Bible Readings for December 8, 2017

Today our passages are Hosea 10:1–14:9; Jude 1-25; Psalm 127:1-5; and Proverbs 29:15-17. 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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Hosea 10-14:9 (Contemporary English Version)

Hosea 10

 ¹You were a healthy vine   covered with grapes.
   But the more grapes you grew,
   the more altars you built;
   the better off you became,
   the better shrines you set up
   for pagan gods.
    ²You are deceitful and disloyal.
   So you will pay
   for your sins,
   because the LORD will destroy
   your altars and images.
    ³" We don't have a king,"
   you will say.
   " We don't fear the LORD.
   And what good are kings?"
    ⁴Israel, you break treaties
   and don't keep promises;
   you turn justice
   into poisonous weeds
   where healthy plants should grow. ^a] 5All who live in Samaria tremble
   with concern
   for the idols ^b] at sinful Bethel. ^c] The idol there was the pride
   of the priests,
   but it has been put to shame;
   now everyone will cry.
    ⁶It will be taken to Assyria
   and given to the great king.
   Then Israel will be disgraced
   for worshiping that idol.
    ⁷Like a twig in a stream,
   the king of Samaria
   will be swept away.
    ⁸The altars at sinful Bethel
   will be destroyed
   for causing Israel to sin;
   they will be grown over
   with thorns and thistles.
   Then everyone will beg
   the mountains and hills
   to cover and protect them.
   

The LORD Promises To Punish Israel

 ⁹Israel, you have never   stopped sinning ^d] since that time at Gibeah. ^e] That's why you
   will be attacked at Gibeah. ^f] 10Your sins have doubled,
   and you are rebellious.
   Now I have decided
   to send nations to attack
   and put you in chains.
    ¹¹Once you were obedient
   like a calf
   that loved to thresh grain.
   But I will put a harness
   on your powerful neck;
   you and Judah must plow
   and cultivate the ground.
    ¹²Plow your fields,
   scatter seeds of justice,
   and harvest faithfulness.
   Worship me, the LORD,
   and I will send my saving power
   down like rain.
    ¹³You have planted evil,
   harvested injustice,
   and eaten
   the fruit of your lies.
   You trusted your own strength
   and your powerful forces.
    ¹⁴So war will break out,
   and your fortresses
   will be destroyed.
   Your enemies will do to you
   what Shalman ^g] did to the people
   of Beth-Arbel--
   mothers and their children
   will be beaten to death
   against rocks.
    ¹⁵Bethel, this will be your fate
   because of your evil.
   Israel, at dawn your king
   will be killed.
   

Hosea 11

God's Love for His People

 ¹When Israel was a child,   I loved him,
   and I called
   my son out of Egypt.
    ²But as the saying goes,
   " The more they were called,
   the more they rebelled." ^h] They never stopped offering
   incense and sacrifices
   to the idols of Baal.
    ³I took Israel by the arm
   and taught them to walk.
   But they would not admit
   that I was the one
   who had healed them.
    ⁴I led them with kindness
   and with love,
   not with ropes.
   I held them close to me; ^i] I bent down to feed them.
    ⁵But they trusted Egypt
   instead of returning to me;
   now Assyria will rule them.
    ⁶War will visit their cities,
   and their plans will fail. ^j] 7My people are determined
   to reject me for a god
   they think is stronger,
   but he can't help. ^k] 8Israel, I can't let you go.
   I can't give you up.
   How could I possibly destroy you
   as I did the towns of Admah
   and Zeboiim? ^l] I just can't do it.
   My feelings for you
   are much too strong.
    ⁹Israel, I won't lose my temper
   and destroy you again.
   I am the Holy God--
   not merely some human,
   and I won't stay angry.
    ¹⁰I, the LORD, will roar like a lion,
   and my children will return,
   trembling
   from the west.
    ¹¹They will come back,
   fluttering like birds from Egypt
   or like doves from Assyria.
   Then I will bring them
   back to their homes.
   I, the LORD, have spoken!
   

Israel and Judah Compared

 ¹²Israel is deceitful to me,   their loyal and holy God;
   they surround me with lies,
   and Judah worships
   other gods. ^m]

Hosea 12

 ¹All day long Israel chases   wind from the desert;
   deceit and violence
   are found everywhere.
   Treaties are made with Assyria;
   olive oil is taken to Egypt.
   

Israel and Judah Condemned

 ²The LORD also brings charges   against the people of Judah,
   the descendants of Jacob.
   He will punish them
   for what they have done.
    ³Even before Jacob was born,
   he cheated his brother, ^n] and when he grew up,
   he fought against God. ^o] 4At Bethel, Jacob wrestled
   with an angel and won;
   then with tears in his eyes,
   he asked for a blessing,
   and God spoke to us ^p] there. ⁵God's name is the LORD,
   the LORD God All-Powerful.
    ⁶So return to your God.
   Patiently trust him,
   and show love and justice.
    ⁷Israel, you enjoy cheating
   and taking advantage
   of others.
    ⁸You say to yourself, " I'm rich!
   I earned it all on my own,
   without committing a sin." ^q]

The LORD Is Still the God of Israel

 ⁹Israel, I, the LORD,   am still your God,
   just as I have been
   since the time
   you were in Egypt.
   Now I will force you
   to live in tents once again,
   as you did in the desert. ^r] 10I spoke to the prophets--
   often I spoke in visions.
   And so, I will send my prophets
   with messages of doom.
    ¹¹Gilead is terribly sinful
   and will end up ruined.
   Bulls are sacrificed in Gilgal
   on altars made of stones,
   but those stones will be scattered
   in every field.
    ¹²Jacob ^s] escaped to Syria ^t] where he tended sheep
   to earn himself a wife.
    ¹³I sent the prophet Moses
   to lead Israel from Egypt
   and to keep them safe.
    ¹⁴Israel, I will make you pay
   for your terrible sins
   and for insulting me.
   

Hosea 13

Israel Is Doomed

The LORD said:

 ¹When your leaders ^u] spoke, everyone in Israel trembled   and showed great respect.
   But you sinned by worshiping Baal,
   and you were destroyed.
    ²Now you continue to sin
   by designing and making
   idols of silver
   in the shape of calves.
   You are told to sacrifice
   to these idols ^v] -- yes, even to kiss them.
    ³And so, all of you will vanish
   like the mist
   or the dew
   of early morning,
   or husks of grain in the wind
   or smoke from a chimney.
    ⁴I, the LORD, have been your God
   since the time
   you were in Egypt.
   I am the only God you know,
   the only one who can save.
    ⁵I took care of you
   in a thirsty desert. ^w] 6I fed you till you were satisfied,
   then you became proud
   and forgot about me.
    ⁷Now I will attack like a lion,
   ambush you like a leopard,
    ⁸and rip you apart like a bear
   robbed of her cubs.
   I will gnaw on your bones,
   as though I were a lion
   or some other wild animal.
    ⁹Israel, you are done for.
   Don't expect help from me. ^x] 10You wanted a king and rulers.
   Where is your king now?
   What cities have rulers?
    ¹¹In my anger, I gave you a king;
   in my fury, I took him away.
   
   

Israel's Terrible Fate

The LORD said:

 ¹²Israel, your terrible sins   are written down
   and stored away.
    ¹³You are like a senseless child
   who refuses to be born
   at the proper time.
    ¹⁴Should I, the LORD, rescue you
   from death and the grave?
   No! I call death and the grave
   to strike you like a plague.
   I refuse to show mercy.
    ¹⁵No matter how much you prosper
   more than the other tribes, ^y] I, the LORD, will wipe you out,
   just as a scorching desert wind
   dries up streams of water.
   I will take away
   your precious treasures.
    ¹⁶Samaria ^z] will be punished for turning against me.
   It will be destroyed in war--
   children will be beaten
   against rocks,
   and pregnant women
   will be ripped open.
   

Hosea 14

Turn Back to the LORD

 ¹Israel, return! Come back   to the LORD, your God.
   Sin has made you fall.
    ²Return to the LORD and say,
   " Please forgive our sins.
   Accept our good sacrifices
   of praise instead of bulls. ^aa] 3Assyria can't save us,
   and chariots can't help.
   So we will no longer worship
   the idols we have made.
   Our LORD, you show mercy
   to orphans."
   

The LORD Promises To Forgive

 ⁴Israel, you have rejected me,   but my anger is gone;
   I will heal you and love you
   without limit.
    ⁵I will be like the dew--
   then you will blossom like lilies
   and have roots like a tree. ^ab] 6Your branches will spread
   with the beauty
   of an olive tree
   and with the aroma
   of Lebanon Forest.
    ⁷You will rest in my shade,
   and your grain will grow.
   You will blossom
   like a vineyard
   and be famous as the wine
   from Lebanon.
    ⁸Israel, give up your idols!
   I will answer your prayers
   and take care of you. ^ac] I am that glorious tree,
   the source of your fruit. ^ad] 9If you are wise, you will know
   and understand what I mean.
   I am the LORD, and I lead you
   along the right path.
   If you obey me,
   we will walk together,
   but if you are wicked,
   you will stumble.
   

Footnotes:

1. Hosea 10:4 you turn. . . grow: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
2. Hosea 10:5 idols: The Hebrew text has " calves," referring to the idols made in the shape of calves.
3. Hosea 10:5 sinful Bethel: See the note at 4.15.
4. Hosea 10:9 never stopped sinning: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
5. Hosea 10:9 Gibeah: See the note at 9.9.
6. Hosea 10:9 That's why. . . Gibeah: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
7. Hosea 10:14 Shalman: Perhaps a Moabite king, also known as Salamanu.
8. Hosea 11:2 But. . . rebelled: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
9. Hosea 11:4 I held. . . to me: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
10. Hosea 11:6 fail: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 6.
11. Hosea 11:7 help: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 7.
12. Hosea 11:8 Admah and Zeboiim: When the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, he also destroyed these two towns (see Deuteronomy 29.23).
13. Hosea 11:12 and Judah worships other gods: Or " but Judah remains faithful."
14. Hosea 12:3 Jacob. . . cheated. . . brother: In Hebrew " Jacob" sounds like " cheat" and also like " heel." Jacob grabbed his twin brother Esau by the heel at the time of their birth (see Genesis 25.26). Later he cheated him out of his rights and blessings as the first-born son (see Genesis 25.29-34; 27.1-40).
15. Hosea 12:3 fought against God: See Genesis 32.22-32.
16. Hosea 12:4 us: Hebrew; two ancient translations " him."
17. Hosea 12:8 without. . . sin: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
18. Hosea 12:9 as. . . desert: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. This probably refers to the forty years of wandering through the desert after leaving Egypt, though it could refer to the " tents" (or " shelters" ) in which the Israelites lived during the Festival of Shelters (see 9.5,6).
19. Hosea 12:12 Jacob: His name was later changed to Israel (see Genesis 32.28), and he became the ancestor of the nation by that name.
20. Hosea 12:12 Syria: The Hebrew text has " Aram," probably referring to northern Syria in the region of Haran.
21. Hosea 13:1 your leaders: The Hebrew text has " Ephraim," here meaning Mount Ephraim, where the royal palace of Samaria (capital of the northern kingdom of Israel) was located.
22. Hosea 13:2 You are told. . . idols: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
23. Hosea 13:5 thirsty desert: The forty years that Israel wandered through the desert, after leaving Egypt.
24. Hosea 13:9 Don't. . . me: Or " You are against me, the one who helps you."
25. Hosea 13:15 more. . . tribes: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
26. Hosea 13:16 Samaria: The capital of the northern kingdom of Israel.
27. Hosea 14:2 Accept. . . bulls: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
28. Hosea 14:5 like a tree: The Hebrew text has " like Lebanon," probably referring to the famous cedar trees on Mount Lebanon.
29. Hosea 14:8 Israel. . . you: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
30. Hosea 14:8 I am. . . fruit: This is the only place in the Old Testament where the LORD is compared to a tree. Hosea reminds the people that it is the LORD who is the source of life, rather than the Canaanite gods and goddesses that are worshiped under trees at the local shrines.

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Jude 1-25 (Contemporary English Version)

Jude 1

 ¹From Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and the brother of James.   To all who are chosen and loved by God the Father and are kept safe by Jesus Christ.
    ²I pray that God will greatly bless you with kindness, peace, and love!
   

False Teachers

 ³My dear friends, I really wanted to write you about God's saving power at work in our lives. But instead, I must write and ask you to defend the faith that God has once for all given to his people.    ⁴Some godless people have sneaked in among us and are saying, "God treats us much better than we deserve, and so it is all right to be immoral." They even deny that we must obey Jesus Christ as our only Master and Lord. But long ago the Scriptures warned that these godless people were doomed.
    ⁵Don't forget what happened to those people that the Lord rescued from Egypt. Some of them did not have faith, and he later destroyed them.
    ⁶You also know about the angels ^a] who didn't do their work and left their proper places. God chained them with everlasting chains and is now keeping them in dark pits until the great day of judgment.
    ⁷We should also be warned by what happened to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah ^b] and the nearby towns. Their people became immoral and did all sorts of sexual sins. Then God made an example of them and punished them with eternal fire.
    ⁸The people I am talking about are behaving just like those dreamers who destroyed their own bodies. They reject all authority and insult angels.
    ⁹Even Michael, the chief angel, didn't dare to insult the devil, when the two of them were arguing about the body of Moses. ^c]All Michael said was, "The Lord will punish you!"
    ¹⁰But these people insult powers they don't know anything about. They are like senseless animals that end up getting destroyed, because they live only by their feelings.
    ¹¹Now they are in for real trouble. They have followed Cain's example ^d] and have made the same mistake that Balaam ^e] did by caring only for money. They have also rebelled against God, just as Korah did. ^f] Because of all this, they will be destroyed.
    ¹²These people are filthy minded, and by their shameful and selfish actions they spoil the meals you eat together. They are like clouds blown along by the wind, but never bringing any rain. They are like leafless trees, uprooted and dead, and unable to produce fruit.
    ¹³Their shameful deeds show up like foam on wild ocean waves. They are like wandering stars forever doomed to the darkest pits of hell.
    ¹⁴Enoch was the seventh person after Adam, and he was talking about these people when he said:
   Look! The Lord is coming with thousands and thousands of holy angels
    ¹⁵to judge everyone. He will punish all those ungodly people for all the evil things they have done. The Lord will surely punish those ungodly sinners for every evil thing they have ever said about him.
    ¹⁶These people grumble and complain and live by their own selfish desires. They brag about themselves and flatter others to get what they want.
   

More Warnings

 ¹⁷My dear friends, remember the warning you were given by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.    ¹⁸They told you that near the end of time, selfish and godless people would start making fun of God.
    ¹⁹And now these people are already making you turn against each other. They think only about this life, and they don't have God's Spirit.
    ²⁰Dear friends, keep building on the foundation of your most holy faith, as the Holy Spirit helps you to pray.
    ²¹And keep in step with God's love, as you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to show how kind he is by giving you eternal life.
    ²²Be helpful to ^g] all who may have doubts.
    ²³Rescue any who need to be saved, as you would rescue someone from a fire. Then with fear in your own hearts, have mercy on everyone who needs it. But hate even the clothes of those who have been made dirty by their filthy deeds.
   

Final Prayer

 ^24-25Offer praise to God our Savior because of our Lord Jesus Christ! Only God can keep you from falling and make you pure and joyful in his glorious presence. Before time began and now and forevermore, God is worthy of glory, honor, power, and authority. Amen.   

Footnotes:

1. Jude 1:6 angels: This may refer to the angels who liked the women on earth so much that they came down and married them (see Genesis 6.2).
2. Jude 1:7 Sodom and Gomorrah: During the time of Abraham the Lord destroyed these cities because the people there were so evil.
3. Jude 1:9 Michael. . . the body of Moses: This refers to what was said in an ancient Jewish book about Moses.
4. Jude 1:11 Cain's example: Cain murdered his brother Abel.
5. Jude 1:11 Balaam: According to the biblical account, Balaam refused to curse the people of Israel for profit (see Numbers 22.18; 24.13), though he led them to be unfaithful to the Lord (see Numbers 25.1-3; 31.16). But by New Testament times, some Jewish teachers taught that Balaam was greedy and did accept money to curse them.
6. Jude 1:11 just as Korah did: Together with Dathan and Abiram, Korah led a rebellion against Moses and Aaron (see Numbers 16.1-35; 26.9,10).
7. Jude 1:22 Be helpful to: Some manuscripts have "Correct."

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Psalm 127:1-5 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 127

(A song by Solomon for worship.)

Only the LORD Can Bless a Home

 ¹Without the help of the LORD   it is useless to build a home
   or to guard a city.
    ²It is useless to get up early
   and stay up late
   in order to earn a living.
   God takes care of his own,
   even while they sleep. ^a] 3Children are a blessing
   and a gift from the LORD.
    ⁴Having a lot of children
   to take care of you
   in your old age
   is like a warrior
   with a lot of arrows.
    ⁵The more you have,
   the better off you will be,
   because they will protect you
   when your enemies attack
   with arguments.
   

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 127:2 God. . . sleep: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

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Proverbs 29:15-17 (Contemporary English Version)

¹⁵Correct your children,
   and they will be wise;
   children out of control
   disgrace their mothers.
    ¹⁶Crime increases
   when crooks are in power,
   but law-abiding citizens
   will see them fall.
    ¹⁷If you correct your children,
   they will bring you peace
   and happiness.

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Verse of the Day

“I am the way, the truth, and the life!" Jesus answered. "Without me, no one can go to the Father.” - John 14:6

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

The leading Roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus, Horace wrote, “Once a word has been allowed to escape, it cannot be recalled.”

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A Joke for Today

A prisoner in jail receives a letter from his wife: "Dear Husband, I have decided to plant some lettuce in the back garden. When is the best time to plant them?" 

The prisoner, knowing that the prison guards read all mail, replied in a letter: "Dear Wife, whatever you do, do not touch the back garden. That is where I hid all the money." 

A week or so later, he received another letter from his wife: "Dear Husband, You wouldn't believe what happened, some men came with shovels to the house, and dug up all the back garden." 

The prisoner wrote another letter back: "Dear wife, now is the best time to plant the lettuce."