers in ships to terrify the complacent Ethiopians. Great panic will come upon them on that day of Egypt's certain destruction. 10 " For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Through King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, I will destroy the hordes of Egypt. 11 He and his armies--ruthless among the nations--have been sent to demolish the land. They will make war against Egypt until slaughtered Egyptians cover the ground. 12 I will dry up the Nile River and hand the land over to wicked men. I will destroy the land of Egypt and everything in it, using foreigners to do it. I, the LORD, have spoken!13 " This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will smash the idols of Egypt and the images at Memphis. There will be no rulers left in Egypt; anarchy will prevail throughout the land! 14 I will destroy Pathros, Zoan, and Thebes, and they will lie in ruins, burned up by my anger. 15 I will pour out my fury on Pelusium, the strongest fortress of Egypt, and I will stamp out the people of Thebes. 16 Yes, I will set fire to all Egypt! Pelusium will be racked with pain; Thebes will be torn apart; Memphis will live in constant terror. 17 The young men of Heliopolis and Bubastis will die in battle, and the women will be taken away as slaves. 18 When I come to break the proud strength of Egypt, it will be a dark day for Tahpanhes, too. A dark cloud will cover Tahpanhes, and its daughters will be led away as captives. 19 And so I will greatly punish Egypt, and they will know that I am the LORD." 20 On April 29, during the eleventh year of King Jehoiachin's captivity, this message came to me from the LORD: 21 " Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. His arm has not been put in a cast so that it may heal. Neither has it been bound up with a splint to make it strong enough to hold a sword. 22 Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am the enemy of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt! I will break both of his arms--the good arm along with the broken one--and I will make his sword clatter to the ground. 23 I will scatter the Egyptians to many lands throughout the world. 24 I will strengthen the arms of Babylon's king and put my sword in his hand. But I will break the arms of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he will lie there mortally wounded, groaning in pain. 25 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, while the arms of Pharaoh fall useless to his sides. And when I put my sword in the hand of Babylon's king and he brings it against the land of Egypt, Egypt will know that I am the LORD. 26 I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD."

HEBREWS 11:32-12:13

Well, how much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. 33 By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. 35 Women received their loved ones back again from death. But others trusted God and were tortured, preferring to die rather than turn from God and be free. They placed their hope in the resurrection to a better life. 36 Some were mocked, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in dungeons. 37 Some died by stoning, and some were sawed in half; others were killed with the sword. Some went about in skins of sheep and goats, hungry and oppressed and mistreated. 38 They were too good for this world. They wandered over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground. 39 All of these people we have mentioned received God's approval because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. 40 For God had far better things in mind for us that would also benefit them, for they can't receive the prize at the end of the race until we finish the race.12:1 THEREFORE, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward. Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God's throne in heaven. 3 Think about all he endured when sinful people did such terrible things to him, so that you don't become weary and give up. 4 After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin. 5 And have you entirely forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you, his children? He said, " My child, don't ignore it when the Lord disciplines you,

and don't be discouraged when he corrects you.

6 For the Lord disciplines those he loves,

and he punishes those he accepts as his children."

7 As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Whoever heard of a child who was never disciplined? 8 If God doesn't discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children after all. 9 Since we respect our earthly fathers who disciplined us, should we not all the more cheerfully submit to the discipline of our heavenly Father and live forever? 10 For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God's discipline is always right and good for us because it means we will share in his holiness. 11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening--it is painful! But afterward there will be a quiet harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. 12 So take a new grip with your tired hands and stand firm on your shaky legs. 13 Mark out a straight path for your feet. Then those who follow you, though they are weak and lame, will not stumble and fall but will become strong.

PSALM 112:1-10

Praise the LORD!

Happy are those who fear the LORD.

Yes, happy are those who delight in doing what he commands.

2 Their children will be successful everywhere;

an entire generation of godly people will be blessed.

3 They themselves will be wealthy,

and their good deeds will never be forgotten.

4 When darkness overtakes the godly, light will come bursting in.

They are generous, compassionate, and righteous.

5 All goes well for those who are generous,

who lend freely and conduct their business fairly.

6 Such people will not be overcome by evil circumstances.

Those who are righteous will be long remembered.

7 They do not fear bad news;

they confidently trust the LORD to care for them.

8 They are confident and fearless

and can face their foes triumphantly.

9 They give generously to those in need.

Their good deeds will never be forgotten.

They will have influence and honor.

10 The wicked will be infuriated when they see this.

They will grind their teeth in anger;

they will slink away, their hopes thwarted.

PROVERBS 27:17

As iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend.

November 13 Reading through the Bible

 

EZEKIEL 27:1-28:26

HEBREWS 11:17-31

PSALM 111:1-10

PROVERBS 27:15-16

EZEKIEL 27:1-28:26

Then this message came to me [Ezekiel] from the LORD: 2 " Son of man, sing a funeral song for Tyre, 3 that mighty gateway to the sea, the trading center of the world. Give Tyre this message from the Sovereign LORD: You claimed, O Tyre, to be perfect in beauty. 4 You extended your boundaries into the sea. Your builders made you glorious! 5 You were like a great ship built of the finest cypress from Senir. They took a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you. 6 They carved oars for you from the oaks of Bashan. They made your deck of pine wood, brought from the southern coasts of Cyprus. Then they inlaid it with ivory. 7 Your sails were made of Egypt's finest linen, and they flew as a banner above you. You stood beneath blue and purple awnings made bright with dyes from the coasts of Elishah. 8 " Your oarsmen came from Sidon and Arvad; your helmsmen were skilled men from Tyre itself. 9 Wise old craftsmen from Gebal did all the caulking. Ships came with goods from every land to barter for your trade. 10 Men from distant Persia, Lydia, and Libya served in your great army. They hung their shields and helmets on your walls, giving you great honor. 11 Men from Arvad and from Helech stood on your walls as sentinels. Your towers were manned by men from Gammad. Their shields hung on your walls, perfecting your splendor. 12 " Tarshish was your agent, trading your wares in exchange for silver, iron, tin, and lead. 13 Merchants from Greece, Tubal, and Meshech brought slaves and bronze dishes. 14 From Togarmah came riding horses, chariot horses, and mules. All these things were exchanged for your manufactured goods. 15 Merchants came to you from Dedan. Numerous coastlands were your captive markets; they brought payment in ivory tusks and ebony wood. 16 " Aram sent merchants to buy your wares. They traded turquoise, purple dyes, embroidery, fine linen, and jewelry of coral and rubies. 17 Judah and Israel traded for your wares, offering wheat from Minnith, early figs, honey, oil, and balm. 18 Damascus traded for your rich variety of goods, bringing wine from Helbon and white wool from Zahar. 19 Greeks from Uzal came to trade for your merchandise. Wrought iron, cassia, and calamus were bartered for your wares. 20 Dedan traded their expensive saddle blankets with you. 21 " The Arabians and the princes of Kedar brought lambs and rams and goats in trade for your goods. 22 The merchants of Sheba and Raamah came with all kinds of spices, jewels, and gold in exchange for your wares. 23 Haran, Canneh, Eden, Sheba, Asshur, and Kilmad came with their merchandise, too. 24 They brought choice fabrics to trade--blue cloth, embroidery, and many-colored carpets bound with cords and made secure. 25 The ships of Tarshish were your ocean caravans. Your island warehouse was filled to the brim! 26 " But look! Your oarsmen are rowing your ship of state into a hurricane! Your mighty vessel flounders in the heavy eastern gale. You are shipwrecked in the heart of the sea! 27 Everything is lost--your riches and wares, your sailors and helmsmen, your ship builders, merchants, and warriors. On that day of vast ruin, everyone on board sinks into the depths of the sea. 28 " Your cities by the sea tremble as your helmsmen cry out in terror. 29 All the oarsmen abandon their ships; the sailors and helmsmen come to stand on the shore. 30 They weep bitterly as they throw dust on their heads and roll in ashes. 31 They shave their heads in grief because of you and dress themselves in sackcloth. They weep for you with bitter anguish and deep mourning. 32 As they wail and mourn, they sing this sad funeral song: ` Was there ever such a city as Tyre,

now silent at the bottom of the sea?

33 The merchandise you traded

satisfied the needs of many nations.

Kings at the ends of the earth

were enriched by your trade.

34 Now you are a wrecked ship,

broken at the bottom of the sea.

All your merchandise and your crew

have passed away with you.

35 All who live along the coastlands

are appalled at your terrible fate.

Their kings are filled with horror

and look on with twisted faces.

36 The merchants of the nations

shake their heads at the sight of you,

for you have come to a horrible end

and will be no more.' "

28:1 THEN this message came to me from the LORD: 2 " Son of man, give the prince of Tyre this message from the Sovereign LORD: In your great pride you claim, ` I am a god! I sit on a divine throne in the heart of the sea.' But you are only a man and not a god, though you boast that you are like a god. 3 You regard yourself as wiser than Daniel and think no secret is hidden from you. 4 With your wisdom and understanding you have amassed great wealth--gold and silver for your treasuries. 5 Yes, your wisdom has made you very rich, and your riches have made you very proud. 6 " Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because you think you are as wise as a god, 7 I will bring against you an enemy army, the terror of the nations. They will suddenly draw their swords against your marvelous wisdom and defile your splendor! 8 They will bring you down to the pit, and you will die there on your island home in the heart of the sea, pierced with many wounds. 9 Will you then boast, ` I am a god!' to those who kill you? To them you will be no god but merely a man! 10 You will die like an outcast at the hands of foreigners. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!" 11 Then this further message came to me from the LORD: 12 " Son of man, weep for the king of Tyre. Give him this message from the Sovereign LORD: You were the perfection of wisdom and beauty. 13 You were in Eden, the garden of God. Your clothing was adorned with every precious stone--red carnelian, chrysolite, white moonstone, beryl, onyx, jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald--all beautifully crafted for you and set in the finest gold. They were given to you on the day you were created. 14 I ordained and anointed you as the mighty angelic guardian. You had access to the holy mountain of God and walked among the stones of fire. 15 " You were blameless in all you did from the day you were created until the day evil was found in you. 16 Your great wealth filled you with violence, and you sinned. So I banished you from the mountain of God. I expelled you, O mighty guardian, from your place among the stones of fire. 17 Your heart was filled with pride because of all your beauty. You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth and exposed you to the curious gaze of kings. 18 You defiled your sanctuaries with your many sins and your dishonest trade. So I brought fire from within you, and it consumed you. I let it burn you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching. 19 All who knew you are appalled at your fate. You have come to a terrible end, and you are no more." 20 Then another message came to me from the LORD: 21 " Son of man, look toward the city of Sidon and prophesy against it. 22 Give the people of Sidon this message from the Sovereign LORD: I am your enemy, O Sidon, and I will reveal my glory by what happens to you. When I bring judgment against you and reveal my holiness among you, everyone watching will know that I am the LORD. 23 I will send a plague against you, and blood will be spilled in your streets. The attack will come from every direction, and your people will lie slaughtered within your walls. Then everyone will know that I am the LORD. 24 No longer will Israel's scornful neighbors prick and tear at her like thorns and briers. For then they will know that I am the Sovereign LORD.25 " This is what the Sovereign LORD says: The people of Israel will again live in their own land, the land I gave my servant Jacob. For I will gather them from the distant lands where I have scattered them. I will reveal to the nations of the world my holiness among my people. 26 They will live safely in Israel and build their homes and plant their vineyards. And when I punish the neighboring nations that treated them with contempt, they will know that I am the LORD their God."

HEBREWS 11:17-31

It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God's promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, 18 though God had promised him, " Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted." 19 Abraham assumed that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead. 20 It was by faith that Isaac blessed his two sons, Jacob and Esau. He had confidence in what God was going to do in the future. 21 It was by faith that Jacob, when he was old and dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons and bowed in worship as he leaned on his staff. 22 And it was by faith that Joseph, when he was about to die, confidently spoke of God's bringing the people of Israel out of Egypt. He was so sure of it that he commanded them to carry his bones with them when they left! 23 It was by faith that Moses' parents hid him for three months. They saw that God had given them an unusual child, and they were not afraid of what the king might do.24 It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be treated as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. 25 He chose to share the oppression of God's people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of the Messiah than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to the great reward that God would give him. 27 It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt. He was not afraid of the king. Moses kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible. 28 It was by faith that Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep the Passover and to sprinkle blood on the doorposts so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn sons. 29 It was by faith that the people of Israel went right through the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground. But when the Egyptians followed, they were all drowned. 30 It was by faith that the people of Israel marched around Jericho seven days, and the walls came crashing down. 31 It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute did not die with all the others in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

PSALM 111:1-10

Praise the LORD!

I will thank the LORD with all my heart

as I meet with his godly people.

2 How amazing are the deeds of the LORD!

All who delight in him should ponder them.

3 Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty.

His righteousness never fails.

4 Who can forget the wonders he performs?

How gracious and merciful is our LORD!

5 He gives food to those who trust him;

he always remembers his covenant.

6 He has shown his great power to his people

by giving them the lands of other nations.

7 All he does is just and good,

and all his commandments are trustworthy.

8 They are forever true,

to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity.

9 He has paid a full ransom for his people.

He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever.

What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has!

10 Reverence for the LORD is the foundation of true wisdom.

The rewards of wisdom come to all who obey him.

Praise his name forever!

PROVERBS 27:15-16

A nagging wife is as annoying as the constant dripping on a rainy day. Trying to stop her complaints is like trying to stop the wind or hold something with greased hands.

November 12 Reading through the Bible

 EZEKIEL 24:1-26:21

HEBREWS 11:1-16

PSALM 110:1-7

PROVERBS 27:14

EZEKIEL 24:1-26:21

On January 15, during the ninth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity, this message came to me [Ezekiel] from the LORD: 2 " Son of man, write down today's date, because on this very day the king of Babylon is beginning his attack against Jerusalem. 3 Then show these rebels an illustration; give them a message from the Sovereign LORD. Put a pot of water on the fire to boil. 4 Fill it with choice meat--the rump and the shoulder and all the most tender cuts. 5 Use only the best sheep from the flock and heap fuel on the fire beneath the pot. Bring the pot to a boil, and cook the bones along with the meat. 6 " Now this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Destruction is certain for Jerusalem, the city of murderers! She is a pot filled with corruption. So take the meat out chunk by chunk in whatever order it comes, 7 for her wickedness is evident to all. She murders boldly, leaving blood on the rocks for all to see. She doesn't even try to cover it! 8 So I will splash her blood on a rock as an open expression of my anger and vengeance against her. 9 " This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Destruction is certain for Jerusalem, the city of murderers! I myself will pile up the fuel beneath her. 10 Yes, heap on the wood! Let the fire roar to make the pot boil. Cook the meat well with many spices. Then empty the pot and burn the bones. 11 Now set the empty pot on the coals to scorch away the filth and corruption. 12 But it's hopeless; the corruption remains. So throw it into the fire! 13 It is the filth and corruption of your lewdness and idolatry. And now, because I tried to cleanse you but you refused, you will remain filthy until my fury against you has been satisfied. 14 I, the LORD, have spoken! The time has come and I won't hold back; I will not change my mind. You will be judged on the basis of all your wicked actions, says the Sovereign LORD." 15 Then this message came to me from the LORD: 16 " Son of man, I am going to take away your dearest treasure. Suddenly she will die. Yet you must not show any sorrow. Do not weep; let there be no tears. 17 You may sigh but only quietly. Let there be no wailing at her grave. Do not uncover your head or take off your sandals. Do not perform the rituals of mourning or accept any food brought to you by consoling friends." 18 So I proclaimed this to the people the next morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did everything I had been told to do. 19 Then the people asked, " What does all this mean? What are you trying to tell us?"20 So I said to them, " A message came to me from the LORD, 21 and I was told to give this message to the people of Israel. This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will desecrate my Temple, the source of your security and pride. Your sons and daughters in Judea will be slaughtered by the sword. 22 Then you will do as Ezekiel has done. You will not mourn in public or console yourselves by eating the food brought to you by sympathetic friends. 23 Your heads must remain covered, and your sandals must not be taken off. You will not mourn or weep, but you will waste away because of your sins. You will mourn privately for all the evil you have done. 24 Ezekiel is an example for you to follow; you will do as he has done. And when that time comes, you will know that I am the LORD." 25 Then the LORD said to me, " Son of man, on the day I take away their stronghold--their joy and glory, their heart's desire, their dearest treasure--I will also take away their sons and daughters. 26 And on that day a refugee from Jerusalem will come to you in Babylon and tell you what has happened. 27 And when he arrives, your voice will suddenly return so you can talk to him, and you will be a symbol for these people. Then they will know that I am the LORD."25:1 THEN this message came to me from the LORD: 2 " Son of man, look toward the land of Ammon and prophesy against its people. 3 Give the Ammonites this message from the Sovereign LORD: Hear the word of the Sovereign LORD! Because you scoffed when my Temple was desecrated, mocked Israel in her desolation, and laughed at Judah as she went away into exile, 4 I will allow nomads from the eastern deserts to overrun your country. They will set up their camps among you and pitch their tents on your land. They will harvest all your fruit and steal your livestock. 5 And I will turn the city of Rabbah into a pasture for camels, and all the land of the Ammonites into an enclosure for sheep. Then you will know that I am the LORD. 6 " And the Sovereign LORD says: Because you clapped and stamped and cheered with glee at the destruction of my people, 7 I will lift up my fist against you. I will give you as plunder to many nations. I will cut you off from being a nation and destroy you completely. Then you will know that I am the LORD.8 " And the Sovereign LORD says: Because the people of Moab have said that Judah is just like all the other nations, 9 I will open up their eastern flank and wipe out their glorious frontier cities--Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon, and Kiriathaim. 10 And I will hand Moab over to nomads from the eastern deserts, just as I handed over Ammon. Yes, the Ammonites will no longer be counted among the nations. 11 And in the same way, I will bring my judgment down on the Moabites. Then they will know that I am the LORD. 12 " And the Sovereign LORD says: The people of Edom have sinned greatly by avenging themselves against the people of Judah. 13 Therefore, says the Sovereign LORD, I will raise my fist of judgment against Edom. I will wipe out their people, cattle, and flocks with the sword. I will make a wasteland of everything from Teman to Dedan. 14 By the hand of my people of Israel, I will accomplish this. They will carry out my furious vengeance, and Edom will know it is from me. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken! 15 " And the Sovereign LORD says: The people of Philistia have acted against Judah out of revenge and long-standing contempt. 16 Therefore, says the Sovereign LORD, I will raise my fist of judgment against the land of the Philistines. I will wipe out the Kerethites and utterly destroy the people who live by the sea. 17 I will execute terrible vengeance against them to rebuke them for what they have done. And when I have inflicted my revenge, then they will know that I am the LORD."26:1 ON February 3, during the twelfth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity, this message came to me from the LORD: 2 " Son of man, Tyre has rejoiced over the fall of Jerusalem, saying, ` Ha! She who controlled the rich trade routes to the east has been broken, and I am the heir! Because she has been destroyed, I will become wealthy!' 3 " Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am your enemy, O Tyre, and I will bring many nations against you, like the waves of the sea crashing against your shoreline. 4 They will destroy the walls of Tyre and tear down its towers. I will scrape away its soil and make it a bare rock! 5 The island of Tyre will become uninhabited. It will be a place for fishermen to spread their nets, for I have spoken, says the Sovereign LORD. Tyre will become the prey of many nations, 6 and its mainland villages will be destroyed by the sword. Then they will know that I am the LORD. 7 " For the Sovereign LORD says: I will bring King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon--the king of kings from the north--against Tyre with his cavalry, chariots, and great army. 8 First he will destroy your mainland villages. Then he will attack you by building a siege wall, constructing a ramp, and raising a roof of shields against you. 9 He will pound your walls with battering rams and demolish your towers with sledgehammers. 10 The hooves of his cavalry will choke the city with dust, and your walls will shake as the horses gallop through your broken gates, pulling chariots behind them. 11 His horsemen will trample every street in the city. They will butcher your people, and your famous pillars will topple. 12 " They will plunder all your riches and merchandise and break down your walls. They will destroy your lovely homes and dump your stones and timbers and even your dust into the sea. 13 I will stop the music of your songs. No more will the sound of harps be heard among your people. 14 I will make your island a bare rock, a place for fishermen to spread their nets. You will never be rebuilt, for I, the LORD, have spoken! This is the word of the Sovereign LORD. 15 " This is what the Sovereign LORD says to Tyre: The whole coastline will tremble at the sound of your fall, as the screams of the wounded echo in the continuing slaughter. 16 All the seaport rulers will step down from their thrones and take off their royal robes and beautiful clothing. They will sit on the ground trembling with horror at what they have seen. 17 Then they will wail for you, singing this funeral song: ` O famous island city,

once ruler of the sea,

how you have been destroyed!

Your people, with their naval power,

once spread fear around the world.

18 Now the coastlands tremble at your fall.

The islands are dismayed as you pass away.'

19 " For the Sovereign LORD says: I will make Tyre an uninhabited ruin. You will sink beneath the terrible waves of enemy attack. Great seas will swallow you. 20 I will send you to the pit to lie there with those who descended there long ago. Your city will lie in ruins, buried beneath the earth, like those in the pit who have entered the world of the dead. Never again will you be given a position of respect here in the land of the living. 21 I will bring you to a terrible end, and you will be no more. You will be looked for, but you will never be found. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!"

HEBREWS 11:1-16

What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see. 2 God gave his approval to people in days of old because of their faith. 3 By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen. 4 It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. God accepted Abel's offering to show that he was a righteous man. And although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us because of his faith. 5 It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying--" suddenly he disappeared because God took him." But before he was taken up, he was approved as pleasing to God. 6 So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. 7 It was by faith that Noah built an ark to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about something that had never happened before. By his faith he condemned the rest of the world and was made right in God's sight. 8 It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. 9 And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith--for he was like a foreigner, living in a tent. And so did Isaac and Jacob, to whom God gave the same promise. 10 Abraham did this because he was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God. 11 It was by faith that Sarah together with Abraham was able to have a child, even though they were too old and Sarah was barren. Abraham believed that God would keep his promise. 12 And so a whole nation came from this one man, Abraham, who was too old to have any children--a nation with so many people that, like the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them. 13 All these faithful ones died without receiving what God had promised them, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed the promises of God. They agreed that they were no more than foreigners and nomads here on earth. 14 And obviously people who talk like that are looking forward to a country they can call their own. 15 If they had meant the country they came from, they would have found a way to go back. 16 But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a heavenly city for them.

PSALM 110:1-7

A psalm of David.

1 The LORD said to my Lord,

" Sit in honor at my right hand

until I humble your enemies,

making them a footstool under your feet."

2 The LORD will extend your powerful dominion from Jerusalem;

you will rule over your enemies.

3 In that day of battle,

your people will serve you willingly.

Arrayed in holy garments,

your vigor will be renewed each day like the morning dew.

4 The LORD has taken an oath and will not break his vow:

" You are a priest forever in the line of Melchizedek."

5 The Lord stands at your right hand to protect you.

He will strike down many kings in the day of his anger.

6 He will punish the nations

and fill them with their dead;

he will shatter heads

over the whole earth.

7 But he himself will be refreshed from brooks along the way.

He will be victorious.

PROVERBS 27:14

If you shout a pleasant greeting to your neighbor too early in the morning, it will be counted as a curse!

November 11 Reading through the Bible

EZEKIEL 23:1-49

HEBREWS 10:18-39

PSALM 109:1-31

PROVERBS 27:13

EZEKIEL 23:1-49

This message came to me [Ezekiel] from the LORD: 2 " Son of man, once there were two sisters who were daughters of the same mother. 3 They became prostitutes in Egypt. Even as young girls, they allowed themselves to be fondled and caressed. 4 The older girl was named Oholah, and her sister was Oholibah. I married them, and they bore me sons and daughters. I am speaking of Samaria and Jerusalem, for Oholah is Samaria and Oholibah is Jerusalem. 5 " Then Oholah lusted after other lovers instead of me, and she gave her love to the Assyrians, her neighbors. 6 They were all attractive young men, captains and commanders dressed in handsome blue, dashing about on their horses. 7 And so she prostituted herself with the most desirable men of Assyria, worshiping their idols and defiling herself. 8 For when she left Egypt, she did not leave her spirit of prostitution behind. She was still as lewd as in her youth, when the Egyptians satisfied their lusts with her and robbed her of her virginity. 9 And so I handed her over to her Assyrian lovers, whom she desired so much. 10 They stripped her and killed her and took away her children as their slaves. Her name was known to every woman in the land as a sinner who had received what she deserved. 11 " Yet even though Oholibah saw what had happened to Oholah, her sister, she followed right in her footsteps. And she was even more depraved, abandoning herself to her lust and prostitution. 12 She fawned over her Assyrian neighbors, those handsome young men on fine horses, those captains and commanders in handsome uniforms--all of them desirable. 13 I saw the way she was going, defiling herself just like her older sister. 14 " Then she carried her prostitution even further. She fell in love with pictures that were painted on a wall--pictures of Babylonian military officers, outfitted in striking red uniforms. 15 Handsome belts encircled their waists, and flowing turbans crowned their heads. They were dressed like chariot officers from the land of Babylonia. 16 When she saw these paintings, she longed to give herself to them, so she sent messengers to Babylonia to invite them to come to her. 17 So they came and committed adultery with her, defiling her in the bed of love. But later, she became disgusted with them and broke off their relationship. 18 " So I became disgusted with Oholibah, just as I was with her sister, because she flaunted herself before them and gave herself to satisfy their lusts. 19 But that didn't bother her. She turned to even greater prostitution, remembering her youth when she was a prostitute in Egypt. 20 She lusted after lovers whose attentions were gross and bestial. 21 And so, Oholibah, you celebrated your former days as a young girl in Egypt, when you first allowed yourself to be fondled and caressed. 22 " Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will send your lovers against you--those very nations from which you turned away in disgust. 23 For the Babylonians will come with all the Chaldeans from Pekod and Shoa and Koa. And all the Assyrians will come with them--handsome young captains, commanders, chariot officers, and other high-ranking officers, riding their horses. 24 They will all come against you from the north with chariots, wagons, and a great army fully prepared for attack. They will take up positions on every side, surrounding you with men armed for battle. And I will hand you over to them so they can do with you as they please. 25 I will turn my jealous anger against you, and they will deal furiously with you. They will cut off your nose and ears, and any survivors will then be slaughtered by the sword. Your children will be taken away as captives, and everything that is left will be burned. 26 They will strip you of your beautiful clothes and jewels. 27 In this way, I will put a stop to the lewdness and prostitution you brought from Egypt. You will never again cast longing eyes on those things or fondly remember your time in Egypt.28 " For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will surely hand you over to your enemies, to those you loathe. 29 They will deal with you in hatred and rob you of all you own, leaving you naked and bare. The shame of your prostitution will be exposed to all the world. 30 You brought all this on yourself by prostituting yourself to other nations, defiling yourself with all their idols. 31 Because you have followed in your sister's footsteps, I will punish you with the same terrors that destroyed her. 32 " Yes, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: You will drink from the same cup of terror as your sister--a cup that is large and deep. And all the world will mock and scorn you in your desolation. 33 You will reel like a drunkard beneath the awful blows of sorrow and distress, just as your sister Samaria did. 34 In deep anguish you will drain that cup of terror to the very bottom. Then you will smash it to pieces and beat your breast in anguish. For I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken! 35 And because you have forgotten me and turned your back on me, says the Sovereign LORD, you must bear the consequences of all your lewdness and prostitution." 36 The LORD said to me, " Son of man, you must accuse Oholah and Oholibah of all their awful deeds. 37 They have committed both adultery and murder--adultery by worshiping idols and murder by burning their children as sacrifices on their altars. 38 Then after doing these terrible things, they defiled my Temple and violated my Sabbath day! 39 On the very day that they murdered their children in front of their idols, they boldly came into my Temple to worship! They came in and defiled my house! 40 " You sisters sent messengers to distant lands to get men. Then when they arrived, you bathed yourselves, painted your eyelids, and put on your finest jewels for them. 41 You sat with them on a beautifully embroidered couch and put my incense and my oil on a table that was spread before you. 42 From your room came the sound of many men carousing. They were lustful men and drunkards from the wilderness, who put bracelets on your wrists and beautiful crowns on your heads. 43 Then I said, ` If they really want to sleep with worn-out, old prostitutes like these, let them!' 44 And that is what they did. They slept with Oholah and Oholibah, these shameless prostitutes, with all the zest of lustful young men. 45 But righteous people will judge these sister cities for what they really are--adulteresses and murderers. They will sentence them to all the punishment they deserve.46 " Now this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Bring an army against them and hand them over to be terrorized and plundered. 47 For their enemies will stone them and kill them with swords. They will butcher their sons and daughters and burn their homes. 48 In this way, I will put an end to lewdness and idolatry in the land, and my judgment will be a warning to others not to follow their wicked example. 49 You will be fully repaid for all your prostitution--your worship of idols. Yes, you will suffer the full penalty! Then you will know that I am the Sovereign LORD."

HEBREWS 10:18-39

Now when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices. 19 And so, dear brothers and sisters,* we can boldly enter heaven's Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. 20 This is the new, life-giving way that Christ has opened up for us through the sacred curtain, by means of his death for us. 21 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God's people, 22 let us go right into the presence of God, with true hearts fully trusting him. For our evil consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. 23 Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. 24 Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near. 26 Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received a full knowledge of the truth, there is no other sacrifice that will cover these sins. 27 There will be nothing to look forward to but the terrible expectation of God's judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. 28 Anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Think how much more terrible the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God and have treated the blood of the covenant as if it were common and unholy. Such people have insulted and enraged the Holy Spirit who brings God's mercy to his people. 30 For we know the one who said, " I will take vengeance.

I will repay those who deserve it."

He also said, " The Lord will judge his own people."

31 It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 32 Don't ever forget those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. 33 Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. 34 You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail. When all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew you had better things waiting for you in eternity. 35 Do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord, no matter what happens. Remember the great reward it brings you! 36 Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.37 " For in just a little while,

the Coming One will come and not delay.

38 And a righteous person will live by faith.

But I will have no pleasure in anyone who turns away."

39 But we are not like those who turn their backs on God and seal their fate. We have faith that assures our salvation.

PSALM 109:1-31

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

1 O God, whom I praise,

don't stand silent and aloof

2 while the wicked slander me

and tell lies about me.

3 They are all around me with their hateful words,

and they fight against me for no reason.

4 I love them, but they try to destroy me--

even as I am praying for them!

5 They return evil for good,

and hatred for my love.

6 Arrange for an evil person to turn on him.

Send an accuser to bring him to trial.

7 When his case is called for judgment,

let him be pronounced guilty.

Count his prayers as sins.

8 Let his years be few;

let his position be given to someone else.

9 May his children become fatherless,

and may his wife become a widow.

10 May his children wander as beggars;

may they be evicted from their ruined homes.

11 May creditors seize his entire estate,

and strangers take all he has earned.

12 Let no one be kind to him;

let no one pity his fatherless children.

13 May all his offspring die.

May his family name be blotted out in a single generation.

14 May the LORD never forget the sins of his ancestors;

may his mother's sins never be erased from the record.

15 May these sins always remain before the LORD,

but may his name be cut off from human memory.

16 For he refused all kindness to others;

he persecuted the poor and needy,

and he hounded the brokenhearted to death.

17 He loved to curse others;

now you curse him.

He never blessed others;

now don't you bless him.

18 Cursing is as much a part of him as his clothing,

or as the water he drinks,

or the rich food he eats.

19 Now may his curses return and cling to him like clothing;

may they be tied around him like a belt.

20 May those curses become the LORD's punishment for my accusers

who are plotting against my life.

21 But deal well with me, O Sovereign LORD,

for the sake of your own reputation!

Rescue me because you are so faithful and good.

22 For I am poor and needy,

and my heart is full of pain.

23 I am fading like a shadow at dusk;

I am falling like a grasshopper that is brushed aside.

24 My knees are weak from fasting,

and I am skin and bones.

25 I am an object of mockery to people everywhere;

when they see me, they shake their heads.

26 Help me, O LORD my God!

Save me because of your unfailing love.

27 Let them see that this is your doing,

that you yourself have done it, LORD.

28 Then let them curse me if they like,

but you will bless me!

When they attack me, they will be disgraced!

But I, your servant, will go right on rejoicing!

29 Make their humiliation obvious to all;

clothe my accusers with disgrace.

30 But I will give repeated thanks to the LORD,

praising him to everyone.

31 For he stands beside the needy,

ready to save them from those who condemn them.

PROVERBS 27:13

Be sure to get collateral from anyone who guarantees the debt of a stranger. Get a deposit if someone guarantees the debt of an adulterous woman. 

November 10 Reading through the Bible

EZEKIEL 21:1-22:31

HEBREWS 10:1-17

PSALM 108:1-13

PROVERBS 27:12

EZEKIEL 21:1-22:31

Then this message came to me [Ezekiel] from the LORD: 2 " Son of man, look toward Jerusalem and prophesy against Israel and her sanctuaries. 3 Give her this message from the LORD: I am your enemy, O Israel, and I am about to unsheath my sword to destroy your people--the righteous and the wicked alike. 4 Yes, I will not spare even the righteous! I will make a clean sweep throughout the land from south to north. 5 All the world will know that I am the LORD. My sword is in my hand, and it will not return to its sheath until its work is finished. 6 " Son of man, groan before the people! Groan before them with bitter anguish and a broken heart. 7 When they ask you why, tell them, ` I groan because of the terrifying news I have heard. When it comes true, the boldest heart will melt with fear; all strength will disappear. Every spirit will faint; strong knees will tremble and become as weak as water. And the Sovereign LORD says: It is coming! It's on its way!' " 8 Then the LORD said to me, 9 " Son of man, give the people this message from the LORD: A sword is being sharpened and polished. 10 It is being prepared for terrible slaughter; it will flash like lightning! Now will you laugh? Those far stronger than you have fallen beneath its power! 11 Yes, the sword is now being sharpened and polished; it is being prepared for the executioner! 12 " Son of man, cry out and wail; pound your thighs in anguish, for that sword will slaughter my people and their leaders--everyone will die! 13 It will put them all to the test! So now the Sovereign LORD asks: What chance do they have? 14 " Son of man, prophesy to them and clap your hands vigorously. Then take the sword and brandish it twice, even three times, to symbolize the great massacre they will face! 15 Let their hearts melt with terror, for the sword glitters at every gate. It flashes like lightning; it is polished for slaughter! 16 O sword, slash to the right, and slash to the left, wherever you will, wherever you want. 17 I, too, will clap my hands, and I will satisfy my fury. I, the LORD, have spoken!"18 Then this message came to me from the LORD: 19 " Son of man, make a map and trace two routes on it for the sword of Babylon's king to follow. Put a signpost on the road that comes out of Babylon where the road forks into two--20 one road going to Ammon and its capital, Rabbah, and the other to Judah and fortified Jerusalem. 21 The king of Babylon now stands at the fork, uncertain whether to attack Jerusalem or Rabbah. He will call his magicians to use divination. They will cast lots by shaking arrows from the quiver. They will inspect the livers of their animal sacrifices. 22 Then they will decide to turn toward Jerusalem! With battering rams they will go against the gates, shouting for the kill. They will put up siege towers and build ramps against the walls to reach the top. 23 The people of Jerusalem will think it is a mistake, because of their treaty with the Babylonians. But the king of Babylon will remind the people of their rebellion. Then he will attack and capture them. 24 " Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Again and again your guilt cries out against you, for you are not ashamed of your sin. You don't even try to hide it! Wherever you go, whatever you do, all your actions are filled with sin. So now the time of your punishment has come! 25 " O you corrupt and wicked prince of Israel, your final day of reckoning is here! 26 Take off your jeweled crown, says the Sovereign LORD. The old order changes--now the lowly are exalted, and the mighty are brought low. 27 Destruction! Destruction! I will surely destroy the kingdom. And it will not be restored until the one appears who has the right to judge it. Then I will hand it over to him.28 " And now, son of man, prophesy concerning the Ammonites and their mockery. Give them this message from the Sovereign LORD: My sword is drawn for your slaughter; it is sharpened to destroy, flashing like lightning! 29 Your magicians and false prophets have given false visions and told lies about the sword. And now it will fall with even greater force on the wicked for whom the day of final reckoning has come. 30 Should I return my sword to its sheath before I deal with you? No, I will destroy you in your own country, the land of your birth. 31 I will pour out my fury on you and blow on you with the fire of my anger. I will hand you over to cruel men who are skilled in destruction. 32 You are fuel for the fire, and your blood will be spilled in your own land. You will be utterly wiped out, your memory lost to history. I, the LORD, have spoken!" 22:1 NOW this message came to me from the LORD: 2 " Son of man, are you ready to judge Jerusalem? Are you ready to judge this city of murderers? Denounce her terrible deeds in public, 3 and give her this message from the Sovereign LORD: O city of murderers, doomed and damned--city of idols, filthy and foul--4 you are guilty of both murder and idolatry. Your day of destruction has come! You have reached the end of your years. I will make you an object of mockery throughout the world. 5 O infamous city, filled with confusion, you will be mocked by people both far and near. 6 " Every leader in Israel who lives within your walls is bent on murder. 7 Fathers and mothers are contemptuously ignored. Resident foreigners are forced to pay for protection. Orphans and widows are wronged and oppressed. 8 Inside your walls you despise my holy things and violate my Sabbath days of rest. 9 People accuse others falsely and send them to their death. You are filled with idol worshipers and people who take part in lewd activities. 10 Men sleep with their fathers' wives and have intercourse with women who are menstruating. 11 Within your walls live men who commit adultery with their neighbors' wives, who defile their daughters-in-law or who rape their own sisters. 12 There are hired murderers, loan racketeers, and extortioners everywhere! They never even think of me and my commands, says the Sovereign LORD.13 " But now I clap my hands in indignation over your dishonest gain and bloodshed. 14 How strong and courageous will you be in my day of reckoning? I, the LORD, have spoken! I will do what I have said. 15 I will scatter you among the nations and purge you of your wickedness. 16 And when you have been dishonored among the nations, you will know that I am the LORD." 17 Then this message came to me from the LORD: 18 " Son of man, the people of Israel are the worthless slag that remains after silver is smelted. They are the dross that is left over--a useless mixture of copper, tin, iron, and lead. 19 So give them this message from the Sovereign LORD: Because you are all worthless slag, I will bring you to my crucible in Jerusalem. 20 I will melt you down in the heat of my fury, just as copper, tin, iron, and lead are melted down in a furnace. 21 I will gather you together and blow the fire of my anger upon you, 22 and you will melt like silver in fierce heat. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have poured out my fury on you."23 Again a message came to me from the LORD: 24 " Son of man, give the people of Israel this message: In the day of my indignation, you will become like an uncleared wilderness or a desert without rain. 25 Your princes plot conspiracies just as lions stalk their prey. They devour innocent people, seizing treasures and extorting wealth. They increase the number of widows in the land. 26 Your priests have violated my laws and defiled my holy things. To them there is no difference between what is holy and what is not. And they do not teach my people the difference between what is ceremonially clean and unclean. They disregard my Sabbath days so that my holy name is greatly dishonored among them. 27 Your leaders are like wolves, who tear apart their victims. They actually destroy people's lives for profit! 28 And your prophets announce false visions and speak false messages. They say, ` My message is from the Sovereign LORD,' when the LORD hasn't spoken a single word to them. They repair cracked walls with whitewash! 29 Even common people oppress the poor, rob the needy, and deprive foreigners of justice. 30 " I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn't have to destroy the land, but I found no one. 31 So now I will pour out my fury on them, consuming them in the fire of my anger. I will heap on them the full penalty for all their sins, says the Sovereign LORD."

HEBREWS 10:1-17

The old system in the law of Moses was only a shadow of the things to come, not the reality of the good things Christ has done for us. The sacrifices under the old system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. 2 If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared. 3 But just the opposite happened. Those yearly sacrifices reminded them of their sins year after year. 4 For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 That is why Christ, when he came into the world, said, " You did not want animal sacrifices and grain offerings.

But you have given me a body so that I may obey you.

6 No, you were not pleased with animals burned on the altar

or with other offerings for sin.

7 Then I said, ` Look, I have come to do your will, O God--

just as it is written about me in the Scriptures.' "

8 Christ said, " You did not want animal sacrifices or grain offerings or animals burned on the altar or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them" (though they are required by the law of Moses). 9 Then he added, " Look, I have come to do your will." He cancels the first covenant in order to establish the second. 10 And what God wants is for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time. 11 Under the old covenant, the priest stands before the altar day after day, offering sacrifices that can never take away sins. 12 But our High Priest offered himself to God as one sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down at the place of highest honor at God's right hand. 13 There he waits until his enemies are humbled as a footstool under his feet. 14 For by that one offering he perfected forever all those whom he is making holy. 15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. First he says,16 " This is the new covenant I will make

with my people on that day, says the Lord:

I will put my laws in their hearts

so they will understand them,

and I will write them on their minds

so they will obey them."

17 Then he adds, " I will never again remember

their sins and lawless deeds."

PSALM 108:1-13

A psalm of David. A song.

1 My heart is confident in you, O God;

no wonder I can sing your praises!

Wake up, my soul!

2 Wake up, O harp and lyre!

I will waken the dawn with my song.

3 I will thank you, LORD, in front of all the people.

I will sing your praises among the nations.

4 For your unfailing love is higher than the heavens.

Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

5 Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens.

May your glory shine over all the earth.

6 Use your strong right arm to save me,

and rescue your beloved people.

7 God has promised this by his holiness:

" I will divide up Shechem with joy.

I will measure out the valley of Succoth.

8 Gilead is mine,

and Manasseh is mine.

Ephraim will produce my warriors,

and Judah will produce my kings.

9 Moab will become my lowly servant,

and Edom will be my slave.

I will shout in triumph over the Philistines."

10 But who will bring me into the fortified city?

Who will bring me victory over Edom?

11 Have you rejected us, O God?

Will you no longer march with our armies?

12 Oh, please help us against our enemies,

for all human help is useless.

13 With God's help we will do mighty things,

for he will trample down our foes.

PROVERBS 27:12

A prudent person foresees the danger ahead and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. 

November 9 reading through the Bible

EZEKIEL 20:1-49

HEBREWS 9:11-28

PSALM 107:1-43

PROVERBS 27:11

EZEKIEL 20:1-49

On August 14, during the seventh year of King Jehoiachin's captivity, some of the leaders of Israel came to request a message from the LORD. They sat down in front of me [Ezekiel] to wait for his reply. 2 Then this message came to me from the LORD: 3 " Son of man, give the leaders of Israel this message from the Sovereign LORD: How dare you come to ask for my help? As surely as I live, I will tell you nothing. This is the word of the Sovereign LORD! 4 " Son of man, bring judgment against them and condemn them. Make them realize how loathsome the actions of their ancestors really were. 5 Give them this message from the Sovereign LORD: When I chose Israel and revealed myself to her in Egypt, I swore that I, the LORD, would be her God. 6 I promised that I would bring her and her descendants out of Egypt to a land I had discovered and explored for them--a good land, a land flowing with milk and honey, the best of all lands anywhere. 7 Then I said to them, ` Each of you, get rid of your idols. Do not defile yourselves with the Egyptian gods, for I am the LORD your God.' 8 " But they rebelled against me and would not listen. They did not get rid of their idols or forsake the gods of Egypt. Then I threatened to pour out my fury on them to satisfy my anger while they were still in Egypt. 9 But I didn't do it, for I acted to protect the honor of my name. That way the surrounding nations wouldn't be able to laugh at Israel's God, who had promised to deliver his people. 10 So I brought my people out of Egypt and led them into the wilderness. 11 There I gave them my laws so they could live by keeping them. Yes, all those who keep them will live! 12 And I gave them my Sabbath days of rest as a sign between them and me. It was to remind them that I, the LORD, had set them apart to be holy, making them my special people. 13 " But the people of Israel rebelled against me, and they refused to obey my laws there in the wilderness. They wouldn't obey my instructions even though obedience would have given them life. And they also violated my Sabbath days. So I threatened to pour out my fury on them, and I made plans to utterly consume them in the desert. 14 But again I held back in order to protect the honor of my name. That way the nations who saw me lead my people out of Egypt wouldn't be able to claim I destroyed them because I couldn't take care of them. 15 But I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful place on earth. 16 I told them this because they had rejected my laws, ignored my will for them, and violated my Sabbath days. Their hearts were given to their idols. 17 Nevertheless, I pitied them and held back from destroying them in the wilderness.18 " Then I warned their children and told them not to follow in their parents' footsteps, defiling themselves with their idols. 19 ` I am the LORD your God,' I told them. ` Follow my laws, pay attention to my instructions, 20 and keep my Sabbath days holy, for they are a sign to remind you that I am the LORD your God.' 21 " But their children, too, rebelled against me. They refused to keep my laws and follow my instructions, even though obeying them would have given them life. And they also violated my Sabbath days. So again I threatened to pour out my fury on them in the wilderness. 22 Nevertheless, I withdrew my judgment against them to protect the honor of my name among the nations who had seen my power in bringing them out of Egypt. 23 But I took a solemn oath against them while they were in the wilderness. I vowed I would scatter them among all the nations 24 because they did not obey my laws. They scorned my instructions by violating my Sabbath days and longing for the idols of their ancestors. 25 I gave them over to worthless customs and laws that would not lead to life. 26 I let them pollute themselves with the very gifts I had given them, and I allowed them to give their firstborn children as offerings to their gods--so I might devastate them and show them that I alone am the LORD. 27 " Therefore, son of man, give the people of Israel this message from the Sovereign LORD: Your ancestors continued to blaspheme and betray me, 28 for when I brought them into the land I had promised them, they offered sacrifices and incense on every high hill and under every green tree they saw! They roused my fury as they offered up sacrifices to their gods. They brought their perfumes and incense and poured out their drink offerings to them! 29 I said to them, ` What is this high place where you are going?' (This idol shrine has been called Bamah--` high place'--ever since.) 30 " Therefore, give the people of Israel this message from the Sovereign LORD: Do you plan to pollute yourselves just as your ancestors did? Do you intend to keep prostituting yourselves by worshiping detestable idols? 31 For when you offer gifts to them and give your little children to be burned as sacrifices, you continue to pollute yourselves to this day. Should I listen to you or help you, O people of Israel? As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, I will not give you a message even though you have come to me requesting one. 32 " You say, ` We want to be like the nations all around us, who serve idols of wood and stone.' But what you have in mind will never happen. 33 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, I will rule you with an iron fist in great anger and with awesome power. 34 With might and fury I will bring you out from the lands where you are scattered. 35 I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations, and there I will judge you face to face. 36 I will judge you there just as I did your ancestors in the wilderness after bringing them out of Egypt, says the Sovereign LORD. 37 I will count you carefully and hold you to the terms of the covenant. 38 I will purge you of all those who rebel and sin against me. I will bring them out of the countries where they are in exile, but they will never enter the land of Israel. And when that happens, you will know that I am the LORD. 39 " As for you, O people of Israel, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: If you insist, go right ahead and worship your idols, but then don't turn around and bring gifts to me. Such desecration of my holy name must stop! 40 For on my holy mountain, says the Sovereign LORD, the people of Israel will someday worship me, and I will accept them. There I will require that you bring me all your offerings and choice gifts and sacrifices. 41 When I bring you home from exile, you will be as pleasing to me as an offering of perfumed incense. And I will display my holiness in you as all the nations watch. 42 Then when I have brought you home to the land I promised your ancestors, you will know that I am the LORD. 43 You will look back at all your sins and hate yourselves because of the evil you have done. 44 You will know that I am the LORD, O people of Israel, when I have honored my name by treating you mercifully in spite of your wickedness, says the Sovereign LORD." 45 Then this message came to me from the LORD: 46 " Son of man, look toward the south and speak out against it; prophesy against the fields of the Negev. 47 Give the southern wilderness this message from the Sovereign LORD: Hear the word of the LORD! I will set you on fire, O forest, and every tree will be burned--green and dry trees alike. The terrible flames will not be quenched; they will scorch everything from south to north. 48 And all the world will see that I, the LORD, have set this fire. It will not be put out." 49 Then I said, " O Sovereign LORD, they are saying of me, ` He only talks in riddles!' "

HEBREWS 9:11-28

So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that great, perfect sanctuary in heaven, not made by human hands and not part of this created world. 12 Once for all time he took blood into that Most Holy Place, but not the blood of goats and calves. He took his own blood, and with it he secured our salvation forever. 13 Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow could cleanse people's bodies from ritual defilement. 14 Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our hearts from deeds that lead to death so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. 15 That is why he is the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, so that all who are invited can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant. 16 Now when someone dies and leaves a will, no one gets anything until it is proved that the person who wrote the will is dead. 17 The will goes into effect only after the death of the person who wrote it. While the person is still alive, no one can use the will to get any of the things promised to them. 18 That is why blood was required under the first covenant as a proof of death. 19 For after Moses had given the people all of God's laws, he took the blood of calves and goats, along with water, and sprinkled both the book of God's laws and all the people, using branches of hyssop bushes and scarlet wool. 20 Then he said, " This blood confirms the covenant God has made with you." 21 And in the same way, he sprinkled blood on the sacred tent and on everything used for worship. 22 In fact, we can say that according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified by sprinkling with blood. Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. 23 That is why the earthly tent and everything in it--which were copies of things in heaven--had to be purified by the blood of animals. But the real things in heaven had to be purified with far better sacrifices than the blood of animals. 24 For Christ has entered into heaven itself to appear now before God as our Advocate. He did not go into the earthly place of worship, for that was merely a copy of the real Temple in heaven. 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, like the earthly high priest who enters the Most Holy Place year after year to offer the blood of an animal. 26 If that had been necessary, he would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But no! He came once for all time, at the end of the age, to remove the power of sin forever by his sacrificial death for us.27 And just as it is destined that each person dies only once and after that comes judgment, 28 so also Christ died only once as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again but not to deal with our sins again. This time he will bring salvation to all those who are eagerly waiting for him.

PSALM 107:1-43

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good!

His faithful love endures forever.

2 Has the LORD redeemed you? Then speak out!

Tell others he has saved you from your enemies.

3 For he has gathered the exiles from many lands,

from east and west, from north and south.

4 Some wandered in the desert,

lost and homeless.

5 Hungry and thirsty,

they nearly died.

6 " LORD, help!" they cried in their trouble,

and he rescued them from their distress.

7 He led them straight to safety,

to a city where they could live.

8 Let them praise the LORD for his great love

and for all his wonderful deeds to them.

9 For he satisfies the thirsty

and fills the hungry with good things.

10 Some sat in darkness and deepest gloom,

miserable prisoners in chains.

11 They rebelled against the words of God,

scorning the counsel of the Most High.

12 That is why he broke them with hard labor;

they fell, and no one helped them rise again.

13 " LORD, help!" they cried in their trouble,

and he saved them from their distress.

14 He led them from the darkness and deepest gloom;

he snapped their chains.

15 Let them praise the LORD for his great love

and for all his wonderful deeds to them.

16 For he broke down their prison gates of bronze;

he cut apart their bars of iron.

17 Some were fools in their rebellion;

they suffered for their sins.

18 Their appetites were gone,

and death was near.

19 " LORD, help!" they cried in their trouble,

and he saved them from their distress.

20 He spoke, and they were healed--

snatched from the door of death.

21 Let them praise the LORD for his great love

and for all his wonderful deeds to them.

22 Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving

and sing joyfully about his glorious acts.

23 Some went off in ships,

plying the trade routes of the world.

24 They, too, observed the LORD's power in action,

his impressive works on the deepest seas.

25 He spoke, and the winds rose,

stirring up the waves.

26 Their ships were tossed to the heavens

and sank again to the depths;

the sailors cringed in terror.

27 They reeled and staggered like drunkards

and were at their wits' end.

28 " LORD, help!" they cried in their trouble,

and he saved them from their distress.

29 He calmed the storm to a whisper

and stilled the waves.

30 What a blessing was that stillness

as he brought them safely into harbor!

31 Let them praise the LORD for his great love

and for all his wonderful deeds to them.

32 Let them exalt him publicly before the congregation

and before the leaders of the nation.

33 He changes rivers into deserts,

and springs of water into dry land.

34 He turns the fruitful land into salty wastelands,

because of the wickedness of those who live there.

35 But he also turns deserts into pools of water,

the dry land into flowing springs.

36 He brings the hungry to settle there

and build their cities.

37 They sow their fields, plant their vineyards,

and harvest their bumper crops.

38 How he blesses them!

They raise large families there,

and their herds of cattle increase.

39 When they decrease in number and become impoverished

through oppression, trouble, and sorrow,

40 the LORD pours contempt on their princes,

causing them to wander in trackless wastelands.

41 But he rescues the poor from their distress

and increases their families like vast flocks of sheep.

42 The godly will see these things and be glad,

while the wicked are stricken silent.

43 Those who are wise will take all this to heart;

they will see in our history the faithful love of the LORD.

PROVERBS 27:11

My child, how happy I will be if you turn out to be wise! Then I will be able to answer my critics.