being left like a dead donkey on the ground for scavengers to feed on.
MESSAGE TO THE SONS OF JOSIAH
11For thus says the LORD concerning Shalluma the son of Josiah, king of Judah, who reigned instead of Josiah his father, who went from this place: "He shall not return here anymore, 12but he shall die in the place where they have led him captive, and shall see this land no more.
13"Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness And his chambers by injustice, Who uses his neighbor's service without wages And gives him nothing for his work, 14Who says, 'I will build myself a wide house with spacious chambers, And cut out windows for it, Paneling it with cedar And painting it with vermilion.'
15"Shall you reign because you enclose yourself in cedar? Did not your father eat and drink, And do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him. 16He judged the cause of the poor and needy; Then it was well. Was not this knowing Me?" says the LORD. 17"Yet your eyes and your heart are for nothing but your covetousness, For shedding innocent blood, And practicing oppression and violence."
18Therefore thus says the LORD concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah:
22:18, 19 Jehoiakim. Ruling from 609 to 598 B.C., he was also wicked in taxing the people (2 Kin. 23:35) and making them build his splendid palace without pay, violating God's law in Leviticus 19:13 and Deuteronomy 24:14, 15. He was slain in Babylon's second siege and his corpse dishonored, being left like a dead donkey on the ground for scavengers to feed on.
"They shall not lament for him, Saying, 'Alas, my brother!' or 'Alas, my sister!' They shall not lament for him, Saying, 'Alas, master!' or 'Alas, his glory!' 19He shall be buried with the burial of a donkey, Dragged and cast out beyond the gates of Jerusalem.
20"Go up to Lebanon, and cry out, And lift up your voice in Bashan; Cry from Abarim, For all your lovers are destroyed. 21I spoke to you in your prosperity, But you said, 'I will not hear.' This has been your manner from your youth, That you did not obey My voice. 22The wind shall eat up all your rulers, And your lovers shall go into captivity; Surely then you will be ashamed and humiliated For all your wickedness. 23O inhabitant of Lebanon, Making your nest in the cedars, How gracious will you be when pangs come upon you, Like the pain of a woman in labor?
MESSAGE TO CONIAH
24"As I live," says the LORD, "though Coniaha the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah,
were the signet on My right hand, yet I would pluck you off; 25and I will give you into the hand of those who seek your life, and into the hand of those whose face you fear—the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and the hand of the Chaldeans. 26So I will cast you out, and your mother who bore you, into another
country where you were not born; and there you shall die. 27But to the land to which they desire to return, there they shall not return.
28"Is this man Coniah a despised, broken idol— A vessel in which is no pleasure? Why are they cast out, he and his descendants, And cast into a land which they do not know? 29O earth, earth, earth, Hear the word of the LORD! 30Thus says the LORD: 'Write this man down as childless, A man who shall not prosper in his days; For none of his descendants shall prosper, Sitting on the throne of David, And ruling anymore in Judah.' "
Next October 18 Reading
Jeremiah 23
October 19
J EREMIAH 23:1–24:10
THE BRANCH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
1"Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!" says
the LORD. 2Therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel against the shepherds who feed My people: "You have scattered My flock, driven them away, and not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings," says the
LORD. 3"But I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where I have driven them, and bring them back to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and
increase. 4I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, nor shall they be lacking," says the LORD.
23:3, 4 I will gather. God pledged to restore exiled Israelites to their ancient soil. The land in view was Palestine, being contrasted with all the other countries (v. 3), thus assuring that the regathering would be as literal as the scattering. The restoration of Judah from Babylon is referred to in language which in its fullness can only refer to the final restoration of God's people ("out of all countries" and v. 8), under the Messiah. "Nor shall they be lacking" indicates that no one will be missing or detached. These are prophecies not yet fulfilled.
23:4 shepherds…will feed them. were small fulfillments compared Messiah Jesus.
Zerubbabel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and others to the consummate shepherding of the
5"Behold, the days are coming," says the LORD,
23:5 Branch. The Messiah is pictured as a branch (literally, "shoot") out of David's family tree (23:5; 33:15, 16; Is. 4:2; 11:1–5; Zech. 3:8; 6:12, 13), who will rule over God's people in the future.
"That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. 6In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called:
THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.a
7"Therefore, behold, the days are coming," says the LORD, "that they shall no longer say, 'As the LORD lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,' 8but, 'As the LORD lives who brought up and led the descendants of the house of Israel from the north country and from all the countries where I had driven them.' And they shall dwell in their own land."
FALSE PROPHETS AND EMPTY ORACLES
9My heart within me is broken Because of the prophets; All my bones shake. I am like a drunken man, And like a man whom wine has overcome, Because of the LORD, And because of His holy words. 10For the land is full of adulterers; For because of a curse the land mourns. The pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up. Their course of life is evil, And their might is not right.
11"For both prophet and priest are profane; Yes, in My house I have found their wickedness," says the LORD. 12"Therefore their way shall be to them Like slippery ways; In the darkness they shall be driven on And fall in them; For I will bring disaster on them, The year of their punishment," says the LORD. 13"And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria:
They prophesied by Baal And caused My people Israel to err. 14Also I have seen a horrible thing in the prophets of Jerusalem: They commit adultery and walk in lies; They also strengthen the hands of evildoers, So that no one turns back from his wickedness. All of them are like Sodom to Me, And her inhabitants like Gomorrah.
15"Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets: 'Behold, I will feed them with wormwood,
And make them drink the water of gall; For from the prophets of Jerusalem Profaneness has gone out into all the land.' "
16Thus says the LORD of hosts:
"Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you worthless; They speak a vision of their own heart, Not from the mouth of the LORD. 17They continually say to those who despise Me, 'The LORD has said, "You shall have peace" '; And to everyone who walks according to the dictates of his own heart, they
say, 'No evil shall come upon you.' "
18For who has stood in the counsel of the heard His word? Who has marked His word and heard it? 19Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD has gone forth in fury— A violent whirlwind! It will fall violently on the head of the wicked. 20The anger of the LORD will not turn back Until He has executed and performed the thoughts of His heart. In the latter days you will understand it perfectly.
LORD, And has perceived and
21"I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran. I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. 22But if they had stood in My counsel, And had caused My people to hear My words,
Then they would have turned them from their evil way And from the evil of their doings.
23"Am I a God near at hand," says the LORD, "And not a God afar off? 24Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?" says the LORD; "Do I not fill heaven and earth?" says the LORD.
25"I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in My name,
saying, 'I have dreamed, I have dreamed!' 26How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies? Indeed they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart, 27who try to make My people forget My name by their dreams which everyone tells his neighbor, as their fathers forgot My name for Baal.
28"The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; And he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat?" says the LORD. 29"Is not My word like a fire?" says the LORD,
23:29 like a fire…hammer. God's word has irresistible qualities to prevail over the deception in the shepherds' false messages.
"And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?
30"Therefore behold, I am against the prophets," says the LORD, "who steal My
words every one from his neighbor. 31Behold, I am against the prophets," says
the LORD, "who use their tongues and say, 'He says.' 32Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams," says the LORD, "and tell them, and cause My people to err by their lies and by their recklessness. Yet I did not send them or command them; therefore they shall not profit this people at all," says the LORD.
33"So when these people or the prophet or the priest ask you, saying, 'What is
the oracle of the LORD?' you shall then say to them, 'What oracle?'a I will even
forsake you," says the LORD. 34"And as for the prophet and the priest and the
people who say, 'The oracle of the LORD!' I will even punish that man and his
house. 35Thus every one of you shall say to his neighbor, and every one to his
brother, 'What has the LORD answered?' and, 'What has the LORD spoken?' 36And the oracle of the LORD you shall mention no more. For every man's word will be his oracle, for you have perverted the words of the living God, the LORD of hosts,
our God. 37Thus you shall say to the prophet, 'What has the LORD answered
you?' and, 'What has the LORD spoken?' 38But since you say, 'The oracle of the
LORD!' therefore thus says the LORD: 'Because you say this word, "The oracle of the LORD!" and I have sent to you, saying, "Do not say, 'The oracle of the LORD!' " 39therefore behold, I, even I, will utterly forget you and forsake you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers, and will cast you out of My presence. 40And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.' "
Jeremiah 24
THE SIGN OF TWO BASKETS OF FIGS
1The LORD showed me, and there were two baskets of figs set before the temple of the LORD, after Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and the princes of Judah with the craftsmen and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon. 2One basket had very good figs, like the figs that are first ripe; and the other basket had very bad figs which could not be eaten, they were so bad. 3Then the LORD said to me, "What do you see, Jeremiah?"
And I said, "Figs, the good figs, very good; and the bad, very bad, which cannot be eaten, they are so bad."
4Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 5"Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: 'Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge those who are carried away captive from Judah, whom I have sent out of this place for their
own good, into the land of the Chaldeans. 6For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land; I will build them and not pull them
down, and I will plant them and not pluck them up. 7Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart.
8'And as the bad figs which cannot be eaten, they are so bad'—surely thus says the LORD—'so will I give up Zedekiah the king of Judah, his princes, the residue of Jerusalem who remain in this land, and those who dwell in the land of Egypt. 9I will deliver them to trouble into all the kingdoms of the earth, for their harm, to be a reproach and a byword, a taunt and a curse, in all places where I shall drive them. 10And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence among them, till they are consumed from the land that I gave to them and their fathers.' "
Next October 19 Reading
Jeremiah 25
October 20
J EREMIAH 25:1–26:24
SEVENTY YEARS OF DESOLATION
1The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah (which was the first
year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), 2which Jeremiah the prophet spoke to
all the people of Judah and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying: 3"From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, even to this day, this is the twenty-third year in which the word of the LORD has come to me; and I
have spoken to you, rising early and speaking, but you have not listened. 4And the LORD has sent to you all His servants the prophets, rising early and sending
them, but you have not listened nor inclined your ear to hear. 5They said, 'Repent now everyone of his evil way and his evil doings, and dwell in the land
that the LORD has given to you and your fathers forever and ever. 6Do not go after other gods to serve them and worship them, and do not provoke Me to
anger with the works of your hands; and I will not harm you.' 7Yet you have not listened to Me," says the LORD, "that you might provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt.
8"Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Because you have not heard My words, 9behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,' says the LORD, 'and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land, against its inhabitants, and against these nations all around, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, a hissing, and perpetual desolations. 10Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp. 11And this whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.
25:11 seventy years. Here is the first specific statement on the length of the exile. This period probably began in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, when Jerusalem was first captured and the temple treasures were taken. It ends with
the decree of Cyrus to let the Jews return, spanning from ca. 605/04 B.C. to 536/35 B.C. The exact number of Sabbath years is 490 years, the period from Saul to the Babylonian captivity. This was retribution for their violation of the Sabbath law (Lev. 26:34, 35; 2 Chr. 36:21).
12'Then it will come to pass, when seventy years are completed, that I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity,' says the LORD; 'and I will make it a perpetual desolation. 13So I will bring on that land all My words which I have pronounced against it, all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah has prophesied concerning all the nations. 14(For many nations and great kings shall be served by them also; and I will repay them according to their deeds and according to the works of their own hands.)' "
JUDGMENT ON THE NATIONS
15For thus says the LORD God of Israel to me: "Take this wine cup of fury from My hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send you, to drink it. 16And they will drink and stagger and go mad because of the sword that I will send among them."
17Then I took the cup from the LORD's hand, and made all the nations drink, to
whom the LORD had sent me: 18Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, its kings and its princes, to make them a desolation, an astonishment, a hissing, and a curse, as it is this day; 19Pharaoh king of Egypt, his servants, his princes, and all his people; 20all the mixed multitude, all the kings of the land of Uz, all the kings of the land of the Philistines (namely, Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod); 21Edom,
Moab, and the people of Ammon; 22all the kings of Tyre, all the kings of Sidon, and
the kings of the coastlands which are across the sea; 23Dedan, Tema, Buz, and all
who are in the farthest corners; 24all the kings of Arabia and all the kings of the
mixed multitude who dwell in the desert; 25all the kings of Zimri, all the kings of
Elam, and all the kings of the Medes; 26all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another; and all the kingdoms of the world which are on the face of the earth. Also the king of Sheshacha shall drink after them.
27"Therefore you shall say to them, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "Drink, be drunk, and vomit! Fall and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you." ' 28And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup from your hand to drink, then you shall say to them, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts: "You shall certainly drink! 29For behold, I begin to bring calamity on the city which is called by My name, and should you be utterly unpunished? You shall not be unpunished, for I will call for a sword on all the inhabitants of the earth," says the LORD of hosts.'
30"Therefore prophesy against them all these words, and say to them:
'The LORD will roar from on high, And utter His voice from His holy habitation; He will roar mightily against His fold. He will give a shout, as those who tread the grapes, Against all the inhabitants of the earth.
31A noise will come to the ends of the earth— For the LORD has a controversy with the nations; He will plead His case with all flesh. He will give those who are wicked to the sword,' says the LORD."
32Thus says the LORD of hosts:
"Behold, disaster shall go forth From nation to nation, And a great whirlwind shall be raised up From the farthest parts of the earth.
33And at that day the slain of the LORD shall be from one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth. They shall not be lamented, or gathered, or buried; they shall become refuse on the ground.
34"Wail, shepherds, and cry! Roll about in the ashes, You leaders of the flock! For the days of your slaughter and your dispersions are fulfilled; You shall fall like a precious vessel. 35And the shepherds will have no way to flee, Nor the leaders of the flock to escape. 36A voice of the cry of the shepherds, And a wailing of the leaders to the flock will be heard. For the LORD has plundered their pasture, 37And the peaceful dwellings are cut down Because of the fierce anger of the LORD. 38He has left His lair like the lion;
For their land is desolate Because of the fierceness of the Oppressor, And because of His fierce anger."
Jeremiah 26
JEREMIAH SAVED FROM DEATH
1In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this
word came from the LORD, saying, 2"Thus says the LORD: 'Stand in the court of the LORD's house, and speak to all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD's house, all the words that I command you to speak to them. Do not
diminish a word. 3Perhaps everyone will listen and turn from his evil way, that I may relent concerning the calamity which I purpose to bring on them because of
the evil of their doings.' 4And you shall say to them, 'Thus says the LORD: "If you
will not listen to Me, to walk in My law which I have set before you, 5to heed the words of My servants the prophets whom I sent to you, both rising up early and
sending them (but you have not heeded), 6then I will make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth." ' "
7So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah
speaking these words in the house of the LORD. 8Now it happened, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak to all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, "You will surely die! 9Why have you prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, 'This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without an inhabitant'?" And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.
10When the princes of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king's house to the house of the LORD and sat down in the entry of the New Gate of the LORD's house. 11And the priests and the prophets spoke to the princes and all the people, saying, "This man deserves to die! For he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your ears."
12Then Jeremiah spoke to all the princes and all the people, saying: "The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city with all the words that
you have heard. 13Now therefore, amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; then the LORD will relent concerning the doom that He
has pronounced against you. 14As for me, here I am, in your hand; do with me as
seems good and proper to you. 15But know for certain that if you
put me to death, you will surely bring innocent blood on yourselves, on this city, and on its inhabitants; for truly the LORD has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing."
26:12 Jeremiah spoke. Leaders and people threatened to kill him (v. 8). The prophet defended himself while in extreme danger. He did not compromise but displayed tremendous spiritual courage. He was ready to die (v. 14), yet warned the crowd that God would hold the guilty accountable (v. 15).
16So the princes and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, "This man does not deserve to die. For he has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God."
17Then certain of the elders of the land rose up and spoke to all the
assembly of the people, saying: 18"Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Zion shall be plowed like a field,
Jerusalem shall become heaps of ruins, And the mountain of the templea
Like the bare hills of the forest." 'b
19Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah ever put him to death? Did he not fear the LORD and seek the LORD's favor? And the LORD relented concerning the doom which He had pronounced against them. But we are doing great evil against ourselves."
20Now there was also a man who prophesied in the name of the LORD, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjath Jearim, who prophesied against this city and
against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah. 21And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death; but when Urijah heard it, he was afraid and fled, and
went to Egypt. 22Then Jehoiakim the king sent men to Egypt: Elnathan the son
of Achbor, and other men who went with him to Egypt. 23And they brought Urijah from Egypt and brought him to Jehoiakim the king, who killed him with
the sword and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.
24Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, so that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.
Next October 20 Reading
Jeremiah 27
October 21
J EREMIAH 27:1–28:17
SYMBOL OF THE BONDS AND YOKES
1In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakima the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this
word came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,b 2"Thus says the LORD to me:
'Make for yourselves bonds and yokes, and put them on your neck, 3and send them to the king of Edom, the king of Moab, the king of the Ammonites, the king of Tyre, and the king of Sidon, by the hand of the messengers who come to
Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. 4And command them to say to their masters, "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel—thus you shall say to
your masters: 5'I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are on the ground, by My great power and by My outstretched arm, and have given it to
whom it seemed proper to Me. 6And now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant; and the beasts of the
field I have also given him to serve him. 7So all nations shall serve him and his son and his son's son, until the time of his land comes; and then many nations
and great kings shall make him serve them. 8And it shall be, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and which will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation I will punish,' says the LORD, 'with the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, until I
have consumed them by his hand. 9Therefore do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your soothsayers, or your sorcerers, who speak to
you, saying, "You shall not serve the king of Babylon." 10For they prophesy a lie to you, to remove you far from your land; and I will drive you out, and you will
perish. 11But the nations that bring their necks under the yoke of the king of
Babylon and serve him, I will let them remain in their own land,' says the
LORD, 'and they shall till it and dwell in it.' " ' "
27:8 yoke of…Babylon. The point of the object lesson is simple. Any nation that will serve Babylon willingly may stay in their own land, but nations that will not submit voluntarily to Babylon will suffer destruction. Consequently, Judah should submit and not be removed from the land (vv. 9–18).
12I also spoke to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, "Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live! 13Why will you die, you and your people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as the LORD has spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? 14Therefore do not listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, 'You shall not serve the king of Babylon,' for they prophesy a lie to you; 15for I have not sent them," says the LORD, "yet they prophesy a lie in My name, that I may drive you out, and that you may perish, you and the prophets who prophesy to you."
16Also I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, "Thus says the LORD: 'Do not listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying, "Behold, the vessels of the LORD's house will now shortly be brought back from Babylon"; for they prophesy a lie to you. 17Do not listen to them;
serve the king of Babylon, and live! Why should this city be laid waste? 18But if they are prophets, and if the word of the LORD is with them, let them now make intercession to the LORD of hosts, that the vessels which are left in the house of the LORD, in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem, do not go to Babylon.'
19"For thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the pillars, concerning the Sea, concerning the carts, and concerning the remainder of the vessels that remain in
this city, 20which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take, when he carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, from Jerusalem to
Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem— 21yes, thus says the LORD
of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that remain in the house of
the LORD, and in the house of the king of Judah and of Jerusalem: 22'They shall be carried to Babylon, and there they shall be until the day that I visit them,' says the LORD. 'Then I will bring them up and restore them to this place.' "
Jeremiah 28
HANANIAH'S FALSEHOOD AND DOOM
1And it happened in the same year, at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year and in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of Azur the prophet, who was from Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of the LORD in
the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying, 2"Thus speaks the LORD
of hosts, the God of Israel, saying: 'I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. 3Within two full years I will bring back to this place all the vessels of the LORD's house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place and
carried to Babylon. 4And I will bring back to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah who went to Babylon,' says the LORD, 'for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.' "
28:2, 3 I have broken the yoke. The false prophet, of the kind Jeremiah warned of in 27:14–16, boldly predicted victory over Babylon and the return of the temple vessels within two years. In actuality, Babylon achieved its third and final step in conquering Judah 11 years later (586 B.C.) as in chapters 39, 40, and 52.
5Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and in the presence of all the people who stood in the house of the
LORD, 6and the prophet Jeremiah said, "Amen! The LORD do so; the LORD perform your words which you have prophesied, to bring back the vessels of the LORD's house and all who were carried away captive, from Babylon to this place.
7Nevertheless hear now this word that I speak in your hearing and in the
hearing of all the people: 8The prophets who have been before me and before you of old prophesied against many countries and great kingdoms— of war and disaster and pestilence. 9As for the prophet who prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet comes to pass, the prophet will be known as one whom the LORD has truly sent."
10Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke off the prophet Jeremiah's
neck and broke it. 11And Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, "Thus says the LORD: 'Even so I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all nations within the space of two full years.' " And the prophet Jeremiah went his way.
12Now the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, after Hananiah the prophet
had broken the yoke from the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying, 13"Go and tell Hananiah, saying, 'Thus says the LORD: "You have broken the yokes
of wood, but you have made in their place yokes of iron." 14For thus says the
LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him. I have given him the beasts of the field also." ' "
15Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, "Hear now,
Hananiah, the LORD has not sent you, but you make this people trust in a lie. 16Therefore thus says the LORD: 'Behold, I will cast you from the face of the earth. This year you shall die, because you have taught rebellion against the LORD.' "
17So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.
Next October 21 Reading
Jeremiah 29
October 22
J EREMIAH 29:1–30:24
JEREMIAH'S LETTER TO THE CAPTIVES
1Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the remainder of the elders who were carried away captive—to the priests, the prophets, and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away
captive from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2(This happened after Jeconiah the king, the queen mother, the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and
the smiths had departed from Jerusalem.) 3The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king
of Judah sent to Babylon, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying, 4Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all who were carried away captive, whom I
have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5Build houses and
dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. 6Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters—that you may be increased there, and not
diminished. 7And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried
away captive, and pray to the LORD for it; for in its peace you will have peace. 8For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are in your midst deceive you, nor listen to your dreams which you
cause to be dreamed. 9For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them, says the LORD.
10For thus says the LORD: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to
return to this place. 11For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says
the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will
listen to you. 13And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for
Me with all your heart. 14I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the LORD, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.
29:14 I will be found by you. The Lord would answer their prayer by returning the Jews to their land, Daniel's example and God's response ( Dan. 9:4–27 ). Fulfillment would occur in the era of Ezra and Nehemiah, and beyond this in even fuller measure after the Second Advent of their Messiah (Dan. 2:35, 45; 7:13, 14, 27; 12:1–3, 13).
15Because you have said, "The LORD has raised up prophets for us in
Babylon"— 16therefore thus says the LORD concerning the king who sits on the throne of David, concerning all the people who dwell in this city, and
concerning your brethren who have not gone out with you into captivity— 17thus says the LORD of hosts: Behold, I will send on them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like rotten figs that cannot be
eaten, they are so bad. 18And I will pursue them with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence; and I will deliver them to trouble among all the kingdoms of the earth—to be a curse, an astonishment, a hissing, and a reproach
among all the nations where I have driven them, 19because they have not heeded My words, says the LORD, which I sent to them by My servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; neither would you heed, says the
LORD. 20Therefore hear the word of the LORD, all you of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon. 21Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who prophesy a lie to you in My name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of
Babylon, and he shall slay them before your eyes. 22And because of them a
curse shall be taken up by all the captivity of Judah who are in Babylon, saying, "The LORD make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of
Babylon roasted in the fire"; 23because they have done disgraceful things in Israel, have committed adultery with their neighbors' wives, and have spoken lying words in My name, which I have not commanded them. Indeed I know, and am a witness, says the LORD. 24You shall also speak to Shemaiah the Nehelamite, saying, 25Thus speaks the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying: You have sent letters in your name to all the people who are at Jerusalem, to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying, 26"The LORD has made you priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, so that there should be officers in the house of the LORD over every man who is demented and considers himself a prophet, that you should put him in prison and in the stocks. 27Now therefore, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth who makes himself a prophet to you? 28For he has sent to us in Babylon, saying, 'This captivity is long; build houses and dwell in them, and plant gardens and eat their fruit.' " 29Now Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the
prophet. 30Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying: 31Send to all those in captivity, saying, Thus says the LORD concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, and I have not sent him,
and he has caused you to trust in a lie— 32therefore thus says the LORD: Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his family: he shall not have anyone to dwell among this people, nor shall he see the good that I will do for My people, says the LORD, because he has taught rebellion against the LORD.
Jeremiah 30
RESTORATION OF ISRAEL AND JUDAH
1The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 2"Thus speaks the
LORD God of Israel, saying: 'Write in a book for yourself all the words that I
have spoken to you. 3For behold, the days are coming,' says the LORD, 'that I will bring back from captivity My people Israel and Judah,' says the LORD. 'And I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.' "
4Now these are the words that the LORD spoke concerning Israel and Judah. 5"For thus says the LORD:
'We have heard a voice of trembling, Of fear, and not of peace. 6Ask now, and see, Whether a man is ever in labor with child? So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins Like a woman in labor, And all faces turned pale? 7Alas! For that day is great,
30:7 time of Jacob's trouble. This period of unprecedented difficulty for Israel, as the verse defines, is set in a context of Israel's final restoration. It is best equated with the time of tribulation (vv. 8, 9) just before Christ's Second Advent mentioned elsewhere (Dan. 12:1; Matt. 24:21, 22) and described in detail by Revelation 6–19.
So that none is like it; And it is the time of Jacob's trouble, But he shall be saved out of it.
8'For it shall come to pass in that day,' Says the LORD of hosts, 'That I will break his yoke from your neck, And will burst your bonds; Foreigners shall no more enslave them. 9But they shall serve the LORD their God, And David their king, Whom I will raise up for them.
10'Therefore do not fear, O My servant Jacob,' says the dismayed, O Israel; For behold, I will save you from afar, And your seed from the land of their captivity. Jacob shall return, have rest and be quiet, And no one shall make him afraid. 11For I am with you,' says the LORD, 'to save you; Though I make a full end of all nations where I have scattered you, Yet I will not make a complete end of you. But I will correct you in justice, And will not let you go altogether unpunished.'
LORD, 'Nor be
12"For thus says the LORD:
'Your affliction is incurable, Your wound is severe. 13There is no one to plead your cause, That you may be bound up; You have no healing medicines. 14All your lovers have forgotten you; They do not seek you; For I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy, With the chastisement of a cruel one, For the multitude of your iniquities, Because your sins have increased. 15Why do you cry about your affliction? Your sorrow is incurable. Because of the multitude of your iniquities, Because your sins have increased, I have done these things to you.
16'Therefore all those who devour you shall be devoured; And all your adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity;
Those who plunder you shall become plunder, And all who prey upon you I will
make a prey. 17For I will restore health to you And heal you of your wounds,' says the LORD, 'Because they called you an outcast saying: "This is Zion; No one seeks her." '
18"Thus says the LORD:
'Behold, I will bring back the captivity of Jacob's tents, And have mercy on his dwelling places; The city shall be built upon its own mound, And the palace shall remain according to its own plan. 19Then out of them shall proceed thanksgiving And the voice of those who make merry; I will multiply them, and they shall not diminish; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small. 20Their children also shall be as before, And their congregation shall be established before Me; And I will punish all who oppress them. 21Their nobles shall be from among them, And their governor shall come from their midst; Then I will cause him to draw near, And he shall approach Me; For who is this who pledged his heart to approach Me?' says the LORD. 22'You shall be My people, And I will be your God.' "
23Behold, the whirlwind of the LORD Goes forth with fury, A continuing whirlwind; It will fall violently on the head of the wicked. 24The fierce anger of the LORD will not return until He has done it, And until He has performed the intents of His heart. In the latter days you will consider it.
Next October 22 Reading
Jeremiah 31
October 23
J EREMIAH 31:1–32:44
THE REMNANT OF ISRAEL SAVED
1"At the same time," says the LORD, "I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people."
2Thus says the LORD:
"The people who survived the sword Found grace in the wilderness— Israel, when I went to give him rest."
3The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you. 4Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin of Israel! You shall again be adorned with your tambourines, And shall go forth in the dances of those who rejoice. 5You shall yet plant vines on the mountains of Samaria; The planters shall plant and eat them as ordinary food. 6For there shall be a day When the watchmen will cry on Mount Ephraim, 'Arise, and let us go up to Zion, To the LORD our God.' "
7For thus says the LORD:
"Sing with gladness for Jacob, And shout among the chief of the nations; Proclaim, give praise, and say, 'O LORD, save Your people, The remnant of Israel!' 8Behold, I will bring them from the north country, And gather them from the ends of the earth, Among them the blind and the lame,
The woman with child And the one who labors with child, together; A great throng shall return there. 9They shall come with weeping, And with supplications I will lead them. I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters, In a straight way in which they shall not stumble; For I am a Father to Israel, And Ephraim is My firstborn.
10"Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, And declare it in the isles afar off, and say, 'He who scattered Israel will gather him, And keep him as a shepherd does his flock.' 11For the LORD has redeemed Jacob, And ransomed him from the hand of one stronger than he. 12Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, Streaming to the goodness of the LORD— For wheat and new wine and oil, For the young of the flock and the herd; Their souls shall be like a well-watered garden, And they shall sorrow no more at all.
13"Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, And the young men and the old, together; For I will turn their mourning to joy, Will comfort them, And make them rejoice rather than sorrow. 14I will satiate the soul of the priests with abundance, And My people shall be satisfied with My goodness, says the LORD."
MERCY ON EPHRAIM
15Thus says the LORD:
"A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted for her children, Because they are no more."
16Thus says the LORD:
"Refrain your voice from weeping, And your eyes from tears; For your work shall be rewarded, says the LORD, And they shall come back from the land of the enemy. 17There is hope in your future, says the LORD, That your children shall come back to their own border.
18"I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself: 'You have chastised me, and I was chastised, Like an untrained bull; Restore me, and I will return, For You are the LORD my God. 19Surely, after my turning, I repented; And after I was instructed, I struck myself on the thigh; I was ashamed, yes, even humiliated, Because I bore the reproach of my youth.' 20Is Ephraim My dear son? Is he a pleasant child? For though I spoke against him, I earnestly remember him still; Therefore My heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him, says the LORD.
21"Set up signposts, Make landmarks; Set your heart toward the highway, The way in which you went.
Turn back, O virgin of Israel, Turn back to these your cities. 22How long will you gad about, O you backsliding daughter? For the LORD has created a new thing in the earth— A woman shall encompass a man."
FUTURE PROSPERITY OF JUDAH
23Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "They shall again use this speech in the land of Judah and in its cities, when I bring back their captivity: 'The LORD bless you, O home of justice, and mountain of holiness!' 24And there shall dwell in Judah itself, and in all its cities together, farmers and those going out with flocks. 25For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul."
26After this I awoke and looked around, and my sleep was sweet to me. 27"Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and the seed of beast. 28And it shall come to pass, that as I have watched over them to pluck up, to break down, to throw down, to destroy, and to afflict, so I will watch over them to build and to plant, says the LORD. 29In those days they shall say no more: 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes,
And the children's teeth are set on edge.'
30But every one shall die for his own iniquity; every man who eats the sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge.
A NEW COVENANT
31"Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new
covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 32not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which
they broke, though I was a husband to them,a says the LORD. 33But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be
their God, and they shall be My people. 34No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."
35Thus says the LORD, Who gives the sun for a light by day, The ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night, Who disturbs the sea,
And its waves roar (The LORD of hosts is His name):
36"If those ordinances depart From before Me, says the LORD, Then the seed of Israel shall also cease From being a nation before Me forever."
37Thus says the LORD:
"If heaven above can be measured, And the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel For all that they have done, says the LORD.
38"Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, that the city shall be built
for the LORD from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. 39The surveyor's line shall again extend straight forward over the hill Gareb; then it shall turn toward Goath. 40And the whole valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes, and all the fields as far as the Brook Kidron, to the corner of the Horse Gate toward the east, shall be holy to the LORD. It shall not be plucked up or thrown down anymore forever."
Jeremiah 32
JEREMIAH BUYS A FIELD
1The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the tenth year of Zedekiah
king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar. 2For then the king of Babylon's army besieged Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah's house. 3For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, "Why do you prophesy and say, 'Thus says the LORD: "Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it; 4and Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape from the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him face to face,a and see him eye to eye; 5then he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and there he shall be until I visit him," says the LORD; "though you fight with the Chaldeans, you shall not succeed" '?"
6And Jeremiah said, "The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 7'Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you, saying, "Buy my field
which is in Anathoth, for the right of redemption is yours to buy it." ' 8Then Hanamel my uncle's son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the LORD, and said to me, 'Please buy my field that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin; for the right of inheritance is yours, and the redemption yours; buy it for yourself.' Then I knew that this was the word of the
LORD. 9So I bought the field from Hanamel, the son of my uncle who was in
Anathoth, and weighed out to him the money—seventeen shekels of silver. 10And I signed the deed and sealed it, took witnesses, and weighed the money
on the scales. 11So I took the purchase deed, both that which was sealed
according to the law and custom, and that which was open; 12and I gave the purchase deed to Baruch the son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel my uncle's son, and in the presence of the witnesses who signed the purchase deed, before all the Jews who sat in the court of the prison.
13"Then I charged Baruch before them, saying, 14'Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "Take these deeds, both this purchase deed which is sealed and this deed which is open, and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may
last many days." 15For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land." '
32:14 Take these deeds. Title deeds to the land, kept for security reasons in a pottery jar, would attest in a future day to one's claim of possession. Men of Anathoth did return to Jerusalem from Babylon (Ezra 2:23). Also, some of the poor of the land, left by the Babylonians (chap. 39), could have included certain inhabitants of Anathoth. In a still future day, God will be able (vv. 17, 27) to make this land good to a resurrected Jeremiah and confirm to the right people that they are the prophet/priest's descendants.
JEREMIAH PRAYS FOR UNDERSTANDING
16"Now when I had delivered the purchase deed to Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed to the LORD, saying: 17'Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You. 18You show lovingkindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them— the Great, the Mighty God, whose name is the LORD of hosts. 19You are great in counsel and mighty in work, for Your eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, to give everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings. 20You have set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, to this day, and in Israel and among other men; and You have made Yourself a name, as it is this day. 21You have brought Your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs and wonders, with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, and with great terror; 22You have given them this land, of which You swore to
their fathers to give them—"a land flowing with milk and honey."a 23And they came in and took possession of it, but they have not obeyed Your voice or walked in Your law. They have done nothing of all that You commanded them to do; therefore You have caused all this calamity to come upon them.
24'Look, the siege mounds! They have come to the city to take it; and the city has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans who fight against it, because of the sword and famine and pestilence. What You have spoken has happened; there You see it! 25And You have said to me, O Lord GOD, "Buy the field for money, and take witnesses"!—yet the city has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans.' "
GOD'S ASSURANCE OF THE PEOPLE'S RETURN
26Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, 27"Behold, I am the
LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me? 28Therefore thus says the LORD: 'Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he shall take it. 29And the Chaldeans who fight against this city shall come and set fire to this city and burn
it, with the houses on whose roofs they have offered incense to Baal and poured out drink offerings to other gods, to provoke Me to anger; 30because the children of Israel and the children of Judah have done only evil before Me from their youth. For the children of Israel have provoked Me only to anger with the work of their hands,' says the LORD. 31'For this city has been to Me a provocation of My anger and My fury from the day that they built it, even to this day; so I will remove it from before My face 32because of all the evil of the children of Israel and the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke Me to anger—they, their kings, their princes, their priests, their prophets, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 33And they have turned to Me the back, and not the face; though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not listened to receive instruction. 34But they set
their abominations in the house which is called by My name, to defile it. 35And they built the high places of Baal which are in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to Molech, which I did not command them, nor did it come into My mind that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.'
36"Now therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city of which you say, 'It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence': 37Behold, I will gather them out of all countries where I have driven them in My anger, in My fury, and in great wrath; I will bring them back to this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely. 38They shall be My people, and I will be their God; 39then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them. 40And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me. 41Yes, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will assuredly plant them in this land, with all My heart and with all My soul.'
42"For thus says the LORD: 'Just as I have brought all this great calamity on this
people, so I will bring on them all the good that I have promised them. 43And fields will be bought in this land of which you say, "It is desolate, without man or
beast; it has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans." 44Men will buy fields for money, sign deeds and seal them, and take witnesses, in the land of Benjamin, in the places around Jerusalem, in the cities of Judah, in the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the lowland, and in the cities of the South; for I
will cause their captives to return,' says the LORD."
Next October 23 Reading
Jeremiah 33
October 24
J EREMIAH 33:1–34:22
EXCELLENCE OF THE RESTORED NATION
1Moreover the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the prison, saying, 2"Thus says the LORD
who made it, the LORD who formed it to establish it (the LORD is His name): 3'Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.'
4"For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city and the houses of the kings of Judah, which have been pulled down to fortifya against the siege mounds and the sword: 5'They come to fight with the
Chaldeans, but only to fill their placesa with the dead bodies of men whom I will slay in My anger and My fury, all for whose wickedness I have hidden My face from this city. 6Behold, I will bring it health and healing; I will heal them
and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth. 7And I will cause the captives of Judah and the captives of Israel to return, and will rebuild those places as at the first. 8I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me. 9Then it shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise, and an honor before all nations of the earth, who shall hear all the good that I do to them; they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and all the prosperity that I provide for it.'
10"Thus says the LORD: 'Again there shall be heard in this place—of which you say, "It is desolate, without man and without beast"—in the cities of Judah, in the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man and without inhabitant and without beast, 11the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who will say: "Praise the LORD of hosts,
For the LORD is good, For His mercy endures forever"—
and of those who will bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause the captives of the land to return as at the first,' says the LORD.
12"Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'In this place which is desolate, without man and without beast, and in all its cities, there shall again be a dwelling place of
shepherds causing their flocks to lie down. 13In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the lowland, in the cities of the South, in the land of Benjamin, in the places around Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, the flocks shall again pass under the hands of him who counts them,' says the LORD.
14'Behold, the days are coming,' says the LORD, 'that I will perform that good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah: 15'In those days and at that time
33:15 A Branch. This is the Messiah King in David's lineage. He is the King whose reign immediately follows the Second Coming when He appears in power (Dan. 2:35, 45; 7:13, 14, 27; Matt. 16:27–28; 24:30; 26:64).
I will cause to grow up to David A Branch of righteousness; He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. 16In those days Judah will be saved, And Jerusalem will dwell safely. And this is the name by which she will be called:
THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.'a
17"For thus says the LORD: 'David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of
the house of Israel; 18nor shall the priests, the Levites, lack a man to offer burnt offerings before Me, to kindle grain offerings, and to sacrifice continually.' "
THE PERMANENCE OF GOD'S COVENANT
19And the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, 20"Thus says the LORD: 'If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that
there will not be day and night in their season, 21then My covenant may also be
broken with David My servant, so that he shall not have a son to reign on his
throne, and with the Levites, the priests, My ministers. 22As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, nor the sand of the sea measured, so will I multiply the descendants of David My servant and the Levites who minister to Me.' "
23Moreover the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, 24"Have you not considered what these people have spoken, saying, 'The two families which the LORD has chosen, He has also cast them off'? Thus they have despised My people, as if they should no more be a nation before them.
25"Thus says the LORD: 'If My covenant is not with day and night, and if I have
not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth, 26then I will cast away the descendants of Jacob and David My servant, so that I will not take any of his descendants to be rulers over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For I will cause their captives to return, and will have mercy on them.' "
Jeremiah 34
ZEDEKIAH WARNED BY GOD
1The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army, all the kingdoms of the earth under his dominion, and all the people, fought against Jerusalem and all its cities, saying, 2"Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: 'Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah and tell him, "Thus says the LORD: 'Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire. 3And you shall not escape from his hand, but shall surely be taken and delivered into his hand; your eyes shall see the eyes of the king of Babylon, he shall speak with you face to face,a and you
shall go to Babylon.' " ' 4Yet hear the word of the LORD, O Zedekiah king of
Judah! Thus says the LORD concerning you: 'You shall not die by the sword. 5You shall die in peace; as in the ceremonies of your fathers, the former kings who were before you, so they shall burn incense for you and lament for you, saying, "Alas, lord!" For I have pronounced the word, says the LORD.' "
6Then Jeremiah the prophet spoke all these words to Zedekiah king of
Judah in Jerusalem, 7when the king of Babylon's army fought against Jerusalem and all the cities of Judah that were left, against Lachish and Azekah; for only these fortified cities remained of the cities of Judah.
TREACHEROUS TREATMENT OF SLAVES
8This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people who were at Jerusalem to proclaim liberty to
them: 9that every man should set free his male and female slave—a Hebrew man or
woman—that no one should keep a Jewish brother in bondage. 10Now when all the princes and all the people, who had entered into the covenant, heard that everyone should set free his male and female slaves, that no one should keep them in
bondage anymore, they obeyed and let them go. 11But afterward they changed their minds and made the male and female slaves return, whom they had set free, and brought them into subjection as male and female slaves.
12Therefore the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 13"Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: 'I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying, 14"At the end of seven years let every man set free his Hebrew brother, who has been sold to him; and when he has served you six years, you shall let him go free from you." But your fathers did not obey Me nor incline their ear. 15Then you recently turned and did what was right in My sight—every man proclaiming liberty to his neighbor; and you made a covenant before Me in the house which is called by My name. 16Then you turned around and profaned My name, and every one of you brought back his male and female slaves, whom you had set at liberty, at their pleasure, and brought them back into subjection, to be your male and female slaves.'
17"Therefore thus says the LORD: 'You have not obeyed Me in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and every one to his neighbor. Behold, I proclaim liberty to you,' says the LORD—'to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine! And I
will deliver you to trouble among all the kingdoms of the earth. 18And I will give the men who have transgressed My covenant, who have not performed the words of the covenant which they made before Me, when they cut the calf in two
and passed between the parts of it— 19the princes of Judah, the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, the priests, and all the people of the land who passed
between the parts of the calf— 20I will give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their life. Their dead bodies shall be for
meat for the birds of the heaven and the beasts of the earth. 21And I will
give Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes into the hand of their enemies, into the hand of those who seek their life, and into the hand of
the king of Babylon's army which has gone back from you. 22Behold, I will command,' says the LORD, 'and cause them to return to this city. They will fight against it and take it and burn it with fire; and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without inhabitant.' "
34:18, 21 cut the calf in two. God will give the guilty over to death before the conqueror, for they denied the covenant ratified by blood (v. 21). In this custom, as in Genesis 15:8–17, two parties laid out parts of a sacrifice on two sides, then walked between the parts. By that symbolic action, each pledged to fulfill his promise, agreeing in effect, "May my life (represented by the blood) be poured out if I fail to honor my part."
Next October 24 Reading
Jeremiah 35
October 25
J EREMIAH 35:1–36:32
THE OBEDIENT RECHABITES
1The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim
the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying, 2"Go to the house of the Rechabites, speak to them, and bring them into the house of the LORD, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink."
3Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, the son of Habazziniah, his
brothers and all his sons, and the whole house of the Rechabites, 4and I brought them into the house of the LORD, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, a man of God, which was by the chamber of the princes, above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the keeper of the door. 5Then I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites bowls full of wine, and cups; and I said to them, "Drink wine."
6But they said, "We will drink no wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying, 'You shall drink no wine, you nor your sons,
forever. 7You shall not build a house, sow seed, plant a vineyard, nor have any of these; but all your days you shall dwell in tents, that you may live many days in
the land where you are sojourners.' 8Thus we have obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he charged us, to drink no wine all our
days, we, our wives, our sons, or our daughters, 9nor to build ourselves houses
to dwell in; nor do we have vineyard, field, or seed. 10But we have dwelt in tents, and have obeyed and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded
us. 11But it came to pass, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up into the land, that we said, 'Come, let us go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans and for fear of the army of the Syrians.' So we dwell at Jerusalem."
12Then came the word of the LORD to Jeremiah, saying, 13"Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: 'Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, "Will you not receive instruction to obey My words?" says the LORD. 14"The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, which he commanded his sons, not to drink wine, are performed; for to this day they drink none, and obey their father's commandment. But although I have spoken to you, rising early and speaking, you did not obey Me. 15I have also sent to you all My servants the
prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, 'Turn now everyone from his evil way, amend your doings, and do not go after other gods to serve them; then you will dwell in the land which I have given you and your fathers.'
But you have not inclined your ear, nor obeyed Me. 16Surely the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father, which he commanded them, but this people has not obeyed Me." '
17"Therefore thus says the LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel: 'Behold, I will bring on Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the doom that I have pronounced against them; because I have spoken to them but they have not heard, and I have called to them but they have not answered.' "
18And Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: 'Because you have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts and done according to all that he
commanded you, 19therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to stand before Me forever." ' "
Jeremiah 36
THE SCROLL READ IN THE TEMPLE
1Now it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of
Judah, that this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying: 2"Take a scroll of a book and write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel, against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from
the days of Josiah even to this day. 3It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the adversities which I purpose to bring upon them, that everyone may turn from his evil way, that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin."
4Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah; and Baruch wrote on a
scroll of a book, at the instruction of Jeremiah,a all the words of the LORD
which He had spoken to him. 5And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, "I
am confined, I cannot go into the house of the LORD. 6You go, therefore, and
read from the scroll which you have written at my instruction,a the words of the LORD, in the hearing of the people in the LORD's house on the day of fasting. And you shall also read them in the hearing of all Judah who come from their cities. 7It may be that they will present their supplication before the LORD, and everyone will turn from his evil way. For great is the anger and the fury that the LORD has pronounced against this people." 8And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading from the book the words of the LORD in the LORD's house.
36:4 4 Baruch wrote. Jeremiah's recording secretary wrote the prophet's messages and penned them a second time after the first scroll was burned (36:32). He also read the messages in the temple (v. 10) and in the palace (v. 15). Later, Jehudi read a small part of the first scroll before King Jehoiakim (vv. 21– 23 ).
9Now it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, in the ninth month, that they proclaimed a fast before the LORD to all the people in Jerusalem, and to all the people who came from the cities of Judah to Jerusalem. 10Then Baruch read from the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the LORD, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the upper court at the entry of the New Gate of the LORD's house, in the hearing of all the people.
THE SCROLL READ IN THE PALACE
11When Michaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, heard all the
words of the LORD from the book, 12he then went down to the king's house, into the scribe's chamber; and there all the princes were sitting—Elishama the scribe, Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, Elnathan the son of Achbor, Gemariah
the son of Shaphan, Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the princes. 13Then Michaiah declared to them all the words that he had heard when
Baruch read the book in the hearing of the people. 14Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, to Baruch, saying, "Take in your hand the scroll from which you have read in the hearing of the people, and come." So Baruch the son of Neriah took the scroll in his hand and came to them. 15And they said to him, "Sit down now, and read it in our hearing." So Baruch read it in their hearing.
16Now it happened, when they had heard all the words, that they looked in fear from one to another, and said to Baruch, "We will surely tell the king of all these words." 17And they asked Baruch, saying, "Tell us now, how did you write all these words—at his instruction?"a
18So Baruch answered them, "He proclaimed with his mouth all these words to me, and I wrote them with ink in the book."
19Then the princes said to Baruch, "Go and hide, you and Jeremiah; and let no one know where you are."
THE KING DESTROYS JEREMIAH'S SCROLL
20And they went to the king, into the court; but they stored the scroll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and told all the words in the hearing of the king. 21So the king sent Jehudi to bring the scroll, and he took it from Elishama the scribe's chamber. And Jehudi read it in the hearing of the king and in the hearing of all the princes who stood beside the king. 22Now the king was sitting in the winter house in the ninth month, with a fire burning on the hearth before him. 23And it happened, when Jehudi had read three or four columns, that the king cut it with the scribe's knife and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth. 24Yet they were not afraid, nor did they tear their garments, the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words. 25Nevertheless Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah implored the king not to burn the scroll; but he would not listen to them. 26And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king'sa son, Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to seize Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet, but the LORD hid them.
36:23 cut it. As often as Jehudi read "three or four columns," the king cut it up, doing so all the way through the whole scroll because he rejected the message (v. 29). Jehoiakim is the king who sent men to Egypt (chap. 26) to bring back God's faithful prophet, Urijah, so that he could execute him.
JEREMIAH REWRITES THE SCROLL
27Now after the king had burned the scroll with the words which Baruch had
written at the instruction of Jeremiah,a the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah,
saying: 28"Take yet another scroll, and write on it all the former words that
were in the first scroll which Jehoiakim the king of Judah has burned. 29And you shall say to Jehoiakim king of Judah, 'Thus says the LORD: "You have burned this scroll, saying, 'Why have you written in it that the king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land, and cause man and beast to cease from here?' " 30Therefore thus says the LORD concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah: "He shall have no one to sit on the throne of David, and his dead body shall be cast out to the heat of the day and the frost of the night. 31I will punish him, his family, and his servants for their iniquity; and I will bring on them, on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and on the men of Judah all the doom that I have pronounced against them; but they did not heed." ' "
32Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the
son of Neriah, who wrote on it at the instruction of Jeremiaha all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire. And besides, there were added to them many similar words.
Next October 25 Reading
Jeremiah 37
October 26
J EREMIAH 37:1–38:28
ZEDEKIAH'S VAIN HOPE
1Now King Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah. 2But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land gave heed to the words of the LORD which He spoke by the prophet Jeremiah.
3And Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, to the prophet Jeremiah, saying, "Pray now to the LORD our God for us." 4Now Jeremiah was coming and going among the people, for they had not yet put him in prison. 5Then Pharaoh's army came up from Egypt; and when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard news of them, they departed from Jerusalem.
6Then the word of the LORD came to the prophet Jeremiah, saying, 7"Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Thus you shall say to the king of Judah, who sent you to Me to inquire of Me: "Behold, Pharaoh's army which has come up to help you will return to Egypt, to their own land. 8And the Chaldeans shall come back and fight against this city, and take it and burn it with fire." ' 9Thus says the LORD: 'Do not deceive yourselves, saying, "The
Chaldeans will surely depart from us," for they will not depart. 10For though you had defeated the whole army of the Chaldeans who fight against you, and there remained only wounded men among them, they would rise up, every man in his tent, and burn the city with fire.' "
JEREMIAH IMPRISONED
11And it happened, when the army of the Chaldeans left the siege of Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh's army, 12that Jeremiah went out of Jerusalem
to go into the land of Benjamin to claim his property there among the people. 13And when he was in the Gate of Benjamin, a captain of the guard was there whose name was Irijah the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah; and he seized Jeremiah the prophet, saying, "You are defecting to the Chaldeans!"
14Then Jeremiah said, "False! I am not defecting to the Chaldeans." But he did not listen to him.
So Irijah seized Jeremiah and brought him to the princes. 15Therefore the princes were angry with Jeremiah, and they struck him and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe. For they had made that the prison.
16When Jeremiah entered the dungeon and the cells, and Jeremiah had
remained there many days, 17then Zedekiah the king sent and took him out. The king asked him secretly in his house, and said, "Is there any word from the LORD?"
And Jeremiah said, "There is." Then he said, "You shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon!"
18Moreover Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, "What offense have I committed against you, against your servants, or against this people, that you have put me in prison? 19Where now are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying, 'The king of Babylon will not come against you or against this land'? 20Therefore please hear now, O my lord the king. Please, let my petition be accepted before you, and do not make me return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there."
21Then Zedekiah the king commanded that they should commit Jeremiah to the court of the prison, and that they should give him daily a piece of bread from the bakers' street, until all the bread in the city was gone. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.
Jeremiah 38
JEREMIAH IN THE DUNGEON
1Now Shephatiah the son of Mattan, Gedaliah the son of Pashhur, Jucala the son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur the son of Malchiah heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken to all the people, saying, 2"Thus says the LORD: 'He who remains in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence; but he who goes over to the Chaldeans shall live; his life shall be as a prize to him, and he shall live.'a 3Thus says the LORD: 'This city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon's army, which shall take it.' "
4Therefore the princes said to the king, "Please, let this man be put to death, for thus he weakens the hands of the men of war who remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, by speaking such words to them. For this man does not seek the welfare of this people, but their harm."
5Then Zedekiah the king said, "Look, he is in your hand. For the king can do nothing against you." 6So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the
dungeon of Malchiah the king'sa son, which was in the court of the prison, and they let Jeremiah down with ropes. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire. So Jeremiah sank in the mire.
38:6 no water, but mire. The murderous princes (v. 4) would let God's spokesman die of thirst, hunger, hypothermia, or suffocation if he sank too deeply into the bottom of the cistern.
7Now Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs, who was in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon. When the king was sitting at the Gate of Benjamin, 8Ebed-Melech went out of the king's house
and spoke to the king, saying: 9"My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the
dungeon, and he is likely to die from hunger in the place where he is. For there is no more bread in the city." 10Then the king commanded Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, saying, "Take from here thirty men with you, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon before he dies." 11So Ebed-Melech took the men with him and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took from there old clothes and old rags, and let them down by ropes into the dungeon to Jeremiah. 12Then Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, "Please put these old clothes and rags under your armpits, under the ropes." And Jeremiah did so. 13So they pulled Jeremiah up with ropes and lifted him out
of the dungeon. And Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.
ZEDEKIAH'S FEARS AND JEREMIAH'S ADVICE
14Then Zedekiah the king sent and had Jeremiah the prophet brought to him at the third entrance of the house of the LORD. And the king said to Jeremiah, "I will ask you something. Hide nothing from me."
15Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "If I declare it to you, will you not surely put me to death? And if I give you advice, you will not listen to me."
16So Zedekiah the king swore secretly to Jeremiah, saying, "As the LORD lives, who made our very souls, I will not put you to death, nor will I give you into the hand of these men who seek your life."
17Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "Thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: 'If you surely surrender to the king of Babylon's princes, then your soul shall live; this city shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live. 18But if you do not surrender to the king of Babylon's princes, then this city shall be given into the hand of the Chaldeans; they shall burn it with fire, and you shall not escape from their hand.' "
19And Zedekiah the king said to Jeremiah, "I am afraid of the Jews who have defected to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they abuse me."
20But Jeremiah said, "They shall not deliver you. Please, obey the voice of the
LORD which I speak to you. So it shall be well with you, and your soul shall live. 21But if you refuse to surrender, this is the word that the LORD has shown me: 22'Now behold, all the women who are left in the king of Judah's house shall be
surrendered to the king of Babylon's princes, and those women shall say: "Your close friends have set upon you
And prevailed against you; Your feet have sunk in the mire, And they have turned away again."
23'So they shall surrender all your wives and children to the Chaldeans. You shall not escape from their hand, but shall be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon. And you shall cause this city to be burned with fire.' "
24Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, "Let no one know of these words, and you
shall not die. 25But if the princes hear that I have talked with you, and they come to you and say to you, 'Declare to us now what you have said to the king, and also what the king said to you; do not hide it from us, and we will not put you to
death,' 26then you shall say to them, 'I presented my request before the king, that he would not make me return to Jonathan's house to die there.' "
27Then all the princes came to Jeremiah and asked him. And he told them according to all these words that the king had commanded. So they stopped speaking with him, for the conversation had not been heard. 28Now Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison until the day that Jerusalem was taken. And he was there when Jerusalem was taken.
Next October 26 Reading
Jeremiah 39
October 27
J EREMIAH 39:1–40:16
THE FALL OF JERUSALEM
1In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem, and besieged it. 2In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, the city was penetrated.
3Then all the princes of the king of Babylon came in and sat in the Middle Gate: Nergal-Sharezer, Samgar-Nebo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris,a NergalSarezer, Rabmag,b with the rest of the princes of the king of Babylon.
4So it was, when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, that they fled and went out of the city by night, by way of the king's garden, by
the gate between the two walls. And he went out by way of the plain.a 5But the Chaldean army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. And when they had captured him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced judgment on
him. 6Then the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes in
Riblah; the king of Babylon also killed all the nobles of Judah. 7Moreover he put out Zedekiah's eyes, and bound him with bronze fetters to carry him off to
Babylon. 8And the Chaldeans burned the king's house and the houses of the
people with fire, and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. 9Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive to Babylon the remnant of the people who remained in the city and those who defected to him, with the rest of
the people who remained. 10But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left in the land of Judah the poor people, who had nothing, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.
JEREMIAH GOES FREE
11Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah
to Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, saying, 12"Take him and look
after him, and do him no harm; but do to him just as he says to you." 13So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard sent Nebushasban, Rabsaris,
Nergal-Sharezer, Rabmag, and all the king of Babylon's chief officers; 14then they sent someone to take Jeremiah from the court of the prison, and committed him to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, that he should take him home. So he dwelt among the people.
15Meanwhile the word of the LORD had come to Jeremiah while he was
shut up in the court of the prison, saying, 16"Go and speak to Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, saying, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "Behold, I will bring My words upon this city for adversity and not for good, and they shall be performed in that day before you. 17But I will deliver you in that day," says the LORD, "and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid. 18For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me," says the LORD.' "
Jeremiah 40
JEREMIAH WITH GEDALIAH THE GOVERNOR
1The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD after Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him bound in chains among all who were carried away captive from Jerusalem and Judah, who were carried away captive to Babylon.
2And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him: "The LORD your
God has pronounced this doom on this place. 3Now the LORD has brought it, and has done just as He said. Because you people have sinned against the LORD, and
not obeyed His voice, therefore this thing has come upon you. 4And now look, I free you this day from the chains that were on your hand. If it seems good to you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look after you. But if it seems wrong for you to come with me to Babylon, remain here. See, all the land is before you; wherever it seems good and convenient for you to go, go there."
5Now while Jeremiah had not yet gone back, Nebuzaradan said, "Go back to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has made governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people. Or go wherever it seems convenient for you to go." So the captain of the guard gave him rations and a gift and let him go. 6Then Jeremiah went to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, to Mizpah, and dwelt with him among the people who were left in the land.
7And when all the captains of the armies who were in the fields, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed to him men, women, children, and the
poorest of the land who had not been carried away captive to Babylon, 8then they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai
the Netophathite, and Jezaniaha the son of a Maachathite, they and their men. 9And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, took an oath before them and their men, saying, "Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Dwell in the
land and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you. 10As for me, I will indeed dwell at Mizpah and serve the Chaldeans who come to us. But you, gather wine and summer fruit and oil, put them in your vessels, and dwell in
your cities that you have taken." 11Likewise, when all the Jews who were in Moab, among the Ammonites, in Edom, and who were in all the countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah, and that he had set over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, 12then all the Jews returned out of all places where they had been driven, and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and gathered wine and summer fruit in abundance.
13Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces
that were in the fields came to Gedaliah at Mizpah, 14and said to him, "Do you certainly know that Baalis the king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to murder you?" But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam did not believe them.
15Then Johanan the son of Kareah spoke secretly to Gedaliah in Mizpah, saying, "Let me go, please, and I will kill Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no one will know it. Why should he murder you, so that all the Jews who are gathered to you would be scattered, and the remnant in Judah perish?"
16But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, "You shall not do this thing, for you speak falsely concerning Ishmael."
Next October 27 Reading
Jeremiah 41
October 28
J EREMIAH 41:1–42:22
INSURRECTION AGAINST GEDALIAH
1Now it came to pass in the seventh month that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal family and of the officers of the king, came with ten men to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, at Mizpah. And there they ate bread together in Mizpah. 2Then Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the ten men who were with him, arose and struck Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, with the sword, and killed him whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land. 3Ishmael also struck down all the Jews who were with him, that is, with Gedaliah at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans who were found there, the men of war.
4And it happened, on the second day after he had killed Gedaliah, when as yet
no one knew it, 5that certain men came from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, eighty men with their beards shaved and their clothes torn, having cut themselves, with offerings and incense in their hand, to bring them to the house
of the LORD. 6Now Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he went along; and it happened as he met them that he said to
them, "Come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam!" 7So it was, when they came into the midst of the city, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah killed them and cast them
into the midst of a pit, he and the men who were with him. 8But ten men were found among them who said to Ishmael, "Do not kill us, for we have treasures of wheat, barley, oil, and honey in the field." So he desisted and did not kill them
among their brethren. 9Now the pit into which Ishmael had cast all the dead bodies of the men whom he had slain, because of Gedaliah, was the same one Asa the king had made for fear of Baasha king of Israel. Ishmael the son of
Nethaniah filled it with the slain. 10Then Ishmael carried away captive all the rest of the people who were in Mizpah, the king's daughters and all the people who remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had committed to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam. And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah carried them away captive and departed to go over to the Ammonites.
11But when Johanan the son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces that
were with him heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done, 12they took all the men and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah; and
they found him by the great pool that is in Gibeon. 13So it was, when all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the
captains of the forces who were with him, that they were glad. 14Then all the people whom Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah turned around and
came back, and went to Johanan the son of Kareah. 15But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men and went to the Ammonites.
16Then Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, took from Mizpah all the rest of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah after he had murdered Gedaliah the son of Ahikam—the mighty men of war and the women and the children and the eunuchs, whom he had brought back from Gibeon. 17And they departed and dwelt in the habitation of Chimham, which is near Bethlehem, as they went on their way to Egypt, 18because of the Chaldeans; for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had murdered Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had made governor in the land.
Jeremiah 42
THE FLIGHT TO EGYPT FORBIDDEN
1Now all the captains of the forces, Johanan the son of Kareah, Jezaniah the
son of Hoshaiah, and all the people, from the least to the greatest, came near 2and said to Jeremiah the prophet, "Please, let our petition be acceptable to you, and pray for us to the LORD your God, for all this remnant (since we are left but a few of many, as you can see), 3that the LORD your God may show us the way in which we should walk and the thing we should do."
4Then Jeremiah the prophet said to them, "I have heard. Indeed, I will pray to the LORD your God according to your words, and it shall be, that whatever the LORD answers you, I will declare it to you. I will keep nothing back from you."
5So they said to Jeremiah, "Let the LORD be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not do according to everything which the LORD your God sends us by you. 6Whether it is pleasing or displeasing, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God to whom we send you, that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the LORD our God."
7And it happened after ten days that the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah. 8Then he called Johanan the son of Kareah, all the captains of the forces
which were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest, 9and said to them, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your petition before Him: 10'If you will still remain in this land, then I will build you and not pull you down, and I will plant you and not pluck you up. For I relent concerning the disaster that I have brought upon you. 11Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid; do not be afraid of him,' says the LORD, 'for I am with you, to save you and deliver you from his hand. 12And I will show you mercy, that he may have mercy on you and cause you to return to your own land.'
13"But if you say, 'We will not dwell in this land,' disobeying the voice of the
LORD your God, 14saying, 'No, but we will go to the land of Egypt where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor be hungry for bread, and there we will dwell'— 15Then hear now the word of the LORD, O remnant of Judah! Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: 'If you wholly set your
faces to enter Egypt, and go to dwell there, 16then it shall be that the sword which you feared shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt; the famine of which you were afraid shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there you
shall die. 17So shall it be with all the men who set their faces to go to Egypt to dwell there. They shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. And none of them shall remain or escape from the disaster that I will bring upon them.'
18"For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: 'As My anger and My fury have been poured out on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so will My fury be poured out on you when you enter Egypt. And you shall be an oath, an astonishment, a curse, and a reproach; and you shall see this place no more.'
19"The LORD has said concerning you, O remnant of Judah, 'Do not go to Egypt!'
Know certainly that I have admonished you this day. 20For you were hypocrites in your hearts when you sent me to the LORD your God, saying, 'Pray for us to the LORD our God, and according to all that the LORD your God says, so declare to us
and we will do it.' 21And I have this day declared it to you, but you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD your God, or anything which He has sent you by
me. 22Now therefore, know certainly that you shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence in the place where you desire to go to dwell."
Next October 28 Reading
Jeremiah 43
October 29
J EREMIAH 43:1–44:30
JEREMIAH TAKEN TO EGYPT
1Now it happened, when Jeremiah had stopped speaking to all the people all the words of the LORD their God, for which the LORD their God had sent him to them,
all these words, 2that Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men spoke, saying to Jeremiah, "You speak falsely! The LORD
our God has not sent you to say, 'Do not go to Egypt to dwell there.' 3But Baruch the son of Neriah has set you against us, to deliver us into the hand of the
Chaldeans, that they may put us to death or carry us away captive to Babylon." 4So Johanan the son of Kareah, all the captains of the forces, and all the people
would not obey the voice of the LORD, to remain in the land of Judah. 5But Johanan the son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces took all the remnant of Judah who had returned to dwell in the land of Judah, from all nations where
they had been driven— 6men, women, children, the king's daughters, and every person whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch the
son of Neriah. 7So they went to the land of Egypt, for they did not obey the voice of the LORD. And they went as far as Tahpanhes.
43:1–7 when Jeremiah…stopped speaking. The incorrigible, disobedient leaders accused him of deceit and forced Jeremiah and the remnant to go to Egypt, despite the fact that all his prophecies regarding Babylon had come to pass. In so doing, they went out of God's protection into His judgment, as all who are disobedient to His Word do.
8Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying, 9"Take large stones in your hand, and hide them in the sight of the men of Judah, in the clay in the brick courtyard which is at the entrance to Pharaoh's house in
Tahpanhes; 10and say to them, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "Behold, I will send and bring Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and will set his throne above these stones that I have hidden. And he will spread his royal pavilion over them. 11When he comes, he shall strike the land of Egypt and deliver to death those appointed for death, and to captivity those appointed for captivity, and to the sword those appointed for the sword. 12Ia will kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt, and he shall burn them and carry them away captive. And he shall array himself with the land of Egypt,
as a shepherd puts on his garment, and he shall go out from there in peace. 13He shall also break the sacred pillars of Beth Shemesha that are in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians he shall burn with fire." ' "
Jeremiah 44
ISRAELITES WILL BE PUNISHED IN EGYPT
1The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews who dwell in the land
of Egypt, who dwell at Migdol, at Tahpanhes, at Noph,a and in the country of
Pathros, saying, 2"Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: 'You have seen all the calamity that I have brought on Jerusalem and on all the cities of
Judah; and behold, this day they are a desolation, and no one dwells in them, 3because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke Me to anger, in that they went to burn incense and to serve other gods whom they did not know, they nor you nor your fathers. 4However I have sent to you all My servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, "Oh, do not do this abominable thing that I hate!" 5But they did not listen or incline their ear to turn
from their wickedness, to burn no incense to other gods. 6So My fury and My anger were poured out and kindled in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; and they are wasted and desolate, as it is this day.'
7"Now therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: 'Why do you commit this great evil against yourselves, to cut off from you man and woman, child and infant, out of Judah, leaving none to remain, 8in that you provoke Me to wrath with the works of your hands, burning incense to other gods in the land of Egypt where you have gone to dwell, that you may cut yourselves off and be a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth? 9Have you forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, the wickedness of the kings of Judah, the wickedness of their wives, your own wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives, which they committed in the land of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 10They have not been humbled, to this day, nor have they feared; they have not walked in My law or in My statutes that I set before you and your fathers.'
11"Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: 'Behold, I will set
My face against you for catastrophe and for cutting off all Judah. 12And I will take the remnant of Judah who have set their faces to go into the land of Egypt to dwell there, and they shall all be consumed and fall in the land of Egypt. They shall be consumed by the sword and by famine. They shall die, from the least to the greatest, by the sword and by famine; and they
shall be an oath, an astonishment, a curse and a reproach! 13For I will punish those who dwell in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem,
by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, 14so that none of the remnant of Judah who have gone into the land of Egypt to dwell there shall escape or survive, lest they return to the land of Judah, to which they desire to return and dwell. For none shall return except those who escape.' "
15Then all the men who knew that their wives had burned incense to other gods, with all the women who stood by, a great multitude, and all the people who
dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying: 16"As for the word that you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we will not listen to
you! 17But we will certainly do whatever has gone out of our own mouth, to burn incense to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her, as we have done, we and our fathers, our kings and our princes, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. For then we had plenty of food, were well-off, and saw
no trouble. 18But since we stopped burning incense to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have been consumed by the sword and by famine."
19The women also said, "And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven and poured out drink offerings to her, did we make cakes for her, to worship her, and pour out drink offerings to her without our husbands' permission?"
20Then Jeremiah spoke to all the people—the men, the women, and all the
people who had given him that answer—saying: 21"The incense that you burned in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, you and your fathers, your kings and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the LORD remember
them, and did it not come into His mind? 22So the LORD could no longer bear it, because of the evil of your doings and because of the abominations which you committed. Therefore your land is a desolation, an astonishment, a curse, and
without an inhabitant, as it is this day. 23Because you have burned incense and because you have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD or walked in His law, in His statutes or in His testimonies, therefore this calamity has happened to you, as at this day."
24Moreover Jeremiah said to all the people and to all the women, "Hear the
word of the LORD, all Judah who are in the land of Egypt! 25Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying: 'You and your wives have spoken with your mouths and fulfilled with your hands, saying, "We will surely keep our vows that we have made, to burn incense to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her." You will surely keep your vows and perform your vows!' 26Therefore hear the word of the LORD, all Judah who dwell in the land of Egypt: 'Behold, I have sworn by My great name,' says the LORD, 'that My name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying,
"The Lord GOD lives." 27Behold, I will watch over them for adversity and not for good. And all the men of Judah who are in the land of Egypt shall be consumed
by the sword and by famine, until there is an end to them. 28Yet a small number who escape the sword shall return from the land of Egypt to the land of Judah; and all the remnant of Judah, who have gone to the land of Egypt to dwell there,
shall know whose words will stand, Mine or theirs. 29And this shall be a sign to you,' says the LORD, 'that I will punish you in this place, that you may know that My words will surely stand against you for adversity.'
30"Thus says the LORD: 'Behold, I will give Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies and into the hand of those who seek his life, as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, his enemy who sought his life.' "
Next October 29 Reading
Jeremiah 45
October 30
J EREMIAH 45:1–46:28
ASSURANCE TO BARUCH
1The word that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch the son of Neriah, when he had written these words in a book at the instruction of Jeremiah,a in the fourth
year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying, 2"Thus says the
LORD, the God of Israel, to you, O Baruch: 3'You said, "Woe is me now! For the LORD has added grief to my sorrow. I fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest." '
45:3 Woe is me now! Baruch felt anxiety as his own cherished plans of a bright future were apparently dashed; even death became a darkening peril (v. 5). Also, he was possibly pressed by human questionings about God carrying through with such calamity (v. 4). Jeremiah spoke to encourage him (v. 2).
4"Thus you shall say to him, 'Thus says the LORD: "Behold, what I have built I will break down, and what I have planted I will pluck up, that is, this whole land. 5And do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I will bring adversity on all flesh," says the LORD. "But I will give your life to you as a prize in all places, wherever you go." ' "
45:5 you seek great things. Baruch had his expectations far too high and that made the disasters harder to bear. It is enough that he be content just to live. Jeremiah, who once also complained, learned by his own suffering to encourage complainers.
Jeremiah 46
JUDGMENT ON EGYPT
1The word of the LORD which came to Jeremiah the prophet against the nations. 2Against Egypt. Concerning the army of Pharaoh Necho, king of Egypt, which was by the River Euphrates in Carchemish, and which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: 3"Order the buckler and shield,
And draw near to battle! 4Harness the horses, And mount up, you horsemen! Stand forth with your helmets, Polish the spears, Put on the armor! 5Why have I seen them dismayed and turned back? Their mighty ones are beaten down; They have speedily fled, And did not look back, For fear was all around," says the LORD. 6"Do not let the swift flee away, Nor the mighty man escape;
They will stumble and fall Toward the north, by the River Euphrates.
7"Who is this coming up like a flood, Whose waters move like the rivers? 8Egypt rises up like a flood, And its waters move like the rivers; And he says, 'I will go up and cover the earth, I will destroy the city and its inhabitants.' 9Come up, O horses, and rage, O chariots! And let the mighty men come forth: The Ethiopians and the Libyans who handle the shield, And the Lydians who handle and bend the bow. 10For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, A day of vengeance, That He may avenge Himself on His adversaries. The sword shall devour; It shall be satiated and made drunk with their blood; For the Lord GOD of hosts has a sacrifice In the north country by the River Euphrates.
11"Go up to Gilead and take balm, O virgin, the daughter of Egypt; In vain you will use many medicines; You shall not be cured. 12The nations have heard of your shame, And your cry has filled the land; For the mighty man has stumbled against the mighty; They both have fallen together."
BABYLONIA WILL STRIKE EGYPT
13The word that the LORD spoke to Jeremiah the prophet, how Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon would come and strike the land of Egypt.
14"Declare in Egypt, and proclaim in Migdol; Proclaim in Nopha and in Tahpanhes; Say, 'Stand fast and prepare
yourselves, For the sword devours all around you.' 15Why are your valiant men swept away?
They did not stand Because the LORD drove them away. 16He made many fall; Yes, one fell upon another. And they said, 'Arise! Let us go back to our own people And to the land of our nativity From the oppressing sword.' 17They cried there, 'Pharaoh, king of Egypt, is but a noise. He has passed by the appointed time!'
18"As I live," says the King, Whose name is the LORD of hosts, "Surely as Tabor is among the mountains And as Carmel by the sea, so he shall come. 19O you daughter dwelling in Egypt, Prepare yourself to go into captivity! For Nopha shall be waste and desolate, without inhabitant.
20"Egypt is a very pretty heifer, But destruction comes, it comes from the north. 21Also her mercenaries are in her midst like fat bulls, For they also are turned back, They have fled away together. They did not stand, For the day of their calamity had come upon them, The time of their punishment. 22Her noise shall go like a serpent, For they shall march with an army And come against her with axes, Like those who chop wood.
23"They shall cut down her forest," says the LORD, "Though it cannot be searched, Because they are innumerable, And more numerous than grasshoppers. 24The daughter of Egypt shall be ashamed; She shall be delivered into the hand Of the people of the north."
25The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, says: "Behold, I will bring
punishment on Amona of No,b and Pharaoh and Egypt, with their gods and
their kings— Pharaoh and those who trust in him. 26And I will deliver them into the hand of those who seek their lives, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and the hand of his servants. Afterward it shall be inhabited as in the days of old," says the LORD.
GOD WILL PRESERVE ISRAEL
27"But do not fear, O My servant Jacob, And do not be dismayed, O Israel! For behold, I will save you from afar, And your offspring from the land of their captivity; Jacob shall return, have rest and be at ease; No one shall make him afraid. 28Do not fear, O Jacob My servant," says the LORD, "For I am with you; For I will make a complete end of all the nations To which I have driven you, But I will not make a complete end of you. I will rightly correct you, For I will not leave you wholly unpunished."
Next October 30 Reading
Jeremiah 47
October 31
J EREMIAH 47:1–48:47
JUDGMENT ON PHILISTIA
1The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Philistines, before Pharaoh attacked Gaza.
2Thus says the LORD:
"Behold, waters rise out of the north, And shall be an overflowing flood; They shall overflow the land and all that is in it, The city and those who dwell within; Then the men shall cry, And all the inhabitants of the land shall wail. 3At the noise of the stamping hooves of his strong horses, At the rushing of his chariots, At the rumbling of his wheels, The fathers will not look back for their children, Lacking courage, 4Because of the day that comes to plunder all the Philistines, To cut off from Tyre and Sidon every helper who remains; For the LORD shall plunder the Philistines, The remnant of the country of Caphtor. 5Baldness has come upon Gaza,
Ashkelon is cut off With the remnant of their valley. How long will you cut yourself?
6"O you sword of the LORD, How long until you are quiet? Put yourself up into your scabbard, Rest and be still! 7How can it be quiet, Seeing the LORD has given it a charge Against Ashkelon and against the seashore? There He has appointed it."
Jeremiah 48
JUDGMENT ON MOAB
1Against Moab. Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel:
"Woe to Nebo! For it is plundered, Kirjathaim is shamed and taken; The high strongholda is shamed and dismayed— 2No more praise of Moab. In Heshbon they have devised evil against her: 'Come, and let us cut her off as a nation.' You also shall be cut down, O Madmen!a The sword shall pursue you; 3A voice of crying shall be from Horonaim: 'Plundering and great destruction!' 4"Moab is destroyed; Her little ones have caused a cry to be heard;a
5For in the Ascent of Luhith they ascend with continual weeping; For in the descent of Horonaim the enemies have heard a cry of destruction.
6"Flee, save your lives! And be like the junipera in the wilderness. 7For because you have trusted in your works and your treasures, You also shall be taken. And Chemosh shall go forth into captivity, His priests and his princes together. 8And the plunderer shall come against every city; No one shall escape. The valley also shall perish, And the plain shall be destroyed, As the LORD has spoken.
9"Give wings to Moab, That she may flee and get away; For her cities shall be desolate, Without any to dwell in them.
10Cursed is he who does the work of the LORD deceitfully, And cursed is he who keeps back his sword from blood.
11"Moab has been at ease from hisa youth;
48:11, 12 This wine-making imagery is vivid. In the production of sweet wine, the juice was left in a wineskin until the sediment or dregs settled onto the bottom. Then it was poured into another skin until more dregs were separated. This process continued until the dregs were all removed and a pure, sweet wine obtained. Moab was not taken from suffering to suffering so that her bitter dregs would be removed through the purging of pain. Thus the nation was settled into the thickness and bitterness of its own sin. Judgment from God was coming to smash them.
He has settled on his dregs, And has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, Nor has he gone into captivity. Therefore his taste remained in him, And his scent has not changed.
12"Therefore behold, the days are coming," says the LORD, "That I shall send him wine-workers
Who will tip him over
And empty his vessels And break the bottles. 13Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh, As the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel, their confidence.
14"How can you say, 'We are mighty And strong men for the war'? 15Moab is plundered and gone up from her cities; Her chosen young men have gone down to the slaughter," says the King, Whose name is the LORD of hosts.
16"The calamity of Moab is near at hand, And his affliction comes quickly. 17Bemoan him, all you who are around him; And all you who know his name, Say, 'How the strong staff is broken, The beautiful rod!'
18"O daughter inhabiting Dibon, Come down from your glory, And sit in thirst; For the plunderer of Moab has come against you, He has destroyed your strongholds. 19O inhabitant of Aroer, Stand by the way and watch;
Ask him who flees And her who escapes; Say, 'What has happened?' 20Moab is shamed, for he is broken down. Wail and cry! Tell it in Arnon, that Moab is plundered.
21"And judgment has come on the plain country: On Holon and Jahzah and Mephaath, 22On Dibon and Nebo and Beth Diblathaim, 23On Kirjathaim and Beth Gamul and Beth Meon, 24On Kerioth and Bozrah, On all the cities of the land of Moab, Far or near. 25The horn of Moab is cut off, And his arm is broken," says the LORD.
26"Make him drunk, Because he exalted himself against the LORD. Moab shall wallow in his vomit, And he shall also be in derision. 27For was not Israel a derision to you? Was he found among thieves? For whenever you speak of him, You shake your head in scorn. 28You who dwell in Moab, Leave the cities and dwell in the rock, And be like the dove which makes her nest In the sides of the cave's mouth.
29"We have heard the pride of Moab (He is exceedingly proud), Of his loftiness and arrogance and pride, And of the haughtiness of his heart."
30"I know his wrath," says the LORD, "But it is not right; His lies have made nothing right. 31Therefore I will wail for Moab, And I will cry out for all Moab; Ia will mourn for the men of Kir Heres.
32O vine of Sibmah! I will weep for you with the weeping of Jazer. Your plants have gone over the sea, They reach to the sea of Jazer. The plunderer has fallen on your summer fruit and your vintage. 33Joy and gladness are taken
From the plentiful field And from the land of Moab; I have caused wine to fail from the winepresses; No one will tread with joyous shouting— Not joyous shouting!
34"From the cry of Heshbon to Elealeh and to Jahaz They have uttered their voice, From Zoar to Horonaim, Like a three-year-old heifer;a
For the waters of Nimrim also shall be desolate.
35"Moreover," says the LORD, "I will cause to cease in Moab The one who offers sacrifices in the high places And burns incense to his gods. 36Therefore My heart shall wail like flutes for Moab, And like flutes My heart shall wail For the men of Kir Heres. Therefore the riches they have acquired have perished.
37"For every head shall be bald, and every beard clipped; On all the hands shall be cuts, and on the loins sackcloth— 38A general lamentation On all the housetops of Moab, And in its streets; For I have broken Moab like a vessel in which is no pleasure," says the
LORD. 39"They shall wail: 'How she is broken down! How Moab has turned her back with shame!' So Moab shall be a derision And a dismay to all those about her."
40For thus says the LORD:
"Behold, one shall fly like an eagle, And spread his wings over Moab. 41Kerioth is taken, And the strongholds are surprised; The mighty men's hearts in Moab on that day shall be Like the heart of a woman in birth pangs.
42And Moab shall be destroyed as a people, Because he exalted himself against the LORD. 43Fear and the pit and the snare shall be upon you, O inhabitant of Moab," says the LORD. 44"He who flees from the fear shall fall into the pit, And he who gets out of the pit shall be caught in the snare. For upon Moab, upon it I will bring The year of their punishment," says the LORD.
45"Those who fled stood under the shadow of Heshbon Because of exhaustion. But a fire shall come out of Heshbon, A flame from the midst of Sihon, And shall devour the brow of Moab, The crown of the head of the sons of tumult. 46Woe to you, O Moab! The people of Chemosh perish; For your sons have been taken captive, And your daughters captive. 47"Yet I will bring back the captives of Moab In the latter days," says the LORD.
Thus far is the judgment of Moab.
Next October 31 Reading
Jeremiah 49
November 1
J EREMIAH 49:1–50:46
JUDGMENT ON AMMON
1Against the Ammonites. Thus says the LORD:
"Has Israel no sons? Has he no heir? Why then does Milcoma inherit Gad, And his people dwell in its cities? 2Therefore behold, the days are coming," says the LORD, "That I will cause to be heard an alarm of war In Rabbah of the Ammonites; It shall be a desolate mound, And her villages shall be burned with fire. Then Israel shall take possession of his inheritance," says the LORD.
3"Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is plundered! Cry, you daughters of Rabbah, Gird yourselves with sackcloth! Lament and run to and fro by the walls; For Milcom shall go into captivity With his priests and his princes together. 4Why do you boast in the valleys, Your flowing valley, O backsliding daughter? Who trusted in her treasures, saying, 'Who will come against me?' 5Behold, I will bring fear upon you," Says the Lord GOD of hosts, "From all those who are around you; You shall be driven out, everyone headlong, And no one will gather those who wander off. 6But afterward I will bring back The captives of the people of Ammon," says the LORD.
JUDGMENT ON EDOM
7Against Edom. Thus says the LORD of hosts:
"Is wisdom no more in Teman? Has counsel perished from the prudent? Has their wisdom vanished? 8Flee, turn back, dwell in the depths, O inhabitants of Dedan! For I will bring the calamity of Esau upon him, The time that I will punish him. 9If grape-gatherers came to you, Would they not leave some gleaning grapes? If thieves by night, Would they not destroy until they have enough? 10But I have made Esau bare; I have uncovered his secret places,a
And he shall not be able to hide himself. His descendants are plundered, His brethren and his neighbors, And he is no more. 11Leave your fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; And let your widows trust in Me."
12For thus says the LORD: "Behold, those whose judgment was not to drink of the cup have assuredly drunk. And are you the one who will altogether go
unpunished? You shall not go unpunished, but you shall surely drink of it. 13For I have sworn by Myself," says the LORD, "that Bozrah shall become a desolation, a reproach, a waste, and a curse. And all its cities shall be perpetual wastes."
14I have heard a message from the LORD, And an ambassador has been sent to the nations: "Gather together, come against her, And rise up to battle!
15"For indeed, I will make you small among nations, Despised among men.
16Your fierceness has deceived you, The pride of your heart, O you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, Who hold the height of the hill! Though you make your nest as high as the eagle,
I will bring you down from there," says the LORD.a
17"Edom also shall be an astonishment; Everyone who goes by it will be astonished And will hiss at all its plagues. 18As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah And their neighbors," says the LORD, "No one shall remain there, Nor shall a son of man dwell in it.
19"Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the floodplaina of the Jordan Against the dwelling place of the strong; But I will suddenly make him run away from her. And who is a chosen man that I may appoint over her? For who is like Me? Who will arraign Me? And who is that shepherd Who will withstand Me?"
20Therefore hear the counsel of the LORD that He has taken against Edom, And His purposes that He has proposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out; Surely He shall make their dwelling places desolate with them. 21The earth shakes at the noise of their fall; At the cry its noise is heard at the Red Sea. 22Behold, He shall come up and fly like the eagle, And spread His wings over Bozrah; The heart of the mighty men of Edom in that day shall be Like the heart of a woman in birth pangs.
JUDGMENT ON DAMASCUS
23Against Damascus.
"Hamath and Arpad are shamed, For they have heard bad news. They are fainthearted; There is trouble on the sea; It cannot be quiet. 24Damascus has grown feeble; She turns to flee, And fear has seized her. Anguish and sorrows have taken her like a woman in labor. 25Why is the city of praise not deserted, the city of My joy? 26Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, And all the men of war shall be cut off in that day," says the LORD of hosts. 27"I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, And it shall consume the palaces of Ben-Hadad."a
JUDGMENT ON KEDAR AND HAZOR
28Against Kedar and against the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon shall strike.
Thus says the LORD:
"Arise, go up to Kedar, And devastate the men of the East! 29Their tents and their flocks they shall take away. They shall take for themselves their curtains, All their vessels and their camels; And they shall cry out to them, 'Fear is on every side!'
30"Flee, get far away! Dwell in the depths, O inhabitants of Hazor!" says the LORD. "For Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has taken counsel against you, And has conceived a plan against you.
31"Arise, go up to the wealthy nation that dwells securely," says the LORD, "Which has neither gates nor bars, Dwelling alone. 32Their camels shall be for booty, And the multitude of their cattle for plunder. I will scatter to all winds those in the farthest corners, And I will bring their calamity from all its sides," says the LORD. 33"Hazor shall be a dwelling for jackals, a desolation forever; No one shall reside there, Nor son of man dwell in it."
JUDGMENT ON ELAM
34The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against Elam, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying, 35"Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Behold, I will break the bow of Elam,
The foremost of their might. 36Against Elam I will bring the four winds From the four quarters of heaven, And scatter them toward all those winds; There shall be no nations where the outcasts of Elam will not go. 37For I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies And before those who seek their life. I will bring disaster upon them, My fierce anger,' says the LORD; 'And I will send the sword after them Until I have consumed them. 38I will set My throne in Elam, And will destroy from there the king and the princes,' says the LORD.
39'But it shall come to pass in the latter days: I will bring back the captives of Elam,' says the LORD."
Jeremiah 50
JUDGMENT ON BABYLON AND BABYLONIA
1The word that the LORD spoke against Babylon and against the land of the Chaldeans by Jeremiah the prophet.
2"Declare among the nations, Proclaim, and set up a standard; Proclaim—do not conceal it— Say, 'Babylon is taken, Bel is shamed. Merodacha is broken in pieces; Her idols are humiliated, Her images are broken in pieces.' 3For out of the north a nation comes up against her, Which shall make her land desolate, And no one shall dwell therein. They shall move, they shall depart, Both man and beast.
4"In those days and in that time," says the LORD, "The children of Israel shall come, They and the children of Judah together; With continual weeping they shall come, And seek the LORD their God. 5They shall ask the way to Zion, With their faces toward it, saying, 'Come and let us join ourselves to the LORD In a perpetual covenant That will not be forgotten.'
6"My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray; They have turned them away on the mountains. They have gone from mountain to hill; They have forgotten their resting place. 7All who found them have devoured them; And their adversaries said, 'We have not offended, Because they have sinned against the LORD, the habitation of justice, The
LORD, the hope of their fathers.'
8"Move from the midst of Babylon, Go out of the land of the Chaldeans; And be like the rams before the flocks. 9For behold, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon An assembly of great nations from the north country, And they shall array themselves against her; From there she shall be captured. Their arrows shall be like those of an expert warrior;a None shall return in vain. 10And Chaldea shall become plunder; All who plunder her shall be satisfied," says the LORD.
11"Because you were glad, because you rejoiced, You destroyers of My heritage, Because you have grown fat like a heifer threshing grain, And you bellow like bulls, 12Your mother shall be deeply ashamed; She who bore you shall be ashamed. Behold, the least of the nations shall be a wilderness, A dry land and a desert. 13Because of the wrath of the LORD She shall not be inhabited, But she shall be wholly desolate. Everyone who goes by Babylon shall be horrified And hiss at all her plagues.
14"Put yourselves in array against Babylon all around, All you who bend the bow; Shoot at her, spare no arrows, For she has sinned against the LORD. 15Shout against her all around; She has given her hand, Her foundations have fallen, Her walls are thrown down; For it is the vengeance of the LORD. Take vengeance on her. As she has done, so do to her. 16Cut off the sower from Babylon, And him who handles the sickle at harvest time.
For fear of the oppressing sword Everyone shall turn to his own people, And everyone shall flee to his own land.
17"Israel is like scattered sheep; The lions have driven him away. First the king of Assyria devoured him; Now at last this Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has broken his bones."
18Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land,
As I have punished the king of Assyria. 19But I will bring back Israel to his home, And he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan; His soul shall be satisfied on Mount Ephraim and Gilead. 20In those days and in that time," says the LORD, "The iniquity of Israel shall be sought, but there shall be none; And the sins of Judah, but they shall not be found; For I will pardon those whom I preserve.
21"Go up against the land of Merathaim, against it, And against the inhabitants of Pekod. Waste and utterly destroy them," says the LORD, "And do according to all that I have commanded you. 22A sound of battle is in the land, And of great destruction. 23How the hammer of the whole earth has been cut apart and broken!
50:23 hammer of the whole earth. The description was of Babylon's former conquering force, and God's breaking the "hammer" He had once used. The fact that God used Babylon as His executioner was no commendation of that nation (Hab. 1:6, 7).
How Babylon has become a desolation among the nations!
24I have laid a snare for you; You have indeed been trapped, O Babylon, And you were not aware; You have been found and also caught, Because you have contended against the LORD. 25The LORD has opened His armory, And has brought out the weapons of His indignation; For this is the work of the Lord GOD of hosts In the land of the Chaldeans. 26Come against her from the farthest border; Open her storehouses; Cast her up as heaps of ruins, And destroy her utterly; Let nothing of her be left. 27Slay all her bulls, Let them go down to the slaughter. Woe to them! For their day has come, the time of their punishment. 28The voice of those who flee and escape from the land of Babylon Declares in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God, The vengeance of His temple.
29"Call together the archers against Babylon. All you who bend the bow, encamp against it all around; Let none of them escape.a
Repay her according to her work; According to all she has done, do to her; For she has been proud against the
LORD, Against the Holy One of Israel. 30Therefore her young men shall fall in the streets, And all her men of war shall be cut off in that day," says the LORD. 31"Behold, I am against you, O most haughty one!" says the Lord GOD of hosts; "For your day has come, The time that I will punish you.a
32The most proud shall stumble and fall, And no one will raise him up; I will kindle a fire in his cities, And it will devour all around him."
33Thus says the LORD of hosts:
"The children of Israel were oppressed, Along with the children of Judah; All who took them captive have held them fast; They have refused to let them go. 34Their Redeemer is strong; The LORD of hosts is His name. He will thoroughly plead their case, That He may give rest to the land, And disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.
35"A sword is against the Chaldeans," says the LORD, "Against the inhabitants of Babylon, And against her princes and her wise men. 36A sword is against the soothsayers, and they will be fools. A sword is against her mighty men, and they will be dismayed. 37A sword is against their horses, Against their chariots, And against all the mixed peoples who are in her midst; And they will become like women. A sword is against her treasures, and they will be robbed. 38A droughta is against her waters, and they will be dried up. For it is the land of carved images, And they are insane with their idols.
39"Therefore the wild desert beasts shall dwell there with the jackals, And the ostriches shall dwell in it. It shall be inhabited no more forever, Nor shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation. 40As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah And their neighbors," says the LORD, "So no one shall reside there, Nor son of man dwell in it.
41"Behold, a people shall come from the north, And a great nation and many kings Shall be raised up from the ends of the earth. 42They shall hold the bow and the lance; They are cruel and shall not show mercy. Their voice shall roar like the sea; They shall ride on horses, Set in array, like a man for the battle,
Against you, O daughter of Babylon.
43"The king of Babylon has heard the report about them, And his hands grow feeble; Anguish has taken hold of him, Pangs as of a woman in childbirth.
44"Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the floodplaina of the Jordan Against the dwelling place of the strong; But I will make them suddenly run away from her. And who is a chosen man that I may appoint over her? For who is like Me? Who will arraign Me? And who is that shepherd Who will withstand Me?"
45Therefore hear the counsel of the LORD that He has taken against Babylon, And His purposes that He has proposed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out; Surely He will make their dwelling place desolate with them. 46At the noise of the taking of Babylon The earth trembles, And the cry is heard among the nations.
Next November 1 Reading
Jeremiah 51
November 2
J EREMIAH 51:1–52:34
THE UTTER DESTRUCTION OF BABYLON
1Thus says the LORD:
"Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, Against those who dwell in Leb Kamai,a A destroying wind. 2And I will send winnowers to Babylon, Who shall winnow her and empty her land. For in the day of doom They shall be against her all around. 3Against her let the archer bend his bow, And lift himself up against her in his armor. Do not spare her young men; Utterly destroy all her army. 4Thus the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, And those thrust through in her streets. 5For Israel is not forsaken, nor Judah, By his God, the LORD of hosts, Though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel."
6Flee from the midst of Babylon, And every one save his life! Do not be cut off in her iniquity, For this is the time of the LORD's vengeance; He shall recompense her. 7Babylon was a golden cup in the LORD's hand, That made all the earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; Therefore the nations are deranged. 8Babylon has suddenly fallen and been destroyed.
51:8 suddenly fallen. The focus was first on Babylon's sudden fall on one night in 539 B.C. (Dan. 5:30). The far view looks at the destruction of the final Babylon near the Second Advent when it will be absolutely sudden (Rev. 18).
Wail for her! Take balm for her pain; Perhaps she may be healed. 9We would have healed Babylon, But she is not healed. Forsake her, and let us go everyone to his own country; For her judgment reaches to heaven and is lifted up to the skies. 10The LORD has revealed our righteousness. Come and let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God.
11Make the arrows bright! Gather the shields! The LORD has raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes. For His plan is against Babylon to destroy it, Because it is the vengeance of the LORD, The vengeance for His temple. 12Set up the standard on the walls of Babylon; Make the guard strong, Set up the watchmen, Prepare the ambushes. For the LORD has both devised and done What He spoke against the inhabitants of Babylon. 13O you who dwell by many waters, Abundant in treasures, Your end has come, The measure of your covetousness. 14The LORD of hosts has sworn by Himself: "Surely I will fill you with men, as with locusts, And they shall lift up a shout against you."
15He has made the earth by His power;
51:15–19 He has made the earth. God's almighty power and wisdom in creation are evidences of His superiority to all idols (vv. 17, 18), who along with their worshipers will all be destroyed by His mighty power (vv. 15, 16, 19), as in
Babylon's case.
He has established the world by His wisdom, And stretched out the heaven by His understanding. 16When He utters His voice— There is a multitude of waters in the heavens: "He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; He makes lightnings for the rain; He brings the wind out of His treasuries."a
17Everyone is dull-hearted, without knowledge; Every metalsmith is put to shame by the carved image; For his molded image is falsehood, And there is no breath in them. 18They are futile, a work of errors; In the time of their punishment they shall perish. 19The Portion of Jacob is not like them, For He is the Maker of all things; And Israel is the tribe of His inheritance. The LORD of hosts is His name.
20"You are My battle-ax and weapons of war: For with you I will break the nation in pieces; With you I will destroy kingdoms; 21With you I will break in pieces the horse and its rider; With you I will break in pieces the chariot and its rider; 22With you also I will break in pieces man and woman; With you I will break in pieces old and young; With you I will break in pieces the young man and the maiden; 23With you also I will break in pieces the shepherd and his flock; With you I will break in pieces the farmer and his yoke of oxen; And with you I will break in pieces governors and rulers.
24"And I will repay Babylon And all the inhabitants of Chaldea For all the evil they have done In Zion in your sight," says the LORD.
25"Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, Who destroys all the earth," says the LORD. "And I will stretch out My hand against you, Roll you down from the rocks, And make you a burnt mountain. 26They shall not take from you a stone for a corner Nor a stone for a foundation, But you shall be desolate forever," says the LORD.
27Set up a banner in the land, Blow the trumpet among the nations! Prepare the nations against her, Call the kingdoms together against her: Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz. Appoint a general against her; Cause the horses to come up like the bristling locusts. 28Prepare against her the nations, With the kings of the Medes, Its governors and all its rulers, All the land of his dominion. 29And the land will tremble and sorrow; For every purpose of the LORD shall be performed against Babylon,
To make the land of Babylon a desolation without inhabitant. 30The mighty men of Babylon have ceased fighting, They have remained in their strongholds; Their might has failed, They became like women; They have burned her dwelling places, The bars of her gate are broken. 31One runner will run to meet another, And one messenger to meet another, To show the king of Babylon that his city is taken on all sides; 32The passages are blocked, The reeds they have burned with fire, And the men of war are terrified.
33For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor
When it is time to thresh her;
Yet a little while And the time of her harvest will come."
34"Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon Has devoured me, he has crushed me; He has made me an empty vessel, He has swallowed me up like a monster; He has filled his stomach with my delicacies, He has spit me out. 35Let the violence done to me and my flesh be upon Babylon," The inhabitant of Zion will say; "And my blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea!" Jerusalem will say.
36Therefore thus says the LORD:
"Behold, I will plead your case and take vengeance for you. I will dry up her sea and make her springs dry. 37Babylon shall become a heap, A dwelling place for jackals, An astonishment and a hissing, Without an inhabitant. 38They shall roar together like lions, They shall growl like lions' whelps. 39In their excitement I will prepare their feasts; I will make them drunk, That they may rejoice,
And sleep a perpetual sleep And not awake," says the LORD. 40"I will bring them down Like lambs to the slaughter, Like rams with male goats.
41"Oh, how Sheshacha is taken! Oh, how the praise of the whole earth is seized! How Babylon has become desolate among the nations! 42The sea has come up over Babylon; She is covered with the multitude of its waves. 43Her cities are a desolation, A dry land and a wilderness, A land where no one dwells, Through which no son of man passes. 44I will punish Bel in Babylon, And I will bring out of his mouth what he has swallowed; And the nations shall not stream to him anymore. Yes, the wall of Babylon shall fall.
45"My people, go out of the midst of her! And let everyone deliver himself from the fierce anger of the LORD. 46And lest your heart faint, And you fear for the rumor that will be heard in the land (A rumor will come one year, And after that, in another year A rumor will come, And violence in the land, Ruler against ruler), 47Therefore behold, the days are coming That I will bring judgment on the carved images of Babylon; Her whole land shall be ashamed, And all her slain shall fall in her midst. 48Then the heavens and the earth and all that is in them Shall sing joyously over Babylon; For the plunderers shall come to her from the north," says the LORD.
49As Babylon has caused the slain of Israel to fall, So at Babylon the slain of all the earth shall fall. 50You who have escaped the sword,
Get away! Do not stand still! Remember the LORD afar off, And let Jerusalem come to your mind.
51We are ashamed because we have heard reproach. Shame has covered our faces, For strangers have come into the sanctuaries of the LORD's house.
52"Therefore behold, the days are coming," says the bring judgment on her carved images, And throughout all her land the wounded shall groan. 53Though Babylon were to mount up to heaven, And though she were to fortify the height of her strength, Yet from Me plunderers would come to her," says the LORD.
LORD, "That I will
54The sound of a cry comes from Babylon, And great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans, 55Because the LORD is plundering Babylon And silencing her loud voice, Though her waves roar like great waters, And the noise of their voice is uttered, 56Because the plunderer comes against her, against Babylon, And her mighty men are taken. Every one of their bows is broken; For the LORD is the God of recompense, He will surely repay.
57"And I will make drunk Her princes and wise men, Her governors, her deputies, and her mighty men. And they shall sleep a perpetual sleep And not awake," says the King, Whose name is the LORD of hosts.
58Thus says the LORD of hosts:
"The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, And her high gates shall be burned with fire; The people will labor in vain, And the nations, because of the fire; And they shall be weary."
JEREMIAH'S COMMAND TO SERAIAH
59The word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah to Babylon in the
fourth year of his reign. And Seraiah was the quartermaster. 60So Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that would come upon Babylon, all these words that are written
against Babylon. 61And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, "When you arrive in Babylon and
see it, and read all these words, 62then you shall say, 'O LORD, You have spoken against this place to cut it off, so that none shall remain in it, neither man nor beast,
but it shall be desolate forever.' 63Now it shall be, when you have finished reading
this book, that you shall tie a stone to it and throw it out into the Euphrates. 64Then you shall say, 'Thus Babylon shall sink and not rise from the catastrophe that I will bring upon her. And they shall be weary.' "
Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 52
THE FALL OF JERUSALEM REVIEWED
1Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 2He also did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 3For because of the anger of the LORD this happened in Jerusalem and Judah, till He finally cast them out from His presence. Then Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
4Now it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and encamped against it; and they built a siege wall against it all around. 5So the city was besieged until the eleventh year of King
Zedekiah. 6By the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, the famine had become so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land. 7Then the city wall was broken through, and all the men of war fled and went out of the city at night by way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king's garden, even though the Chaldeans were near the city all around. And they went by way of the plain.a
8But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king, and they overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. All his army was scattered from him. 9So they took the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he pronounced judgment on him. 10Then the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. And he killed all the princes of Judah in Riblah. 11He also put out the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him in bronze fetters, took him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death.
THE TEMPLE AND CITY PLUNDERED AND BURNED
12Now in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month (which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), Nebuzaradan, the
captain of the guard, who served the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 13He burned the house of the LORD and the king's house; all the houses of
Jerusalem, that is, all the houses of the great, he burned with fire. 14And all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down all the walls of Jerusalem all around. 15Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive some of the poor people, the rest of the people who remained in the city, the defectors who had deserted to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the craftsmen. 16But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left some of the poor of the land as vinedressers and farmers.
17The bronze pillars that were in the house of the LORD, and the carts and the bronze Sea that were in the house of the LORD, the Chaldeans broke in pieces,
and carried all their bronze to Babylon. 18They also took away the pots, the shovels, the trimmers, the bowls, the spoons, and all the bronze utensils with
which the priests ministered. 19The basins, the firepans, the bowls, the pots, the lampstands, the spoons, and the cups, whatever was solid gold and whatever
was solid silver, the captain of the guard took away. 20The two pillars, one Sea, the twelve bronze bulls which were under it, and the carts, which King Solomon had made for the house of the LORD—the bronze of all these articles was beyond
measure. 21Now concerning the pillars: the height of one pillar was eighteen cubits, a measuring line of twelve cubits could measure its circumference, and its
thickness was four fingers; it was hollow. 22A capital of bronze was on it; and the height of one capital was five cubits, with a network and pomegranates all around
the capital, all of bronze. The second pillar, with pomegranates was the same. 23There were ninety-six pomegranates on the sides; all the pomegranates, all around on the network, were one hundred.
THE PEOPLE TAKEN CAPTIVE TO BABYLONIA
24The captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the second
priest, and the three doorkeepers. 25He also took out of the city an officer who had charge of the men of war, seven men of the king's close associates who were found in the city, the principal scribe of the army who mustered the people of the land, and
sixty men of the people of the land who were found in the midst of the city. 26And Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took these and brought them to the king of
Babylon at Riblah. 27Then the king of Babylon struck them and put
them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was carried away captive from its own land.
28These are the people whom Nebuchadnezzar carried away captive: in the
seventh year, three thousand and twenty-three Jews; 29in the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar he carried away captive from Jerusalem eight hundred and
thirty-two persons; 30in the twenty-third year of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the Jews seven hundred and forty-five persons. All the persons were four thousand six hundred.
JEHOIACHIN RELEASED FROM PRISON
31Now it came to pass in the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-fifth day of the month, that Evil-
Merodacha king of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, lifted up the head of
Jehoiachin king of Judah and brought him out of prison. 32And he spoke kindly to him and gave him a more prominent seat than those of the kings who were
with him in Babylon. 33So Jehoiachin changed from his prison garments, and he
ate bread regularly before the king all the days of his life. 34And as for his provisions, there was a regular ration given him by the king of Babylon, a portion for each day until the day of his death, all the days of his life.
Next November 2 Reading
The Book of Lamentations
Lamentations 1
November 3
L AMENTATIONS 1:1–2:22
JERUSALEM IN AFFLICTION
1How lonely sits the city That was full of people! How like a widow is she, Who was great among the nations!
The princess among the provinces Has become a slave!
2She weeps bitterly in the night, Her tears are on her cheeks;
Among all her lovers She has none to comfort her. All her friends have dealt treacherously with her; They have become
her enemies.
3Judah has gone into captivity, Under affliction and hard servitude; She dwells among the nations, She finds no rest; All her persecutors overtake her in dire straits.
4The roads to Zion mourn Because no one comes to the set feasts. All her gates are desolate; Her priests sigh, Her virgins are afflicted, And she is in bitterness.
5Her adversaries have become the master, Her enemies prosper; For the LORD has afflicted her Because of the multitude of her
transgressions. Her children have gone into captivity before the enemy.
6And from the daughter of Zion All her splendor has departed. Her princes have become like deer That find no pasture,
That flee without strength Before the pursuer.
7In the days of her affliction and roaming, Jerusalem remembers all her pleasant things That she had in the days of old. When her people fell into the hand of the enemy, With no one to help her,
The adversaries saw her
And mocked at her downfall.a
8Jerusalem has sinned gravely, Therefore she has become vile.a All who honored her despise her Because they have seen her nakedness; Yes, she sighs and turns away.
9Her uncleanness is in her skirts; She did not consider her destiny; Therefore her collapse was awesome; She had no comforter. "O LORD, behold my affliction, For the enemy is exalted!"
10The adversary has spread his hand Over all her pleasant things; For she has seen the nations enter her sanctuary, Those whom
You commanded Not to enter Your assembly.
11All her people sigh, They seek bread; They have given their valuables for food to restore life. "See, O LORD, and consider, For I am scorned."
12"Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?
Behold and see If there is any sorrow like my sorrow, Which has been brought on me, Which the LORD has inflicted In the day of His fierce anger.
13"From above He has sent fire into my bones, And it overpowered them; He has spread a net for my feet And turned me back;
He has made me desolate And faint all the day.
14"The yoke of my transgressions was bound;a They were woven together by His hands, And thrust upon my neck. He made my strength fail; The Lord delivered me into the hands of those whom I am not able
to withstand.
15"The Lord has trampled underfoot all my mighty men in my midst; He has called an assembly against me To crush my young men; The Lord trampled as in a winepress The virgin daughter of Judah.
16"For these things I weep; My eye, my eye overflows with water; Because the comforter, who should restore my life, Is far from me.
My children are desolate Because the enemy prevailed."
17Zion spreads out her hands, But no one comforts her; The LORD has commanded concerning Jacob That those around him become
his adversaries; Jerusalem has become an unclean thing among them.
18"The LORD is righteous, For I rebelled against His commandment. Hear now, all peoples, And behold my sorrow; My virgins and my young men Have gone into captivity.
19"I called for my lovers, But they deceived me;
My priests and my elders Breathed their last in the city,
While they sought food To restore their life.
20"See, O LORD, that I am in distress; My soul is troubled; My heart is overturned within me, For I have been very rebellious. Outside the sword bereaves, At home it is like death.
21"They have heard that I sigh,
1:21, 22 Bring on the day. A prayer that God will likewise bring other ungodly people into judgment, especially Babylon (2:20–22; 3:64–66; 4:21, 22). Such prayers are acceptable against the enemies of God (Ps. 109:14, 15).
But no one comforts me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble; They are glad that You have done it. Bring on the day You have announced, That they may become like me.
22"Let all their wickedness come before You, And do to them as You have done to me For all my transgressions; For my sighs are many, And my heart is faint."
Lamentations 2
GOD'S ANGER WITH JERUSALEM
1How the Lord has covered the daughter of Zion With a cloud in His anger! He cast down from heaven to the earth The beauty of Israel, And did not remember His footstool In the day of His anger.
2The Lord has swallowed up and has not pitied All the dwelling places of Jacob. He has thrown down in His wrath The strongholds of the daughter of Judah; He has brought them down to the ground; He has profaned the kingdom and its princes.
3He has cut off in fierce anger Every horn of Israel; He has drawn back His right hand From before the enemy. He has blazed against Jacob like a flaming fire Devouring all around.
4Standing like an enemy, He has bent His bow; With His right hand, like an adversary, He has slain all who were pleasing to His eye; On the tent of the
daughter of Zion, He has poured out His fury like fire.
5The Lord was like an enemy. He has swallowed up Israel, He has swallowed up all her palaces; He has destroyed her strongholds, And has increased mourning and lamentation In the daughter of Judah.
6He has done violence to His tabernacle, As if it were a garden; He has destroyed His place of assembly; The LORD has caused The appointed feasts and Sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion. In His burning indignation He has spurned the king and the priest.
7The Lord has spurned His altar, He has abandoned His sanctuary; He has given up the walls of her palaces Into the hand of the enemy. They have made a noise in the house of the LORD As on the day of a set feast.
8The LORD has purposed to destroy The wall of the daughter of Zion. He has stretched out a line; He has not withdrawn His hand from destroying; Therefore He has caused the rampart and wall to lament; They
languished together.
9Her gates have sunk into the ground; He has destroyed and broken her bars. Her king and her princes are among the nations; The Law is no more, And her prophets find no vision from the LORD.
10The elders of the daughter of Zion Sit on the ground and keep silence; They throw dust on their heads And gird themselves with sackcloth.
The virgins of Jerusalem Bow their heads to the ground.
11My eyes fail with tears, My heart is troubled; My bile is poured on the ground Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people, Because
the children and the infants Faint in the streets of the city.
12They say to their mothers, "Where is grain and wine?" As they swoon like the wounded In the streets of the city, As their life is poured out In their mothers' bosom.
13How shall I console you? To what shall I liken you, O daughter of Jerusalem? What shall I compare with you, that I may comfort you, O virgin
daughter of Zion? For your ruin is spread wide as the sea; Who can heal you?
14Your prophets have seen for you False and deceptive visions; They have not uncovered your iniquity, To bring back your captives, But have envisioned for you false prophecies and delusions.
15All who pass by clap their hands at you; They hiss and shake their heads At the daughter of Jerusalem: "Is this the city that is called 'The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth'?"
16All your enemies have opened their mouth against you; They hiss and gnash their teeth. They say, "We have swallowed her up! Surely this is the day we have waited for; We have found it, we have
seen it!"
17The LORD has done what He purposed; He has fulfilled His word
Which He commanded in days of old. He has thrown down and has not pitied, And He has caused an enemy to rejoice over you; He has exalted the horn of your adversaries.
18Their heart cried out to the Lord, "O wall of the daughter of Zion, Let tears run down like a river day and night; Give yourself no relief; Give your eyes no rest.
19"Arise, cry out in the night, At the beginning of the watches; Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord.
Lift your hands toward Him For the life of your young children, Who faint from hunger at the head of every street."
20"See, O LORD, and consider!
2:20 See, O LORD, and consider! The chapter closes by placing the issue before God. women eat their offspring. Hunger became so desperate in the 18-month siege that women resorted to the unbelievable even eating their children (4:10; Lev. 26:29; Deut. 28:53, 56, 57; Jer. 19:9).
To whom have You done this? Should the women eat their offspring, The children they have cuddled?a
Should the priest and prophet be slain In the sanctuary of the Lord?
21"Young and old lie On the ground in the streets; My virgins and my young men Have fallen by the sword; You have slain them in the day of Your anger, You have
slaughtered and not pitied.
22"You have invited as to a feast day The terrors that surround me. In the day of the LORD's anger There was no refugee or survivor. Those whom I have borne and brought up My enemies have destroyed."
Next November 3 Reading
Lamentations 3
November 4
L AMENTATIONS 3:1–5:22
THE PROPHET'S ANGUISH AND HOPE
1I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of His wrath. 2He has led me and made me walk In darkness and not in light. 3Surely He has turned His hand against me Time and time again throughout the day.
4He has aged my flesh and my skin, And broken my bones. 5He has besieged me And surrounded me with bitterness and woe. 6He has set me in dark places Like the dead of long ago.
7He has hedged me in so that I cannot get out; He has made my chain heavy. 8Even when I cry and shout,
3:8 He shuts out my prayer. God's non-response to Jeremiah's prayers was not because Jeremiah was guilty of personal sin (Ps. 66:18); rather, it was due to Israel's perpetual sin without repentance (Jer. 19:15). God's righteousness to judge that sin must pursue its course (Jer. 7:16; 11:14). Jeremiah knew that, yet prayed, wept (vv. 48–51), and longed to see repentance.
He shuts out my prayer. 9He has blocked my ways with hewn stone; He has made my paths crooked. 10He has been to me a bear lying in wait, Like a lion in ambush. 11He has turned aside my ways and torn me in pieces; He has made me desolate. 12He has bent His bow And set me up as a target for the arrow.
13He has caused the arrows of His quiver To pierce my loins.a
14I have become the ridicule of all my people— Their taunting song all the day. 15He has filled me with bitterness, He has made me drink wormwood.
16He has also broken my teeth with gravel, And covered me with ashes. 17You have moved my soul far from peace; I have forgotten prosperity. 18And I said, "My strength and my hope Have perished from the LORD."
19Remember my affliction and roaming, The wormwood and the gall. 20My soul still remembers And sinks within me. 21This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope.
22Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed,
3:22–24 His compassions fail not. As bleak as the situation of judgment had become, God's covenant lovingkindness was always present (vv. 31, 32), and His incredible faithfulness always endured so that Judah would not be destroyed forever (Mal. 3:6).
Because His compassions fail not. 23They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. 24"The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I hope in Him!"
25The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him.
26It is good that one should hope and wait quietly For the salvation of the LORD. 27It is good for a man to bear The yoke in his youth.
28Let him sit alone and keep silent, Because God has laid it on him; 29Let him put his mouth in the dust— There may yet be hope. 30Let him give his cheek to the one who strikes him, And be full of reproach.
31For the Lord will not cast off forever. 32Though He causes grief, Yet He will show compassion According to the multitude of His mercies. 33For He does not afflict willingly, Nor grieve the children of men. 34To crush under one's feet All the prisoners of the earth, 35To turn aside the justice due a man Before the face of the Most High, 36Or subvert a man in his cause— The Lord does not approve.
37Who is he who speaks and it comes to pass, When the Lord has not commanded it? 38Is it not from the mouth of the Most High That woe and well-being proceed? 39Why should a living man complain, A man for the punishment of his sins?
40Let us search out and examine our ways, And turn back to the LORD; 41Let us lift our hearts and hands To God in heaven. 42We have transgressed and rebelled; You have not pardoned. 43You have covered Yourself with anger And pursued us; You have slain and not pitied. 44You have covered Yourself with a cloud, That prayer should not pass through. 45You have made us an offscouring and refuse In the midst of the peoples.
46All our enemies Have opened their mouths against us. 47Fear and a snare have come upon us, Desolation and destruction. 48My eyes overflow with rivers of water For the destruction of the daughter
of my people.
49My eyes flow and do not cease, Without interruption, 50Till the LORD from heaven Looks down and sees. 51My eyes bring suffering to my soul Because of all the daughters of my city.
52My enemies without cause Hunted me down like a bird. 53They silenceda my life in the pit And threw stones at me. 54The waters flowed over my head; I said, "I am cut off!"
55I called on Your name, O LORD, From the lowest pit. 56You have heard my voice: "Do not hide Your ear From my sighing, from my cry for help." 57You drew near on the day I called on You, And said, "Do not fear!" 58O Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul; You have redeemed my life. 59O LORD, You have seen how I am wronged; Judge my case. 60You have seen all their vengeance, All their schemes against me.
61You have heard their reproach, O LORD, All their schemes against me, 62The lips of my enemies And their whispering against me all the day. 63Look at their sitting down and their rising up; I am their taunting song.
64Repay them, O LORD, According to the work of their hands. 65Give them a veileda heart; Your curse be upon them! 66In Your anger,
Pursue and destroy them From under the heavens of the LORD.
Lamentations 4
THE DEGRADATION OF ZION
1How the gold has become dim! How changed the fine gold! The stones of the sanctuary are scattered At the head of every street.
2The precious sons of Zion, Valuable as fine gold, How they are regarded as clay pots, The work of the hands of the potter!
3Even the jackals present their breasts To nurse their young; But the daughter of my people is cruel, Like ostriches in the wilderness.
4The tongue of the infant clings To the roof of its mouth for thirst; The young children ask for bread, But no one breaks it for them.
5Those who ate delicacies Are desolate in the streets; Those who were brought up in scarlet Embrace ash heaps.
6The punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people Is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, Which was overthrown in a moment, With no hand to help her!
7Her Naziritesa were brighter than snow And whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than rubies, Like sapphire in their appearance.
8Now their appearance is blacker than soot; They go unrecognized in the streets; Their skin clings to their bones, It has become as dry as wood.
9Those slain by the sword are better off Than those who die of hunger; For these pine away,
Stricken for lack of the fruits of the field.
10The hands of the compassionate women Have cooked their own children;
They became food for them In the destruction of the daughter of my people.
11The LORD has fulfilled His fury, He has poured out His fierce anger. He kindled a fire in Zion, And it has devoured its foundations.
12The kings of the earth, And all inhabitants of the world,
Would not have believed That the adversary and the enemy Could enter the gates of Jerusalem—
13Because of the sins of her prophets And the iniquities of her priests,
Who shed in her midst The blood of the just.
14They wandered blind in the streets; They have defiled themselves with blood, So that no one would touch their garments.
15They cried out to them, "Go away, unclean! Go away, go away, Do not touch us!" When they fled and wandered, Those among the nations said, "They shall no longer dwell here."
16The facea of the LORD scattered them; He no longer regards them. The people do not respect the priests Nor show favor to the elders.
17Still our eyes failed us, Watching vainly for our help;
In our watching we watched For a nation that could not save us.
18They tracked our steps So that we could not walk in our streets. Our end was near; Our days were over, For our end had come.
19Our pursuers were swifter Than the eagles of the heavens. They pursued us on the mountains And lay in wait for us in the wilderness.
20The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the LORD, Was caught in their pits, Of whom we said, "Under his shadow We shall live among the nations."
21Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, You who dwell in the land of Uz! The cup shall also pass over to you And you shall become drunk and make yourself naked.
22The punishment of your iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; He will no longer send you into captivity. He will punish your iniquity, O daughter of Edom; He will uncover your sins!
Lamentations 5
A PRAYER FOR RESTORATION
1Remember, O LORD, what has come upon us; Look, and behold our reproach! 2Our inheritance has been turned over to aliens, And our houses to foreigners. 3We have become orphans and waifs, Our mothers are like widows. 4We pay for the water we drink, And our wood comes at a price. 5They pursue at our heels;a
We labor and have no rest. 6We have given our hand to the Egyptians And the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.
7Our fathers sinned and are no more, But we bear their iniquities. 8Servants rule over us; There is none to deliver us from their hand. 9We get our bread at the risk of our lives, Because of the sword in the wilderness.
10Our skin is hot as an oven, Because of the fever of famine. 11They ravished the women in Zion, The maidens in the cities of Judah. 12Princes were hung up by their hands, And elders were not respected. 13Young men ground at the millstones; Boys staggered under loads of wood. 14The elders have ceased gathering at the gate, And the young men from their music.
15The joy of our heart has ceased; Our dance has turned into mourning. 16The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned! 17Because of this our heart is faint; Because of these things our eyes grow dim; 18Because of Mount Zion which is desolate, With foxes walking about on it.
19You, O LORD, remain forever; Your throne from generation to generation. 20Why do You forget us forever, And forsake us for so long a time?
21Turn us back to You, O LORD, and we will be restored; Renew our days as of old, 22Unless You have utterly rejected us, And are very angry with us!
Next November 4 Reading
The Book of Ezekiel
Ezekiel 1
November 5
E ZEKIEL 1:1–2:10
EZEKIEL'S VISION OF GOD
1Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the River Chebar, that the heavens were opened and I saw visionsa of God. 2On the fifth day of the month, which
was in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity, 3the word of the LORD came
expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeansa by the River Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was upon him there.
4Then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire. 5Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man. 6Each one had four faces, and
each one had four wings. 7Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the soles of calves' feet. They sparkled like the color of burnished bronze. 8The hands of a man were under their wings on their four sides; and
each of the four had faces and wings. 9Their wings touched one another. The creatures did not turn when they went, but each one went straight forward.
1:4 whirlwind…fire. Judgment on Judah in a further and totally devastating phase (beyond the 597 B.C. deportation) is to come out of the north, and did
come from Babylon in 588–586 (as Jer. 39; 40). Its terror is depicted by a fiery whirlwind emblematic of God's judgments and the golden brightness signifying dazzling glory.
10As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle. 11Thus were their faces. Their wings stretched upward; two wings of each one touched one another, and two covered their bodies. 12And each one went straight forward; they went wherever the spirit wanted to go, and they did not turn when they went.
13As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches going back and forth among the living
creatures. The fire was bright, and out of the fire went lightning. 14And the living creatures ran back and forth, in appearance like a flash of lightning.
15Now as I looked at the living creatures, behold, a wheel was on the earth beside each living creature with its four faces. 16The appearance of the wheels and their workings was like the color of beryl, and all four had the same likeness. The appearance of their workings was, as it were, a wheel in the middle of a wheel. 17When they moved, they went toward any one of four directions; they
did not turn aside when they went. 18As for their rims, they were so high they
were awesome; and their rims were full of eyes, all around the four of them. 19When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the
living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. 20Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, because there the spirit went; and
the wheels were lifted together with them, for the spirit of the living creaturesa
was in the wheels. 21When those went, these went; when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up together with them, for the spirit of the living creaturesa was in the wheels.
1:16 wheel in the middle of a wheel. This depicted the gigantic (v. 15, "on the earth" and "so high," v. 18) energy of the complicated revolutions of God's
massive judgment machinery bringing about His purposes with unerring certainty.
22The likeness of the firmament above the heads of the living creaturesa
was like the color of an awesome crystal, stretched out over their heads. 23And under the firmament their wings spread out straight, one toward another. Each one had two which covered one side, and each one had two which covered the other side of the body. 24When they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of many waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a tumult like the noise of an army; and when they stood still, they let down their wings. 25A voice came from above the firmament that was over their heads; whenever they stood, they let down their wings.
26And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it. 27Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around. 28Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.
EZEKIEL SENT TO REBELLIOUS ISRAEL
So when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking.
Ezekiel 2
1And He said to me, "Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak to you." 2Then the Spirit entered me when He spoke to me, and set me on my feet; and I heard Him who spoke to me. 3And He said to me: "Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day. 4For they are impudent and stubborn children. I am
sending you to them, and you shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD.' 5As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse—for they are a rebellious house—yet they will know that a prophet has been among them.
2:2 the Spirit entered me. What God commands a servant to do (v. 1), He gives power to fulfill by His Spirit (3:14; Zech. 4:6). This pictures the selective empowering by the Holy Spirit to enable an individual for special service to the Lord, which occurred frequently in the Old Testament. (For examples see 11:5; 37:1; Num. 24:2; Judg. 3:10; 6:34; 11:29; 13:25; 1 Sam. 10:10; 16:13, 14; 19:20; 2 Chr. 15:1; Luke 4:18.)
6"And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you dwell among scorpions; do not be afraid of their words or dismayed by their looks, though they are a rebellious house. 7You shall speak My words to them, whether they hear or whether they refuse, for they are rebellious. 8But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you."
9Now when I looked, there was a hand stretched out to me; and behold, a scroll
of a book was in it. 10Then He spread it before me; and there was writing on the inside and on the outside, and written on it were lamentations and mourning and woe.
Next November 5 Reading
Ezekiel 3
November 6
E ZEKIEL 3:1–4:17
1Moreover He said to me, "Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel." 2So I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that scroll.
3And He said to me, "Son of man, feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you." So I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness.
4Then He said to me: "Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My
words to them. 5For you are not sent to a people of unfamiliar speech and of
hard language, but to the house of Israel, 6not to many people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, had I sent you to them, they would have listened to you. 7But the house of Israel will not listen to you, because they will not listen to Me; for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted. 8Behold, I have made your face strong against their
faces, and your forehead strong against their foreheads. 9Like adamant stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead; do not be afraid of them, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house."
3:8, 9 I have made your face strong. What God commands ("do not be afraid") He gives sufficiency to do ("I have made"), so God will enable the prophet to live up to his name (which means "strengthened by God"). 2:2; 3:14, 24; Is. 41:10; Jer. 1:8, 17.
3:9 rebellious. It is sad to observe that the exile and affliction did not make the Jews more responsive to God; rather, they were hardened by their sufferings. God gave Ezekiel a "hardness" to surpass the people and sustain his ministry as prophet to the exiles.
10Moreover He said to me: "Son of man, receive into your heart all My
words that I speak to you, and hear with your ears. 11And go, get to the captives, to the children of your people, and speak to them and tell them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD,' whether they hear, or whether they refuse."
12Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a great thunderous
voice: "Blessed is the glory of the LORD from His place!" 13I also heard the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels beside them, and a great thunderous noise. 14So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me. 15Then I came to the captives at Tel Abib, who dwelt by the River Chebar; and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days.
EZEKIEL IS A WATCHMAN
16Now it came to pass at the end of seven days that the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 17"Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of
Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: 18When I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 19Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.
3:17 a watchman. This role was spiritually analogous to the role of watchmen on a city wall, vigilant to spot the approach of an enemy and warn the residents to muster a defense. The prophet gave timely warnings of approaching judgment. The work of a watchman is vividly set forth in 2 Samuel 18:24–27 and 2 Kings 9:17–20.
20"Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. 21Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul."
22Then the hand of the LORD was upon me there, and He said to me, "Arise, go out into the plain, and there I shall talk with you."
23So I arose and went out into the plain, and behold, the glory of the LORD stood
there, like the glory which I saw by the River Chebar; and I fell on my face. 24Then the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet, and spoke with me and said
to me: "Go, shut yourself inside your house. 25And you, O son of man, surely they will put ropes on you and bind you with them, so that you cannot go out among them. 26I will make your tongue cling to the roof of your mouth, so that you shall be mute and not be one to rebuke them, for they are a rebellious house. 27But when I speak with you, I will open your
mouth, and you shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD.' He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house.
Ezekiel 4
THE SIEGE OF JERUSALEM PORTRAYED
1"You also, son of man, take a clay tablet and lay it before you, and portray on it
a city, Jerusalem. 2Lay siege against it, build a siege wall against it, and heap up a mound against it; set camps against it also, and place battering rams against it
all around. 3Moreover take for yourself an iron plate, and set it as an iron wall between you and the city. Set your face against it, and it shall be besieged, and you shall lay siege against it. This will be a sign to the house of Israel.
4"Lie also on your left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it. According to the number of the days that you lie on it, you shall bear their iniquity. 5For I have laid on you the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days; so you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. 6And when you have completed them, lie again on your right side; then you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days. I have laid on you a day for each year.
7"Therefore you shall set your face toward the siege of Jerusalem; your
arm shall be uncovered, and you shall prophesy against it. 8And surely I will restrain you so that you cannot turn from one side to another till you have ended the days of your siege.
9"Also take for yourself wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt; put them into one vessel, and make bread of them for yourself. During the number of days that you lie on your side, three hundred and ninety days, you shall eat it. 10And your food which you eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day; from time to time you shall eat it. 11You shall also drink water by measure, one-sixth of a hin; from time to time you shall drink. 12And you shall eat it as barley cakes; and bake it using fuel of human waste in their sight."
13Then the LORD said, "So shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, where I will drive them."
14So I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Indeed I have never defiled myself from my youth till now; I have never eaten what died of itself or was torn by beasts, nor has abominable flesh ever come into my mouth."
15Then He said to me, "See, I am giving you cow dung instead of human waste, and you shall prepare your bread over it."
16Moreover He said to me, "Son of man, surely I will cut off the supply of bread in Jerusalem; they shall eat bread by weight and with anxiety, and shall drink
water by measure and with dread, 17that they may lack bread and water, and be dismayed with one another, and waste away because of their iniquity.
Next November 6 Reading
Ezekiel 5
November 7
E ZEKIEL 5:1–6:14
A SWORD AGAINST JERUSALEM
1"And you, son of man, take a sharp sword, take it as a barber's razor, and pass it over your head and your beard; then take scales to weigh and divide the hair. 2You shall burn with fire one-third in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are finished; then you shall take one-third and strike around it with the sword, and one-third you shall scatter in the wind: I will draw out a sword after them. 3You shall also take a small number of them and bind them in the edge of your garment. 4Then take some of them again and throw them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire. From there a fire will go out into all the house of Israel.
5:1–4 a barber's razor. The sign in Ezekiel's shaving his hair illustrated the severe humiliation to come at the hand of enemies, emphasizing calamities to three segments of Jerusalem due to the Babylonian conquest. Some were punished by fire, i.e., pestilence and famine (v. 12), others died by the enemy's sword, and some were dispersed and pursued by death (v. 12). A small part of his hair clinging to his garment (v. 3) depicted a remaining remnant, some of whom were subject to further calamity (v. 4; 6:8; Jer. 41–44).
5"Thus says the Lord GOD: 'This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the midst of the
nations and the countries all around her. 6She has rebelled against My judgments by doing wickedness more than the nations, and against My statutes more than the countries that are all around her; for they have refused My
judgments, and they have not walked in My statutes.' 7Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 'Because you have multiplied disobedience more than the nations that are all around you, have not walked in My statutes nor kept My judgments, nor
even donea according to the judgments of the nations that are all around you'—
8therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 'Indeed I, even I, am against you and will
execute judgments in your midst in the sight of the nations. 9And I will do among you what I have never done, and the like of which I will never do again, because of all your abominations. 10Therefore fathers shall eat their sons in your midst, and sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments among you, and all of you who remain I will scatter to all the winds.
11'Therefore, as I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'surely, because you have defiled My sanctuary with all your detestable things and with all your abominations,
therefore I will also diminish you; My eye will not spare, nor will I have any pity. 12One-third of you shall die of the pestilence, and be consumed with famine in your midst; and one-third shall fall by the sword all around you; and I will scatter another third to all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.
13'Thus shall My anger be spent, and I will cause My fury to rest upon them, and I will be avenged; and they shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it in My zeal, when I have spent My fury upon them. 14Moreover I will make you a waste and a reproach among the nations that are all around you, in the sight of all who pass by.
15'So ita shall be a reproach, a taunt, a lesson, and an astonishment to the nations that are all around you, when I execute judgments among you in
anger and in fury and in furious rebukes. I, the LORD, have spoken. 16When I send against them the terrible arrows of famine which shall be for destruction, which I will send to destroy you, I will increase the famine upon you and cut off
your supply of bread. 17So I will send against you famine and wild beasts, and they will bereave you. Pestilence and blood shall pass through you, and I will bring the sword against you. I, the LORD, have spoken.' "
Ezekiel 6
JUDGMENT ON IDOLATROUS ISRAEL
1Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying: 2"Son of man, set your face
toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them, 3and say, 'O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD! Thus says the Lord GOD to the mountains, to the hills, to the ravines, and to the valleys: "Indeed I, even I, will bring a sword against you, and I will destroy your high places. 4Then your altars shall be desolate, your incense altars shall be broken, and I will cast down your slain men before your idols. 5And I will lay the corpses of the children of Israel before their idols, and I will scatter your bones all around your altars. 6In all your dwelling places the cities shall be laid waste, and the high places shall be desolate, so that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, your idols may be broken and made to cease, your incense altars may be cut down, and your works may be abolished. 7The slain shall fall in your midst, and you shall know that I am the LORD.
6:7 you shall know that I am the LORD. This clause recurs in vv. 10, 13, 14, and 60 times elsewhere in the book. It shows that the essential reason for judgment is the violation of the character of God. This is repeatedly acknowledged in Leviticus 18–26, where the motive for all obedience to God's law is the fact that He is the Lord God.
8"Yet I will leave a remnant, so that you may have some who escape the sword
among the nations, when you are scattered through the countries. 9Then those of you who escape will remember Me among the nations where they are carried captive, because I was crushed by their adulterous heart which has departed from Me, and by their eyes which play the harlot after their idols; they will loathe
themselves for the evils which they committed in all their abominations. 10And
they shall know that I am the LORD; I have not said in vain that I would bring this calamity upon them."
11'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Pound your fists and stamp your feet, and say, 'Alas, for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel! For they shall fall by the
sword, by famine, and by pestilence. 12He who is far off shall die by the pestilence, he who is near shall fall by the sword, and he who remains and is
besieged shall die by the famine. Thus will I spend My fury upon them. 13Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when their slain are among their idols all around their altars, on every high hill, on all the mountaintops, under every green tree, and under every thick oak, wherever they offered sweet incense to all their
idols. 14So I will stretch out My hand against them and make the land desolate, yes, more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblah, in all their dwelling places. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.' " ' "
Next November 7 Reading
Ezekiel 7
November 8
E ZEKIEL 7:1–8:18
JUDGMENT ON ISRAEL IS NEAR
1Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2"And you, son of man, thus says the Lord GOD to the land of Israel: 'An end! The end has come upon the four corners of the land.
3Now the end has come upon you, And I will send My anger against you; I will judge you according to your ways, And I will repay you for all your abominations. 4My eye will not spare you, Nor will I have pity; But I will repay your ways, And your abominations will be in your midst; Then you shall know that I am the LORD!'
5"Thus says the Lord GOD:
'A disaster, a singular disaster; Behold, it has come!
6An end has come, The end has come; It has dawned for you; Behold, it has come! 7Doom has come to you, you who dwell in the land; The time has come, A day of trouble is near, And not of rejoicing in the mountains. 8Now upon you I will soon pour out My fury, And spend My anger upon you; I will judge you according to your ways, And I will repay you for all your abominations.
9'My eye will not spare, Nor will I have pity; I will repay you according to your ways,
And your abominations will be in your midst. Then you shall know that I am the LORD who strikes.
10'Behold, the day! Behold, it has come! Doom has gone out; The rod has blossomed, Pride has budded. 11Violence has risen up into a rod of wickedness; None of them shall remain, None of their multitude, None of them; Nor shall there be wailing for them. 12The time has come, The day draws near.
'Let not the buyer rejoice, Nor the seller mourn, For wrath is on their whole multitude. 13For the seller shall not return to what has been sold, Though he may still be alive; For the vision concerns the whole multitude, And it shall not turn back;
No one will strengthen himself Who lives in iniquity.
14'They have blown the trumpet and made everyone ready, But no one goes to battle; For My wrath is on all their multitude. 15The sword is outside, And the pestilence and famine within. Whoever is in the field Will die by the sword; And whoever is in the city, Famine and pestilence will devour him.
16'Those who survive will escape and be on the mountains Like doves of the valleys, All of them mourning, Each for his iniquity. 17Every hand will be feeble, And every knee will be as weak as water. 18They will also be girded with sackcloth; Horror will cover them; Shame will be on every face, Baldness on all their heads.
19'They will throw their silver into the streets, And their gold will be like refuse; Their silver and their gold will not be able to deliver them In the day of the wrath of the LORD; They will not satisfy their souls, Nor fill their stomachs, Because it became their stumbling block of iniquity.
20'As for the beauty of his ornaments, He set it in majesty;
But they made from it The images of their abominations— Their detestable things;
Therefore I have made it Like refuse to them. 21I will give it as plunder Into the hands of strangers, And to the wicked of the earth as spoil; And they shall defile it. 22I will turn My face from them, And they will defile My secret place; For robbers shall enter it and defile it.
23'Make a chain, For the land is filled with crimes of blood, And the city is full of violence. 24Therefore I will bring the worst of the Gentiles, And they will possess their houses; I will cause the pomp of the strong to cease, And their holy places shall be defiled. 25Destruction comes; They will seek peace, but there shall be none. 26Disaster will come upon disaster, And rumor will be upon rumor. Then they will seek a vision from a prophet; But the law will perish from the priest, And counsel from the elders.
27'The king will mourn, The prince will be clothed with desolation, And the hands of the common people will tremble. I will do to them according to their way, And according to what they deserve I will judge them; Then they shall know that I am the LORD!' "
Ezekiel 8
ABOMINATIONS IN THE TEMPLE
1And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house with the elders of Judah sitting before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell upon me there. 2Then I looked, and there was a likeness, like the appearance of fire—from the appearance of His waist and downward, fire; and from His waist and upward, like the appearance of brightness, like the color of amber. 3He stretched out the form of a hand, and took me by a lock of my hair; and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven, and brought me in visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the north gate of the inner court, where the seat of the image of jealousy was, which provokes to jealousy. 4And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, like the vision that I saw in the plain.
8:3 in visions of God. Ezekiel 8–11 deals with details conveyed only to Ezekiel in visions. Ezekiel's trip to Jerusalem was in spirit only, while his body physically remained in his house. In visions he went to Jerusalem and in visions he returned to Babylon (11:24). After God finished the visions, Ezekiel told his home audience what he had seen. The visions are not a description of deeds done in the past in Israel, but a survey of Israel's current condition, as they existed at that very time. the seat…image of jealousy. God represents to Ezekiel the image of an idol (Deut. 4:16) in the entrance to the inner court of the temple. It is called "the image of jealousy" because it provoked the Lord to jealousy (5:13; 16:38; 36:6; 38:19; Ex. 20:5).
5Then He said to me, "Son of man, lift your eyes now toward the north." So I lifted my eyes toward the north, and there, north of the altar gate, was this image of jealousy in the entrance.
6Furthermore He said to me, "Son of man, do you see what they are doing, the
great abominations that the house of Israel commits here, to make Me go far away from My sanctuary? Now turn again, you will see greater abominations." 7So He brought me to the door of the court; and when I
looked, there was a hole in the wall. 8Then He said to me, "Son of man, dig into the wall"; and when I dug into the wall, there was a door.
9And He said to me, "Go in, and see the wicked abominations which they are
doing there." 10So I went in and saw, and there—every sort of creeping thing, abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed all around on the walls. 11And there stood before them seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel, and in their midst stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan. Each man had a censer in his hand, and a thick cloud of incense went up. 12Then He said to me, "Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the room of his idols? For they say, 'The LORD does not see us, the LORD has forsaken the land.' "
13And He said to me, "Turn again, and you will see greater abominations that
they are doing." 14So He brought me to the door of the north gate of the LORD's house; and to my dismay, women were sitting there weeping for Tammuz.
8:14 weeping for Tammuz. Yet a greater abomination than the secret cult was Israel's engaging in the Babylonian worship of Tammuz or Dumuzi (Duzu), beloved of Ishtar, the god of spring vegetation. Vegetation burned in the summer, died in the winter, and came to life in the spring. The women mourned over the god's demise in July and longed for his revival. The fourth month of the Hebrew calendar still bears the name Tammuz. With the worship of this idol were connected the basest immoralities.
15Then He said to me, "Have you seen this, O son of man? Turn again, you will
see greater abominations than these." 16So He brought me into the inner court of the LORD's house; and there, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs toward the temple of the LORD and their faces toward the east, and they were worshiping the
sun toward the east.
17And He said to me, "Have you seen this, O son of man? Is it a trivial thing to the house of Judah to commit the abominations which they commit here? For they have filled the land with violence; then they have returned to provoke Me to anger. Indeed they put the branch to their nose. 18Therefore I also will act in fury. My eye will not spare nor will I have pity; and though they cry in My ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them."
Next November 8 Reading
Ezekiel 9
November 9
E ZEKIEL 9:1–10:22
THE WICKED ARE SLAIN
1Then He called out in my hearing with a loud voice, saying, "Let those who have charge over the city draw near, each with a deadly weapon in his hand." 2And suddenly six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his battle-ax in his hand. One man among them was clothed with linen and had a writer's inkhorn at his side. They went in and stood beside the bronze altar.
3Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it
had been, to the threshold of the temple.a And He called to the man
clothed with linen, who had the writer's inkhorn at his side; 4and the LORD said to him, "Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it."
9:3 the glory…had gone up. The glory of God departs before the destruction of the city and temple. The gradual departure of God from His temple is depicted in stages: the glory resides in the temple's Most Holy Place, between the wings of the cherubs on each side of the ark of the covenant over the mercy seat, then leaves to the front door (9:3; 10:4), later to the east gate by the outer wall (10:18, 19), and finally to the Mount of Olives to the east, having fully departed (11:22, 23). The glory will return in the future kingdom of Messiah (43:2–7).
5To the others He said in my hearing, "Go after him through the city and kill; do
not let your eye spare, nor have any pity. 6Utterly slay old and young men, maidens and little children and women; but do not come near anyone on whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary." So they began with the elders who were
before the temple. 7Then He said to them, "Defile the temple, and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!" And they went out and killed in the city.
8So it was, that while they were killing them, I was left alone; and I fell on my face and cried out, and said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Will You destroy all the remnant of Israel in pouring out Your fury on Jerusalem?"
9Then He said to me, "The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is full of bloodshed, and the city full of perversity; for they say, 'The LORD has forsaken the land, and the LORD does not see!' 10And as for Me also, My eye will neither spare, nor will I have pity, but I will recompense their deeds on their own head."
11Just then, the man clothed with linen, who had the inkhorn at his side, reported back and said, "I have done as You commanded me."
Ezekiel 10
THE GLORY DEPARTS FROM THE TEMPLE
1And I looked, and there in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubim, there appeared something like a sapphire stone, having the
appearance of the likeness of a throne. 2Then He spoke to the man clothed with linen, and said, "Go in among the wheels, under the cherub, fill your hands with coals of fire from among the cherubim, and scatter them over the city." And he went in as I watched.
10:2 fill…with coals. God specifies that the marking angel (9:2, 11) reach into the war machine and fill his hands with fiery coals in the presence of the angels of chapter 1. These coals picture the fires of judgment which God's angels are to "scatter" on Jerusalem. In Isaiah 6, "coals" were used for the purification of the prophet; here they were for the destruction of the wicked (Heb. 12:29). Fire did destroy Jerusalem in 586 B.C.
3Now the cherubim were standing on the south side of the templea when the
man went in, and the cloud filled the inner court. 4Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, and paused over the threshold of the temple; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD's glory. 5And the sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard even in the outer court, like the voice of Almighty God when He speaks.
6Then it happened, when He commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, "Take fire from among the wheels, from among the cherubim," that he went in
and stood beside the wheels. 7And the cherub stretched out his hand from among the cherubim to the fire that was among the cherubim, and took some of it and put it into the hands of the man clothed with linen, who took it and went
out. 8The cherubim appeared to have the form of a man's hand under their wings.
9And when I looked, there were four wheels by the cherubim, one wheel by one cherub and another wheel by each other cherub; the wheels appeared to have the color of a beryl stone. 10As for their appearance, all four looked alike —as it were, a wheel in the middle of a wheel. 11When they went, they went toward any of their four directions; they did not turn aside when they went, but followed in the direction the head was facing. They did not turn aside when they went. 12And their whole body, with their back, their hands, their wings, and the wheels that the four had, were full of eyes all around. 13As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing, "Wheel."
10:9–17 wheels by the cherubim. This whole section is similar to 1:4–21. Four wheels on God's chariot mingled with the 4 angels (1:15–21) coordinated with each other in precision, and each with a different one of the cherubim. All looked so much alike that it was as if one wheel blended entirely with another (v. 10). As their appearance was so unified, their action was in unison and instant (v. 11). The cherubim had bodies like men and their chariot wheels were full of eyes denoting full perception both to see the sinners and their fitting judgment. The color beryl is a sparkling yellow or gold.
14Each one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, the second face the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle. 15And the cherubim were lifted up. This was the living creature I saw by the River Chebar. 16When the cherubim went, the wheels went beside them; and when the cherubim lifted their wings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels also did not turn from beside them. 17When the cherubima stood still, the wheels stood still, and when oneb was lifted up, the otherc lifted itself up, for the spirit of the living creature was in them.
18Then the glory of the LORD departed from the threshold of the temple
and stood over the cherubim. 19And the cherubim lifted their wings and mounted up from the earth in my sight. When they went out, the wheels were beside them; and they stood at the door of the east gate of the LORD's house, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them.
20This is the living creature I saw under the God of Israel by the River Chebar,
and I knew they were cherubim. 21Each one had four faces and each one four
wings, and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings. 22And the likeness of their faces was the same as the faces which I had seen by the River Chebar, their appearance and their persons. They each went straight forward.
Next November 9 Reading
Ezekiel 11
November 10
E ZEKIEL 11:1–12:28
JUDGMENT ON WICKED COUNSELORS
1Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the East Gate of the LORD's house, which faces eastward; and there at the door of the gate were twenty-five men, among whom I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people. 2And He said to me: "Son of man, these are the
men who devise iniquity and give wicked counsel in this city, 3who say, 'The time
is not near to build houses; this city is the caldron, and we are the meat.' 4Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man!" 5Then the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and said to me, "Speak! 'Thus says the LORD: "Thus you have said, O house of Israel; for I know the things that come into your mind. 6You have multiplied your slain in this city, and you
have filled its streets with the slain." 7Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Your slain whom you have laid in its midst, they are the meat, and this city is the caldron; but I shall bring you out of the midst of it. 8You have feared the
sword; and I will bring a sword upon you," says the Lord GOD. 9"And I will bring you out of its midst, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and execute judgments on you. 10You shall fall by the sword. I will judge you at
the border of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the LORD. 11This city shall not be your caldron, nor shall you be the meat in its midst. I will judge you at the border of Israel. 12And you shall know that I am the LORD; for you have not walked in My statutes nor executed My judgments, but have done according to the customs of the Gentiles which are all around you." ' "
13Now it happened, while I was prophesying, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then I fell on my face and cried with a loud voice, and said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Will You make a complete end of the remnant of Israel?"
GOD WILL RESTORE ISRAEL
14Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 15"Son of man, your brethren, your relatives, your countrymen, and all the house of Israel in its entirety, are those about whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, 'Get far away from the LORD; this land has been given to us as a possession.' 16Therefore say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Although I have cast them far off among the Gentiles, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet I shall be a little sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone." ' 17Therefore say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "I will gather you from the peoples, assemble you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel." ' 18And they will go there, and they will take away all its detestable things and all its abominations from there. 19Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them,a and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, 20that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God. 21But as for those whose hearts follow the desire for their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their deeds on their own heads," says the Lord GOD.
22So the cherubim lifted up their wings, with the wheels beside them, and
the glory of the God of Israel was high above them. 23And the glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city and stood on the mountain, which is on the east side of the city.
24Then the Spirit took me up and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God
into Chaldea,a to those in captivity. And the vision that I had seen went up from
me. 25So I spoke to those in captivity of all the things the LORD had shown me.
Ezekiel 12
JUDAH'S CAPTIVITY PORTRAYED
1Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying: 2"Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, which has eyes to see but does not see, and ears to hear but does not hear; for they are a rebellious house.
3"Therefore, son of man, prepare your belongings for captivity, and go into captivity by day in their sight. You shall go from your place into captivity to another place in their sight. It may be that they will consider, though they are a rebellious house. 4By day you shall bring out your belongings in their sight, as though going into captivity; and at evening you shall go in their sight, like those who go into captivity. 5Dig through the wall in their sight, and carry your
belongings out through it. 6In their sight you shall bear them on your shoulders and carry them out at twilight; you shall cover your face, so that you cannot see the ground, for I have made you a sign to the house of Israel."
12:3 prepare…for captivity. This dramatic object lesson by the prophet called for carrying belongings out in a stealthy way as an act that depicted baggage for exile, just the bare necessities. His countrymen carried out such baggage when they went into captivity or sought to escape during Babylon's takeover of Jerusalem (vv. 7, 11). Some attempting to escape were caught as in a net, like King Zedekiah who was overtaken, blinded, and forced into exile. Verse 9 indicates that Ezekiel actually did what he was told.
7So I did as I was commanded. I brought out my belongings by day, as though
going into captivity, and at evening I dug through the wall with my hand. I brought them out at twilight, and I bore them on my shoulder in their sight.
8And in the morning the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 9"Son of man, has not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said to you, 'What are you doing?' 10Say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "This burden concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel who are among them." ' 11Say, 'I am a sign to you. As I have done, so shall it be done to them; they shall be carried away into captivity.' 12And the prince who is among them shall bear his belongings on his shoulder at twilight and go out. They shall dig through the wall to carry them out through it. He shall cover his face, so that he cannot see the ground with his eyes. 13I will also spread My net over him, and he shall be caught in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon, to the land of the Chaldeans; yet he shall not see it, though he shall die there. 14I will scatter to every wind all who are around him to help him, and all his troops; and I will draw out the sword after them.
15"Then they shall know that I am the LORD, when I scatter them among
the nations and disperse them throughout the countries. 16But I will spare a few of their men from the sword, from famine, and from pestilence, that they may declare all their abominations among the Gentiles wherever they go. Then they shall know that I am the LORD."
JUDGMENT NOT POSTPONED
17Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 18"Son of man, eat
your bread with quaking, and drink your water with trembling and anxiety. 19And say to the people of the land, 'Thus says the Lord GOD to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the land of Israel: "They shall eat their bread with anxiety, and drink their water with dread, so that her land may be emptied of all who are in it, because of the violence of all those who dwell in it. 20Then the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall become desolate; and you shall know that I am the LORD." ' "
21And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 22"Son of man, what is this proverb that you people have about the land of Israel, which says, 'The days are
prolonged, and every vision fails'? 23Tell them therefore, 'Thus says the Lord
GOD: "I will lay this proverb to rest, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel." ' But say to them, ' "The days are at hand, and the fulfillment of every
vision. 24For no more shall there be any false vision or flattering divination within
the house of Israel. 25For I am the LORD. I speak, and the word which I speak will come to pass; it will no more be postponed; for in your days, O rebellious house, I will say the word and perform it," says the Lord GOD.' "
12:22 this proverb. Delay had given the people the false impression that the stroke of judgment would never come. In fact, a saying had become popular, no doubt developed by false prophets who caused the people to reject Ezekiel's visions and prophecies (v. 27) and who gave "flattering divinations" (vv. 23, 24).
26Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 27"Son of man, look, the house of Israel is saying, 'The vision that he sees is for many days from now, and he prophesies of times far off.' 28Therefore say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "None of My words will be postponed any more, but the word which I speak will be done," says the Lord GOD.' "
Next November 10 Reading
Ezekiel 13
November 11
E ZEKIEL 13:1–14:23
WOE TO FOOLISH PROPHETS
1And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2"Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy out of their own heart, 'Hear the word of the LORD!' "
3Thus says the Lord GOD: "Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! 4O Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the deserts. 5You have not gone up into the gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle on the day of the LORD. 6They have envisioned futility and false divination, saying, 'Thus says the LORD!' But the
LORD has not sent them; yet they hope that the word may be confirmed. 7Have you not seen a futile vision, and have you not spoken false divination? You say, 'The LORD says,' but I have not spoken."
8Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Because you have spoken nonsense
and envisioned lies, therefore I am indeed against you," says the Lord GOD. 9"My hand will be against the prophets who envision futility and who divine lies; they shall not be in the assembly of My people, nor be written in the record of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord GOD.
10"Because, indeed, because they have seduced My people, saying, 'Peace!' when there is no peace—and one builds a wall, and they plaster it with
untempered mortar— 11say to those who plaster it with untempered mortar, that it will fall. There will be flooding rain, and you, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a
stormy wind shall tear it down. 12Surely, when the wall has fallen, will it not be said to you, 'Where is the mortar with which you plastered it?' "
13:10, 11 builds a wall. False prophets had lulled the people into false security. Phony "peace" promises, while sin continued on the brink of God's judgment, was a way, so to speak, of erecting a defective "wall" and whitewashing it to make it look good. Such an unsafe "wall" was doomed to collapse (v. 11) when
God would bring His storm, picturing the invaders' assault (v. 11).
13Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "I will cause a stormy wind to break forth in My fury; and there shall be a flooding rain in My anger, and great hailstones in fury to consume it. 14So I will break down the wall you have plastered with untempered mortar, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be uncovered; it will fall, and you shall be consumed in the midst of it. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.
15"Thus will I accomplish My wrath on the wall and on those who have plastered it with untempered mortar; and I will say to you, 'The wall is no more, nor those who plastered it, 16that is, the prophets of Israel who prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and who see visions of peace for her when there is no peace,' " says the Lord GOD.
17"Likewise, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people,
who prophesy out of their own heart; prophesy against them, 18and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Woe to the women who sew magic charms on their sleevesa and make veils for the heads of people of every height to hunt souls!
Will you hunt the souls of My people, and keep yourselves alive? 19And will you profane Me among My people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, killing people who should not die, and keeping people alive who should not live, by your lying to My people who listen to lies?"
20'Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I am against your magic charms by which you hunt souls there like birds. I will tear them from your arms, and let the souls go, the souls you hunt like birds. 21I will also tear off your veils and deliver My people out of your hand, and they shall no longer be as prey in your hand. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.
22"Because with lies you have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and you have strengthened the hands of the wicked, so that he does not turn from his wicked way to save his life. 23Therefore you shall no longer envision futility nor practice divination; for I will deliver My people out of your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD." ' "
Ezekiel 14
IDOLATRY WILL BE PUNISHED
1Now some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me. 2And the
word of the LORD came to me, saying, 3"Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put before them that which causes them to stumble into iniquity. Should I let Myself be inquired of at all by them?
4"Therefore speak to them, and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Everyone of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him who comes, according to the multitude
of his idols, 5that I may seize the house of Israel by their heart, because they are all estranged from Me by their idols." '
6"Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Repent, turn
away from your idols, and turn your faces away from all your abominations. 7For anyone of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell in Israel, who separates himself from Me and sets up his idols in his heart and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, then comes to a prophet to inquire of
him concerning Me, I the LORD will answer him by Myself. 8I will set My face against that man and make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of My people. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.
9"And if the prophet is induced to speak anything, I the LORD have induced that prophet, and I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him from among My people Israel. 10And they shall bear their iniquity; the punishment of the prophet shall be the same as the punishment of the one who inquired, 11that the house of Israel may no longer stray from Me, nor be profaned anymore with all their transgressions, but that they may be My people and I may be their God," says the Lord GOD.' "
JUDGMENT ON PERSISTENT UNFAITHFULNESS
12The word of the LORD came again to me, saying: 13"Son of man, when a land sins against Me by persistent unfaithfulness, I will stretch out My hand against it; I will cut off its supply of bread, send famine on it, and cut off man and beast from
it. 14Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness," says the Lord GOD.
14:14–20 Noah, Daniel, and Job. Jeremiah 7:16 and 15:1–4 provide a close parallel to this passage. According to Jeremiah, even Moses and Samuel, well known for their power in intercessory prayer, would not prevail to deliver Jerusalem and the people. The 3 Old Testament heroes mentioned in this section exhibited power in intercession on behalf of others (Gen. 6:18; Job 42:7– 10; Dan. 1; 2) at strategic points in redemptive history, and even they could not deliver anyone but themselves if they were there praying earnestly. Even the presence and prayers of the godly could not stop the coming judgment. Genesis 18:22–32 and Jeremiah 5:1–4 provide rare exceptions to the principle that one man's righteousness is no protection for others.
15"If I cause wild beasts to pass through the land, and they empty it, and
make it so desolate that no man may pass through because of the beasts, 16even though these three men were in it, as I live," says the Lord GOD, "they would deliver neither sons nor daughters; only they would be delivered, and the land would be desolate.
17"Or if I bring a sword on that land, and say, 'Sword, go through the land,'
and I cut off man and beast from it, 18even though these three men were in it, as I live," says the Lord GOD, "they would deliver neither sons nor daughters, but only they themselves would be delivered.
19"Or if I send a pestilence into that land and pour out My fury on it in blood,
and cut off from it man and beast, 20even though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live," says the Lord GOD, "they would deliver neither son nor daughter; they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness."
21For thus says the Lord GOD: "How much more it shall be when I send My four severe judgments on Jerusalem—the sword and famine and wild beasts
and pestilence—to cut off man and beast from it? 22Yet behold, there shall be left in it a remnant who will be brought out, both sons and daughters; surely they will come out to you, and you will see their ways and their doings. Then you will be comforted concerning the disaster that I have brought upon
Jerusalem, all that I have brought upon it. 23And they will comfort you, when you see their ways and their doings; and you shall know that I have done nothing without cause that I have done in it," says the Lord GOD.
Next November 11 Reading
Ezekiel 15
November 12
E ZEKIEL 15:1–16:63
THE OUTCAST VINE
1Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: 2"Son of man, how is the wood of the vine better than any other wood, the vine branch which is among the trees of the forest? 3Is wood taken from it to make any object? Or can men make a
peg from it to hang any vessel on? 4Instead, it is thrown into the fire for fuel; the
fire devours both ends of it, and its middle is burned. Is it useful for any work? 5Indeed, when it was whole, no object could be made from it. How much less will it be useful for any work when the fire has devoured it, and it is burned?
15:1–3 Then the word…came. Israel, often symbolized by a vine (17:6– 10; Gen. 49:22; Jer. 2:21), had become useful for nothing. Failing to do the very thing God set her apart to do bear fruit she no longer served any purpose and was useless (v. 2). Other trees can be used for construction of certain things, but a fruitless vine is useless (v. 3). It has no value. In every age, the people of God have their value in their fruitfulness.
6"Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 'Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so I will give up the inhabitants of Jerusalem; 7and I will set My face against them. They will go out from one fire, but another fire shall devour them. Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I set My face against them. 8Thus I will make the land desolate, because they have persisted in unfaithfulness,' says the Lord GOD."
Ezekiel 16
GOD'S LOVE FOR JERUSALEM
1Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2"Son of man, cause
Jerusalem to know her abominations, 3and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD to Jerusalem: "Your birth and your nativity are from the land of Canaan; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. 4As for your nativity, on the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, nor were you washed in water to cleanse you; you were not rubbed with salt nor wrapped in swaddling cloths. 5No eye pitied you, to do any of these things for you, to have compassion on you; but you were thrown out into the open field, when you yourself were loathed on the day you were born.
6"And when I passed by you and saw you struggling in your own blood, I
said to you in your blood, 'Live!' Yes, I said to you in your blood, 'Live!' 7I made you thrive like a plant in the field; and you grew, matured, and became very beautiful. Your breasts were formed, your hair grew, but you were naked and bare.
8"When I passed by you again and looked upon you, indeed your time was the time of love; so I spread My wing over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine," says the Lord GOD.
16:8 the time of love. This refers to the marriageable state. Spreading his "wing" was a custom of espousal (Ruth 3:9) and indicates that God entered into a covenant with the young nation at Mt. Sinai (Ex. 19:5–8). Making a covenant signifies marriage, the figure of God's relation to Israel ( Jer. 2:2 ; 3:1ff .; Hos. 2:2–23 ).
9"Then I washed you in water; yes, I thoroughly washed off your blood, and I
anointed you with oil. 10I clothed you in embroidered cloth and gave you sandals
of badger skin; I clothed you with fine linen and covered you with silk. 11I adorned you with ornaments, put bracelets on your wrists, and a chain on your neck. 12And I put a jewel in your nose, earrings in your ears, and a beautiful
crown on your head. 13Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth. You ate pastry of fine flour,
honey, and oil. You were exceedingly beautiful, and succeeded to royalty. 14Your fame went out among the nations because of your beauty, for it was perfect through My splendor which I had bestowed on you," says the Lord GOD.
JERUSALEM'S HARLOTRY
15"But you trusted in your own beauty, played the harlot because of your fame, and poured out your harlotry on everyone passing by who would have it. 16You took some of your garments and adorned multicolored high places for yourself, and played the harlot on them. Such things should not happen, nor be. 17You have also taken your beautiful jewelry from My gold and My silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself male images and played the harlot with them. 18You took your embroidered garments and covered
them, and you set My oil and My incense before them. 19Also My food which I gave you—the pastry of fine flour, oil, and honey which I fed you—you set it before them as sweet incense; and so it was," says the Lord GOD.
20"Moreover you took your sons and your daughters, whom you bore to Me, and these you sacrificed to them to be devoured. Were your acts of harlotry a small matter, 21that you have slain My children and offered them up to them by causing them to pass through the fire? 22And in all your abominations and acts of harlotry you did not remember the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare, struggling in your blood.
23"Then it was so, after all your wickedness—'Woe, woe to you!' says the Lord
GOD— 24that you also built for yourself a shrine, and made a high place for
yourself in every street. 25You built your high places at the head of every road, and made your beauty to be abhorred. You offered yourself to everyone who
passed by, and multiplied your acts of harlotry. 26You also committed harlotry with the Egyptians, your very fleshly neighbors, and increased your acts of harlotry to provoke Me to anger.
27"Behold, therefore, I stretched out My hand against you, diminished your allotment, and gave you up to the will of those who hate you, the daughters of the Philistines, who were ashamed of your lewd behavior. 28You also played the harlot with the Assyrians, because you were insatiable; indeed you played the harlot with them and still were not satisfied. 29Moreover you multiplied your acts of harlotry as far as the land of the trader, Chaldea; and even then you were not satisfied.
30"How degenerate is your heart!" says the Lord GOD, "seeing you do all these things, the deeds of a brazen harlot.
JERUSALEM'S ADULTERY
31"You erected your shrine at the head of every road, and built your high place in every street. Yet you were not like a harlot, because you scorned payment. 32You are an adulterous wife, who takes strangers instead of her husband. 33Men make payment to all harlots, but you made your payments to all your lovers, and hired them to come to you from all around for your harlotry. 34You are the opposite of other women in your harlotry, because no one solicited you to be a harlot. In that you gave payment but no payment was given you, therefore you are the opposite."
JERUSALEM'S LOVERS WILL ABUSE HER
35'Now then, O harlot, hear the word of the LORD! 36Thus says the Lord GOD: "Because your filthiness was poured out and your nakedness uncovered in your harlotry with your lovers, and with all your abominable idols, and because of the
blood of your children which you gave to them, 37surely, therefore, I will gather all your lovers with whom you took pleasure, all those you loved, and all those you hated; I will gather them from all around against you and will uncover your
nakedness to them, that they may see all your nakedness. 38And I will judge you as women who break wedlock or shed blood are judged; I will bring blood upon
you in fury and jealousy. 39I will also give you into their hand, and they shall throw down your shrines and break down your high places. They shall also strip you of your clothes, take your beautiful jewelry, and leave you naked and bare.
40"They shall also bring up an assembly against you, and they shall stone
you with stones and thrust you through with their swords. 41They shall burn your houses with fire, and execute judgments on you in the sight of many women; and I will make you cease playing the harlot, and you shall no longer hire lovers. 42So I will lay to rest My fury toward you, and My jealousy shall
depart from you. I will be quiet, and be angry no more. 43Because you did not
remember the days of your youth, but agitated Mea with all these things, surely I will also recompense your deeds on your own head," says the Lord GOD. "And you shall not commit lewdness in addition to all your abominations.
MORE WICKED THAN SAMARIA AND SODOM
44"Indeed everyone who quotes proverbs will use this proverb against you:
'Like mother, like daughter!' 45You are your mother's daughter, loathing husband and children; and you are the sister of your sisters, who loathed their husbands and children; your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite.
46"Your elder sister is Samaria, who dwells with her daughters to the north of you; and your younger sister, who dwells to the south of you, is Sodom and her daughters. 47You did not walk in their ways nor act according to their abominations; but, as if that were too little, you became more corrupt than they in all your ways.
48"As I live," says the Lord GOD, "neither your sister Sodom nor her
daughters have done as you and your daughters have done. 49Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. 50And they were haughty and committed
abomination before Me; therefore I took them away as I saw fit.a
51"Samaria did not commit half of your sins; but you have multiplied your abominations more than they, and have justified your sisters by all the abominations which you have done. 52You who judged your sisters, bear your own shame also, because the sins which you committed were more abominable
than theirs; they are more righteous than you. Yes, be disgraced also, and bear your own shame, because you justified your sisters.
53"When I bring back their captives, the captives of Sodom and her daughters, and the captives of Samaria and her daughters, then I will also bring back the captives of your captivity among them, 54that you may bear your own shame and
be disgraced by all that you did when you comforted them. 55When your sisters, Sodom and her daughters, return to their former state, and Samaria and her daughters return to their former state, then you and your daughters will return to your former state. 56For your sister Sodom was not a byword in your mouth in
the days of your pride, 57before your wickedness was uncovered. It was like the
time of the reproach of the daughters of Syriaa and all those around her, and of
the daughters of the Philistines, who despise you everywhere. 58You have paid
for your lewdness and your abominations," says the LORD. 59For thus says the Lord GOD: "I will deal with you as you have done, who despised the oath by breaking the covenant.
AN EVERLASTING COVENANT
60"Nevertheless I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your
youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you. 61Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed, when you receive your older and your younger sisters; for I will give them to you for daughters, but not because of My covenant with you. 62And I will establish My covenant with you. Then you
shall know that I am the LORD, 63that you may remember and be ashamed, and never open your mouth anymore because of your shame, when I provide you an atonement for all you have done," says the Lord GOD.' "
16:60 I will remember My covenant. God is gracious and He always finds a covenant basis on which He can exercise His grace. The Lord will remember the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 12:1ff.) made with Israel in her youth. Restoration will be by grace, not merit. an everlasting covenant. This is the New Covenant, which is unconditional, saving, and everlasting ( 37:26 ; Is. 59:21 ; 61:8 ; Jer. 31:31–34 ; Heb. 8:6–13 ). The basis of God's grace will not be the Mosaic Covenant, which the Jews could never fulfill, even with the best intentions ( Ex. 24:1ff .). When God establishes His eternal covenant, Israel will know that God is the Lord because of His grace.
Next November 12 Reading
Ezekiel 17
November 13
E ZEKIEL 17:1–18:32
THE EAGLES AND THE VINE
1And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2"Son of man, pose a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel, 3and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "A great eagle with large wings and long pinions,
Full of feathers of various colors,
Came to Lebanon And took from the cedar the highest branch. 4He cropped off its topmost young twig And carried it to a land of trade; He set it in a city of merchants. 5Then he took some of the seed of the land And planted it in a fertile field; He placed it by abundant waters And set it like a willow tree. 6And it grew and became a spreading vine of low stature; Its branches turned toward him, But its roots were under it. So it became a vine, Brought forth branches, And put forth shoots.
7"But there was anothera great eagle with large wings and many feathers; And behold, this vine bent its roots toward him, And stretched its branches toward him, From the garden terrace where it had been planted, That he might water it. 8It was planted in good soil by many waters, To bring forth branches, bear fruit, And become a majestic vine." '
9"Say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD:
"Will it thrive? Will he not pull up its roots, Cut off its fruit, And leave it to wither? All of its spring leaves will wither, And no great power or many people Will be needed to pluck it up by its roots. 10Behold, it is planted, Will it thrive? Will it not utterly wither when the east wind touches it? It will wither in the garden terrace where it grew." ' "
11Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 12"Say now to the rebellious house: 'Do you not know what these things mean?' Tell them, 'Indeed
the king of Babylon went to Jerusalem and took its king and princes, and led them with him to Babylon. 13And he took the king's offspring, made a covenant with him, and put him under oath. He also took away the mighty of the land, 14that the kingdom might be brought low and not lift
itself up, but that by keeping his covenant it might stand. 15But he rebelled against him by sending his ambassadors to Egypt, that they might give him horses and many people. Will he prosper? Will he who does such things escape? Can he break a covenant and still be delivered?
16'As I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'surely in the place where the king dwells who made him king, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke—with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die. 17Nor will Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company do anything in the war, when they heap up a siege mound and build a wall to cut off many persons. 18Since he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, and in fact gave his hand and still did all these things, he shall not escape.' "
19Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "As I live, surely My oath which he despised, and My covenant which he broke, I will recompense on his own head. 20I will spread My net over him, and he shall be taken in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon and try him there for the treason which he committed against Me. 21All his fugitivesa with all his troops shall fall by the sword, and those who remain shall be scattered to every wind; and you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken."
ISRAEL EXALTED AT LAST
22Thus says the Lord GOD: "I will take also one of the highest branches of the high cedar and set it out. I will crop off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and will plant it on a high and prominent mountain. 23On the mountain height of Israel I will plant it; and it will bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a majestic cedar. Under it will dwell birds of every sort; in the shadow of its branches they will dwell. 24And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the LORD, have brought down the high tree and exalted the low tree, dried up the green tree and made the dry tree flourish; I, the LORD, have spoken and have done it."
17:22, 23 one of the highest branches. This is messianic prophecy stating that God will provide the Messiah from the royal line of David ("the high cedar") and establish Him in His kingdom (like a mountain, Dan. 2:35, 44, 45). He will be "a high branch" reigning in the height of success. "Branch" is a name for the Messiah (34:23, 24; 37:24, 25; Is. 4:2; Jer. 23:5; 33:15; Zech. 3:8; 6:12). The Messiah will be "a tender one" (v. 22) who grows into a "majestic cedar" (v. 23). Under His kingdom rule, all nations will be blessed and Israel restored.
Ezekiel 18
A FALSE PROVERB REFUTED
1The word of the LORD came to me again, saying, 2"What do you mean when you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying: 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes,
And the children's teeth are set on edge'?
3"As I live," says the Lord GOD, "you shall no longer use this proverb in Israel.
4"Behold, all souls are Mine;
18:4 The soul who sins shall die. God played no favorites, but was fair in holding each individual accountable for his own sin. The death is physical death which, for many, results in eternal death.
The soul of the father As well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die.
5But if a man is just And does what is lawful and right; 6If he has not eaten on the mountains, Nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, Nor defiled his neighbor's wife, Nor approached a woman during her impurity; 7If he has not oppressed anyone, But has restored to the debtor his pledge; Has robbed no one by violence, But has given his bread to the hungry And covered the naked with clothing; 8If he has not exacted usury Nor taken any increase, But has withdrawn his hand from iniquity And executed true judgment between man and man; 9If he has walked in My statutes And kept My judgments faithfully— He is just; He shall surely live!" Says the Lord GOD.
10"If he begets a son who is a robber Or a shedder of blood, Who does any of these things 11And does none of those duties, But has eaten on the mountains Or defiled his neighbor's wife; 12If he has oppressed the poor and needy, Robbed by violence, Not restored the pledge, Lifted his eyes to the idols, Or committed abomination; 13If he has exacted usury Or taken increase— Shall he then live? He shall not live! If he has done any of these abominations,
He shall surely die; His blood shall be upon him.
14"If, however, he begets a son Who sees all the sins which his father has done, And considers but does not do likewise; 15Who has not eaten on the mountains, Nor lifted his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, Nor defiled his neighbor's wife; 16Has not oppressed anyone, Nor withheld a pledge, Nor robbed by violence, But has given his bread to the hungry And covered the naked with clothing; 17Who has withdrawn his hand from the poora And not received usury or increase,
But has executed My judgments And walked in My statutes— He shall not die for the iniquity of his father; He shall surely live!
18"As for his father, Because he cruelly oppressed, Robbed his brother by violence, And did what is not good among his people, Behold, he shall die for his iniquity.
TURN AND LIVE
19"Yet you say, 'Why should the son not bear the guilt of the father?' Because the son has done what is lawful and right, and has kept all My statutes and observed them, he shall surely live. 20The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.
21"But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 22None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall live. 23Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?" says the Lord GOD, "and not that he should turn from his ways and live?
24"But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die.
25"Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair.' Hear now, O house of Israel, is it not My way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair? 26When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and dies in it, it is because of the iniquity which he has done that he dies. 27Again, when a wicked man turns away from the wickedness which he committed, and does what is lawful and right, he preserves himself alive. 28Because he considers and turns away from all the
transgressions which he committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 29Yet the house of Israel says, 'The way of the Lord is not fair.' O house of Israel, is it not My ways which are fair, and your ways which are not fair?
30"Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways," says the Lord GOD. "Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that
iniquity will not be your ruin. 31Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why
should you die, O house of Israel? 32For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies," says the Lord GOD. "Therefore turn and live!"
Next November 13 Reading
Ezekiel 19
November 14
E ZEKIEL 19:1–20:49
ISRAEL DEGRADED
1"Moreover take up a lamentation for the princes of Israel, 2and say:
'What is your mother? A lioness: She lay down among the lions; Among the young lions she nourished her cubs. 3She brought up one of her cubs, And he became a young lion; He learned to catch prey, And he devoured men. 4The nations also heard of him; He was trapped in their pit, And they brought him with chains to the land of Egypt.
5'When she saw that she waited, that her hope was lost, She took another of her cubs and made him a young lion. 6He roved among the lions, And became a young lion; He learned to catch prey; He devoured men. 7He knew their desolate places,a
And laid waste their cities; The land with its fullness was desolated By the noise of his roaring. 8Then the nations set against him from the provinces on every side, And spread their net over him; He was trapped in their pit. 9They put him in a cage with chains, And brought him to the king of Babylon; They brought him in nets, That his voice should no longer be heard on the mountains of Israel.
10'Your mother was like a vine in your bloodline,a
Planted by the waters,
Fruitful and full of branches Because of many waters. 11She had strong branches for scepters of rulers. She towered in stature above the thick branches, And was seen in her height amid the dense foliage. 12But she was plucked up in fury, She was cast down to the ground, And the east wind dried her fruit. Her strong branches were broken and withered; The fire consumed them. 13And now she is planted in the wilderness, In a dry and thirsty land. 14Fire has come out from a rod of her branches And devoured her fruit, So that she has no strong branch— a scepter for ruling.' "
This is a lamentation, and has become a lamentation.
Ezekiel 20
THE REBELLIONS OF ISRAEL
1It came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the LORD, and sat before me. 2Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 3"Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Have you come to inquire of Me? As I live," says the Lord GOD, "I will not be inquired of by you." ' 4Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? Then make known to them the abominations of their fathers.
5"Say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "On the day when I chose Israel and raised My hand in an oath to the descendants of the house of Jacob, and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt, I raised My hand in an oath to them,
saying, 'I am the LORD your God.' 6On that day I raised My hand in an oath to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out
for them, 'flowing with milk and honey,'a the glory of all lands. 7Then I said to them, 'Each of you, throw away the abominations which are before his eyes, and
do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.' 8But they rebelled against Me and would not obey Me. They did not all cast away the abominations which were before their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said, 'I will pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against
them in the midst of the land of Egypt.' 9But I acted for My name's sake, that it should not be profaned before the Gentiles among whom they were, in whose sight I had made Myself known to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt.
10"Therefore I made them go out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the
wilderness. 11And I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgments,
'which, if a man does, he shall live by them.'a 12Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the
LORD who sanctifies them. 13Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness; they did not walk in My statutes; they despised My judgments, 'which, if a man does, he shall live by them';a and they greatly defiled My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My fury on them in the wilderness, to consume them. 14But I acted for My name's sake, that it should not be profaned
before the Gentiles, in whose sight I had brought them out. 15So I also raised My hand in an oath to them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, 'flowing with milk and honey,'a the glory of all lands, 16because they despised My judgments and did not walk in My statutes, but profaned My Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols. 17Nevertheless My eye spared them from destruction. I did not make an end of them in the wilderness.
18"But I said to their children in the wilderness, 'Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, nor observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols. 19I am the LORD your God: Walk in My statutes, keep My judgments, and do them; 20hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God.'
21"Notwithstanding, the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, and were not careful to observe My judgments, 'which, if a man does, he shall live by them';a but they profaned My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour
out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the wilderness. 22Nevertheless I withdrew My hand and acted for My name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the Gentiles, in whose sight I had brought them out. 23Also I raised My hand in an oath to those in the wilderness, that I would
scatter them among the Gentiles and disperse them throughout the countries, 24because they had not executed My judgments, but had despised My statutes, profaned My Sabbaths, and their eyes were fixed on their fathers' idols.
25"Therefore I also gave them up to statutes that were not good, and judgments
by which they could not live; 26and I pronounced them unclean because of their ritual gifts, in that they caused all their firstborn to pass through the fire, that I might make them desolate and that they might know that I am the LORD." '
27"Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "In this too your fathers have blasphemed Me, by being
unfaithful to Me. 28When I brought them into the land concerning which I had raised My hand in an oath to give them, and they saw all the high hills and all the thick trees, there they offered their sacrifices and provoked Me with their offerings. There they also sent up their sweet aroma and poured out their drink
offerings. 29Then I said to them, 'What is this high place to which you go?' So its
name is called Bamaha to this day." ' 30Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Are you defiling yourselves in the manner of your
fathers, and committing harlotry according to their abominations? 31For when you offer your gifts and make your sons pass through the fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols, even to this day. So shall I be inquired of by you, O
house of Israel? As I live," says the Lord GOD, "I will not be inquired of by you. 32What you have in your mind shall never be, when you say, 'We will be like the Gentiles, like the families in other countries, serving wood and stone.'
GOD WILL RESTORE ISRAEL
33"As I live," says the Lord GOD, "surely with a mighty hand, with an
outstretched arm, and with fury poured out, I will rule over you. 34I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out. 35And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples,
and there I will plead My case with you face to face. 36Just as I pleaded My case with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will plead My case with you," says the Lord GOD.
37"I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the
covenant; 38I will purge the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the country where they dwell, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
20:37 pass under the rod. God used a shepherd figure here, apt since He was their Great Shepherd (34:11–13; Jer. 23:5–8). As a shepherd, God brings His sheep home to their fold (Jer. 33:13), has them file in, separating sheep from goats (Matt. 25), passing under His shepherd's rod to be noted and checked for injury. He will bring them into the bond of the New Covenant by giving them His Spirit with life (36:24–27; 37:14; 39:29). This is Israel's final salvation (Rom. 11:26–33).
39"As for you, O house of Israel," thus says the Lord GOD: "Go, serve every one of you his idols—and hereafter—if you will not obey Me; but profane My holy
name no more with your gifts and your idols. 40For on My holy mountain, on the mountain height of Israel," says the Lord GOD, "there all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, shall serve Me; there I will accept them, and there I will require your offerings and the firstfruits of your sacrifices, together with all your holy
things. 41I will accept you as a sweet aroma when I bring you out from the
peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered; and I will be hallowed in you before the Gentiles. 42Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for which I
raised My hand in an oath to give to your fathers. 43And there you shall remember your ways and all your doings with which you were defiled; and you shall loathe yourselves in your own sight because of all the evils that you have
committed. 44Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have dealt with you
for My name's sake, not according to your wicked ways nor according to your corrupt doings, O house of Israel," says the Lord GOD.' "
20:39 If they persist in their stubborn idolatry, God will allow them to follow it to their doom. He would also rather have them as out-and-out idolaters rather than hypocritical patronizers of His worship like they had been (Amos 5:21–26).
FIRE IN THE FOREST
45Furthermore the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 46"Son of man, set your face toward the south; preach against the south and prophesy against the forest land, the South,a 47and say to the forest of the South, 'Hear the word of the LORD! Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree and every dry tree in you; the blazing flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be scorched by it. 48All flesh shall see that I, the LORD, have kindled it; it shall not be quenched." ' "
49Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! They say of me, 'Does he not speak parables?' "
Next November 14 Reading
Ezekiel 21
November 15
E ZEKIEL 21:1–22:31
BABYLON, THE SWORD OF GOD
1And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2"Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem, preach against the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel; 3and say to the land of Israel, 'Thus says the LORD: "Behold, I am against you, and I will draw My sword out of its sheath and cut off both righteous and wicked from you. 4Because I will cut off both righteous and wicked from you, therefore My sword shall go out of its sheath against all flesh from south to north, 5that all flesh may know that I, the LORD, have drawn My
sword out of its sheath; it shall not return anymore." ' 6Sigh therefore, son of
man, with a breaking heart, and sigh with bitterness before their eyes. 7And it shall be when they say to you, 'Why are you sighing?' that you shall answer, 'Because of the news; when it comes, every heart will melt, all hands will be feeble, every spirit will faint, and all knees will be weak as water. Behold, it is coming and shall be brought to pass,' says the Lord GOD."
8Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 9"Son of man, prophesy and say, 'Thus says the LORD!' Say: 'A sword, a sword is sharpened
And also polished! 10Sharpened to make a dreadful slaughter, Polished to flash like lightning! Should we then make mirth? It despises the scepter of My son, As it does all wood. 11And He has given it to be polished,
That it may be handled; This sword is sharpened, and it is polished To be given into the hand of the slayer.'
12"Cry and wail, son of man; For it will be against My people, Against all the princes of Israel. Terrors including the sword will be against My people; Therefore strike your thigh.
13"Because it is a testing, And what if the sword despises even the scepter? The scepter shall be no more,"
says the Lord GOD.
14"You therefore, son of man, prophesy, And strike your hands together. The third time let the sword do double damage. It is the sword that slays, The sword that slays the great men, That enters their private chambers. 15I have set the point of the sword against all their gates, That the heart may melt and many may stumble. Ah! It is made bright; It is grasped for slaughter:
16"Swords at the ready! Thrust right! Set your blade! Thrust left— Wherever your edge is ordered!
17"I also will beat My fists together, And I will cause My fury to rest; I, the LORD, have spoken."
18The word of the LORD came to me again, saying: 19"And son of man, appoint for yourself two ways for the sword of the king of Babylon to go; both of them shall go from the same land. Make a sign; put it at the head of the road to the
city. 20Appoint a road for the sword to go to Rabbah of the Ammonites, and to
Judah, into fortified Jerusalem. 21For the king of Babylon stands at the parting of the road, at the fork of the two roads, to use divination: he shakes the
arrows, he consults the images, he looks at the liver. 22In his right hand is the divination for Jerusalem: to set up battering rams, to call for a slaughter, to lift the voice with shouting, to set battering rams against the gates, to heap up a
siege mound, and to build a wall. 23And it will be to them like a false divination in the eyes of those who have sworn oaths with them; but he will bring their iniquity to remembrance, that they may be taken.
24"Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 'Because you have made your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are uncovered, so that in all your doings your sins appear—because you have come to remembrance, you shall be taken in hand.
25'Now to you, O profane, wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come, whose iniquity shall end, 26thus says the Lord GOD: "Remove the turban, and take off the crown;
Nothing shall remain the same. Exalt the humble, and humble the exalted. 27Overthrown, overthrown,
21:27 Until He comes. The 3-fold mention of "overthrown" expresses the severest degree of unsettled and chaotic conditions. Israel was to experience severe instability and even the kingly privilege will not be Israel's again until the Messiah comes, "to whom it rightly belongs," or "whose right it is" ( Gen. 49:10 ). God will give the kingship to Him ( Jer. 23:5–8 ), the greater "David" (Ezek. 37:24). His "right" is that perfect combination of priestly and royal offices (Heb. 5–7).
I will make it overthrown! It shall be no longer, Until He comes whose right it is, And I will give it to Him." '
A SWORD AGAINST THE AMMONITES
28"And you, son of man, prophesy and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD concerning the Ammonites and concerning their reproach,' and say: 'A sword, a sword is drawn,
Polished for slaughter, For consuming, for flashing— 29While they see false visions for you, While they divine a lie to you, To bring you on the necks of the wicked, the slain Whose day has come, Whose iniquity shall end.
30'Return it to its sheath.
I will judge you In the place where you were created, In the land of your nativity. 31I will pour out My indignation on you; I will blow against you with the fire of My wrath, And deliver you into the hands of brutal men who are skillful to destroy. 32You shall be fuel for the fire; Your blood shall be in the midst of the land. You shall not be remembered, For I the LORD have spoken.' "
Ezekiel 22
SINS OF JERUSALEM
1Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2"Now, son of man, will
you judge, will you judge the bloody city? Yes, show her all her abominations! 3Then say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "The city sheds blood in her own midst,
that her time may come; and she makes idols within herself to defile herself. 4You have become guilty by the blood which you have shed, and have defiled yourself with the idols which you have made. You have caused your days to draw near, and have come to the end of your years; therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations, and a mockery to all countries. 5Those near and those far from you will mock you as infamous and full of tumult.
6"Look, the princes of Israel: each one has used his power to shed blood in you. 7In you they have made light of father and mother; in your midst they have
oppressed the stranger; in you they have mistreated the fatherless and the widow. 8You have despised My holy things and profaned My Sabbaths. 9In you are men who slander to cause bloodshed; in you are those who eat on the mountains; in your midst they commit lewdness. 10In you men uncover their fathers' nakedness; in you
they violate women who are set apart during their impurity. 11One commits abomination with his neighbor's wife; another lewdly defiles his daughter-in-law; and another in you violates his sister, his father's daughter. 12In you they take bribes to shed blood; you take usury and increase; you have made profit from your neighbors by extortion, and have forgotten Me," says the Lord GOD.
13"Behold, therefore, I beat My fists at the dishonest profit which you have made, and at the bloodshed which has been in your midst. 14Can your heart endure, or can your hands remain strong, in the days when I shall deal with you? I, the LORD, have spoken, and will do it. 15I will scatter you among the nations, disperse you throughout the countries, and remove your filthiness completely from you. 16You shall defile yourself in the sight of the nations; then you shall know that I am the LORD." ' "
ISRAEL IN THE FURNACE
17The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 18"Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me; they are all bronze, tin, iron, and lead, in the midst of a furnace; they have become dross from silver. 19Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 'Because you have all become dross, therefore behold, I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem. 20As men gather silver, bronze, iron, lead, and tin into the midst of a furnace, to blow fire on it, to melt it; so I will gather you in My anger and in My fury, and I will leave you there and melt you. 21Yes, I will gather you and blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and you shall be melted in its midst. 22As silver is melted in the midst of a furnace, so shall you be melted in its midst; then you shall know that I, the LORD, have poured out My fury on you.' "
ISRAEL'S WICKED LEADERS
23And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 24"Son of man, say to her: 'You
are a land that is not cleanseda or rained on in the day of indignation.' 25The
conspiracy of her prophetsa in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured people; they have taken treasure and precious things; they
have made many widows in her midst. 26Her priests have violated My law and profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned
among them. 27Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed
blood, to destroy people, and to get dishonest gain. 28Her prophets plastered them with untempered mortar, seeing false visions, and divining lies for them,
saying, 'Thus says the Lord GOD,' when the LORD had not spoken. 29The people of the land have used oppressions, committed robbery, and mistreated the poor
and needy; and they wrongfully oppress the stranger. 30So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf
of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. 31Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My
wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads," says the Lord
GOD.
22:30 So I sought for a man. Ezekiel and Jeremiah were faithful, but apart from them God sought a man capable of advocacy for Israel when its sin had gone so far. But no one could lead the people to repentance and draw the nation back from the brink of the judgment that came in 586 B.C. (Jer. 7:26, 36; 19:15). Only God's Messiah, God Himself, will have the character and the credentials sufficient to do what no man can do, intercede for Israel (Is. 59:16–19; 63:5; Rev. 5). He was rejected by them in His earthly ministry, so the effects of this judgment continue today, until they turn to Him in faith (Zech. 12:10; 13:1).
Next November 15 Reading
Ezekiel 23
November 16
E ZEKIEL 23:1–24:27
TWO HARLOT SISTERS
1The word of the LORD came again to me, saying: 2"Son of man, there were two women,
The daughters of one mother. 3They committed harlotry in Egypt, They committed harlotry in their youth; Their breasts were there embraced, Their virgin bosom was there pressed. 4Their names: Oholaha the elder and Oholibahb her sister; They were Mine, And they bore sons and daughters. As for their names, Samaria is Oholah, and Jerusalem is Oholibah.
THE OLDER SISTER, SAMARIA
5"Oholah played the harlot even though she was Mine; And she lusted for her lovers, the neighboring Assyrians, 6Who were clothed in purple, Captains and rulers, All of them desirable young men, Horsemen riding on horses. 7Thus she committed her harlotry with them, All of them choice men of Assyria; And with all for whom she lusted, With all their idols, she defiled herself. 8She has never given up her harlotry brought from Egypt, For in her youth they had lain with her, Pressed her virgin bosom, And poured out their immorality upon her.
9"Therefore I have delivered her Into the hand of her lovers, Into the hand of the Assyrians, For whom she lusted.
10They uncovered her nakedness, Took away her sons and daughters, And slew her with the sword; She became a byword among women, For they had executed judgment on her.
THE YOUNGER SISTER, JERUSALEM
11"Now although her sister Oholibah saw this, she became more corrupt in her lust than she, and in her harlotry more corrupt than her sister's harlotry.
12"She lusted for the neighboring Assyrians, Captains and rulers, Clothed most gorgeously, Horsemen riding on horses, All of them desirable young men. 13Then I saw that she was defiled; Both took the same way. 14But she increased her harlotry; She looked at men portrayed on the wall, Images of Chaldeans portrayed in vermilion, 15Girded with belts around their waists, Flowing turbans on their heads, All of them looking like captains, In the manner of the Babylonians of Chaldea, The land of their nativity. 16As soon as her eyes saw them,
She lusted for them And sent messengers to them in Chaldea.
17"Then the Babylonians came to her, into the bed of love, And they defiled her with their immorality; So she was defiled by them, and alienated herself from them. 18She revealed her harlotry and uncovered her nakedness. Then I alienated Myself from her, As I had alienated Myself from her sister.
19"Yet she multiplied her harlotry In calling to remembrance the days of her youth, When she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt. 20For she lusted for her paramours, Whose flesh is like the flesh of donkeys, And whose issue is like the issue of horses. 21Thus you called to remembrance the lewdness of your youth, When the Egyptians pressed your bosom Because of your youthful breasts.
JUDGMENT ON JERUSALEM
22"Therefore, Oholibah, thus says the Lord lovers against you,
GOD: 'Behold, I will stir up your
From whom you have alienated yourself, And I will bring them against you from every side: 23The Babylonians, All the Chaldeans, Pekod, Shoa, Koa, All the Assyrians with them, All of them desirable young men, Governors and rulers, Captains and men of renown, All of them riding on horses. 24And they shall come against you With chariots, wagons, and war-horses, With a horde of people.
They shall array against you Buckler, shield, and helmet all around. 'I will delegate judgment to them, And they shall judge you according to their judgments. 25I will set My jealousy against you, And they shall deal furiously with you; They shall remove your nose and your ears, And your remnant shall fall by the sword; They shall take your sons and your daughters, And your remnant shall be devoured by fire. 26They shall also strip you of your clothes And take away your beautiful jewelry.
27'Thus I will make you cease your lewdness and your harlotry Brought from the land of Egypt, So that you will not lift your eyes to them, Nor remember Egypt anymore.'
28"For thus says the Lord GOD: 'Surely I will deliver you into the hand of those you
hate, into the hand of those from whom you alienated yourself. 29They will deal hatefully with you, take away all you have worked for, and leave you naked and bare. The nakedness of your harlotry shall be uncovered, both your lewdness and
your harlotry. 30I will do these things to you because you have gone as a harlot after
the Gentiles, because you have become defiled by their idols. 31You have walked in the way of your sister; therefore I will put her cup in your hand.'
32"Thus says the Lord GOD:
'You shall drink of your sister's cup, The deep and wide one; You shall be laughed to scorn And held in derision; It contains much. 33You will be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, The cup of horror and desolation, The cup of your sister Samaria. 34You shall drink and drain it, You shall break its shards, And tear at your own breasts; For I have spoken,' Says the Lord GOD.
35"Therefore thus says the Lord GOD:
'Because you have forgotten Me and cast Me behind your back, Therefore you shall bear the penalty Of your lewdness and your harlotry.' "
BOTH SISTERS JUDGED
36The LORD also said to me: "Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah?
Then declare to them their abominations. 37For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. They have committed adultery with their idols, and even sacrificed their sons whom they bore to Me, passing them through the fire,
to devour them. 38Moreover they have done this to Me: They have defiled My
sanctuary on the same day and profaned My Sabbaths. 39For after they had slain their children for their idols, on the same day they came into My sanctuary to profane it; and indeed thus they have done in the midst of My house.
40"Furthermore you sent for men to come from afar, to whom a messenger was sent; and there they came. And you washed yourself for them, painted your eyes, and adorned yourself with ornaments. 41You sat on a stately couch, with a table
prepared before it, on which you had set My incense and My oil. 42The sound of a carefree multitude was with her, and Sabeans were brought from the wilderness with men of the common sort, who put bracelets on their wrists and beautiful crowns on their heads. 43Then I said concerning her who had grown
old in adulteries, 'Will they commit harlotry with her now, and she with them?' 44Yet they went in to her, as men go in to a woman who plays the harlot; thus
they went in to Oholah and Oholibah, the lewd women. 45But righteous men will judge them after the manner of adulteresses, and after the manner of women who shed blood, because they are adulteresses, and blood is on their hands.
46"For thus says the Lord GOD: 'Bring up an assembly against them, give
them up to trouble and plunder. 47The assembly shall stone them with stones and execute them with their swords; they shall slay their sons and their daughters, and burn their houses with fire. 48Thus I will cause lewdness to cease from the land, that all women may be taught not to practice your lewdness. 49They shall repay you for your lewdness, and you shall pay for your idolatrous sins. Then you shall know that I am the Lord GOD.' "
Ezekiel 24
SYMBOL OF THE COOKING POT
1Again, in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2"Son of man, write down the name of the day, this very day—the king of Babylon started his siege against Jerusalem this very day. 3And utter a parable to the rebellious house, and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Put on a pot, set it on,
And also pour water into it. 4Gather pieces of meat in it, Every good piece, The thigh and the shoulder. Fill it with choice cuts; 5Take the choice of the flock. Also pile fuel bones under it, Make it boil well, And let the cuts simmer in it."
6'Therefore thus says the Lord GOD:
"Woe to the bloody city, To the pot whose scum is in it, And whose scum is not gone from it! Bring it out piece by piece, On which no lot has fallen. 7For her blood is in her midst; She set it on top of a rock; She did not pour it on the ground, To cover it with dust. 8That it may raise up fury and take vengeance, I have set her blood on top of a rock, That it may not be covered."
9'Therefore thus says the Lord GOD:
"Woe to the bloody city! I too will make the pyre great.
10Heap on the wood, Kindle the fire; Cook the meat well, Mix in the spices, And let the cuts be burned up.
11"Then set the pot empty on the coals, That it may become hot and its bronze may burn, That its filthiness may be melted in it, That its scum may be consumed. 12She has grown weary with lies, And her great scum has not gone from her. Let her scum be in the fire! 13In your filthiness is lewdness. Because I have cleansed you, and you were not cleansed, You will not be cleansed of your filthiness anymore, Till I have caused My fury to rest upon you. 14I, the LORD, have spoken it; It shall come to pass, and I will do it; I will not hold back, Nor will I spare, Nor will I relent;
According to your ways
And according to your deeds Theya will judge you," Says the Lord GOD.' "
THE PROPHET'S WIFE DIES
15Also the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 16"Son of man, behold, I take away from you the desire of your eyes with one stroke; yet you shall neither
mourn nor weep, nor shall your tears run down. 17Sigh in silence, make no mourning for the dead; bind your turban on your head, and put your sandals on your feet; do not cover your lips, and do not eat man's bread of sorrow."
24:16–27 Ezekiel's wife died as a sign to Israel. All personal sorrow was eclipsed in the universal calamity. Just as Ezekiel was not to mourn the death of his wife (v. 17), so Israel was not to mourn the death of her families (vv. 19–24). Though the text emphasizes how precious his wife was, the "desire of [his] eyes" (vv. 16, 21), his "boast" and "delight" (v. 21), he was obedient and submitted to God's will. He became a heartbreaking sign to his people.
18So I spoke to the people in the morning, and at evening my wife died; and the next morning I did as I was commanded.
19And the people said to me, "Will you not tell us what these things signify to us, that you behave so?"
20Then I answered them, "The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 21'Speak to the house of Israel, "Thus says the Lord GOD: 'Behold, I will profane My sanctuary, your arrogant boast, the desire of your eyes, the delight of your soul; and your sons and daughters whom you left behind shall fall by the sword. 22And you shall do as I have done; you shall not cover your lips nor eat man's bread of
sorrow. 23Your turbans shall be on your heads and your sandals on your feet; you shall neither mourn nor weep, but you shall pine away in your iniquities and mourn with one another. 24Thus Ezekiel is a sign to you; according
to all that he has done you shall do; and when this comes, you shall know that I am the Lord GOD.' "
25'And you, son of man—will it not be in the day when I take from them their stronghold, their joy and their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that on which
they set their minds, their sons and their daughters: 26that on that day one who
escapes will come to you to let you hear it with your ears? 27On that day your mouth will be opened to him who has escaped; you shall speak and no longer be mute. Thus you will be a sign to them, and they shall know that I am the LORD.' "
Next November 16 Reading
Ezekiel 25
November 17
E ZEKIEL 25:1–26:21
PROCLAMATION AGAINST AMMON
1The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2"Son of man, set your face against the Ammonites, and prophesy against them. 3Say to the Ammonites, 'Hear the word of the Lord GOD! Thus says the Lord GOD: "Because you said, 'Aha!' against My sanctuary when it was profaned, and against the land of Israel when it was desolate, and against the house of Judah when they went into captivity, 4indeed, therefore, I will deliver you as a possession to the men of the East, and they shall set their encampments among you and make their dwellings among you; they shall eat your fruit, and they shall drink your milk. 5And I will make Rabbah a stable for camels and Ammon a resting place for flocks. Then you shall know that I am the LORD."
6'For thus says the Lord GOD: "Because you clapped your hands, stamped your
feet, and rejoiced in heart with all your disdain for the land of Israel, 7indeed, therefore, I will stretch out My hand against you, and give you as plunder to the nations; I will cut you off from the peoples, and I will cause you to perish from the countries; I will destroy you, and you shall know that I am the LORD."
PROCLAMATION AGAINST MOAB
8'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Because Moab and Seir say, 'Look! The house of Judah is like all the nations,' 9therefore, behold, I will clear the territory of Moab of cities, of the cities on its frontier, the glory of the country, Beth Jeshimoth, Baal Meon, and Kirjathaim. 10To the men of the East I will give it as a possession, together with the Ammonites, that the Ammonites may not be remembered among the nations. 11And I will execute judgments upon Moab, and they shall know that I am the LORD."
PROCLAMATION AGAINST EDOM
12'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Because of what Edom did against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and has greatly offended by avenging itself on
them," 13therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "I will also stretch out My hand against Edom, cut off man and beast from it, and make it desolate from Teman;
Dedan shall fall by the sword. 14I will lay My vengeance on Edom by the hand of My people Israel, that they may do in Edom according to My anger and according to My fury; and they shall know My vengeance," says the Lord GOD.
PROCLAMATION AGAINST PHILISTIA
15'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Because the Philistines dealt vengefully and took
vengeance with a spiteful heart, to destroy because of the old hatred," 16therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "I will stretch out My hand against the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethites and destroy the remnant of the seacoast. 17I will execute great vengeance on them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I lay My vengeance upon them." ' "
Ezekiel 26
PROCLAMATION AGAINST TYRE
1And it came to pass in the eleventh year, on the first day of the month, that
the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2"Son of man, because Tyre has said against Jerusalem, 'Aha! She is broken who was the gateway of the peoples; now she is turned over to me; I shall be filled; she is laid waste.'
3"Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 'Behold, I am against you, O Tyre, and will cause many nations to come up against you, as the sea causes its waves to come up. 4And they shall destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers; I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock. 5It shall be a place for spreading nets in the midst of the sea, for I have spoken,' says the Lord GOD; 'it shall become plunder for the nations. 6Also her daughter villages which are in the fields shall be slain by the sword. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.'
7"For thus says the Lord GOD: 'Behold, I will bring against Tyre from the north
Nebuchadnezzara king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses, with chariots, and
with horsemen, and an army with many people. 8He will slay with the sword your daughter villages in the fields; he will heap up a siege mound against you, build a wall against you, and raise a defense against you. 9He will direct his battering
rams against your walls, and with his axes he will break down your towers. 10Because of the abundance of his horses, their dust will cover you; your walls will shake at the noise of the horsemen, the wagons, and the chariots, when he enters your gates, as men enter a city that has been breached. 11With the hooves of his horses he will trample all your streets; he will slay your people by the sword, and your strong pillars will fall to the ground. 12They will plunder your riches and pillage your merchandise; they will break down your walls and destroy your pleasant houses; they will lay your stones, your timber, and your soil in the midst of the water. 13I will put an end to the sound of your songs, and the sound
of your harps shall be heard no more. 14I will make you like the top of a rock; you shall be a place for spreading nets, and you shall never be rebuilt, for I the LORD have spoken,' says the Lord GOD.
15"Thus says the Lord GOD to Tyre: 'Will the coastlands not shake at the sound
of your fall, when the wounded cry, when slaughter is made in the midst of you? 16Then all the princes of the sea will come down from their thrones, lay aside their robes, and take off their embroidered garments; they will clothe themselves with trembling; they will sit on the ground, tremble every moment, and be astonished at you. 17And they will take up a lamentation for you, and say to you: "How you have perished,
O one inhabited by seafaring men, O renowned city, Who was strong at sea, She and her inhabitants, Who caused their terror to be on all her inhabitants! 18Now the coastlands tremble on the day of your fall; Yes, the coastlands by the sea are troubled at your departure." '
19"For thus says the Lord GOD: 'When I make you a desolate city, like cities that are not inhabited, when I bring the deep upon you, and great waters
cover you, 20then I will bring you down with those who descend into the Pit, to the people of old, and I will make you dwell in the lowest part of the earth, in places desolate from antiquity, with those who go down to the Pit, so that you
may never be inhabited; and I shall establish glory in the land of the living. 21I will make you a terror, and you shall be no more; though you are sought for, you will never be found again,' says the Lord GOD."
Next November 17 Reading
Ezekiel 27
November 18
E ZEKIEL 27:1–28:26
LAMENTATION FOR TYRE
1The word of the LORD came again to me, saying, 2"Now, son of man, take
up a lamentation for Tyre, 3and say to Tyre, 'You who are situated at the entrance of the sea, merchant of the peoples on many coastlands, thus says the Lord GOD: "O Tyre, you have said,
'I am perfect in beauty.' 4Your borders are in the midst of the seas. Your builders have perfected your beauty. 5They made all your planks of fir trees from Senir; They took a cedar from Lebanon to make you a mast. 6Of oaks from Bashan they made your oars; The company of Ashurites have inlaid your planks With ivory from the coasts of Cyprus.a
7Fine embroidered linen from Egypt was what you spread for your sail; Blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah was
what covered you.
8"Inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your oarsmen; Your wise men, O Tyre, were in you; They became your pilots. 9Elders of Gebal and its wise men Were in you to caulk your seams; All the ships of the sea And their oarsmen were in you To market your merchandise.
10"Those from Persia, Lydia,a and Libyab Were in your army as men of war; They hung shield and helmet in you; They gave splendor to you. 11Men of Arvad with your army were on your walls all around, And the men of Gammad were in your towers; They hung their shields on your walls all around; They made your beauty perfect.
12"Tarshish was your merchant because of your many luxury goods. They gave
you silver, iron, tin, and lead for your goods. 13Javan, Tubal, and Meshech were your traders. They bartered human lives and vessels of bronze for your merchandise. 14Those from the house of Togarmah traded for your wares with
horses, steeds, and mules. 15The men of Dedan were your traders; many isles were the market of your hand. They brought you ivory tusks and ebony as payment. 16Syria was your merchant because of the abundance of goods you made. They gave you for your wares emeralds, purple, embroidery, fine linen, corals, and rubies. 17Judah and the land of Israel were your traders. They traded
for your merchandise wheat of Minnith, millet, honey, oil, and balm. 18Damascus was your merchant because of the abundance of goods you made, because of your many luxury items, with the wine of Helbon and with white wool. 19Dan and Javan paid for your wares, traversing back and forth. Wrought iron, cassia, and cane were among your merchandise. 20Dedan was your merchant in
saddlecloths for riding. 21Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your regular
merchants. They traded with you in lambs, rams, and goats. 22The merchants of Sheba and Raamah were your merchants. They traded for your wares the choicest spices, all kinds of precious stones, and gold. 23Haran, Canneh, Eden,
the merchants of Sheba, Assyria, and Chilmad were your merchants. 24These were your merchants in choice items—in purple clothes, in embroidered garments, in chests of multicolored apparel, in sturdy woven cords, which were in your marketplace.
25"The ships of Tarshish were carriers of your merchandise. You were filled and very glorious in the midst of the seas. 26Your oarsmen brought you into many waters, But the east wind broke you in the midst of the seas.
27"Your riches, wares, and merchandise, Your mariners and pilots, Your caulkers and merchandisers, All your men of war who are in you, And the entire company which is in your midst, Will fall into the midst of the seas on the day of your ruin. 28The common-land will shake at the sound of the cry of your pilots.
29"All who handle the oar, The mariners,
All the pilots of the sea Will come down from their ships and stand on the shore. 30They will make their voice heard because of you; They will cry bitterly and cast dust on their heads; They will roll about in ashes; 31They will shave themselves completely bald because of you, Gird themselves with sackcloth,
And weep for you With bitterness of heart and bitter wailing. 32In their wailing for you They will take up a lamentation, And lament for you: 'What city is like Tyre, Destroyed in the midst of the sea?
33'When your wares went out by sea, You satisfied many people; You enriched the kings of the earth With your many luxury goods and your merchandise. 34But you are broken by the seas in the depths of the waters; Your merchandise and the entire company will fall in your midst. 35All the inhabitants of the isles will be astonished at you; Their kings will be greatly afraid, And their countenance will be troubled. 36The merchants among the peoples will hiss at you; You will become a horror, and be no more forever.' " ' "
Ezekiel 28
PROCLAMATION AGAINST THE KING OF TYRE
1The word of the LORD came to me again, saying, 2"Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, 'Thus says the Lord GOD:
28:1–19 This section concerning the king of Tyre is similar to Isaiah 14:3–23 referring to the king of Babylon. In both passages, some of the language best fits Satan. Most likely, both texts primarily describe the human king who is being used by Satan, much like Peter when Jesus said to him, "Get behind Me, Satan!" (Matt. 16:23). The judgment can certainly apply to Satan, also.
"Because your heart is lifted up, And you say, 'I am a god, I sit in the seat of gods, In the midst of the seas,' Yet you are a man, and not a god, Though you set your heart as the heart of a god 3(Behold, you are wiser than Daniel! There is no secret that can be hidden from you! 4With your wisdom and your understanding You have gained riches for yourself, And gathered gold and silver into your treasuries; 5By your great wisdom in trade you have increased your riches, And your heart is lifted up because of your riches)," 6'Therefore thus says the Lord GOD:
"Because you have set your heart as the heart of a god, 7Behold, therefore, I will bring strangers against you, The most terrible of the nations; And they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom, And defile your splendor. 8They shall throw you down into the Pit, And you shall die the death of the slain In the midst of the seas.
9"Will you still say before him who slays you, 'I am a god'? But you shall be a man, and not a god, In the hand of him who slays you. 10You shall die the death of the uncircumcised By the hand of aliens; For I have spoken," says the Lord GOD.' "
LAMENTATION FOR THE KING OF TYRE
11Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 12"Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say to him, 'Thus says the Lord GOD:
28:12 the seal of perfection. The Lord led Ezekiel to address the king as the one to be judged, but clearly the power behind him was Satan. This phrase must be associated with Satan as one perfect in angelic beauty before he rebelled against God. But it can also relate to "perfection" in the same context of Tyre's enterprise, topmost in its trade to the ancient world (27:3, 4, 11), glorious in her seafaring efforts (27:24), and the crowning city (Is. 23:8), i.e., "perfect" as Jerusalem also is said to be (16:14; Lam. 2:15). Full of wisdom. This referred to Satan's wisdom as an angel and to Tyre's wisdom (skill) in trade (27:8, 9; 28:4).
"You were the seal of perfection,
Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, Beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes Was prepared for you on the day you were created.
14"You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. 15You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, Till iniquity was found in you.
16"By the abundance of your trading You became filled with violence within, And you sinned; Therefore I cast you as a profane thing Out of the mountain of God; And I destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the fiery stones.
17"Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, That they might gaze at you.
18"You defiled your sanctuaries By the multitude of your iniquities, By the iniquity of your trading; Therefore I brought fire from your midst; It devoured you, And I turned you to ashes upon the earth In the sight of all who saw you. 19All who knew you among the peoples are astonished at you; You have become a horror, And shall be no more forever." ' "
PROCLAMATION AGAINST SIDON
20Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 21"Son of man, set your face toward Sidon, and prophesy against her, 22and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I am against you, O Sidon;
I will be glorified in your midst; And they shall know that I am the LORD, When I execute judgments in her and am hallowed in her. 23For I will send pestilence upon her, And blood in her streets; The wounded shall be judged in her midst By the sword against her on every side; Then they shall know that I am the LORD.
24"And there shall no longer be a pricking brier or a painful thorn for the house of Israel from among all who are around them, who despise them. Then they shall know that I am the Lord GOD."
ISRAEL'S FUTURE BLESSING
25'Thus says the Lord GOD: "When I have gathered the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and am hallowed in them in the sight of the Gentiles, then they will dwell in their own land which I gave to My servant
Jacob. 26And they will dwell safely there, build houses, and plant vineyards; yes, they will dwell securely, when I execute judgments on all those around them who despise them. Then they shall know that I am the LORD their God." ' "
Next November 18 Reading
Ezekiel 29
November 19
E ZEKIEL 29:1–30:26
PROCLAMATION AGAINST EGYPT
1In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2"Son of man, set your face against
Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him, and against all Egypt. 3Speak, and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I am against you, O Pharaoh king of Egypt, O great monster who lies in the midst of his rivers, Who has said, 'My Rivera is my own; I have made it for myself.' 4But I will put hooks in your jaws, And cause the fish of your rivers to stick to your scales; I will bring you up out of the midst of your rivers, And all the fish in your rivers will stick to your scales. 5I will leave you in the wilderness, You and all the fish of your rivers; You shall fall on the open field; You shall not be picked up or gathered.a
I have given you as food To the beasts of the field And to the birds of the heavens.
6"Then all the inhabitants of Egypt Shall know that I am the LORD, Because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel. 7When they took hold of you with the hand, You broke and tore all their shoulders;a
When they leaned on you, You broke and made all their backs quiver."
8'Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Surely I will bring a sword upon you and
cut off from you man and beast. 9And the land of Egypt shall become desolate and waste; then they will know that I am the LORD, because he said, 'The River is
mine, and I have made it.' 10Indeed, therefore, I am against you and against your rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste and desolate, from
Migdola to Syene, as far as the border of Ethiopia. 11Neither foot of man shall
pass through it nor foot of beast pass through it, and it shall be uninhabited
forty years. 12I will make the land of Egypt desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate; and among the cities that are laid waste, her cities shall be desolate forty years; and I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them throughout the countries."
13'Yet, thus says the Lord GOD: "At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the peoples among whom they were scattered. 14I will bring back the captives of Egypt and cause them to return to the land of Pathros, to the land of their origin, and there they shall be a lowly kingdom. 15It shall be the lowliest of kingdoms; it shall never again exalt itself above the nations, for I will diminish them so that they will not rule over the nations anymore. 16No longer shall it be the confidence of the house of Israel, but will remind them of their iniquity when they turned to follow them. Then they shall know that I am the Lord GOD." ' "
BABYLONIA WILL PLUNDER EGYPT
17And it came to pass in the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the
first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 18"Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon caused his army to labor strenuously against Tyre; every head was made bald, and every shoulder rubbed raw; yet neither he nor his army received wages from Tyre, for the labor which they expended on it. 19Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 'Surely I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; he shall take away her wealth, carry off her spoil, and remove her pillage; and that will be the wages for his army. 20I have given him the land of Egypt for his labor, because they worked for Me,' says the Lord GOD.
21'In that day I will cause the horn of the house of Israel to spring forth, and I will open your mouth to speak in their midst. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.' "
29:21 I will cause the horn…to spring forth. God caused Israel's power to return and restored her authority as the power in an animal's horn (1 Sam. 2:1). Though other nations subdued her, her latter end in messianic times will be blessed. I will open your mouth. Most likely this refers to the day when Ezekiel's writings would be understood by looking back at their fulfillment. His muteness had already ceased in 586/585 B.C. when Jerusalem fell (33:21, 22).
Ezekiel 30
EGYPT AND HER ALLIES WILL FALL
1The word of the LORD came to me again, saying, 2"Son of man, prophesy and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Wail, 'Woe to the day!'
3For the day is near, Even the day of the LORD is near; It will be a day of clouds, the time of the Gentiles. 4The sword shall come upon Egypt, And great anguish shall be in Ethiopia, When the slain fall in Egypt, And they take away her wealth, And her foundations are broken down.
5"Ethiopia, Libya,a Lydia,b all the mingled people, Chub, and the men of the lands who are allied, shall fall with them by the sword."
6'Thus says the LORD:
"Those who uphold Egypt shall fall, And the pride of her power shall come down. From Migdol to Syene Those within her shall fall by the sword," Says the Lord GOD. 7"They shall be desolate in the midst of the desolate countries, And her cities shall be in the midst of the cities that are laid waste. 8Then they will know that I am the LORD, When I have set a fire in Egypt And all her helpers are destroyed. 9On that day messengers shall go forth from Me in ships To make the careless Ethiopians afraid, And great anguish shall come upon them, As on the day of Egypt; For indeed it is coming!"
10'Thus says the Lord GOD:
"I will also make a multitude of Egypt to cease By the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. 11He and his people with him, the most terrible of the nations, Shall be brought to destroy the land; They shall draw their swords against Egypt, And fill the land with the slain. 12I will make the rivers dry, And sell the land into the hand of the wicked; I will make the land waste, and all that is in it, By the hand of aliens. I, the LORD, have spoken."
13'Thus says the Lord GOD:
"I will also destroy the idols, And cause the images to cease from Noph;a
There shall no longer be princes from the land of Egypt; I will put fear in the land of Egypt. 14I will make Pathros desolate, Set fire to Zoan, And execute judgments in No.a
15I will pour My fury on Sin,a the strength of Egypt; I will cut off the multitude of No, 16And set a fire in Egypt; Sin shall have great pain, No shall be split open, And Noph shall be in distress daily. 17The young men of Avena and Pi Beseth shall fall by the sword, And these cities shall go into captivity. 18At Tehaphnehesa the day shall also be darkened,b When I break the yokes of Egypt there. And her arrogant strength shall cease in her; As for her, a cloud shall cover her, And her daughters shall go into captivity. 19Thus I will execute judgments on Egypt, Then they shall know that I am the LORD." ' "
PROCLAMATION AGAINST PHARAOH
20And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first month, on the seventh
day of the month, that the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 21"Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and see, it has not been bandaged for healing, nor a splint put on to bind it, to make it strong enough to hold a sword. 22Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 'Surely I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and will break his arms, both the strong one
and the one that was broken; and I will make the sword fall out of his hand. 23I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse them
throughout the countries. 24I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and put My sword in his hand; but I will break Pharaoh's arms, and he will groan before him with the groanings of a mortally wounded man. 25Thus I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down; they shall know that I am the LORD, when I put My sword into the hand of the king of Babylon and he stretches it out against the land of Egypt. 26I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them throughout the countries. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.' "
Next November 19 Reading
Ezekiel 31
November 20
E ZEKIEL 31:1–32:32
EGYPT CUT DOWN LIKE A GREAT TREE
1Now it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the third month, on the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2"Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his multitude:
31:2–18 Whom are you like…? Ezekiel filled this chapter with a metaphor/analogy comparing Egypt to a huge tree that dominates a forest to a king/nation that dominates the world (17:22–24; Dan. 4:1–12, 19–27). He reasoned that just as a strong tree like Assyria (v. 3) fell (ca. 609 B.C.), so will Egypt (ca. 568 B.C.). If the Egyptians tend to be proud and feel invincible, let them remember how powerful Assyria had fallen already.
'Whom are you like in your greatness? 3Indeed Assyria was a cedar in Lebanon, With fine branches that shaded the forest, And of high stature; And its top was among the thick boughs. 4The waters made it grow;
Underground waters gave it height, With their rivers running around the place where it was planted, And sent out rivulets to all the trees of the field.
5'Therefore its height was exalted above all the trees of the field; Its boughs were multiplied, And its branches became long because of the abundance of water, As it sent them out. 6All the birds of the heavens made their nests in its boughs; Under its branches all the beasts of the field brought forth their young; And in its shadow all great nations made their home.
7'Thus it was beautiful in greatness and in the length of its branches, Because its roots reached to abundant waters. 8The cedars in the garden of God could not hide it; The fir trees were not like its boughs, And the chestnuta trees were not like its branches; No tree in the
garden of God was like it in beauty. 9I made it beautiful with a multitude of branches, So that all the trees of Eden envied it, That were in the garden of God.'
10"Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 'Because you have increased in height, and it set its top among the thick boughs, and its heart was lifted up in its height, 11therefore I will deliver it into the hand of the mighty one of the nations, and he shall surely deal with it; I have driven it out for its wickedness. 12And aliens, the most terrible of the nations, have cut it down and left it; its branches have fallen on the mountains and in all the valleys; its boughs lie broken by all the rivers of the land; and all the peoples of the earth have gone from under its shadow and left it.
13'On its ruin will remain all the birds of the heavens, And all the
beasts of the field will come to its branches— 14'So that no trees by the waters may ever again exalt themselves for their height, nor set their tops among the thick boughs, that no tree which drinks water may ever be high enough to reach up to them.
'For they have all been delivered to death, To the depths of the earth,
Among the children of men who go down to the Pit.'
15"Thus says the Lord GOD: 'In the day when it went down to hell, I caused mourning. I covered the deep because of it. I restrained its rivers, and the great waters were held back. I caused Lebanon to mourn for it, and all the trees of the field wilted because of it. 16I made the nations shake at the sound of its fall, when I cast it down to hell together with those who descend into the Pit; and all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, were comforted in the depths of the earth. 17They also went down to hell with it, with those slain by the sword; and those who were its strong arm dwelt in its shadows among the nations.
18'To which of the trees in Eden will you then be likened in glory and greatness? Yet you shall be brought down with the trees of Eden to the depths of the earth; you shall lie in the midst of the uncircumcised, with those slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude,' says the Lord GOD."
Ezekiel 32
LAMENTATION FOR PHARAOH AND EGYPT
1And it came to pass in the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, on the first
day of the month, that the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2"Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say to him: 'You are like a young lion among the nations,
And you are like a monster in the seas, Bursting forth in your rivers, Troubling the waters with your feet, And fouling their rivers.
3'Thus says the Lord GOD:
"I will therefore spread My net over you with a company of many people, And they will draw you up in My net. 4Then I will leave you on the land; I will cast you out on the open fields, And cause to settle on you all the birds of the heavens. And with you I will fill the beasts of the whole earth. 5I will lay your flesh on the mountains, And fill the valleys with your carcass.
6"I will also water the land with the flow of your blood, Even to the mountains; And the riverbeds will be full of you. 7When I put out your light, I will cover the heavens, and make its stars dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, And the moon shall not give her light. 8All the bright lights of the heavens I will make dark over you, And bring darkness upon your land," Says the Lord GOD.
9'I will also trouble the hearts of many peoples, when I bring your destruction
among the nations, into the countries which you have not known. 10Yes, I will
make many peoples astonished at you, and their kings shall be horribly afraid of you when I brandish My sword before them; and they shall tremble every moment, every man for his own life, in the day of your fall.
11'For thus says the Lord GOD: "The sword of the king of Babylon shall come upon you. 12By the swords of the mighty warriors, all of them the most terrible of the nations, I will cause your multitude to fall.
"They shall plunder the pomp of Egypt, And all its multitude shall be destroyed. 13Also I will destroy all its animals From beside its great waters; The foot of man shall muddy them no more, Nor shall the hooves of animals muddy them. 14Then I will make their waters clear, And make their rivers run like oil," Says the Lord GOD.
15"When I make the land of Egypt desolate, And the country is destitute of all that once filled it, When I strike all who dwell in it, Then they shall know that I am the LORD.
16"This is the lamentation With which they shall lament her; The daughters of the nations shall lament her; They shall lament for her, for Egypt, And for all her multitude," Says the Lord GOD.' "
EGYPT AND OTHERS CONSIGNED TO THE PIT
17It came to pass also in the twelfth year, on the fifteenth day of the month, that the word of the LORD came to me, saying: 18"Son of man, wail over the multitude of Egypt,
And cast them down to the depths of the earth, Her and the daughters of the famous nations, With those who go down to the Pit: 19'Whom do you surpass in beauty?
Go down, be placed with the uncircumcised.'
20"They shall fall in the midst of those slain by the sword; She is delivered to the sword, Drawing her and all her multitudes. 21The strong among the mighty Shall speak to him out of the midst of hell With those who help him: 'They have gone down, They lie with the uncircumcised, slain by the sword.'
22"Assyria is there, and all her company, With their graves all around her, All of them slain, fallen by the sword. 23Her graves are set in the recesses of the Pit, And her company is all around her grave, All of them slain, fallen by the sword, Who caused terror in the land of the living.
24"There is Elam and all her multitude, All around her grave, All of them slain, fallen by the sword, Who have gone down uncircumcised to the lower parts of the earth, Who caused their terror in the land of the living; Now they bear their shame with those who go down to the Pit. 25They have set her bed in the midst of the slain, With all her multitude, With her graves all around it, All of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword;
Though their terror was caused In the land of the living,
Yet they bear their shame With those who go down to the Pit; It was put in the midst of the slain.
26"There are Meshech and Tubal and all their multitudes, With all their graves around it, All of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword, Though they caused their terror in the land of the living. 27They do not lie with the mighty Who are fallen of the uncircumcised, Who have gone down to hell with their weapons of war; They have laid their swords under their heads, But their iniquities will be on their bones, Because of the terror of the mighty in the land of the living. 28Yes, you shall be broken in the midst of the uncircumcised, And lie with those slain by the sword.
29"There is Edom, Her kings and all her princes,
Who despite their might Are laid beside those slain by the sword; They shall lie with the uncircumcised, And with those who go down to the Pit. 30There are the princes of the north, All of them, and all the Sidonians, Who have gone down with the slain In shame at the terror which they caused by their might; They lie uncircumcised with those slain by the sword, And bear their shame with those who go down to the Pit.
31"Pharaoh will see them And be comforted over all his multitude, Pharaoh and all his army, Slain by the sword," Says the Lord GOD.
32"For I have caused My terror in the land of the living; And he shall be placed in the midst of the uncircumcised With those slain by the sword, Pharaoh and all his multitude," Says the Lord GOD.
Next November 20 Reading
Ezekiel 33
November 21
E ZEKIEL 33:1–34:31
THE WATCHMAN AND HIS MESSAGE
1Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2"Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and say to them: 'When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman, 3when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he
blows the trumpet and warns the people, 4then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head. 5He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will save his life. 6But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand.'
33:2–9 watchman. Such men as Jeremiah and Ezekiel (3:16–21) were spiritual watchmen (33:7–9), warning that God would bring a sword on His people so that they had opportunity to prepare and be safe. This analogy came from the custom of putting guards on the city wall watching for the approach of danger, then trumpeting the warning.
33:4 his blood…on his own head. Once the watchman did his duty, the responsibility passed to each person. Each person is accountable for his own response to God's warnings, whether to die in judgment or to live as one who heeded and repented. Ezekiel had been a very faithful and obedient "watchman.".
7"So you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me. 8When I say to the wicked, 'O wicked man, you shall surely die!' and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 9Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.
10"Therefore you, O son of man, say to the house of Israel: 'Thus you say, "If our transgressions and our sins lie upon us, and we pine away in them, how can
we then live?" ' 11Say to them: 'As I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?'
THE FAIRNESS OF GOD'S JUDGMENT
12"Therefore you, O son of man, say to the children of your people: 'The righteousness of the righteous man shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression; as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall because of it in the day that he turns from his wickedness; nor shall the righteous be able to
live because of his righteousness in the day that he sins.' 13When I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, but he trusts in his own righteousness and commits iniquity, none of his righteous works shall be remembered; but because
of the iniquity that he has committed, he shall die. 14Again, when I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' if he turns from his sin and does what is lawful and
right, 15if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has stolen, and walks in the statutes of life without committing iniquity, he shall surely live; he
shall not die. 16None of his sins which he has committed shall be remembered against him; he has done what is lawful and right; he shall surely live.
17"Yet the children of your people say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair.' But it is their way which is not fair! 18When the righteous turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he shall die because of it. 19But when the wicked turns
from his wickedness and does what is lawful and right, he shall live because of it. 20Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair.' O house of Israel, I will judge
every one of you according to his own ways."
THE FALL OF JERUSALEM
21And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, on the fifth day of the month, that one who had escaped from Jerusalem came to me and said, "The city has been captured!"
22Now the hand of the LORD had been upon me the evening before the man came who had escaped. And He had opened my mouth; so when he came to me in the morning, my mouth was opened, and I was no longer mute.
THE CAUSE OF JUDAH'S RUIN
23Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: 24"Son of man, they who inhabit those ruins in the land of Israel are saying, 'Abraham was only one, and he inherited the land. But we are many; the land has been given to us as a possession.'
25"Therefore say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "You eat meat with blood, you lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood. Should you then possess the land? 26You rely on your sword, you commit abominations, and you defile one another's wives. Should you then possess the land?" '
27"Say thus to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "As I live, surely those who are in the ruins shall fall by the sword, and the one who is in the open field I will give to the beasts to be devoured, and those who are in the strongholds and caves shall die of the pestilence. 28For I will make the land most desolate, her arrogant strength shall cease, and the mountains of Israel shall be so desolate that no one will pass through. 29Then they shall know that I am the LORD, when I have made the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed." '
HEARING AND NOT DOING
30"As for you, son of man, the children of your people are talking about you beside the walls and in the doors of the houses; and they speak to one another, everyone saying to his brother, 'Please come and hear what the word is that comes from the LORD.' 31So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain. 32Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them. 33And when this comes to pass—surely it will come—then they will know that a prophet has been among them."
Ezekiel 34
IRRESPONSIBLE SHEPHERDS
1And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2"Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD to the shepherds: "Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not
the shepherds feed the flocks? 3You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the
wool; you slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock. 4The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost;
but with force and cruelty you have ruled them. 5So they were scattered because there was no shepherd; and they became food for all the beasts of the field when
they were scattered. 6My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and on every high hill; yes, My flock was scattered over the whole face of the earth, and no one was seeking or searching for them."
7'Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: 8"As I live," says the Lord GOD, "surely because My flock became a prey, and My flock became food for every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, nor did My shepherds search for My flock, but the shepherds fed themselves and did not
feed My flock"— 9therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the LORD! 10Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My flock at their hand; I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall feed themselves no more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for them."
GOD, THE TRUE SHEPHERD
11'For thus says the Lord GOD: "Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and
seek them out. 12As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places
where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day. 13And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land; I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, in the valleys and in all
the inhabited places of the country. 14I will feed them in good pasture, and their fold shall be on the high mountains of Israel. There they shall lie down in a good
fold and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15I will feed My flock,
and I will make them lie down," says the Lord GOD. 16"I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong, and feed them in judgment."
17'And as for you, O My flock, thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I shall judge
between sheep and sheep, between rams and goats. 18Is it too little for you to have eaten up the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the residue of your pasture—and to have drunk of the clear waters, that you must
foul the residue with your feet? 19And as for My flock, they eat what you have trampled with your feet, and they drink what you have fouled with your feet."
20'Therefore thus says the Lord GOD to them: "Behold, I Myself will judge between the fat and the lean sheep. 21Because you have pushed with side and shoulder, butted all the weak ones with your horns, and scattered them abroad, 22therefore I will save My flock, and they shall no longer be a prey; and I will judge between sheep and sheep. 23I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them—My servant David. He shall feed them and be their shepherd. 24And I, the LORD, will be their God, and My servant David a prince among them; I, the LORD, have spoken.
25"I will make a covenant of peace with them, and cause wild beasts to cease
from the land; and they will dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. 26I will make them and the places all around My hill a blessing; and I will cause
showers to come down in their season; there shall be showers of blessing. 27Then the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase. They shall be safe in their land; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke and delivered them from the hand of those who enslaved them. 28And they shall no longer be a prey for the nations, nor shall beasts of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and no one shall make them afraid. 29I will raise up for them a garden of renown, and they shall no longer be consumed with hunger in the land, nor bear the shame of the Gentiles anymore. 30Thus they shall know that I, the LORD their God, am with them, and they, the house of Israel, are My people," says the Lord
GOD.'
31"You are My flock, the flock of My pasture; you are men, and I am your
God," says the Lord GOD.
Next November 21 Reading
Ezekiel 35
November 22
E ZEKIEL 35:1–36:38
JUDGMENT ON MOUNT SEIR
1Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2"Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir and prophesy against it, 3and say to it, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, O Mount Seir, I am against you;
I will stretch out My hand against you, And make you most desolate; 4I shall lay your cities waste, And you shall be desolate. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.
5"Because you have had an ancient hatred, and have shed the blood of the children of Israel by the power of the sword at the time of their calamity, when their iniquity came to an end, 6therefore, as I live," says the Lord GOD, "I will prepare you for blood, and blood shall pursue you; since you have not hated blood, therefore blood shall pursue you. 7Thus I will make Mount Seir most desolate, and cut off from it the one who leaves and the one who returns. 8And I will fill its mountains with the slain; on your hills and in your valleys and in all your ravines those who are slain by the sword shall fall. 9I will make you perpetually desolate, and your cities shall be uninhabited; then you shall know that I am the LORD.
10"Because you have said, 'These two nations and these two countries shall
be mine, and we will possess them,' although the LORD was there, 11therefore, as I live," says the Lord GOD, "I will do according to your anger and according to the envy which you showed in your hatred against them; and I will make Myself known among them when I judge you. 12Then you shall know that I am the LORD. I have heard all your blasphemies which you have spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying, 'They are desolate; they are given to us to consume.' 13Thus with your mouth you have boasted against Me and multiplied your words against Me; I have heard them."
14'Thus says the Lord GOD: "The whole earth will rejoice when I make you
desolate. 15As you rejoiced because the inheritance of the house of Israel was desolate, so I will do to you; you shall be desolate, O Mount Seir, as well as all
of Edom—all of it! Then they shall know that I am the LORD." '
Ezekiel 36
BLESSING ON ISRAEL
1"And you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say, 'O
mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD! 2Thus says the Lord GOD: "Because the enemy has said of you, 'Aha! The ancient heights have become our possession,' " ' 3therefore prophesy, and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Because they made you desolate and swallowed you up on every side, so that you became the possession of the rest of the nations, and you are taken up by the lips of talkers and slandered by the people"— 4therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD! Thus says the Lord GOD to the mountains, the hills, the rivers, the valleys, the desolate wastes, and the cities that have been forsaken, which became plunder and mockery to the rest of the nations all around— 5therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Surely I have spoken in My burning jealousy against the rest of the nations and against all Edom, who gave My land to themselves as a possession, with wholehearted joy and spiteful minds, in order to plunder its open country." '
36:1 This chapter presents the prerequisite regeneration which Israel must experience before they can nationally enter into the promised blessings. This chapter must be understood to speak of a literal Israel, a literal land, and a literal regeneration, leading to a literal kingdom under Messiah. prophesy to the mountains. vv. 1, 4, 6, 8. Ezekiel addresses Israel's mountains as symbolic of the whole nation. He promises: 1) to give these mountains again to dispersed Israel (v. 12); 2) to cause fruit to grow on them (v. 8); 3) to rebuild cities and to multiply people there (v. 10); and 4) to bless in a greater way than in the past (v. 11). This promise can only be fulfilled in future millennial blessing to Israel that she has not yet experienced, because it includes the salvation of the New Covenant (vv. 25–27, 29, 31, 33).
6"Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains, the hills, the rivers, and the valleys, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I have spoken in My jealousy and My fury, because you have borne the shame of the nations." 7Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "I have raised My hand in an oath that surely the nations that are around you shall bear their own shame. 8But you, O mountains of Israel, you shall shoot forth your
branches and yield your fruit to My people Israel, for they are about to come. 9For indeed I am for you, and I will turn to you, and you shall be tilled and
sown. 10I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, all of it; and the
cities shall be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. 11I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bear young; I will make you inhabited as in former times, and do better for you than at your beginnings. Then you shall know that I am the LORD. 12Yes, I will cause men to walk on you, My people Israel; they shall take possession of you, and you shall be their inheritance; no more shall you bereave them of children."
13'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Because they say to you, 'You devour men and
bereave your nation of children,' 14therefore you shall devour men no more, nor
bereave your nation anymore," says the Lord GOD. 15"Nor will I let you hear the taunts of the nations anymore, nor bear the reproach of the peoples anymore, nor shall you cause your nation to stumble anymore," says the Lord GOD.' "
THE RENEWAL OF ISRAEL
16Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying: 17"Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own ways and deeds; to Me their way was like the uncleanness of a woman in her customary impurity. 18Therefore I poured out My fury on them for the blood they had shed
on the land, and for their idols with which they had defiled it. 19So I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed throughout the countries; I judged them according to their ways and their deeds. 20When they came to the nations, wherever they went, they profaned My holy name—when they said of
them, 'These are the people of the LORD, and yet they have gone out of His land.' 21But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations wherever they went.
22"Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name's sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. 23And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD," says the Lord GOD, "when I am hallowed in you before their eyes. 24For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. 25Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will
cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27I will put My Spirit within you and cause you
to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. 28Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God. 29I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. I will call for
the grain and multiply it, and bring no famine upon you. 30And I will multiply the fruit of your trees and the increase of your fields, so that you need never again bear the reproach of famine among the nations. 31Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities and your abominations. 32Not for your sake do I do this," says the Lord GOD, "let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel!"
36:25–27 I will cleanse you. Along with the physical reality of a return to the land, God pledged spiritual renewal: 1) cleansing from sin; 2) a new heart of the New Covenant (Jer. 31:31–34); 3) a new spirit or disposition inclined to worship Him; and 4) His Spirit dwelling in them, enabling them to walk in obedience to His word. This has not happened, because Israel has not trusted Jesus Christ as Messiah and Savior, but it will before the kingdom of Messiah (Zech. 12–14; Rom. 11:25–27; Rev. 11:13).
36:26, 27 What was figuratively described in v. 25 is explained as literal in vv. 26, 27. The gift of the "new heart" signifies the new birth, which is regeneration by the Holy Spirit (11:18–20). The "heart" stands for the whole nature. The "spirit" indicates the governing power of the mind which directs thought and conduct. A "stony heart" is stubborn and self-willed. A "heart of flesh" is pliable and responsive. The evil inclination is removed and a new nature replaces it. This is New Covenant character as in Jeremiah 31:31–34.
33'Thus says the Lord GOD: "On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will also enable you to dwell in the cities, and the ruins shall be rebuilt. 34The desolate land shall be tilled instead of lying desolate in the
sight of all who pass by. 35So they will say, 'This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the wasted, desolate, and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.' 36Then the nations which are left all around you shall know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate. I, the LORD, have spoken it, and I will do it."
37'Thus says the Lord GOD: "I will also let the house of Israel inquire of Me to do this for them: I will increase their men like a flock. 38Like a flock offered as
holy sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem on its feast days, so shall the ruined cities be filled with flocks of men. Then they shall know that I am the LORD." ' "
Next November 22 Reading
Ezekiel 37
November 23
E ZEKIEL 37:1–38:23
THE DRY BONES LIVE
1The hand of the LORD came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. 2Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. 3And He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"
37:3 can these bones live? The many dry bones (v. 2) picture the nation Israel (v. 11) as apparently dead in their dispersion and waiting for national resurrection. The people knew about the doctrine of individual resurrection; otherwise, this prophecy would have had no meaning (1 Kin. 17; 2 Kin. 4; 13:21; Is. 25:8; 26:19; Dan. 12:2; Hos. 13:14).
So I answered, "O Lord GOD, You know." 4Again He said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones:
"Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. 6I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the LORD." ' "
37:4–6 Prophesy to these bones. Ezekiel is to proclaim God's pledge to reassemble Israelites from the world and restore the nation of Israel to life (v. 5) and give them His Spirit (v. 14) in true salvation and spiritual life. Clearly, God is promising the resurrection of the nation of Israel and its spiritual regeneration (36:25–27).
7So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.
9Also He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live." ' " 10So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.
11Then He said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, 'Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!' 12Therefore prophesy and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. 13Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. 14I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it," says the LORD.' "
ONE KINGDOM, ONE KING
15Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 16"As for you, son of man, take a stick for yourself and write on it: 'For Judah and for the children of Israel, his companions.' Then take another stick and write on it, 'For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel, his companions.' 17Then join them one to another for yourself into one stick, and they will become one in your hand.
18"And when the children of your people speak to you, saying, 'Will you not show us what you mean by these?'— 19say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Surely I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his companions; and I will join them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they will be one in My hand." ' 20And the sticks on which you write will be in your hand before their eyes.
21"Then say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them
from every side and bring them into their own land; 22and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king over them all; they shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they ever be divided into
two kingdoms again. 23They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. Then they shall be My people, and I will be their God.
24"David My servant shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd; they shall also walk in My judgments and observe My statutes, and do them. 25Then they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob My servant, where your fathers dwelt; and they shall dwell there, they, their children, and their children's children, forever; and My servant David shall be their prince forever. 26Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them, and it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary in their midst forevermore. 27My tabernacle also shall be with them; indeed I will be their
God, and they shall be My people. 28The nations also will know that I, the LORD, sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forevermore." ' "
Ezekiel 38
GOG AND ALLIES ATTACK ISRAEL
1Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2"Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh,a Meshech, and Tubal,
and prophesy against him, 3and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am
against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. 4I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords. 5Persia, Ethiopia,a and Libyab are with
them, all of them with shield and helmet; 6Gomer and all its troops; the house of Togarmah from the far north and all its troops—many people are with you.
7"Prepare yourself and be ready, you and all your companies that are
gathered about you; and be a guard for them. 8After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely. 9You will ascend, coming like a storm, covering the land like a cloud, you and all your troops and many peoples with you."
10'Thus says the Lord GOD: "On that day it shall come to pass that thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will make an evil plan: 11You will say, 'I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates'— 12to take plunder and to take booty, to stretch out your hand against the waste places that are again inhabited, and against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell in the midst of the land. 13Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say to you, 'Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?' " '
14"Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog, 'Thus says the Lord GOD:
"On that day when My people Israel dwell safely, will you not know it? 15Then you will come from your place out of the far north, you and many peoples with
you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a mighty army. 16You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land. It will be in the latter days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me, when I am hallowed in you, O Gog, before their eyes." 17Thus says the Lord GOD: "Are you he of whom I have spoken in former days by My servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied for years in those days that I would bring you against them?
JUDGMENT ON GOG
18"And it will come to pass at the same time, when Gog comes against the
land of Israel," says the Lord GOD, "that My fury will show in My face. 19For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath I have spoken: 'Surely in that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel, 20so that the fish of the sea, the birds of the heavens, the beasts of the field, all creeping things that creep on the earth, and all men who are on the face of the earth shall shake at My presence. The mountains shall be thrown down, the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.' 21I will call for a sword against Gog throughout all My mountains," says the Lord GOD. "Every man's sword will be against his brother. 22And I will bring him to judgment with pestilence and bloodshed; I will rain down on him, on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, flooding rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. 23Thus I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the LORD." '
Next November 23 Reading
Ezekiel 39
November 24
E ZEKIEL 39:1–40:49
GOG'S ARMIES DESTROYED
1"And you, son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD:
"Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh,a Meshech, and Tubal; 2and I will turn you around and lead you on, bringing you up from the far north,
and bring you against the mountains of Israel. 3Then I will knock the bow out of
your left hand, and cause the arrows to fall out of your right hand. 4You shall fall upon the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops and the peoples who are with you; I will give you to birds of prey of every sort and to the beasts of the field to be devoured. 5You shall fall on the open field; for I have spoken," says the
Lord GOD. 6"And I will send fire on Magog and on those who live in security in the
coastlands. Then they shall know that I am the LORD. 7So I will make My holy name known in the midst of My people Israel, and I will not let them profane My holy name anymore. Then the nations shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel. 8Surely it is coming, and it shall be done," says the Lord GOD. "This is the day of which I have spoken.
9"Then those who dwell in the cities of Israel will go out and set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and bucklers, the bows and arrows, the
javelins and spears; and they will make fires with them for seven years. 10They will not take wood from the field nor cut down any from the forests, because they will make fires with the weapons; and they will plunder those who plundered them, and pillage those who pillaged them," says the Lord GOD.
THE BURIAL OF GOG
11"It will come to pass in that day that I will give Gog a burial place there in Israel, the valley of those who pass by east of the sea; and it will obstruct travelers, because there they will bury Gog and all his multitude. Therefore they will call it the Valley of Hamon Gog.a 12For seven months the house of
Israel will be burying them, in order to cleanse the land. 13Indeed all the people of the land will be burying, and they will gain renown for it on the day that I am glorified," says the Lord GOD. 14"They will set apart men regularly
employed, with the help of a search party,a to pass through the land and bury those bodies remaining on the ground, in order to cleanse it. At the end of seven months they will make a search. 15The search party will pass through the land; and when anyone sees a man's bone, he shall set up a marker by it, till the buriers have buried it in the Valley of Hamon Gog. 16The name of the city will also be Hamonah. Thus they shall cleanse the land." '
A TRIUMPHANT FESTIVAL
17"And as for you, son of man, thus says the Lord GOD, 'Speak to every sort of bird and to every beast of the field: "Assemble yourselves and come;
Gather together from all sides to My sacrificial meal Which I am sacrificing for you, A great sacrificial meal on the mountains of Israel, That you may eat flesh and drink blood. 18You shall eat the flesh of the mighty, Drink the blood of the princes of the earth, Of rams and lambs, Of goats and bulls, All of them fatlings of Bashan. 19You shall eat fat till you are full, And drink blood till you are drunk,
At My sacrificial meal Which I am sacrificing for you. 20You shall be filled at My table With horses and riders,
With mighty men And with all the men of war," says the Lord GOD.
ISRAEL RESTORED TO THE LAND
21"I will set My glory among the nations; all the nations shall see My judgment which I have executed, and My hand which I have laid on them. 22So the
house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day forward. 23The Gentiles shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity; because they were unfaithful to Me, therefore I hid My face from them. I gave them into the hand of their enemies, and they all fell by the sword. 24According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions I have dealt with them, and hidden My face from them." '
25"Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 'Now I will bring back the captives of Jacob, and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for My holy name— 26after they have borne their shame, and all their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, when they dwelt safely in their own land and no one made them afraid. 27When I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and I am hallowed in them in the sight of many nations, 28then they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who sent them into captivity among the nations, but also brought them back to their land, and left none of them captive any longer. 29And I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,' says the Lord GOD."
Ezekiel 40
A NEW CITY, A NEW TEMPLE
1In the twenty-fifth year of our captivity, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was captured, on the very same day the hand of the LORD was upon me; and He took me there. 2In the visions of God He took me into the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain; on it toward the south was something like the structure of a city. 3He took me there, and behold, there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze. He had a line of flax and a measuring rod in his hand, and he stood in the gateway.
4And the man said to me, "Son of man, look with your eyes and hear with your ears, and fix your mind on everything I show you; for you were brought here so
that I might show them to you. Declare to the house of Israel everything you see." 5Now there was a wall all around the outside of the temple.a In the man's hand was a measuring rod six cubits long, each being a cubit and a handbreadth; and he measured the width of the wall structure, one rod; and the height, one rod.
THE EASTERN GATEWAY OF THE TEMPLE
6Then he went to the gateway which faced east; and he went up its stairs and measured the threshold of the gateway, which was one rod wide, and the other
threshold was one rod wide. 7Each gate chamber was one rod long and one rod wide; between the gate chambers was a space of five cubits; and the threshold of
the gateway by the vestibule of the inside gate was one rod. 8He also measured the
vestibule of the inside gate, one rod. 9Then he measured the vestibule of the gateway, eight cubits; and the gateposts, two cubits. The vestibule of the gate was
on the inside. 10In the eastern gateway were three gate chambers on one side and three on the other; the three were all the same size; also the gateposts were
of the same size on this side and that side.
11He measured the width of the entrance to the gateway, ten cubits; and the
length of the gate, thirteen cubits. 12There was a space in front of the gate chambers, one cubit on this side and one cubit on that side; the gate chambers were six cubits on this side and six cubits on that side. 13Then he measured the gateway from the roof of one gate chamber to the roof of the other; the width was twenty-five cubits, as door faces door. 14He measured the gateposts, sixty cubits high, and the court all around the gateway extended to the gatepost. 15From the front of the entrance gate to the front of
the vestibule of the inner gate was fifty cubits. 16There were beveled window frames in the gate chambers and in their intervening archways on the inside of the gateway all around, and likewise in the vestibules. There were windows all around on the inside. And on each gatepost were palm trees.
THE OUTER COURT
17Then he brought me into the outer court; and there were chambers and a
pavement made all around the court; thirty chambers faced the pavement. 18The pavement was by the side of the gateways, corresponding to the length of the gateways; this was the lower pavement. 19Then he measured the width from the front of the lower gateway to the front of the inner court exterior, one hundred cubits toward the east and the north.
THE NORTHERN GATEWAY
20On the outer court was also a gateway facing north, and he measured its length and its width. 21Its gate chambers, three on this side and three on that side, its gateposts and its archways, had the same measurements as the first gate; its length was fifty cubits and its width twenty-five cubits. 22Its windows and those of its archways, and also its palm trees, had the same measurements as the gateway facing east; it was ascended by seven steps, and its archway was in front of it. 23A gate of the inner court was opposite the northern gateway, just as the eastern gateway; and he measured from gateway to gateway, one hundred cubits.
THE SOUTHERN GATEWAY
24After that he brought me toward the south, and there a gateway was facing south; and he measured its gateposts and archways according to these same measurements. 25There were windows in it and in its archways all around like
those windows; its length was fifty cubits and its width twenty-five cubits. 26Seven steps led up to it, and its archway was in front of them; and it had
palm trees on its gateposts, one on this side and one on that side. 27There was also a gateway on the inner court, facing south; and he measured from gateway to gateway toward the south, one hundred cubits.
GATEWAYS OF THE INNER COURT
28Then he brought me to the inner court through the southern gateway; he
measured the southern gateway according to these same measurements. 29Also its gate chambers, its gateposts, and its archways were according to these same measurements; there were windows in it and in its archways all around; it was fifty
cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. 30There were archways all around, twenty-
five cubits long and five cubits wide. 31Its archways faced the outer court, palm trees were on its gateposts, and going up to it were eight steps.
32And he brought me into the inner court facing east; he measured the gateway
according to these same measurements. 33Also its gate chambers, its gateposts, and its archways were according to these same measurements; and there were windows in it and in its archways all around; it was fifty cubits long and twenty-five
cubits wide. 34Its archways faced the outer court, and palm trees were on its gateposts on this side and on that side; and going up to it were eight steps.
35Then he brought me to the north gateway and measured it according to
these same measurements— 36also its gate chambers, its gateposts, and its archways. It had windows all around; its length was fifty cubits and its width twenty-five cubits. 37Its gateposts faced the outer court, palm trees were on its gateposts on this side and on that side, and going up to it were eight steps.
WHERE SACRIFICES WERE PREPARED
38There was a chamber and its entrance by the gateposts of the gateway, where they washed the burnt offering. 39In the vestibule of the gateway were two tables on this side and two tables on that side, on which to slay the burnt offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering. 40At the outer side of the vestibule, as one goes up to the entrance of the northern gateway, were two tables; and on the other side of the vestibule of the gateway were two tables. 41Four tables were on this side and four tables on that side, by the side of the
gateway, eight tables on which they slaughtered the sacrifices. 42There were also four tables of hewn stone for the burnt offering, one cubit and a half long, one cubit and a half wide, and one cubit high; on these they laid the instruments with which they slaughtered the burnt offering and the sacrifice. 43Inside were hooks, a handbreadth wide, fastened all around; and the flesh of the sacrifices was on the tables.
CHAMBERS FOR SINGERS AND PRIESTS
44Outside the inner gate were the chambers for the singers in the inner court, one facing south at the side of the northern gateway, and the other facing north at the
side of the southerna gateway. 45Then he said to me, "This chamber which faces
south is for the priests who have charge of the temple. 46The chamber which faces north is for the priests who have charge of the altar; these are the sons of Zadok, from the sons of Levi, who come near the LORD to minister to Him."
DIMENSIONS OF THE INNER COURT AND VESTIBULE
47And he measured the court, one hundred cubits long and one hundred
cubits wide, foursquare. The altar was in front of the temple. 48Then he brought me to the vestibule of the temple and measured the doorposts of the vestibule, five cubits on this side and five cubits on that side; and the width of the gateway was three cubits on this side and three cubits on that side. 49The length of the vestibule was twenty cubits, and the width eleven cubits; and by the steps which led up to it there were pillars by the doorposts, one on this side and another on that side.
Next November 24 Reading
Ezekiel 41
November 25
E ZEKIEL 41:1–42:20
DIMENSIONS OF THE SANCTUARY
1Then he brought me into the sanctuarya and measured the doorposts, six cubits wide on one side and six cubits wide on the other side—the width of the tabernacle. 2The width of the entryway was ten cubits, and the side walls of the entrance were five cubits on this side and five cubits on the other side; and he measured its length, forty cubits, and its width, twenty cubits.
3Also he went inside and measured the doorposts, two cubits; and the
entrance, six cubits high; and the width of the entrance, seven cubits. 4He measured the length, twenty cubits; and the width, twenty cubits, beyond the sanctuary; and he said to me, "This is the Most Holy Place."
THE SIDE CHAMBERS ON THE WALL
5Next, he measured the wall of the temple, six cubits. The width of each side
chamber all around the temple was four cubits on every side. 6The side chambers were in three stories, one above the other, thirty chambers in each story; they rested on ledges which were for the side chambers all around, that they might be supported, but not fastened to the wall of the temple. 7As one went up from story to story, the side chambers became wider all around, because their supporting ledges in the wall of the temple ascended like steps; therefore the width of the structure increased as one went up from the lowest story to the highest by way of the middle one. 8I also saw an elevation all around the temple; it was the foundation of the side chambers, a full rod, that is, six cubits high. 9The thickness of the outer wall of the side chambers was five cubits, and so also the remaining terrace by the place of the side chambers of the temple. 10And between it and the wall chambers was a width
of twenty cubits all around the temple on every side. 11The doors of the side chambers opened on the terrace, one door toward the north and another toward the south; and the width of the terrace was five cubits all around.
THE BUILDING AT THE WESTERN END
12The building that faced the separating courtyard at its western end was seventy cubits wide; the wall of the building was five cubits thick all around, and its length ninety cubits.
DIMENSIONS AND DESIGN OF THE TEMPLE AREA
13So he measured the temple, one hundred cubits long; and the separating courtyard with the building and its walls was one hundred cubits long; 14also the width of the eastern face of the temple, including the separating courtyard, was one hundred cubits. 15He measured the length of the building behind it, facing the separating courtyard, with its galleries on the one side and on the other side, one hundred cubits, as well as the inner temple and the porches of the court, 16their doorposts and the beveled window frames. And the galleries all around their three stories opposite the threshold were paneled with wood from the ground to the windows—the windows were covered— 17from the
space above the door, even to the inner room,a as well as outside, and on every wall all around, inside and outside, by measure.
18And it was made with cherubim and palm trees, a palm tree between
cherub and cherub. Each cherub had two faces, 19so that the face of a man was toward a palm tree on one side, and the face of a young lion toward a palm tree on the other side; thus it was made throughout the temple all around. 20From the floor to the space above the door, and on the wall of the sanctuary, cherubim and palm trees were carved.
21The doorposts of the temple were square, as was the front of the
sanctuary; their appearance was similar. 22The altar was of wood, three cubits high, and its length two cubits. Its corners, its length, and its sides were of wood; and he said to me, "This is the table that is before the LORD."
23The temple and the sanctuary had two doors. 24The doors had two panels apiece, two folding panels: two panels for one door and two panels for the other
door. 25Cherubim and palm trees were carved on the doors of the temple just as they were carved on the walls. A wooden canopy was on the front of the
vestibule outside. 26There were beveled window frames and palm trees on one
side and on the other, on the sides of the vestibule—also on the side chambers of the temple and on the canopies.
Ezekiel 42
THE CHAMBERS FOR THE PRIESTS
1Then he brought me out into the outer court, by the way toward the north; and he brought me into the chamber which was opposite the separating courtyard, and which was opposite the building toward the north. 2Facing the length, which was one hundred cubits (the width was fifty cubits), was the north door. 3Opposite the inner court of twenty cubits, and opposite the
pavement of the outer court, was gallery against gallery in three stories. 4In front of the chambers, toward the inside, was a walk ten cubits wide, at a distance of one cubit; and their doors faced north. 5Now the upper chambers were shorter, because the galleries took away space from them more than from the lower and middle stories of the building. 6For they were in three stories and did not have pillars like the pillars of the courts; therefore the upper level was shortened more than the lower and middle levels from the ground up. 7And a wall which was outside ran parallel to the chambers, at the
front of the chambers, toward the outer court; its length was fifty cubits. 8The length of the chambers toward the outer court was fifty cubits, whereas that facing the temple was one hundred cubits. 9At the lower chambers was the entrance on the east side, as one goes into them from the outer court.
10Also there were chambers in the thickness of the wall of the court toward the
east, opposite the separating courtyard and opposite the building. 11There was a walk in front of them also, and their appearance was like the chambers which were toward the north; they were as long and as wide as the others, and all their
exits and entrances were according to plan. 12And corresponding to the doors of the chambers that were facing south, as one enters them, there was a door in front of the walk, the way directly in front of the wall toward the east.
13Then he said to me, "The north chambers and the south chambers, which are opposite the separating courtyard, are the holy chambers where the priests who approach the LORD shall eat the most holy offerings. There they shall lay the most holy offerings—the grain offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering—for
the place is holy. 14When the priests enter them, they shall not go out of the holy chamber into the outer court; but there they shall leave their garments in which they minister, for they are holy. They shall put on other
garments; then they may approach that which is for the people."
OUTER DIMENSIONS OF THE TEMPLE
15Now when he had finished measuring the inner temple, he brought me out
through the gateway that faces toward the east, and measured it all around. 16He measured the east side with the measuring rod,a five hundred rods by the measuring rod all around. 17He measured the north side, five hundred rods by the measuring rod all around. 18He measured the south side, five hundred rods by the measuring rod. 19He came around to the west side and measured five hundred rods by the measuring rod. 20He measured it on the four sides; it had a wall all around, five hundred cubits long and five hundred wide, to separate the holy areas from the common.
Next November 25 Reading
Ezekiel 43
November 26
E ZEKIEL 43:1–44:31
THE TEMPLE, THE LORD'S DWELLING PLACE
1Afterward he brought me to the gate, the gate that faces toward the east. 2And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east. His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory. 3It was like the appearance of the vision which I saw—like the vision which I saw when Ia came to destroy the city. The visions were like the vision which I saw by the River Chebar; and I fell on my face. 4And the glory of the LORD came into the temple by way of the gate which faces toward the east. 5The Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the temple.
6Then I heard Him speaking to me from the temple, while a man stood beside
me. 7And He said to me, "Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever. No more shall the house of Israel defile My holy name, they nor their kings, by their harlotry or with the carcasses of their kings on their high
places. 8When they set their threshold by My threshold, and their doorpost by My doorpost, with a wall between them and Me, they defiled My holy name by the abominations which they committed; therefore I have consumed them in My
anger. 9Now let them put their harlotry and the carcasses of their kings far away from Me, and I will dwell in their midst forever.
10"Son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, that they may be
ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern. 11And if they are
ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple and its arrangement, its exits and its entrances, its entire design and all its ordinances, all its forms and all its laws. Write it down in their sight, so that they may keep its whole design and all its ordinances, and
perform them. 12This is the law of the temple: The whole area surrounding the mountaintop is most holy. Behold, this is the law of the temple.
DIMENSIONS OF THE ALTAR
13"These are the measurements of the altar in cubits (the cubit is one cubit and a handbreadth): the base one cubit high and one cubit wide, with a rim all around its edge of one span. This is the height of the altar: 14from the base on the ground to the lower ledge, two cubits; the width of the ledge, one cubit; from the smaller ledge to the larger ledge, four cubits; and the width of the ledge, one cubit. 15The altar hearth is four cubits high, with four horns extending upward from the hearth. 16The altar hearth is twelve cubits long, twelve wide, square at its four corners; 17the ledge, fourteen cubits long and fourteen wide on its four sides, with a rim of half a cubit around it; its base, one cubit all around; and its steps face toward the east."
CONSECRATING THE ALTAR
18And He said to me, "Son of man, thus says the Lord GOD: 'These are the ordinances for the altar on the day when it is made, for sacrificing burnt offerings on it, and for sprinkling blood on it. 19You shall give a young bull for a sin offering to the priests, the Levites, who are of the seed of Zadok, who approach Me to minister to Me,' says the Lord GOD. 20'You shall take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar, on the four corners of the ledge, and on the rim around it; thus you shall cleanse it and make atonement for it. 21Then you shall also take the bull of the sin offering, and burn it in the
appointed place of the temple, outside the sanctuary. 22On the second day you shall offer a kid of the goats without blemish for a sin offering; and they shall cleanse the altar, as they cleansed it with the bull. 23When you have finished cleansing it, you shall offer a young bull without blemish, and a ram from the flock without blemish. 24When you offer them before the LORD, the priests shall throw salt on them, and they will offer them up as a burnt offering to the LORD. 25Every day for seven days you shall prepare a goat for a sin offering; they shall also prepare a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without blemish. 26Seven days they shall make atonement for the altar and
purify it, and so consecrate it. 27When these days are over it shall be, on the eighth day and thereafter, that the priests shall offer your burnt offerings and your peace offerings on the altar; and I will accept you,' says the Lord GOD."
Ezekiel 44
THE EAST GATE AND THE PRINCE
1Then He brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary which faces
toward the east, but it was shut. 2And the LORD said to me, "This gate shall be shut; it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter by it, because the LORD God of Israel has entered by it; therefore it shall be shut. 3As for the prince, because he is the prince, he may sit in it to eat bread before the LORD; he shall enter by way of the vestibule of the gateway, and go out the same way."
THOSE ADMITTED TO THE TEMPLE
4Also He brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple; so I looked, and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD; and I fell on my face. 5And the LORD said to me, "Son of man, mark well, see with your eyes and hear with your ears, all that I say to you concerning all the ordinances of the house of the LORD and all its laws. Mark well who may enter the house and all who go out from the sanctuary.
44:5–9 Mark well who may enter. Since the Lord's glory fills the temple, it is sanctified (v. 4), and God is particular about what kind of people worship there. Sins of the past, as in chapters 8–11, must not be repeated, and if they are, those sins will exclude their perpetrators from the temple. Only the circumcised in heart may enter (Deut. 30:6; Jer. 4:4; Rom. 2:25–29), whether of Israel or another nation (vv. 7, 9). Many peoples other than Jews will go into the kingdom in unresurrected bodies, because they have believed in Jesus Christ and are ready for His coming. They will escape His deadly judgment and populate and reproduce in the 1,000-year kingdom. Such circumcision pertains to a heart which is sincere about removing sin and being devoted to the Lord (Jer. 29:13). In the Millennium, a Jew with an uncircumcised heart will be considered a foreigner (v. 9). "Uncircumcised in flesh" refers to sinners, and "foreigner" identifies rejecters of the true God.
6"Now say to the rebellious, to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "O
house of Israel, let Us have no more of all your abominations. 7When you brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in My sanctuary to defile it—My house—and when you offered My food, the fat and the blood, then they broke My covenant because of all your abominations. 8And you have not kept charge of My holy things, but you have set others to keep charge of My sanctuary for you." 9Thus says the Lord GOD: "No foreigner,
uncircumcised in heart or uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter My sanctuary, including any foreigner who is among the children of Israel.
LAWS GOVERNING PRIESTS
10"And the Levites who went far from Me, when Israel went astray, who
strayed away from Me after their idols, they shall bear their iniquity. 11Yet they shall be ministers in My sanctuary, as gatekeepers of the house and ministers of the house; they shall slay the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister to them. 12Because they ministered to them before their idols and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity, therefore I have raised My hand in an oath against them," says the Lord GOD, "that they shall bear their iniquity. 13And they shall not come near Me to minister to Me as priest, nor come near any of My holy things, nor into the Most Holy Place; but they shall bear their shame and their abominations which they have committed. 14Nevertheless I will make them keep charge of the temple, for all its work, and for all that has to be done in it.
15"But the priests, the Levites, the sons of Zadok, who kept charge of My sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from Me, they shall come near Me to minister to Me; and they shall stand before Me to offer to Me the fat and
the blood," says the Lord GOD. 16"They shall enter My sanctuary, and they shall
come near My table to minister to Me, and they shall keep My charge. 17And it shall be, whenever they enter the gates of the inner court, that they shall put on linen garments; no wool shall come upon them while they minister within the
gates of the inner court or within the house. 18They shall have linen turbans on their heads and linen trousers on their bodies; they shall not clothe themselves
with anything that causes sweat. 19When they go out to the outer court, to the outer court to the people, they shall take off their garments in which they have ministered, leave them in the holy chambers, and put on other garments; and in their holy garments they shall not sanctify the people.
20"They shall neither shave their heads nor let their hair grow long, but they
shall keep their hair well trimmed. 21No priest shall drink wine when he enters
the inner court. 22They shall not take as wife a widow or a divorced woman, but take virgins of the descendants of the house of Israel, or widows of priests.
23"And they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the
unholy, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. 24In controversy they shall stand as judges, and judge it according to My judgments.
They shall keep My laws and My statutes in all My appointed meetings, and they shall hallow My Sabbaths.
25"They shall not defile themselves by coming near a dead person. Only for father or mother, for son or daughter, for brother or unmarried sister may they defile themselves. 26After he is cleansed, they shall count seven days for him. 27And on the day that he goes to the sanctuary to minister in the sanctuary, he must offer his sin offering in the inner court," says the Lord GOD.
28"It shall be, in regard to their inheritance, that I am their inheritance. You shall give them no possession in Israel, for I am their possession. 29They shall eat the grain offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering; every dedicated thing in Israel shall be theirs. 30The best of all firstfruits of any kind, and every sacrifice of any kind from all your sacrifices, shall be the priest's; also you shall give to the priest the first of your ground meal, to cause a blessing to rest on your house. 31The priests shall not eat anything, bird or beast, that died naturally or was torn by wild beasts.
Next November 26 Reading
Ezekiel 45
November 27
E ZEKIEL 45:1–46:24
THE HOLY DISTRICT
1"Moreover, when you divide the land by lot into inheritance, you shall set apart a district for the LORD, a holy section of the land; its length shall be twenty-five thousand cubits, and the width ten thousand. It shall be holy throughout its
territory all around. 2Of this there shall be a square plot for the sanctuary, five
hundred by five hundred rods, with fifty cubits around it for an open space. 3So this is the district you shall measure: twenty-five thousand cubits long and ten
thousand wide; in it shall be the sanctuary, the Most Holy Place. 4It shall be a holy section of the land, belonging to the priests, the ministers of the sanctuary, who come near to minister to the LORD; it shall be a place for their houses and a
holy place for the sanctuary. 5An area twenty-five thousand cubits long and ten thousand wide shall belong to the Levites, the ministers of the temple; they shall
have twenty chambers as a possession.a
PROPERTIES OF THE CITY AND THE PRINCE
6"You shall appoint as the property of the city an area five thousand cubits wide and twenty-five thousand long, adjacent to the district of the holy section; it shall belong to the whole house of Israel.
7"The prince shall have a section on one side and the other of the holy district and the city's property; and bordering on the holy district and the city's property, extending westward on the west side and eastward on the east side, the length shall be side by side with one of the tribal portions, from the west border to the east border. 8The land shall be his possession in Israel; and My princes shall no more oppress My people, but they shall give the rest of the land to the house of Israel, according to their tribes."
LAWS GOVERNING THE PRINCE
9'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Enough, O princes of Israel! Remove violence and plundering, execute justice and righteousness, and stop dispossessing My people," says the Lord GOD. 10"You shall have honest scales, an honest ephah, and an honest bath. 11The ephah and the bath shall be of the same measure, so that the bath contains one-tenth of a homer, and the ephah one-tenth of a homer; their measure shall be according to the homer. 12The shekel shall be twenty gerahs; twenty shekels, twenty-five shekels, and fifteen shekels shall be your mina.
45:9–12 The leaders of the land are urged to be thoroughly honest in their commercial dealings. This warning shows that there will be sin in the Millennium. The believing Jews who entered the 1,000-year reign of Christ on earth and inherited the promised kingdom will be fully human and capable of such sins. There also will be children who do not necessarily believe, as the final rebellion against King Messiah and His temple proves (Rev. 20:7–9).
13"This is the offering which you shall offer: you shall give one-sixth of an ephah from a homer of wheat, and one-sixth of an ephah from a homer of
barley. 14The ordinance concerning oil, the bath of oil, is one-tenth of a bath
from a kor. A kor is a homer or ten baths, for ten baths are a homer. 15And one lamb shall be given from a flock of two hundred, from the rich pastures of Israel. These shall be for grain offerings, burnt offerings, and peace offerings,
to make atonement for them," says the Lord GOD. 16"All the people of the land
shall give this offering for the prince in Israel. 17Then it shall be the prince's part to give burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings, at the feasts, the New Moons, the Sabbaths, and at all the appointed seasons of the house of Israel. He shall prepare the sin offering, the grain offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offerings to make atonement for the house of Israel."
KEEPING THE FEASTS
18'Thus says the Lord GOD: "In the first month, on the first day of the month,
you shall take a young bull without blemish and cleanse the sanctuary. 19The priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering and put it on the doorposts of the temple, on the four corners of the ledge of the altar, and on
the gateposts of the gate of the inner court. 20And so you shall do on the seventh day of the month for everyone who has sinned unintentionally or in ignorance. Thus you shall make atonement for the temple.
21"In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, you shall observe the
Passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten. 22And on that day the prince shall prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bull for a sin offering. 23On the offering to the LORD, seven
seven days of the feast he shall prepare a burnt bulls and seven rams without blemish, daily for
seven days, and a kid of the goats daily for a sin offering. 24And he shall prepare a grain offering of one ephah for each bull and one ephah for each ram, together with a hin of oil for each ephah.
25"In the seventh month, on the fifteenth day of the month, at the feast, he shall do likewise for seven days, according to the sin offering, the burnt offering, the grain offering, and the oil."
Ezekiel 46
THE MANNER OF WORSHIP
1'Thus says the Lord GOD: "The gateway of the inner court that faces toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the Sabbath it shall be opened, and on the day of the New Moon it shall be opened. 2The prince shall enter by way of the vestibule of the gateway from the outside, and stand by the gatepost. The priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings. He shall worship at the threshold of the gate. Then he shall go out, but the gate shall not be shut until evening. 3Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the
entrance to this gateway before the LORD on the Sabbaths and the New Moons. 4The burnt offering that the prince offers to the LORD on the Sabbath day shall be
six lambs without blemish, and a ram without blemish; 5and the grain offering shall be one ephah for a ram, and the grain offering for the lambs, as much as he wants to give, as well as a hin of oil with every ephah. 6On the day of the New Moon it shall be a young bull without blemish, six lambs, and a ram; they shall be without blemish. 7He shall prepare a grain offering of an ephah for a bull, an ephah for a ram, as much as he wants to give for the lambs, and a hin of oil with every ephah. 8When the prince enters, he shall go in by way of the vestibule of the gateway, and go out the same way.
9"But when the people of the land come before the LORD on the appointed feast days, whoever enters by way of the north gate to worship shall go out by way of the south gate; and whoever enters by way of the south gate shall go out by way of the north gate. He shall not return by way of the gate through which he came, but shall go out through the opposite gate. 10The prince shall then be in their midst. When they go in, he shall go in; and when they go out, he shall go out. 11At the festivals and the appointed feast days the grain offering shall be an ephah for a bull, an ephah for a ram, as much as he wants to give for the lambs, and a hin of oil with every ephah.
12"Now when the prince makes a voluntary burnt offering or voluntary peace offering to the LORD, the gate that faces toward the east shall then be opened for him; and he shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings as he did on the Sabbath day. Then he shall go out, and after he goes out the gate shall be shut.
13"You shall daily make a burnt offering to the LORD of a lamb of the first year
without blemish; you shall prepare it every morning. 14And you shall prepare a grain offering with it every morning, a sixth of an ephah, and a third of a hin of oil to moisten the fine flour. This grain offering is a perpetual ordinance, to be made regularly to the LORD. 15Thus they shall prepare the lamb, the grain offering, and the oil, as a regular burnt offering every morning."
THE PRINCE AND INHERITANCE LAWS
16'Thus says the Lord GOD: "If the prince gives a gift of some of his inheritance to
any of his sons, it shall belong to his sons; it is their possession by inheritance. 17But if he gives a gift of some of his inheritance to one of his servants, it shall be his until the year of liberty, after which it shall return to the prince. But his
inheritance shall belong to his sons; it shall become theirs. 18Moreover the prince shall not take any of the people's inheritance by evicting them from their property; he shall provide an inheritance for his sons from his own property, so that none of My people may be scattered from his property." ' "
HOW THE OFFERINGS WERE PREPARED
19Now he brought me through the entrance, which was at the side of the gate, into the holy chambers of the priests which face toward the north; and there a place was situated at their extreme western end. 20And he said to me, "This is the place where the priests shall boil the trespass offering and the sin offering, and where they shall bake the grain offering, so that they do not bring them out into the outer court to sanctify the people."
21Then he brought me out into the outer court and caused me to pass by the four corners of the court; and in fact, in every corner of the court there was another court. 22In the four corners of the court were enclosed courts,
forty cubits long and thirty wide; all four corners were the same size. 23There was a row of building stones all around in them, all around the four of them; and cooking hearths were made under the rows of stones all around. 24And he said to me, "These are the kitchens where the ministers of the temple shall boil the sacrifices of the people."
Next November 27 Reading
Ezekiel 47
November 28
E ZEKIEL 47:1–48:35
THE HEALING WATERS AND TREES
1Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of
the temple, south of the altar. 2He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side.
3And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles. 4Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist. 5Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed. 6He said to me, "Son of man, have you seen this?" Then he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river.
7When I returned, there, along the bank of the river, were very many trees on
one side and the other. 8Then he said to me: "This water flows toward the eastern region, goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. When it
reaches the sea, its waters are healed. 9And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and
everything will live wherever the river goes. 10It shall be that fishermen will stand by it from En Gedi to En Eglaim; they will be places for spreading their nets. Their fish will be of the same kinds as the fish of the Great Sea,
exceedingly many. 11But its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will
be given over to salt. 12Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine."
BORDERS OF THE LAND
13Thus says the Lord GOD: "These are the borders by which you shall divide the land as an inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph shall have two portions. 14You shall inherit it equally with one another; for I raised My hand in an oath to give it to your fathers, and this land shall fall to you as your inheritance.
15"This shall be the border of the land on the north: from the Great Sea, by
the road to Hethlon, as one goes to Zedad, 16Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim (which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath), to Hazar Hatticon (which is on the border of Hauran). 17Thus the boundary shall be from the Sea to Hazar Enan, the border of Damascus; and as for the north, northward, it is the border of Hamath. This is the north side.
18"On the east side you shall mark out the border from between Hauran and Damascus, and between Gilead and the land of Israel, along the Jordan, and along the eastern side of the sea. This is the east side.
19"The south side, toward the South,a shall be from Tamar to the waters of Meribah by Kadesh, along the brook to the Great Sea. This is the south side, toward the South.
20"The west side shall be the Great Sea, from the southern boundary until one comes to a point opposite Hamath. This is the west side.
21"Thus you shall divide this land among yourselves according to the
tribes of Israel. 22It shall be that you will divide it by lot as an inheritance for yourselves, and for the strangers who dwell among you and who bear children among you. They shall be to you as native-born among the children of Israel; they shall have an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. 23And it shall be that in whatever tribe the stranger dwells, there you shall give him his inheritance," says the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 48
DIVISION OF THE LAND
1"Now these are the names of the tribes: From the northern border along the road to Hethlon at the entrance of Hamath, to Hazar Enan, the border of Damascus northward, in the direction of Hamath, there shall be one section for Dan from its east to its west side; 2by the border of Dan, from the east side to the
west, one section for Asher; 3by the border of Asher, from the east side to the
west, one section for Naphtali; 4by the border of Naphtali, from the east side to
the west, one section for Manasseh; 5by the border of Manasseh, from the east
side to the west, one section for Ephraim; 6by the border of Ephraim, from the
east side to the west, one section for Reuben; 7by the border of Reuben, from
the east side to the west, one section for Judah; 8by the border of Judah, from the east side to the west, shall be the district which you shall set apart, twentyfive thousand cubits in width, and in length the same as one of the other portions, from the east side to the west, with the sanctuary in the center.
9"The district that you shall set apart for the LORD shall be twenty-five thousand
cubits in length and ten thousand in width. 10To these—to the priests—the holy district shall belong: on the north twenty-five thousand cubits in length, on the west ten thousand in width, on the east ten thousand in width, and on the south
twenty-five thousand in length. The sanctuary of the LORD shall be in the center. 11It shall be for the priests of the sons of Zadok, who are sanctified, who have kept My charge, who did not go astray when the children of Israel went astray, as the Levites went astray. 12And this district of land that is set apart shall be to them a thing most holy by the border of the Levites.
13"Opposite the border of the priests, the Levites shall have an area twenty-five thousand cubits in length and ten thousand in width; its entire length shall be twenty-five thousand and its width ten thousand. 14And they shall not sell or exchange any of it; they may not alienate this best part of the land, for it is holy to the LORD.
15"The five thousand cubits in width that remain, along the edge of the twentyfive thousand, shall be for general use by the city, for dwellings and commonland; and the city shall be in the center. 16These shall be its measurements: the
north side four thousand five hundred cubits, the south side four thousand five hundred, the east side four thousand five hundred, and the west side four
thousand five hundred. 17The common-land of the city shall be: to the north two hundred and fifty cubits, to the south two hundred and fifty, to the east two
hundred and fifty, and to the west two hundred and fifty. 18The rest of the length, alongside the district of the holy section, shall be ten thousand cubits to the east and ten thousand to the west. It shall be adjacent to the district of the holy
section, and its produce shall be food for the workers of the city. 19The workers
of the city, from all the tribes of Israel, shall cultivate it. 20The entire district shall be twenty-five thousand cubits by twenty-five thousand cubits, foursquare. You shall set apart the holy district with the property of the city.
21"The rest shall belong to the prince, on one side and on the other of the holy district and of the city's property, next to the twenty-five thousand cubits of the holy district as far as the eastern border, and westward next to the twenty-five thousand as far as the western border, adjacent to the tribal portions; it shall belong to the prince. It shall be the holy district, and the sanctuary of the temple shall be in the center. 22Moreover, apart from the possession of the Levites and the possession of the city which are in the midst of what belongs to the prince, the area between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin shall belong to the prince.
23"As for the rest of the tribes, from the east side to the west, Benjamin shall have one section; 24by the border of Benjamin, from the east side to the west, Simeon shall have one section; 25by the border of Simeon, from the east side to the west, Issachar shall have one section; 26by the border of Issachar, from the east side to the west, Zebulun shall have one section; 27by the border of Zebulun, from the east side to the west, Gad shall have one section; 28by the border of Gad, on the south side, toward the South,a the border shall be from
Tamar to the waters of Meribah by Kadesh, along the brook to the Great Sea. 29This is the land which you shall divide by lot as an inheritance among the tribes of Israel, and these are their portions," says the Lord GOD.
THE GATES OF THE CITY AND ITS NAME
30"These are the exits of the city. On the north side, measuring four thousand
five hundred cubits 31(the gates of the city shall be named after the tribes of
Israel), the three gates northward: one gate for Reuben, one gate for Judah, and one gate for Levi; 32on the east side, four thousand five hundred cubits, three gates: one gate for Joseph, one gate for Benjamin, and one gate for Dan; 33on the south side, measuring four thousand five hundred cubits, three gates: one gate for Simeon, one gate for Issachar, and one gate for Zebulun; 34on the west side, four thousand five hundred cubits with their three gates: one gate for Gad, one gate for Asher, and one gate for Naphtali. 35All the way around shall be eighteen thousand cubits;
and the name of the city from that day shall be: THE LORD IS THERE."a
48:35 the name. The city is called YHWH Shammah, "The LORD Is There." The departed glory of God (chaps. 8–11) has returned (44:1, 2), and His dwelling, the temple, is in the very center of the district given over to the Lord. With this final note, all of the unconditional promises which God had made to Israel in the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 12), the Levitic Covenant (Num. 25), the Davidic Covenant (2 Sam. 7), and the New Covenant (Jer. 31) have been fulfilled. So this final verse provides the consummation of Israel's history the returned presence of God!
Next November 28 Reading
The Book of Daniel
Daniel 1
November 29
D ANIEL 1:1–2:49
DANIEL AND HIS FRIENDS OBEY GOD
1In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar
king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the articles of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the articles into the treasure house of his god.
3Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king's descendants and some of the nobles, 4young men in whom there was no blemish, but goodlooking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans. 5And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king's delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king. 6Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego.
8But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he
requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. 9Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs.
10And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, "I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking worse than the young men who are your age? Then you would endanger my head before the king."
1:8 Daniel purposed. The pagan food and drink was devoted to idols. To indulge was to be understood as honoring these deities. Daniel "purposed in his heart" (Prov. 4:23) not to engage in compromise by being untrue to God's call of commitment (Ex. 34:14, 15). Also, foods that God's law prohibited (Lev. 1:1) were items that pagans consumed; to partake entailed direct compromise ( Dan. 1:12 ). Moses took this stand ( Heb. 11:24–26 ), as did the psalmist ( Ps. 119:115 ) and Jesus (Heb. 7:26).
11So Daniel said to the steward a whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12"Please test your servants for ten days,
and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king's delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your
servants." 14So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days.
15And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king's delicacies. 16Thus the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.
17As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
18Now at the end of the days, when the king had said that they should be
brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19Then the king intervieweda them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they served before the king. 20And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and
astrologers who were in all his realm. 21Thus Daniel continued until the first year of King Cyrus.
Daniel 2
NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S DREAM
1Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him. 2Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. 3And the king said to them, "I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the dream."
4Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic,a "O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation."
5The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, "My decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap. 6However, if you tell the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honor. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation."
7They answered again and said, "Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will give its interpretation."
8The king answered and said, "I know for certain that you would gain time,
because you see that my decision is firm: 9if you do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you! For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the time has changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation."
10The Chaldeans answered the king, and said, "There is not a man on earth who can tell the king's matter; therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean. 11It is a difficult thing that the king requests, and there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh."
12For this reason the king was angry and very furious, and gave the command
to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 13So the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them.
GOD REVEALS NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S DREAM
14Then with counsel and wisdom Daniel answered Arioch, the captain of
the king's guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon; 15he answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, "Why is the decree from the king so urgent?" Then Arioch made the decision known to Daniel.
16So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time, that he might tell the king the interpretation. 17Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, 18that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
20Daniel answered and said:
"Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His. 21And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding. 22He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him.
23"I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, And have now made known to me what we asked of You, For You have made known to us the king's demand."
DANIEL EXPLAINS THE DREAM
24Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: "Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; take me before the king, and I will tell the king the interpretation."
25Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king, and said thus to him, "I have found a man of the captivesa of Judah, who will make known to the king the interpretation."
26The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, "Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?"
27Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, "The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king. 28But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these: 29As for you, O king, thoughts came to your mind while on your bed, about what would come to pass after this; and He who reveals secrets has made known to you what will be. 30But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but for our sakes who make known the interpretation to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.
31"You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image,
whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome. 32This image's head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and
thighsa of bronze, 33its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.a
34You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the
image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
36"This is the dream. Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the king. 37You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a
kingdom, power, strength, and glory; 38and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into
your hand, and has made you ruler over them all—you are this head of gold. 39But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third
kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. 40And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush
all the others. 41Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in
it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. 42And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and
partly fragile. 43As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not
mix with clay. 44And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it
shall stand forever. 45Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold—the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure."
2:36–45 we will tell the interpretation. Five empires in succession would rule over Israel, here pictured by parts of a statue (body). In Daniel 7, the same empires are represented by 4 great beasts. These empires are Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and the later revived Rome, each one differentiated from the previous as indicated by the declining quality of the metal. A stone picturing Christ ( Luke 20:18 ) at His Second Coming (as the Son of Man also does in Dan. 7:13 , 14 ) will destroy the fourth empire in its final phase with catastrophic suddenness (2:34, 35, 44, 45). Christ's total shattering of Gentile power will result in the establishment of His millennial kingdom, the ultimate empire, and then continuing on eternally (2:44; 7:27).
DANIEL AND HIS FRIENDS PROMOTED
46Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel, and
commanded that they should present an offering and incense to him. 47The king answered Daniel, and said, "Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret." 48Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon. 49Also Daniel petitioned the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel sat in the gatea of the king.
Next November 29 Reading
Daniel 3
November 30
D ANIEL 3:1–4:37
THE IMAGE OF GOLD
1Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of
Babylon. 2And King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather together the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the
image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3So the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered together for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up; and they stood
before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4Then a herald cried aloud:
"To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King
Nebuchadnezzar has set up; 6and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace."
3:1 image of gold. The statue, which the king arrogantly made, represented himself as an expression of his greatness and glory and reflected the dream where he was the head of gold (2:38). It was not necessarily made of solid gold, but more likely would have been overlaid with gold, like many objects found in the ruins of Babylon. The word for "image" usually means a human form. The height of the figure was about 90 feet and the width 9 feet; it would have been comparable in height to date palms found in that area. The self-deifying statue of the king need not have been grotesquely thin in proportion to the height since a massive base could have contributed to the height. This established the worship of Nebuchadnezzar and the nation under his power, in addition to the other gods.
7So at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, and lyre, in symphony with all kinds of music, all the people, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the gold image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
DANIEL'S FRIENDS DISOBEY THE KING
8Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews. 9They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, live forever! 10You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, shall fall down and
worship the gold image; 11and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be
cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 12There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up."
13Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the
king. 14Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which
I have set up? 15Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?"
3:15 who is the god…? The king's challenge would return to embarrass him. The true God was able to deliver, just as He was able to reveal a dream and its meaning. Nebuchadnezzar had earlier called him "the God of gods" (2:47); but having let that fade from his attention, he soon would be shocked and humiliated when God took up his challenge (3:28, 29).
16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, "O
Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 18But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up."
SAVED IN FIERY TRIAL
19Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they
heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. 20And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other
garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 22Therefore, because the king's command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the
flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. 23And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
24Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?"
They answered and said to the king, "True, O king." 25"Look!" he answered, "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the
fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God."a
NEBUCHADNEZZAR PRAISES GOD
26Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here." Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego
came from the midst of the fire. 27And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king's counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them.
28Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angela and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king's word, and yielded their
bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God! 29Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and AbedNego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this."
30Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the province of Babylon.
Daniel 4
NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S SECOND DREAM
1Nebuchadnezzar the king, To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you. 2I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me.
3How great are His signs, And how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And His dominion is from generation to generation.
4I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace. 5I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts on my
bed and the visions of my head troubled me. 6Therefore I issued a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7Then the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers came in, and I told them the dream; but they did not make known to me its interpretation. 8But at last Daniel came before me (his name is Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god; in him is the Spirit of the Holy God), and I told the dream before him, saying: 9"Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the Spirit of the Holy God is in you, and no secret troubles you, explain to me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation.
10"These were the visions of my head while on my bed:
I was looking, and behold, A tree in the midst of the earth,
And its height was great. 11The tree grew and became strong; Its height reached to the heavens, And it could be seen to the ends of all the earth. 12Its leaves were lovely, Its fruit abundant, And in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, The birds of the heavens dwelt in its branches, And all flesh was fed from it.
13"I saw in the visions of my head while on my bed, and there was a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven. 14He cried aloud and said thus: 'Chop down the tree and cut off its branches,
Strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts get out from under it, And the birds from its branches. 15Nevertheless leave the stump and roots in the earth, Bound with a band of iron and bronze, In the tender grass of the field. Let it be wet with the dew of heaven, And let him graze with the beasts On the grass of the earth. 16Let his heart be changed from that of a man, Let him be given the heart of a beast, And let seven timesa pass over him.
17'This decision is by the decree of the watchers, And the sentence by the word of the holy ones, In order that the living may know That the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, Gives it to whomever He will, And sets over it the lowest of men.'
18"This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its interpretation, since all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for the Spirit of the Holy God is in you."
DANIEL EXPLAINS THE SECOND DREAM
19Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for a time, and his thoughts troubled him. So the king spoke, and said, "Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation trouble you." Belteshazzar answered and said, "My lord, may the dream concern those who hate you, and its interpretation concern your enemies!
20"The tree that you saw, which grew and became strong, whose height reached to
the heavens and which could be seen by all the earth, 21whose leaves were lovely and its fruit abundant, in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and in whose branches the birds of the heaven had their home
— 22it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong; for your greatness has grown and reaches to the heavens, and your dominion to the end of the earth.
23"And inasmuch as the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, 'Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump and roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze in the tender grass of the field; let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let him graze with the beasts of the
field, till seven times pass over him'; 24this is the interpretation, O king, and this
is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: 25They shall drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen. They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.
26"And inasmuch as they gave the command to leave the stump and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be assured to you, after you come to know that Heaven rules. 27Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity."
NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S HUMILIATION
28All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 29At the end of the twelve months
he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon. 30The king spoke, saying, "Is
not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?"
31While the word was still in the king's mouth, a voice fell from heaven: "King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! 32And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses."
33That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws.
NEBUCHADNEZZAR PRAISES GOD
34And at the end of the timea I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
And His kingdom is from generation to generation. 35All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, "What have You done?"
36At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me. 37Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.
Next November 30 Reading
Daniel 5
December 1
D ANIEL 5:1–6:28
BELSHAZZAR'S FEAST
1Belshazzar the king made a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and drank
wine in the presence of the thousand. 2While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave the command to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple which had been in Jerusalem, that
the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. 3Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple of the house of God which had been in Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. 4They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.
5In the same hour the fingers of a man's hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. 6Then the king's countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened and his knees knocked against each other. 7The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spoke, saying to the wise men of Babylon, "Whoever reads this writing, and tells me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck; and he shall be the third ruler in the kingdom." 8Now all the king's wise men came, but they could not read the writing, or make known to the king its interpretation. 9Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled, his countenance was changed, and his lords were astonished.
10The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, came to the banquet hall. The queen spoke, saying, "O king, live forever! Do not let your
thoughts trouble you, nor let your countenance change. 11There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. And in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar your father—your father the king—made him
chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers. 12Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and explaining enigmasa named Belteshazzar, now let interpretation."
were found in this Daniel, whom the king Daniel be called, and he will give the
THE WRITING ON THE WALL EXPLAINED
13Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke, and said to Daniel, "Are you that Daniel who is one of the captivesa from Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah? 14I have heard of you, that the Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. 15Now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not give the interpretation of the thing. 16And I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations and explain enigmas. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom."
17Then Daniel answered, and said before the king, "Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another; yet I will read the writing to the king,
and make known to him the interpretation. 18O king, the Most High God gave
Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom and majesty, glory and honor. 19And because of the majesty that He gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whomever he wished, he executed; whomever he wished, he kept alive; whomever he wished, he set up; and whomever he
wished, he put down. 20But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory
from him. 21Then he was driven from the sons of men, his heart was made
like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses.
22"But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you
knew all this. 23And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His
hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified. 24Then the fingersa of the hand were sent from Him, and this writing was written.
25"And this is the inscription that was written:
5:25–29 MENE, MENE. This means "counted" or "appointed" and is doubled for stronger emphasis. Tekel means "weighed" or "assessed" by the God who weighs actions (1 Sam. 2:3; Ps. 62:9). Peres denotes "divided," i.e., to the Medes and Persians. Pharsin in v. 25 is the plural of peres, possibly emphasizing the parts in the division. The "U" prefix on pharsin has the idea of the English "and."
MENE,a MENE, TEKEL,b UPHARSIN.c
26This is the interpretation of each word. MENE: God has numbered your
kingdom, and finished it; 27TEKEL: You have been weighed in the balances, and
found wanting; 28PERES: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the
Medes and Persians."a 29Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a chain of gold around his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
BELSHAZZAR'S FALL
30That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain. 31And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
Daniel 6
THE PLOT AGAINST DANIEL
1It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to
be over the whole kingdom; 2and over these, three governors, of whom Daniel was one, that the satraps might give account to them, so that the king would
suffer no loss. 3Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to
setting him over the whole realm. 4So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in
him. 5Then these men said, "We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God."
6:3 an excellent spirit. Daniel, over 80, had enjoyed God's blessing throughout his life (1:20, 21; 2:49; 4:8; 5:12). over the whole realm. Daniel was the favorite of the king. He had experience, wisdom, a sense of history, leadership, a good reputation, ability, attitude, and revelation from the God of heaven. Apparently, God wanted him in the place of influence to encourage and assist in the Jews' return to Judah, since the return was made in Cyrus's first year (539–537 B.C. ), right before the lions' den incident. From the record of Ezra 1 and 6 , all the basic elements of the return appear: 1) the temple was to be rebuilt with the cost paid from Cyrus's treasury; 2) all Jews who visited could return, and those who stayed were urged to assist financially; and 3) the gold and silver vessels stolen from the temple by Nebuchadnezzar were to be taken back. To account for such favor toward the Jews, it is easy to think of Daniel not only influencing Cyrus to write such a decree, but even formulating it for him.
6So these governors and satraps thronged before the king, and said thus to him: "King Darius, live forever! 7All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators
and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the
den of lions. 8Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians,
which does not alter." 9Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.
DANIEL IN THE LIONS' DEN
10Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.
11Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making
supplication before his God. 12And they went before the king, and spoke concerning the king's decree: "Have you not signed a decree that every man who petitions any god or man within thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?"
The king answered and said, "The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter."
13So they answered and said before the king, "That Daniel, who is one of the captivesa from Judah, does not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day."
14And the king, when he heard these words, was greatly displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going
down of the sun to deliver him. 15Then these men approached the king, and said to the king, "Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed."
16So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, "Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you." 17Then a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signets of his lords, that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed.
DANIEL SAVED FROM THE LIONS
18Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no musiciansa
were brought before him. Also his sleep went from him. 19Then the king arose
very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. 20And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?"
21Then Daniel said to the king, "O king, live forever! 22My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you."
23Now the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he believed in his God.
DARIUS HONORS GOD
24And the king gave the command, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions—them, their children, and their wives; and the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in pieces before they ever came to the bottom of the den.
25Then King Darius wrote: To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you. 26I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel.
For He is the living God, And steadfast forever; His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed, And His dominion shall endure to the end. 27He delivers and rescues, And He works signs and wonders In heaven and on earth, Who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
28So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Next December 1 Reading
Daniel 7
December 2
D ANIEL 7:1–8:27
VISION OF THE FOUR BEASTS
1In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts.a
2Daniel spoke, saying, "I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. 3And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other. 4The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man's heart was given to it.
5"And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: 'Arise, devour much flesh!'
6"After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.
7"After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts
that were before it, and it had ten horns. 8I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.
VISION OF THE ANCIENT OF DAYS
9"I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, And the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame,
Its wheels a burning fire; 10A fiery stream issued And came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The courta was seated, And the books were opened. 11"I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame. 12As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
13"I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. 14Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.
DANIEL'S VISIONS INTERPRETED
15"I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit within my body, and the visions of my head
troubled me. 16I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things: 17'Those great beasts, which are four, are four kingsa which arise out of
the earth. 18But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.'
19"Then I wished to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its nails of
bronze, which devoured, broke in pieces, and trampled the residue with its feet; 20and the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, before which three fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke pompous words, whose appearance was greater than his fellows.
21"I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints,
and prevailing against them, 22until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.
23"Thus he said:
'The fourth beast shall be A fourth kingdom on earth, Which shall be different from all other kingdoms, And shall devour the whole earth, Trample it and break it in pieces. 24The ten horns are ten kings Who shall arise from this kingdom. And another shall rise after them; He shall be different from the first ones, And shall subdue three kings. 25He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecutea the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to
change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand For a time and times and half a time.
26'But the court shall be seated, And they shall take away his dominion, To consume and destroy it forever. 27Then the kingdom and dominion, And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.'
28"This is the end of the account.a As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly troubled me, and my countenance changed; but I kept the matter in my heart."
Daniel 8
VISION OF A RAM AND A GOAT
1In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me— to me, Daniel—after the one that appeared to me the first time. 2I saw in the vision, and it so happened while I was looking, that I was in Shushan, the citadel, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in the vision that I was by the River Ulai. 3Then I lifted my eyes and saw, and there, standing beside the river, was a ram which had two horns, and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last. 4I saw the ram pushing westward, northward, and southward, so that no animal could withstand him; nor was there any that could deliver from his hand, but he did according to his will and became great.
8:3–9 This imagery unfolded historically. The ram pictures the Medo-Persian Empire as a whole, its two horns standing for the two entities (the Medes and the Persians) that merged into one. The history of this empire is briefly noted in v. 4, as it is seen conquering from the east to the west, south and north, under Cyrus, as predicted also by Isaiah 150 years earlier (Is. 45:1–7). The higher horn, which appeared last, represents Persia. The goat (v. 5) represents Greece with its great horn Alexander, who with his army of 35,000 moved with such speed that he is pictured as not even touching the ground. The broken horn is Alexander in his death; the 4 horns are generals who became kings over 4 sectors of the Grecian Empire after Alexander (7:6). The small horn is Antiochus Epiphanes, who rose from the third empire to rule the Syrian division in 175–164 B.C. and is the same king dominant in 11:21–35. In 7:8, 24–26, a similar "little horn" clearly represents the final Antichrist. The reason both are described as "little horns" is because one prefigures the other.
5And as I was considering, suddenly a male goat came from the west, across the surface of the whole earth, without touching the ground; and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes. 6Then he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing beside the river, and ran at him with furious power. 7And I saw him confronting the ram; he was moved with rage against him, attacked the ram, and broke his two horns. There was no power in the ram to withstand him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled him; and there was no one that could deliver the ram from his hand.
8Therefore the male goat grew very great; but when he became strong, the large horn was broken, and in place of it four notable ones came up toward the four winds of heaven. 9And out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land. 10And it grew up to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host
and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them. 11He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down. 12Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered.
13Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, "How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled underfoot?"
14And he said to me, "For two thousand three hundred days;a then the sanctuary shall be cleansed."
GABRIEL INTERPRETS THE VISION
15Then it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and was seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me one having the appearance of a
man. 16And I heard a man's voice between the banks of the Ulai, who called,
and said, "Gabriel, make this man understand the vision." 17So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and fell on my face; but he said to me, "Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end."
18Now, as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me, and stood me upright. 19And he said, "Look, I am making known to you what shall happen in the latter time of the indignation; for at the appointed time the end shall be. 20The ram which you saw, having the two horns—they are the kings of Media and Persia. 21And the male goat is the kingdoma of Greece. The large horn that is between its eyes is the first king. 22As for the broken horn and the four that stood up in its place, four kingdoms shall arise out of that nation, but not with its power.
23"And in the latter time of their kingdom, When the transgressors have reached their fullness, A king shall arise, Having fierce features, Who understands sinister schemes. 24His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; He shall destroy fearfully, And shall prosper and thrive; He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people.
25"Through his cunning He shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule;a And he shall exalt himself in his heart. He shall destroy many in their prosperity. He shall even rise against the Prince of princes;
But he shall be broken without human means.b
26"And the vision of the evenings and mornings Which was told is true;
Therefore seal up the vision, For it refers to many days in the future."
27And I, Daniel, fainted and was sick for days; afterward I arose and went about the king's business. I was astonished by the vision, but no one understood it.
Next December 2 Reading
Daniel 9
December 3
D ANIEL 9:1–10:21
DANIEL'S PRAYER FOR THE PEOPLE
1In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the lineage of the
Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans— 2in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the LORD through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
3Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and
supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. 4And I prayed to the LORD my God, and made confession, and said, "O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who
keep His commandments, 5we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your
judgments. 6Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our princes, to our fathers and all the people of the
land. 7O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face, as it is this day—to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those near and those far off in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of the unfaithfulness which they have committed against You.
8"O Lord, to us belongs shame of face, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. 9To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him. 10We have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before
us by His servants the prophets. 11Yes, all Israel has transgressed Your law, and has departed so as not to obey Your voice; therefore the curse and the oath written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against Him. 12And He has confirmed His words, which He spoke against us and against our judges who judged us, by bringing upon us a great disaster; for under the whole heaven such has never been done as what has been done to Jerusalem.
13"As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us; yet we have not made our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities and understand Your truth. 14Therefore the LORD has kept the disaster in mind, and brought it upon us; for the LORD our God is righteous in all the works which He does, though we have not obeyed His voice. 15And now, O Lord our God, who brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and made Yourself a name, as it is this day—we have sinned, we have done wickedly!
16"O Lord, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a
reproach to all those around us. 17Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the Lord's sake cause Your face to
shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate. 18O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our
righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. 19O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name."
THE SEVENTY-WEEKS PROPHECY
20Now while I was speaking, praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the
holy mountain of my God, 21yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly
swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering. 22And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, "O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you
skill to understand. 23At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved; therefore consider
the matter, and understand the vision: 24"Seventy weeksa are determined
9:24–26 Seventy weeks…until. These are weeks of years, whereas weeks of days are described in a different way (10:2, 3). The time spans from the Persian Artaxerxes' decree to rebuild Jerusalem, ca. 445 B.C. (Neh. 2:1–8), to the Messiah's kingdom. This panorama includes: 1) 7 weeks or 49 years, possibly closing Nehemiah's career in the rebuilding of the "street and wall," as well as the end of the ministry of Malachi and the close of the Old Testament; 2) 62 weeks or 434 more years for a total of 483 years to the First Advent of Messiah. This was fulfilled at the Triumphal Entry on 9 Nisan, A.D. 30 (Matt. 21:1–11). The Messiah will be "cut off" (a common reference to death); and 3) the final 7 years or 70th week of the time of Antichrist (v. 27). Roman people, from whom the Antichrist will come, will "destroy the city" of Jerusalem and its temple in
A.D. 70.
For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression,
To make an end ofb sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy.
25"Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command
To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The streeta shall be built again, and the wall,b Even in troublesome times.
26"And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined. 27Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate."
Daniel 10
VISION OF THE GLORIOUS MAN
1In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar. The message was true, but the appointed time was long;a and he understood the message, and had understanding of the vision. 2In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. 3I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.
4Now on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was by the side of
the great river, that is, the Tigris,a 5I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold,
a certain man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz! 6His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude.
7And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see
the vision; but a great terror fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. 8Therefore I was left alone when I saw this great vision, and no strength remained in me; for my vigor was turned to frailty in me, and I retained no strength. 9Yet I heard the sound of his words; and while I heard the sound of his words I was in a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.
PROPHECIES CONCERNING PERSIA AND GREECE
10Suddenly, a hand touched me, which made me tremble on my knees and on
the palms of my hands. 11And he said to me, "O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you." While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling.
12Then he said to me, "Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words
were heard; and I have come because of your words. 13But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings
of Persia. 14Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come."
10:13 prince of…Persia. The 3-week delay was due to an evil angel opposing Gabriel in heavenly warfare (Rev. 16:12–14). This angel was specially anointed with Persian power in an effort to thwart the work of God. This tells us that Satan engages in heavenly warfare to influence generations and nations against God and His people (Eph. 6:10ff.). Michael. This is the chief angel of heaven (10:21; 12:1; Jude 9; Rev. 12:7). Michael remained to assure that the Jews would be free to return to their land.
15When he had spoken such words to me, I turned my face toward the ground and became speechless. 16And suddenly, one having the likeness of the sonsa of men touched my lips; then I opened my mouth and spoke, saying to him who stood before me, "My lord, because of the vision my sorrows have overwhelmed me, and I have retained no strength. 17For how can this servant of my lord talk with you, my lord? As for me, no strength remains in me now, nor is any breath left in me."
18Then again, the one having the likeness of a man touched me and strengthened me. 19And he said, "O man greatly beloved, fear not! Peace be to you; be strong, yes, be strong!"
So when he spoke to me I was strengthened, and said, "Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me."
20Then he said, "Do you know why I have come to you? And now I must return to fight with the prince of Persia; and when I have gone forth, indeed the prince of
Greece will come. 21But I will tell you what is noted in the Scripture of Truth. (No one upholds me against these, except Michael your prince.
10:21 Scripture of Truth. God's plan of certain and true designs for men and nations, which He can reveal according to His discretion (11:2; Is. 46:9–11). except Michael. The angel with Michael intended to handle the demons of Persia and Greece. This actually forms the heavenly basis for the earthly unfolding of history in 11:2–35.
Next December 3 Reading
Daniel 11
December 4
D ANIEL 11:1–12:13
1"Also in the first year of Darius the Mede, I, even I, stood up to confirm
and strengthen him.) 2And now I will tell you the truth: Behold, three more kings will arise in Persia, and the fourth shall be far richer than them all; by his strength, through his riches, he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece. 3Then a mighty king shall arise, who shall rule with great
dominion, and do according to his will. 4And when he has arisen, his kingdom shall be broken up and divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not among his posterity nor according to his dominion with which he ruled; for his kingdom shall be uprooted, even for others besides these.
11:2–45 As in 8:3–26, this prophecy sweeps all the way from the history of spiritual conflict in Israel (11:2–35) to the Tribulation (vv. 36–42) when Michael aids in fully delivering Israel (12:1). The detail of this history is so minute and accurate, so confirmed by history, that unbelieving critics have, without evidence, insisted that it was actually written 400 years later than Daniel, after it had happened, which would make the prophet a deceiver. The prophecy actually looks ahead from Daniel to the final Antichrist.
WARRING KINGS OF NORTH AND SOUTH
5"Also the king of the South shall become strong, as well as one of his princes; and he shall gain power over him and have dominion. His dominion shall be a great dominion. 6And at the end of some years they shall join forces, for the daughter of the king of the South shall go to the king of the North to make an agreement; but she shall not retain the power of her authority,a and neither he nor his authorityb shall stand; but she shall be given up, with those who brought her, and with him who begot her, and with him who strengthened her in those times. 7But from a branch of her roots one shall arise in his place, who shall come with an army, enter the fortress of the king of the North, and deal with them and prevail. 8And he shall also carry their gods captive to Egypt, with their princesa and their precious articles of silver and gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the North.
9"Also the king of the North shall come to the kingdom of the king of the South,
but shall return to his own land. 10However his sons shall stir up strife, and assemble a multitude of great forces; and one shall certainly come and overwhelm and pass through; then he shall return to his fortress and stir up strife.
11"And the king of the South shall be moved with rage, and go out and fight with him, with the king of the North, who shall muster a great multitude; but
the multitude shall be given into the hand of his enemy. 12When he has taken away the multitude, his heart will be lifted up; and he will cast down tens of
thousands, but he will not prevail. 13For the king of the North will return and muster a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come at the end of some years with a great army and much equipment.
14"Now in those times many shall rise up against the king of the South. Also,
violent mena of your people shall exalt themselves in fulfillment of the vision, but
they shall fall. 15So the king of the North shall come and build a siege mound,
and take a fortified city; and the forcesa of the South shall not withstand him.
Even his choice troops shall have no strength to resist. 16But he who comes against him shall do according to his own will, and no one shall stand against him. He shall stand in the Glorious Land with destruction in his power.a
17"He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom,
and upright onesa with him; thus shall he do. And he shall give him the daughter
of women to destroy it; but she shall not stand with him, or be for him. 18After this he shall turn his face to the coastlands, and shall take many. But a ruler shall bring the reproach against them to an end; and with the reproach removed, he
shall turn back on him. 19Then he shall turn his face toward the fortress of his own land; but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found.
20"There shall arise in his place one who imposes taxes on the glorious kingdom; but within a few days he shall be destroyed, but not in anger or in
battle. 21And in his place shall arise a vile person, to whom they will not give the honor of royalty; but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by
intrigue. 22With the forcea of a flood they shall be swept away from before him
and be broken, and also the prince of the covenant. 23And after the league is made with him he shall act deceitfully, for he shall come up and become strong
with a small number of people. 24He shall enter peaceably, even into the richest places of the province; and he shall do what his fathers have not done, nor his forefathers: he shall disperse among them the plunder, spoil, and riches; and he shall devise his plans against the strongholds, but only for a time.
25"He shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the South with a great army. And the king of the South shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand, for they shall devise plans against him. 26Yes, those who eat of the portion of his delicacies shall
destroy him; his army shall be swept away, and many shall fall down slain. 27Both these kings' hearts shall be bent on evil, and they shall speak lies at the same table; but it shall not prosper, for the end will still be at the appointed time. 28While returning to his land with great riches, his heart shall be moved against the holy covenant; so he shall do damage and return to his own land.
THE NORTHERN KING'S BLASPHEMIES
29"At the appointed time he shall return and go toward the south; but it
shall not be like the former or the latter. 30For ships from Cyprusa shall come against him; therefore he shall be grieved, and return in rage against the holy covenant, and do damage.
"So he shall return and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant. 31And forcesa shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation. 32Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits. 33And those of the people who understand shall
instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering. 34Now when they fall, they shall be aided with a
little help; but many shall join with them by intrigue. 35And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until the time of the end; because it is still for the appointed time.
11:31 defile the sanctuary. Antiochus's soldiers, no doubt working with apostate Jews, guarded the temple, halting all worship, while others attacked the city on the Sabbath, slaughtering men, women, and children. Soldiers desecrated Israel's temple, banned circumcision and daily sacrifices (1 Macc. 1:44–54), and sacrificed a pig on the altar. The Syrians on Chislev (Dec. 15, 167
B.C.) even imposed an idol statue in honor of the Olympian god Zeus into the temple. Jews called it "the abomination that causes desolation," i.e., emptying or ruining for Jewish worship. abomination of desolation. Antiochus's soldiers profaned God's temple by spreading sow's broth on the altar and banning daily sacrifices (8:14) as described in 1 Maccabees 1:44–54. Both Daniel and Jesus said this atrocity was only a preview of the abomination that would happen later under the final Antichrist (9:27; Matt. 24:15).
36"Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined
shall be done. 37He shall regard neither the Goda of his fathers nor the desire of
women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all. 38But in their place he shall honor a god of fortresses; and a god which his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and pleasant
things. 39Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain.
THE NORTHERN KING'S CONQUESTS
40"At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. 41He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon. 42He shall stretch out his hand against the
countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels. 44But news from the east and the north shall trouble him; therefore he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many. 45And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him.
Daniel 12
PROPHECY OF THE END TIME
1"At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book. 2And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.
4"But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase."
5Then I, Daniel, looked; and there stood two others, one on this riverbank
and the other on that riverbank. 6And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, "How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?"
7Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.
8Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, "My lord, what shall be the end of these things?"
9And he said, "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and
sealed till the time of the end. 10Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.
11"And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the
abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.
13"But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days."
Next December 4 Reading
The Book of Hosea
Hosea 1
December 5
H OSEA 1:1–2:23
1The word of the LORD that came to Hosea the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.
THE FAMILY OF HOSEA
2When the LORD began to speak by Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea:
1:2 children of harlotry. This points to the future unfaithfulness of their mother. The children were possibly not fathered by Hosea. That Hosea's marriage to Gomer was to depict God's marriage to Israel is clearly set forth and becomes the key to the theme of the book.
"Go, take yourself a wife of harlotry And children of harlotry, For the land has committed great harlotry By departing from the LORD."
3So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived
and bore him a son. 4Then the LORD said to him: "Call his name Jezreel,
For in a little while I will avenge the bloodshed of Jezreel on the house of Jehu, And
bring an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. 5It shall come to pass in that day That I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel." 6And she conceived again and bore a daughter. Then God said to him:
"Call her name Lo-Ruhamah,a
For I will no longer have mercy on the house of Israel, But I will utterly take them away.b
7Yet I will have mercy on the house of Judah, Will save them by the LORD their God, And will not save them by bow, Nor by sword or battle, By horses or horsemen."
8Now when she had weaned Lo-Ruhamah, she conceived and bore a
son. 9Then God said: "Call his name Lo-Ammi,a
For you are not My people, And I will not be your God.
THE RESTORATION OF ISRAEL
10"Yet the number of the children of Israel Shall be as the sand of the sea, Which cannot be measured or numbered. And it shall come to pass In the place where it was said to them, 'You are not My people,'a
There it shall be said to them, 'You are sons of the living God.' 11Then the children of Judah and the children of Israel Shall be gathered together, And appoint for themselves one head; And they shall come up out of the land, For great will be the day of Jezreel!
Hosea 2
1Say to your brethren, 'My people,'a
And to your sisters, 'Mercyb is shown.'
GOD'S UNFAITHFUL PEOPLE
2"Bring charges against your mother, bring charges; For she is not My wife, nor am I her Husband! Let her put away her harlotries from her sight, And her adulteries from between her breasts; 3Lest I strip her naked And expose her, as in the day she was born, And make her like a wilderness, And set her like a dry land, And slay her with thirst.
4"I will not have mercy on her children, For they are the children of harlotry. 5For their mother has played the harlot; She who conceived them has behaved shamefully. For she said, 'I will go after my lovers, Who give me my bread and my water, My wool and my linen, My oil and my drink.'
6"Therefore, behold, I will hedge up your way with thorns, And wall her in, So that she cannot find her paths. 7She will chase her lovers, But not overtake them; Yes, she will seek them, but not find them. Then she will say, 'I will go and return to my first husband,
For then it was better for me than now.' 8For she did not know That I gave her grain, new wine, and oil, And multiplied her silver and gold— Which they prepared for Baal.
9"Therefore I will return and take away My grain in its time And My new wine in its season, And will take back My wool and My linen, Given to cover her nakedness. 10Now I will uncover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, And no one shall deliver her from My hand. 11I will also cause all her mirth to cease, Her feast days, Her New Moons, Her Sabbaths— All her appointed feasts.
12"And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, Of which she has said, 'These are my wages that my lovers have given me.' So I will make them a forest, And the beasts of the field shall eat them. 13I will punish her For the days of the Baals to which she burned incense. She decked herself with her earrings and jewelry, And went after her lovers; But Me she forgot," says the LORD.
GOD'S MERCY ON HIS PEOPLE
14"Therefore, behold, I will allure her, Will bring her into the wilderness, And speak comfort to her. 15I will give her her vineyards from there, And the Valley of Achor as a door of hope; She shall sing there, As in the days of her youth, As in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt.
16"And it shall be, in that day," Says the LORD,
"That you will call Me 'My Husband,'a
And no longer call Me 'My Master,'b
17For I will take from her mouth the names of the Baals, And they shall be remembered by their name no more. 18In that day I will make a covenant for them With the beasts of the field, With the birds of the air, And with the creeping things of the ground. Bow and sword of battle I will shatter from the earth, To make them lie down safely.
19"I will betroth you to Me forever;
2:19, 20 I will betroth you. Repeated 3 times, the term emphasizes the intensity of God's restoring love for the nation. In that day, Israel will no longer be thought of as a prostitute. Israel brings nothing to the marriage; God makes all the promises and provides all the dowry. These verses are recited by every orthodox Jew as he places the phylacteries on his hand and forehead ( Deut. 11:18 ). The regeneration/conversion of the nation is much like that of an individual (2 Cor. 5:16–19).
Yes, I will betroth you to Me In righteousness and justice, In lovingkindness and mercy; 20I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, And you shall know the LORD.
21"It shall come to pass in that day That I will answer," says the LORD; "I will answer the heavens, And they shall answer the earth. 22The earth shall answer With grain, With new wine, And with oil; They shall answer Jezreel.a
23Then I will sow her for Myself in the earth, And I will have mercy on her
who had not obtained mercy;a
Then I will say to those who were not My people,b 'You are My people!' And they shall say, 'You are my God!' "
Next December 5 Reading
Hosea 3
December 6
H OSEA 3:1–4:19
ISRAEL WILL RETURN TO GOD
1Then the LORD said to me, "Go again, love a woman who is loved by a lovera
and is committing adultery, just like the love of the LORD for the children of Israel, who look to other gods and love the raisin cakes of the pagans."
3:1 Go again, love. Having been previously separated, Hosea was commanded to pursue his estranged wife, Gomer, thereby illustrating God's unquenchable love for faithless Israel. raisin cakes. Eaten as a part of special occasions ( 2 Sam. 6:19 ), they may have been used in idolatrous ceremonies, possibly as an aphrodisiac (Song 2:5).
2So I bought her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver, and one and one-
half homers of barley. 3And I said to her, "You shall stay with me many days; you shall not play the harlot, nor shall you have a man—so, too, will I be toward you."
3:2 bought her. Probably from a slave auction, Hosea purchased Gomer for 15 shekels of silver and 1 1/2 homers of barley. Together, the total may have equaled 30 pieces of silver, the price paid for a common slave (Ex. 21:32). Barley was the offering of one accused of adultery (Num. 5:15).
4For the children of Israel shall abide many days without king or prince,
without sacrifice or sacred pillar, without ephod or teraphim. 5Afterward the
children of Israel shall return and seek the LORD their God and David their king. They shall fear the LORD and His goodness in the latter days.
Hosea 4
GOD'S CHARGE AGAINST ISRAEL
1Hear the word of the LORD, You children of Israel, For the LORD brings a charge against the inhabitants of the land:
"There is no truth or mercy
Or knowledge of God in the land. 2By swearing and lying, Killing and stealing and committing adultery, They break all restraint, With bloodshed upon bloodshed. 3Therefore the land will mourn; And everyone who dwells there will waste away With the beasts of the field And the birds of the air; Even the fish of the sea will be taken away.
4"Now let no man contend, or rebuke another; For your people are like those who contend with the priest. 5Therefore you shall stumble in the day; The prophet also shall stumble with you in the night; And I will destroy your mother. 6My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.
7"The more they increased, The more they sinned against Me; I will changea their gloryb into shame. 8They eat up the sin of My people; They set their heart on their iniquity. 9And it shall be: like people, like priest.
So I will punish them for their ways, And reward them for their deeds. 10For they shall eat, but not have enough; They shall commit harlotry, but not increase; Because they have ceased obeying the LORD.
THE IDOLATRY OF ISRAEL
11"Harlotry, wine, and new wine enslave the heart. 12My people ask counsel from their wooden idols, And their staff informs them. For the spirit of harlotry has caused them to stray, And they have
played the harlot against their God. 13They offer sacrifices on the mountaintops, And burn incense on the hills, Under oaks, poplars, and terebinths, Because their shade is good. Therefore your daughters commit harlotry, And your brides commit adultery.
14"I will not punish your daughters when they commit harlotry, Nor your brides when they commit adultery; For the men themselves go apart with harlots, And offer sacrifices with a ritual harlot.a
Therefore people who do not understand will be trampled.
15"Though you, Israel, play the harlot, Let not Judah offend. Do not come up to Gilgal, Nor go up to Beth Aven,
Nor swear an oath, saying, 'As the LORD lives'— 16"For Israel is stubborn
Like a stubborn calf; Now the LORD will let them forage Like a lamb in open country.
17"Ephraim is joined to idols, Let him alone. 18Their drink is rebellion, They commit harlotry continually. Her rulers dearlya love dishonor. 19The wind has wrapped her up in its wings, And they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.
Next December 6 Reading
Hosea 5
December 7
H OSEA 5:1–6:11
IMPENDING JUDGMENT ON ISRAEL AND JUDAH
1"Hear this, O priests! Take heed, O house of Israel! Give ear, O house of the king! For yours is the judgment, Because you have been a snare to Mizpah And a net spread on Tabor. 2The revolters are deeply involved in slaughter, Though I rebuke them all. 3I know Ephraim, And Israel is not hidden from Me; For now, O Ephraim, you commit harlotry; Israel is defiled.
4"They do not direct their deeds Toward turning to their God, For the spirit of harlotry is in their midst, And they do not know the LORD. 5The pride of Israel testifies to his face; Therefore Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity; Judah also stumbles with them.
6"With their flocks and herds They shall go to seek the LORD, But they will not find Him; He has withdrawn Himself from them. 7They have dealt treacherously with the pagan children. Now a New Moon shall devour them and their heritage.
LORD, For they have begotten
8"Blow the ram's horn in Gibeah, The trumpet in Ramah! Cry aloud at Beth Aven, 'Look behind you, O Benjamin!' 9Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke; Among the tribes of Israel I make known what is sure.
10"The princes of Judah are like those who remove a landmark; I will pour out My wrath on them like water. 11Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, Because he willingly walked by human precept. 12Therefore I will be to Ephraim like a moth, And to the house of Judah like rottenness.
13"When Ephraim saw his sickness, And Judah saw his wound,
Then Ephraim went to Assyria And sent to King Jareb; Yet he cannot cure you, Nor heal you of your wound. 14For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, And like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear them and go away; I will take them away, and no one shall rescue. 15I will return again to My place Till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me."
Hosea 6
A CALL TO REPENTANCE
1Come, and let us return to the LORD; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. 2After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, That we may live in His sight. 3Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the LORD. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, Like the latter and former rain to the earth.
IMPENITENCE OF ISRAEL AND JUDAH
4"O Ephraim, what shall I do to you? O Judah, what shall I do to you? For your faithfulness is like a morning cloud, And like the early dew it goes away. 5Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of My mouth; And your judgments are like light that goes forth. 6For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
7"But like mena they transgressed the covenant; There they dealt treacherously with Me. 8Gilead is a city of evildoers And defiled with blood. 9As bands of robbers lie in wait for a man, So the company of priests murder on the way to Shechem; Surely they commit lewdness. 10I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel: There is the harlotry of Ephraim; Israel is defiled. 11Also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed for you, When I return the captives of My people.
Next December 7 Reading
Hosea 7
December 8
H OSEA 7:1–8:14
1"When I would have healed Israel, Then the iniquity of Ephraim was uncovered, And the wickedness of Samaria. For they have committed fraud; A thief comes in; A band of robbers takes spoil outside. 2They do not consider in their hearts That I remember all their wickedness; Now their own deeds have surrounded them; They are before My face. 3They make a king glad with their wickedness, And princes with their lies.
4"They are all adulterers.
7:4–7 The civil leaders' evil lust burned so passionately all night, that the prophet repeatedly described it like a consuming oven (vv. 4, 6, 7), so hot that the baker could forego stirring the fire during the entire night and still have adequate heat for baking the next morning.
Like an oven heated by a baker— He ceases stirring the fire after kneading the dough, Until it is leavened. 5In the day of our king Princes have made him sick, inflamed with wine; He stretched out his hand with scoffers.
6They prepare their heart like an oven, While they lie in wait; Their bakera sleeps all night; In the morning it burns like a flaming fire. 7They are all hot, like an oven, And have devoured their judges; All their kings have fallen. None among them calls upon Me.
8"Ephraim has mixed himself among the peoples; Ephraim is a cake unturned. 9Aliens have devoured his strength, But he does not know it; Yes, gray hairs are here and there on him, Yet he does not know it. 10And the pride of Israel testifies to his face, But they do not return to the LORD their God, Nor seek Him for all this.
FUTILE RELIANCE ON THE NATIONS
11"Ephraim also is like a silly dove, without sense— They call to Egypt, They go to Assyria. 12Wherever they go, I will spread My net on them; I will bring them down like birds of the air;
I will chastise them According to what their congregation has heard.
13"Woe to them, for they have fled from Me! Destruction to them, Because they have transgressed against Me! Though I redeemed them, Yet they have spoken lies against Me. 14They did not cry out to Me with their heart When they wailed upon their beds.
"They assemble together fora grain and new wine, They rebel against Me;b 15Though I disciplined and strengthened their arms, Yet they devise evil against Me; 16They return, but not to the Most High;a
They are like a treacherous bow. Their princes shall fall by the sword For the cursings of their tongue. This shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.
Hosea 8
THE APOSTASY OF ISRAEL
1"Set the trumpeta to your mouth! He shall come like an eagle against the house of the LORD, Because
they have transgressed My covenant And rebelled against My law. 2Israel will cry to Me, 'My God, we know You!' 3Israel has rejected the good; The enemy will pursue him.
4"They set up kings, but not by Me; They made princes, but I did not acknowledge them.
From their silver and gold They made idols for themselves— That they might be cut off. 5Your calf is rejected, O Samaria! My anger is aroused against them— How long until they attain to innocence? 6For from Israel is even this: A workman made it, and it is not God; But the calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces.
7"They sow the wind, And reap the whirlwind. The stalk has no bud; It shall never produce meal. If it should produce, Aliens would swallow it up. 8Israel is swallowed up; Now they are among the Gentiles Like a vessel in which is no pleasure. 9For they have gone up to Assyria, Like a wild donkey alone by itself; Ephraim has hired lovers. 10Yes, though they have hired among the nations, Now I will gather them; And they shall sorrow a little,a
Because of the burdenb of the king of princes.
11"Because Ephraim has made many altars for sin, They have become for him altars for sinning. 12I have written for him the great things of My law, But they were considered a strange thing. 13For the sacrifices of My offerings they sacrifice flesh and eat it, But the LORD does not accept them. Now He will remember their iniquity and punish their sins. They shall return to Egypt.
14"For Israel has forgotten his Maker, And has built temples;a Judah also has multiplied fortified cities; But I will send fire upon his cities, And it shall devour his palaces."
Next December 8 Reading
Hosea 9
December 9
H OSEA 9:1–10:15
JUDGMENT OF ISRAEL'S SIN
1Do not rejoice, O Israel, with joy like other peoples, For you have played the harlot against your God. You have made love for hire on every threshing floor. 2The threshing floor and the winepress Shall not feed them, And the new wine shall fail in her.
3They shall not dwell in the LORD's land, But Ephraim shall return to Egypt, And shall eat unclean things in Assyria. 4They shall not offer wine offerings to the LORD, Nor shall their sacrifices be pleasing to Him. It shall be like bread of mourners to them; All who eat it shall be defiled. For their bread shall be for their own life; It shall not come into the
house of the LORD.
5What will you do in the appointed day, And in the day of the feast of the LORD? 6For indeed they are gone because of destruction. Egypt shall gather them up; Memphis shall bury them. Nettles shall possess their valuables of silver; Thorns shall be in their tents.
7The days of punishment have come;
9:7 , 8 The prophets were God's inspired messengers and watchmen ( Ezek. 3:17 ; 33:1–7 ), yet Israel considered them fools and madmen.
The days of recompense have come. Israel knows! The prophet is a fool, The spiritual man is insane, Because of the greatness of your iniquity and great enmity. 8The watchman of Ephraim is with my God; But the prophet is a fowler'sa snare in all his ways— Enmity in the house of his God. 9They are deeply corrupted, As in the days of Gibeah. He will remember their iniquity; He will punish their sins.
10"I found Israel Like grapes in the wilderness;
I saw your fathers As the firstfruits on the fig tree in its first season. But they went to Baal Peor, And separated themselves to that shame; They became an abomination like the thing they loved. 11As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird— No birth, no pregnancy, and no conception! 12Though they bring up their children, Yet I will bereave them to the last man. Yes, woe to them when I depart from them! 13Just as I saw Ephraim like Tyre, planted in a pleasant place, So Ephraim will bring out his children to the murderer."
14Give them, O LORD— What will You give?
Give them a miscarrying womb And dry breasts!
15"All their wickedness is in Gilgal, For there I hated them. Because of the evil of their deeds I will drive them from My house; I will love them no more. All their princes are rebellious. 16Ephraim is stricken, Their root is dried up; They shall bear no fruit. Yes, were they to bear children, I would kill the darlings of their womb."
17My God will cast them away, Because they did not obey Him; And they shall be wanderers among the nations.
Hosea 10
ISRAEL'S SIN AND CAPTIVITY
1Israel empties his vine; He brings forth fruit for himself. According to the multitude of his fruit He has increased the altars; According to the bounty of his land They have embellished his sacred pillars. 2Their heart is divided; Now they are held guilty. He will break down their altars; He will ruin their sacred pillars.
3For now they say, "We have no king, Because we did not fear the LORD. And as for a king, what would he do for us?" 4They have spoken words, Swearing falsely in making a covenant. Thus judgment springs up like hemlock in the furrows of the field.
5The inhabitants of Samaria fear Because of the calfa of Beth Aven. For its people mourn for it, And its priests shriek for it— Because its glory has departed from it. 6The idol also shall be carried to Assyria As a present for King Jareb. Ephraim shall receive shame, And Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.
7As for Samaria, her king is cut off Like a twig on the water. 8Also the high places of Aven, the sin of Israel,
10:8 Cover us!…Fall on us! The captivity would be so severe that the people would pray for the mountains and hills to fall on them, similar to the last days (Luke 23:30; Rev. 6:16).
Shall be destroyed. The thorn and thistle shall grow on their altars; They shall say to the mountains, "Cover us!" And to the hills, "Fall on us!"
9"O Israel, you have sinned from the days of Gibeah; There they stood. The battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquitya
Did not overtake them. 10When it is My desire, I will chasten them. Peoples shall be gathered against them When I bind them for their two transgressions.a
11Ephraim is a trained heifer That loves to thresh grain; But I harnessed her fair neck, I will make Ephraim pull a plow. Judah shall plow; Jacob shall break his clods."
12Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD, Till He comes and rains
righteousness on you.
13You have plowed wickedness; You have reaped iniquity. You have eaten the fruit of lies, Because you trusted in your own way, In the multitude of your mighty men. 14Therefore tumult shall arise among your people, And all your fortresses shall be plundered As Shalman plundered Beth Arbel in the day of battle — A mother dashed in pieces upon her children. 15Thus it shall be done to you, O Bethel, Because of your great wickedness. At dawn the king of Israel
Shall be cut off utterly.
Next December 9 Reading
Hosea 11
December 10
H OSEA 11:1–12:14
GOD'S CONTINUING LOVE FOR ISRAEL
1"When Israel was a child, I loved him,
11:1 In tender words reminiscent of the Exodus from Egypt (Ex. 4:22, 23), the Lord reassured Israel of His intense love for her. His compassion for her was aroused ( Is. 12:1 ; 40:1 , 2 ; 49:13 ; Jer. 31:10–14 ; Zech. 1:12–17 ). See Matthew 2:15 for Matthew's analogical use of this verse in relationship to Jesus Christ.
And out of Egypt I called My son. 2As they called them,a
So they went from them;b They sacrificed to the Baals, And burned incense to carved images.
3"I taught Ephraim to walk, Taking them by their arms;a But they did not know that I healed them. 4I drew them with gentle cords,a
With bands of love, And I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck.b I stooped and fed them.
5"He shall not return to the land of Egypt; But the Assyrian shall be his king, Because they refused to repent. 6And the sword shall slash in his cities, Devour his districts, And consume them, Because of their own counsels. 7My people are bent on backsliding from Me. Though they call to the Most High,a None at all exalt Him.
8"How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I set you like Zeboiim? My heart churns within Me; My sympathy is stirred. 9I will not execute the fierceness of My anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim. For I am God, and not man, The Holy One in your midst; And I will not come with terror.a
10"They shall walk after the LORD. He will roar like a lion. When He roars, Then His sons shall come trembling from the west; 11They shall come trembling like a bird from Egypt, Like a dove from the land of Assyria. And I will let them dwell in their houses," Says the LORD.
GOD'S CHARGE AGAINST EPHRAIM
12"Ephraim has encircled Me with lies, And the house of Israel with deceit; But Judah still walks with God, Even with the Holy Onea who is faithful.
Hosea 12
1"Ephraim feeds on the wind, And pursues the east wind; He daily increases lies and desolation. Also they make a covenant with the Assyrians, And oil is carried to Egypt.
2"The LORD also brings a charge against Judah, And will punish Jacob according to his ways; According to his deeds He will recompense him. 3He took his brother by the heel in the womb, And in his strength he struggled with God.a
4Yes, he struggled with the Angel and prevailed; He wept, and sought favor from Him. He found Him in Bethel, And there He spoke to us— 5That is, the LORD God of hosts. The LORD is His memorable name. 6So you, by the help of your God, return; Observe mercy and justice, And wait on your God continually.
7"A cunning Canaanite! Deceitful scales are in his hand; He loves to oppress. 8And Ephraim said, 'Surely I have become rich, I have found wealth for myself; In all my labors They shall find in me no iniquity that is sin.'
9"But I am the LORD your God, Ever since the land of Egypt; I will again make you dwell in tents, As in the days of the appointed feast. 10I have also spoken by the prophets, And have multiplied visions; I have given symbols through the witness of the prophets."
11Though Gilead has idols— Surely they are vanity— Though they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal, Indeed their altars shall be heaps in the furrows of the field.
12Jacob fled to the country of Syria; Israel served for a spouse, And for a wife he tended sheep. 13By a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, And by a prophet he was preserved. 14Ephraim provoked Him to anger most bitterly; Therefore his Lord will leave the guilt of his bloodshed upon him, And return his reproach upon him.
Next December 10 Reading
Hosea 13
December 11
H OSEA 13:1–14:9
RELENTLESS JUDGMENT ON ISRAEL
1When Ephraim spoke, trembling, He exalted himself in Israel; But when he offended through Baal worship, he died. 2Now they sin more and more, And have made for themselves molded images, Idols of their silver, according to their skill; All of it is the work of craftsmen. They say of them, "Let the men who sacrificea kiss the calves!" 3Therefore they shall be like the morning cloud And like the early dew that passes away, Like chaff blown off from a threshing floor And like smoke from a chimney.
4"Yet I am the LORD your God Ever since the land of Egypt, And you shall know no God but Me; For there is no savior besides Me. 5I knew you in the wilderness, In the land of great drought. 6When they had pasture, they were filled; They were filled and their heart was exalted; Therefore they forgot Me.
7"So I will be to them like a lion; Like a leopard by the road I will lurk; 8I will meet them like a bear deprived of her cubs; I will tear open their rib cage, And there I will devour them like a lion. The wild beast shall tear them.
9"O Israel, you are destroyed,a
But your helpb is from Me. 10I will be your King;a
Where is any other, That he may save you in all your cities? And your judges to whom you said, 'Give me a king and princes'?
11I gave you a king in My anger, And took him away in My wrath.
12"The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; His sin is stored up. 13The sorrows of a woman in childbirth shall come upon him. He is an unwise son, For he should not stay long where children are born.
14"I will ransom them from the power of the grave;a
13:14 Placing the strong affirmation of deliverance so abruptly after a denunciation intensified the wonder of His unrequited love (11:8, 9; Lev. 26:44). This can apply to God's restoration of Israel from Assyria, and in future times from all the lands of the Dispersion, preserving them and bringing them back to their land for the kingdom of Messiah (Ezek. 37). It also speaks of the time of personal resurrection as in Daniel 12:2, 3. Repentant Israelites will be restored to the land and even raised from death to glory. Paul uses this text in 1Corinthians 15:55 to celebrate the future resurrection of the church. The Messiah's great victory over death and the grave is the firstfruits of the full harvest to come, when all believers will likewise experience the power of His resurrection.
I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues!b
O Grave,c I will be your destruction!d
Pity is hidden from My eyes."
15Though he is fruitful among his brethren, An east wind shall come; The wind of the LORD shall come up from the wilderness. Then his spring shall become dry, And his fountain shall be dried up. He shall plunder the treasury of every desirable prize. 16Samaria is held guilty,a
For she has rebelled against her God. They shall fall by the sword, Their infants shall be dashed in pieces,
And their women with child ripped open.
Hosea 14
ISRAEL RESTORED AT LAST
1O Israel, return to the LORD your God, For you have stumbled because of your iniquity; 2Take words with you, And return to the LORD. Say to Him, "Take away all iniquity; Receive us graciously, For we will offer the sacrificesa of our lips. 3Assyria shall not save us, We will not ride on horses, Nor will we say anymore to the work of our hands, 'You are our gods.' For in You the fatherless finds mercy."
4"I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, For My anger has turned away from him. 5I will be like the dew to Israel; He shall grow like the lily, And lengthen his roots like Lebanon. 6His branches shall spread; His beauty shall be like an olive tree, And his fragrance like Lebanon. 7Those who dwell under his shadow shall return; They shall be revived like grain, And grow like a vine. Their scenta shall be like the wine of Lebanon.
8"Ephraim shall say, 'What have I to do anymore with idols?' I have heard and observed him. I am like a green cypress tree; Your fruit is found in Me."
9Who is wise? Let him understand these things. Who is prudent? Let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right; The righteous walk in them, But transgressors stumble in them.
Next December 11 Reading
The Book of Joel
Joel 1
December 12
J OEL 1:1–3:21
1The word of the LORD that came to Joel the son of Pethuel.
THE LAND LAID WASTE
2Hear this, you elders,
1:2 Hear…give ear. The gravity of the situation demanded the undivided focus of their senses, emphasizing the need to make a conscious, purposeful decision in the matter. The terminology was commonly used in "lawsuit" passages ( Is. 1:2 ; Hos. 4:1 ), intimating that Israel was found guilty and that the present judgment was her "sentence." elders…all you inhabitants. The former term refers to the civil and religious leaders, who, in light of their position, were exhorted to lead by example the entire population toward repentance.
And give ear, all you inhabitants of the land! Has anything like this happened in your days, Or even in the days of
your fathers? 3Tell your children about it, Let your children tell their children, And their children another generation. 4What the chewing locusta left, the swarming locust has eaten; What the swarming locust left, the crawling locust has eaten; And what the crawling locust left, the consuming locust has eaten.
5Awake, you drunkards, and weep; And wail, all you drinkers of wine, Because of the new wine, For it has been cut off from your mouth. 6For a nation has come up against My land, Strong, and without number; His teeth are the teeth of a lion, And he has the fangs of a fierce lion. 7He has laid waste My vine, And ruined My fig tree; He has stripped it bare and thrown it away; Its branches are made white.
8Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth For the husband of her youth. 9The grain offering and the drink offering Have been cut off from the house
of the LORD; The priests mourn, who minister to the LORD. 10The field is wasted, The land mourns; For the grain is ruined, The new wine is dried up, The oil fails.
11Be ashamed, you farmers, Wail, you vinedressers, For the wheat and the barley; Because the harvest of the field has perished. 12The vine has dried up, And the fig tree has withered; The pomegranate tree, The palm tree also, And the apple tree— All the trees of the field are withered; Surely joy has withered away from the sons of men.
MOURNING FOR THE LAND
13Gird yourselves and lament, you priests; Wail, you who minister before the altar; Come, lie all night in sackcloth, You who minister to my God; For the grain offering and the drink offering Are withheld from the
house of your God. 14Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly;
Gather the elders And all the inhabitants of the land Into the house of the LORD your God, And cry out to the LORD.
15Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is at hand; It shall come as destruction from
the Almighty. 16Is not the food cut off before our eyes, Joy and gladness from the house of our God? 17The seed shrivels under the clods, Storehouses are in shambles; Barns are broken down, For the grain has withered. 18How the animals groan! The herds of cattle are restless, Because they have no pasture; Even the flocks of sheep suffer punishment.a
19O LORD, to You I cry out; For fire has devoured the open pastures, And a flame has burned all the trees of the field. 20The beasts of the field also cry out to You, For the water brooks are dried up, And fire has devoured the open pastures.
Joel 2
THE DAY OF THE LORD
1Blow the trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; For the day of the LORD is coming, For it is at hand: 2A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness, Like the morning clouds spread over the mountains. A people come, great and strong, The like of whom has never been; Nor will there ever be any such after them, Even for many
successive generations.
3A fire devours before them, And behind them a flame burns; The land is like the Garden of Eden before them, And behind them a
desolate wilderness; Surely nothing shall escape them. 4Their appearance is like the appearance of horses; And like swift steeds, so they run. 5With a noise like chariots Over mountaintops they leap, Like the noise of a flaming fire that devours the stubble, Like a
strong people set in battle array.
6Before them the people writhe in pain; All faces are drained of color.a
7They run like mighty men, They climb the wall like men of war; Every one marches in formation, And they do not break ranks. 8They do not push one another; Every one marches in his own column.a Though they lunge between the weapons, They are not cut down.b
9They run to and fro in the city, They run on the wall; They climb into the houses, They enter at the windows like a thief.
10The earth quakes before them, The heavens tremble; The sun and moon grow dark, And the stars diminish their brightness. 11The LORD gives voice before His army, For His camp is very great; For strong is the One who executes His word. For the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; Who can endure it?
A CALL TO REPENTANCE
12"Now, therefore," says the LORD, "Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning." 13So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm. 14Who knows if He will turn and relent, And leave a blessing behind Him— A grain offering and a drink offering For the LORD your God? 15Blow the trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly; 16Gather the people, Sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and nursing babes; Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, And the bride from her dressing room. 17Let the priests, who minister to the LORD, Weep between the porch and the altar; Let them say, "Spare Your people, O LORD, And do not give Your
heritage to reproach, That the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?' "
THE LAND REFRESHED
18Then the LORD will be zealous for His land, And pity His people. 19The LORD will answer and say to His people, "Behold, I will send you grain and new wine and oil, And you will be satisfied by them; I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations.
20"But I will remove far from you the northern army, And will drive him away into a barren and desolate land, With his face toward the eastern sea And his back toward the western sea; His stench will come up, And his foul odor will rise, Because he has done monstrous things."
21Fear not, O land; Be glad and rejoice, For the LORD has done marvelous things! 22Do not be afraid, you beasts of the field; For the open pastures are springing up, And the tree bears its fruit; The fig tree and the vine yield their strength. 23Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the LORD your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully,a
And He will cause the rain to come down for you— The former rain, And the latter rain in the first month. 24The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.
25"So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust, The consuming locust, And the chewing locust,a
My great army which I sent among you. 26You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, And praise the name of the LORD your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; And My people shall never be put to shame. 27Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel: I am the LORD your
God And there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame.
GOD'S SPIRIT POURED OUT
28"And it shall come to pass afterward
2:28 afterward. The abundance of material blessings would be followed by the outpouring of spiritual blessings. When coupled with the other temporal phrases within the passage ("in those days" [v. 29] and "before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD" [v. 31]), the term points to a Second Advent fulfillment time frame. all flesh. Since the context is "your sons and your daughters," "all flesh" best refers to the house of Israel only. The nations are the recipients of God's wrath, not the effusion of His Spirit (3:2, 9ff.).
That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. 29And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
30"And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. 31The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD. 32And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, As
the LORD has said, Among the remnant whom the LORD calls.
Joel 3
GOD JUDGES THE NATIONS
1"For behold, in those days and at that time, When I bring back the captives
of Judah and Jerusalem, 2I will also gather all nations, And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; And I will enter into judgment with them there On account of My people, My heritage Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations; They have also divided up My land. 3They have cast lots for My people, Have given a boy as payment for a harlot, And sold a girl for wine, that they may drink.
4"Indeed, what have you to do with Me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the coasts of Philistia? Will you retaliate against Me? But if you retaliate against Me, Swiftly and speedily I will return your retaliation upon your own
head; 5Because you have taken My silver and My gold, And have carried into your temples My prized possessions. 6Also the people of Judah and the people of Jerusalem You have sold to the Greeks, That you may remove them far from their borders.
7"Behold, I will raise them Out of the place to which you have sold them, And will return your retaliation upon your own head. 8I will sell your sons and your daughters Into the hand of the people of Judah, And they will sell them to the Sabeans,a
To a people far off; For the LORD has spoken."
9Proclaim this among the nations: "Prepare for war! Wake up the mighty men, Let all the men of war draw near, Let them come up. 10Beat your plowshares into swords And your pruning hooks into spears; Let the weak say, 'I am strong.' " 11Assemble and come, all you nations, And gather together all around.
Cause Your mighty ones to go down there, O LORD.
12"Let the nations be wakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; For there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. 13Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; For the winepress is full, The vats overflow— For their wickedness is great."
14Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. 15The sun and moon will grow dark, And the stars will diminish their brightness. 16The LORD also will roar from Zion, And utter His voice from Jerusalem; The heavens and earth will shake; But the LORD will be a shelter for His people, And the strength of the
children of Israel.
17"So you shall know that I am the LORD your God, Dwelling in Zion My holy mountain. Then Jerusalem shall be holy, And no aliens shall ever pass through her again."
GOD BLESSES HIS PEOPLE
18And it will come to pass in that day That the mountains shall drip with new wine, The hills shall flow with milk, And all the brooks of Judah shall be flooded with water; A fountain
shall flow from the house of the LORD And water the Valley of Acacias.
19"Egypt shall be a desolation, And Edom a desolate wilderness, Because of violence against the people of Judah, For they have
shed innocent blood in their land. 20But Judah shall abide forever, And Jerusalem from generation to generation. 21For I will acquit them of the guilt of bloodshed, whom I had not acquitted; For the LORD dwells in Zion."
Next December 12 Reading
The Book of Amos
Amos 1
December 13
A MOS 1:1–3:15
1The words of Amos, who was among the sheepbreedersa of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
2And he said:
"The LORD roars from Zion, And utters His voice from Jerusalem; The pastures of the shepherds mourn, And the top of Carmel withers."
JUDGMENT ON THE NATIONS
3Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment,
Because they have threshed Gilead with implements of iron. 4But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, Which shall devour the palaces of Ben-Hadad. 5I will also break the gate bar of Damascus, And cut off the inhabitant from the Valley of Aven, And the one who holds the scepter from Beth Eden. The people of Syria shall go captive to Kir," Says the LORD.
6Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they took captive the whole captivity To deliver them up to Edom. 7But I will send a fire upon the wall of Gaza, Which shall devour its palaces. 8I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, And the one who holds the scepter from Ashkelon; I will turn My hand against Ekron, And the remnant of the Philistines shall perish," Says the Lord GOD.
9Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Tyre, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, And did not
remember the covenant of brotherhood. 10But I will send a fire upon the wall of Tyre, Which shall devour its palaces." 11Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because he pursued his brother with the sword, And cast off all pity; His anger tore perpetually,
And he kept his wrath forever. 12But I will send a fire upon Teman, Which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah." 13Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of the people of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment,
Because they ripped open the women with child in Gilead, That they
might enlarge their territory. 14But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, And it shall devour its palaces, Amid shouting in the day of battle, And a tempest in the day of the whirlwind. 15Their king shall go into captivity, He and his princes together," Says the LORD.
Amos 2
1Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because he burned the bones of the king of Edom to lime. 2But I will send a fire upon Moab, And it shall devour the palaces of Kerioth; Moab shall die with tumult, With shouting and trumpet sound. 3And I will cut off the judge from its midst, And slay all its princes with him," Says the LORD.
JUDGMENT ON JUDAH
4Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they have despised the law of the
LORD, And have not kept His
commandments. Their lies lead them astray,
Lies which their fathers followed. 5But I will send a fire upon Judah, And it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem."
JUDGMENT ON ISRAEL
6Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they sell the righteous for silver, And the poor for a pair of sandals. 7They pant aftera the dust of the earth which is on the head of the poor, And pervert the way of the humble. A man and his father go in to the same girl, To defile My holy name. 8They lie down by every altar on clothes taken in pledge, And drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god.
9"Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them, Whose height was like the height of the cedars, And he was as strong as the oaks; Yet I destroyed his fruit above And his roots beneath. 10Also it was I who brought you up from the land of Egypt, And led you forty years through the wilderness, To possess the land of the Amorite. 11I raised up some of your sons as prophets, And some of your young men as Nazirites. Is it not so, O you children of Israel?" Says the LORD. 12"But you gave the Nazirites wine to drink, And commanded the prophets saying, 'Do not prophesy!'
13"Behold, I am weighed down by you, As a cart full of sheaves is weighed down. 14Therefore flight shall perish from the swift, The strong shall not strengthen his power, Nor shall the mighty deliver himself; 15He shall not stand who handles the bow, The swift of foot shall not escape, Nor shall he who rides a horse deliver himself. 16The most courageous men of might Shall flee naked in that day,"
Says the LORD.
Amos 3
AUTHORITY OF THE PROPHET'S MESSAGE
1Hear this word that the LORD has spoken against you, O children of Israel,
against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying: 2"You only have I known of all the families of the earth; Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities."
3Can two walk together, unless they are agreed? 4Will a lion roar in the forest, when he has no prey? Will a young lion cry out of his den, if he has caught nothing? 5Will a bird fall into a snare on the earth, where there is no trap for it? Will a snare spring up from the earth, if it has caught nothing at all? 6If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid? If there is calamity in a city, will not the LORD have done it?
7Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. 8A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken! Who can but prophesy?
PUNISHMENT OF ISRAEL'S SINS
9"Proclaim in the palaces at Ashdod,a
And in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say: 'Assemble on the mountains of Samaria; See great tumults in her midst, And the oppressed within her. 10For they do not know to do right,'
Says the LORD, 'Who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.' "
11Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "An adversary shall be all around the land; He shall sap your strength from you, And your palaces shall be plundered."
12Thus says the LORD: "As a shepherd takes from the mouth of a lion Two legs or a piece of an ear, So shall the children of Israel be taken out Who dwell in Samaria— In the corner of a bed and on the edgea of a couch! 13Hear and testify against the house of Jacob," Says the Lord GOD, the God of hosts, 14"That in the day I punish
Israel for their transgressions, I will also visit destruction on the altars of Bethel; And the horns of the altar shall be cut off And fall to the ground. 15I will destroy the winter house along with the summer house; The houses of ivory shall perish, And the great houses shall have an end," Says the LORD.
Next December 13 Reading
Amos 4
December 14
A MOS 4:1–5:27
1Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, Who oppress the poor, Who crush the needy, Who say to your husbands,a "Bring wine, let us drink!" 2The Lord GOD has sworn by His holiness: "Behold, the days shall come upon you When He will take you away with fishhooks, And your posterity with fishhooks. 3You will go out through broken walls, Each one straight ahead of her, And you will be cast into Harmon," Says the LORD.
4"Come to Bethel and transgress, At Gilgal multiply transgression; Bring your sacrifices every morning, Your tithes every three days.a
5Offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, Proclaim and announce the freewill offerings; For this you love, You children of Israel!" Says the Lord GOD.
ISRAEL DID NOT ACCEPT CORRECTION
6"Also I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, And lack of bread in all your places; Yet you have not returned to Me," Says the LORD.
7"I also withheld rain from you, When there were still three months to the harvest. I made it rain on one city, I withheld rain from another city. One part was rained upon, And where it did not rain the part withered. 8So two or three cities wandered to another city to drink water, But they were not satisfied; Yet you have not returned to Me," Says the LORD.
9"I blasted you with blight and mildew. When your gardens increased, Your vineyards, Your fig trees, And your olive trees, The locust devoured them; Yet you have not returned to Me," Says the LORD.
10"I sent among you a plague after the manner of Egypt; Your young men I killed with a sword, Along with your captive horses; I made the stench of your camps come up into your nostrils; Yet you
have not returned to Me," Says the LORD.
11"I overthrew some of you, As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, And you were like a firebrand plucked from the burning; Yet you
have not returned to Me," Says the LORD.
12"Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel; Because I will do this to you, Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!"
13For behold, He who forms mountains, And creates the wind, Who declares to man what hisa thought is, And makes the morning
darkness, Who treads the high places of the earth— The LORD God of hosts is His name.
Amos 5
A LAMENT FOR ISRAEL
1Hear this word which I take up against you, a lamentation, O house of Israel: 2The virgin of Israel has fallen; She will rise no more. She lies forsaken on her land; There is no one to raise her up.
3For thus says the Lord GOD: "The city that goes out by a thousand Shall have a hundred left, And that which goes out by a hundred Shall have ten left to the house of Israel."
A CALL TO REPENTANCE
4For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel: "Seek Me and live; 5But do not seek Bethel, Nor enter Gilgal, Nor pass over to Beersheba; For Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, And Bethel shall come to nothing. 6Seek the LORD and live, Lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph, And devour it, With no one to quench it in Bethel— 7You who turn justice to wormwood, And lay righteousness to rest in the earth!"
8He made the Pleiades and Orion; He turns the shadow of death into morning And makes the day dark as night; He calls for the waters of the sea And pours them out on the face of the earth; The LORD is His name. 9He rains ruin upon the strong, So that fury comes upon the fortress. 10They hate the one who rebukes in the gate, And they abhor the one who speaks uprightly. 11Therefore, because you tread down the poor And take grain taxes from him, Though you have built houses of hewn stone, Yet you shall not dwell in them; You have planted pleasant vineyards, But you shall not drink wine from them. 12For I know your manifold transgressions And your mighty sins: Afflicting the just and taking bribes; Diverting the poor from justice at the gate. 13Therefore the prudent keep silent at that time, For it is an evil time.
14Seek good and not evil, That you may live;
So the LORD God of hosts will be with you, As you have spoken. 15Hate evil, love good; Establish justice in the gate. It may be that the LORD God of hosts Will be gracious to the remnant
of Joseph.
THE DAY OF THE LORD
16Therefore the LORD God of hosts, the Lord, says this: "There shall be wailing in all streets,
And they shall say in all the highways, 'Alas! Alas!' They shall call the farmer to mourning, And skillful lamenters to wailing. 17In all vineyards there shall be wailing, For I will pass through you," Says the LORD.
18Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! For what good is the day of the LORD to you? It will be darkness, and not light. 19It will be as though a man fled from a lion, And a bear met him! Or as though he went into the house, Leaned his hand on the wall, And a serpent bit him! 20Is not the day of the LORD darkness, and not light? Is it not very dark, with no brightness in it?
21"I hate, I despise your feast days, And I do not savor your sacred assemblies. 22Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them, Nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings. 23Take away from Me the noise of your songs, For I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments. 24But let justice run down like water, And righteousness like a mighty stream.
25"Did you offer Me sacrifices and offerings
5:25, 26 In addition to worshiping the Lord in the wilderness, Israel also worshiped other gods, carrying along "Sikkuth [or "tabernacle"] your king [or "Molech"] and Chiun, your idols." Molech worship included the astrological worship of Saturn and the host of heaven and the actual sacrificing of children ( 2 Kin. 17:16 , 17 ). Warned against Molech worship ( Deut. 18:9–13 ), Israel nevertheless pursued all facets of it, continuing with Solomon (1 Kin. 11:7) and his descendants ( 1 Kin. 12:28 ; 2 Kin. 17:16 , 17 ; Jer. 32:35 ) until Josiah ( 2 Kin. 23:10 ). Stephen recited Amos 5:25–27 when he recounted the sins of Israel in Acts 7:42, 43.
In the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel? 26You also carried Sikkutha your kingb
5:25, 26 In addition to worshiping the Lord in the wilderness, Israel also worshiped other gods, carrying along "Sikkuth [or "tabernacle"] your king [or "Molech"] and Chiun, your idols." Molech worship included the astrological worship of Saturn and the host of heaven and the actual sacrificing of children ( 2 Kin. 17:16 , 17 ). Warned against Molech worship ( Deut. 18:9–13 ), Israel nevertheless pursued all facets of it, continuing with Solomon (1 Kin. 11:7) and his descendants ( 1 Kin. 12:28 ; 2 Kin. 17:16 , 17 ; Jer. 32:35 ) until Josiah ( 2 Kin. 23:10 ). Stephen recited Amos 5:25–27 when he recounted the sins of Israel in Acts 7:42, 43.
And Chiun,c your idols, The star of your gods, Which you made for yourselves. 27Therefore I will send you into captivity beyond Damascus," Says the LORD, whose name is the God of hosts.
Next December 14 Reading
Amos 6
December 15
A MOS 6:1–7:17
WARNINGS TO ZION AND SAMARIA
1Woe to you who are at ease in Zion, And trust in Mount Samaria, Notable persons in the chief nation, To whom the house of Israel comes! 2Go over to Calneh and see; And from there go to Hamath the great; Then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms? Or is their territory greater than your territory?
3Woe to you who put far off the day of doom, Who cause the seat of violence to come near; 4Who lie on beds of ivory, Stretch out on your couches,
Eat lambs from the flock And calves from the midst of the stall; 5Who sing idly to the sound of stringed instruments, And invent for yourselves musical instruments like David; 6Who drink wine from bowls, And anoint yourselves with the best ointments, But are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph. 7Therefore they shall now go captive as the first of the captives, And those who recline at banquets shall be removed.
8The Lord GOD has sworn by Himself, The LORD God of hosts says: "I abhor the pride of Jacob, And hate his palaces; Therefore I will deliver up the city And all that is in it."
9Then it shall come to pass, that if ten men remain in one house, they shall die. 10And when a relative of the dead, with one who will burn the bodies, picks up the bodiesa to take them out of the house, he will say to one inside the house, "Are there any more with you?"
6:10 one who will burn. This could refer to cremation, demanded by the excessive number killed and because of fear of epidemics. With rare exceptions (1 Sam. 31:12), corpses were buried in ancient Israel. dare not mention…the LORD. Previously welcomed as a friend, the Lord came in judgment as a foe. Survivors would not want to invoke His name out of fear.
Then someone will say, "None." And he will say, "Hold your tongue! For we dare not mention the name of the
LORD."
11For behold, the LORD gives a command: He will break the great house into bits, And the little house into pieces.
12Do horses run on rocks? Does one plow there with oxen? Yet you have turned justice into gall, And the fruit of righteousness into wormwood, 13You who rejoice over Lo Debar,a
Who say, "Have we not taken Karnaimb for ourselves By our own
strength?"
14"But, behold, I will raise up a nation against you, O house of Israel," Says the LORD God of hosts; "And they will afflict you from the entrance of Hamath To the Valley
of the Arabah."
Amos 7
VISION OF THE LOCUSTS
1Thus the Lord GOD showed me: Behold, He formed locust swarms at the beginning of the late crop; indeed it was the late crop after the king's mowings. 2And so it was, when they had finished eating the grass of the land, that I said: "O Lord GOD, forgive, I pray!
Oh, that Jacob may stand, For he is small!" 3So the LORD relented concerning this. "It shall not be," said the LORD.
VISION OF THE FIRE
4Thus the Lord GOD showed me: Behold, the Lord GOD called for conflict by fire, and it consumed the great deep and devoured the territory.5Then I said: "O Lord GOD, cease, I pray!
Oh, that Jacob may stand, For he is small!" 6So the LORD relented concerning this. "This also shall not be," said the Lord GOD.
VISION OF THE PLUMB LINE
7Thus He showed me: Behold, the Lord stood on a wall made with a plumb line, with a plumb line in His hand. 8And the LORD said to me, "Amos, what do you see?"
And I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said:
"Behold, I am setting a plumb line In the midst of My people Israel; I will not pass by them anymore. 9The high places of Isaac shall be desolate, And the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste. I will rise with the sword against the house of Jeroboam."
AMAZIAH'S COMPLAINT
10Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, "Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words. 11For thus Amos has said: 'Jeroboam shall die by the sword,
And Israel shall surely be led away captive From their own land.' "
12Then Amaziah said to Amos:
"Go, you seer! Flee to the land of Judah. There eat bread, And there prophesy. 13But never again prophesy at Bethel, For it is the king's sanctuary, And it is the royal residence."
14Then Amos answered, and said to Amaziah: "I was no prophet, Nor was I a son of a prophet,
But I was a sheepbreedera
And a tender of sycamore fruit. 15Then the LORD took me as I followed the flock, And the LORD said to me, 'Go, prophesy to My people Israel.' 16Now therefore, hear the word of the against Israel, And do not spout against the house of Isaac.'
LORD: You say, 'Do not prophesy
17"Therefore thus says the LORD: 'Your wife shall be a harlot in the city; Your sons and daughters shall fall by the sword; Your land shall be divided by survey line; You shall die in a defiled land; And Israel shall surely be led away captive From his own land.' "
Next December 15 Reading
Amos 8
December 16
A MOS 8:1–9:15
VISION OF THE SUMMER FRUIT
1Thus the Lord GOD showed me: Behold, a basket of summer fruit. 2And He said, "Amos, what do you see?"
So I said, "A basket of summer fruit." Then the LORD said to me:
"The end has come upon My people Israel; I will not pass by them anymore. 3And the songs of the temple Shall be wailing in that day," Says the Lord GOD— "Many dead bodies everywhere, They shall be thrown out in silence."
4Hear this, you who swallow upa the needy, And make the poor of the land fail, 5Saying:
"When will the New Moon be past, That we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, That we may trade wheat? Making the ephah small and the shekel large, Falsifying the scales by deceit, 6That we may buy the poor for silver, And the needy for a pair of sandals— Even sell the bad wheat?"
7The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob: "Surely I will never forget any of their works. 8Shall the land not tremble for this, And everyone mourn who dwells in it? All of it shall swell like the River,a
Heave and subside Like the River of Egypt.
9"And it shall come to pass in that day," says the Lord GOD, "That I will make the sun go down at noon, And I will darken the earth in broad daylight; 10I will turn your feasts into mourning, And all your songs into lamentation; I will bring sackcloth on every waist, And baldness on every head; I will make it like mourning for an only son, And its end like a bitter day.
11"Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord famine on the land, Not a famine of bread, Nor a thirst for water, But of hearing the words of the LORD. 12They shall wander from sea to sea, And from north to east; They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the LORD, But shall not
GOD, "That I will send a
find it.
13"In that day the fair virgins And strong young men Shall faint from thirst. 14Those who swear by the sina of Samaria, Who say, 'As your god lives, O Dan!' And, 'As the way of Beersheba lives!' They shall fall and never rise again."
Amos 9
THE DESTRUCTION OF ISRAEL
1I saw the Lord standing by the altar, and He said: "Strike the doorposts, that the thresholds may shake, And break them on the heads of them all.
I will slay the last of them with the sword. He who flees from them shall not get away, And he who escapes from them shall not be delivered.
2"Though they dig into hell,a
From there My hand shall take them; Though they climb up to heaven, From there I will bring them down; 3And though they hide themselves on top of Carmel, From there I will search and take them; Though they hide from My sight at the bottom of the sea, From there I will
command the serpent, and it shall bite them; 4Though they go into captivity before their enemies, From there I will command the sword, And it shall slay them. I will set My eyes on them for harm and not for good."
5The Lord GOD of hosts, He who touches the earth and it melts, And all who dwell there mourn; All of it shall swell like the River,a
And subside like the River of Egypt. 6He who builds His layers in the sky, And has founded His strata in the earth; Who calls for the waters of the sea, And pours them out on the face of the earth— The LORD is His name.
7"Are you not like the people of Ethiopia to Me, O children of Israel?" says the LORD. "Did I not bring up Israel from the land of Egypt, The Philistines from Caphtor, And the Syrians from Kir?
8"Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD are on the sinful kingdom, And I will destroy it from the face of the earth; Yet I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob," Says the LORD.
9"For surely I will command, And will sift the house of Israel among all nations, As grain is sifted in a sieve; Yet not the smallest grain shall fall to the ground. 10All the sinners of My people shall die by the sword, Who say, 'The calamity shall not overtake nor confront us.'
ISRAEL WILL BE RESTORED
11"On that day I will raise up The tabernaclea of David, which has fallen down, And repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, And rebuild it as in the days of old; 12That they may possess the remnant of Edom,a And all the Gentiles who are called by My name," Says the LORD who does this thing.
13"Behold, the days are coming," says the LORD, "When the plowman shall overtake the reaper, And the treader of grapes him who sows seed; The mountains shall drip with sweet wine, And all the hills shall flow with it. 14I will bring back the captives of My people Israel; They shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them; They shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them. 15I will plant them in their land,
9:15 no longer shall they be pulled up from the land. The ultimate fulfillment of God's land promise to Abraham (Gen. 12:7; 15:7; 17:8) will occur during Christ's millennial reign on earth (Joel 2:26, 27).
And no longer shall they be pulled up From the land I have given them," Says the LORD your God.
Next December 16 Reading
The Book of Obadiah
Obadiah 1
December 17
O BADIAH 1–21
THE COMING JUDGMENT ON EDOM
1The vision of Obadiah.
1 The vision. The prophetic word often came from God in the form of a vision (Hab. 1:1). Thus says the Lord GOD. Although the background of the prophet is obscure, the source of his message is not. It was supernaturally given by God and was not motivated by unholy vengeance. Edom. Descendants of Esau ( Gen. 25:30 ; 36:1ff .), the Edomites settled in the region south of the Dead Sea. Arise, …rise up against her. The prophet heard of an international plot to overthrow Edom. The selfish motives of Edom's enemies were divinely controlled by the Lord's "messengers" to serve His sovereign purposes (Ps. 104:4).
Thus says the Lord GOD concerning Edom (We have heard a report from
the LORD, And a messenger has been sent among the nations, saying,
"Arise, and let us rise up against her for battle"): 2"Behold, I will make you small among the nations; You shall be greatly despised. 3The pride of your heart has deceived you, You who dwell in the clefts of the rock, Whose habitation is high; You who say in your heart, 'Who will bring me down to the ground?' 4Though you ascend as high as the eagle, And though you set your nest among the stars, From there I will bring you down," says the LORD.
5"If thieves had come to you, If robbers by night— Oh, how you will be cut off!— Would they not have stolen till they had enough? If grape-gatherers had come to you, Would they not have left some gleanings?
6"Oh, how Esau shall be searched out! How his hidden treasures shall be sought after! 7All the men in your confederacy Shall force you to the border; The men at peace with you Shall deceive you and prevail against you. Those who eat your bread shall lay a trapa for you. No one is aware of it.
8"Will I not in that day," says the LORD, "Even destroy the wise men from Edom, And understanding from the mountains of Esau? 9Then your mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, To the end that everyone from the mountains of Esau May be cut off by slaughter.
EDOM MISTREATED HIS BROTHER
10"For violence against your brother Jacob, Shame shall cover you, And you shall be cut off forever. 11In the day that you stood on the other side— In the day that strangers carried captive his forces, When foreigners entered his gates And cast lots for Jerusalem— Even you were as one of them. 12"But you should not have gazed on the day of your brother In the day of his captivity;a
Nor should you have rejoiced over the children of Judah In the day
of their destruction; Nor should you have spoken proudly In the day of distress. 13You should not have entered the gate of My people In the day of their calamity. Indeed, you should not have gazed on their affliction In the day of
their calamity, Nor laid hands on their substance In the day of their calamity. 14You should not have stood at the crossroads To cut off those among them who escaped; Nor should you have delivered up those among them who remained
In the day of distress.
15"For the day of the LORD upon all the nations is near; As you have done, it shall be done to you; Your reprisal shall return upon your own head. 16For as you drank on My holy mountain, So shall all the nations drink continually; Yes, they shall drink, and swallow, And they shall be as though they had never been.
ISRAEL'S FINAL TRIUMPH
17"But on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance, And there shall be holiness;
The house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. 18The house of Jacob shall be a fire, And the house of Joseph a flame; But the house of Esau shall be stubble; They shall kindle them and
devour them, And no survivor shall remain of the house of Esau," For the LORD has spoken.
19The Southa shall possess the mountains of Esau, And the Lowland shall possess Philistia. They shall possess the fields of Ephraim And the fields of Samaria. Benjamin shall possess Gilead. 20And the captives of this host of the children of Israel Shall possess the land of the Canaanites As far as Zarephath. The captives of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad Shall possess the
cities of the South.a
21Then saviorsa shall come to Mount Zion To judge the mountains of Esau, And the kingdom shall be the LORD's.
Next December 17 Reading
The Book of Jonah
Jonah 1
December 18
J ONAH 1:1–4:11
JONAH'S DISOBEDIENCE
1Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2"Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come
up before Me." 3But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the
LORD. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.
1:3 But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish. This is the only recorded instance of a prophet refusing God's commission (Jer. 20:7–9). The location of Tarshish, known for its wealth (Ps. 72:10; Jer. 10:9; Ezek. 27:12, 25), is uncertain. The Greek historian Herodotus identified it with Tartessus, a merchant city in southern Spain. The prophet went as far west in the opposite direction as possible, showing his reluctance to bring salvation blessing to Gentiles. from the presence of the LORD. While no one can escape from the Lord's omnipresence (Ps. 139:7–12), it is thought that the prophet was attempting to flee His manifest presence in the temple at Jerusalem (Gen. 4:16; Jon. 2:4).
THE STORM AT SEA
4But the LORD sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up.
5Then the mariners were afraid; and every man cried out to his god, and threw
the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten the load.a But Jonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, had lain down, and was fast asleep.
6So the captain came to him, and said to him, "What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God; perhaps your God will consider us, so that we may not perish."
7And they said to one another, "Come, let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this trouble has come upon us." So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. 8Then they said to him, "Please tell us! For whose cause is this trouble upon us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?"
9So he said to them, "I am a Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land."
JONAH THROWN INTO THE SEA
10Then the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, "Why have you done this?" For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he
had told them. 11Then they said to him, "What shall we do to you that the sea may be calm for us?"—for the sea was growing more tempestuous.
12And he said to them, "Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become calm for you. For I know that this great tempest is because of me."
13Nevertheless the men rowed hard to return to land, but they could not, for
the sea continued to grow more tempestuous against them. 14Therefore they cried out to the LORD and said, "We pray, O LORD, please do not let us perish for this man's life, and do not charge us with innocent blood; for You, O LORD, have done as it pleased You." 15So they picked up Jonah and threw him into
the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. 16Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice to the LORD and took vows.
JONAH'S PRAYER AND DELIVERANCE 17NOW THE LORD HAD PREPARED A
GREAT FISH TO SWALLOW JONAH. AND JONAH WAS IN THE BELLY OF THE
FISH THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS.
1:17 a great fish. The species of fish is uncertain; the Hebrew word for whale is not here employed. God sovereignly prepared (literally, "appointed") a great fish to rescue Jonah. Apparently Jonah sank into the depth of the sea before the fish swallowed him (2:3, 5, 6).
Jonah 2
1Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the fish's belly. 2And he said: "I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction, And He answered me.
"Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, And You heard my voice. 3For You cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the floods surrounded me; All Your billows and Your waves passed over me. 4Then I said, 'I have been cast out of Your sight; Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.' 5The waters surrounded me, even to my soul; The deep closed around me; Weeds were wrapped around my head. 6I went down to the moorings of the mountains; The earth with its bars closed behind me forever; Yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O LORD, my God.
7"When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the LORD; And my prayer went up to You, Into Your holy temple.
8"Those who regard worthless idols Forsake their own Mercy. 9But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD."
10So the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.
Jonah 3
JONAH PREACHES AT NINEVEH
1Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2"Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you." 3So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three-day journeya in extent. 4And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day's walk. Then he cried out and said, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!"
THE PEOPLE OF NINEVEH BELIEVE
5So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on
sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. 6Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes. 7And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. 8But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. 9Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?
10Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.
Jonah 4
JONAH'S ANGER AND GOD'S KINDNESS 1BUT IT DISPLEASED JONAH
EXCEEDINGLY, AND HE BECAME ANGRY. 2SO HE PRAYED TO THE LORD, AND
SAID, "AH, LORD, WAS NOT THIS WHAT I SAID WHEN I WAS STILL IN MY COUNTRY? THEREFORE I FLED PREVIOUSLY TO TARSHISH; FOR I KNOW THAT YOU ARE A GRACIOUS AND MERCIFUL GOD, SLOW TO ANGER AND
ABUNDANT IN LOVINGKINDNESS, ONE WHO RELENTS FROM DOING HARM. 3THEREFORE NOW, O LORD, PLEASE TAKE MY LIFE FROM ME, FOR IT IS
BETTER FOR ME TO DIE THAN TO LIVE!"
4:1, 2 Jonah, because of his rejection of Gentiles and distaste for their participation in salvation, was displeased at God's demonstration of mercy toward the Ninevites, thereby displaying the real reason for his original flight to Tarshish. From the very beginning, Jonah had clearly understood the gracious character of God (1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9). He had received pardon, but didn't want Nineveh to know God's mercy (a similar attitude in Luke 15:25ff.).
4Then the LORD said, "Is it right for you to be angry?" 5So Jonah went out of the city and sat on the east side of the city. There he made himself a shelter and sat under it in the shade, till he might see what would become
of the city. 6And the LORD God prepared a planta and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head to deliver him from his misery. So Jonah was very
grateful for the plant. 7But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm,
and it so damaged the plant that it withered. 8And it happened,
when the sun arose, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah's head, so that he grew faint. Then he wished death for himself, and said, "It is better for me to die than to live."
9Then God said to Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?" And he said, "It is right for me to be angry, even to death!" 10But the LORD said, "You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. 11And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?"
Next December 18 Reading
The Book of Micah
Micah 1
December 19
M ICAH 1:1–3:12
1The word of the LORD that came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
THE COMING JUDGMENT ON ISRAEL
2Hear, all you peoples! Listen, O earth, and all that is in it! Let the Lord GOD be a witness against you, The Lord from His holy temple.
3For behold, the LORD is coming out of His place; He will come down And tread on the high places of the earth. 4The mountains will melt under Him, And the valleys will split Like wax before the fire, Like waters poured down a steep place. 5All this is for the transgression of Jacob And for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? And what are the high places of Judah? Are they not Jerusalem?
6"Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of ruins in the field, Places for planting a vineyard; I will pour down her stones into the valley, And I will uncover her foundations. 7All her carved images shall be beaten to pieces, And all her pay as a harlot shall be burned with the fire; All her idols I will lay desolate, For she gathered it from the pay of a harlot, And they shall return to
the pay of a harlot."
MOURNING FOR ISRAEL AND JUDAH
8Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked; I will make a wailing like the jackals And a mourning like the ostriches, 9For her wounds are incurable. For it has come to Judah; It has come to the gate of My people— To Jerusalem.
10Tell it not in Gath, Weep not at all; In Beth Aphraha Roll yourself in the dust. 11Pass by in naked shame, you inhabitant of Shaphir; The inhabitant of Zaanana does not go out. Beth Ezel mourns; Its place to stand is taken away from you.
12For the inhabitant of Maroth pineda for good, But disaster came down from the LORD To the gate of Jerusalem. 13O inhabitant of Lachish, Harness the chariot to the swift steeds (She was the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion), For the
transgressions of Israel were found in you.
14Therefore you shall give presents to Moresheth Gath;a The houses of Achzibb shall be a lie to the kings of Israel. 15I will yet bring an heir to you, O inhabitant of Mareshah;a The glory of Israel shall come to Adullam. 16Make yourself bald and cut off your hair, Because of your precious children; Enlarge your baldness like an eagle, For they shall go from you into captivity.
Micah 2
WOE TO EVILDOERS
1Woe to those who devise iniquity, And work out evil on their beds! At morning light they practice it, Because it is in the power of their hand. 2They covet fields and take them by violence, Also houses, and seize them. So they oppress a man and his house, A man and his inheritance.
3Therefore thus says the LORD: "Behold, against this family I am devising disaster, From which you cannot remove your necks;
Nor shall you walk haughtily, For this is an evil time. 4In that day one shall take up a proverb against you, And lament with a bitter lamentation, saying: 'We are utterly destroyed! He has changed the heritage of my people; How He has removed it from me! To a turncoat He has divided our fields.' "
5Therefore you will have no one to determine boundariesa by lot In the assembly of the LORD.
LYING PROPHETS
6"Do not prattle," you say to those who prophesy.
2:6–11 False prophets, commanding Micah to cease prophesying, would certainly not prophesy against the people's evil doing. They would not confront them with the divine standard of holiness. Rather, their false message (v. 7) had stopped the mouths of the true prophets and had permitted the rulers to engage in social atrocities (vv. 8, 9), leading the people to destruction (v. 10). They didn't want true prophecies; therefore, they got what they wanted (Is. 30:10). It is best to understand that Micah speaks in v. 6 and God in vv. 7–11.
So they shall not prophesy to you;a
They shall not return insult for insult.b 7You who are named the house of Jacob:
2:7 Spirit of the LORD. God responded to the evil prophets that their message affirming sin in the nation was inconsistent with the Holy Spirit and His true message to Micah (3:8). God's words do reward the righteous, but they also rebuke those engaging in evil deeds.
"Is the Spirit of the LORD restricted? Are these His doings? Do not My words do good To him who walks uprightly?
8"Lately My people have risen up as an enemy— You pull off the robe with the garment From those who trust you, as they pass by, Like men returned from war. 9The women of My people you cast out From their pleasant houses;
From their children You have taken away My glory forever.
10"Arise and depart, For this is not your rest; Because it is defiled, it shall destroy, Yes, with utter destruction. 11If a man should walk in a false spirit And speak a lie, saying, 'I will prophesy to you of wine and drink,' Even he would be the prattler of this people.
ISRAEL RESTORED
12"I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob, I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together like sheep of the fold,a Like a flock in the midst of their pasture; They shall make a loud noise because of so many people. 13The one who breaks open will come up before them; They will break out, Pass through the gate, And go out by it; Their king will pass before them, With the LORD at their head."
Micah 3
WICKED RULERS AND PROPHETS
1And I said:
"Hear now, O heads of Jacob, And you rulers of the house of Israel: Is it not for you to know justice? 2You who hate good and love evil; Who strip the skin from My people,a And the flesh from their bones; 3Who also eat the flesh of My people, Flay their skin from them, Break their bones, And chop them in pieces Like meat for the pot, Like flesh in the caldron."
4Then they will cry to the LORD, But He will not hear them; He will even hide His face from them at that time, Because they have been evil in their deeds.
5Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets Who make my people stray; Who chant "Peace" While they chew with their teeth, But who prepare war against him Who puts nothing into their mouths: 6"Therefore you shall have night without vision, And you shall have darkness without divination; The sun shall go down on the prophets, And the day shall be dark for them. 7So the seers shall be ashamed, And the diviners abashed; Indeed they shall all cover their lips; For there is no answer from God."
8But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the LORD, And of justice and might, To declare to Jacob his transgression And to Israel his sin.
9Now hear this, You heads of the house of Jacob And rulers of the house of Israel,
Who abhor justice And pervert all equity, 10Who build up Zion with bloodshed And Jerusalem with iniquity: 11Her heads judge for a bribe, Her priests teach for pay, And her prophets divine for money. Yet they lean on the LORD, and say, "Is not the LORD among us? No harm can come upon us." 12Therefore because of you Zion shall be plowed like a field, Jerusalem shall become heaps of ruins, And the mountain of the templea
Like the bare hills of the forest.
Next December 19 Reading
Micah 4
December 20
M ICAH 4:1–5:15
THE LORD'S REIGN IN ZION 1NOW IT SHALL COME TO PASS IN THE LATTER
DAYS
4:1 In a reversal of 3:12, Micah shifted from impending judgment to prophecies of the future millennial kingdom ("the latter days") in which Mt. Zion (v. 3), the center of Messiah's coming earthly kingdom, shall be raised both spiritually and physically (Zech. 14:9, 10). This discussion continues to 5:15.
That the mountain of the LORD's house Shall be established on the
top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And peoples shall flow to it. 2Many nations shall come and say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths." For out of Zion the law shall go forth, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 3He shall judge between many peoples, And rebuke strong nations afar off; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks;
Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
Neither shall they learn war anymore.a
4But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, And no one shall make them afraid; For the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken. 5For all people walk each in the name of his god, But we will walk in the name of the LORD our God Forever and ever.
ZION'S FUTURE TRIUMPH
6"In that day," says the LORD, "I will assemble the lame,
I will gather the outcast And those whom I have afflicted; 7I will make the lame a remnant, And the outcast a strong nation; So the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion From now on, even
forever. 8And you, O tower of the flock, The stronghold of the daughter of Zion, To you shall it come, Even the former dominion shall come, The kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem."
9Now why do you cry aloud? Is there no king in your midst? Has your counselor perished? For pangs have seized you like a woman in labor. 10Be in pain, and labor to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, Like a woman in birth pangs. For now you shall go forth from the city, You shall dwell in the field, And to Babylon you shall go. There you shall be delivered; There the LORD will redeem you From the hand of your enemies.
11Now also many nations have gathered against you, Who say, "Let her be defiled, And let our eye look upon Zion." 12But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD, Nor do they understand His counsel; For He will gather them like sheaves to the threshing floor.
13"Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion; For I will make your horn iron, And I will make your hooves bronze; You shall beat in pieces many peoples; I will consecrate their gain to the LORD, And their substance to the
Lord of the whole earth."
Micah 5
1Now gather yourself in troops, O daughter of troops; He has laid siege against us; They will strike the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek.
THE COMING MESSIAH
2"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting."
3Therefore He shall give them up, Until the time that she who is in labor has given birth; Then the remnant of His brethren Shall return to the children of Israel. 4And He shall stand and feed His flock In the strength of the LORD, In the majesty of the name of the LORD His God; And they shall abide, For now He shall be great To the ends of the earth; 5And this One shall be peace.
JUDGMENT ON ISRAEL'S ENEMIES
When the Assyrian comes into our land, And when he treads in our palaces, Then we will raise against him Seven shepherds and eight princely men. 6They shall waste with the sword the land of Assyria, And the land of Nimrod at its entrances; Thus He shall deliver us from the Assyrian, When he comes into our land And when he treads within our borders.
7Then the remnant of Jacob Shall be in the midst of many peoples, Like dew from the LORD, Like showers on the grass,
That tarry for no man Nor wait for the sons of men. 8And the remnant of Jacob Shall be among the Gentiles, In the midst of many peoples, Like a lion among the beasts of the forest, Like a young lion among flocks of sheep, Who, if he passes through, Both treads down and tears in pieces, And none can deliver. 9Your hand shall be lifted against your adversaries, And all your enemies shall be cut off.
10"And it shall be in that day," says the LORD, "That I will cut off your horses from your midst And destroy your chariots. 11I will cut off the cities of your land And throw down all your strongholds. 12I will cut off sorceries from your hand, And you shall have no soothsayers. 13Your carved images I will also cut off, And your sacred pillars from your midst; You shall no more worship the work of your hands; 14I will pluck your wooden imagesa from your midst; Thus I will destroy your cities. 15And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury On the nations that have not heard."a
Next December 20 Reading
Micah 6
December 21
M ICAH 6:1–7:20
GOD PLEADS WITH ISRAEL
1Hear now what the LORD says: "Arise, plead your case before the mountains, And let the hills hear your voice. 2Hear, O you mountains, the LORD's complaint, And you strong foundations of the earth; For the LORD has a complaint against His people, And He will
contend with Israel.
3"O My people, what have I done to you? And how have I wearied you? Testify against Me. 4For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, I redeemed you from the house of bondage; And I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. 5O My people, remember now What Balak king of Moab counseled, And what Balaam the son of Beor answered him, From Acacia Grovea to Gilgal, That you may know the righteousness of the
LORD."
6With what shall I come before the LORD,
6:6, 7 Micah, as though speaking on behalf of the people, asked rhetorically how, in light of God's faithfulness toward them, they could continue their hypocrisy by being outwardly religious but inwardly sinful.
And bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, With calves a year old? 7Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, Ten thousand rivers of
oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, The fruit of my body
for the sin of my soul?
8He has shown you, O man, what is good;
6:8 Micah's terse response indicated the people should have known the answer to the rhetorical question. Spiritual blindness had led them to offer everything except the one thing He wanted a spiritual commitment of the heart from which right behavior would ensue (Deut. 10:12–19; Matt. 22:37–39). This theme is often represented in the Old Testament (1 Sam. 15:22; Is. 1:11–20; Jer. 7:21–23; Hos. 6:6; Amos 5:15).
And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?
PUNISHMENT OF ISRAEL'S INJUSTICE
9The LORD's voice cries to the city— Wisdom shall see Your name:
"Hear the rod! Who has appointed it? 10Are there yet the treasures of wickedness In the house of the wicked, And the short measure that is an abomination? 11Shall I count pure those with the wicked scales, And with the bag of deceitful weights? 12For her rich men are full of violence, Her inhabitants have spoken lies, And their tongue is deceitful in their mouth. 13"Therefore I will also make you sick by striking you, By making you desolate because of your sins. 14You shall eat, but not be satisfied; Hungera shall be in your midst. You may carry some away,b but shall not save them; And what you do
rescue I will give over to the sword.
15"You shall sow, but not reap; You shall tread the olives, but not anoint yourselves with oil; And make sweet wine, but not drink wine. 16For the statutes of Omri are kept; All the works of Ahab's house are done; And you walk in their counsels, That I may make you a desolation, And your inhabitants a hissing. Therefore you shall bear the reproach of My people."a
Micah 7
SORROW FOR ISRAEL'S SINS
1Woe is me! For I am like those who gather summer fruits, Like those who glean vintage grapes; There is no cluster to eat Of the first-ripe fruit which my soul desires. 2The faithful man has perished from the earth, And there is no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; Every man hunts his brother with a net.
3That they may successfully do evil with both hands— The prince asks for gifts, The judge seeks a bribe, And the great man utters his evil desire; So they scheme together. 4The best of them is like a brier; The most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge; The day of your watchman and your punishment comes; Now shall be their perplexity.
5Do not trust in a friend; Do not put your confidence in a companion; Guard the doors of your mouth From her who lies in your bosom. 6For son dishonors father, Daughter rises against her mother, Daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; A man's enemies are the men of his own household. 7Therefore I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; My God will hear me.
ISRAEL'S CONFESSION AND COMFORT
8Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; When I fall, I will arise; When I sit in darkness, The LORD will be a light to me. 9I will bear the indignation of the LORD, Because I have sinned against Him,
Until He pleads my case And executes justice for me. He will bring me forth to the light; I will see His righteousness. 10Then she who is my enemy will see, And shame will cover her who said to me, "Where is the LORD your God?" My eyes will see her; Now she will be trampled down Like mud in the streets.
11In the day when your walls are to be built, In that day the decree shall go far and wide.a
12In that day theya shall come to you From Assyria and the fortified cities,b
From the fortressc to the River,d
From sea to sea, And mountain to mountain. 13Yet the land shall be desolate Because of those who dwell in it, And for the fruit of their deeds.
GOD WILL FORGIVE ISRAEL
14Shepherd Your people with Your staff, The flock of Your heritage, Who dwell solitarily in a woodland, In the midst of Carmel; Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, As in days of old.
15"As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt, I will show
thema wonders."
16The nations shall see and be ashamed of all their might; They shall put their hand over their mouth; Their ears shall be deaf. 17They shall lick the dust like a serpent; They shall crawl from their holes like snakes of the earth. They shall be afraid of the LORD our God, And shall fear because of You.
18Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?
He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy. 19He will again have compassion on us, And will subdue our iniquities.
You will cast all oura sins Into the depths of the sea. 20You will give truth to Jacob And mercy to Abraham, Which You have sworn to our fathers From days of old.
Next December 21 Reading
The Book of Nahum
Nahum 1
December 22
N AHUM 1:1–3:19
1The burdena against Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.
GOD'S WRATH ON HIS ENEMIES
2God is jealous, and the LORD avenges; The LORD avenges and is furious. The LORD will take vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath
for His enemies; 3The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked.
The LORD has His way In the whirlwind and in the storm, And the clouds are the dust of His feet. 4He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, And dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel wither, And the flower of Lebanon wilts. 5The mountains quake before Him, The hills melt, And the earth heavesa at His presence, Yes, the world and all who
dwell in it.
6Who can stand before His indignation? And who can endure the fierceness of His anger? His fury is poured out like fire, And the rocks are thrown down by Him.
7The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him.
8But with an overflowing flood He will make an utter end of its place, And darkness will pursue His enemies.
9What do you conspire against the LORD? He will make an utter end of it. Affliction will not rise up a second time. 10For while tangled like thorns, And while drunken like drunkards, They shall be devoured like stubble fully dried. 11From you comes forth one
1:11 wicked counselor. The phrase, literally, "counselor of Belial," suggests satanic influence on the leadership, identified as the king of Assyria (3:18). Specific reference could be to Ashurbanipal (669–633
B.C.) or more likely to Sennacherib (705–681 B.C.), who invaded Judah in 701 B.C. and of whom Isaiah speaks in similar language (Is. 10:7).
Who plots evil against the LORD, A wicked counselor. 12Thus says the LORD: "Though they are safe, and likewise many, Yet in this manner they will be cut down
When he passes through. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more; 13For now I will break off his yoke from you, And burst your bonds apart."
14The LORD has given a command concerning you: "Your name shall be perpetuated no longer. Out of the house of your gods I will cut off the carved image and the molded image. I will dig your grave, For you are vile."
15Behold, on the mountains The feet of him who brings good tidings, Who proclaims peace! O Judah, keep your appointed feasts,
Perform your vows. For the wicked one shall no more pass through you; He is utterly cut off.
Nahum 2
THE DESTRUCTION OF NINEVEH
1He who scattersa has come up before your face. Man the fort! Watch the road! Strengthen your flanks! Fortify your power mightily.
2For the LORD will restore the excellence of Jacob Like the excellence of Israel, For the emptiers have emptied them out And ruined their vine branches.
3The shields of his mighty men are made red, The valiant men are in scarlet. The chariots come with flaming torches In the day of his preparation, And the spears are brandished.a
4The chariots rage in the streets, They jostle one another in the broad roads; They seem like torches, They run like lightning.
5He remembers his nobles; They stumble in their walk; They make haste to her walls, And the defense is prepared. 6The gates of the rivers are opened, And the palace is dissolved. 7It is decreed:a
She shall be led away captive, She shall be brought up; And her maidservants shall lead her as with the voice of doves,
Beating their breasts.
8Though Nineveh of old was like a pool of water, Now they flee away. "Halt! Halt!" they cry; But no one turns back. 9Take spoil of silver! Take spoil of gold! There is no end of treasure, Or wealth of every desirable prize.
10She is empty, desolate, and waste! The heart melts, and the knees shake; Much pain is in every side, And all their faces are drained of color.a
11Where is the dwelling of the lions, And the feeding place of the young lions, Where the lion walked, the lioness and lion's cub, And no one made
them afraid? 12The lion tore in pieces enough for his cubs, Killed for his lionesses, Filled his caves with prey, And his dens with flesh.
13"Behold, I am against you," says the LORD of hosts, "I will burn youra
chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions; I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall be heard no more."
Nahum 3
THE WOE OF NINEVEH
1Woe to the bloody city!
3:1 bloody city. The first accusation was a charge well documented in history. Assyria proved to be an unusually cruel, bloodthirsty nation. lies. Assyria employed falsehood and treachery to subdue her enemies (2 Kin. 18:28–32). robbery. Preying upon her victims, she filled her cities with the goods of other nations.
It is all full of lies and robbery. Its victim never departs. 2The noise of a whip And the noise of rattling wheels, Of galloping horses, Of clattering chariots! 3Horsemen charge with bright sword and glittering spear. There is a multitude of slain, A great number of bodies, Countless corpses— They stumble over the corpses— 4Because of the multitude of harlotries of the seductive harlot, The mistress of sorceries, Who sells nations through her harlotries, And families through her sorceries.
5"Behold, I am against you," says the LORD of hosts; "I will lift your skirts over your face, I will show the nations your nakedness, And the kingdoms your shame. 6I will cast abominable filth upon you, Make you vile, And make you a spectacle. 7It shall come to pass that all who look upon you Will flee from you, and
say, 'Nineveh is laid waste! Who will bemoan her?' Where shall I seek comforters for you?"
8Are you better than No Amona
That was situated by the River,b That had the waters around her, Whose rampart was the sea, Whose wall was the sea? 9Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, And it was boundless; Put and Lubim were youra helpers. 10Yet she was carried away, She went into captivity; Her young children also were dashed to pieces At the head of every street; They cast lots for her honorable men, And all her great men were bound in chains. 11You also will be drunk; You will be hidden; You also will seek refuge from the enemy.
12All your strongholds are fig trees with ripened figs: If they are shaken, They fall into the mouth of the eater. 13Surely, your people in your midst are women! The gates of your land are wide open for your enemies; Fire shall
devour the bars of your gates.
14Draw your water for the siege! Fortify your strongholds! Go into the clay and tread the mortar! Make strong the brick kiln! 15There the fire will devour you, The sword will cut you off; It will eat you up like a locust.
Make yourself many—like the locust! Make yourself many— like the swarming locusts! 16You have multiplied your merchants more than the stars of heaven. The locust plunders and flies away. 17Your commanders are like swarming locusts, And your generals like great grasshoppers, Which camp in the hedges on a cold day; When the sun rises they flee away,
And the place where they are is not known.
18Your shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria; Your nobles rest in the dust. Your people are scattered on the mountains, And no one gathers them. 19Your injury has no healing, Your wound is severe. All who hear news of you Will clap their hands over you, For upon whom has not your wickedness passed continually?
Next December 22 Reading
The Book of Habakkuk
Habakkuk 1
December 23
H ABAKKUK 1:1–3:19
1The burdena which the prophet Habakkuk saw.
THE PROPHET'S QUESTION
2O LORD, how long shall I cry, And You will not hear? Even cry out to You, "Violence!" And You will not save. 3Why do You show me iniquity, And cause me to see trouble? For plundering and violence are before me; There is strife, and
contention arises. 4Therefore the law is powerless, And justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore perverse judgment proceeds.
THE LORD'S REPLY 5"LOOK AMONG THE NATIONS AND WATCH— BE
UTTERLY ASTOUNDED!
For I will work a work in your days Which you would not believe, though it were told you. 6For indeed I am raising up the Chaldeans, A bitter and hasty nation Which marches through the breadth of the earth, To possess
dwelling places that are not theirs. 7They are terrible and dreadful; Their judgment and their dignity proceed
from themselves. 8Their horses also are swifter than leopards, And more fierce than evening wolves. Their chargers charge ahead; Their cavalry comes from afar; They fly as the eagle that hastens to eat.
9"They all come for violence; Their faces are set like the east wind. They gather captives like sand. 10They scoff at kings, And princes are scorned by them. They deride every stronghold, For they heap up earthen mounds and seize it. 11Then his minda changes, and he transgresses; He commits offense, Ascribing this power to his god."
THE PROPHET'S SECOND QUESTION
12Are You not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O LORD, You have appointed them for judgment; O Rock, You have
marked them for correction. 13You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, And cannot look on wickedness. Why do You look on those who deal treacherously, And hold Your tongue
when the wicked devours A person more righteous than he? 14Why do You make men like fish of the sea, Like creeping things that have no ruler over them?
15They take up all of them with a hook, They catch them in their net, And gather them in their dragnet. Therefore they rejoice and are glad. 16Therefore they sacrifice to their net, And burn incense to their dragnet; Because by them their share is sumptuous And their food plentiful. 17Shall they therefore empty their net, And continue to slay nations without pity?
Habakkuk 2
1I will stand my watch And set myself on the rampart, And watch to see what He will say to me, And what I will answer when I am corrected.
THE JUST LIVE BY FAITH
2Then the LORD answered me and said: "Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it. 3For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.
4"Behold the proud,
2:4 the just shall live by his faith. In contrast to the proud, the just will be truly preserved through his faithfulness to God. This is the core of God's message to/through Habakkuk. Both the aspect of justification by faith, as noted by Paul's usage in Romans 1:17 and Galatians 3:11, as well as the aspect of sanctification by faith, as employed by the writer of Hebrews (10:38), reflect the essence of Habakkuk; no conflict exists. The emphasis in both Habakkuk and the New Testament references goes beyond the act of faith to include the continuity of faith. Faith is not a one-time act, but a way of life. The true believer, declared righteous by God, will persevere in faith as the pattern of his life (Col. 1:22, 23; Heb. 3:12–14).
His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.
WOE TO THE WICKED
5"Indeed, because he transgresses by wine, He is a proud man, And he does not stay at home. Because he enlarges his desire as hell,a
And he is like death, and cannot be satisfied, He gathers to himself
all nations And heaps up for himself all peoples.
6"Will not all these take up a proverb against him, And a taunting riddle against him, and say, 'Woe to him who increases What is not his—how long? And to him who loads himself with many pledges'?a 7Will not your creditorsa rise up suddenly? Will they not awaken who oppress you? And you will become their booty. 8Because you have plundered many nations, All the remnant of the people shall plunder you, Because of men's blood And the violence of the land and the city, And of all who dwell in it.
9"Woe to him who covets evil gain for his house, That he may set his nest on high, That he may be delivered from the power of disaster! 10You give shameful counsel to your house, Cutting off many peoples, And sin against your soul. 11For the stone will cry out from the wall, And the beam from the timbers will answer it.
12"Woe to him who builds a town with bloodshed, Who establishes a city by iniquity! 13Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts That the peoples labor to feed the fire,a
And nations weary themselves in vain? 14For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, As the waters cover the sea.
15"Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbor, Pressinga him to your bottle, Even to make him drunk, That you may look on his nakedness! 16You are filled with shame instead of glory. You also—drink! And be exposed as uncircumcised!a
The cup of the LORD's right hand will be turned against you, And utter
shame will be on your glory. 17For the violence done to Lebanon will cover you, And the plunder of beasts which made them afraid, Because of men's blood And the violence of the land and the city, And of all who dwell in it.
18"What profit is the image, that its maker should carve it, The molded image, a teacher of lies, That the maker of its mold should trust in it, To make mute idols? 19Woe to him who says to wood, 'Awake!' To silent stone, 'Arise! It shall teach!' Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, Yet in it there is no breath at all.
20"But the LORD is in His holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before Him."
Habakkuk 3
THE PROPHET'S PRAYER
1A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, on Shigionoth.a
2O LORD, I have heard Your speech and was afraid; O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the years! In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy.
3God came from Teman, The Holy One from Mount Paran.
Selah
His glory covered the heavens, And the earth was full of His praise. 4His brightness was like the light; He had rays flashing from His hand, And there His power was hidden. 5Before Him went pestilence, And fever followed at His feet. 6He stood and measured the earth; He looked and startled the nations. And the everlasting mountains were scattered, The perpetual hills bowed. His ways are everlasting. 7I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; The curtains of the land of Midian trembled.
8O LORD, were You displeased with the rivers, Was Your anger against the rivers, Was Your wrath against the sea, That You rode on Your horses, Your chariots of salvation?
9Your bow was made quite ready; Oaths were sworn over Your arrows.a
Selah
You divided the earth with rivers. 10The mountains saw You and trembled; The overflowing of the water passed by. The deep uttered its voice, And lifted its hands on high. 11The sun and moon stood still in their habitation; At the light of Your arrows they went, At the shining of Your glittering spear. 12You marched through the land in indignation; You trampled the nations in anger. 13You went forth for the salvation of Your people, For salvation with Your Anointed. You struck the head from the house of the wicked, By laying bare
from foundation to neck.
Selah
14You thrust through with his own arrows The head of his villages. They came out like a whirlwind to scatter me; Their rejoicing was like feasting on the poor in secret. 15You walked through the sea with Your horses, Through the heap of great waters.
16When I heard, my body trembled; My lips quivered at the voice; Rottenness entered my bones; And I trembled in myself, That I might rest in the day of trouble. When he comes up to the people, He will invade them with his troops.
A HYMN OF FAITH
17Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd
in the stalls— 18Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
19The LORD Goda is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills.
To the Chief Musician. With my stringed instruments.
Next December 23 Reading
The Book of Zephaniah
Zephaniah 1
December 24
Z EPHANIAH 1:1–3:20
1The word of the LORD which came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.
THE GREAT DAY OF THE LORD
2"I will utterly consume everything From the face of the land," Says the LORD; 3"I will consume man and beast; I will consume the birds of the heavens, The fish of the sea, And the stumbling blocksa along with the wicked. I will cut off man from the face of the land," Says the LORD.
4"I will stretch out My hand against Judah, And against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. I will cut off every trace of Baal from this place, The names of the idolatrous
priestsa with the pagan priests— 5Those who worship the host of heaven on the housetops; Those who worship and swear oaths by the LORD, But who also swear by Milcom;a
6Those who have turned back from following the sought the LORD, nor inquired of Him."
LORD, And have not
7Be silent in the presence of the Lord GOD; For the day of the LORD is at
hand, For the LORD has prepared a sacrifice; He has inviteda His
guests.
8"And it shall be,
1:8 the princes…king's children. Judgment began with the royal house. Lacking commitment to God's covenant, they had adopted the customs and idolatrous practices of the heathen. Since Josiah was only 8 years old when he assumed rulership (ca. 640 B.C.), the reference would not be to his children but to the princes of the royal house or to the children of the king who would be ruling when the prophecy was fulfilled (2 Kin. 25:7; Jer. 39:6).
In the day of the LORD's sacrifice, That I will punish the princes and the
king's children, And all such as are clothed with foreign apparel. 9In the same day I will punish All those who leap over the threshold,a Who fill their masters' houses with violence and deceit.
10"And there shall be on that day," says the LORD, "The sound of a mournful cry from the Fish Gate, A wailing from the Second Quarter, And a loud crashing from the hills. 11Wail, you inhabitants of Maktesh!a
For all the merchant people are cut down; All those who handle money are cut off.
12"And it shall come to pass at that time That I will search Jerusalem with lamps, And punish the men Who are settled in complacency,a
Who say in their heart, 'The LORD will not do good, Nor will He do evil.' 13Therefore their goods shall become booty, And their houses a desolation; They shall build houses, but not inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards,
but not drink their wine."
14The great day of the LORD is near; It is near and hastens quickly. The noise of the day of the LORD is bitter; There the mighty men shall cry
out. 15That day is a day of wrath, A day of trouble and distress, A day of devastation and desolation, A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness, 16A day of trumpet and alarm Against the fortified cities And against the high towers.
17"I will bring distress upon men, And they shall walk like blind men, Because they have sinned against the LORD; Their blood shall be poured out
like dust, And their flesh like refuse."
18Neither their silver nor their gold Shall be able to deliver them In the day of the LORD's wrath; But the whole land shall be devoured By the fire of His jealousy, For He will make speedy riddance Of all those who dwell in the land.
Zephaniah 2
A CALL TO REPENTANCE
1Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together, O undesirablea nation, 2Before the decree is issued, Or the day passes like chaff, Before the LORD's fierce anger comes upon you, Before the day of
the LORD's anger comes upon you! 3Seek the LORD, all you meek of the earth, Who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden In the day of the LORD's anger.
JUDGMENT ON NATIONS
4For Gaza shall be forsaken, And Ashkelon desolate; They shall drive out Ashdod at noonday, And Ekron shall be uprooted. 5Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast, The nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines: "I will destroy you; So there shall be no inhabitant."
6The seacoast shall be pastures, With sheltersa for shepherds and folds for flocks. 7The coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; They shall feed their flocks there; In the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie down at evening. For the LORD their God will intervene for them, And return their captives.
8"I have heard the reproach of Moab, And the insults of the people of Ammon, With which they have reproached My people, And made arrogant threats against their borders. 9Therefore, as I live," Says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, "Surely Moab shall be like
Sodom, And the people of Ammon like Gomorrah— Overrun with weeds and saltpits, And a perpetual desolation. The residue of My people shall plunder them, And the remnant of My people shall possess them."
10This they shall have for their pride, Because they have reproached and made arrogant threats Against the people of the LORD of hosts. 11The LORD will be awesome to them, For He will reduce to nothing all the gods of the earth; People shall worship Him, Each one from his place, Indeed all the shores of the nations.
12"You Ethiopians also, You shall be slain by My sword."
13And He will stretch out His hand against the north, Destroy Assyria, And make Nineveh a desolation, As dry as the wilderness. 14The herds shall lie down in her midst, Every beast of the nation. Both the pelican and the bittern Shall lodge on the capitals of her pillars; Their voice shall sing in the
windows; Desolation shall be at the threshold; For He will lay bare the cedar work. 15This is the rejoicing city That dwelt securely, That said in her heart, "I am it, and there is none besides me." How has she become a desolation, A place for beasts to lie down!
Everyone who passes by her Shall hiss and shake his fist.
Zephaniah 3
THE WICKEDNESS OF JERUSALEM
1Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted, To the oppressing city! 2She has not obeyed His voice, She has not received correction; She has not trusted in the LORD, She has not drawn near to her God.
3Her princes in her midst are roaring lions; Her judges are evening wolves That leave not a bone till morning. 4Her prophets are insolent, treacherous people; Her priests have polluted the sanctuary, They have done violence to the law. 5The LORD is righteous in her midst, He will do no unrighteousness. Every morning He brings His justice to light; He never fails, But the unjust knows no shame.
6"I have cut off nations, Their fortresses are devastated; I have made their streets desolate, With none passing by. Their cities are destroyed; There is no one, no inhabitant. 7I said, 'Surely you will fear Me, You will receive instruction'— So that her dwelling would not be cut off, Despite everything for which I punished her. But they rose early and corrupted all their deeds.
A FAITHFUL REMNANT
8"Therefore wait for Me," says the LORD,
3:8 The prophet transitions from the historical invasion of Judah by Babylon to the future day of the Lord. He speaks of the Great Tribulation, when the Lord will gather all the nations for judgment (Joel 3:1, 2, 12–17; Zech. 12:2, 3; 14:2; Matt. 24:21). The faithful remnant, presumably the meek of 2:1–3, are exhorted to wait in trust for Him to carry out His judgment.
"Until the day I rise up for plunder;a
My determination is to gather the nations To My assembly of kingdoms, To pour on them My indignation, All My fierce anger; All the earth shall be devoured With the fire of My jealousy. 9"For then I will restore to the peoples a pure language, That they all may call on the name of the LORD, To serve Him with one accord. 10From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My worshipers, The daughter of My dispersed ones, Shall bring My offering. 11In that day you shall not be shamed for any of your deeds In which you transgress against Me; For then I will take away from your midst Those who rejoice in your pride, And you shall no longer be haughty In My holy mountain. 12I will leave in your midst A meek and humble people, And they shall trust in the name of the LORD. 13The remnant of Israel shall do no unrighteousness And speak no lies, Nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth; For they shall feed
their flocks and lie down, And no one shall make them afraid."
JOY IN GOD'S FAITHFULNESS
14Sing, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! 15The LORD has taken away your judgments, He has cast out your enemy. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; You shall seea disaster no
more.
16In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: "Do not fear; Zion, let not your hands be weak. 17The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."
18"I will gather those who sorrow over the appointed assembly, Who are among you, To whom its reproach is a burden. 19Behold, at that time I will deal with all who afflict you; I will save the lame, And gather those who were driven out; I will appoint them for praise and fame In every land where they were put to shame. 20At that time I will bring you back, Even at the time I gather you; For I will give you fame and praise Among all the peoples of the earth, When I return your captives before your eyes," Says the LORD.
Next December 24 Reading
The Book of Haggai
Haggai 1
December 25
H AGGAI 1:1–2:23
THE COMMAND TO BUILD GOD'S HOUSE 1IN THE SECOND YEAR OF KING
DARIUS, IN THE SIXTH MONTH, ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE MONTH, THE WORD
OF THE LORD CAME BY HAGGAI THE PROPHET TO ZERUBBABEL THE SON OF
SHEALTIEL, GOVERNOR OF JUDAH, AND TO JOSHUA THE SON OF
JEHOZADAK, THE HIGH PRIEST, SAYING, 2"THUS SPEAKS THE LORD OF
HOSTS, SAYING: 'THIS PEOPLE SAYS, "THE TIME HAS NOT COME, THE TIME
THAT THE LORD'S HOUSE SHOULD BE BUILT." ' "
3Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying, 4"Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this templea to lie in
ruins?" 5Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: "Consider your ways!
6"You have sown much, and bring in little; You eat, but do not have enough; You drink, but you are not filled with drink; You clothe yourselves,
but no one is warm; And he who earns wages, Earns wages to put into a bag with holes."
7Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Consider your ways! 8Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be
glorified," says the LORD. 9"You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?" says the LORD of hosts. "Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own
house. 10Therefore the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth
withholds its fruit. 11For I called for a drought on the land and the mountains, on the grain and the new wine and the oil, on whatever the ground brings forth, on men and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands."
THE PEOPLE'S OBEDIENCE
12Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him;
and the people feared the presence of the LORD. 13Then Haggai, the LORD's messenger, spoke the LORD's message to the people, saying, "I am with you,
says the LORD." 14So the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and
worked on the house of the LORD of hosts, their God, 15on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month, in the second year of King Darius.
1:13 I am with you. Oppressed by hostilities from without and famine from within, the Lord responded to their genuine repentance and obedience, assuring them of His presence with them. This should have evoked a memory of God's word to Joshua and the returning people centuries before (Josh. 1:5).
Haggai 2
THE COMING GLORY OF GOD'S HOUSE 1IN THE SEVENTH MONTH, ON THE
TWENTY-FIRST OF THE MONTH, THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME BY HAGGAI THE
PROPHET, SAYING: 2"SPEAK NOW TO ZERUBBABEL THE SON OF
SHEALTIEL, GOVERNOR OF JUDAH, AND TO JOSHUA THE SON OF JEHOZADAK, THE HIGH PRIEST, AND TO THE REMNANT OF THE PEOPLE,
SAYING: 3'WHO IS LEFT AMONG YOU WHO SAW THIS TEMPLEA IN ITS
FORMER GLORY? AND HOW DO YOU SEE IT NOW? IN COMPARISON WITH IT,
IS THIS NOT IN YOUR EYES AS NOTHING? 4YET NOW BE STRONG, ZERUBBABEL,' SAYS THE LORD; 'AND BE STRONG, JOSHUA, SON OF JEHOZADAK, THE HIGH PRIEST; AND BE STRONG, ALL YOU PEOPLE OF THE LAND,' SAYS THE LORD, 'AND WORK; FOR I AM WITH YOU,' SAYS THE LORD OF
HOSTS. 5'ACCORDING TO THE WORD THAT I COVENANTED WITH YOU WHEN
YOU CAME OUT OF EGYPT, SO MY SPIRIT REMAINS AMONG YOU; DO NOT
FEAR!'
6"For thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; 7and I will shake all nations, and they
shall come to the Desire of All Nations,a and I will fill this temple with glory,' says the LORD of hosts. 8'The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,' says the LORD of
hosts. 9'The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,' says the LORD of hosts. 'And in this place I will give peace,' says the LORD of hosts."
2:7 Desire of All Nations. While some view the phrase as referring to Jerusalem (e.g., Ezra 6:3–9), it seems preferable to see a reference here to the Messiah, the Deliverer for whom all the nations ultimately long. I will fill this temple with glory. There is no Scripture to indicate that God's glory ever did
come to Zerubbabel's temple, as the first temple was filled with the Shekinah glory (1 Kin. 8:10, 11; 2 Chr. 5:13, 14). However, His glory will fill the millennial temple (Ezek. 43:5). This glorification cannot refer to Christ's physical presence in Herod's temple, for the events of vv. 6–9 cannot be accounted for historically. The context speaks of the establishment of His earthly, Davidic, millennial kingdom and His presence in the temple during that kingdom.
THE PEOPLE ARE DEFILED
10On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying, 11"Thus
says the LORD of hosts: 'Now, ask the priests concerning the law, saying, 12"If one carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and with the edge he touches bread or stew, wine or oil, or any food, will it become holy?" ' "
Then the priests answered and said, "No." 13And Haggai said, "If one who is unclean because of a dead body touches any of these, will it be unclean?"
So the priests answered and said, "It shall be unclean." 14Then Haggai answered and said, " 'So is this people, and so is this nation before Me,' says the LORD, 'and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean.
PROMISED BLESSING
15'And now, carefully consider from this day forward: from before stone was laid upon stone in the temple of the LORD— 16since those days, when one came to a heap of twenty ephahs, there were but ten; when one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty baths from the press, there were but twenty. 17I struck you with blight and mildew and hail in all the labors of your hands; yet you did not turn to Me,' says the LORD. 18'Consider now from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the LORD's temple was laid—consider it: 19Is the seed still in the barn? As yet the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yielded fruit. But from this day I will bless you.' "
ZERUBBABEL CHOSEN AS A SIGNET 20AND AGAIN THE WORD OF THE LORD
CAME TO HAGGAI ON THE TWENTY-FOURTH DAY OF THE MONTH, SAYING,
21"SPEAK TO ZERUBBABEL, GOVERNOR OF JUDAH, SAYING: 'I WILL
SHAKE HEAVEN AND EARTH.
22I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms; I will destroy the strength of the Gentile kingdoms.
I will overthrow the chariots And those who ride in them; The horses and their riders shall come down, Every one by the
sword of his brother. 23'In that day,' says the LORD of hosts, 'I will take you, Zerubbabel My servant, the son of Shealtiel,' says the LORD, 'and will make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you,' says the LORD of hosts."
Next December 25 Reading
The Book of Zechariah
Zechariah 1
December 26
Z ECHARIAH 1:1–3:10
A CALL TO REPENTANCE
1In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to
Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, 2"The LORD
has been very angry with your fathers. 3Therefore say to them, 'Thus says the
LORD of hosts: "Return to Me," says the LORD of hosts, "and I will return to you," says the LORD of hosts. 4"Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets preached, saying, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Turn now from your evil ways and your evil deeds." ' But they did not hear nor heed Me," says the LORD.
5"Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? 6Yet surely My words and My statutes, Which I commanded My servants the prophets, Did they not overtake your fathers?
"So they returned and said:
'Just as the LORD of hosts determined to do to us, According to our
ways and according to our deeds, So He has dealt with us.' " ' "
VISION OF THE HORSES
7On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechariah the son of
Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet: 8I saw by night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse, and it stood among the myrtle trees in the hollow; and behind him
were horses: red, sorrel, and white. 9Then I said, "My lord, what are these?" So the angel who talked with me said to me, "I will show you what they are."
10And the man who stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, "These are the ones whom the LORD has sent to walk to and fro throughout the earth."
11So they answered the Angel of the LORD, who stood among the myrtle trees, and said, "We have walked to and fro throughout the earth, and behold, all the earth is resting quietly."
THE LORD WILL COMFORT ZION 12THEN THE ANGEL OF THE LORD
ANSWERED AND SAID, "O LORD OF HOSTS, HOW LONG WILL YOU NOT HAVE
MERCY ON JERUSALEM AND ON THE CITIES OF JUDAH, AGAINST WHICH YOU
WERE ANGRY THESE SEVENTY YEARS?"
13And the LORD answered the angel who talked to me, with good and
comforting words. 14So the angel who spoke with me said to me, "Proclaim, saying, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts: "I am zealous for Jerusalem
And for Zion with great zeal. 15I am exceedingly angry with the nations at ease; For I was a little angry, And they helped—but with evil intent."
16'Therefore thus says the LORD: "I am returning to Jerusalem with mercy; My house shall be built in it," says the LORD of hosts, "And a surveyor's
line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem." ' 17"Again proclaim, saying, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts: "My cities shall again spread out through prosperity;
The LORD will again comfort Zion,
And will again choose Jerusalem." ' "
VISION OF THE HORNS
18Then I raised my eyes and looked, and there were four horns. 19And I said to the angel who talked with me, "What are these?"
So he answered me, "These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem."
20Then the LORD showed me four craftsmen. 21And I said, "What are these coming to do?"
So he said, "These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no one could lift
up his head; but the craftsmena are coming to terrify them, to cast out the horns of the nations that lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it."
Zechariah 2
VISION OF THE MEASURING LINE
1Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, a man with a measuring
line in his hand. 2So I said, "Where are you going?"
And he said to me, "To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length."
3And there was the angel who talked with me, going out; and another angel was coming out to meet him, 4who said to him, "Run, speak to this young man, saying: 'Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls, because of the multitude of men and livestock in it. 5For I,' says the LORD, 'will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.' "
FUTURE JOY OF ZION AND MANY NATIONS
6"Up, up! Flee from the land of the north," says the LORD; "for I have spread you abroad like the four winds of heaven," says the LORD. 7"Up, Zion! Escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon."
8For thus says the LORD of hosts: "He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye. 9For surely I will shake My hand against them, and they shall become spoil for their servants. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me.
10"Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst," says the LORD. 11"Many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and they shall become My people. And I will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you. 12And the LORD will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem. 13Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD, for He is aroused from His holy habitation!"
Zechariah 3
VISION OF THE HIGH PRIEST
1Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of
the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him. 2And the LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?"
3:1 Satan. This could also be translated "adversary" and thus the person's identity would be unknown. However, because the activity of accusation is so in keeping with Satan (Job 1; 2; Rev. 12:10), his identification is preferable. The malicious adversary stands in the presence of the Lord to proclaim Israel's sins and their unworthiness of God's favor. The situation is crucial: If Joshua is vindicated, Israel is accepted; if Joshua is rejected, Israel is rejected. The entire plan of God for the nation was revealed in the outcome. Israel's hopes would either be destroyed or confirmed.
3Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel.
4Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, "Take away the filthy garments from him." And to him He said, "See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes."
5And I said, "Let them put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the LORD stood by.
THE COMING BRANCH
6Then the Angel of the LORD admonished Joshua, saying, 7"Thus says the
LORD of hosts: 'If you will walk in My ways,
And if you will keep My command, Then you shall also judge My house, And likewise have charge of My courts; I will give you places to walk Among these who stand here.
8'Hear, O Joshua, the high priest, You and your companions who sit before you, For they are a wondrous sign; For behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH. 9For behold, the stone
3:9 the stone. Here is another reference to the Messiah. In Psalm 118:22, 23; Isaiah 8:13–15 ; 28:16 ; Daniel 2:35 , 45 ; Matthew 21:42 ; Ephesians 2:19– 22 ; 1 Peter 2:6–8 , He is a rejected stone, a stone of stumbling, a stone of refuge, a destroying stone, and a foundation stone. Here He is the precious foundation stone, with "7 eyes" symbolic of His omniscience and infinite intelligence (4:10; Is. 11:2; Col. 2:3; Rev. 5:6). The engraving may be a reference to the cornerstone of the temple building, on which will be engraved an inscription attesting to the divine Builder and the purpose for which the building was erected. As such, it is closely tied to the removal of "the iniquity of that land in one day," symbolized by the removal of filthy garments in v. 4. The phrase looks to the future day when there will be cleansing and forgiveness for the nation as a whole (12:10–13:1; Rom. 11:25–27), made possible through Christ's redemptive provision at Calvary.
That I have laid before Joshua: Upon the stone are seven eyes.
Behold, I will engrave its inscription,' Says the LORD of hosts, 'And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. 10In that day,' says the LORD of hosts, 'Everyone will invite his neighbor Under his vine and under his fig tree.' "
Next December 26 Reading
Zechariah 4
December 27
Z ECHARIAH 4:1–6:15
VISION OF THE LAMPSTAND AND OLIVE TREES
1Now the angel who talked with me came back and wakened me, as a man
who is wakened out of his sleep. 2And he said to me, "What do you see?"
So I said, "I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps. 3Two olive trees are by it, one at the right of the bowl and the other at its left." 4So I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, "What are these, my lord?"
5Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, "Do you not know what these are?"
And I said, "No, my lord."
6So he answered and said to me:
"This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by
power, but by My Spirit,' Says the LORD of hosts. 7'Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone With shouts of "Grace, grace to it!" ' "
8Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying: 9"The hands of Zerubbabel
Have laid the foundation of this temple;a His hands shall also finish it.
Then you will know That the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you. 10For who has despised the day of small things?
4:10 the day of small things. Though the rebuilding of a temple smaller than Solomon's may have been discouraging to some (Ezra 3:12; Hag. 2:3), the Lord announced that His pleasure was upon this work, and that His omniscient care ("7 eyes") was watching over and taking pleasure in its completion. He said in effect, "Don't despise what God is pleased with." This was only a picture of the glorious restoration when the Messiah comes to reign. That temple will make all others pale by comparison (Ezek. 40–48).
For these seven rejoice to see The plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the LORD, Which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth."
11Then I answered and said to him, "What are these two olive trees—at the right of the lampstand and at its left?" 12And I further answered and said to him, "What are these two olive branches that drip into the receptaclesa of the two gold pipes from which the golden oil drains?"
13Then he answered me and said, "Do you not know what these are?" And I said, "No, my lord." 14So he said, "These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth."
Zechariah 5
VISION OF THE FLYING SCROLL
1Then I turned and raised my eyes, and saw there a flying scroll. 2And he said to me, "What do you see?" So I answered, "I see a flying scroll. Its length is twenty cubits and its width ten cubits."
3Then he said to me, "This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole earth: 'Every thief shall be expelled,' according to this side of the scroll; and, 'Every perjurer shall be expelled,' according to that side of it."
4"I will send out the curse," says the LORD of hosts; "It shall enter the house of the thief And the house of the one who swears falsely by My name. It shall remain in the midst of his house And consume it, with its timber and stones."
VISION OF THE WOMAN IN A BASKET
5Then the angel who talked with me came out and said to me, "Lift your eyes now, and see what this is that goes forth."
6So I asked, "What is it?" And he said, "It is a basketa that is going forth."
He also said, "This is their resemblance throughout the earth: 7Here is a lead
disc lifted up, and this is a woman sitting inside the basket"; 8then he said, "This is Wickedness!" And he thrust her down into the basket, and threw the lead covera over its mouth. 9Then I raised my eyes and looked, and there were two women, coming with the wind in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between earth and heaven.
10So I said to the angel who talked with me, "Where are they carrying the basket?"
11And he said to me, "To build a house for it in the land of Shinar;a when it is ready, the basket will be set there on its base."
Zechariah 6
VISION OF THE FOUR CHARIOTS
1Then I turned and raised my eyes and looked, and behold, four chariots were coming from between two mountains, and the mountains were mountains of bronze. 2With the first chariot were red horses, with the second chariot black horses, 3with the third chariot white horses, and with the fourth chariot dappled horses—strong steeds. 4Then I answered and said to the angel who talked with me, "What are these, my lord?"
5And the angel answered and said to me, "These are four spirits of heaven,
who go out from their station before the Lord of all the earth. 6The one with the black horses is going to the north country, the white are going after them, and the
dappled are going toward the south country." 7Then the strong steeds went out, eager to go, that they might walk to and fro throughout the earth. And He said, "Go, walk to and fro throughout the earth." So they walked to and fro throughout
the earth. 8And He called to me, and spoke to me, saying, "See, those who go toward the north country have given rest to My Spirit in the north country."
THE COMMAND TO CROWN JOSHUA
9Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: 10"Receive the gift from the captives—from Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have come from Babylon— and go the same day and enter the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah. 11Take the silver and gold, make an elaborate crown, and set it on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. 12Then speak to him, saying, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, saying:
6:12–15 In this brief section, 8 facts are given about the Messiah, the BRANCH: 1) He will come from Israel ("His place," v. 12); 2) He will build the millennial temple (vv. 12b, 13a); 3) He will be glorious (v. 13); 4) He will be king and priest (v. 13); 5) He makes peace (v. 13); 6) He opens the kingdom to Gentiles (v. 15a); 7) He will corroborate God's Word (v. 15b); and 8) He demands obedience (v. 15c). This, as always, is the essential matter. After Israel believes, the Messiah will come to set up His kingdom (12:10–13:1; 14:9–21). Faith and cleansing must come first.
"Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, And He shall build the temple of the LORD; 13Yes, He shall build the
temple of the LORD. He shall bear the glory, And shall sit and rule on His throne; So He shall be a priest on His throne, And the counsel of peace shall be between them both." '
14"Now the elaborate crown shall be for a memorial in the temple of the LORD
for Helem,a Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen the son of Zephaniah. 15Even those from afar shall come and build the temple of the LORD. Then you shall know that the
LORD of hosts has sent Me to you. And this shall come to pass if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God."
Next December 27 Reading
Zechariah 7
December 28
Z ECHARIAH 7:1–9:17
OBEDIENCE BETTER THAN FASTING
1Now in the fourth year of King Darius it came to pass that the word of the
LORD came to Zechariah, on the fourth day of the ninth month, Chislev, 2when the peoplea sent Sherezer,b with Regem-Melech and his men, to the house of God,c to pray before the LORD, 3and to ask the priests who were in the house of the LORD of hosts, and the prophets, saying, "Should I weep in the fifth month and fast as I have done for so many years?"
4Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, 5"Say to all the people of the land, and to the priests: 'When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me—for Me? 6When you eat and when you drink, do you not eat and drink for yourselves? 7Should you not have obeyed the words which the LORD proclaimed through the former prophets when Jerusalem and the cities around it were inhabited and prosperous, and the Southa and the Lowland were inhabited?' "
DISOBEDIENCE RESULTED IN CAPTIVITY
8Then the word of the LORD came to Zechariah, saying, 9"Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Execute true justice,
Show mercy and compassion Everyone to his brother. 10Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, The alien or the poor. Let none of you plan evil in his heart Against his brother.'
11"But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their
ears so that they could not hear. 12Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the LORD of hosts. 13Therefore it happened, that just as He proclaimed and they would
not hear, so they called out and I would not listen," says the LORD of hosts. 14"But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations which they had not known. Thus the land became desolate after them, so that no one passed through or returned; for they made the pleasant land desolate."
Zechariah 8
JERUSALEM, HOLY CITY OF THE FUTURE
1Again the word of the LORD of hosts came, saying, 2"Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'I am zealous for Zion with great zeal;
With great fervor I am zealous for her.'
3"Thus says the LORD:
'I will return to Zion, And dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth, The Mountain of the LORD of hosts, The Holy Mountain.'
4"Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Old men and old women shall again sit In the streets of Jerusalem, Each one with his staff in his hand Because of great age. 5The streets of the city Shall be full of boys and girls Playing in its streets.'
6"Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, Will it also be marvelous in My eyes?'
Says the LORD of hosts.
7"Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Behold, I will save My people from the land of the east
And from the land of the west; 8I will bring them back, And they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem.
They shall be My people And I will be their God, In truth and righteousness.'
9"Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Let your hands be strong, You who have been hearing in these days These words by the mouth of the prophets, Who spoke in the day the foundation was laid For the house of the LORD of hosts, That the temple might be built. 10For before these days There were no wages for man nor any hire for beast; There was no peace from the enemy for whoever went out or came
in; For I set all men, everyone, against his neighbor. 11But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,' says the LORD of hosts.
12'For the seed shall be prosperous, The vine shall give its fruit, The ground shall give her increase, And the heavens shall give their dew— I will cause the remnant of this people To possess all these. 13And it shall come to pass That just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, So I will save you, and you shall be a blessing. Do not fear, Let your hands be strong.'
14"For thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Just as I determined to punish you When your fathers provoked Me to wrath,' Says the LORD of hosts, 'And I would not relent, 15So again in these days I am determined to do good To Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not fear. 16These are the things you shall do: Speak each man the truth to his neighbor; Give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace;
17Let none of you think evil in youra heart against your neighbor; And do not love a false oath. For all these are things that I hate,' Says the LORD."
18Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, 19"Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'The fast of the fourth month,
The fast of the fifth, The fast of the seventh, And the fast of the tenth, Shall be joy and gladness and cheerful feasts For the house of Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.'
20"Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Peoples shall yet come, Inhabitants of many cities; 21The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, "Let us continue to go and pray before the LORD, And seek the LORD of hosts. I myself will go also." 22Yes, many peoples and strong nations Shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, And to pray before the LORD.' 23"Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you." ' "
Zechariah 9
ISRAEL DEFENDED AGAINST ENEMIES
1The burdena of the word of the LORD
9:1–8 This oracle features a series of judgments announced against the nations surrounding Israel (vv. 1–7), with deliverance promised for His people (v. 8). Most understand this to be a prophecy of the victories of the famous Greek conqueror, Alexander the Great, given approximately 200 years before he marched through Palestine. He provides an analogy of Christ returning to judge the nations and save Israel at the end of the Great Tribulation (Matt. 24:21).
Against the land of Hadrach,
And Damascus its resting place (For the eyes of men And all the tribes of Israel Are on the LORD); 2Also against Hamath, which borders on it, And against Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise.
3For Tyre built herself a tower, Heaped up silver like the dust, And gold like the mire of the streets. 4Behold, the Lord will cast her out; He will destroy her power in the sea, And she will be devoured by fire.
5Ashkelon shall see it and fear; Gaza also shall be very sorrowful; And Ekron, for He dried up her expectation. The king shall perish from Gaza, And Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.
6"A mixed race shall settle in Ashdod, And I will cut off the pride of the Philistines. 7I will take away the blood from his mouth, And the abominations from between his teeth. But he who remains, even he shall be for our God, And shall be like a leader in Judah, And Ekron like a Jebusite. 8I will camp around My house Because of the army, Because of him who passes by and him who returns. No more shall an oppressor pass through them, For now I have seen with My eyes.
THE COMING KING
9"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey. 10I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim And the horse from Jerusalem; The battle bow shall be cut off. He shall speak peace to the nations; His dominion shall be 'from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth.'a
GOD WILL SAVE HIS PEOPLE
11"As for you also, Because of the blood of your covenant, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. 12Return to the stronghold, You prisoners of hope.
Even today I declare That I will restore double to you. 13For I have bent Judah, My bow, Fitted the bow with Ephraim, And raised up your sons, O Zion, Against your sons, O Greece, And made you like the sword of a mighty man."
14Then the LORD will be seen over them, And His arrow will go forth like lightning. The Lord GOD will blow the trumpet, And go with whirlwinds from the south. 15The LORD of hosts will defend them; They shall devour and subdue with slingstones. They shall drink and roar as if with wine; They shall be filled with blood like basins, Like the corners of the altar. 16The LORD their God will save them in that day, As the flock of His people. For they shall be like the jewels of a crown, Lifted like a banner over His land— 17For how great is itsa goodness And how great itsb beauty! Grain shall make the young men thrive, And new wine the young women.
Next December 28 Reading
Zechariah 10
December 29
Z ECHARIAH 10:1–12:14
RESTORATION OF JUDAH AND ISRAEL
1Ask the LORD for rain In the time of the latter rain.a The LORD will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, Grass in the field for everyone.
2For the idolsa speak delusion; The diviners envision lies, And tell false dreams; They comfort in vain. Therefore the people wend their way like sheep; They are in trouble because there is no shepherd.
3"My anger is kindled against the shepherds, And I will punish the goatherds. For the LORD of hosts will visit His flock, The house of Judah, And will make them as His royal horse in the battle. 4From him comes the cornerstone, From him the tent peg, From him the battle bow, From him every rulera together. 5They shall be like mighty men, Who tread down their enemies In the mire of the streets in the battle. They shall fight because the LORD is with them, And the riders on
horses shall be put to shame.
6"I will strengthen the house of Judah, And I will save the house of Joseph. I will bring them back, Because I have mercy on them. They shall be as though I had not cast them aside; For I am the LORD their God, And I will hear them. 7Those of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, And their heart shall rejoice as if with wine. Yes, their children shall see it and be glad; Their heart shall rejoice in the LORD. 8I will whistle for them and gather them, For I will redeem them;
And they shall increase as they once increased.
9"I will sow them among the peoples, And they shall remember Me in far countries; They shall live, together with their children, And they shall return. 10I will also bring them back from the land of Egypt, And gather them from Assyria. I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon, Until no more room is found for them. 11He shall pass through the sea with affliction, And strike the waves of the sea: All the depths of the Rivera shall dry up. Then the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, And the scepter of Egypt shall depart.
12"So I will strengthen them in the LORD, And they shall walk up and down in His name," Says the LORD.
Zechariah 11
DESOLATION OF ISRAEL
1Open your doors, O Lebanon, That fire may devour your cedars. 2Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen, Because the mighty trees are ruined. Wail, O oaks of Bashan, For the thick forest has come down. 3There is the sound of wailing shepherds! For their glory is in ruins. There is the sound of roaring lions! For the pridea of the Jordan is in ruins.
PROPHECY OF THE SHEPHERDS
4Thus says the LORD my God, "Feed the flock for slaughter, 5whose owners slaughter them and feel no guilt; those who sell them say, 'Blessed be the
LORD, for I am rich'; and their shepherds do not pity them. 6For I will no longer pity the inhabitants of the land," says the LORD. "But indeed I will give everyone into his neighbor's hand and into the hand of his king. They shall attack the land, and I will not deliver them from their hand."
7So I fed the flock for slaughter, in particular the poor of the flock.a I took for myself two staffs: the one I called Beauty,b and the other I called Bonds;c and I fed the flock. 8I dismissed the three shepherds in one month. My soul loathed them, and their soul also abhorred me. 9Then I said, "I will not feed you. Let what is dying die, and what is perishing perish. Let those that are left eat each other's flesh." 10And I took my staff, Beauty, and cut it in two, that I might break the covenant which I had made with all the peoples. 11So it was broken on that day. Thus the poora of the
flock, who were watching me, knew that it was the word of the LORD. 12Then I said to them, "If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain." So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver.
13And the LORD said to me, "Throw it to the potter"—that princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD for the potter. 14Then I cut in two my other staff, Bonds, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
15And the LORD said to me, "Next, take for yourself the implements of a
foolish shepherd. 16For indeed I will raise up a shepherd in the land who will not care for those who are cut off, nor seek the young, nor heal those that are broken, nor feed those that still stand. But he will eat the flesh of the fat and tear their hooves in pieces.
17"Woe to the worthless shepherd, Who leaves the flock! A sword shall be against his arm And against his right eye; His arm shall completely wither,
And his right eye shall be totally blinded."
Zechariah 12
THE COMING DELIVERANCE OF JUDAH
1The burdena of the word of the LORD against Israel. Thus says the LORD, who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him: 2"Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. 3And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will
surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it. 4In that day," says the LORD, "I will strike every horse with confusion, and its rider with madness; I will open My eyes on the house of Judah, and will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. 5And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, 'The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in the LORD of hosts, their God.' 6In that day I will make the governors of Judah like a firepan in the woodpile, and like a fiery torch in the sheaves; they shall devour all the surrounding peoples on the right hand and on the left, but Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place— Jerusalem.
7"The LORD will save the tents of Judah first, so that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall not become greater than that of Judah. 8In that day the LORD will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; the one who is feeble among them in that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the Angel of the LORD before them. 9It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
MOURNING FOR THE PIERCED ONE
10"And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn. 11In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning at Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.a 12And the land shall mourn, every family by itself: the family of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves; 13the family of the house of Levi by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of Shimei by itself, and their wives by themselves; 14all the families that remain, every family by itself, and their wives by themselves.
12:10 I will pour. God, in His own perfect time and by His own power, will sovereignly act to save Israel. This was prophesied by other prophets ( Ezek. 39:29 ; Joel 2:28–32 ) and by the apostle Paul ( Rom. 11:25–27 ). Spirit of grace and supplication. The Holy Spirit is so identified because He brings saving grace and because that grace produces sorrow that will result in repentant prayer to God for forgiveness (Matt. 5:4; Heb. 10:29). look on Me whom they pierced. Israel's repentance will come because they look to Jesus, the One whom they rejected and crucified (Is. 53:5; John 19:37), in faith at the Second Advent (Rom. 11:25–27). When God says they pierced "Me," He is certainly affirming the incarnation of Deity Jesus was God.
Next December 29 Reading
Zechariah 13
December 30
Z ECHARIAH 13:1–14:21
IDOLATRY CUT OFF
1"In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.
2"It shall be in that day," says the LORD of hosts, "that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they shall no longer be remembered. I will also cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to depart from the land. 3It shall come to pass that if anyone still prophesies, then his father and mother who begot him will say to him, 'You shall not live, because you have spoken lies in the name of the LORD.' And his father and mother who begot him shall thrust him through when he prophesies.
4"And it shall be in that day that every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies; they will not wear a robe of coarse hair to deceive. 5But he will say, 'I am no prophet, I am a farmer; for a man taught me to keep cattle from my youth.' 6And one will say to him, 'What are these wounds between your arms?'a Then he will answer, 'Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.'
THE SHEPHERD SAVIOR
7"Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd,
13:7 My Shepherd,…the Man who is My Companion. God spoke of the True Shepherd, that mighty Man who is His intimate associate; thus He identified Christ as His coequal, affirming the deity of Christ (John 1:1; 10:30; 14:9). Strike the Shepherd. In 11:17, it was the worthless shepherd who was to be struck; now it is the Good Shepherd (12:10) whose death was designed by God from before the foundation of the world ( Is. 53:10 ; Acts 2:23 ; 1 Pet. 1:18– 20 ). sheep…scattered. Jesus applies this prophecy to the disciples who defected from Him after His arrest (Matt. 26:56; Mark 14:50), including Peter's denial (Matt. 26:33–35, 69–75). the little ones. The same as the "poor of the flock" (11:7). The reference is to the remnant of believers, among the Jews, who were faithful to the Messiah after His crucifixion. Turning God's hand "against" them could mean they would suffer persecution, which they did (John 15:18, 20; 16:2; James 1:1), or it could be translated "upon" and refer to God's protection of the faithful.
Against the Man who is My Companion," Says the LORD of hosts. "Strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered; Then I will turn My hand against the little ones. 8And it shall come to pass in all the land," Says the LORD, "That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, But one–third shall be
left in it: 9I will bring the one–third through the fire, Will refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name,
And I will answer them. I will say, 'This is My people'; And each one will say, 'The LORD is my God.' "
Zechariah 14
THE DAY OF THE LORD
1Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, And your spoil will be divided in your midst. 2For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; The city shall be taken, The houses rifled, And the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity, But the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
3Then the LORD will go forth
14:3, 4 His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives. To prevent the eradication of His remnant, the Lord will personally intervene to fight against the gathered nations. Just as He fought for His people in the past, so He will do in the future as the ultimate Warrior-King. Jesus will literally return to the Mount of Olives, located east of the Kidron Valley, just as the angels announced at His Ascension (Acts 1:11). When He does, there will be a tremendous topographical upheaval (perhaps an earthquake), a phenomenon not uncommon when God announces His coming in judgment (Mic. 1:2–4; Nah. 1:5; Rev. 16:18–21). The reaction of people is given in Revelation 6:15–17.
And fight against those nations, As He fights in the day of battle. 4And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east.
And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, From east to west, Making a very large valley; Half of the mountain shall move toward the north And half of it toward the south. 5Then you shall flee through My mountain valley, For the mountain valley shall reach to Azal. Yes, you shall flee As you fled from the earthquake In the days of Uzziah king of Judah.
Thus the LORD my God will come,
And all the saints with You.a
6It shall come to pass in that day That there will be no light; The lights will diminish. 7It shall be one day Which is known to the LORD— Neither day nor night. But at evening time it shall happen That it will be light.
8And in that day it shall be That living waters shall flow from Jerusalem, Half of them toward the eastern sea And half of them toward the western sea; In both summer and winter it shall occur. 9And the LORD shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be— "The LORD is one,"a
And His name one.
10All the land shall be turned into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of
Jerusalem. Jerusalema shall be raised up and inhabited in her place from Benjamin's Gate to the place of the First Gate and the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king's winepresses.
11The people shall dwell in it; And no longer shall there be utter destruction, But Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.
12And this shall be the plague with which the LORD will strike all the people who fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh shall dissolve while they stand on their feet,
Their eyes shall dissolve in their sockets, And their tongues shall dissolve in their mouths.
13It shall come to pass in that day That a great panic from the LORD will be among them. Everyone will seize the hand of his neighbor, And raise his hand against his neighbor's hand; 14Judah also will fight at Jerusalem. And the wealth of all the surrounding nations Shall be gathered together: Gold, silver, and apparel in great abundance.
15Such also shall be the plague On the horse and the mule, On the camel and the donkey, And on all the cattle that will be in those camps. So shall this plague be.
THE NATIONS WORSHIP THE KING
16And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 17And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, on them there will be no rain. 18If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the LORD strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 19This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.
20In that day "HOLINESS TO THE LORD" shall be engraved on the bells of the
horses. The pots in the LORD's house shall be like the bowls before the altar. 21Yes, every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holiness to the LORD of hosts.a
Everyone who sacrifices shall come and take them and cook in them. In that day there shall no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts.
Next December 30 Reading
The Book of Malachi
Malachi 1
December 31
M ALACHI 1:1–4:6
1The burdena of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi.
ISRAEL BELOVED OF GOD
2"I have loved you," says the LORD. "Yet you say, 'In what way have You loved us?' Was not Esau Jacob's brother?" Says the LORD. "Yet Jacob I have loved; 3But Esau I have hated, And laid waste his mountains and his heritage For the jackals of the wilderness."
4Even though Edom has said, "We have been impoverished, But we will return and build the desolate places,"
Thus says the LORD of hosts:
"They may build, but I will throw down; They shall be called the Territory of Wickedness, And the people
against whom the LORD will have indignation forever. 5Your eyes shall see, And you shall say, 'The LORD is magnified beyond the border of Israel.'
POLLUTED OFFERINGS
6"A son honors his father, And a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says the LORD of hosts To you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, 'In what way have we despised Your name?'
7"You offer defiled food on My altar, But say, 'In what way have we defiled You?' By saying, 'The table of the LORD is contemptible.' 8And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, Is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, Is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favorably?" Says the LORD of hosts.
9"But now entreat God's favor, That He may be gracious to us. While this is being done by your hands, Will He accept you favorably?" Says the LORD of hosts. 10"Who is there even among you who would shut the doors, So that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain? I have no pleasure in you," Says the LORD of hosts, "Nor will I accept an offering from your hands. 11For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name shall be great among the Gentiles; In every place incense shall be offered to My name, And a pure offering; For My name shall be great among the nations," Says the LORD of hosts.
12"But you profane it, In that you say, 'The table of the LORDa is defiled; And its fruit, its food, is contemptible.' 13You also say, 'Oh, what a weariness!'
And you sneer at it," Says the LORD of hosts. "And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick; Thus you bring an
offering! Should I accept this from your hand?" Says the LORD. 14"But cursed be the deceiver Who has in his flock a male, And takes a vow, But sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished— For I am a great King," Says the LORD of hosts, "And My name is to be feared among the nations.
Malachi 2
CORRUPT PRIESTS
1"And now, O priests, this commandment is for you. 2If you will not hear, And if you will not take it to heart, To give glory to My name," Says the LORD of hosts, "I will send a curse upon you, And I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have cursed them already, Because you do not take it to heart.
3"Behold, I will rebuke your descendants And spread refuse on your faces, The refuse of your solemn feasts; And one will take you away with it. 4Then you shall know that I have sent this commandment to you, That My covenant with Levi may continue," Says the LORD of hosts. 5"My covenant was with him, one of life and peace, And I gave them to him that he might fear Me; So he feared Me And was reverent before My name. 6The law of trutha was in his mouth, And injustice was not found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and equity, And turned many away from iniquity.
7"For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, And people should seek the law from his mouth; For he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. 8But you have departed from the way; You have caused many to stumble at the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi," Says the LORD of hosts. 9"Therefore I also have made you contemptible and base Before all the people, Because you have not kept My ways But have shown partiality in the law."
TREACHERY OF INFIDELITY
10Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously with one another By profaning the
covenant of the fathers? 11Judah has dealt treacherously, And an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem, For Judah has profaned The LORD's holy institution which He loves: He has married the
daughter of a foreign god. 12May the LORD cut off from the tents of Jacob The man who does this, being awake and aware,a
Yet who brings an offering to the LORD of hosts!
13And this is the second thing you do: You cover the altar of the LORD with tears, With weeping and crying; So He does not regard the offering anymore, Nor receive it with
goodwill from your hands. 14Yet you say, "For what reason?" Because the LORD has been witness Between you and the wife of
your youth, With whom you have dealt treacherously;
Yet she is your companion And your wife by covenant. 15But did He not make them one, Having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, And let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth.
16"For the LORD God of Israel says That He hates divorce, For it covers one's garment with violence," Says the LORD of hosts. "Therefore take heed to your spirit, That you do not deal treacherously."
17You have wearied the LORD with your words; Yet you say, "In what way have we wearied Him?" In that you say, "Everyone who does evil Is good in the sight of the LORD, And He delights in them," Or, "Where is the God of justice?"
Malachi 3
THE COMING MESSENGER
1"Behold, I send My messenger,
3:1 My messenger. It was a custom of the Near Eastern kings to send messengers before them to remove obstacles to their visit. Employing a wordplay on the name of Malachi, "the LORD's messenger", the Lord Himself announced He was sending one who would "prepare the way before Me." This is "the voice of one crying in the wilderness" (Is. 40:3) and the Elijah of 4:5 who comes before the Lord. The New Testament clearly identifies him as John the Baptist ( Matt. 3:3 ; 11:10 , 14 ; 17:12ff .; Mark 1:2 ; Luke 1:17 ; 7:26 , 27 ; John 1:23 ).
And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming," Says the LORD of hosts.
2"But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire And like launderers' soap. 3He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, And purge them as gold and silver, That they may offer to the LORD An offering in righteousness.
4"Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem Will be pleasant to the LORD,
As in the days of old, As in former years. 5And I will come near you for judgment; I will be a swift witness Against sorcerers, Against adulterers, Against perjurers, Against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans, And
against those who turn away an alien— Because they do not fear Me," Says the LORD of hosts.
6"For I am the LORD, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob. 7Yet from the days of your fathers You have gone away from My ordinances And have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you," Says the LORD of hosts. "But you said, 'In what way shall we return?'
DO NOT ROB GOD
8"Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings. 9You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. 10Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of
heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.
11"And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field," Says the LORD of hosts; 12"And all nations will call you blessed, For
you will be a delightful land," Says the LORD of hosts.
THE PEOPLE COMPLAIN HARSHLY 13"YOUR WORDS HAVE BEEN HARSH
AGAINST ME,"
Says the LORD, "Yet you say, 'What have we spoken against You?' 14You have said, 'It is useless to serve God; What profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, And that we have
walked as mourners Before the LORD of hosts? 15So now we call the proud blessed, For those who do wickedness are raised up; They even tempt God and go free.' "
A BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE
16Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, And the LORD listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the LORD And who meditate on His name.
17"They shall be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "On the day that I
make them My jewels.a
And I will spare them As a man spares his own son who serves him." 18Then you shall again discern Between the righteous and the wicked,
Between one who serves God And one who does not serve Him.
Malachi 4
THE GREAT DAY OF GOD
1"For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven, And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up," Says the LORD of hosts, "That will leave them neither root nor branch. 2But to you who fear My name
4:2 Sun of Righteousness. While the wicked will be devoured by the heat of the Lord's wrath, those who fear Him will feel His warmth with healing in His "rays" or "beams" (Is. 30:26; 60:1, 3). The reference is to the Messiah; He is "the Lord our Righteousness" (Ps. 84:11; Jer. 23:5, 6; 1 Cor. 1:30). healing. The reference should not be limited to the physical recovery from the harm done by the wicked (3:5). This sickness is inextricably linked with sin, with healing coming only through the suffering of the Servant (Ps. 103:3; Is. 53:5; 57:18, 19; 1 Pet. 2:24).
The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings;
And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves. 3You shall trample the wicked, For they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet On the day that I do this," Says the LORD of hosts.
4"Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, Which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, With the statutes and judgments. 5Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. 6And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse."
Next December 31 Reading
THE NEW TESTAMENT
The Gospel According to Matthew
Matthew 1
January 1
M ATTHEW 1:1–25
THE GENEALOGY OF JESUS CHRIST
1The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:
2Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. 3Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. 4Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. 5Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, 6and Jesse begot David the king.
David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wifea of Uriah. 7Solomon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam begot Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa.a 8Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah. 9Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah. 10Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot Amon,a and Amon begot Josiah. 11Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to Babylon.
12And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel. 13Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor. 14Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud. 15Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob. 16And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.
17So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.
CHRIST BORN OF MARY
18Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 19Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. 20But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins."
1:18 betrothed. Jewish betrothal was as binding as a modern marriage and could only be broken through divorce. The betrothal couple was legally considered husband and wife, even though physical union had not yet taken place.
22So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,"a which is translated, "God with us."
1:22 that it might be fulfilled. Matthew often referred to places where Old Testament scriptures were fulfilled. He quoted from the Old Testament more than 60 times, more frequently than any other New Testament writer, except Paul in Romans.
24Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, 25and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son.a And he called His name JESUS.
DAY 1: How does the Bible challenge or agree with current scientific theories?
Scientific theories, by their very definition, are subject to change and adjustment. Scripture remains as God's revealed unchanging declaration of truth. The Bible was not written as a challenge to any particular scientific theory, but scientific theories have often been designed to challenge and undermine biblical statements. They either agree with scripture or are mistaken.
The description in Genesis 1:1 that "God created the heavens and the earth" yields three basic conclusions: 1) creation was a recent event measured in thousands not millions of years ago; 2) creation was ex nihilo, meaning that God created out of nothing; 3) creation was special, with light and time being the first of God's creative acts, since the day-count (Gen. 1:5) began before the creation of sun and moon (Gen. 1:16). One key in evaluating scientific theories depends on our understanding of the biblical word "created." Although the Hebrew word used in Genesis 1:1 can be used to describe the act of shaping or altering existent matter (Is. 65:18), such is not the case with the Bible's first words. God spoke the heavens and earth into existence. Both context and the rest of Scripture bear witness to God's creativity without use of any preexisting material ( Is. 40:28 ; 45:8 , 12 , 18 ; 48:13 ; Jer. 10:16 ; Acts 17:24 ).
Return to January 1 Readings
Matthew 2
January 2
M ATTHEW 2:1–23
WISE MEN FROM THE EAST
1Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the
king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."
3When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
5So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:
6'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.' "a
7Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from
them what time the star appeared. 8And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."
9When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young
Child was. 10When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.
THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT
13Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him."
14When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and
departed for Egypt, 15and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of
Egypt I called My Son."a
MASSACRE OF THE INNOCENTS
16Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. 17Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:
18"A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted, Because they are no more."a
THE HOME IN NAZARETH
19Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead." 21Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. 23And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene."
DAY 2: What do Christians mean when they talk about the Fall?
The Fall refers to that moment in time when human beings first disobeyed God. Genesis 3 tells the painful episode. What Eve set in motion, Adam confirmed and completed by joining her. They sinned together. The willful decision of Adam and Eve created a state of rebellion between the creation and her Creator.
The expression "the Fall" comes from the Bible itself. The apostle Paul uses the word in summarizing the human condition in Romans 3:23, "…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." It carries with it the sense of defeat and destruction. Great cities fell. So did people. But another fall preceded all these—the fall of the angel Lucifer, who became known as Satan (Is. 14:12– 15). In the Fall, our first ancestors declared us on Satan's side. The Bible makes it clear that the Fall brought sin into every subsequent person's life: "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned" ( Rom. 5:12 ). Our capacity for sin is inborn. We are sinners before we have the opportunity to sin. Not only are we sinners because we sin; we first sin because we are sinners. Why? Because we have all inherited the effects of Adam's fall.
Return to January 2 Readings
Matthew 3
January 3
M ATTHEW 3:1–17
JOHN THE BAPTIST PREPARES THE WAY
1In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" 3For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying:
"The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.' "a
4Now John himself was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, 9and do not think to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.a 12His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing
floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
JOHN BAPTIZES JESUS
13Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?"
15But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him.
16When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water;
and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and Hea saw the Spirit of God
descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
DAY 3: What is the difference between the Pharisees and Sadducees?
The Pharisees were a small (about 6,000), legalistic sect of the Jews. Their name means "separated ones," not in the sense of isolationists but in the puritanical sense, i.e., they were highly zealous for ritual and religious purity according to the Mosaic Law as well as their own traditions that they added to the Old Testament legislation. They represented the orthodox core of Judaism and very strongly influenced the common people of Israel. Jesus' interaction with the Pharisees was usually adversarial. He rebuked them for using human tradition to nullify Scripture (15:3–9), and especially for rank hypocrisy (15:7, 8; 22:18; 23:13, 23, 25, 29; Luke 12:1).
The Sadducees were known for their denial of things supernatural. They denied the resurrection of the dead (22:23) and the existence of angels (Acts 23:8). Unlike the Pharisees, they rejected human tradition and scorned legalism. They accepted only the Pentateuch as authoritative. They tended to be wealthy, aristocratic, members of the priestly tribe, and in the days of Herod their sect controlled the temple, though they were fewer in number than the Pharisees.
Pharisees and Sadducees had little in common. Pharisees were ritualists; Sadducees were rationalists. Pharisees were legalists; Sadducees were liberals. Pharisees were separatists; Sadducees were compromisers and political
opportunists. Yet they united together in their opposition of Christ (22:15, 16, 23, 34, 35). John publicly addressed them as deadly snakes.
Return to January 3 Readings
Matthew 4
January 4
M ATTHEW 4:1–25
SATAN TEMPTS JESUS
1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. 3Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread."
4But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread
alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.' "a
4:4 It is written. All 3 of Jesus' replies to the devil were taken from Deuteronomy. This one, from Deuteronomy 8:3, states that God allowed Israel to hunger, so that He might feed them with manna and teach them to trust Him to provide for them. So the verse is directly applicable to Jesus' circumstances and a fitting reply to Satan's temptation. every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. A more important source of sustenance than food, it nurtures our spiritual needs in a way that benefits us eternally, rather than merely providing temporal relief from physical hunger.
5Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:
'He shall give His angels charge over you,' and,
'In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest
you dash your foot against a stone.' "a
7Jesus said to him, "It is written again, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your God.'
8Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9And he said to Him, "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me."
10Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you,a Satan! For it is written, 'You
shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.' "b
11Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.
JESUS BEGINS HIS GALILEAN MINISTRY
12Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. 13And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:
15"The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: 16The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned."a
17From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
FOUR FISHERMEN CALLED AS DISCIPLES
18And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." 20They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
21Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, 22and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.
JESUS HEALS A GREAT MULTITUDE
23And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. 24Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them. 25Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.
DAY 4: How significant is the Flood in the overall biblical history?
The Bible treats the Flood as a worldwide event directly brought by God as a judgment on the sin of humanity. The flood hangs like a warning cloud over all subsequent history. Fortunately, that cloud also holds a rainbow of God's promised grace.
Conditions in Noah's day were ripe for judgment. "Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Gen. 6:5). This verse provides one of the strongest and clearest statements about man's sinful nature. Many other verses make it clear that God had every reason for radical action: Jeremiah 17:9, 10; Matthew 12:34, 35; 15:18, 19; Mark 7:21; Luke 6:45. Other notable Scriptures on the worldwide flood brought by God include Job 12:15; 22:16; Psalms 29:10; 104:6–9 ; Isaiah 54:9 ; Matthew 24:37–39 ; Luke 17:26 , 27 ; Hebrews 11:7 ; 1 Peter 3:20 ; 2 Peter 2:5 ; 3:5 , 6 . The Flood illustrates several important aspects of God's character and God's relationship with His creation: 1) God retains ultimate control of world events; God can and will judge sin; 3) God can and does exercise grace even in judgment; 4) An even more universal and final judgment will be carried out on the world based on God's timetable.
Return to January 4 Readings
Matthew 5
January 5
M ATTHEW 5:1–26
THE BEATITUDES
1And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
5:3 Blessed. The word literally means "happy, fortunate, blissful." Here it speaks of more than a surface emotion. Jesus was describing the divinely bestowed well-being that belongs only to the faithful. The Beatitudes demonstrate that the way to heavenly blessedness is antithetical to the worldly path normally followed in pursuit of happiness. The worldly idea is that happiness is found in riches, merriment, abundance, leisure, and such things. The real truth is the very opposite. The Beatitudes give Jesus' description of the character of true faith. poor in spirit. The opposite of self-sufficiency. This speaks of deep humility of recognizing one's utter spiritual bankruptcy apart from God. It describes those who are acutely conscious of their own lostness and hopelessness apart from divine grace (9:12; Luke 18:13). theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Notice that the truth of salvation by grace is clearly presupposed in this opening verse of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus was teaching that the kingdom is a gracious gift to those who sense their own poverty of spirit.
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. 5Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. 6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. 8Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. 9Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. 10Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11"Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil
against you falsely for My sake. 12Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
BELIEVERS ARE SALT AND LIGHT
13"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
14"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
CHRIST FULFILLS THE LAW
17"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass
away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
MURDER BEGINS IN THE HEART
21"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder,a and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.' 22But I say to you that
whoever is angry with his brother without a causea shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire. 23Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your
brother has something against you, 24leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.
DAY 5: Why did Jesus preach the Sermon on the Mount?
Matthew records five important discourses: the Sermon on the Mount (chaps. 5–7); the commissioning of the apostles (chap. 10); the parables about the kingdom of heaven (chap. 13); a discourse about the childlikeness of the believer (chap. 18); and the discourse on His second coming (chaps. 24; 25). Each discourse ends with a variation of this phrase: "when Jesus had ended these sayings." That becomes a motif signaling a new narrative portion.
The Sermon on the Mount is a masterful exposition of the law and a potent assault on Pharisaic legalism, closing with a call to true faith and salvation (7:13–29). Matthew is keen to show the error of the Pharisees for the benefit of his Jewish audience—not for personal or self-aggrandizing reasons. Christ expounded the full meaning of the law, showing that its demands were humanly impossible (see 5:48). This is the proper use of the law with respect to salvation: It closes off every possible avenue of human merit and leaves sinners dependent on nothing but divine grace for salvation (see Rom. 3:19, 20; Gal. 3:23, 24). Christ plumbed the depth of the law, showing that its true demands went far
beyond the surface meaning of the words (5:28, 39, 44) and set a standard that
is higher than the most diligent students of the law had heretofore realized.
Return to January 5 Readings
January 6
M ATTHEW 5:27–48
ADULTERY IN THE HEART
27"You have heard that it was said to those of old,a 'You shall not commit
adultery.'b 28But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her
has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
MARRIAGE IS SACRED AND BINDING
31"Furthermore it has been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' 32But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immoralitya causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.
5:31 it has been said. The rabbis wrongly understood Deuteronomy 24:1–4 to mean that divorce only required regulated paperwork and could be granted for anything that displeased a man. Moses provided this as a concession to protect the woman who was divorced, not to justify or legalize divorce under all circumstances.
JESUS FORBIDS OATHS
33"Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.' 34But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.
GO THE SECOND MILE
38"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'a
39But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.
5:38 wept and wailed. In that culture, a sure sign that a death had occurred. Because burial followed soon after death, it was the people's only opportunity to mourn publicly. The wailing was especially loud and mostly from paid mourners.
LOVE YOUR ENEMIES
43"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbora and hate your enemy.' 44But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,a 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47And if you greet your brethrena only,
what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectorsb do so? 48Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
DAY 6: Why did God cause the multiplication of languages and the dispersion of peoples?
After the Flood, human civilization again began to spread across the earth. Those who traveled east under Nimrod (10:8–10) settled for a while in a place called Shinar. Later, they decided to establish a city as a tribute to themselves and as a way to keep from spreading across the earth (11:4). This was a double prideful rebellion against God. First, their city, with its proposed tower, was to be a monument to their selfreliance. Second, the permanence of their settlement represented an effort to disobey God's direct command to inhabit the whole earth.
Because it was God's purpose to fill the earth with custodians, He responded to the people's prideful rebellion. They had chosen to settle; He forced them to scatter. Their cooperation and self-reliance had been based on their shared language. Instead of using all their resources to obey God, they misused them for disobedience. God chose to complicate communication by multiplying the languages. The location where this confusion took place became known as Babel (related to a Hebrew word meaning "to confuse"). Later it became Babylon, the constant enemy of God's people, and throughout Scripture the capital of human rebellion against God (Rev. 16:19; 17:5).
Return to January 6 Readings
Matthew 6
January 7
M ATTHEW 6:1–18
DO GOOD TO PLEASE GOD
1"Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 3But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.a
THE MODEL PRAYER
5"And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be
seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 6But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward
you openly.a 7And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
8"Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you
have need of before you ask Him. 9In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10Your kingdom come.
Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 11Give us this day our daily bread. 12And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. 13And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.a
14"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
6:15 "It is Elijah." This identification of Jesus, which probably had been discussed repeatedly among the Jews, was based on the Jewish expectation that the prophet Elijah would return prior to Messiah's coming. the Prophet… one of the prophets. Some saw Jesus as the fulfillment of Deuteronomy 18:15, the messianic prophecy that looked to the One who, like Moses, would lead His people. Others were willing to identify Jesus only as a great prophet, or one who was resuming the suspended line of Old Testament prophets. These and the other opinions, although misplaced, show that the people still thought Jesus was special or somehow supernatural.
FASTING TO BE SEEN ONLY BY GOD
16"Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17But you,
when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.a
DAY 7: What does the Lord's Prayer teach us about forgiveness?
The request, "Forgive us our debts" (6:12), is the heart of the prayer; it is what Jesus stressed in the words that followed the prayer (vv. 14, 15; see Mark 11:25). The parallel passage in Luke 11:4 uses the word that means "sins," so that in context, spiritual debts are intended. Sinners are debtors to God in their violations of His laws.
When Jesus added that "if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" (v. 15), this is not to suggest that God will withdraw justification from those who have already received the free pardon He extends to all believers. Forgiveness in that sense—a permanent and complete acquittal from the guilt and ultimate penalty of sin—belongs to all who are in Christ (see John 5:24; Rom. 8:1; Eph. 1:7). Yet, Scripture also teaches that God chastens His children who disobey (Heb. 12:5–7). Believers are to confess their sins in order to obtain a day-to-day cleansing (1 John 1:9). This sort of forgiveness is a simple washing from the worldly defilements of sin; not a repeat of the wholesale cleansing from sin's corruption that comes with justification. It is like a washing of the feet rather than a bath (John 13:10). Forgiveness in this latter sense is what God threatens to withhold from Christians who refuse to forgive others.
Return to January 7 Readings
January 8
M ATTHEW 6:19–34
LAY UP TREASURES IN HEAVEN
19"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy
and where thieves break in and steal; 20but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in
and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
THE LAMP OF THE BODY
22"The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your
whole body will be full of light. 23But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
6:22, 23 This is an argument from the lesser to the greater. The analogy is simple. If your eye is bad, no light can come in and you are left with darkness because of that malady. How much worse when the problem is not merely related to external perception, but an internal corruption of one's whole nature, so that the darkness actually emanates from within and affects one's whole being. He was indicting them for their superficial earthly religion that left their hearts dark.
YOU CANNOT SERVE GOD AND RICHES
24"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
DO NOT WORRY
25"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 28"So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29and yet I say to you that even
Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31"Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For after all these things the Gentiles seek.
For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
DAY 8: What does Abraham's faith teach us about justification?
In Genesis 15:6, we are told that when Abraham "believed" in the Lord, it was "accounted" to him for "righteousness." The apostle Paul quoted these words as an illustration of faith over and against works (Rom. 4:3, 9, 22; Gal. 3:6). Abraham was regenerated by faith, and so are we! This quotation is one of the clearest statements in all Scripture about justification. Abraham's faith is not a meritorious work. It is never the ground of justification—it is simply the channel through which it is received and it, too, is a gift. His faith was "accounted" or "imputed" to him, which is a term used in both financial and legal settings. It means to take something that belongs to
someone and credit to another's account. It is a one-sided transaction— Abraham did nothing to accumulate it: God simply credited it to him. In this case, God took His own righteousness and credited it to Abraham as if it were actually his. This God did because Abraham believed in Him.
The "righteousness" imputed to Abraham is unique: 1) God is its source ( Is. 45:8 ); 2) it fulfills both the penalty and precept of God's law. Christ's death as a substitute pays the penalty exacted on those who failed to keep God's law, and His perfect obedience to every requirement of God's law fulfills God's demand for comprehensive righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 2:24; see Heb. 9:28); and because God's righteousness is eternal (Ps. 119:142; Is. 51:8; Dan. 9:24), the one who receives it from Him enjoys it forever.
Return to January 8 Readings
Matthew 7
January 9
M ATTHEW 7:1–29
DO NOT JUDGE
1"Judge not, that you be not judged. 2For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
7:1 Judge not. As the context reveals, this does not prohibit all types of judging (v. 16). There is a righteous kind of judgment we are supposed to exercise with careful discernment (John 7:24). Censorious, hypocritical, self-righteous, or other kinds of unfair judgments are forbidden; but in order to fulfill the commandments that follow, it is necessary to discern dogs and swine (v. 6) from one's own brethren (vv. 3–5).
6"Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.
KEEP ASKING, SEEKING, KNOCKING
7"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and
to him who knocks it will be opened. 9Or what man is there among you who, if
his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will he
give him a serpent? 11If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! 12Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
THE NARROW WAY
13"Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads
to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14Becausea narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
YOU WILL KNOW THEM BY THEIR FRUITS
15"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17Even so, every good tree bears
good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut
down and thrown into the fire. 20Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
I NEVER KNEW YOU
21"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven,
but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'
BUILD ON THE ROCK
24"Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will
liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
26"But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them,
will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."
28And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, 29for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
DAY 9: What did Jesus specify about the way to salvation?
In the closing section of the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 7:13–29), Jesus gave a clear gospel application. Here are two gates, two ways, two destinations, and two groups of people (vv. 13, 14); two kinds of trees and two kinds of fruit (vv. 17–20); two groups at the judgment (vv. 21–23); and two kinds of builders, building on two kinds of foundations (vv. 24–28). Christ is drawing the line as clearly as possible between the way that leads to destruction and the way which leads to life.
Both the narrow gate and the wide gate (vv. 13, 14) are assumed to provide the entrance to God's kingdom. Two ways are offered to people. The narrow gate is by faith, only through Christ, constricted and precise. It represents true salvation in God's way that leads to life eternal. The wide gate includes all religions of works and self-righteousness, with no single way (see Acts 4:12), but leads to hell, not heaven.
Christ continually emphasized the difficulty of following Him (10:38; 16:24, 25; John 15:18, 19; 16:1–3; see Acts 14:22). Salvation is by grace alone, but is not easy. It calls for knowledge of the truth, repentance, submission to Christ as
Lord, and a willingness to obey His will and Word.
Return to January 9 Readings
Matthew 8
January 10
M ATTHEW 8:1–17
JESUS CLEANSES A LEPER
1When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean."
3Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
4And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."
JESUS HEALS A CENTURION'S SERVANT
5Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, 6saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented."
7And Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him." 8The centurion answered and said, "Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. 9For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."
10When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, "Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! 11And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There
12But the sons of the will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." 13Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you." And his servant was healed that same hour.
PETER'S MOTHER-IN-LAW HEALED
14Now when Jesus had come into Peter's house, He saw his wife's mother lying sick with a fever. 15So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them.a
MANY HEALED IN THE EVENING
16When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demonpossessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, 17that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:
"He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses."a
DAY 10: How can we study and apply some of the Proverbs if we don't understand them?
More often than not, those Proverbs that at first seem unclear or contradictory turn out, instead, to be elusive and deep. Proverbs sometimes do state obvious truths. Their meaning is crystal clear: "A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her who bore him" (17:25). But many proverbs require thoughtful meditation: "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD" (16:33) or "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death" (16:25). The fact that we may have to search the rest of the Scripture or work at thinking ought to make Proverbs dearer to us. If God has chosen this unusual approach to help us grow, why would we hesitate to give our full attention to Proverbs?
Given the context that surrounds Proverbs—the rest of God's Word—a student's failure to grasp a proverb ought not to lead to the conclusion that there's something wrong with this book. A better conclusion would be that the student doesn't know enough yet or hasn't paid enough attention. A wise person puts an elusive proverb on hold for further understanding rather than rejecting it as useless. God's further lessons in that person's life may well cast a new light on parts of the Bible that have been difficult to interpret.
Return to January 10 Readings
January 11
M ATTHEW 8:18–34
THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP
18And when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave a command to depart to the other side. 19Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, "Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go."
20And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."
21Then another of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father."
8:21 let me first go and bury my father. This does not mean that the man's father was already dead. The phrase "I must bury my father" was a common figure of speech, meaning "Let me wait until I receive my inheritance."
22But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead."
WIND AND WAVE OBEY JESUS
23Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. 24And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. 25Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!"
8:24 suddenly a great tempest arose. The Sea of Galilee is more than 690 feet below sea level. To the north, Mt. Hermon rises 9,200 feet, and from May to October strong winds often sweep through the narrow surrounding gorges into this valley, causing extremely sudden and violent storms. He was asleep. Just before the disciples saw one of the most awesome displays of His deity, they were given a touching picture of His humanity. He was so weary that not even the violent tossing of the boat awakened Him even though the disciples feared they would drown (v. 25).
26But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27So the men marveled, saying, "Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?"
TWO DEMON-POSSESSED MEN HEALED
28When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes,a
there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. 29And suddenly they cried out, saying, "What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?"
30Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding. 31So
the demons begged Him, saying, "If You cast us out, permit us to go awaya into the herd of swine."
8:30 tell no one. Jesus' messianic mission cannot be understood apart from the Cross, which the disciples did not yet understand (see vv. 31–33; 9:30–32). For them to have proclaimed Jesus as Messiah at this point would have only furthered the misunderstanding that the Messiah was to be a political-military deliverer. The fallout was that the Jewish people, desperate to be rid of the yoke of Rome, would seek to make Jesus king by force (John 6:15; see 12:12–19).
32And He said to them, "Go." So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water.
33Then those who kept them fled; and they went away into the city and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region.
DAY 11: What does it mean to be demon-possessed?
Matthew 8:16 and 8:28 refer to individuals who were demon-possessed. This means "demonized," or under the internal control of a demon. All of the cases of demonization dealt with by Christ involved the actual indwelling of demons who utterly controlled the bodies of their victims, even to the point of speaking through them ( Mark 5:5–9 ), causing derangement ( John 10:20 ), violence ( Luke 8:29 ), or rendering them mute ( Mark 9:17–22 ). From Matthew 8:29, it is evident that even the demons not only recognized the deity of Jesus, but also knew there was a divinely appointed time for their judgment and He would be their judge. Their eschatology was factually correct,
but it is one thing to know the truth and quite another thing to love it (see James 2:19 ). Luke 8:31 relates they pleaded not to be sent into the abyss, meaning the pit, the underworld, the prison of bound demons who disobeyed ( 2 Pet. 2:4 ; Jude 6 ). They knew Jesus had the power and authority to send them there if He desired.
Deliverance from demons and healing were a fulfillment of the words spoken by Isaiah the prophet concerning the atonement (Is. 53:4, 5). Christ bore both the guilt and the curse of sin (see Gal. 3:13). Both physical healing and ultimate victory over death are guaranteed by Christ's atoning work, but these will not be fully realized until the very end (1 Cor. 15:26).
Return to January 11 Readings
Matthew 9
January 12
M ATTHEW 9:1–17
JESUS FORGIVES AND HEALS A PARALYTIC
1So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city. 2Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you."
9:1 His own city. Capernaum is the city where Jesus settled. Jesus had left there to get away from the crowds for a time.
3And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, "This Man blasphemes!"
4But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5For which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Arise and walk'? 6But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"—then He said to the paralytic, "Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house." 7And he arose and departed to his house.
8Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveleda and glorified God, who had given such power to men.
MATTHEW THE TAX COLLECTOR
9As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me." So he arose and followed Him.
10Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. 11And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"
12When Jesus heard that, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.'a For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."b
9:13 go and learn what this means. This phrase was commonly used as a rebuke for those who did not know something they should have known. The verse Jesus cites is Hosea 6:6, which emphasizes the absolute priority of the law's moral standards over the ceremonial requirements. The Pharisees tended to focus on the outward, ritual, and ceremonial aspects of God's law to the neglect of its inward, eternal, and moral precepts. In doing so, they became harsh, judgmental, and self-righteously scornful of others. Jesus repeated this same criticism in 12:7.
JESUS IS QUESTIONED ABOUT FASTING
14Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, "Why do we and the
Pharisees fast often,a but Your disciples do not fast?"
15And Jesus said to them, "Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be
taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment,
and the tear is made worse. 17Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved."
DAY 12: Why were the scribes upset that Christ forgave the paralytic?
In Matthew 9:1—8, the fact that the man was brought on a bed indicates that his paralysis was severe. Christ ignored the paralysis and addressed the man's greater needs. Christ's words of forgiveness may indicate that the paralysis was a direct consequence of the man's own sin (John 9:1–3).
The scribes outcry, "This Man blasphemes!" would be a true judgment about anyone but God incarnate, for only the One who has been sinned against has the prerogative to forgive. Jesus' words to the man were therefore an unequivocal claim of divine authority. That He asserted His prerogative that was God's alone was completely understood by the scribes.
Jesus then confronts the scribes directly. It is certainly easier to claim the power to pronounce absolution from sin than to demonstrate the power to heal. Christ actually proved His power to forgive by instantly healing the man of his paralysis. His ability to heal anyone and everyone at will—totally and immediately—was incontrovertible proof of His deity. If He could do the apparently harder, He could also do what seemed easier. The actual forgiving of the sins was in reality the more difficult task, however, because it ultimately required Him to sacrifice His life.
Return to January 12 Readings
January 13
M ATTHEW 9:18–38
A GIRL RESTORED TO LIFE AND A WOMAN HEALED
18While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and
she will live." 19So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.
20And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. 21For she said to herself,
"If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well." 22But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, "Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well." And the woman was made well from that hour.
23When Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, 24He said to them, "Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping." And they ridiculed Him. 25But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26And the report of this went out into all that land.
TWO BLIND MEN HEALED
27When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, "Son of David, have mercy on us!"
28And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?"
They said to Him, "Yes, Lord." 29Then He touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith let it be to you." 30And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, "See that no one knows it." 31But when they had departed, they spread the news about Him in all that country.
A MUTE MAN SPEAKS
32As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a man, mute and demonpossessed. 33And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the multitudes marveled, saying, "It was never seen like this in Israel!"
34But the Pharisees said, "He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons."
THE COMPASSION OF JESUS
35Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.a 36But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were wearya and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. 37Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."
DAY 13: Why is compassion the key to Christian service?
In Matthew 9:35, it describes Jesus' ministry of teaching and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and of healing every sickness and every disease among the people. Jesus banished illness in an unprecedented healing display, giving impressive evidence of His deity and making the Jews' rejection all the more heinous.
In v. 36 it adds that Jesus was "moved" with compassion when He saw the multitudes. Here the humanity of Christ allowed expression of His attitude toward sinners in terms of human passion. Whereas God, who is immutable, is not subject to the rise and fall and change of emotions (Num. 23:19), Christ, who was fully human with all the faculties of humanity, was on occasion moved to literal tears over the plight of sinners (Luke 19:41). God Himself expressed similar compassion through the prophets (Ex. 33:19; Ps. 86:15; Jer. 9:1; 13:17; 14:17). He saw these people as weary and scattered. Their spiritual needs were even more desperate than the need for physical healing.
Meeting those needs requires laborers (v. 37), which is where we come in. The Lord spoke of the spiritual harvest of souls for salvation; but apart from being "moved" with the same compassion, our service will be in vain.
Return to January 13 Readings
Matthew 10
January 14
M ATTHEW 10:1–20
THE TWELVE APOSTLES
1And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. 2Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James
the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname wasa Thaddaeus; 4Simon
the Cananite,a and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.
10:1 He gave them power. Jesus delegated His power to the apostles to show clearly that He and His kingdom were sovereign over the physical and spiritual realms, the effects of sin, and the efforts of Satan. This was an unheard of display of power, never before seen in all redemptive history, to announce Messiah's arrival and authenticate Him plus His apostles who preached His gospel. This power was a preview of the power Christ will exhibit in His earthly kingdom, when Satan will be bound (Rev. 20) and the curse on physical life curtailed (Is. 65:20–25).
SENDING OUT THE TWELVE
5These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: "Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. 6But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7And as you go, preach, saying, 'The
kingdom of heaven is at hand.' 8Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead,a cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. 9Provide neither
gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, 10nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.
10:8 Freely you have received, freely give. Jesus was giving them great power, to heal the sick and raise the dead. If they sold these gifts for money, they could have made quite a fortune. But that would have obscured the message of grace Christ sent them to preach. So He forbade them to charge money for their ministry. Yet they were permitted to accept support to meet their basic needs, for a workman is worthy of such support (v. 10).
11"Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. 12And when you go into a household, greet it. 13If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. 15Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!
PERSECUTIONS ARE COMING
16"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. 17But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. 18You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you
should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; 20for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.
DAY 14: What does Jacob's deception teach us about lying?
When Jacob said, "I shall seem to be a deceiver to him" (Gen. 27:12), his objection to his mother's proposal that he lie to his father makes it clear he fully understood. The differences between him and Esau would surely not fool his father and might result in blessing being replaced with a curse as a fitting punishment for deception. But when Rebekah accepted full responsibility for the scheme and the curse it might incur, Jacob acquiesced and followed Rebekah's instructions.
Even Isaac's perfectly legitimate question in v. 20 afforded Jacob an escape route—confess and stop the deceit! Instead, Jacob, with consummate ease, knowing he needed Isaac's irrevocable confirmation even though he had bought the birthright, ascribed success in the hunt to God's providence. A lie had to sustain a lie, and a tangled web had begun to be woven (vv. 21–24). That principle always follows any lie we tell.
Although Jacob received Isaac's blessing that day, the deceit caused severe consequences: 1) he never saw his mother after that; 2) Esau wanted him dead; Laban, his uncle, deceived him; 4) his family life was full of conflict; and 5) he was exiled for years from his family. By the promise of God he would have received the birthright (25:23). He didn't need to scheme this deception with his mother.
Return to January 14 Readings
January 15
M ATTHEW 10:21–42
21"Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and
children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 22And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. 23When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
24"A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub,a how much more will they
call those of his household! 26Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.
JESUS TEACHES THE FEAR OF GOD
27"Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. 28And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. 30But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
CONFESS CHRIST BEFORE MEN
32"Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
CHRIST BRINGS DIVISION
34"Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace
but a sword. 35For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against
her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; 36and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.'a 37He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
A CUP OF COLD WATER
40"He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him
who sent Me. 41He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. 42And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward."
DAY 15: Should I expect to be persecuted for my faith?
In Matthew 10:32, Jesus makes the amazing promise that the person who acknowledges Him as Lord in life or in death, if necessary, is the one whom He will acknowledge personally before God as His own ( Matt. 13:20 ; 2 Tim. 2:10– 13 ). Conversely, He describes the soul-damning denial of Christ of those who through fear, shame, neglect, or love of the world reject all evidence and revelation and decline to confess Christ as Savior and King.
Though the ultimate end of the gospel is peace with God ( John 14:27 ; Rom. 8:6 ), the immediate result of the gospel is frequently conflict (v. 34 ). Conversion to Christ can result in strained family relationships (vv. 35, 36), persecution, and even martyrdom. Following Christ presupposes a willingness to endure such hardships (vv. 32, 33, 37–39). Though He is called "Prince of Peace" (Is. 9:6), Christ will have no one deluded into thinking that He calls believers to a life devoid of all conflict.
When Jesus adds that a disciple must "take his cross" (v. 38), it is His first mention of the word "cross" to His disciples. To them it would have evoked a picture of a violent, degrading death. He was demanding total commitment from them—even unto physical death—and making this call to full surrender a part of the message they were to proclaim to others. For those who come to Christ with self-renouncing faith, there will be true and eternal life (v. 39).
Return to January 15 Readings
Matthew 11
January 16
M ATTHEW 11:1–30
JOHN THE BAPTIST SENDS MESSENGERS TO JESUS
1Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.
2And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two ofa his disciples 3and said to Him, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?"
4Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: 5The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."
7As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: "What
did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft
clothing are in kings' houses. 9But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I
say to you, and more than a prophet. 10For this is he of whom it is written:
'Behold, I send My messenger before Your
face, Who will prepare Your way before You.'a
11"Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is
greater than he. 12And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom
of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. 13For all the
prophets and the law prophesied until John. 14And if you are willing to receive
it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
11:12 the kingdom of heaven suffers violence. From the time he began his preaching ministry, John the Baptist evoked a strong reaction. Having been imprisoned already, John ultimately fell victim to Herod's savagery. But the kingdom can never be subdued or opposed by human violence. Notice that where Matthew says, "the violent take it by force," Luke has, "everyone is pressing into it" (Luke 16:16). So the sense of this verse may be rendered this way: "The kingdom presses ahead relentlessly, and only the relentless press their way into it." Thus again Christ is magnifying the difficulty of entering the kingdom.
16"But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the
marketplaces and calling to their companions, 17and saying:
'We played the flute for you,
And you did not dance; We mourned to you,
And you did not lament.'
18For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' 19The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children."a
WOE TO THE IMPENITENT CITIES
20Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: 21"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. 23And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will bea brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you."
JESUS GIVES TRUE REST
25At that time Jesus answered and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. 26Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. 27All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. 28Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
11:28–30 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden. There is an echo of the first beatitude (5:3) in this passage. Note that this is an open invitation to all who hear but phrased in such a way that the only ones who will respond to the invitation are those who are burdened by their own spiritual bankruptcy and the weight of trying to save themselves by keeping the law. The stubbornness of humanity's sinful rebellion is such that without a sovereignly bestowed spiritual awakening, all sinners refuse to acknowledge the depth of their spiritual poverty. That is why, as Jesus says in v. 27, our salvation is the sovereign work of God. But the truth of divine election in v. 27 is not incompatible with the free offer to all in vv. 28–30.
DAY 16: List the false gods in the Old Testament.
Rachel's household gods (Gen. 31:19) The golden calf at Sinai (Ex. 32)
Nanna, the moon god of Ur, worshiped by Abraham before his salvation (Josh. 24:2)
Asherah, or Ashtaroth, the chief goddess of Tyre, referred to as the lady of the sea (Judg. 6:24–32)
Dagon, the chief Philistine agriculture and sea god and father of Baal ( Judg. 16:23–30 ) Ashtoreth, a Canaanite goddess, another consort of Baal (1 Sam. 7:3, 4)
Molech, the god of the Ammonites and the most horrible idol in the Scriptures (1 Kin. 11:7)
The two golden images made by King Jeroboam, set up at the shrines of Dan and Bethel (1 Kin. 12:28–31)
Baal, the chief deity of Canaan (1 Kin. 18:17–40; 2 Kin. 10:28; 11:18) Rimmon, the Syrian god of Naaman the leper (2 Kin. 5:15–19) Nishroch, the Assyrian god of Sennacherib (2 Kin. 19:37) Nebo, the Babylonian god of wisdom and literature (Is. 46:1) Merodach, also called Marduk, the chief god of the Babylonian pantheon (Jer. 50:2)
Tammuz, the husband and brother of Ishtar (Asherah), goddess of fertility (Ezek. 8:14)
The golden image in the plain of Dura (Dan. 2)
Return to January 16 Readings
Matthew 12
January 17
M ATTHEW 12:1–21
JESUS IS LORD OF THE SABBATH
1At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And His
disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. 2And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, "Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!"
3But He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry,
he and those who were with him: 4how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? 5Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the
priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? 6Yet I say to you
that in this place there is One greater than the temple. 7But if you had
known what this means, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice,'a you would not have
condemned the guiltless. 8For the Son of Man is Lord evena of the Sabbath."
12:8 the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath. Christ has the prerogative to rule over not only their man-made sabbatarian rules, but also over the Sabbath itself which was designed for worshiping God. Again, this was an inescapable claim of Deity and as such it prompted the Pharisees' violent outrage (v. 14).
HEALING ON THE SABBATH
9Now when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. 10And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"—that they might accuse Him.
11Then He said to them, "What man is there among you who has one sheep,
and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? 12Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." 13Then He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And
he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other. 14Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him.
BEHOLD, MY SERVANT
15But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudesa
followed Him, and He healed them all. 16Yet He warned them not to make Him known, 17that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:
12:15 healed them all. In all of Old Testament history there was never a time or a person who exhibited such extensive healing power. Physical healings were very rare in the Old Testament. Christ chose to display His deity by healing, raising the dead, and liberating people from demons. That not only showed the Messiah's power over the physical and spiritual realms, but also demonstrated the compassion of God toward those affected by sin.
18"Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased!
I will put My Spirit upon Him, And He will declare justice to the Gentiles. 19He will not quarrel nor cry out, Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. 20A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench, Till He sends forth justice to victory; 21And in His name Gentiles will trust."a
DAY 17: How are we to interpret the Bible when the ancient customs were so different from our own?
Once we are at home in the exotic and unfamiliar contexts of Scripture, we meet people in the Bible pages who are very much like us. These are not aliens, but our ancestors across the ages. Their struggles are ours. Their failures are all familiar to us. The God who spoke to them still speaks to us.
Return to January 17 Readings
January 18
M ATTHEW 12:22–50
A HOUSE DIVIDED CANNOT STAND
22Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and
He healed him, so that the blind anda mute man both spoke and saw. 23And all the multitudes were amazed and said, "Could this be the Son of David?"
24Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, "This fellow does not cast
out demons except by Beelzebub,a the ruler of the demons."
25But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. 26If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his
kingdom stand? 27And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons
cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. 28But if I cast out demons by
the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong
man? And then he will plunder his house. 30He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.
THE UNPARDONABLE SIN
31"Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men,
but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.
A TREE KNOWN BY ITS FRUIT
33"Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35A good man out of the good treasure of his hearta
brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES ASK FOR A SIGN
38Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You."
39But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks
after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so
will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. 42The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.
AN UNCLEAN SPIRIT RETURNS
43"When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. 44Then he says, 'I will return to my house from
which I came.' And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. 45Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation."
JESUS' MOTHER AND BROTHERS SEND FOR HIM
46While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers
stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. 47Then one said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You."
12:46 brothers. These are actual siblings (half brothers) of Jesus. Matthew explicitly connects them with Mary, indicating that they were not cousins or Joseph's sons from a previous marriage, as some of the church fathers imagined. They are mentioned in all the Gospels (Mark 3:31; Luke 8:19–21; John 7:3–5). Matthew and Mark give the names of 4 of Jesus' brothers and mention that He had sisters, as well (13:55; Mark 6:3).
48But He answered and said to the one who told Him, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?" 49And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers! 50For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother."
DAY 18: What is the unforgivable sin that Jesus spoke of?
According to Jesus' words in Matthew 12:31, the unforgivable sin is "the blasphemy against the Spirit." The sin He was confronting was the Pharisees' deliberate rejection of that which they knew to be of God (see John 11:48 ; Acts 4:16 ). They could not deny the reality of what the Holy Spirit had done through Him, so they attributed to Satan a work that they knew was of God (v. 24 ; Mark 3:22 ). Someone never exposed to Christ's divine power and presence might reject Him in ignorance and "it will be forgiven him" (v. 32)—assuming the unbelief gives way to genuine repentance. Even a Pharisee such as Saul of Tarsus could be forgiven for speaking "against the Son of Man" or persecuting His followers —because his unbelief stemmed from ignorance (1 Tim. 1:13). But those who know His claims are true and reject Him anyway sin "against the Holy Spirit"— because it is the Holy Spirit who testifies of Christ and makes His truth known to us (John 15:26; 16:14, 15). No forgiveness was possible for these Pharisees who witnessed His miracles firsthand, knew the truth of His claims, and still blasphemed the Holy Spirit—because they had already rejected the fullest possible revelation(Heb. 6:4–6; 10:29).
Return to January 18 Readings
Matthew 13
January 19
M ATTHEW 13:1–30
THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER
1On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. 2And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
3Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: "Behold, a sower
went out to sow. 4And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the
birds came and devoured them. 5Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no
root they withered away. 7And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up
and choked them. 8But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a
hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
13:3 parables. Parables were a common form of teaching in Judaism. The Greek term for "parable" appears 45 times in the LXX. A parable is a long analogy, often cast in the form of a story. Before this point in His ministry, Jesus had employed many graphic analogies (see 5:13–16), but their meaning was fairly clear in the context of His teaching. Parables required more explanation (see v. 36) and Jesus employed them to obscure the truth from unbelievers while making it clearer to His disciples (vv. 11, 12). For the remainder of His Galilean ministry, He did not speak to the multitudes except in parables (v. 34). Jesus' veiling the truth from unbelievers this way was both an act of judgment and an act of mercy. It was "judgment" because it kept them in the darkness that they loved (see John 3:19), but it was "mercy" because they had already rejected the light, so any exposure to more truth would only increase their condemnation.
THE PURPOSE OF PARABLES
10And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?"
11He answered and said to them, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:
'Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; 15For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I shoulda heal them.'b
16But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; 17for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER EXPLAINED
18"Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches
away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and
immediately receives it with joy; 21yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately
he stumbles. 22Now he who received seed among the thorns is he
who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches
choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."
THE PARABLE OF THE WHEAT AND THE TARES
24Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25but while men slept, his enemy came
and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26But when the grain had
sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27So the servants of the owner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?' 28He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The
servants said to him, 'Do you want us then to go and gather them up?' 29But he
said, 'No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn." ' "
DAY 19: Why are some events in Matthew in a different order from the order in Mark or Luke?
In general, Matthew presents a topical or thematic approach to the life of Christ. He groups Jesus' teaching into five major discourses:
The Sermon on the Mount (chaps. 5–7) The commissioning of the apostles (chap. 10) The parables of the kingdom (chap. 13) The childlikeness of the believer (chap. 18) The discourse on His second coming (chaps. 24; 25) Matthew makes no attempt to follow a strict chronology. A comparison of the synoptic Gospels reveals that he freely placed things out of order. He was dealing with themes and broad concepts, not laying out a timeline. Mark's and
Luke's Gospels follow a chronological order more closely.
Return to January 19 Readings
January 20
M ATTHEW 13:31–58
THE PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED
31Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a
mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, 32which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches."
THE PARABLE OF THE LEAVEN
33Another parable He spoke to them: "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven,
which a woman took and hid in three measuresa of meal till it was all leavened."
PROPHECY AND THE PARABLES
34All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, 35that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:
"I will open My mouth in parables;
I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world."a
THE PARABLE OF THE TARES EXPLAINED
36Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field."
37He answered and said to them: "He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. 39The enemy who sowed them
is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. 40Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. 41The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
13:37 He who sows. The true sower of salvation seed is the Lord Himself. He alone can give the power in the heart to transform. He is the One who saves sinners, even through the preaching and witnessing of believers (Rom. 10:14).
THE PARABLE OF THE HIDDEN TREASURE
44"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
THE PARABLE OF THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE
45"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, 46who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
THE PARABLE OF THE DRAGNET
47"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, 48which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. 49So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, 50and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth."
51Jesus said to them,a "Have you understood all these
things?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord."b
52Then He said to them, "Therefore every scribe instructed concerninga
the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old."
JESUS REJECTED AT NAZARETH
53Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there. 54When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, "Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not
His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses,a Simon, and Judas? 56And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these
things?" 57So they were offended at Him.
13:57 A prophet…in his own country. This is an ancient proverb paralleling the modern saying "Familiarity breeds contempt." They knew Jesus too well as a boy and a young man from their own town and they concluded that He was nothing special. Verse 58 gives the sad result (see Mark 6:4).
But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house." 58Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
DAY 20: What did Joseph understand about the interpretation of dreams?
Oneiromancy, the science or practice of interpreting dreams, flourished in ancient Egypt because dreams were thought to determine the future. Both Egypt and Babylon developed a professional class of dream interpreters. Deuteronomy 13:1–5 shows that such dream interpreters were part of ancient false religion and to be avoided by God's people. By some 500 years later, a detailed manual of dream interpretation had been compiled. Unlike Joseph, neither butler nor baker
understood the significance of their dreams (see Gen. 37:5–11), and the sadness they project in Genesis 40:5 expresses their belief that the dreams required an interpretation.
Joseph believed that when it came to dreams that the "interpretations belong to God" (v. 8). He was careful to give credit to his Lord (see 41:16). Daniel, the only other Hebrew whom God allowed to accurately interpret revelatory dreams, was just as careful to do so (Dan. 2:28). Significantly, God chose both men to play an important role for Israel while serving pagan monarchs and stepping forward at the critical moment to interpret their dreams and reveal their futures.
Return to January 20 Readings
Matthew 14
January 21
M ATTHEW 14:1–21
JOHN THE BAPTIST BEHEADED
1At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus 2and said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him." 3For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. 4Because John had said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her." 5And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.
14:3 Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. Herodias was the daughter of Aristobulus, another son of Herod the Great; so when she married Philip, she was marrying her own father's brother. What precipitated the arrest of John the Baptist was that Herod Antipas (another of Herodias's uncles) talked Herodias into leaving her husband (his brother) in order to marry him (Mark 6:17) thus compounding the incest, as well as violating Leviticus 18:16. John was outraged that a ruler in Israel would commit such a sin openly, so he rebuked Herod severely (v. 4). For this, he was imprisoned and later killed (Mark 6:14–29).
6But when Herod's birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod. 7Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.
8So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, "Give me John the Baptist's head here on a platter."
9And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those
who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her. 10So he sent and had John
beheaded in prison. 11And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl,
and she brought it to her mother. 12Then his disciples came and took
away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus.
FEEDING THE FIVE THOUSAND
13When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities. 14And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. 15When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food."
16But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat."
17And they said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish." 18He said, "Bring them here to Me." 19Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and
the disciples gave to the multitudes. 20So they all ate and were filled, and they
took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. 21Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
DAY 21: How did Joseph's faithfulness lead to personal advancement?
Pharaoh's disturbing dreams in Genesis 41 were such that there was "no one who could interpret them" (v. 8). The combined expertise of a full council of Pharaoh's advisers and dream experts failed to provide an interpretation. Without knowing it, they had just set the stage for Joseph's entrance on the scene of Egyptian history. The chief butler spoke up and apprised Pharaoh of the Hebrew prisoner and his accurate interpretation of dreams two years earlier (vv. 10–13).
In the presence of Pharaoh, Joseph made his faith known: "It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace" (v. 16). Deprecating any innate ability, Joseph advised at the very outset that the answer Pharaoh desired could only
come from God. And after hearing the dream described, Joseph's interpretation of what "God has shown Pharaoh" (v. 25) kept the focus fixed upon what God had determined for Egypt (vv. 28, 32).
After interpreting the dream, Joseph told Pharaoh how to survive the next 14 years. Incongruously, Joseph, a slave and a prisoner, appended to the interpretation a long-term strategy for establishing reserves to meet the future need and included advice on the quality of the man to head up the project. Famines had ravaged Egypt before, but this time divine warning permitted serious and sustained advance planning. To Pharaoh and his royal retinue, no other candidate but Joseph qualified for the task of working out this good plan, because they recognized that he spoke God-given revelation and insight (v. 39).
Return to January 21 Readings
January 22
M ATTHEW 14:22–36
JESUS WALKS ON THE SEA
22Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him
to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. 23And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. 24But the boat was now in the
middle of the sea,a tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
25Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. 26And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear.
27But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid."
28And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."
29So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30But when he saw that the wind was boisterous,a he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"
31And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" 32And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
33Then those who were in the boat came anda worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God."
MANY TOUCH HIM AND ARE MADE WELL
34When they had crossed over, they came to the land ofa Gennesaret. 35And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, 36and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.
DAY 22: When the world seems to be falling apart, who can I trust?
In Psalm 11, the panic that launched its writing was not David's but that of his apparently well-meaning counselors. Their mood in the face of wicked persecution is panic, the desire to flee, but David's is peace. Their words are the expressions of committed but confused saints. Their philosophical problem is, "In view of the crumbling of the theocratic society, what can one righteous person, out of a shrinking remnant, do?"
David's immediate response to panic is to say, "In the LORD I put my trust." Literally, he said, "I take refuge in the LORD." God is the exclusive refuge for His persecuted children (see Pss. 16:1; 36:7). After all, David adds, the Lord is "in His holy temple…in heaven." This emphasizes the transcendent throne room of God, yet God has sovereign sway over all the affairs of earth (see Hab. 2:20). "His eyes behold...His eyelids test"—His transcendence previously depicted does not negate His eminence here presented from the perspective of the divine scrutiny of all men, including the righteous (see Jer. 6:27–30; 17:10).
David had made up his mind to trust only in the Lord, and for good reason. In view of David's attitude, this psalm can be listed with the psalms of confidence (Pss. 4, 16, 23, 27, 62, 125, 131).
Return to January 22 Readings
Matthew 15
January 23
M ATTHEW 15:1–20
DEFILEMENT COMES FROM WITHIN
1Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, 2"Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."
3He answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4For God commanded, saying, 'Honor your father and your mother'; a and, 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'b 5But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God"— 6then he need not honor his father or mother.'a Thus you have made the commandmentb of God of no effect by your tradition. 7Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:
8'These people draw near to Me with their mouth, Anda honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. 9And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' "a
10When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear and understand: 11Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man."
12Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?"
13But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."
15Then Peter answered and said to Him, "Explain this parable to us." 16So Jesus said, "Are you also still without understanding? 17Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is
eliminated? 18But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the
heart, and they defile a man. 19For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."
DAY 23: What were the "traditions of the elders"?
The "tradition of the elders" (Matt. 15:2) was a body of extrabiblical law that had existed only in oral form and only since the time of the Babylonian captivity. Later it was committed to writing in the Mishna near the end of the second century. The Law of Moses contained no commandment about washing one's hands before eating—except for priests who were required to wash before eating holy offerings (Lev. 22:6, 7).
Jesus' problem with the Pharisees is that they used these traditions to dishonor their parents in a cleverly devised way (vv. 4–6). The commandments of God were clear (Ex. 20:12; 21:17; Deut. 5:16); but to circumvent them, some people claimed they could not financially assist their parents because they had dedicated a certain sum of money to God, who was greater than their parents. The rabbis had approved this exception to the commandments of Moses and thus in effect nullified God's law (v. 6).
Hypocritically, they made the commandment of God of no effect by their traditions (v. 6). "Making … of no effect" means, "to deprive of authority" or "to cancel." Jesus condemned this practice by showing that the Pharisees and scribes were guilty of canceling out God's Word through their tradition.
Return to January 23 Readings
January 24
M ATTHEW 15:21–39
A GENTILE SHOWS HER FAITH
21Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed."
23But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, "Send her away, for she cries out after us."
24But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
25Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, help me!" 26But He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs."
27And she said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."
28Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
JESUS HEALS GREAT MULTITUDES
29Jesus departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the
mountain and sat down there. 30Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus' feet, and He healed them. 31So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.
FEEDING THE FOUR THOUSAND
32Now Jesus called His disciples to Himself and said, "I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way."
33Then His disciples said to Him, "Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a great multitude?"
15:33 Where could we get enough bread…? No wonder our Lord called them men of little faith (8:26; 14:31; 16:8; 17:20), when they asked a question like that in the light of the recent feeding of the 5,000 (14:13–21).
34Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?" And they said, "Seven, and a few little fish." 35So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. 36And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude. 37So they all ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets full of the fragments that were left. 38Now those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. 39And He sent away the multitude, got into the boat, and came to the region of Magdala.a
DAY 24: How was Joseph a type of Christ?
Joseph Parallels Jesus
John 10:11, 27–29 Matthew 3:17 John 7:4, 5 Hebrews 2:11 John 11:53 John 19:23, 24 Matthew 2:14 , 15 Matthew 26:15 Matthew 4:1 Matthew 26:59 , 60 Matthew 27:2 and the other Luke lost 23:32 Philippians 2:9– 11
37:2 A shepherd of his father's family 37:3 His father loved him dearly
37:4 Hated by his brothers
37:13, 14 Sent by father to brothers
37:20 Others plotted to harm them
37:23 Robes taken from them
37:26 Taken to Egypt
37:28 Sold for the price of a slave
39:7 Tempted
39:16–18 Falsely accused
38:20 Bound in chains
40:2, 3 Placed with two other prisoners, one
who was saved 41:41 Exalted after suffering
41:46 Both 30 years old at the beginning of
Luke 3:23
public recognition 42:24; 45:2, 14, Both wept 15; 46:29 45:1–15 Forgave those who wronged them 45:7 Saved their nation
John 11:35
Luke 23:34 Matthew 1:21 Corinthians
50:20 What men did to hurt them, God
turned to good
2:7 , 8
Return to January 24 Readings
Matthew 16
January 25
M ATTHEW 16:1–28
THE PHARISEES AND SADDUCEES SEEK A SIGN
1Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. 2He answered and said to them, "When it is evening you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red'; 3and in the morning, 'It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.' Hypocrites!a You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. 4A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the propheta Jonah." And He left them and departed.
THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES AND SADDUCEES
5Now when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. 6Then Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees."
7And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because we have taken no bread."
8But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, "O you of little faith, why do you reason
among yourselves because you have brought no bread?a 9Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many
baskets you took up? 10Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many
large baskets you took up? 11How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?—but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees
and Sadducees." 12Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
PETER CONFESSES JESUS AS THE CHRIST
13When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?"
14So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
15He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 16Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
17Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for
flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church,
and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be looseda in heaven."
20Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ.
JESUS PREDICTS HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION
21From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.
22Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!"
23But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."
16:23 Get behind Me, Satan! The harshness of this rebuke contrasts sharply with Christ's words of commendation in vv. 17–19. Jesus suggested that Peter was being a mouthpiece for Satan. Jesus' death was part of God's sovereign plan (Acts 2:23; 4:27, 28). "It pleased the LORD to bruise Him" (Is. 53:10). Christ had come with the express purpose of dying as an atonement for sin (John 12:27). And those who would thwart His mission were doing Satan's work.
TAKE UP THE CROSS AND FOLLOW HIM
24Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him
deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25For whoever desires to
save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. 28"Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."
DAY 25: Why was Peter's confession of Christ so significant in Matthew 16:16 ?
To call Jesus the Son of "the living God" was an Old Testament name for God. Never before had He explicitly taught Peter and the apostles the fullness of His identity. God the Father had opened Peter's eyes to the full significance of those claims (v. 17), and revealed to him who Jesus really was. Peter was not merely expressing an academic opinion about the identity of Christ; this was a confession of Peter's personal faith, made possible by a divinely regenerated
heart.
Jesus said that "you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church" (v. 18). The word for "Peter," Petros, means a small stone (John 1:42). Jesus used a play on words here with petra, which means a foundation boulder (see 7:24, 25). Since the New Testament makes it abundantly clear that Christ is both the foundation (Acts 4:11, 12; 1 Cor. 3:11) and the head (Eph. 5:23) of the church, it is a mistake to think that here He is giving either of those roles to Peter. There is a sense in which the apostles played a foundational role in the building of the church (Eph. 2:20), but the role of primacy is reserved for Christ alone, not assigned to Peter. So Jesus' words here are best interpreted as a simple play on words in that a boulderlike truth came from the mouth of one who was called a small stone. Peter himself explains the imagery in his first epistle: the church is built of "living stones" (1 Pet. 2:5) who, like Peter, confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Christ Himself is the "chief cornerstone" (1 Pet. 2:6, 7).
Return to January 25 Readings
Matthew 17
January 26
M ATTHEW 17:1–27
JESUS TRANSFIGURED ON THE MOUNT
1Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on
a high mountain by themselves; 2and He was transfigured before them. His face
shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3And behold,
Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4Then Peter answered and
said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let usa make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
17:3 Moses and Elijah. Representing the Law and the Prophets respectively, both of which had foretold Christ's death, and that is what Luke says the 3 of them were discussing (Luke 9:31).
5While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!" 6And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. 7But Jesus came and touched them and said, "Arise, and do not be afraid." 8When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
9Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, "Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead."
10And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"
11Jesus answered and said to them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming firsta and will
restore all things. 12But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is
also about to suffer at their hands." 13Then the disciples understood that He
spoke to them of John the Baptist.
A BOY IS HEALED
14And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, 15"Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptica and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. 16So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him."
17Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me." 18And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.
19Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?"
20So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief;a for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."a
JESUS AGAIN PREDICTS HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION
22Now while they were stayinga in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of
Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, 23and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up." And they were exceedingly sorrowful.
PETER AND HIS MASTER PAY THEIR TAXES
24When they had come to Capernaum,a those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, "Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?"
25He said, "Yes." And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?"
26Peter said to Him, "From strangers." Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are free. 27Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money;a take that and give it to them for Me and you."
DAY 26: How is genuine faith different from positive-thinking psychology?
Jesus' disappointment with His disciples' inability to cast the demon out of the epileptic boy is readily felt in the words, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you?" (Matt. 17:17).
Later, in privacy the disciples asked Jesus, "Why could we not cast it out?" (v. 19). When Christ sent the disciples out (Matt. 10:6–8), He explicitly commissioned them to do these kinds of miracles. Less than a year later, they failed where they had once succeeded. Christ's explanation for their failure was that their faith was deficient (v. 20). The deficiency did not consist in a lack of confidence; they were surprised that they could not cast out this demon. The problem probably lay in a failure to make God— rather than their own gifts—the object of their confidence.
True faith, even "faith as a mustard seed" (v. 20), by Christ's definition, always involves surrender to the will of God. What He was teaching here is nothing like positive-thinking psychology. He was saying that both the source and the object of all genuine faith—even the weak, mustard seed variety—is God. And "with God nothing will be impossible" (Luke 1:37). Here, Christ assumes the qualifying thought that is explicitly added by 1 John 5:14: what we ask for must be "according to His will."
Return to January 26 Readings
Matthew 18
January 27
M ATTHEW 18:1–20
WHO IS THE GREATEST?
1At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
2Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.
18:3 become as little children. This is how Jesus characterized conversion. Like the Beatitudes, it pictures faith as the simple, helpless, trusting dependence of those who have no resources of their own. Like children, they have no achievements and no accomplishments to offer or commend themselves with.
JESUS WARNS OF OFFENSES
6"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!
8"If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands
or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. 9And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.
THE PARABLE OF THE LOST SHEEP
10"Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. 11For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.a
12"What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? 13And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. 14Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
DEALING WITH A SINNING BROTHER
15"Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault
between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.'a 17And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.
18"Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
19"Again I saya to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that
they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."
18:20 two or three. Jewish tradition requires at least 10 men (a minyan) to constitute a synagogue or even hold public prayer. Here, Christ promised to be present in the midst of an even smaller flock "two or three" witnesses gathered in His name for the purpose of discipline.
DAY 27: Is it okay to question God?
Upon hearing that God was sending Moses to be the leader/deliverer of Israel (Ex. 3:10), his response of "Who am I…?" is an expression of inadequacy for such a serious mission. It sounded reasonable, for after 40 years of absence from Egypt, what could he, a mere shepherd of Midian, do upon return?
But was Moses crossing the line from reasonable inquiry to unreasonable doubt
in 3:13? God's patient replies instructing Moses on what He would do and what the results would be, including Israel's being viewed with favor by the Egyptians (3:21), ought to caution the reader from hastily classifying Moses' attitude as altogether wrong from the very beginning of the interaction between him and the Lord. Yes, Israel might ask for God's name in validation of Moses' declaration that he had been sent by the God of their fathers. Asking "What is His name?" meant they sought for the relevancy of the name to their circumstances—the character, quality, or essence of a person. God's answer was: "I AM WHO I AM" (v. 14). This name for God points to His self—existence and eternality; it denotes "I am the One who is/will be." The significance in relation to "God of your fathers" is immediately discernible: He's the same God throughout the ages!
A response of divine anger comes only in 4:14 at the very end of Moses' questions and objections, where he moved beyond inquiry into objection.
Return to January 27 Readings
January 28
M ATTHEW 18:21–35
THE PARABLE OF THE UNFORGIVING SERVANT
21Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"
22Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy
times seven. 23Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who
wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24And when he had begun to settle
accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. 26The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you
all.' 27Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
18:24 ten thousand talents. This represents an incomprehensible amount of money. The talent was the largest denomination of currency, and "ten thousand" in common parlance signified an infinite number.
28"But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!' 29So his fellow servant fell down at his feeta and begged
him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'b 30And he would not,
but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. 31So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. 32Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant,
just as I had pity on you?' 34And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.
18:28 a hundred denarii. About 3 months' wages. This was not a negligible amount by normal standards, but it was a pittance in comparison to what the servant had been forgiven.
35"So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his
heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."a