Reading through the Word....Day 313, November 9

EZEKIEL 23:1- 49
HEBREWS 10:18- 39
PSALM 109:1- 31
PROVERBS 27:13


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


Now when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices. 19 And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven's Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. 20 This is the new, life- giving way that Christ has opened up for us through the sacred curtain, by means of his death for us. 21 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God's people, 22 let us go right into the presence of God, with true hearts fully trusting him. For our evil consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. 23 Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. 24 Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near. 26 Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received a full knowledge of the truth, there is no other sacrifice that will cover these sins. 27 There will be nothing to look forward to but the terrible expectation of God's judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. 28 Anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Think how much more terrible the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God and have treated the blood of the covenant as if it were common and unholy. Such people have insulted and enraged the Holy Spirit who brings God's mercy to his people. 30 For we know the one who said," I will take vengeance.
I will repay those who deserve it. "
He also said," The Lord will judge his own people. "
31 It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 32 Don't ever forget those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. 33 Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. 34 You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail. When all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew you had better things waiting for you in eternity. 35 Do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord, no matter what happens. Remember the great reward it brings you! 36 Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. 37" For in just a little while,
the Coming One will come and not delay.
38 And a righteous person will live by faith.
But I will have no pleasure in anyone who turns away. "
39 But we are not like those who turn their backs on God and seal their fate. We have faith that assures our salvation.


For the choir director:A psalm of David.
1 O God, whom I praise,
don't stand silent and aloof
2 while the wicked slander me
and tell lies about me.
3 They are all around me with their hateful words,
and they fight against me for no reason.
4 I love them, but they try to destroy me--
even as I am praying for them!
5 They return evil for good,
and hatred for my love.
6 Arrange for an evil person to turn on him.
Send an accuser to bring him to trial.
7 When his case is called for judgment,
let him be pronounced guilty.
Count his prayers as sins.
8 Let his years be few;
let his position be given to someone else.
9 May his children become fatherless,
and may his wife become a widow.
10 May his children wander as beggars;
may they be evicted from their ruined homes.
11 May creditors seize his entire estate,
and strangers take all he has earned.
12 Let no one be kind to him;
let no one pity his fatherless children.
13 May all his offspring die.
May his family name be blotted out in a single generation.
14 May the LORD never forget the sins of his ancestors;
may his mother's sins never be erased from the record.
15 May these sins always remain before the LORD,
but may his name be cut off from human memory.
16 For he refused all kindness to others;
he persecuted the poor and needy,
and he hounded the brokenhearted to death.
17 He loved to curse others;
now you curse him.
He never blessed others;
now don't you bless him.
18 Cursing is as much a part of him as his clothing,
or as the water he drinks,
or the rich food he eats.
19 Now may his curses return and cling to him like clothing;
may they be tied around him like a belt.
20 May those curses become the LORD's punishment for my accusers
who are plotting against my life.
21 But deal well with me, O Sovereign LORD,
for the sake of your own reputation!
Rescue me because you are so faithful and good.
22 For I am poor and needy,
and my heart is full of pain.
23 I am fading like a shadow at dusk;
I am falling like a grasshopper that is brushed aside.
24 My knees are weak from fasting,
and I am skin and bones.
25 I am an object of mockery to people everywhere;
when they see me, they shake their heads.
26 Help me, O LORD my God!
Save me because of your unfailing love.
27 Let them see that this is your doing,
that you yourself have done it, LORD.
28 Then let them curse me if they like,
but you will bless me!
When they attack me, they will be disgraced!
But I, your servant, will go right on rejoicing!
29 Make their humiliation obvious to all;
clothe my accusers with disgrace.
30 But I will give repeated thanks to the LORD,
praising him to everyone.
31 For he stands beside the needy,
ready to save them from those who condemn them.


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

Reading through the Word....Day 312, November 8

EZEKIEL 21:1- 22:31
HEBREWS 10:1- 17
PSALM 108:1- 13
PROVERBS 27:12


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


The old system in the law of Moses was only a shadow of the things to come, not the reality of the good things Christ has done for us. The sacrifices under the old system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. 2 If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared. 3 But just the opposite happened. Those yearly sacrifices reminded them of their sins year after year. 4 For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 That is why Christ, when he came into the world, said," You did not want animal sacrifices and grain offerings.
But you have given me a body so that I may obey you.
6 No, you were not pleased with animals burned on the altar
or with other offerings for sin.
7 Then I said, `Look, I have come to do your will, O God--
just as it is written about me in the Scriptures. '"
8 Christ said," You did not want animal sacrifices or grain offerings or animals burned on the altar or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them "(though they are required by the law of Moses). 9 Then he added," Look, I have come to do your will. "He cancels the first covenant in order to establish the second. 10 And what God wants is for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time. 11 Under the old covenant, the priest stands before the altar day after day, offering sacrifices that can never take away sins. 12 But our High Priest offered himself to God as one sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down at the place of highest honor at God's right hand. 13 There he waits until his enemies are humbled as a footstool under his feet. 14 For by that one offering he perfected forever all those whom he is making holy. 15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. First he says,16" This is the new covenant I will make
with my people on that day, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their hearts
so they will understand them,
and I will write them on their minds
so they will obey them. "
17 Then he adds," I will never again remember
their sins and lawless deeds. "


A psalm of David. A song.
1 My heart is confident in you, O God;
no wonder I can sing your praises!
Wake up, my soul!
2 Wake up, O harp and lyre!
I will waken the dawn with my song.
3 I will thank you, LORD, in front of all the people.
I will sing your praises among the nations.
4 For your unfailing love is higher than the heavens.
Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
5 Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens.
May your glory shine over all the earth.
6 Use your strong right arm to save me,
and rescue your beloved people.
7 God has promised this by his holiness:
" I will divide up Shechem with joy.
I will measure out the valley of Succoth.
8 Gilead is mine,
and Manasseh is mine.
Ephraim will produce my warriors,
and Judah will produce my kings.
9 Moab will become my lowly servant,
and Edom will be my slave.
I will shout in triumph over the Philistines. "
10 But who will bring me into the fortified city?
Who will bring me victory over Edom?
11 Have you rejected us, O God?
Will you no longer march with our armies?
12 Oh, please help us against our enemies,
for all human help is useless.
13 With God's help we will do mighty things,
for he will trample down our foes.

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

Reading through the Word....Day 311, November 7

EZEKIEL 20:1- 49
HEBREWS 9:11- 28
PSALM 107:1- 43
PROVERBS 27:11


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


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

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
2 Has the LORD redeemed you? Then speak out!
Tell others he has saved you from your enemies.
3 For he has gathered the exiles from many lands,
from east and west, from north and south.
4 Some wandered in the desert,
lost and homeless.
5 Hungry and thirsty,
they nearly died.
6" LORD, help! "they cried in their trouble,
and he rescued them from their distress.
7 He led them straight to safety,
to a city where they could live.
8 Let them praise the LORD for his great love
and for all his wonderful deeds to them.
9 For he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things.
10 Some sat in darkness and deepest gloom,
miserable prisoners in chains.
11 They rebelled against the words of God,
scorning the counsel of the Most High.
12 That is why he broke them with hard labor;
they fell, and no one helped them rise again.
13" LORD, help! "they cried in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
14 He led them from the darkness and deepest gloom;
he snapped their chains.
15 Let them praise the LORD for his great love
and for all his wonderful deeds to them.
16 For he broke down their prison gates of bronze;
he cut apart their bars of iron.
17 Some were fools in their rebellion;
they suffered for their sins.
18 Their appetites were gone,
and death was near.
19" LORD, help! "they cried in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
20 He spoke, and they were healed--
snatched from the door of death.
21 Let them praise the LORD for his great love
and for all his wonderful deeds to them.
22 Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving
and sing joyfully about his glorious acts.
23 Some went off in ships,
plying the trade routes of the world.
24 They, too, observed the LORD's power in action,
his impressive works on the deepest seas.
25 He spoke, and the winds rose,
stirring up the waves.
26 Their ships were tossed to the heavens
and sank again to the depths;
the sailors cringed in terror.
27 They reeled and staggered like drunkards
and were at their wits 'end.
28" LORD, help! "they cried in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
29 He calmed the storm to a whisper
and stilled the waves.
30 What a blessing was that stillness
as he brought them safely into harbor!
31 Let them praise the LORD for his great love
and for all his wonderful deeds to them.
32 Let them exalt him publicly before the congregation
and before the leaders of the nation.
33 He changes rivers into deserts,
and springs of water into dry land.
34 He turns the fruitful land into salty wastelands,
because of the wickedness of those who live there.
35 But he also turns deserts into pools of water,
the dry land into flowing springs.
36 He brings the hungry to settle there
and build their cities.
37 They sow their fields, plant their vineyards,
and harvest their bumper crops.
38 How he blesses them!
They raise large families there,
and their herds of cattle increase.
39 When they decrease in number and become impoverished
through oppression, trouble, and sorrow,
40 the LORD pours contempt on their princes,
causing them to wander in trackless wastelands.
41 But he rescues the poor from their distress
and increases their families like vast flocks of sheep.
42 The godly will see these things and be glad,
while the wicked are stricken silent.
43 Those who are wise will take all this to heart;
they will see in our history the faithful love of the LORD.


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

Reading through the Word....Day 310, November 6

EZEKIEL 18:1- 19:14
HEBREWS 9:1- 10
PSALM 106:32- 48
PROVERBS 27:10


Then another message came to me [Ezekiel] from the LORD:2 "Why do you quote this proverb in the land of Israel:`The parents have eaten sour grapes, but their children's mouths pucker at the taste '? 3 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, you will not say this proverb anymore in Israel. 4 For all people are mine to judge-- both parents and children alike. And this is my rule:The person who sins will be the one who dies. 5" Suppose a certain man is just and does what is lawful and right, 6 and he has not feasted in the mountains before Israel's idols or worshiped them. And suppose he does not commit adultery or have intercourse with a woman during her menstrual period. 7 Suppose he is a merciful creditor, not keeping the items given in pledge by poor debtors, and does not rob the poor but instead gives food to the hungry and provides clothes for people in need. 8 And suppose he grants loans without interest, stays away from injustice, is honest and fair when judging others, 9 and faithfully obeys my laws and regulations. Anyone who does these things is just and will surely live, says the Sovereign LORD. 10 "But suppose that man has a son who grows up to be a robber or murderer and refuses to do what is right. 11 And suppose that son does all the evil things his father would never do-- worships idols on the mountains, commits adultery, 12 oppresses the poor and helpless, steals from debtors by refusing to let them redeem what they have given in pledge, worships idols and takes part in loathsome practices, 13 and lends money at interest. Should such a sinful person live? No! He must die and must take full blame. 14" But suppose that sinful son, in turn, has a son who sees his father's wickedness but decides against that kind of life. 15 Suppose this son refuses to worship idols on the mountains, does not commit adultery, 16 and does not exploit the poor, but instead is fair to debtors and does not rob them. And suppose this son feeds the hungry, provides clothes for the needy, 17 helps the poor, does not lend money at interest, and obeys all my regulations and laws. Such a person will not die because of his father's sins; he will surely live. 18 But the father will die for the many sins he committed-- for being cruel and robbing close relatives, doing what was clearly wrong among his people. 19 "`What?' you ask. `Doesn't the child pay for the parent's sins? 'No! For if the child does what is right and keeps my laws, that child will surely live. 20 The one who sins is the one who dies. The child will not be punished for the parent's sins, and the parent will not be punished for the child's sins. Righteous people will be rewarded for their own goodness, and wicked people will be punished for their own wickedness. 21 But if wicked people turn away from all their sins and begin to obey my laws and do what is just and right, they will surely live and not die. 22 All their past sins will be forgotten, and they will live because of the righteous things they have done. 23" Do you think, asks the Sovereign LORD, that I like to see wicked people die? Of course not! I only want them to turn from their wicked ways and live. 24 However, if righteous people turn to sinful ways and start acting like other sinners, should they be allowed to live? No, of course not! All their previous goodness will be forgotten, and they will die for their sins. 25 "Yet you say, `The Lord isn't being just!' Listen to me, O people of Israel. Am I the one who is unjust, or is it you? 26 When righteous people turn from being good and start doing sinful things, they will die for it. Yes, they will die because of their sinful deeds. 27 And if wicked people turn away from their wickedness, obey the law, and do what is just and right, they will save their lives. 28 They will live, because after thinking it over, they decided to turn from their sins. Such people will not die. 29 And yet the people of Israel keep saying, `The Lord is unjust! 'O people of Israel, it is you who are unjust, not I. 30" Therefore, I will judge each of you, O people of Israel, according to your actions, says the Sovereign LORD. Turn from your sins! Don't let them destroy you! 31 Put all your rebellion behind you, and get for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O people of Israel? 32 I don't want you to die, says the Sovereign LORD. Turn back and live! 19:1 "SING this funeral song for the princes of Israel:2 `What is your mother?
A lioness among lions!
She lay down among the young lions
and reared her cubs.
3 She raised one of her cubs
to become a strong young lion.
He learned to catch and devour prey,
and he became a man- eater.
4 Then the nations heard about him,
and he was trapped in their pit.
They led him away in chains
to the land of Egypt.
5 `When the mother lion saw
that all her hopes for him were gone,
she took another of her cubs
and taught him to be a strong lion.
6 He prowled among the other lions
and became a leader among them.
He learned to catch and devour prey,
and he, too, became a man- eater.
7 He demolished fortresses in nearby nations
and destroyed their towns and cities.
Their farms were desolated,
and their crops were destroyed.
Everyone in the land trembled in fear
when they heard him roar.
8 Then the armies of the nations attacked him,
surrounding him from every direction.
They spread out their nets for him
and captured him in their pit.
9 With hooks, they dragged him into a cage
and brought him before the king of Babylon.
They held him in captivity,
so his voice could never again be heard
on the mountains of Israel.
10 `Your mother was like a vine
planted by the water's edge.
It had lush, green foliage
because of the abundant water.
11 Its branches became very strong,
strong enough to be a ruler's scepter.
It soon became very tall,
towering above all the others.
It stood out because of its height
and because of its many lush branches.
12 But the vine was uprooted in fury
and thrown down to the ground.
The desert wind dried up its fruit
and tore off its branches.
Its stem was destroyed by fire.
13 Now the vine is growing in the wilderness,
where the ground is hard and dry.
14 A fire has come from its branches
and devoured its fruit.
None of the remaining limbs
is strong enough to be a ruler's scepter.'
This is a funeral song, and it is now time for the funeral."


Now in that first covenant between God and Israel, there were regulations for worship and a sacred tent here on earth. 2 There were two rooms in this tent. In the first room were a lampstand, a table, and loaves of holy bread on the table. This was called the Holy Place. 3 Then there was a curtain, and behind the curtain was the second room called the Most Holy Place. 4 In that room were a gold incense altar and a wooden chest called the Ark of the Covenant, which was covered with gold on all sides. Inside the Ark were a gold jar containing some manna, Aaron's staff that sprouted leaves, and the stone tablets of the covenant with the Ten Commandments written on them. 5 The glorious cherubim were above the Ark. Their wings were stretched out over the Ark's cover, the place of atonement. But we cannot explain all of these things now. 6 When these things were all in place, the priests went in and out of the first room regularly as they performed their religious duties. 7 But only the high priest goes into the Most Holy Place, and only once a year, and always with blood, which he offers to God to cover his own sins and the sins the people have committed in ignorance. 8 By these regulations the Holy Spirit revealed that the Most Holy Place was not open to the people as long as the first room and the entire system it represents were still in use. 9 This is an illustration pointing to the present time. For the gifts and sacrifices that the priests offer are not able to cleanse the consciences of the people who bring them. 10 For that old system deals only with food and drink and ritual washing-- external regulations that are in effect only until their limitations can be corrected.


At Meribah, too, they [the Israelites] angered the LORD,
causing Moses serious trouble.
33 They made Moses angry,
and he spoke foolishly.
34 Israel failed to destroy the nations in the land,
as the LORD had told them to.
35 Instead, they mingled among the pagans
and adopted their evil customs.
36 They worshiped their idols,
and this led to their downfall.
37 They even sacrificed their sons
and their daughters to the demons.
38 They shed innocent blood,
the blood of their sons and daughters.
By sacrificing them to the idols of Canaan,
they polluted the land with murder.
39 They defiled themselves by their evil deeds,
and their love of idols was adultery in the LORD's sight.
40 That is why the LORD's anger burned against his people,
and he abhorred his own special possession.
41 He handed them over to pagan nations,
and those who hated them ruled over them.
42 Their enemies crushed them
and brought them under their cruel power.
43 Again and again he delivered them,
but they continued to rebel against him,
and they were finally destroyed by their sin.
44 Even so, he pitied them in their distress
and listened to their cries.
45 He remembered his covenant with them
and relented because of his unfailing love.
46 He even caused their captors
to treat them with kindness.
47 O LORD our God, save us!
Gather us back from among the nations,
so we can thank your holy name
and rejoice and praise you.
48 Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting!
Let all the people say, "Amen!"
Praise the LORD!


Never abandon a friend-- either yours or your father's. Then in your time of need, you won't have to ask your relatives for assistance. It is better to go to a neighbor than to a relative who lives far away

Reading through the Word....Day 309, November 5

EZEKIEL 16:42- 17:24
HEBREWS 8:1- 13
PSALM 106:13- 31
PROVERBS 27:7- 9


"Then at last my [the LORD's] fury against you [Jerusalem] will be spent, and my jealous anger will subside. I will be calm and will not be angry with you anymore. 43 But first, because you have not remembered your youth but have angered me by doing all these evil things, I will fully repay you for all of your sins, says the Sovereign LORD. For to all your disgusting sins, you have added these lewd acts. 44 Everyone who makes up proverbs will say of you, `Like mother, like daughter. '45 For your mother loathed her husband and her children, and so do you. And you are exactly like your sisters, for they despised their husbands and their children. Truly your mother must have been a Hittite and your father an Amorite. 46" Your older sister was Samaria, who lived with her daughters in the north. Your younger sister was Sodom, who lived with her daughters in the south. 47 But you have not merely sinned as they did-- no, that was nothing to you. In a very short time you far surpassed them! 48 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, Sodom and her daughters were never as wicked as you and your daughters. 49 Sodom's sins were pride, laziness, and gluttony, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door. 50 She was proud and did loathsome things, so I wiped her out, as you have seen. 51 "Even Samaria did not commit half your sins. You have done far more loathsome things than your sisters ever did. They seem righteous compared to you! 52 You should be deeply ashamed because your sins are so terrible. In comparison, you make your sisters seem innocent! 53" But someday I will restore the fortunes of Sodom and Samaria, and I will restore you, too. 54 Then you will be truly ashamed of everything you have done, for your sins make them feel good in comparison. 55 Yes, your sisters, Sodom and Samaria, and all their people will be restored, and at that time you also will be restored. 56 In your proud days you held Sodom in contempt. 57 But now your greater wickedness has been exposed to all the world, and you are the one who is scorned-- by Edom and all her neighbors and by Philistia. 58 This is your punishment for all your disgusting sins, says the LORD. 59 "Now this is what the Sovereign LORD says:I will give you what you deserve, for you have taken your solemn vows lightly by breaking your covenant. 60 Yet I will keep the covenant I made with you when you were young, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you. 61 Then you will remember with shame all the evil you have done. I will make your sisters, Samaria and Sodom, to be your daughters, even though they are not part of our covenant. 62 And I will reaffirm my covenant with you, and you will know that I am the LORD. 63 You will remember your sins and cover your mouth in silence and shame when I forgive you of all that you have done, says the Sovereign LORD." 17:1 THEN this message came to me from the LORD:2 "Son of man, tell this story to the people of Israel. 3 Give them this message from the Sovereign LORD:A great eagle with broad wings full of many- colored feathers came to Lebanon. He took hold of the highest branch of a cedar tree 4 and plucked off its topmost shoot. Then he carried it away to a city filled with merchants, where he planted it. 5" Then he planted one of its seedlings in fertile ground beside a broad river, where it would grow as quickly as a willow tree. 6 It took root there and grew into a low, spreading vine. Its branches turned up toward the eagle, and its roots grew down beneath it. It soon produced strong branches and luxuriant leaves. 7 But then another great eagle with broad wings and full plumage came along. So the vine sent its roots and branches out toward him for water. 8 The vine did this even though it was already planted in good soil and had plenty of water so it could grow into a splendid vine and produce rich leaves and luscious fruit. 9 "So now the Sovereign LORD asks:Should I let this vine grow and prosper? No! I will pull it out, roots and all! I will cut off its fruit and let its leaves wither and die. I will pull it out easily enough-- it won't take a strong arm or a large army to do it. 10 Then when the vine is transplanted, will it thrive? No, it will wither away completely when the east wind blows against it. It will die in the same good soil where it had grown so well." 11 Then this message came to me from the LORD:12 "Say to these rebels of Israel:Don't you understand the meaning of this riddle of the eagles? I will tell you, says the Sovereign LORD. The king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, took away her king and princes, and brought them to Babylon. 13 He made a treaty with a member of the royal family and made him take an oath of loyalty. He also exiled Israel's most influential leaders, 14 so Israel would not become strong again and revolt. Only by keeping her treaty with Babylon could Israel maintain her national identity. 15" Nevertheless, this man of Israel's royal family rebelled against Babylon, sending ambassadors to Egypt to request a great army and many horses. Can Israel break her sworn treaties like that and get away with it? 16 No! For as surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, the king of Israel will die in Babylon, the land of the king who put him in power and whose treaty he despised and broke. 17 Pharaoh and all his mighty army will fail to help Israel when the king of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem again and destroys the lives of many. 18 For the king of Israel broke his treaty after swearing to obey; therefore, he will not escape. 19 "So this is what the Sovereign LORD says:As surely as I live, I will punish him for breaking my covenant and despising the solemn oath he made in my name. 20 I will throw my net over him and capture him in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon and deal with him there for this treason against me. 21 And all the best warriors of Israel will be killed in battle, and those remaining in the city will be scattered to the four winds. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken these words. 22" And the Sovereign LORD says:I will take a tender shoot from the top of a tall cedar, and I will plant it on the top of Israel's highest mountain. 23 It will become a noble cedar, sending forth its branches and producing seed. Birds of every sort will nest in it, finding shelter beneath its branches. 24 And all the trees will know that it is I, the LORD, who cuts down the tall tree and helps the short tree to grow tall. It is I who makes the green tree wither and gives new life to the dead tree. I, the LORD, have spoken! I will do what I have said. "


Here is the main point:Our High Priest sat down in the place of highest honor in heaven, at God's right hand. 2 There he ministers in the sacred tent, the true place of worship that was built by the Lord and not by human hands. 3 And since every high priest is required to offer gifts and sacrifices, our High Priest must make an offering, too. 4 If he were here on earth, he would not even be a priest, since there already are priests who offer the gifts required by the law of Moses. 5 They serve in a place of worship that is only a copy, a shadow of the real one in heaven. For when Moses was getting ready to build the Tabernacle, God gave him this warning:" Be sure that you make everything according to the design I have shown you here on the mountain. "6 But our High Priest has been given a ministry that is far superior to the ministry of those who serve under the old laws, for he is the one who guarantees for us a better covenant with God, based on better promises. 7 If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it. 8 But God himself found fault with the old one when he said:" The day will come, says the Lord,
when I will make a new covenant
with the people of Israel and Judah.
9 This covenant will not be like the one
I made with their ancestors
when I took them by the hand
and led them out of the land of Egypt.
They did not remain faithful to my covenant,
so I turned my back on them, says the Lord.
10 But this is the new covenant I will make
with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their minds
so they will understand them,
and I will write them on their hearts
so they will obey them.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
11 And they will not need to teach their neighbors,
nor will they need to teach their family,
saying, `You should know the Lord.'
For everyone, from the least to the greatest,
will already know me.
12 And I will forgive their wrongdoings,
and I will never again remember their sins. "
13 When God speaks of a new covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and ready to be put aside.


Yet how quickly they [the Israelites] forgot what he [the LORD] had done!
They wouldn't wait for his counsel!
14 In the wilderness, their desires ran wild,
testing God's patience in that dry land.
15 So he gave them what they asked for,
but he sent a plague along with it.
16 The people in the camp were jealous of Moses
and envious of Aaron, the LORD's holy priest.
17 Because of this, the earth opened up;
it swallowed Dathan
and buried Abiram and the other rebels.
18 Fire fell upon their followers;
a flame consumed the wicked.
19 The people made a calf at Mount Sinai;
they bowed before an image made of gold.
20 They traded their glorious God
for a statue of a grass- eating ox!
21 They forgot God, their savior,
who had done such great things in Egypt--
22 such wonderful things in that land,
such awesome deeds at the Red Sea.
23 So he declared he would destroy them.
But Moses, his chosen one, stepped between the LORD and the people.
He begged him to turn from his anger and not destroy them.
24 The people refused to enter the pleasant land,
for they wouldn't believe his promise to care for them.
25 Instead, they grumbled in their tents
and refused to obey the LORD.
26 Therefore, he swore
that he would kill them in the wilderness,
27 that he would scatter their descendants among the nations,
exiling them to distant lands.
28 Then our ancestors joined in the worship of Baal at Peor;
they even ate sacrifices offered to the dead!
29 They angered the LORD with all these things,
so a plague broke out among them.
30 But Phinehas had the courage to step in,
and the plague was stopped.
31 So he has been regarded as a righteous man
ever since that time.


Honey seems tasteless to a person who is full, but even bitter food tastes sweet to the hungry. A person who strays from home is like a bird that strays from its nest. The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense

Reading through the Word....Day 308, November 4

EZEKIEL 14:12- 16:41
HEBREWS 7:18- 28
PSALM 106:1- 12
PROVERBS 27:4- 6


Then this message came to me [Ezekiel] from the LORD:13 "Son of man, suppose the people of a country were to sin against me, and I lifted my fist to crush them, cutting off their food supply and sending a famine to destroy both people and animals alike. 14 Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were there, their righteousness would save no one but themselves, declares the Sovereign LORD. 15" Or suppose I were to send an invasion of dangerous wild animals to devastate the land and kill the people. 16 Even if these three men were there, the Sovereign LORD swears that it would do no good-- it wouldn't save the people from destruction. Those three alone would be saved, but the land would be devastated. 17 "Or suppose I were to bring war against the land, and I told enemy armies to come and destroy everything. 18 Even if these three men were in the land, the Sovereign LORD swears that they could not save the people. They alone would be saved. 19" Or suppose I were to pour out my fury by sending an epidemic of disease into the land, and the plague killed people and animals alike. 20 Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were living there, the Sovereign LORD swears that they could not save the people. They alone would be saved by their righteousness. 21 "Now this is what the Sovereign LORD says:How terrible it will be when all four of these fearsome punishments fall upon Jerusalem-- war, famine, beasts, and plague-- destroying all her people and animals. 22 Yet there will be survivors, and they will come here to join you as exiles in Babylon. You will see with your own eyes how wicked they are, and then you will feel better about what I have done to Jerusalem. 23 When you meet them and see their behavior, you will agree that these things are not being done to Israel without cause, says the Sovereign LORD." 15:1 THEN this message came to me from the LORD:2 "Son of man, how does a grapevine compare to a tree? Is a vine's wood as useful as the wood of a tree? 3 Can its wood be used for making things, like pegs to hang up pots and pans? 4 No, it can only be used for fuel, and even as fuel, it burns too quickly. 5 Vine branches are useless both before and after being put into the fire! 6" And this is what the Sovereign LORD says:The people of Jerusalem are like grapevines growing among the trees of the forest. Since they are useless, I have set them aside to be burned! 7 And I will see to it that if they escape from one fire, they will fall into another. When this happens, you will know that I am the LORD. 8 And I will make the land desolate because my people have been unfaithful to me, says the Sovereign LORD. "16:1 THEN another message came to me from the LORD:2" Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her loathsome sins. 3 Give her this message from the Sovereign LORD:You are nothing but a Canaanite! Your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite! 4 When you were born, no one cared about you. Your umbilical cord was left uncut, and you were never washed, rubbed with salt, and dressed in warm clothing. 5 No one had the slightest interest in you; no one pitied you or cared for you. On the day you were born, you were dumped in a field and left to die, unwanted. 6 "But I came by and saw you there, helplessly kicking about in your own blood. As you lay there, I said, `Live! '7 And I helped you to thrive like a plant in the field. You grew up and became a beautiful jewel. Your breasts became full, and your hair grew, though you were still naked. 8 And when I passed by and saw you again, you were old enough to be married. So I wrapped my cloak around you to cover your nakedness and declared my marriage vows. I made a covenant with you, says the Sovereign LORD, and you became mine. 9" Then I bathed you and washed off your blood, and I rubbed fragrant oils into your skin. 10 I gave you expensive clothing of linen and silk, beautifully embroidered, and sandals made of fine leather. 11 I gave you lovely jewelry, bracelets, and beautiful necklaces, 12 a ring for your nose and earrings for your ears, and a lovely crown for your head. 13 And so you were made beautiful with gold and silver. Your clothes were made of fine linen and were beautifully embroidered. You ate the finest foods-- fine flour, honey, and olive oil-- and became more beautiful than ever. You looked like a queen, and so you were! 14 Your fame soon spread throughout the world on account of your beauty, because the splendor I bestowed on you perfected your beauty, says the Sovereign LORD. 15 "But you thought you could get along without me, so you trusted instead in your fame and beauty. You gave yourself as a prostitute to every man who came along. Your beauty was theirs for the asking! 16 You used the lovely things I gave you to make shrines for idols, where you carried out your acts of prostitution. Unbelievable! How could such a thing ever happen? 17 You took the very jewels and gold and silver ornaments I had given you and made statues of men and worshiped them, which is adultery against me. 18 You used the beautifully embroidered clothes I gave you to cover your idols. Then you used my oil and incense to worship them. 19 Imagine it! You set before them as a lovely sacrifice the fine flour and oil and honey I had given you, says the Sovereign LORD. 20" Then you took your sons and daughters-- the children you had borne to me-- and sacrificed them to your gods. Was it not enough that you should be a prostitute? 21 Must you also slaughter my children by sacrificing them to idols? 22 In all your years of adultery and loathsome sin, you have not once thought of the days long ago when you lay naked in a field, kicking about in your own blood. 23 "Your destruction is certain, says the Sovereign LORD. In addition to all your other wickedness, 24 you built a pagan shrine and put altars to idols in every town square. 25 On every street corner you defiled your beauty, offering your body to every passerby in an endless stream of prostitution. 26 Then you added lustful Egypt to your lovers, fanning the flames of my anger with your increasing promiscuity. 27 That is why I struck you with my fist and reduced your boundaries. I handed you over to your enemies, the Philistines, and even they were shocked by your lewd conduct! 28 You have prostituted yourselves with the Assyrians, too. It seems you can never find enough new lovers! And after your prostitution there, you still were not satisfied. 29 You added to your lovers by embracing that great merchant land of Babylonia-- but you still weren't satisfied! 30" What a sick heart you have, says the Sovereign LORD, to do such things as these, acting like a shameless prostitute. 31 You build your pagan shrines on every street corner and your altars to idols in every square. You have been worse than a prostitute, so eager for sin that you have not even demanded payment for your love! 32 Yes, you are an adulterous wife who takes in strangers instead of her own husband. 33 Prostitutes charge for their services-- but not you! You give gifts to your lovers, bribing them to come to you. 34 So you are the opposite of other prostitutes. No one pays you; instead, you pay them! 35 "Therefore, you prostitute, listen to this message from the LORD! 36 This is what the Sovereign LORD says:Because you have exposed yourself in prostitution to all your lovers, and because you have worshiped detestable idols, and because you have slaughtered your children as sacrifices to your gods, 37 this is what I am going to do. I will gather together all your allies-- these lovers of yours with whom you have sinned, both those you loved and those you hated-- and I will strip you naked in front of them so they can stare at you. 38 I will punish you for your murder and adultery. I will cover you with blood in my jealous fury. 39 Then I will give you to your lovers-- these many nations-- and they will destroy you. They will knock down your pagan shrines and the altars to your idols. They will strip you and take your beautiful jewels, leaving you completely naked and ashamed. 40 They will band together in a mob to stone you and run you through with swords. 41 They will burn your homes and punish you in front of many women. I will see to it that you stop your prostitution and end your payments to your many lovers."


Yes, the old requirement about the priesthood was set aside because it was weak and useless. 19 For the law made nothing perfect, and now a better hope has taken its place. And that is how we draw near to God. 20 God took an oath that Christ would always be a priest, but he never did this for any other priest. 21 Only to Jesus did he say, "The Lord has taken an oath
and will not break his vow:
`You are a priest forever.'"
22 Because of God's oath, it is Jesus who guarantees the effectiveness of this better covenant. 23 Another difference is that there were many priests under the old system. When one priest died, another had to take his place. 24 But Jesus remains a priest forever; his priesthood will never end. 25 Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save everyone who comes to God through him. He lives forever to plead with God on their behalf. 26 He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has now been set apart from sinners, and he has been given the highest place of honor in heaven. 27 He does not need to offer sacrifices every day like the other high priests. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he sacrificed himself on the cross. 28 Those who were high priests under the law of Moses were limited by human weakness. But after the law was given, God appointed his Son with an oath, and his Son has been made perfect forever.


Praise the LORD!
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
2 Who can list the glorious miracles of the LORD?
Who can ever praise him half enough?
3 Happy are those who deal justly with others
and always do what is right.
4 Remember me, too, LORD, when you show favor to your people;
come to me with your salvation.
5 Let me share in the prosperity of your chosen ones.
Let me rejoice in the joy of your people;
let me praise you with those who are your heritage.
6 Both we and our ancestors have sinned.
We have done wrong! We have acted wickedly!
7 Our ancestors in Egypt
were not impressed by the LORD's miracles.
They soon forgot his many acts of kindness to them.
Instead, they rebelled against him at the Red Sea.
8 Even so, he saved them--
to defend the honor of his name
and to demonstrate his mighty power.
9 He commanded the Red Sea to divide, and a dry path appeared.
He led Israel across the sea bottom that was as dry as a desert.
10 So he rescued them from their enemies
and redeemed them from their foes.
11 Then the water returned and covered their enemies;
not one of them survived.
12 Then at last his people believed his promises.
Then they finally sang his praise.


Anger is cruel, and wrath is like a flood, but who can survive the destructiveness of jealousy? An open rebuke is better than hidden love! Wounds from a friend are better than many kisses from an enemy