Bible Readings for December 17, 2017

Today our passages are Nahum 1:1–3:19; Revelation 8:1-13; Psalm 136:1-26; and Proverbs 30:7-9. The readings are from the Contemporary English Version.  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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Nahum 1-3:19 (Contemporary English Version)

Nahum 1

 ¹I am Nahum from Elkosh. ^a] And this is the message ^b] that I wrote down about Nineveh. ^c]

The Fierce Anger of the LORD

 ²The LORD God demands loyalty.   In his anger, he takes revenge
   on his enemies.
    ³The LORD is powerful,
   yet patient;
   he makes sure that the guilty
   are always punished.
   He can be seen in storms
   and in whirlwinds;
   clouds are the dust from his feet.
    ⁴At the LORD's command,
   oceans and rivers dry up.
   Bashan, Mount Carmel,
   and Lebanon ^d] wither, and their flowers fade.
    ⁵At the sight of the LORD,
   mountains and hills
   tremble and melt;
   the earth and its people
   shudder and shake.
    ⁶Who can stand the heat
   of his furious anger?
   It flashes out like fire
   and shatters stones.
   

The Power of Assyria Will Be Broken

 ⁷The LORD is good.   He protects those who trust him
   in times of trouble.
    ⁸But like a roaring flood,
   the LORD chases his enemies
   into dark places
   and destroys them.
    ⁹So don't plot against the LORD!
   He wipes out his enemies,
   and they never revive.
    ¹⁰They are like drunkards
   overcome by wine,
   or like dry thornbushes
   burning in a fire. ^e] 11Assyria, one of your rulers
   has made evil plans
   against the LORD.
    ¹²But the LORD says, "Assyria,
   no matter how strong you are,
   you are doomed!
   My people Judah,
   I have troubled you before,
   but I won't do it again.
    ¹³I'll snap your chains
   and set you free
   from the Assyrians."
    ¹⁴Assyria, this is what else
   the LORD says to you:
   "Your name will be forgotten.
   I will destroy every idol
   in your temple,
   and I will send you to the grave,
   because you are worthless."
    ¹⁵Look toward the mountains,
   people of Judah!
   Here comes a messenger
   with good news of peace.
   Celebrate your festivals.
   Keep your promises to God.
   Your evil enemies are destroyed
   and will never again
   invade your country.
   

Nahum 2

Nineveh Will Fall

 ¹Nineveh, someone is coming   to attack and scatter you.
   Guard your fortresses!
   Watch the road!
   Be brave!
   Prepare for battle!
    ²Judah and Israel are like trees
   with branches broken
   by their enemies.
   But the LORD is going to restore
   their power and glory.
    ³Nineveh, on this day of attack,
   your enemies' shields are red;
   their uniforms are crimson.
    ⁴Their horses ^f] prance, and their armored ^g] chariots dart around
   like lightning
   or flaming torches.
    ⁵An officer gives a command.
   But his soldiers stumble,
   as they hasten to build
   a shelter
   to protect themselves
   against rocks
   thrown down
   from the city wall.
    ⁶The river gates ^h] fly open, and panic floods the palace.
    ⁷Nineveh is disgraced.
   The queen is dragged off.
   Her servant women mourn;
   they sound like doves,
   and they beat their breasts
   in sorrow. ^i] 8Nineveh is like a pond
   with leaking water.
   Shouts of "Stop! Don't go!"
   can be heard everywhere.
   But everyone is leaving.
    ⁹Enemy soldiers shout,
   "The city is full of treasure
   and all kinds of wealth.
   Steal her silver! Grab her gold!"
    ¹⁰Nineveh is doomed! Destroyed!
   Her people tremble with fear;
   their faces turn pale. ^j] 11What happened to this city?
   They were safer there
   than powerful lions in a den,
   with no one to disturb them.
    ¹²These are the same lions
   that ferociously attacked
   their victims,
   then dragged away the flesh
   to feed their young.
    ¹³The LORD All-Powerful
   is against you, Nineveh.
   God will burn your chariots
   and send an army
   to kill
   those young lions of yours.
   You will never again
   make victims of others
   or send messengers to threaten
   everyone on this earth.
   
   

Nahum 3

Punishment for Nineveh

The LORD said:

 ¹Doom to the crime capital!   Nineveh, city of murder
   and treachery,
    ²here is your fate--
   cracking whips,
   churning wheels;
   galloping horses,
   roaring chariots;
    ³cavalry attacking,
   swords and spears flashing;
   soldiers stumbling
   over piles of dead bodies.
    ⁴You were nothing more
   than a prostitute
   using your magical charms
   and witchcraft
   to attract and trap nations.
    ⁵But I, the LORD All-Powerful,
   am now your enemy.
   I will pull up your skirt
   and let nations and kingdoms
   stare at your nakedness.
    ⁶I will cover you with garbage,
   treat you like trash,
   and rub you in the dirt.
    ⁷Everyone who sees you
   will turn away and shout,
   "Nineveh is done for!
   Is anyone willing to mourn
   or to give her comfort?"
   

Nineveh's Fate Is Sealed

 ⁸Nineveh, do you feel safer   than the city of Thebes? ^k] The Nile River
   was its wall of defense. ^l] 9Thebes trusted the mighty power
   of Ethiopia ^m] and Egypt; the nations of Put ^n] and Libya were her allies.
    ¹⁰But she was captured and taken
   to a foreign country.
   Her children were murdered
   at every street corner.
   The members of her royal family
   were auctioned off,
   and her high officials
   were bound in chains.
    ¹¹Nineveh, now it's your turn!
   You will get drunk and try to hide
   from your enemy.
    ¹²Your fortresses are fig trees
   with ripe figs.
   Merely shake the trees,
   and fruit will fall
   into every open mouth.
    ¹³Your army is weak.
   Fire has destroyed the crossbars
   on your city gates;
   now they stand wide open
   to your enemy.
    ¹⁴Your city is under attack.
   Haul in extra water!
   Strengthen your defenses!
   Start making bricks!
   Stir the mortar!
    ¹⁵You will still go up in flames
   and be cut down by swords
   that will wipe you out
   like wheat
   attacked by grasshoppers.
   So, go ahead and increase
   like a swarm of locusts! ^o] 16More merchants are in your city
   than there are stars
   in the sky--
   but they are like locusts
   that eat everything,
   then fly away.
    ¹⁷Your guards and your officials
   are swarms of locusts.
   On a chilly day
   they settle on a fence,
   but when the sun comes out,
   they take off
   to who-knows-where.
    ¹⁸King of Assyria,
   your officials and leaders
   sleep the eternal sleep,
   while your people are scattered
   in the mountains.
   Yes, your people are sheep
   without a shepherd.
    ¹⁹You're fatally wounded.
   There's no hope for you.
   But everyone claps
   when they hear this news,
   because your constant cruelty
   has caused them pain.
   

Footnotes:

1. Nahum 1:1 Elkosh: The location of Elkosh is not known.
2. Nahum 1:1 message: Or "vision."
3. Nahum 1:1 Nineveh: The capital of Assyria, the hated enemy of Israel.
4. Nahum 1:4 Bashan, Mount Carmel, and Lebanon: Three regions noted for their trees and flowers.
5. Nahum 1:10 fire: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 10.
6. Nahum 2:4 horses: Two ancient translations; Hebrew "spears."
7. Nahum 2:4 armored: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
8. Nahum 2:6 river gates: Nineveh was protected by a moat filled with water from the nearby Tigris River.
9. Nahum 2:7 sorrow: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 7.
10. Nahum 2:10 faces turn pale: Or "ashes cover their faces."
11. Nahum 3:8 Thebes: In 663 B.C., the Assyrian King Ashurbanipal captured this Egyptian city, which seems to have been built with protection similar to that of Nineveh.
12. Nahum 3:8 was its. . . defense: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
13. Nahum 3:9 Ethiopia: The Hebrew text has "Cush," which was a region south of Egypt that included parts of the present countries of Ethiopia and Sudan.
14. Nahum 3:9 Put: A region in Africa, possibly part of the present country of Libya.
15. Nahum 3:15 locusts: A type of grasshopper that comes in swarms and causes great damage to plant life.

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Revelation 8:1-13 (Contemporary English Version)

Revelation 8

The Seventh Seal Is Opened

 ¹When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. ²I noticed that the seven angels who stood before God were each given a trumpet.    ³Another angel, who had a gold container for incense, ^a] came and stood at the altar. This one was given a lot of incense to offer with the prayers of God's people on the gold altar in front of the throne. ⁴Then the smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God's people, went up to God from the hand of the angel. ⁵After this, the angel filled the incense container with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth. Thunder roared, lightning flashed, and the earth shook.
   

The Trumpets

 ⁶The seven angels now got ready to blow their trumpets.    ⁷When the first angel blew his trumpet, hail and fire mixed with blood were thrown down on the earth. A third of the earth, a third of the trees, and a third of all green plants were burned.
    ⁸When the second angel blew his trumpet, something like a great fiery mountain was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned to blood, ⁹a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
    ¹⁰When the third angel blew his trumpet, a great star fell from heaven. It was burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on a third of the springs of water. ¹¹The name of the star was Bitter, and a third of the water turned bitter. Many people died because the water was so bitter.
    ¹²When the fourth angel blew his trumpet, a third of the sun, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars were struck. They each lost a third of their light. So during a third of the day there was no light, and a third of the night was also without light.
    ¹³Then I looked and saw a lone eagle flying across the sky. It was shouting, "Trouble, trouble, trouble to everyone who lives on earth! The other three angels are now going to blow their trumpets."
   

Footnotes:

1. Revelation 8:3 incense: See the note at 5.8.

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Psalm 136:1-26 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 136

God's Love Never Fails

 ¹Praise the LORD! He is good.   God's love never fails.
    ²Praise the God of all gods.
   God's love never fails.
    ³Praise the Lord of lords.
   God's love never fails.
    ⁴Only God works great miracles. ^a] God's love never fails.
    ⁵With wisdom he made the sky.
   God's love never fails.
    ⁶The Lord stretched the earth
   over the ocean.
   God's love never fails.
    ⁷He made the bright lights
   in the sky.
   God's love never fails.
    ⁸He lets the sun rule each day.
   God's love never fails.
    ⁹He lets the moon and the stars
   rule each night.
   God's love never fails.
    ¹⁰God struck down the first-born
   in every Egyptian family.
   God's love never fails.
    ¹¹He rescued Israel from Egypt.
   God's love never fails.
    ¹²God used his great strength
   and his powerful arm.
   God's love never fails.
    ¹³He split the Red Sea ^b] apart. God's love never fails.
    ¹⁴The Lord brought Israel safely
   through the sea.
   God's love never fails.
    ¹⁵He destroyed the Egyptian king
   and his army there.
   God's love never fails.
    ¹⁶The Lord led his people
   through the desert.
   God's love never fails.
    ¹⁷Our God defeated mighty kings.
   God's love never fails.
    ¹⁸And he killed famous kings.
   God's love never fails.
    ¹⁹One of them was Sihon,
   king of the Amorites.
   God's love never fails.
    ²⁰Another was King Og of Bashan.
   God's love never fails.
    ²¹God took away their land.
   God's love never fails.
    ²²He gave their land to Israel,
   the people who serve him.
   God's love never fails.
    ²³God saw the trouble we were in.
   God's love never fails.
    ²⁴He rescued us from our enemies.
   God's love never fails.
    ²⁵He gives food to all who live.
   God's love never fails.
    ²⁶Praise God in heaven!
   God's love never fails.
   

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 136:4 great miracles: One Hebrew manuscript and one ancient translation have " miracles."
2. Psalm 136:13 Red Sea: See the note at 106.7.

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Proverbs 30:7-9 (Contemporary English Version)

⁷There are two things, Lord,
   I want you to do for me
   before I die:
    ⁸Make me absolutely honest
   and don't let me be too poor
   or too rich.
   Give me just what I need.
    ⁹If I have too much to eat,
   I might forget about you;
   if I don't have enough,
   I might steal
   and disgrace your name.

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Verse of the Day

“While Joseph was thinking about this, an angel from the Lord came to him in a dream. The angel said, "Joseph, the baby that Mary will have is from the Holy Spirit. Go ahead and marry her. Then after her baby is born, name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” - Matthew 1:20-21

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

Chinese philosopher, essayist and diplomat, Hu Shih wrote, “What is sacred among one people may be ridiculous in another; and what is despised or rejected by one cultural group, may in a different environment become the cornerstone for a great edifice of strange grandeur and beauty.”

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A Joke for Today 

Two Jewish men, Sid and Al were sitting in a Mexican restaurant.

Sid asked Al, "Are there any people of our faith born and raised in Mexico?"
Al replied, "I don't know, let's ask our waiter."

When the waiter came by, Al asked him, "Are there any Mexican Jews?" and the waiter said, "I don't know Senor, I'll ask the cooks."

He returned from the kitchen in a few minutes and said, "No sir, no Mexican Jews."

Al wasn't really satisfied with that and asked, "Are you absolutely sure?"

The waiter, realizing he was dealing with "Gringos" gave the expected answer, "I will check again, Senor!" and went back into the kitchen.

While the waiter was away, Sid said, "I find it hard to believe that there are no Jews in Mexico. Our people are scattered everywhere."

The waiter returned and said, "Senor, the head cook says 'No Mexican Jews!'"

"Are you certain?" Al asked once again, "I can't believe there are no Mexican Jews!"

"Senor, I ask everyone," replied the exasperated waiter. "We have orange Jews, prune Jews, tomato Jews and grape Jews, but no one ever heard of Mexican Jews."