Bible Readings for October 20, 2017

Today our passages are Jeremiah 35:1–36:32; 1 Timothy 5:1-25; Psalm 89:14-37; and Proverbs 25:25-27. The readings are from the Contemporary English Version. If you find these readings helpful, please consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Steet, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal by using the link below.

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Jeremiah 35-36:32 (Contemporary English Version)

Jeremiah 35

Learn a Lesson from the Rechabites

 ¹When Jehoiakim ^a] was king of Judah, the LORD told me, ²"Go to the Rechabite clan and invite them to meet you in one of the side rooms ^b] of the temple. When they arrive, offer them a drink of wine." ³So I went to Jaazaniah, ^c] the leader of the clan, and I invited him and all the men of his clan. ⁴I brought them into the temple courtyard and took them upstairs to a room belonging to the prophets who were followers of Hanan son of Igdaliah. It was next to a room belonging to some of the officials, and that room was over the one belonging to Maaseiah, a priest who was one of the high officials in the temple. ^d] 5I set out some large bowls full of wine together with some cups, and then I said to the Rechabites, "Have some wine!"    ⁶But they answered:
   No! The ancestor of our clan, Jonadab son of Rechab, ^e] made a rule that we must obey. He said, "Don't ever drink wine ⁷or build houses or plant crops and vineyards. Instead, you must always live in tents and move from place to place. If you obey this command, you will live a long time." ^8-10Our clan has always obeyed Jonadab's command. To this very day, we and our wives and sons and daughters don't drink wine or build houses or plant vineyards or crops. And we have lived in tents, ¹¹except now we have to live inside Jerusalem because Nebuchadnezzar ^f] has taken over the countryside with his army from Babylonia and Syria. ^12-13Then the LORD told me to say to the people of Judah and Jerusalem:
   I, the LORD All-Powerful, the God of Israel, want you to learn a lesson ¹⁴from the Rechabite clan. Their ancestor Jonadab told his descendants never to drink wine, and to this very day they have obeyed him. But I have spoken to you over and over, and you haven't obeyed me! ¹⁵You refused to listen to my prophets, who kept telling you, "Stop doing evil and worshiping other gods! Start obeying the LORD, and he will let you live in this land he gave your ancestors."
    ¹⁶The Rechabites have obeyed the command of their ancestor Jonadab, but you have not obeyed me, ¹⁷your God. I am the LORD All-Powerful, and I warned you about the terrible things that would happen to you if you did not listen to me. You have ignored me, so now disaster will strike you. I, the LORD, have spoken.
   

The LORD Makes a Promise to the Rechabites

 ¹⁸Then the LORD told me to say to the Rechabite clan:   I am the LORD All-Powerful, the God of Israel. You have obeyed your ancestor Jonadab, ¹⁹so I promise that your clan will be my servants and will never die out.
   

Jeremiah 36

King Jehoiakim Burns Jeremiah's First Scroll

 ¹During the fourth year that Jehoiakim ^g] son of Josiah ^h] was king of Judah, the LORD said to me, "Jeremiah, ²since the time Josiah was king, I have been speaking to you about Israel, Judah, and the other nations. Now, get a scroll ^i] and write down everything I have told you, ³then read it to the people of Judah. Maybe they will stop sinning when they hear what terrible things I plan for them. And if they turn to me, I will forgive them." ⁴I sent for Baruch son of Neriah and asked him to help me. I repeated everything the LORD had told me, and Baruch wrote it all down on a scroll. ⁵Then I said,   Baruch, the officials refuse to let me go into the LORD's temple, ⁶so you must go instead. Wait for the next holy day when the people of Judah come to the temple to pray and to go without eating.^j] Then take this scroll to the temple and read it aloud. ⁷The LORD is furious, and if the people hear how he is going to punish them, maybe they will ask to be forgiven. ^8-10In the ninth month ^k]of the fifth year that Jehoiakim was king, the leaders set a day when everyone who lived in Jerusalem or who was visiting here had to pray and go without eating. So Baruch took the scroll to the upper courtyard of the temple. He went over to the side of the courtyard and stood in a covered area near New Gate, where he read the scroll aloud. This covered area belonged to Gemariah, ^l]one of the king's highest officials. ¹¹Gemariah's son Micaiah was there and heard Baruch read what the LORD had said. ¹²When Baruch finished reading, Micaiah went down to the palace. His father Gemariah was in the officials' room, meeting with the rest of the king's officials, including Elishama, Delaiah, Elnathan, and Zedekiah. ^m] 13Micaiah told them what he had heard Baruch reading to the people. ¹⁴Then the officials sent Jehudi and Shelemiah ^n] to tell Baruch, "Bring us that scroll." When Baruch arrived with the scroll, ¹⁵the officials said, "Please sit down and read it to us," which he did. ¹⁶After they heard what was written on the scroll, they were worried and said to each other, "The king needs to hear this!" Turning to Baruch, they asked, ¹⁷"Did someone tell you what to write on this scroll?"
    ¹⁸"Yes, Jeremiah did," Baruch replied. "I wrote down just what he told me."
    ¹⁹The officials said, "You and Jeremiah must go into hiding, and don't tell anyone where you are."
    ^20-22The officials put the scroll in Elishama's room and went to see the king, who was in one of the rooms where he lived and worked during the winter. It was the ninth month ^o] of the year, so there was a fire burning in the fireplace, ^p] and the king was sitting nearby. After the officials told the king about the scroll, he sent Jehudi to get it. Then Jehudi started reading the scroll to the king and his officials. ^23-25But every time Jehudi finished reading three or four columns, the king would tell him to cut them off with his penknife and throw them in the fire. Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah begged the king not to burn the scroll, but he ignored them, and soon there was nothing left of it. The king and his servants listened to what was written on the scroll, but they were not afraid, and they did not tear their clothes in sorrow. ^q] 26The king told his son Jerahmeel to take Seraiah and Shelemiah ^r] and to go arrest Baruch and me. ^s] But the LORD kept them from finding us.

Jeremiah's Second Scroll

 ²⁷I had told Baruch what to write on that first scroll, ^t] but King Jehoiakim ^u] had burned it. So the LORD told me ²⁸to get another scroll and write down everything that had been on the first one. ²⁹Then he told me to say to King Jehoiakim: Not only did you burn Jeremiah's scroll, you had the nerve to ask why he had written that the king of Babylonia would attack and ruin the land, killing all the people and even the animals. ³⁰So I, the LORD, promise that you will be killed and your body thrown out on the ground. The sun will beat down on it during the day, and the frost will settle on it at night. And none of your descendants will ever be king of Judah. ³¹You, your children, and your servants are evil, and I will punish all of you. I warned you and the people of Judah and Jerusalem that I would bring disaster, but none of you have listened. So now you are doomed!    ³²After the LORD finished speaking to me, I got another scroll and gave it to Baruch. Then I told him what to write, so this second scroll would contain even more than was on the scroll Jehoiakim had burned.
   

Footnotes:

1. Jeremiah 35:1 Jehoiakim: See the note at 1.3.
2. Jeremiah 35:2 side rooms: Probably a room with walls on three sides, and open to the courtyard on the fourth side.
3. Jeremiah 35:3 Jaazaniah: The Hebrew text has "Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah son of Habazziniah"; this is a different Jeremiah than the author of the book.
4. Jeremiah 35:4 Maaseiah. . . temple: Hebrew "Maaseiah son of Shallum, the keeper of the temple door."
5. Jeremiah 35:6 Jonadab son of Rechab: See 2 Kings 10.15-23. In the Hebrew of this chapter, "Jonadab" is sometimes spelled "Jehonadab."
6. Jeremiah 35:11 Nebuchadnezzar: See the note at 21.2.
7. Jeremiah 36:1 Jehoiakim: See the note at 1.3.
8. Jeremiah 36:1 Josiah: See the note at 3.6.
9. Jeremiah 36:2 scroll: See the note at 30.1,2.
10. Jeremiah 36:6 to go without eating: As a way of asking for God's help.
11. Jeremiah 36:8 ninth month: Chislev, the ninth month of the Hebrew calendar, from about mid-November to mid-December.
12. Jeremiah 36:8 Gemariah: Hebrew "Gemariah son of Shaphan"; Gemariah's brother Ahikam had earlier protected Jeremiah (see 26.20-24).
13. Jeremiah 36:12 Delaiah, Elnathan, and Zedekiah: Hebrew "Delaiah son of Shemaiah, Elnathan son of Achbor, and Zedekiah son of Hananiah."
14. Jeremiah 36:14 Jehudi and Shelemiah: Hebrew "Jehudi son of Nethaniah and Shelemiah son of Cushi."
15. Jeremiah 36:20 ninth month: See the note at 36.8-10.
16. Jeremiah 36:20 fireplace: Probably a large metal or clay pot on a movable stand, with the fire burning inside.
17. Jeremiah 36:23 they did not tear their clothes in sorrow: Such actions would have shown that they were sorry for disobeying the LORD and were turning back to him.
18. Jeremiah 36:26 Seraiah and Shelemiah: Hebrew "Seraiah son of Azriel and Shelemiah son of Abdeel."
19. Jeremiah 36:26 me: Jeremiah.
20. Jeremiah 36:27 scroll: See the note at 30.1,2.
21. Jeremiah 36:27 Jehoiakim: See the note at 1.3.

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1 Timothy 5:1-25 (Contemporary English Version)

1 Timothy 5

How To Act toward Others

 ¹Don't correct an older man. Encourage him, as you would your own father. Treat younger men as you would your own brother, ²and treat older women as you would your own mother. Show the same respect to younger women that you would to your sister.    ³Take care of any widow who is really in need. ⁴But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they should learn to serve God by taking care of her, as she once took care of them. This is what God wants them to do. ⁵A widow who is really in need is one who doesn't have any relatives. She has faith in God, and she keeps praying to him night and day, asking for his help.
    ⁶A widow who thinks only about having a good time is already dead, even though she is still alive.
    ⁷Tell all of this to everyone, so they will do the right thing. ⁸People who don't take care of their relatives, and especially their own families, have given up their faith. They are worse than someone who doesn't have faith in the Lord.
    ⁹For a widow to be put on the list of widows, she must be at least sixty years old, and she must have been faithful in marriage. ^a]10She must also be well-known for doing all sorts of good things, such as raising children, giving food to strangers, welcoming God's people into her home, ^b] helping people in need, and always making herself useful. ¹¹Don't put young widows on the list. They may later have a strong desire to get married. Then they will turn away from Christ ¹²and become guilty of breaking their promise to him. ¹³Besides, they will become lazy and get into the habit of going from house to house. Next, they will start gossiping and become busybodies, talking about things that are none of their business.
    ¹⁴I would prefer that young widows get married, have children, and look after their families. Then the enemy won't have any reason to say insulting things about us. ¹⁵Look what's already happened to some of the young widows! They have turned away to follow Satan.
    ¹⁶If a woman who is a follower has any widows in her family, she ^c] should help them. This will keep the church from having that burden, and then the church can help widows who are really in need.

Church Leaders

 ¹⁷Church leaders ^d] who do their job well deserve to be paid ^e]twice as much, especially if they work hard at preaching and teaching. ¹⁸It is just as the Scriptures say, "Don't muzzle an ox when you are using it to grind grain." You also know the saying, "Workers are worth their pay." ¹⁹Don't listen to any charge against a church leader, unless at least two or three people bring the same charges. ²⁰But if any of the leaders should keep on sinning, they must be corrected in front of the whole group, as a warning to everyone else.    ²¹In the presence of God and Christ Jesus and their chosen angels, I order you to follow my instructions! Be fair with everyone, and don't have any favorites.
    ²²Don't be too quick to accept people into the service of the Lord ^f] by placing your hands on them. Don't sin because others do, but stay close to God.
    ²³Stop drinking only water. Take a little wine to help your stomach trouble and the other illnesses you always have.
    ²⁴Some people get caught in their sins right away, even before the time of judgment. But other people's sins don't show up until later. ²⁵It is the same with good deeds. Some are easily seen, but none of them can be hidden.
   

Footnotes:

1. 1 Timothy 5:9 been faithful in marriage: Or "been the wife of only one husband" or "never been divorced."
2. 1 Timothy 5:10 welcoming God's people into her home: The Greek text has "washing the feet of God's people." In New Testament times most people either went barefoot or wore sandals, and a host would often wash the feet of special guests.
3. 1 Timothy 5:16 woman. . . she: Some manuscripts have "man or woman. . . that person."
4. 1 Timothy 5:17 leaders: Or "elders" or "presbyters" or "priests."
5. 1 Timothy 5:17 paid: Or "honored" or "respected."
6. 1 Timothy 5:22 to accept people into the service of the Lord: Or "to forgive people."

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Psalm 89:14-37 (Contemporary English Version)

¹⁴Your kingdom is ruled
   by justice and fairness
   with love and faithfulness
   leading the way.
    ¹⁵Our LORD, you bless those
   who join in the festival
   and walk in the brightness
   of your presence.
    ¹⁶We are happy all day
   because of you,
   and your saving power
   brings honor to us.
    ¹⁷Your own glorious power
   makes us strong,
   and because of your kindness,
   our strength increases.
    ¹⁸Our LORD and our King,
   the Holy One of Israel,
   you are truly our shield.
    ¹⁹In a vision, you once said
   to your faithful followers:
   "I have helped a mighty hero.
   I chose him from my people
   and made him famous.
    ²⁰David, my servant, is the one
   I chose to be king,
    ²¹and I will always be there
   to help and strengthen him.
    ²²"No enemy will outsmart David,
   and he won't be defeated
   by any hateful people.
    ²³I will strike down and crush
   his troublesome enemies.
    ²⁴He will always be able
   to depend on my love,
   and I will make him strong
   with my own power.
    ²⁵I will let him rule the lands
   across the rivers and seas.
    ²⁶He will say to me,
   `You are my Father
   and my God,
   as well as the mighty rock ^a] where I am safe.'
    ²⁷"I have chosen David
   as my first-born son,
   and he will be the ruler
   of all kings on earth.
    ²⁸My love for him will last,
   and my agreement with him
   will never be broken.
    ²⁹"One of David's descendants
   will always be king,
   and his family will rule
   until the sky disappears.
    ³⁰Suppose some of his children
   should reject my Law
   and refuse my instructions.
    ³¹Or suppose they should disobey
   all of my teachings.
    ³²Then I will correct
   and punish them
   because of their sins.
    ³³But I will always love David
   and faithfully keep all
   of my promises to him.
    ³⁴"I won't break my agreement
   or go back on my word.
    ³⁵I have sworn once and for all
   by my own holy name,
   and I won't lie to David.
    ³⁶His family will always rule.
   I will let his kingdom last
   as long as the sun ³⁷and moon
   appear in the sky."
   

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 89:26 mighty rock: See the note at 18.2.

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Proverbs 25:25-27 (Contemporary English Version)

²⁵Good news from far away
   refreshes like cold water
   when you are thirsty.
    ²⁶When a good person gives in
   to the wicked,
   it's like dumping garbage
   in a stream of clear water.
    ²⁷Don't eat too much honey
   or always want praise. ^a]

Footnotes:

1. Proverbs 25:27 or. . . praise: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

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Verse of the Day

 

“Make me as happy as you did when you saved me; make me want to obey!” - Psalm 51:12

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, Pat Meehan wrote, “You do what is manageable, and you do it well rather than trying to do a thousand things just a little bit OK.”

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A Joke for the Day

The preacher was wired for sound with a lapel mike, and as he preached, he moved briskly about the platform, jerking the mike cord as he went. Then he moved to one side, getting wound up in the cord and nearly tripping before jerking it again.

After several circles and jerks, a little girl in the third pew leaned toward her mother and whispered, "If he gets loose, will he hurt us?"