December 23 Reading through the Bible

 

ZECHARIAH 4:1-5:11

REVELATION 14:1-20

PSALM 142:1-7

PROVERBS 30:21-23

ZECHARIAH 4:1-5:11

Then the angel who had been talking with me [Zechariah] returned and woke me, as though I had been asleep. 2 " What do you see now?" he asked. I answered, " I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl of oil on top of it. Around the bowl are seven lamps, each one having seven spouts with wicks. 3 And I see two olive trees, one on each side of the bowl." 4 Then I asked the angel, " What are these, my lord? What do they mean?" 5 " Don't you know?" the angel asked. " No, my lord," I replied. 6 Then he said to me, " This is what the LORD says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the LORD Almighty. 7 Nothing, not even a mighty mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel's way; it will flatten out before him! Then Zerubbabel will set the final stone of the Temple in place, and the people will shout: ` May God bless it! May God bless it!' "8 Then another message came to me from the LORD: 9 " Zerubbabel is the one who laid the foundation of this Temple, and he will complete it. Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me. 10 Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel's hand. For these seven lamps represent the eyes of the LORD that search all around the world." 11 Then I asked the angel, " What are these two olive trees on each side of the lampstand, 12 and what are the two olive branches that pour out golden oil through two gold tubes?" 13 " Don't you know?" he asked. " No, my lord," I replied. 14 Then he said to me, " They represent the two anointed ones who assist the Lord of all the earth."5:1 I LOOKED up again and saw a scroll flying through the air. 2 " What do you see?" the angel asked. " I see a flying scroll," I replied. " It appears to be about thirty feet long and fifteen feet wide."3 Then he said to me, " This scroll contains the curse that is going out over the entire land. One side says that those who steal will be banished from the land; the other side says that those who swear falsely will be banished from the land. 4 And this is what the LORD Almighty says: I am sending this curse into the house of every thief and into the house of everyone who swears falsely by my name. And my curse will remain in that house until it is completely destroyed--even its timbers and stones." 5 Then the angel who was talking with me came forward and said, " Look up! Something is appearing in the sky." 6 " What is it?" I asked.He replied, " It is a basket for measuring grain, and it is filled with the sins of everyone throughout the land." 7 When the heavy lead cover was lifted off the basket, there was a woman sitting inside it. 8 The angel said, " The woman's name is Wickedness," and he pushed her back into the basket and closed the heavy lid again.9 Then I looked up and saw two women flying toward us, with wings gliding on the wind. Their wings were like those of a stork, and they picked up the basket and flew with it into the sky. 10 " Where are they taking the basket?" I asked the angel. 11 He replied, " To the land of Babylonia, where they will build a temple for the basket. And when the temple is ready, they will set the basket there on its pedestal."

REVELATION 14:1-20

Then I [John] saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him were 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roaring of a great waterfall or the rolling of mighty thunder. It was like the sound of many harpists playing together. 3 This great choir sang a wonderful new song in front of the throne of God and before the four living beings and the twenty-four elders. And no one could learn this song except those 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 For they are spiritually undefiled, pure as virgins, following the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been purchased from among the people on the earth as a special offering to God and to the Lamb. 5 No falsehood can be charged against them; they are blameless. 6 And I saw another angel flying through the heavens, carrying the everlasting Good News to preach to the people who belong to this world--to every nation, tribe, language, and people. 7 " Fear God," he shouted. " Give glory to him. For the time has come when he will sit as judge. Worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all the springs of water." 8 Then another angel followed him through the skies, shouting, " Babylon is fallen--that great city is fallen--because she seduced the nations of the world and made them drink the wine of her passionate immorality."9 Then a third angel followed them, shouting, " Anyone who worships the beast and his statue or who accepts his mark on the forehead or the hand 10 must drink the wine of God's wrath. It is poured out undiluted into God's cup of wrath. And they will be tormented with fire and burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb. 11 The smoke of their torment rises forever and ever, and they will have no relief day or night, for they have worshiped the beast and his statue and have accepted the mark of his name. 12 Let this encourage God's holy people to endure persecution patiently and remain firm to the end, obeying his commands and trusting in Jesus." 13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, " Write this down: Blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they are blessed indeed, for they will rest from all their toils and trials; for their good deeds follow them!" 14 Then I saw the Son of Man sitting on a white cloud. He had a gold crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 Then an angel came from the Temple and called out in a loud voice to the one sitting on the cloud, " Use the sickle, for the time has come for you to harvest; the crop is ripe on the earth." 16 So the one sitting on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the whole earth was harvested.17 After that, another angel came from the Temple in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. 18 Then another angel, who has power to destroy the world with fire, shouted to the angel with the sickle, " Use your sickle now to gather the clusters of grapes from the vines of the earth, for they are fully ripe for judgment." 19 So the angel swung his sickle on the earth and loaded the grapes into the great winepress of God's wrath. 20 And the grapes were trodden in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress in a stream about 180 miles long and as high as a horse's bridle.

PSALM 142:1-7

A psalm of David, regarding his experience in the cave. A prayer.

1 I cry out to the LORD;

I plead for the LORD's mercy.

2 I pour out my complaints before him

and tell him all my troubles.

3 For I am overwhelmed,

and you alone know the way I should turn.

Wherever I go,

my enemies have set traps for me.

4 I look for someone to come and help me,

but no one gives me a passing thought!

No one will help me;

no one cares a bit what happens to me.

5 Then I pray to you, O LORD.

I say, " You are my place of refuge.

You are all I really want in life.

6 Hear my cry,

for I am very low.

Rescue me from my persecutors,

for they are too strong for me.

7 Bring me out of prison

so I can thank you.

The godly will crowd around me,

for you treat me kindly."

PROVERBS 30:21-23

There are three things that make the earth tremble--no, four it cannot endure: a slave who becomes a king, an overbearing fool who prospers, a bitter woman who finally gets a husband, a servant girl who supplants her mistress.

December 22 Reading through the Bible

 

ZECHARIAH 2:1-3:10

REVELATION 12:18-13:18

PSALM 141:1-10

PROVERBS 30:18-20

ZECHARIAH 2:1-3:10

When I [Zechariah] looked around me again, I saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. 2 " Where are you going?" I asked. He replied, " I am going to measure Jerusalem, to see how wide and how long it is." 3 Then the angel who was with me went to meet a second angel who was coming toward him. 4 The other angel said, " Hurry, and say to that young man, ` Jerusalem will someday be so full of people that it won't have room enough for everyone! Many will live outside the city walls, with all their livestock--and yet they will be safe. 5 For I, myself, will be a wall of fire around Jerusalem, says the LORD. And I will be the glory inside the city!' " 6 The LORD says, " Come away! Flee from the north, for I have scattered you to the four winds. 7 Come away! Escape to Jerusalem, you who are exiled in Babylon!" 8 " After a period of glory, the LORD Almighty sent me against the nations who oppressed you. For he said, ` Anyone who harms you harms my most precious possession. 9 I will raise my fist to crush them, and their own slaves will plunder them.' Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me." 10 The LORD says, " Shout and rejoice, O Jerusalem, for I am coming to live among you. 11 Many nations will join themselves to the LORD on that day, and they, too, will be my people. I will live among you, and you will know that the LORD Almighty sent me to you. 12 The land of Judah will be the LORD's inheritance in the holy land, and he will once again choose Jerusalem to be his own city. 13 Be silent before the LORD, all humanity, for he is springing into action from his holy dwelling."3:1 THEN the angel showed me Jeshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD. Satan was there at the angel's right hand, accusing Jeshua of many things. 2 And the LORD said to Satan, " I, the LORD, reject your accusations, Satan. Yes, the LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you. This man is like a burning stick that has been snatched from a fire." 3 Jeshua's clothing was filthy as he stood there before the angel. 4 So the angel said to the others standing there, " Take off his filthy clothes." And turning to Jeshua he said, " See, I have taken away your sins, and now I am giving you these fine new clothes." 5 Then I said, " Please, could he also have a clean turban on his head?" So they put a clean priestly turban on his head and dressed him in new clothes while the angel of the LORD stood by. 6 Then the angel of the LORD spoke very solemnly to Jeshua and said, 7 " This is what the LORD Almighty says: If you follow my ways and obey my requirements, then you will be given authority over my Temple and its courtyards. I will let you walk in and out of my presence along with these others standing here. 8 Listen to me, O Jeshua the high priest, and all you other priests. You are symbols of the good things to come. Soon I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. 9 Now look at the jewel I have set before Jeshua, a single stone with seven facets. I will engrave an inscription on it, says the LORD Almighty, and I will remove the sins of this land in a single day. 10 And on that day, says the LORD Almighty, each of you will invite your neighbor into your home to share your peace and prosperity."

REVELATION 12:18-13:18

Then he [the dragon] stood waiting on the shore of the sea. 13:1 AND now in my vision I saw a beast rising up out of the sea. It had seven heads and ten horns, with ten crowns on its horns. And written on each head were names that blasphemed God. 2 This beast looked like a leopard, but it had bear's feet and a lion's mouth! And the dragon gave him his own power and throne and great authority. 3 I saw that one of the heads of the beast seemed wounded beyond recovery--but the fatal wound was healed! All the world marveled at this miracle and followed the beast in awe. 4 They worshiped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they worshiped the beast. " Is there anyone as great as the beast?" they exclaimed. " Who is able to fight against him?" 5 Then the beast was allowed to speak great blasphemies against God. And he was given authority to do what he wanted for forty-two months. 6 And he spoke terrible words of blasphemy against God, slandering his name and all who live in heaven, who are his temple. 7 And the beast was allowed to wage war against God's holy people and to overcome them. And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation. 8 And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast. They are the ones whose names were not written in the Book of Life, which belongs to the Lamb who was killed before the world was made. 9 Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand. 10 The people who are destined for prison will be arrested and taken away. Those who are destined for death will be killed. But do not be dismayed, for here is your opportunity to have endurance and faith.11 Then I saw another beast come up out of the earth. He had two horns like those of a lamb, and he spoke with the voice of a dragon. 12 He exercised all the authority of the first beast. And he required all the earth and those who belong to this world to worship the first beast, whose death-wound had been healed. 13 He did astounding miracles, such as making fire flash down to earth from heaven while everyone was watching. 14 And with all the miracles he was allowed to perform on behalf of the first beast, he deceived all the people who belong to this world. He ordered the people of the world to make a great statue of the first beast, who was fatally wounded and then came back to life. 15 He was permitted to give life to this statue so that it could speak. Then the statue commanded that anyone refusing to worship it must die. 16 He required everyone--great and small, rich and poor, slave and free--to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. 17 And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name. 18 Wisdom is needed to understand this. Let the one who has understanding solve the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is 666.

PSALM 141:1-10

A psalm of David.

1 O LORD, I am calling to you. Please hurry!

Listen when I cry to you for help!

2 Accept my prayer as incense offered to you,

and my upraised hands as an evening offering.

3 Take control of what I say, O LORD,

and keep my lips sealed.

4 Don't let me lust for evil things;

don't let me participate in acts of wickedness.

Don't let me share in the delicacies

of those who do evil.

5 Let the godly strike me!

It will be a kindness!

If they reprove me, it is soothing medicine.

Don't let me refuse it.

But I am in constant prayer

against the wicked and their deeds.

6 When their leaders are thrown down from a cliff,

they will listen to my words and find them pleasing.

7 Even as a farmer breaks up the soil and brings up rocks,

so the bones of the wicked will be scattered without a decent burial.

8 I look to you for help, O Sovereign LORD.

You are my refuge; don't let them kill me.

9 Keep me out of the traps they have set for me,

out of the snares of those who do evil.

10 Let the wicked fall into their own snares,

but let me escape.

PROVERBS 30:18-20

There are three things that amaze me--no, four things I do not understand: how an eagle glides through the sky, how a snake slithers on a rock, how a ship navigates the ocean, how a man loves a woman. Equally amazing is how an adulterous woman can satisfy her sexual appetite, shrug her shoulders, and then say, " What's wrong with that?"

December 21 Reading through the Bible

 

ZECHARIAH 1:1-21

REVELATION 12:1-17

PSALM 140:1-13

PROVERBS 30:17

ZECHARIAH 1:1-21

In midautumn of the second year of King Darius's reign, the LORD gave this message to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah and grandson of Iddo. 2 " I, the LORD, was very angry with your ancestors. 3 Therefore, say to the people, ` This is what the LORD Almighty says: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD Almighty.' 4 Do not be like your ancestors who would not listen when the earlier prophets said to them, ` This is what the LORD Almighty says: Turn from your evil ways and stop all your evil practices.' 5 " Your ancestors and their prophets are now long dead. 6 But all the things I said through my servants the prophets happened to your ancestors, just as I said they would. As a result, they repented and said, ` We have received what we deserved from the LORD Almighty. He has done what he said he would do.'" 7 Then on February 15 of the second year of King Darius's reign, the LORD sent another message to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah and grandson of Iddo. Zechariah said: 8 In a vision during the night, I saw a man sitting on a red horse that was standing among some myrtle trees in a small valley. Behind him were red, brown, and white horses, each with its own rider. 9 I asked the angel who was talking with me, " My lord, what are all those horses for?" " I will show you," the angel replied. 10 So the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, " They are the ones the LORD has sent out to patrol the earth." 11 Then the other riders reported to the angel of the LORD, who was standing among the myrtle trees, " We have patrolled the earth, and the whole earth is at peace." 12 Upon hearing this, the angel of the LORD prayed this prayer: " O LORD Almighty, for seventy years now you have been angry with Jerusalem and the towns of Judah. How long will it be until you again show mercy to them?" 13 And the LORD spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who talked with me.14 Then the angel said to me, " Shout this message for all to hear: ` This is what the LORD Almighty says: My love for Jerusalem and Mount Zion is passionate and strong. 15 But I am very angry with the other nations that enjoy peace and security. I was only a little angry with my people, but the nations punished them far beyond my intentions. 16 " ` Therefore, this is what the LORD says: I have returned to show mercy to Jerusalem. My Temple will be rebuilt, says the LORD Almighty, and plans will be made for the reconstruction of Jerusalem.' 17 Say this also: ` This is what the LORD Almighty says: The towns of Israel will again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem as his own.' "18 Then I looked up and saw four animal horns. 19 " What are these?" I asked the angel who was talking with me. He replied, " These horns represent the world powers that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem." 20 Then the LORD showed me four blacksmiths. 21 " What are these men coming to do?" I asked. The angel replied, " The blacksmiths have come to terrify the four horns that scattered and humbled Judah. They will throw them down and destroy them."

REVELATION 12:1-17

Then I [John] witnessed in heaven an event of great significance. I saw a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant, and she cried out in the pain of labor as she awaited her delivery. 3 Suddenly, I witnessed in heaven another significant event. I saw a large red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, with seven crowns on his heads. 4 His tail dragged down one-third of the stars, which he threw to the earth. He stood before the woman as she was about to give birth to her child, ready to devour the baby as soon as it was born. 5 She gave birth to a boy who was to rule all nations with an iron rod. And the child was snatched away from the dragon and was caught up to God and to his throne. 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place to give her care for 1,260 days.7 Then there was war in heaven. Michael and the angels under his command fought the dragon and his angels. 8 And the dragon lost the battle and was forced out of heaven. 9 This great dragon--the ancient serpent called the Devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world--was thrown down to the earth with all his angels. 10 Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, " It has happened at last--the salvation and power and kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ! For the Accuser has been thrown down to earth--the one who accused our brothers and sisters* before our God day and night. 11 And they have defeated him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of their testimony. And they were not afraid to die. 12 Rejoice, O heavens! And you who live in the heavens, rejoice! But terror will come on the earth and the sea. For the Devil has come down to you in great anger, and he knows that he has little time."13 And when the dragon realized that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the child. 14 But she was given two wings like those of a great eagle. This allowed her to fly to a place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be cared for and protected from the dragon for a time, times, and half a time. 15 Then the dragon tried to drown the woman with a flood of water that flowed from its mouth. 16 But the earth helped her by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that gushed out from the mouth of the dragon. 17 Then the dragon became angry at the woman, and he declared war against the rest of her children--all who keep God's commandments and confess that they belong to Jesus.

PSALM 140:1-13

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

1 O LORD, rescue me from evil people.

Preserve me from those who are violent,

2 those who plot evil in their hearts

and stir up trouble all day long.

3 Their tongues sting like a snake;

the poison of a viper drips from their lips.

Interlude4 O LORD, keep me out of the hands of the wicked.

Preserve me from those who are violent,

for they are plotting against me.

5 The proud have set a trap to catch me;

they have stretched out a net;

they have placed traps all along the way.

Interlude6 I said to the LORD, " You are my God!"

Listen, O LORD, to my cries for mercy!

7 O Sovereign LORD, my strong savior,

you protected me on the day of battle.

8 LORD, do not give in to their evil desires.

Do not let their evil schemes succeed, O God.

Interlude9 Let my enemies be destroyed

by the very evil they have planned for me.

10 Let burning coals fall down on their heads,

or throw them into the fire,

or into deep pits from which they can't escape.

11 Don't let liars prosper here in our land.

Cause disaster to fall with great force on the violent.

12 But I know the LORD will surely help those they persecute;

he will maintain the rights of the poor.

13 Surely the godly are praising your name,

for they will live in your presence.

PROVERBS 30:17

The eye that mocks a father and despises a mother will be plucked out by ravens of the valley and eaten by vultures.

December 20 Reading through the Bible

 

HAGGAI 1:1-2:23

REVELATION 11:1-19

PSALM 139:1-24

PROVERBS 30:15-16

HAGGAI 1:1-2:23

On August 29 of the second year of King Darius's reign, the LORD gave a message through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. 2 " This is what the LORD Almighty says: The people are saying, ` The time has not yet come to rebuild the LORD's house--the Temple.' " 3 So the LORD sent this message through the prophet Haggai: 4 " Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins? 5 This is what the LORD Almighty says: Consider how things are going for you! 6 You have planted much but harvested little. You have food to eat, but not enough to fill you up. You have wine to drink, but not enough to satisfy your thirst. You have clothing to wear, but not enough to keep you warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes! 7 " This is what the LORD Almighty says: Consider how things are going for you! 8 Now go up into the hills, bring down timber, and rebuild my house. Then I will take pleasure in it and be honored, says the LORD. 9 You hoped for rich harvests, but they were poor. And when you brought your harvest home, I blew it away. Why? Because my house lies in ruins, says the LORD Almighty, while you are all busy building your own fine houses. 10 That is why the heavens have withheld the dew and the earth has withheld its crops. 11 I have called for a drought on your fields and hills--a drought to wither the grain and grapes and olives and all your other crops, a drought to starve both you and your cattle and to ruin everything you have worked so hard to get." 12 Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of God's people obeyed the message from the LORD their God. It had been delivered by the prophet Haggai, whom the LORD their God had sent, and the people worshiped the LORD in earnest. 13 Then Haggai, the LORD's messenger, gave the people this message from the LORD: " I am with you, says the LORD!" 14 So the LORD sparked the enthusiasm of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of God's people. They came and began their work on the house of the LORD Almighty, their God. 15 This was on September 21 of the second year of King Darius's reign.2:1 THEN on October 17 of that same year, the LORD sent another message through the prophet Haggai. 2 " Say this to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of God's people there in the land: 3 Is there anyone who can remember this house--the Temple--as it was before? In comparison, how does it look to you now? It must seem like nothing at all! 4 But now take courage, Zerubbabel, says the LORD. Take courage, Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Take courage, all you people still left in the land, says the LORD. Take courage and work, for I am with you, says the LORD Almighty. 5 My Spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. So do not be afraid. 6 " For this is what the LORD Almighty says: In just a little while I will again shake the heavens and the earth. I will shake the oceans and the dry land, too. 7 I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will come to this Temple. I will fill this place with glory, says the LORD Almighty. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD Almighty. 9 The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its past glory, says the LORD Almighty. And in this place I will bring peace. I, the LORD Almighty, have spoken!" 10 On December 18 of the second year of King Darius's reign, the LORD sent this message to the prophet Haggai: 11 " This is what the LORD Almighty says! Ask the priests this question about the law: 12 If one of you is carrying a holy sacrifice in his robes and happens to brush against some bread or stew, wine or oil, or any other kind of food, will it also become holy?" The priests replied, " No." 13 Then Haggai asked, " But if someone becomes ceremonially unclean by touching a dead person and then brushes against any of the things mentioned, will it be defiled?" And the priests answered, " Yes." 14 Then Haggai said, " That is how it is with this people and this nation, says the LORD. Everything they do and everything they offer is defiled. 15 So think about this from now on--consider how things were going for you before you began to lay the foundation of the LORD's Temple. 16 When you hoped for a twenty-bushel crop, you harvested only ten. When you expected to draw fifty gallons from the winepress, you found only twenty. 17 I sent blight and mildew and hail to destroy all the produce of your labor. Yet, even so, you refused to return to me, says the LORD.18 " On this eighteenth day of December--the day when the foundation of the LORD's Temple was laid--carefully consider this: 19 I am giving you a promise now while the seed is still in the barn, before you have harvested your grain and before the grapevine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have produced their crops. From this day onward I will bless you." 20 The LORD sent this second message to Haggai on December 18: 21 " Tell Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, that I am about to shake the heavens and the earth. 22 I will overthrow royal thrones, destroying the power of foreign kingdoms. I will overturn their chariots and charioteers. The horses will fall, and their riders will kill each other. 23 But when this happens, says the LORD Almighty, I will honor you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant. I will treat you like a signet ring on my finger, says the LORD, for I have specially chosen you. I, the LORD Almighty, have spoken!"

REVELATION 11:1-19

Then I [John] was given a measuring stick, and I was told, " Go and measure the Temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers. 2 But do not measure the outer courtyard, for it has been turned over to the nations. They will trample the holy city for 42 months. 3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will be clothed in sackcloth and will prophesy during those 1,260 days." 4 These two prophets are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of all the earth. 5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire flashes from the mouths of the prophets and consumes their enemies. This is how anyone who tries to harm them must die. 6 They have power to shut the skies so that no rain will fall for as long as they prophesy. And they have the power to turn the rivers and oceans into blood, and to send every kind of plague upon the earth as often as they wish.7 When they complete their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the bottomless pit will declare war against them. He will conquer them and kill them. 8 And their bodies will lie in the main street of Jerusalem, the city which is called " Sodom" and " Egypt," the city where their Lord was crucified. 9 And for three and a half days, all peoples, tribes, languages, and nations will come to stare at their bodies. No one will be allowed to bury them. 10 All the people who belong to this world will give presents to each other to celebrate the death of the two prophets who had tormented them. 11 But after three and a half days, the spirit of life from God entered them, and they stood up! And terror struck all who were staring at them. 12 Then a loud voice shouted from heaven, " Come up here!" And they rose to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched. 13 And in the same hour there was a terrible earthquake that destroyed a tenth of the city. Seven thousand people died in that earthquake. And everyone who did not die was terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. 14 The second terror is past, but look, now the third terror is coming quickly. 15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices shouting in heaven: " The whole world has now become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever." 16 And the twenty-four elders sitting on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped him. 17 And they said, " We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,

the one who is and who always was,

for now you have assumed your great power

and have begun to reign.

18 The nations were angry with you,

but now the time of your wrath has come.

It is time to judge the dead and reward your servants.

You will reward your prophets and your holy people,

all who fear your name, from the least to the greatest.

And you will destroy all who have caused destruction on the earth."

19 Then, in heaven, the Temple of God was opened and the Ark of his covenant could be seen inside the Temple. Lightning flashed, thunder crashed and roared; there was a great hailstorm, and the world was shaken by a mighty earthquake.

PSALM 139:1-24

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

1 O LORD, you have examined my heart

and know everything about me.

2 You know when I sit down or stand up.

You know my every thought when far away.

3 You chart the path ahead of me

and tell me where to stop and rest.

Every moment you know where I am.

4 You know what I am going to say

even before I say it, LORD.

5 You both precede and follow me.

You place your hand of blessing on my head.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

too great for me to know!

7 I can never escape from your spirit!

I can never get away from your presence!

8 If I go up to heaven, you are there;

if I go down to the place of the dead, you are there.

9 If I ride the wings of the morning,

if I dwell by the farthest oceans,

10 even there your hand will guide me,

and your strength will support me.

11 I could ask the darkness to hide me

and the light around me to become night--

12 but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.

To you the night shines as bright as day.

Darkness and light are both alike to you.

13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body

and knit me together in my mother's womb.

14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!

Your workmanship is marvelous--and how well I know it.

15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,

as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.

16 You saw me before I was born.

Every day of my life was recorded in your book.

Every moment was laid out

before a single day had passed.

17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God!

They are innumerable!

18 I can't even count them;

they outnumber the grains of sand!

And when I wake up in the morning,

you are still with me!

19 O God, if only you would destroy the wicked!

Get out of my life, you murderers!

20 They blaspheme you;

your enemies take your name in vain.

21 O LORD, shouldn't I hate those who hate you?

Shouldn't I despise those who resist you?

22 Yes, I hate them with complete hatred,

for your enemies are my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my thoughts.

24 Point out anything in me that offends you,

and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

PROVERBS 30:15-16

The leech has two suckers that cry out, " More, more!" There are three other things--no, four!--that are never satisfied: the grave, the barren womb, the thirsty desert, the blazing fire.

December 19 Reading through the Bible!

 ZEPHANIAH 1:1-3:20

REVELATION 10:1-11

PSALM 138:1-8

PROVERBS 30:11-14

ZEPHANIAH 1:1-3:20

The LORD gave these messages to Zephaniah when Josiah son of Amon was king of Judah. Zephaniah was the son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah. 2 " I will sweep away everything in all your land," says the LORD. 3 " I will sweep away both people and animals alike. Even the birds of the air and the fish in the sea will die. I will reduce the wicked to heaps of rubble, along with the rest of humanity," says the LORD. 4 " I will crush Judah and Jerusalem with my fist and destroy every last trace of their Baal worship. I will put an end to all the idolatrous priests, so that even the memory of them will disappear. 5 For they go up to their roofs and bow to the sun, moon, and stars. They claim to follow the LORD, but then they worship Molech, too. So now I will destroy them! 6 And I will destroy those who used to worship me but now no longer do. They no longer ask for the LORD's guidance or seek my blessings." 7 Stand in silence in the presence of the Sovereign LORD, for the awesome day of the LORD's judgment has come. The LORD has prepared his people for a great slaughter and has chosen their executioners. 8 " On that day of judgment," says the LORD, " I will punish the leaders and princes of Judah and all those following pagan customs. 9 Yes, I will punish those who participate in pagan worship ceremonies, and those who steal and kill to fill their masters' homes with loot.10 " On that day," says the LORD, " a cry of alarm will come from the Fish Gate and echo throughout the newer Mishneh section of the city. And a great crashing sound will come from the surrounding hills. 11 Wail in sorrow, all you who live in the market area, for all who buy and sell there will die. 12 " I will search with lanterns in Jerusalem's darkest corners to find and punish those who sit contented in their sins, indifferent to the LORD, thinking he will do nothing at all to them. 13 They are the very ones whose property will be plundered by the enemy, whose homes will be ransacked. They will never have a chance to live in the new homes they have built. They will never drink wine from the vineyards they have planted. 14 " That terrible day of the LORD is near. Swiftly it comes--a day when strong men will cry bitterly. 15 It is a day when the LORD's anger will be poured out. It is a day of terrible distress and anguish, a day of ruin and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, of clouds, blackness, 16 trumpet calls, and battle cries. Down go the walled cities and strongest battlements! 17 " Because you have sinned against the LORD, I will make you as helpless as a blind man searching for a path. Your blood will be poured out into the dust, and your bodies will lie there rotting on the ground." 18 Your silver and gold will be of no use to you on that day of the LORD's anger. For the whole land will be devoured by the fire of his jealousy. He will make a terrifying end of all the people on earth.2:1 GATHER together and pray, you shameless nation. 2 Gather while there is still time, before judgment begins and your opportunity is blown away like chaff. Act now, before the fierce fury of the LORD falls and the terrible day of the LORD's anger begins. 3 Beg the LORD to save you--all you who are humble, all you who uphold justice. Walk humbly and do what is right. Perhaps even yet the LORD will protect you from his anger on that day of destruction. 4 Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron--these Philistine cities, too, will be rooted out and left in desolation. 5 And how terrible it will be for you Philistines who live along the coast and in the land of Canaan, for this judgment is against you, too! The LORD will destroy you until not one of you is left. 6 The coastal area will become a pasture, a place of shepherd camps and enclosures for sheep. 7 The few survivors of the tribe of Judah will pasture there. They will lie down to rest in the abandoned houses in Ashkelon. For the LORD their God will visit his people in kindness and restore their prosperity again. 8 " I have heard the taunts of the people of Moab and Ammon, mocking my people and invading their borders. 9 Now, as surely as I live," says the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, " Moab and Ammon will be destroyed as completely as Sodom and Gomorrah. Their land will become a place of stinging nettles, salt pits, and eternal desolation. Those of my people who are left will plunder them and take their land."10 They will receive the wages of their pride, for they have scoffed at the people of the LORD Almighty. 11 The LORD will terrify them as he destroys all the gods in the land. Then people from nations around the world will worship the LORD, each in their own land. 12 " You Ethiopians will also be slaughtered by my sword," says the LORD. 13 And the LORD will strike the lands of the north with his fist. He will destroy Assyria and make its great capital, Nineveh, a desolate wasteland, parched like a desert. 14 The city that once was so proud will become a pasture for sheep and cattle. All sorts of wild animals will settle there. Owls of many kinds will live among the ruins of its palaces, hooting from the gaping windows. Rubble will block all the doorways, and the cedar paneling will lie open to the wind and weather.15 This is the fate of that boisterous city, once so secure. " In all the world there is no city as great as I," it boasted. But now, look how it has become an utter ruin, a place where animals live! Everyone passing that way will laugh in derision or shake a defiant fist. 3:1 HOW terrible it will be for rebellious, polluted Jerusalem, the city of violence and crime. 2 It proudly refuses to listen even to the voice of the LORD. No one can tell it anything; it refuses all correction. It does not trust in the LORD or draw near to its God. 3 Its leaders are like roaring lions hunting for their victims--out for everything they can get. Its judges are like ravenous wolves at evening time, who by dawn have left no trace of their prey. 4 Its prophets are arrogant liars seeking their own gain. Its priests defile the Temple by disobeying God's laws. 5 But the LORD is still there in the city, and he does no wrong. Day by day his justice is more evident, but no one takes notice--the wicked know no shame. 6 " I have wiped out many nations, devastating their fortress walls and towers. Their cities are now deserted; their streets are in silent ruin. There are no survivors to even tell what happened. 7 I thought, ` Surely they will have reverence for me now! Surely they will listen to my warnings, so I won't need to strike again.' But no; however much I punish them, they continue their evil practices from dawn till dusk and dusk till dawn." 8 So now the LORD says: " Be patient; the time is coming soon when I will stand up and accuse these evil nations. For it is my decision to gather together the kingdoms of the earth and pour out my fiercest anger and fury on them. All the earth will be devoured by the fire of my jealousy.9 " On that day I will purify the lips of all people, so that everyone will be able to worship the LORD together. 10 My scattered people who live beyond the rivers of Ethiopia will come to present their offerings. 11 And then you will no longer need to be ashamed of yourselves, for you will no longer be rebels against me. I will remove all the proud and arrogant people from among you. There will be no pride on my holy mountain. 12 Those who are left will be the lowly and the humble, for it is they who trust in the name of the LORD. 13 The people of Israel who survive will do no wrong to each other, never telling lies or deceiving one another. They will live peaceful lives, lying down to sleep in safety; there will be no one to make them afraid." 14 Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! 15 For the LORD will remove his hand of judgment and will disperse the armies of your enemy. And the LORD himself, the King of Israel, will live among you! At last your troubles will be over, and you will fear disaster no more. 16 On that day the announcement to Jerusalem will be, " Cheer up, Zion! Don't be afraid! 17 For the LORD your God has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty savior. He will rejoice over you with great gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will exult over you by singing a happy song." 18 " I will gather you who mourn for the appointed festivals; you will be disgraced no more. 19 And I will deal severely with all who have oppressed you. I will save the weak and helpless ones; I will bring together those who were chased away. I will give glory and renown to my former exiles, who have been mocked and shamed. 20 On that day I will gather you together and bring you home again. I will give you a good name, a name of distinction among all the nations of the earth. They will praise you as I restore your fortunes before their very eyes. I, the LORD, have spoken!"

REVELATION 10:1-11

Then I [John] saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, surrounded by a cloud, with a rainbow over his head. His face shone like the sun, and his feet were like pillars of fire. 2 And in his hand was a small scroll, which he had unrolled. He stood with his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land. 3 And he gave a great shout, like the roar of a lion. And when he shouted, the seven thunders answered. 4 When the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write. But a voice from heaven called to me: " Keep secret what the seven thunders said. Do not write it down."5 Then the mighty angel standing on the sea and on the land lifted his right hand to heaven. 6 And he swore an oath in the name of the one who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and everything in it, the earth and everything in it, and the sea and everything in it. He said, " God will wait no longer. 7 But when the seventh angel blows his trumpet, God's mysterious plan will be fulfilled. It will happen just as he announced it to his servants the prophets." 8 Then the voice from heaven called to me again: " Go and take the unrolled scroll from the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land." 9 So I approached him and asked him to give me the little scroll. " Yes, take it and eat it," he said. " At first it will taste like honey, but when you swallow it, it will make your stomach sour!" 10 So I took the little scroll from the hands of the angel, and I ate it! It was sweet in my mouth, but it made my stomach sour. 11 Then he said to me, " You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings."

PSALM 138:1-8

A psalm of David.

1 I give you thanks, O LORD, with all my heart;

I will sing your praises before the gods.

2 I bow before your holy Temple as I worship.

I will give thanks to your name

for your unfailing love and faithfulness,

because your promises are backed

by all the honor of your name.

3 When I pray, you answer me;

you encourage me by giving me the strength I need.

4 Every king in all the earth will give you thanks, O LORD,

for all of them will hear your words.

5 Yes, they will sing about the LORD's ways,

for the glory of the LORD is very great.

6 Though the LORD is great, he cares for the humble,

but he keeps his distance from the proud.

7 Though I am surrounded by troubles,

you will preserve me against the anger of my enemies.

You will clench your fist against my angry enemies!

Your power will save me.

8 The LORD will work out his plans for my life--

for your faithful love, O LORD, endures forever.

Don't abandon me, for you made me.

PROVERBS 30:11-14

Some people curse their father and do not thank their mother. They feel pure, but they are filthy and unwashed. They are proud beyond description and disdainful. They devour the poor with teeth as sharp as swords or knives. They destroy the needy from the face of the earth.

December 18 Reading through the Bible

 

HABAKKUK 1:1-3:19

REVELATION 9:1-21

PSALM 137:1-9

PROVERBS 30:10

HABAKKUK 1:1-3:19

This is the message that the prophet Habakkuk received from the LORD in a vision. 2 How long, O LORD, must I call for help? But you do not listen! " Violence!" I cry, but you do not come to save. 3 Must I forever see this sin and misery all around me? Wherever I look, I see destruction and violence. I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight. 4 The law has become paralyzed and useless, and there is no justice given in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous, and justice is perverted with bribes and trickery. 5 The LORD replied, " Look at the nations and be amazed! Watch and be astounded at what I will do! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn't believe even if someone told you about it. 6 I am raising up the Babylonians to be a new power on the world scene. They are a cruel and violent nation who will march across the world and conquer it. 7 They are notorious for their cruelty. They do as they like, and no one can stop them. 8 Their horses are swifter than leopards. They are a fierce people, more fierce than wolves at dusk. Their horsemen race forward from distant places. Like eagles they swoop down to pounce on their prey. 9 " On they come, all of them bent on violence. Their hordes advance like a wind from the desert, sweeping captives ahead of them like sand. 10 They scoff at kings and princes and scorn all their defenses. They simply pile ramps of earth against their walls and capture them! 11 They sweep past like the wind and are gone. But they are deeply guilty, for their own strength is their god." 12 O LORD my God, my Holy One, you who are eternal--is your plan in all of this to wipe us out? Surely not! O LORD our Rock, you have decreed the rise of these Babylonians to punish and correct us for our terrible sins. 13 You are perfectly just in this. But will you, who cannot allow sin in any form, stand idly by while they swallow us up? Should you be silent while the wicked destroy people who are more righteous than they? 14 Are we but fish to be caught and killed? Are we but creeping things that have no leader to defend them from their enemies? 15 Must we be strung up on their hooks and dragged out in their nets while they rejoice? 16 Then they will worship their nets and burn incense in front of them. " These nets are the gods who have made us rich!" they will claim. 17 Will you let them get away with this forever? Will they succeed forever in their heartless conquests?2:1 I WILL climb up into my watchtower now and wait to see what the LORD will say to me and how he will answer my complaint. 2 Then the LORD said to me, " Write my answer in large, clear letters on a tablet, so that a runner can read it and tell everyone else. 3 But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. 4 " Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked; but the righteous will live by their faith. 5 Wealth is treacherous, and the arrogant are never at rest. They range far and wide, with their mouths opened as wide as death, but they are never satisfied. In their greed they have gathered up many nations and peoples. 6 But the time is coming when all their captives will taunt them, saying, ` You thieves! At last justice has caught up with you! Now you will get what you deserve for your oppression and extortion!' 7 Suddenly, your debtors will rise up in anger. They will turn on you and take all you have, while you stand trembling and helpless. 8 You have plundered many nations; now they will plunder you. You murderers! You have filled the countryside with violence and all the cities, too. 9 " How terrible it will be for you who get rich by unjust means! You believe your wealth will buy security, putting your families beyond the reach of danger. 10 But by the murders you committed, you have shamed your name and forfeited your lives. 11 The very stones in the walls of your houses cry out against you, and the beams in the ceilings echo the complaint.12 " How terrible it will be for you who build cities with money gained by murder and corruption! 13 Has not the LORD Almighty promised that the wealth of nations will turn to ashes? They work so hard, but all in vain! 14 For the time will come when all the earth will be filled, as the waters fill the sea, with an awareness of the glory of the LORD. 15 " How terrible it will be for you who make your neighbors drunk! You force your cup on them so that you can gloat over their nakedness and shame. 16 But soon it will be your turn! Come, drink and be exposed! Drink from the cup of the LORD's judgment, and all your glory will be turned to shame. 17 You cut down the forests of Lebanon. Now you will be cut down! You terrified the wild animals you caught in your traps. Now terror will strike you because of your murder and violence in cities everywhere! 18 " What have you gained by worshiping all your man-made idols? How foolish to trust in something made by your own hands! What fools you are to believe such lies! 19 How terrible it will be for you who beg lifeless wooden idols to save you. You ask speechless stone images to tell you what to do. Can an idol speak for God? They may be overlaid with gold and silver, but they are lifeless inside. 20 But the LORD is in his holy Temple. Let all the earth be silent before him."3:1 THIS prayer was sung by the prophet Habakkuk: 2 I have heard all about you, LORD, and I am filled with awe by the amazing things you have done. In this time of our deep need, begin again to help us, as you did in years gone by. Show us your power to save us. And in your anger, remember your mercy. 3 I see God, the Holy One, moving across the deserts from Edom and Mount Paran. His brilliant splendor fills the heavens, and the earth is filled with his praise! What a wonderful God he is! 4 Rays of brilliant light flash from his hands. He rejoices in his awesome power. 5 Pestilence marches before him; plague follows close behind. 6 When he stops, the earth shakes. When he looks, the nations tremble. He shatters the everlasting mountains and levels the eternal hills. But his power is not diminished in the least! 7 I see the peoples of Cushan and Midian trembling in terror.8 Was it in anger, LORD, that you struck the rivers and parted the sea? Were you displeased with them? No, you were sending your chariots of salvation! 9 You were commanding your weapons of power! You split open the earth with flowing rivers! 10 The mountains watched and trembled. Onward swept the raging waters. The mighty deep cried out, lifting its hands to the LORD. 11 The lofty sun and moon began to fade, obscured by brilliance from your arrows and the flashing of your glittering spear. 12 You marched across the land in awesome anger and trampled the nations in your fury. 13 You went out to rescue your chosen people, to save your anointed ones. You crushed the heads of the wicked and laid bare their bones from head to toe. 14 With their own weapons, you destroyed those who rushed out like a whirlwind, thinking Israel would be easy prey. 15 You trampled the sea with your horses, and the mighty waters piled high. 16 I trembled inside when I heard all this; my lips quivered with fear. My legs gave way beneath me, and I shook in terror. I will wait quietly for the coming day when disaster will strike the people who invade us. 17 Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vine; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, 18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation. 19 The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He will make me as surefooted as a deer and bring me safely over the mountains. (For the choir director: This prayer is to be accompanied by stringed instruments.)

REVELATION 9:1-21

Then the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I [John] saw a star that had fallen to earth from the sky, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. 2 When he opened it, smoke poured out as though from a huge furnace, and the sunlight and air were darkened by the smoke. 3 Then locusts came from the smoke and descended on the earth, and they were given power to sting like scorpions. 4 They were told not to hurt the grass or plants or trees but to attack all the people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 They were told not to kill them but to torture them for five months with agony like the pain of scorpion stings. 6 In those days people will seek death but will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee away! 7 The locusts looked like horses armed for battle. They had gold crowns on their heads, and they had human faces. 8 Their hair was long like the hair of a woman, and their teeth were like the teeth of a lion. 9 They wore armor made of iron, and their wings roared like an army of chariots rushing into battle. 10 They had tails that stung like scorpions, with power to torture people. This power was given to them for five months. 11 Their king is the angel from the bottomless pit; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon--the Destroyer. 12 The first terror is past, but look, two more terrors are coming!13 Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice speaking from the four horns of the gold altar that stands in the presence of God. 14 And the voice spoke to the sixth angel who held the trumpet: " Release the four angels who are bound at the great Euphrates River." 15 And the four angels who had been prepared for this hour and day and month and year were turned loose to kill one-third of all the people on earth. 16 They led an army of 200 million mounted troops--I heard an announcement of how many there were. 17 And in my vision, I saw the horses and the riders sitting on them. The riders wore armor that was fiery red and sky blue and yellow. The horses' heads were like the heads of lions, and fire and smoke and burning sulfur billowed from their mouths. 18 One-third of all the people on earth were killed by these three plagues--by the fire and the smoke and burning sulfur that came from the mouths of the horses. 19 Their power was in their mouths, but also in their tails. For their tails had heads like snakes, with the power to injure people. 20 But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to turn from their evil deeds. They continued to worship demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood--idols that neither see nor hear nor walk! 21 And they did not repent of their murders or their witchcraft or their immorality or their thefts.

PSALM 137:1-9

Beside the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept

as we thought of Jerusalem.

2 We put away our lyres,

hanging them on the branches of the willow trees.

3 For there our captors demanded a song of us.

Our tormentors requested a joyful hymn:

" Sing us one of those songs of Jerusalem!"

4 But how can we sing the songs of the LORD

while in a foreign land?

5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,

let my right hand forget its skill upon the harp.

6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth

if I fail to remember you,

if I don't make Jerusalem my highest joy.

7 O LORD, remember what the Edomites did

on the day the armies of Babylon captured Jerusalem.

" Destroy it!" they yelled.

" Level it to the ground!"

8 O Babylon, you will be destroyed.

Happy is the one who pays you back

for what you have done to us.

9 Happy is the one who takes your babies

and smashes them against the rocks!

PROVERBS 30:10

Never slander a person to his employer. If you do, the person will curse you, and you will pay for it.

December 17 Reading through the Bible

 

NAHUM 1:1-3:19

REVELATION 8:1-13

PSALM 136:1-26

PROVERBS 30:7-9

NAHUM 1:1-3:19

This message concerning Nineveh came as a vision to Nahum, who lived in Elkosh. 2 The LORD is a jealous God, filled with vengeance and wrath. He takes revenge on all who oppose him and furiously destroys his enemies! 3 The LORD is slow to get angry, but his power is great, and he never lets the guilty go unpunished. He displays his power in the whirlwind and the storm. The billowing clouds are the dust beneath his feet. 4 At his command the oceans and rivers dry up, the lush pastures of Bashan and Carmel fade, and the green forests of Lebanon wilt. 5 In his presence the mountains quake, and the hills melt away; the earth trembles, and its people are destroyed. 6 Who can stand before his fierce anger? Who can survive his burning fury? His rage blazes forth like fire, and the mountains crumble to dust in his presence. 7 The LORD is good. When trouble comes, he is a strong refuge. And he knows everyone who trusts in him. 8 But he sweeps away his enemies in an overwhelming flood. He pursues his foes into the darkness of night. 9 Why are you scheming against the LORD? He will destroy you with one blow; he won't need to strike twice! 10 His enemies, tangled up like thorns, staggering like drunks, will be burned like dry straw in a field. 11 Who is this king of yours who dares to plot evil against the LORD?12 This is what the LORD says: " Even though the Assyrians have many allies, they will be destroyed and disappear. O my people, I have already punished you once, and I will not do it again. 13 Now I will break your chains and release you from Assyrian oppression." 14 And this is what the LORD says concerning the Assyrians in Nineveh: " You will have no more children to carry on your name. I will destroy all the idols in the temples of your gods. I am preparing a grave for you because you are despicable and don't deserve to live!" 15 Look! A messenger is coming over the mountains with good news! He is bringing a message of peace. Celebrate your festivals, O people of Judah, and fulfill all your vows, for your enemies from Nineveh will never invade your land again. They have been completely destroyed!2:1 NINEVEH, you are already surrounded by enemy armies! Sound the alarm! Man the ramparts! Muster your defenses, and keep a sharp watch for the enemy attack to begin! 2 For the land of Israel lies empty and broken after your attacks, but the LORD will restore its honor and power again. 3 Shields flash red in the sunlight! The attack begins! See their scarlet uniforms! Watch as their glittering chariots move into position, with a forest of spears waving above them. 4 The chariots race recklessly along the streets and through the squares, swift as lightning, flickering like torches. 5 The king shouts to his officers; they stumble in their haste, rushing to the walls to set up their defenses. 6 But too late! The river gates are open! The enemy has entered! The palace is about to collapse! 7 Nineveh's exile has been decreed, and all the servant girls mourn its capture. Listen to them moan like doves; watch them beat their breasts in sorrow. 8 Nineveh is like a leaking water reservoir! The people are slipping away. " Stop, stop!" someone shouts, but the people just keep on running. 9 Loot the silver! Plunder the gold! There seems no end to Nineveh's many treasures--its vast, uncounted wealth. 10 Soon the city is an empty shambles, stripped of its wealth. Hearts melt in horror, and knees shake. The people stand aghast, their faces pale and trembling. 11 Where now is that great Nineveh, lion of the nations, full of fight and boldness, where the old and feeble and the young and tender lived with nothing to fear? 12 O Nineveh, you were once a mighty lion! You crushed your enemies to feed your cubs and your mate. You filled your city and your homes with captives and plunder.13 " I am your enemy!" says the LORD Almighty. " Your chariots will soon go up in smoke. The finest of your youth will be killed in battle. Never again will you bring back plunder from conquered nations. Never again will the voices of your proud messengers be heard." 3:1 HOW terrible it will be for Nineveh, the city of murder and lies! She is crammed with wealth to be plundered. 2 Listen! Hear the crack of the whips as the chariots rush forward against her. Wheels rumble, horses' hooves pound, and chariots clatter as they bump wildly through the streets. 3 See the flashing swords and glittering spears in the upraised arms of the cavalry! The dead are lying in the streets--dead bodies, heaps of bodies, everywhere. People stumble over them, scramble to their feet, and fall again. 4 All this because Nineveh, the beautiful and faithless city, mistress of deadly charms, enticed the nations with her beauty. She taught them all to worship her false gods, enchanting people everywhere. 5 " No wonder I am your enemy!" declares the LORD Almighty. " And now I will lift your skirts so all the earth will see your nakedness and shame. 6 I will cover you with filth and show the world how vile you really are. 7 All who see you will shrink back in horror and say, ` Nineveh lies in utter ruin.' Yet no one anywhere will regret your destruction."8 Are you any better than Thebes, surrounded by rivers, protected by water on all sides? 9 Ethiopia and the land of Egypt were the source of her strength, which seemed without limit. The nations of Put and Libya also helped and supported her. 10 Yet Thebes fell, and her people were led away as captives. Her babies were dashed to death against the stones of the streets. Soldiers cast lots to see who would get the Egyptian officers as servants. All their leaders were bound in chains. 11 And you, Nineveh, will also stagger like a drunkard. You will hide for fear of the attacking enemy. 12 All your fortresses will fall. They will be devoured like the ripe figs that fall into the mouths of those who shake the trees. 13 Your troops will be as weak and helpless as women. The gates of your land will be opened wide to the enemy and set on fire and burned.14 Get ready for the siege! Store up water! Strengthen the defenses! Make bricks to repair the walls! Go into the pits to trample clay, and pack it into molds! 15 But in the middle of your preparations, the fire will devour you; the sword will cut you down. The enemy will consume you like locusts, devouring everything they see. There will be no escape, even if you multiply like grasshoppers. 16 Merchants, as numerous as the stars, have filled your city with vast wealth. But like a swarm of locusts, they strip the land and then fly away. 17 Your princes and officials are also like locusts, crowding together in the hedges to survive the cold. But like locusts that fly away when the sun comes up to warm the earth, all of them will fly away and disappear. 18 O Assyrian king, your princes lie dead in the dust. Your people are scattered across the mountains. There is no longer a shepherd to gather them together. 19 There is no healing for your wound; your injury is fatal. All who hear of your destruction will clap their hands for joy. Where can anyone be found who has not suffered from your cruelty?

REVELATION 8:1-13

When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence throughout heaven for about half an hour. 2 And I [John] saw the seven angels who stand before God, and they were given seven trumpets. 3 Then another angel with a gold incense burner came and stood at the altar. And a great quantity of incense was given to him to mix with the prayers of God's people, to be offered on the gold altar before the throne. 4 The smoke of the incense, mixed with the prayers of the saints, ascended up to God from the altar where the angel had poured them out. 5 Then the angel filled the incense burner with fire from the altar and threw it down upon the earth; and thunder crashed, lightning flashed, and there was a terrible earthquake. 6 Then the seven angels with the seven trumpets prepared to blow their mighty blasts. 7 The first angel blew his trumpet, and hail and fire mixed with blood were thrown down upon the earth, and one-third of the earth was set on fire. One-third of the trees were burned, and all the grass was burned. 8 Then the second angel blew his trumpet, and a great mountain of fire was thrown into the sea. And one-third of the water in the sea became blood. 9 And one-third of all things living in the sea died. And one-third of all the ships on the sea were destroyed. 10 Then the third angel blew his trumpet, and a great flaming star fell out of the sky, burning like a torch. It fell upon one-third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 The name of the star was Bitterness. It made one-third of the water bitter, and many people died because the water was so bitter. 12 Then the fourth angel blew his trumpet, and one-third of the sun was struck, and one-third of the moon, and one-third of the stars, and they became dark. And one-third of the day was dark and one-third of the night also. 13 Then I looked up. And I heard a single eagle crying loudly as it flew through the air, " Terror, terror, terror to all who belong to this world because of what will happen when the last three angels blow their trumpets."

PSALM 136:1-26

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good!

His faithful love endures forever.

2 Give thanks to the God of gods.

His faithful love endures forever.

3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords.

His faithful love endures forever.

4 Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles.

His faithful love endures forever.

5 Give thanks to him who made the heavens so skillfully.

His faithful love endures forever.

6 Give thanks to him who placed the earth on the water.

His faithful love endures forever.

7 Give thanks to him who made the heavenly lights--

His faithful love endures forever.

8 the sun to rule the day,

His faithful love endures forever.

9 and the moon and stars to rule the night.

His faithful love endures forever.

10 Give thanks to him who killed the firstborn of Egypt.

His faithful love endures forever.

11 He brought Israel out of Egypt.

His faithful love endures forever.

12 He acted with a strong hand and powerful arm.

His faithful love endures forever.

13 Give thanks to him who parted the Red Sea.

His faithful love endures forever.

14 He led Israel safely through,

His faithful love endures forever.

15 but he hurled Pharaoh and his army into the sea.

His faithful love endures forever.

16 Give thanks to him who led his people through the wilderness.

His faithful love endures forever.

17 Give thanks to him who struck down mighty kings.

His faithful love endures forever.

18 He killed powerful kings--

His faithful love endures forever.

19 Sihon king of the Amorites,

His faithful love endures forever.

20 and Og king of Bashan.

His faithful love endures forever.

21 God gave the land of these kings as an inheritance--

His faithful love endures forever.

22 a special possession to his servant Israel.

His faithful love endures forever.

23 He remembered our utter weakness.

His faithful love endures forever.

24 He saved us from our enemies.

His faithful love endures forever.

25 He gives food to every living thing.

His faithful love endures forever.

26 Give thanks to the God of heaven.

His faithful love endures forever.

PROVERBS 30:7-9

O God, I beg two favors from you before I die. First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, " Who is the LORD?" And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God's holy name.

December 16 Reading through the Bible

 

MICAH 5:1-7:20

REVELATION 7:1-17

PSALM 135:1-21

PROVERBS 30:5-6

MICAH 5:1-7:20

Mobilize! Marshal your troops! The enemy is laying siege to Jerusalem. With a rod they will strike the leader of Israel in the face. 2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village in Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past. 3 The people of Israel will be abandoned to their enemies until the time when the woman in labor gives birth to her son. Then at last his fellow countrymen will return from exile to their own land. 4 And he will stand to lead his flock with the LORD's strength, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. Then his people will live there undisturbed, for he will be highly honored all around the world. 5 And he will be the source of our peace. When the Assyrians invade our land and break through our defenses, we will appoint seven rulers to watch over us, eight princes to lead us. 6 They will rule Assyria with drawn swords and enter the gates of the land of Nimrod. They will rescue us from the Assyrians when they pour over the borders to invade our land. 7 Then the few left in Israel will go out among the nations. They will be like dew sent by the LORD or like rain falling on the grass, which no one can hold back. 8 The remnant of Israel will go out among the nations and be as strong as a lion. And the other nations will be like helpless sheep, with no one to rescue them. 9 The people of Israel will stand up to their foes, and all their enemies will be wiped out. 10 " At that same time," says the LORD, " I will destroy all your weapons--your horses and chariots. 11 I will tear down your walls and demolish the defenses of your cities. 12 I will put an end to all witchcraft; there will be no more fortune-tellers to consult. 13 I will destroy all your idols and sacred pillars, so you will never again worship the work of your own hands. 14 I will abolish your pagan shrines with their Asherah poles and destroy the cities where your idol temples stand. 15 I will pour out my vengeance on all the nations that refuse to obey me."6:1 LISTEN to what the LORD is saying: " Stand up and state your case against me. Let the mountains and hills be called to witness your complaints. 2 " And now, O mountains, listen to the LORD's complaint! He has a case against his people Israel! He will prosecute them to the full extent of the law. 3 O my people, what have I done to make you turn from me? Tell me why your patience is exhausted! Answer me! 4 For I brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from your slavery. I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to help you. 5 " Don't you remember, my people, how King Balak of Moab tried to have you cursed and how Balaam son of Beor blessed you instead? And remember your journey from Acacia to Gilgal, when I, the LORD, did everything I could to teach you about my faithfulness." 6 What can we bring to the LORD to make up for what we've done? Should we bow before God with offerings of yearling calves? 7 Should we offer him thousands of rams and tens of thousands of rivers of olive oil? Would that please the LORD? Should we sacrifice our firstborn children to pay for the sins of our souls? Would that make him glad? 8 No, O people, the LORD has already told you what is good, and this is what he requires: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. 9 Listen! Fear the LORD if you are wise! His voice is calling out to everyone in Jerusalem: " The armies of destruction are coming; the LORD is sending them. 10 Will there be no end of your getting rich by cheating? The homes of the wicked are filled with treasures gained by dishonestly measuring out grain in short measures. 11 And how can I tolerate all your merchants who use dishonest scales and weights? 12 The rich among you have become wealthy through extortion and violence. Your citizens are so used to lying that their tongues can no longer tell the truth. 13 " Therefore, I will wound you! I will bring you to ruin for all your sins. 14 You will eat but never have enough. Your hunger pangs and emptiness will still remain. And though you try to save your money, it will come to nothing in the end. You will save a little, but I will give it to those who conquer you. 15 You will plant crops but not harvest them. You will press your olives but not get enough oil to anoint yourselves. You will trample the grapes but get no juice to make your wine. 16 " The only laws you keep are those of evil King Omri; the only example you follow is that of wicked King Ahab! Therefore, I will make an example of you, bringing you to complete ruin. You will be treated with contempt, mocked by all who see you."7:1 WHAT misery is mine! I feel like the fruit picker after the harvest who can find nothing to eat. Not a cluster of grapes or a single fig can be found to satisfy my hunger. 2 The godly people have all disappeared; not one fair-minded person is left on the earth. They are all murderers, even setting traps for their own brothers. 3 They go about their evil deeds with both hands. How skilled they are at using them! Officials and judges alike demand bribes. The people with money and influence pay them off, and together they scheme to twist justice. 4 Even the best of them is like a brier; the straightest is more crooked than a hedge of thorns. But your judgment day is coming swiftly now. Your time of punishment is here. 5 Don't trust anyone--not your best friend or even your wife! 6 For the son despises his father. The daughter defies her mother. The daughter-in-law defies her mother-in-law. Your enemies will be right in your own household. 7 As for me, I look to the LORD for his help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me. 8 Do not gloat over me, my enemies! For though I fall, I will rise again. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD himself will be my light. 9 I will be patient as the LORD punishes me, for I have sinned against him. But after that, he will take up my case and punish my enemies for all the evil they have done to me. The LORD will bring me out of my darkness into the light, and I will see his righteousness. 10 Then my enemies will see that the LORD is on my side. They will be ashamed that they taunted me, saying, " Where is the LORD--that God of yours?" With my own eyes I will see them trampled down like mud in the streets. 11 In that day, Israel, your cities will be rebuilt, and your borders will be extended. 12 People from many lands will come and honor you--from Assyria all the way to the towns of Egypt, and from Egypt all the way to the Euphrates River, and from many distant seas and mountains. 13 But the land will become empty and desolate because of the wickedness of those who live there. 14 O LORD, come and rule your people; lead your flock in green pastures. Help them to live in peace and prosperity. Let them enjoy the fertile pastures of Bashan and Gilead as they did long ago. 15 " Yes," says the LORD, " I will do mighty miracles for you, like those I did when I rescued you from slavery in Egypt."16 All the nations of the world will stand amazed at what the LORD will do for you. They will be embarrassed that their power is so insignificant. They will stand in silent awe, deaf to everything around them. 17 They will come to realize what lowly creatures they really are. Like snakes crawling from their holes, they will come out to meet the LORD our God. They will fear him greatly, trembling in terror at his presence. 18 Where is another God like you, who pardons the sins of the survivors among his people? You cannot stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing mercy. 19 Once again you will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean! 20 You will show us your faithfulness and unfailing love as you promised with an oath to our ancestors Abraham and Jacob long ago.

REVELATION 7:1-17

Then I [John] saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds from blowing upon the earth. Not a leaf rustled in the trees, and the sea became as smooth as glass. 2 And I saw another angel coming from the east, carrying the seal of the living God. And he shouted out to those four angels who had been given power to injure land and sea, 3 " Wait! Don't hurt the land or the sea or the trees until we have placed the seal of God on the foreheads of his servants." 4 And I heard how many were marked with the seal of God. There were 144,000 who were sealed from all the tribes of Israel: 5 from Judah 12,000 from Reuben 12,000 from Gad 12,000 6 from Asher 12,000 from Naphtali 12,000 from Manasseh 12,000 7 from Simeon 12,000 from Levi 12,000 from Issachar 12,000 8 from Zebulun 12,000 from Joseph 12,000 from Benjamin 12,0009 After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white and held palm branches in their hands. 10 And they were shouting with a mighty shout, " Salvation comes from our God on the throne and from the Lamb!" 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings. And they fell face down before the throne and worshiped God. 12 They said, " Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom

and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength

belong to our God forever and forever. Amen!"

13 Then one of the twenty-four elders asked me, " Who are these who are clothed in white? Where do they come from?" 14 And I said to him, " Sir, you are the one who knows."Then he said to me, " These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white. 15 That is why they are standing in front of the throne of God, serving him day and night in his Temple. And he who sits on the throne will live among them and shelter them. 16 They will never again be hungry or thirsty, and they will be fully protected from the scorching noontime heat. 17 For the Lamb who stands in front of the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to the springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe away all their tears."

PSALM 135:1-21

Praise the LORD!

Praise the name of the LORD!

Praise him, you who serve the LORD,

2 you who serve in the house of the LORD,

in the courts of the house of our God.

3 Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good;

celebrate his wonderful name with music.

4 For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself,

Israel for his own special treasure.

5 I know the greatness of the LORD--

that our Lord is greater than any other god.

6 The LORD does whatever pleases him

throughout all heaven and earth,

and on the seas and in their depths.

7 He causes the clouds to rise over the earth.

He sends the lightning with the rain

and releases the wind from his storehouses.

8 He destroyed the firstborn in each Egyptian home,

both people and animals.

9 He performed miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt;

Pharaoh and all his people watched.

10 He struck down great nations

and slaughtered mighty kings--

11 Sihon king of the Amorites,

Og king of Bashan,

and all the kings of Canaan.

12 He gave their land as an inheritance,

a special possession to his people Israel.

13 Your name, O LORD, endures forever;

your fame, O LORD, is known to every generation.

14 For the LORD will vindicate his people

and have compassion on his servants.

15 Their idols are merely things of silver and gold,

shaped by human hands.

16 They cannot talk, though they have mouths,

or see, though they have eyes!

17 They cannot hear with their ears

or smell with their noses.

18 And those who make them are just like them,

as are all who trust in them.

19 O Israel, praise the LORD!

O priests of Aaron, praise the LORD!

20 O Levites, praise the LORD!

All you who fear the LORD, praise the LORD!

21 The LORD be praised from Zion,

for he lives here in Jerusalem.

Praise the LORD!

PROVERBS 30:5-6

Every word of God proves true. He defends all who come to him for protection. Do not add to his words, or he may rebuke you, and you will be found a liar.

December 15 Reading through the Bible

 

MICAH 1:1-4:13

REVELATION 6:1-17

PSALM 134:1-3

PROVERBS 30:1-4

MICAH 1:1-4:13

The LORD gave these messages to Micah of Moresheth during the years when Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah. The messages concerned both Samaria and Jerusalem, and they came to Micah in the form of visions. 2 Attention! Let all the people of the world listen! The Sovereign LORD has made accusations against you; the Lord speaks from his holy Temple. 3 Look! The LORD is coming! He leaves his throne in heaven and comes to earth, walking on the high places. 4 They melt beneath his feet and flow into the valleys like wax in a fire, like water pouring down a hill. 5 And why is this happening? Because of the sins and rebellion of Israel and Judah. Who is to blame for Israel's rebellion? Samaria, its capital city! Where is the center of idolatry in Judah? In Jerusalem, its capital! 6 " So I, the LORD, will make the city of Samaria a heap of rubble. Her streets will be plowed up for planting vineyards. I will roll the stones of her walls down into the valley below, exposing all her foundations. 7 All her carved images will be smashed to pieces. All her sacred treasures will be burned up. These things were bought with the money earned by her prostitution, and they will now be carried away to pay prostitutes elsewhere." 8 Because of all this, I will mourn and lament. I will walk around naked and barefoot in sorrow and shame. I will howl like a jackal and wail like an ostrich. 9 For my people's wound is far too deep to heal. It has reached into Judah, even to the gates of Jerusalem.10 Don't tell our enemies in the city of Gath; don't weep at all. You people in Beth-leaphrah, roll in the dust to show your anguish and despair. 11 You people of Shaphir, go as captives into exile--naked and ashamed. The people of Zaanan dare not come outside their walls. The people of Beth-ezel mourn because the very foundations of their city have been swept away. 12 The people of Maroth anxiously wait for relief, but only bitterness awaits them as the LORD's judgment reaches even to the gates of Jerusalem. 13 Quick! Use your swiftest chariots and flee, you people of Lachish. You were the first city in Judah to follow Israel in the sin of idol worship, and so you led Jerusalem into sin. 14 Send a farewell gift to Moresheth-gath; there is no hope of saving it. The town of Aczib has deceived the kings of Israel, for it promised help it could not give. 15 You people of Mareshah, I will bring a conqueror to capture your town. And the leaders of Israel will go to Adullam. 16 Weep, you people of Judah! Shave your heads in sorrow, for the children you love will be snatched away, and you will never see them again. Make yourselves as bald as an eagle, for your little ones will be exiled to distant lands. 2:1 HOW terrible it will be for you who lie awake at night, thinking up evil plans. You rise at dawn and hurry to carry out any of the wicked schemes you have power to accomplish. 2 When you want a certain piece of land, you find a way to seize it. When you want someone's house, you take it by fraud and violence. No one's family or inheritance is safe with you around! 3 But this is what the LORD says: " I will reward your evil with evil; you won't be able to escape! After I am through with you, none of you will ever again walk proudly in the streets." 4 In that day your enemies will make fun of you by singing this song of despair about your experience: " We are finished,

completely ruined!

God has confiscated our land,

taking it from us.

He has given our fields

to those who betrayed us."

5 Others will set your boundaries then, and the LORD's people will have no say in how the land is divided. 6 " Don't say such things," the people say. " Don't prophesy like that. Such disasters will never come our way!" 7 Should you talk that way, O family of Israel? Will the LORD have patience with such behavior? If you would do what is right, you would find my words to be good. 8 Yet to this very hour my people rise against me! You steal the shirts right off the backs of those who trusted you, making them as ragged as men who have just come home from battle. 9 You have evicted women from their homes and stripped their children of all their God-given rights. 10 Up! Begone! This is no longer your land and home, for you have filled it with sin and ruined it completely. 11 Suppose a prophet full of lies were to say to you, " I'll preach to you the joys of wine and drink!" That's just the kind of prophet you would like!12 " Someday, O Israel, I will gather the few of you who are left. I will bring you together again like sheep in a fold, like a flock in its pasture. Yes, your land will again be filled with noisy crowds! 13 Your leader will break out and lead you out of exile. He will bring you through the gates of your cities of captivity, back to your own land. Your king will lead you; the LORD himself will guide you." 3:1 LISTEN, you leaders of Israel! You are supposed to know right from wrong, 2 but you are the very ones who hate good and love evil. You skin my people alive and tear the flesh off their bones. 3 You eat my people's flesh, cut away their skin, and break their bones. You chop them up like meat for the cooking pot. 4 Then you beg the LORD for help in times of trouble! Do you really expect him to listen? After all the evil you have done, he won't even look at you! 5 This is what the LORD says to you false prophets: " You are leading my people astray! You promise peace for those who give you food, but you declare war on anyone who refuses to pay you. 6 Now the night will close around you, cutting off all your visions. Darkness will cover you, making it impossible for you to predict the future. The sun will set for you prophets, and your day will come to an end. 7 Then you seers will cover your faces in shame, and you diviners will be disgraced. And you will admit that your messages were not from God."8 But as for me, I am filled with power and the Spirit of the LORD. I am filled with justice and might, fearlessly pointing out Israel's sin and rebellion. 9 Listen to me, you leaders of Israel! You hate justice and twist all that is right. 10 You are building Jerusalem on a foundation of murder and corruption. 11 You rulers govern for the bribes you can get; you priests teach God's laws only for a price; you prophets won't prophesy unless you are paid. Yet all of you claim you are depending on the LORD. " No harm can come to us," you say, " for the LORD is here among us." 12 So because of you, Mount Zion will be plowed like an open field; Jerusalem will be reduced to rubble! A great forest will grow on the hilltop, where the Temple now stands.4:1 IN the last days, the Temple of the LORD in Jerusalem will become the most important place on earth. People from all over the world will go there to worship. 2 Many nations will come and say, " Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the Temple of the God of Israel. There he will teach us his ways, so that we may obey him." For in those days the LORD's teaching and his word will go out from Jerusalem. 3 The LORD will settle international disputes. All the nations will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. All wars will stop, and military training will come to an end. 4 Everyone will live quietly in their own homes in peace and prosperity, for there will be nothing to fear. The LORD Almighty has promised this! 5 Even though the nations around us worship idols, we will follow the LORD our God forever and ever. 6 " In that coming day," says the LORD, " I will gather together my people who are lame, who have been exiles, filled with grief. 7 They are weak and far from home, but I will make them strong again, a mighty nation. Then I, the LORD, will rule from Jerusalem as their king forever."8 As for you, O Jerusalem, the citadel of God's people, your royal might and power will come back to you again. The kingship will be restored to my precious Jerusalem. 9 But why are you now screaming in terror? Have you no king to lead you? He is dead! Have you no wise people to counsel you? All are gone! Pain has gripped you like it does a woman in labor. 10 Writhe and groan in terrible pain, you people of Jerusalem, for you must leave this city to live in the open fields. You will soon be sent into exile in distant Babylon. But the LORD will rescue you there; he will redeem you from the grip of your enemies. 11 True, many nations have gathered together against you, calling for your blood, eager to gloat over your destruction. 12 But they do not know the LORD's thoughts or understand his plan. These nations don't know that he is gathering them together to be beaten and trampled like bundles of grain on a threshing floor. 13 " Rise up and destroy the nations, O Jerusalem!" says the LORD. " For I will give you iron horns and bronze hooves, so you can trample many nations to pieces. Then you will give all the wealth they acquired as offerings to me, the Lord of all the earth."

REVELATION 6:1-17

As I [John] watched, the Lamb broke the first of the seven seals on the scroll. Then one of the four living beings called out with a voice that sounded like thunder, " Come!" 2 I looked up and saw a white horse. Its rider carried a bow, and a crown was placed on his head. He rode out to win many battles and gain the victory. 3 When the Lamb broke the second seal, I heard the second living being say, " Come!" 4 And another horse appeared, a red one. Its rider was given a mighty sword and the authority to remove peace from the earth. And there was war and slaughter everywhere.5 When the Lamb broke the third seal, I heard the third living being say, " Come!" And I looked up and saw a black horse, and its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And a voice from among the four living beings said, " A loaf of wheat bread or three loaves of barley for a day's pay. And don't waste the olive oil and wine." 7 And when the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the fourth living being say, " Come!" 8 And I looked up and saw a horse whose color was pale green like a corpse. And Death was the name of its rider, who was followed around by the Grave. They were given authority over one-fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword and famine and disease and wild animals.9 And when the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of all who had been martyred for the word of God and for being faithful in their witness. 10 They called loudly to the Lord and said, " O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge the people who belong to this world for what they have done to us? When will you avenge our blood against these people?" 11 Then a white robe was given to each of them. And they were told to rest a little longer until the full number of their brothers and sisters*--their fellow servants of Jesus--had been martyred. 12 I watched as the Lamb broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became as dark as black cloth, and the moon became as red as blood. 13 Then the stars of the sky fell to the earth like green figs falling from trees shaken by mighty winds. 14 And the sky was rolled up like a scroll and taken away. And all of the mountains and all of the islands disappeared. 15 Then the kings of the earth, the rulers, the generals, the wealthy people, the people with great power, and every slave and every free person--all hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 And they cried to the mountains and the rocks, " Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. 17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who will be able to survive?"

PSALM 134:1-3

A song for the ascent to Jerusalem.

1 Oh, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD,

you who serve as night watchmen in the house of the LORD.

2 Lift your hands in holiness,

and bless the LORD.

3 May the LORD, who made heaven and earth,

bless you from Jerusalem.

PROVERBS 30:1-4

The message of Agur son of Jakeh. An oracle. I am weary, O God; I am weary and worn out, O God. I am too ignorant to be human, and I lack common sense. I have not mastered human wisdom, nor do I know the Holy One. Who but God goes up to heaven and comes back down? Who holds the wind in his fists? Who wraps up the oceans in his cloak? Who has created the whole wide world? What is his name--and his son's name? Tell me if you know!