Bible Readings for November 16, 2019

Today our passages are Ezekiel 33:1–34:31; Hebrews 13:1-25; Psalm 115:1-18; and Proverbs 27:21-22.  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 Street, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal by using the link below.

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Ezekiel 33-34:31 (Contemporary English Version)

Ezekiel 33

The LORD Appoints Ezekiel To Stand Watch

(Ezekiel 3.16-21)

 ¹The LORD said:    ²Ezekiel, son of man, warn your people by saying:
   Someday, I, the LORD, may send an enemy to invade a country. And suppose its people choose someone to stand watch ³and to sound a warning signal when the enemy is seen coming. ^4-5If any of these people hear the signal and ignore it, they will be killed in battle. But it will be their own fault, because they could have escaped if they had paid attention.
    ⁶But suppose the person watching fails to sound the warning signal. The enemy will attack and kill some of the sinful people in that country, and I, the LORD, will hold that person responsible for their death.
    ⁷Ezekiel, I have appointed you to stand watch for the people of Israel. So listen to what I say, then warn them for me. ⁸When I tell wicked people they will die because of their sins, you must warn them to turn from their sinful ways. But if you refuse to warn them, you are responsible for their death. ⁹If you do warn them, and they keep sinning, they will die because of their sins, and you will be innocent.   

The LORD Is Always Fair

(Ezekiel 18.21-30)

 ¹⁰The LORD said:   Ezekiel, son of man, the people of Israel are complaining that the punishment for their sins is more than they can stand. They have lost all hope for survival, and they blame me. ¹¹Tell them that as surely as I am the living LORD God, I don't like to see wicked people die. I enjoy seeing them turn from their sins and live. So if the Israelites want to live, they must stop sinning and turn back to me.
    ¹²Tell them that when good people start sinning, all the good they did in the past cannot save them from being punished. And remind them that when wicked people stop sinning, their past sins will be completely forgiven, and they won't be punished.
    ¹³Suppose I promise good people that they will live, then later they start sinning and believe they will be saved by the good they did in the past. These people will certainly be put to death because of their sins. Their good deeds will be forgotten.
    ¹⁴Suppose I warn wicked people that they will die because of their sins, and they stop sinning and start doing right. ¹⁵For example, they need to return anything they have taken as security for a loan and anything they have stolen. Then if they stop doing evil and start obeying my Law, they will live. ¹⁶Their past sins will be forgiven, and they will live because they have done right.
    ¹⁷Ezekiel, your people accuse me of being unfair. But they are the ones who are unfair. ¹⁸If good people start doing evil, they will be put to death, because they have sinned. ¹⁹And if wicked people stop sinning and start doing right, they will save themselves from punishment. ²⁰But the Israelites still think I am unfair. So warn them that they will be punished for what they have done.   

The News of Jerusalem's Fall

 ²¹Twelve years after King Jehoiachin and the rest of us had been led away as prisoners to Babylonia, a refugee who had escaped from Jerusalem came to me on the fifth day of the tenth month. ^a] He told me that the city had fallen. ²²The evening before this man arrived at my house, the LORD had taken control of me. So when the man came to me the next morning, I could once again speak. ^b]

What Will Happen to Those Left in Israel?

 ²³Then the LORD said:    ²⁴Ezekiel, son of man, the people living in the ruined cities of Israel are saying, "Abraham was just one man, and the LORD gave him this whole land of Israel. There are many of us, and so this land must be ours."
    ²⁵So, Ezekiel, tell them I am saying:
   How can you think the land is still yours? You eat meat with blood in it and worship idols. You commit murder ²⁶and spread violence throughout the land. Everything you do is wicked; you are even unfaithful in marriage. And you claim the land is yours!
    ²⁷As surely as I am the living LORD God, you people in the ruined cities will be killed in battle. Those of you living in the countryside will be eaten by wild animals, and those hiding in caves and on rocky cliffs will die from deadly diseases. ²⁸I will make the whole country an empty wasteland and crush the power in which you take such pride. Even the mountains will be bare, and no one will try to cross them. ²⁹I will punish you because of your sins, and I will turn your nation into a barren desert. Then you will know that I am the LORD.   

The People Listen, but Don't Change

The LORD said:

 ³⁰Ezekiel, son of man, the people with you in Babylonia talk about you when they meet by the city walls or in the doorways of their houses. They say, "Let's ask Ezekiel what the LORD has said today." ³¹So they all come and listen to you, but they refuse to do what you tell them. They claim to be faithful, but they are forever trying to cheat others out of their money. ³²They treat you as though you were merely singing love songs or playing music. They listen, but don't do anything you say.    ³³Soon they will be punished, just as you warned, and they will know that a prophet has been among them.
   

Ezekiel 34

Israel's Leaders Are Worthless Shepherds

 ¹The LORD God said:    ²Ezekiel, son of man, Israel's leaders are like shepherds taking care of my sheep, the people of Israel. But I want you to condemn these leaders and tell them:
   I, the LORD God, say you shepherds of Israel are doomed! You take care of yourselves while ignoring my sheep. ³You drink their milk and use their wool to make your clothes. Then you butcher the best ones for food. But you don't take care of the flock! ⁴You have never protected the weak ones or healed the sick ones or bandaged those that get hurt. You let them wander off and never look for those that get lost. You are cruel and mean to my sheep. ⁵They strayed in every direction, and because there was no shepherd to watch them, they were attacked and eaten by wild animals. ⁶So my sheep were scattered across the earth. They roamed on hills and mountains, without anyone even bothering to look for them.
    ^7-8Now listen to what I, the living LORD God, am saying to you shepherds. My sheep have been attacked and eaten by wild animals, because you refused to watch them. You never went looking for the lost ones, and you fed yourselves without feeding my sheep. ^9-10So I, the LORD, will punish you! I will rescue my sheep from you and never let you be their shepherd again or butcher them for food. I, the LORD, have spoken.   

The LORD Is the Good Shepherd

 ¹¹The LORD God then said:   I will look for my sheep and take care of them myself, ¹²just as a shepherd looks for lost sheep. My sheep have been lost since that dark and miserable day when they were scattered throughout the nations. ^c] But I will rescue them ¹³and bring them back from the foreign nations where they now live. I will be their shepherd and will let them graze on Israel's mountains and in the valleys and fertile fields. ¹⁴They will be safe as they feed on grassy meadows and green hills. ¹⁵I promise to take care of them and keep them safe, ¹⁶to look for those that are lost and bring back the ones that wander off, to bandage those that are hurt and protect the ones that are weak. I will also slaughter ^d] those that are fat and strong, because I always do right.

Judgment on the Strong Sheep

 ¹⁷The LORD God said to his sheep, the people of Israel:   I will carefully watch each one of you to decide which ones are the strong sheep and which ones are weak. ¹⁸Some of you eat the greenest grass, then trample down what's left when you finish. Others drink clean water, then step in the water to make the rest of it muddy. ¹⁹That means my other sheep have nothing fit to eat or drink.
    ²⁰So I, the LORD God, will separate you strong sheep from the weak. ²¹You strong ones have used your powerful horns to chase off those that are weak, ²²but I will rescue them and no longer let them be mistreated. I will separate the good from the bad.
    ²³After that, I will give you a shepherd from the family of my servant King David. All of you, both strong and weak, will have the same shepherd, and he will take good care of you. ²⁴He will be your leader, and I will be your God. I, the LORD, have spoken.   

A Bright Future for the LORD's Sheep

The LORD God said:

 ²⁵The people of Israel are my sheep, and I solemnly promise that they will live in peace. I will chase away every wild animal from the desert and the forest, so my sheep will not be afraid. ²⁶They will live around my holy mountain, ^e] and I will bless them by sending more than enough rain ²⁷to make their trees produce fruit and their crops to grow. I will set them free from slavery and let them live safely in their own land. Then they will know that I am the LORD. ²⁸Foreign nations will never again rob them, and wild animals will no longer kill and eat them. They will have nothing to fear. ²⁹I will make their fields produce large amounts of crops, so they will never again go hungry or be laughed at by foreigners. ³⁰Then everyone will know that I protect my people Israel. I, the LORD, make this promise. ³¹They are my sheep; I am their God, and I take care of them.

Footnotes:

1. Ezekiel 33:21 Twelve years. . . tenth month: Probably December of 586 B.C.
2. Ezekiel 33:22 I could once again speak: See 3.27.
3. Ezekiel 34:12 dark and miserable day. . . nations: That is, the day the Babylonians defeated Jerusalem and led its people away as prisoners.
4. Ezekiel 34:16 slaughter: Hebrew; three ancient translations "take care of."
5. Ezekiel 34:26 my holy mountain: That is, Mount Zion in Jerusalem.

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Hebrews 13:1-25 (Contemporary English Version)

Hebrews 13

Service That Pleases God

 ¹Keep being concerned about each other as the Lord's followers should.    ²Be sure to welcome strangers into your home. By doing this, some people have welcomed angels as guests, without even knowing it.
    ³Remember the Lord's people who are in jail and be concerned for them. Don't forget those who are suffering, but imagine that you are there with them.
    ⁴Have respect for marriage. Always be faithful to your partner, because God will punish anyone who is immoral or unfaithful in marriage.
    ⁵Don't fall in love with money. Be satisfied with what you have. The Lord has promised that he will not leave us or desert us. ⁶That should make you feel like saying,
   "The Lord helps me!
   Why should I be afraid
   of what people
   can do to me?"
    ⁷Don't forget about your leaders who taught you God's message. Remember what kind of lives they lived and try to have faith like theirs.
    ⁸Jesus Christ never changes! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. ⁹Don't be fooled by any kind of strange teachings. It is better to receive strength from God's undeserved kindness than to depend on certain foods. After all, these foods don't really help the people who eat them. ¹⁰But we have an altar where even the priests who serve in the place of worship have no right to eat.
    ¹¹After the high priest offers the blood of animals as a sin offering, the bodies of those animals are burned outside the camp. ¹²Jesus himself suffered outside the city gate, so that his blood would make people holy. ¹³That's why we should go outside the camp to Jesus and share in his disgrace. ¹⁴On this earth we don't have a city that lasts forever, but we are waiting for such a city.
    ¹⁵Our sacrifice is to keep offering praise to God in the name of Jesus. ¹⁶But don't forget to help others and to share your possessions with them. This too is like offering a sacrifice that pleases God.
    ¹⁷Obey your leaders and do what they say. They are watching over you, and they must answer to God. So don't make them sad as they do their work. Make them happy. Otherwise, they won't be able to help you at all.
    ¹⁸Pray for us. Our consciences are clear, and we always try to live right. ¹⁹I especially want you to pray that I can visit you again soon.   

Final Prayers and Greetings

 ²⁰God gives peace, and he raised our Lord Jesus Christ from death. Now Jesus is like a Great Shepherd whose blood was used to make God's eternal agreement with his flock. ^a] 21I pray that God will make you ready to obey him and that you will always be eager to do right. May Jesus help you do what pleases God. To Jesus Christ be glory forever and ever! Amen. ²²My friends, I have written only a short letter to encourage you, and I beg you to pay close attention to what I have said.    ²³By now you surely must know that our friend Timothy is out of jail. If he gets here in time, I will bring him with me when I come to visit you.
    ²⁴Please give my greetings to your leaders and to the rest of the Lord's people.
   His followers from Italy send you their greetings.
    ²⁵I pray that God will be kind to all of you! ^b]

Footnotes:

1. Hebrews 13:20 whose blood was used to make God's eternal agreement with his flock: See 9.18-22.
2. Hebrews 13:25 to all of you: Some manuscripts add "Amen."

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Psalm 115:1-18 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 115

The LORD Deserves To Be Praised

 ¹We don't deserve praise!   The LORD alone deserves
   all of the praise,
   because of his love
   and faithfulness.
    ²Why should the nations ask,
   "Where is your God?"
    ³Our God is in the heavens,
   doing as he chooses.
    ⁴The idols of the nations
   are made of silver and gold.
    ⁵They have a mouth and eyes,
   but they can't speak or see.
    ⁶Their ears can't hear,
   and their noses can't smell.
    ⁷Their hands have no feeling,
   their legs don't move,
   and they can't make a sound.
    ⁸Everyone who made the idols
   and all who trust them
   are just as helpless
   as those useless gods.
    ⁹People of Israel,
   you must trust the LORD
   to help and protect you.
    ¹⁰Family of Aaron the priest,
   you must trust the LORD
   to help and protect you.
    ¹¹All of you worship the LORD,
   so you must trust him
   to help and protect you.
    ¹²The LORD will not forget
   to give us his blessing;
   he will bless all of Israel
   and the family of Aaron.
    ¹³All who worship the LORD,
   no matter who they are,
   will receive his blessing.
    ¹⁴I pray that the LORD
   will let your family
   and your descendants
   always grow strong.
    ¹⁵May the LORD who created
   the heavens and the earth
   give you his blessing.
    ¹⁶The LORD has kept the heavens
   for himself,
   but he has given the earth
   to us humans.
    ¹⁷The dead are silent
   and cannot praise the LORD,
    ¹⁸but we will praise him
   now and forevermore.
   Shout praises to the LORD!

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Proverbs 27:21-22 (Contemporary English Version)

²¹Gold and silver are tested
   in a red-hot furnace,
   but we are tested by praise.
    ²²No matter how hard
   you beat a fool,
   you can't pound out
   the foolishness.

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Verse of the Day

“Open my mind and let me discover the wonders of your Law.” - Psalm 119:18

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

American rhythm and blues musician and songwriter whose influence spanned a wide range of genres, Jesse Stone wrote, “Rhythm and blues started even before phonograph records were being produced because black people entertained themselves. It wasn't done for money. It was done for entertainment. Most white people didn't know anything about this because prejudice kept them from ever seeing what was going on.”

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A Joke for Today

At the pre-birth class for couples who'd already had at least one child the instructor raised the question of how to break the news to an older child.

"Some parents tell the older child, 'We love you so much that we decided to bring another child into our family.'

"But think about that for a second. Ladies, what if your husband came home one day and said, 'Honey, I love you so much I decided to bring home another wife.'?"

One of the women spoke up right away, "Does she cook?"

Bible Readings for November 15, 2019

Today our passages are Ezekiel 31:1–32:32; Hebrews 12:14-29; Psalm 113:1–114:8; and Proverbs 27:18-20.  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 Street, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal by using the link below.

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Ezekiel 31-32:32 (Contemporary English Version)

Ezekiel 31

Egypt's King Will Be Chopped Down like a Cedar Tree

 ¹Eleven years after King Jehoiachin and the rest of us had been led away as prisoners to Babylonia, the LORD spoke to me on the first day of the third month. ^a] He said: ²Ezekiel, son of man, tell the king of Egypt and his people that I am saying:

   You are more powerful

   than anyone on earth.

   Now listen to this.

    ³There was once a cedar tree

   in Lebanon

   with large, strong branches

   reaching to the sky. ^b] 4This tree had plenty of water

   to help it grow tall,

   and nearby streams watered

   the other trees

   in the forest.

    ⁵But this tree towered over

   those other trees,

   and its branches

   grew long and thick.

    ⁶Birds built nests

   in its branches,

   and animals were born

   beneath it.

   People from all nations

   lived in the shade

   of this strong tree.

    ⁷It had beautiful,

   long branches,

   and its roots found water

   deep in the soil.

    ⁸None of the cedar trees

   in my garden of Eden

   were as beautiful

   as this tree;

   no tree of any kind

   had such long branches.

    ⁹I, the LORD, gave this tree

   its beauty,

   and I helped the branches

   grow strong.

   All other trees in Eden

   wanted to be just like it.

    ¹⁰King of Egypt, now listen to what I, the LORD God, am saying about that tree:

   The tree grew so tall that it reached the sky ^c] and became very proud and arrogant. ¹¹So I, the LORD God, will reject the tree and hand it over to a foreign ruler, who will punish it for its wickedness. ¹²Cruel foreigners will chop it down and leave it wherever it falls. Branches and broken limbs will be scattered over the mountains and in the valleys. The people living in the shade of those branches will go somewhere else. ¹³Birds will then nest on the stump of the fallen tree, and wild animals will trample its branches. ¹⁴Never again will any tree dare to grow as tall as this tree, no matter how much water it has. Every tree must die, just as humans die and go down to the world of the dead.

    ¹⁵On the day this tree dies and goes to the world below, I, the LORD God, will command rivers and streams to mourn its death. Every underground spring of water and every river will stop flowing. ^d] The mountains in Lebanon will be covered with darkness as a sign of their sorrow, and all the trees in the forest will wither. ¹⁶This tree will crash to the ground, and I will send it to the world below. Then the nations of the earth will tremble. The trees from Eden and the choice trees from Lebanon are now in the world of the dead, and they will be comforted when this tree falls. ¹⁷Those people who found protection in its shade will also be sent to the world below, where they will join the dead. ^e] 18King of Egypt, all these things will happen to you and your people! You were like this tree at one time--taller and stronger than anyone on earth. But now you will be chopped down, just as every tree in the garden of Eden must die. You will be sent down to the world of the dead, where you will join the godless and the other victims of violent death. I, the LORD God, have spoken.

   

Ezekiel 32

A Funeral Song for the King of Egypt

 ¹Twelve years after King Jehoiachin and the rest of us had been led away as prisoners to Babylonia, the LORD spoke to me on the first day of the twelfth month. ^f] He said: ²Ezekiel, son of man, condemn the king of Egypt and tell him I am saying:

   You act like a lion

   roaming the earth;

   but you are nothing more than

   a crocodile in a river,

   churning up muddy water

   with your feet.

    ³King of Egypt, listen to me. I, the LORD God, will catch you in my net and let a crowd of foreigners drag you to shore. ⁴I will throw you into an open field, where birds and animals will come to feed on your body. ⁵I will spread your rotting flesh ^g] over the mountains and in the valleys, ⁶and your blood will flow throughout the land and fill up the streams. ⁷I will cover the whole sky and every star with thick clouds, so that the sun and moon will stop shining. ⁸The heavens will become black, leaving your country in total darkness. I, the LORD, have spoken. ⁹Foreign nations you have never heard of will be shocked when I tell them how I destroyed you. ^h] 10They will be horrified, and when I flash my sword in victory on the day of your death, their kings will tremble in the fear of what could happen to them. ¹¹The king of Babylonia is coming to attack you, king of Egypt! ¹²Your soldiers will be killed by the cruelest army in the world, and everything you take pride in will be crushed. ¹³I will slaughter your cattle that graze by the river, ^i] and no people or livestock will be left to muddy its water. ¹⁴The water will be clear, and streams will be calm. I, the LORD God, have spoken. ¹⁵Egypt will become a barren wasteland, and no living thing will ever survive there. Then you and your people will know that I am the LORD.

    ¹⁶This is your warning, and it will be used as a funeral song by foreign women to mourn the death of your people. I, the LORD God, have spoken.   

A Sad Ending for Egypt

 ¹⁷On the fifteenth day of that same month, ^j] the LORD said: ¹⁸Ezekiel, son of man, mourn for the Egyptians and condemn them to the world of the dead, where they will be buried alongside the people of other powerful nations. ^k] 19Say to them: You may be more beautiful

   than the people

   of other nations,

   but you will also die

   and join the godless

   in the world below.

    ²⁰You cannot escape! The enemy's sword is ready to slaughter every one of you. ^l]21Brave military leaders killed in battle will gladly welcome you and your allies into the world of the dead. ^22-23The graves of soldiers from Assyria are there. They once terrified people, but they were killed in battle and now lie deep in the world of the dead. ^m] 24-25The graves of soldiers from Elam are there. The very sight of those godless soldiers once terrified their enemies and made them panic. But now they are disgraced and ashamed as they lie in the world of the dead, alongside others who were killed in battle.

    ²⁶The graves of soldiers from Meshech and Tubal are there. These godless soldiers who terrified people were all killed in battle. ²⁷They were not given a proper burial like the heroes of long ago, ^n] who were buried with their swords under their heads and with their shields ^o] over their bodies. These were the heroes who made their enemies panic. ²⁸You Egyptians will be cruelly defeated, and you will be buried alongside these other godless soldiers who died in battle.

    ²⁹The graves of kings and leaders from Edom are there. They were powerful at one time. Now they are buried in the world of the dead with other godless soldiers killed in battle.

    ³⁰The graves of the rulers of the north ^p] are there, as well as those of the Sidonians. Their powerful armies once terrified enemies. Now they lie buried in the world of the dead, where they are disgraced like other soldiers killed in battle. ³¹The LORD God says:

   When your king of Egypt sees all of these graves, he and his soldiers will be glad they are not the only ones suffering. ³²I sent him to terrify people all over the earth. But he and his army will be killed and buried alongside other godless soldiers in the world of the dead. I, the LORD God, have spoken.

   

Footnotes:

1. Ezekiel 31:1 Eleven years. . . third month: Probably May of 587 B.C.
2. Ezekiel 31:3 sky: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 3.
3. Ezekiel 31:10 the sky: One ancient translation; Hebrew "over the thick branches."
4. Ezekiel 31:15 rivers and streams. . . stop flowing: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
5. Ezekiel 31:17 dead: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 17.
6. Ezekiel 32:1 Twelve years. . . twelfth month: Probably February of 585 B.C.
7. Ezekiel 32:5 rotting flesh: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
8. Ezekiel 32:9 when I tell them how I destroyed you: Hebrew; one ancient translation "when I scatter you like prisoners among them."
9. Ezekiel 32:13 the river: This possibly refers to the Nile River.
10. Ezekiel 32:17 that same month: See verse 1.
11. Ezekiel 32:18 where they will be buried. . . powerful nations: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
12. Ezekiel 32:20 The enemy's sword. . . you: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
13. Ezekiel 32:22 deep in the world of the dead: The place of greatest dishonor.
14. Ezekiel 32:27 heroes of long ago: One ancient translation; Hebrew "godless heroes."
15. Ezekiel 32:27 shields: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
16. Ezekiel 32:30 the rulers of the north: Probably the Phoenicians.

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Hebrews 12:14-29 (Contemporary English Version)

Warning against Turning from God

 ¹⁴Try to live at peace with everyone! Live a clean life. If you don't, you will never see the Lord. ¹⁵Make sure that no one misses out on God's wonderful kindness. Don't let anyone become bitter and cause trouble for the rest of you. ¹⁶Watch out for immoral and ungodly people like Esau, who sold his future blessing ^a] for only one meal. ¹⁷You know how he later wanted it back. But there was nothing he could do to change things, even though he begged his father and cried. ¹⁸You have not come to a place like Mount Sinai ^b] that can be seen and touched. There is no flaming fire or dark cloud or storm ¹⁹or trumpet sound. The people of Israel heard a voice speak. But they begged it to stop, ²⁰because they could not obey its commands. They were even told to kill any animal that touched the mountain. ²¹The sight was so frightening that Moses said he shook with fear. ²²You have now come to Mount Zion and to the heavenly Jerusalem. This is the city of the living God, where thousands and thousands of angels have come to celebrate. ²³Here you will find all of God's dearest children, ^c] whose names are written in heaven. And you will find God himself, who judges everyone. Here also are the spirits of those good people who have been made perfect. ²⁴And Jesus is here! He is the one who makes God's new agreement with us, and his sprinkled blood says much better things than the blood of Abel. ^d] 25Make sure that you obey the one who speaks to you. The people did not escape, when they refused to obey the one who spoke to them at Mount Sinai. Do you think you can possibly escape, if you refuse to obey the one who speaks to you from heaven? ²⁶When God spoke the first time, his voice shook only the earth. This time he has promised to shake the earth once again, and heaven too.

    ²⁷The words "once again" mean that these created things will someday be shaken and removed. Then what cannot be shaken will last. ²⁸We should be grateful that we were given a kingdom that cannot be shaken. And in this kingdom we please God by worshiping him and by showing him great honor and respect. ²⁹Our God is like a destructive fire!

   

Footnotes:

1. Hebrews 12:16 sold his future blessing: As the first-born son, Esau had certain privileges that were known as a "birthright."
2. Hebrews 12:18 a place like Mount Sinai: The Greek text has "a place," but the writer is referring to the time that the Lord spoke to the people of Israel from Mount Sinai (see Exodus 19.16-25).
3. Hebrews 12:23 all of God's dearest children: The Greek text has "the gathering of the first-born children" (see the note at 1.6).
4. Hebrews 12:24 blood of Abel: Cain and Abel were the two sons of Adam and Eve. Cain murdered Abel (see Genesis 4.1-16).

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Psalm 113-114:8 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 113

The LORD Helps People in Need

 ¹Shout praises to the LORD!

   Everyone who serves him,

   come and praise his name.

    ²Let the name of the LORD

   be praised now and forever.

    ³From dawn until sunset

   the name of the LORD

   deserves to be praised.

    ⁴The LORD is far above

   all of the nations;

   he is more glorious

   than the heavens.

    ⁵No one can compare

   with the LORD our God.

   His throne is high above,

    ⁶and he looks down to see

   the heavens and the earth.

    ⁷God lifts the poor and needy

   from dust and ashes,

    ⁸and he lets them take part

   in ruling his people.

    ⁹When a wife has no children,

   he blesses her with some,

   and she is happy.

   Shout praises to the LORD!

   

Psalm 114

The LORD Works Wonders

 ¹God brought his people

   out of Egypt,

   that land

   with a strange language.

    ²He made Judah his holy place

   and ruled over Israel.

    ³When the sea looked at God,

   it ran away,

   and the Jordan River

   flowed upstream.

    ⁴The mountains and the hills

   skipped around like goats.

    ⁵Ask the sea why it ran away

   or ask the Jordan

   why it flowed upstream.

    ⁶Ask the mountains and the hills

   why they skipped like goats!

    ⁷Earth, you will tremble,

   when the Lord God of Jacob

   comes near,

    ⁸because he turns solid rock

   into flowing streams

   and pools of water.

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Proverbs 27:18-20 (Contemporary English Version)

¹⁸Take care of a tree,

   and you will eat its fruit;

   look after your master,

   and you will be praised.

    ¹⁹You see your face in a mirror

   and your thoughts

   in the minds of others.

    ²⁰Death and the grave

   are never satisfied,

   and neither are we.

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Verse of the Day

“I am in deep distress, but I love your teachings.” - Psalm 119:143

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

American columnist known as Franklin P. Adams and by his initials F.P.A., Franklin Pierce Adams wrote, “Elections are won by men and women chiefly because most people vote against somebody rather than for somebody.”

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A Joke for Today

A little boy was sitting outside a store eating one snickers candy bar after another, when an older man walked up and said: "You shouldn't be eating so much candy, it'll rot your teeth, it's just bad for you to eat so much candy." 

The little boy looked up and said: "My grandfather lived to be 95 years old." 

The older man asked: "Oh? by eating snickers candy bars?"

The little boy said: "No... by minding his own business."

Bible Readings for November 14, 2019

Today our passages are Ezekiel 29:1–30:26; Hebrews 11:32–12:13; Psalm 112:1-10; and Proverbs 27:17.  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 Street, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal by using the link below.

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Ezekiel 29-30:26 (Contemporary English Version)

Ezekiel 29

Judgment on the King of Egypt

 ¹Ten years after King Jehoiachin and the rest of us had been led away as prisoners to Babylonia, the LORD spoke to me on the twelfth day of the tenth month. ^a] He said: ²Ezekiel, son of man, condemn the king of Egypt. Tell him and his people ³that I am saying:

   King of Egypt, you were like a giant crocodile lying in a river. You acted as though you owned the Nile and made it for yourself. But now I, the LORD God, am your enemy! ⁴I will put a hook in your jaw and pull you out of the water, and all the fish in your river will stick to your scaly body. ^b] 5I'll throw you and the fish into the desert, and your body will fall on the hard ground. You will be left unburied, ^c] and wild animals and birds will eat your flesh. ⁶Then everyone in Egypt will know that I am the LORD. You and your nation refused to help the people of Israel and were nothing more than a broken stick. ⁷When they reached out to you for support, you broke in half, cutting their arms and making them fall. ^d] 8So I, the LORD God, will send troops to attack you, king of Egypt. They will kill your people and livestock, ⁹until your land is a barren desert. Then you will know that I have done these things.

   You claimed that you made the Nile River and control it. ¹⁰Now I am turning against you and your river. Your nation will be nothing but an empty wasteland all the way from the town of Migdol in the north to Aswan in the south, and as far as the border of Ethiopia. ^e] 11No human or animal will even dare travel through Egypt, because no sign of life will be found there for forty years. ¹²It will be the most barren place on earth. Every city in Egypt will lie in ruins during those forty years, and I will scatter your people throughout the nations of the world. ¹³Then after those forty years have passed, I will bring your people back from the places where I scattered them. ¹⁴They will once again live in their homeland in southern Egypt. But they will be a weak kingdom ¹⁵and won't ever be strong enough to rule nations, as they did in the past. ¹⁶My own people Israel will never again depend on your nation. In fact, when the Israelites remember what happened to you Egyptians, they will realize how wrong they were to turn to you for help. Then the Israelites will know that I, the LORD God, did these things.   

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia Will Conquer Egypt

 ¹⁷Twenty-seven years after King Jehoiachin and the rest of us had been led away as prisoners to Babylonia, the LORD spoke to me on the first day of the first month. ^f] He said: ¹⁸King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia has attacked the city of Tyre. He forced his soldiers to carry so many heavy loads that their heads were rubbed bald, and their shoulders were red and sore. Nebuchadnezzar and his army still could not capture the city. ¹⁹So now I will hand over the nation of Egypt to him. He will take Egypt's valuable treasures and give them to his own troops. ²⁰Egypt will be his reward, because he and his army have been following my orders. I, the LORD God, have spoken.

    ²¹Ezekiel, when Egypt is defeated, I will make the people of Israel strong, and I will give you the power to speak to them. Then they will know that I, the LORD, have done these things.

   

Ezekiel 30

Egypt Will Be a Barren Desert

 ¹The LORD said:

    ²Ezekiel, son of man, tell the people of Egypt that I am saying:

   Cry out in despair,

    ³because you will soon

   be punished!

   That will be a time

   of darkness and doom

   for all nations.

    ⁴Your own nation of Egypt

   will be attacked,

   and Ethiopia ^g] will suffer. You will be killed in battle,

   and your land will be robbed

   and left in ruins.

    ⁵Soldiers hired from Ethiopia, Libya, Lydia, Arabia, Kub, as well as from Israel, ^h] will die in that battle. ⁶All of your allies will be killed, and your proud strength will crumble. People will die from Migdol in the north to Aswan in the south. I, the LORD, have spoken. ⁷Your nation of Egypt will be the most deserted place on earth, and its cities will lie in complete ruin. ⁸I will set fire to your land, and anyone who defended your nation will die. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

    ⁹On the same day I destroy Egypt, I will send messengers to the Ethiopians to announce their coming destruction. They think they are safe, but they will be terrified.

    ¹⁰Your Egyptian army is very strong, but I will send King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia to completely defeat that army. ¹¹He and his cruel troops will invade and destroy your land and leave your dead bodies piled everywhere.

    ¹²I will dry up the Nile River, then sell the land to evil buyers. I will send foreigners to turn your entire nation into a barren desert. I, the LORD, have spoken.   

Egypt's Proud Cities Will Lie in Ruins

The LORD said to the people of Egypt:

 ¹³All the idols and images you Egyptians worship in the city of Memphis ^i]will be smashed. No one will be left to rule your nation, and terror will fill the land. ¹⁴The city of Pathros will be left in ruins, and Zoan will be burned to the ground. Thebes, ^j] your capital city, will also be destroyed! ¹⁵The fortress city of Pelusium will feel my fierce anger, and all the troops stationed at Thebes will be slaughtered. ¹⁶I will set fire to your nation of Egypt! The city of Pelusium will be in anguish. Thebes will fall, and the people of Memphis will live in constant fear. ^k] 17The young soldiers in the cities of Heliopolis and Bubastis ^l] will die in battle, and the rest of the people will be taken prisoner. ¹⁸You were so proud of your nation's power, but when I crush that power and kill that pride, darkness will fall over the city of Tahpanhes. A dark, gloomy cloud will cover the land as you are being led away into captivity. ¹⁹When I'm through punishing Egypt, you will know that I am the LORD.

Egypt's King Is Powerless

 ²⁰Eleven years after King Jehoiachin and the rest of us had been led away as prisoners to Babylonia, the LORD spoke to me on the seventh day of the first month. ^m] He said: ²¹Ezekiel, son of man, I, the LORD, have defeated the king of Egypt! I broke his arm, and no one has wrapped it or put it in a sling, so that it could heal and get strong enough to hold a sword. ²²So tell him that I am now his worst enemy. I will break both his arms--the good one and the broken one! His sword will drop from his hand forever, ²³and I will scatter the Egyptians all over the world.

    ^24-25I will strengthen the power of Babylonia's king and give him my sword to use against Egypt. I will also make the wounded king of Egypt powerless, and he will moan in pain and die in front of the Babylonian king. Then everyone on earth will know that I am the LORD. ²⁶I will force the Egyptians to live as prisoners in foreign nations, and they will know that I, the LORD, have punished them.

   

Footnotes:

1. Ezekiel 29:1 Ten years. . . tenth month: Probably January of 587 B.C.
2. Ezekiel 29:4 all the fish in your river will stick to your scaly body: All the king's officials will be removed from power and destroyed along with the king himself.
3. Ezekiel 29:5 You will be left unburied: A proper burial in a royal tomb was extremely important to Egyptian kings, because they often thought of themselves as gods.
4. Ezekiel 29:7 making them fall: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
5. Ezekiel 29:10 Ethiopia: The Hebrew text has "Cush," which was a region south of Egypt that included parts of the present countries of Ethiopia and Sudan.
6. Ezekiel 29:17 Twenty-seven. . . first month: Probably March of 571 B.C.
7. Ezekiel 30:4 Ethiopia: See the note at 29.10.
8. Ezekiel 30:5 as well as from Israel: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
9. Ezekiel 30:13 Memphis: Hebrew "Noph."
10. Ezekiel 30:14 Thebes: Hebrew "No."
11. Ezekiel 30:16 the people of Memphis. . . constant fear: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
12. Ezekiel 30:17 Heliopolis and Bubastis: Hebrew "On and Pi-Beseth."
13. Ezekiel 30:20 Eleven years. . . first month: Probably March of 587 B.C.

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Hebrews 11:32-12:13 (Contemporary English Version)

³²What else can I say? There isn't enough time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. ³³Their faith helped them conquer kingdoms, and because they did right, God made promises to them. They closed the jaws of lions ³⁴and put out raging fires and escaped from the swords of their enemies. Although they were weak, they were given the strength and power to chase foreign armies away.

    ³⁵Some women received their loved ones back from death. Many of these people were tortured, but they refused to be released. They were sure that they would get a better reward when the dead are raised to life. ³⁶Others were made fun of and beaten with whips, and some were chained in jail. ³⁷Still others were stoned to death or sawed in two ^a] or killed with swords. Some had nothing but sheep skins or goat skins to wear. They were poor, mistreated, and tortured. ³⁸The world did not deserve these good people, who had to wander in deserts and on mountains and had to live in caves and holes in the ground. ³⁹All of them pleased God because of their faith! But still they died without being given what had been promised. ⁴⁰This was because God had something better in store for us. And he did not want them to reach the goal of their faith without us.

   

Hebrews 12

A Large Crowd of Witnesses

 ¹Such a large crowd of witnesses is all around us! So we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially the sin that just won't let go. And we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us. ²We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete. He endured the shame of being nailed to a cross, because he knew that later on he would be glad he did. Now he is seated at the right side ^b] of God's throne! ³So keep your mind on Jesus, who put up with many insults from sinners. Then you won't get discouraged and give up. ⁴None of you have yet been hurt ^c] in your battle against sin. ⁵But you have forgotten that the Scriptures say to God's children, "When the Lord punishes you,

   don't make light of it,

   and when he corrects you,

   don't be discouraged.

    ⁶The Lord corrects the people

   he loves

   and disciplines those

   he calls his own."

    ⁷Be patient when you are being corrected! This is how God treats his children. Don't all parents correct their children? ⁸God corrects all of his children, and if he doesn't correct you, then you don't really belong to him.⁹Our earthly fathers correct us, and we still respect them. Isn't it even better to be given true life by letting our spiritual Father correct us?

    ¹⁰Our human fathers correct us for a short time, and they do it as they think best. But God corrects us for our own good, because he wants us to be holy, as he is. ¹¹It is never fun to be corrected. In fact, at the time it is always painful. But if we learn to obey by being corrected, we will do right and live at peace.

    ¹²Now stand up straight! Stop your knees from shaking ¹³and walk a straight path. Then lame people will be healed, instead of getting worse.

   

Footnotes:

1. Hebrews 11:37 sawed in two: Some manuscripts have "tested" or "tempted."
2. Hebrews 12:2 right side: See the note at 1.3.
3. Hebrews 12:4 hurt: Or "killed."

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Psalm 112:1-10 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 112

God Blesses His Worshipers

 ¹Shout praises to the LORD!

   The LORD blesses everyone

   who worships him and gladly

   obeys his teachings.

    ²Their descendants will have

   great power in the land,

   because the LORD blesses

   all who do right.

    ³They will get rich and prosper

   and will always be remembered

   for their fairness.

    ⁴They will be so kind

   and merciful and good,

   that they will be a light

   in the dark

   for others

   who do the right thing.

    ⁵Life will go well for those

   who freely lend

   and are honest in business.

    ⁶They won't ever be troubled,

   and the kind things they do

   will never be forgotten.

    ⁷Bad news won't bother them;

   they have decided

   to trust the LORD.

    ⁸They are dependable

   and not afraid,

   and they will live to see

   their enemies defeated.

    ⁹They will always be remembered

   and greatly praised,

   because they were kind

   and freely gave to the poor.

    ¹⁰When evil people see this,

   they angrily bite their tongues

   and disappear.

   They will never get

   what they really want.

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Proverbs 27:17 (Contemporary English Version)

¹⁷Just as iron sharpens iron,

   friends sharpen the minds

   of each other.

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Verse of the Day

“Christ died once for our sins. An innocent person died for those who are guilty. Christ did this to bring you to God, when his body was put to death and his spirit was made alive.” - 1 Peter 3:18

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

Canadian medical scientist, physician, painter, and Nobel laureate noted as the co-discoverer of insulin and its therapeutic potential, Frederick Banting wrote, “In the U.S., the incidence of diabetes has increased proportionately with the per capita consumption of sugar.”

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A Joke for Today

There was a barber who paid close attention at his parish whenever the topic of evangelization was discussed. He thought he should be doing more to share his faith with his customers.

The next morning the barber told the Lord in prayer, “Today I’m going to witness to the first customer who walks through my door.”

A man came in as he opened his shop and said, “I need a shave.” The barber said, “Yes sir! Just have a seat and I’ll be right with you.” The barber went in the back and prayed a quick prayer saying, “Lord, the first customer just came in and I’m going to witness to him. Give me the wisdom to know just the right thing to say. Amen.”

Then the barber came out with his straight razor in one hand and a Bible in the other and told his customer, “I have a question for you: Are you ready to meet your Maker?”