Bible Readings for December 16, 2019

Today our passages are Micah 5:1–7:20; Revelation 7:1-17; Psalm 135:1-21; and Proverbs 30:5-6. 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 Street, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal by using the link below.

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Micah 5-7:20 (Contemporary English Version)

Micah 5

A Promised Ruler

 ¹Jerusalem, enemy troops   have surrounded you; ^a] they have struck Israel's ruler
   in the face with a stick.
    ²Bethlehem Ephrath,
   you are one of the smallest towns
   in the nation of Judah.
   But the LORD will choose
   one of your people
   to rule the nation--
   someone whose family
   goes back to ancient times. ^b] 3The LORD will abandon Israel
   only until this ruler is born,
   and the rest of his family
   returns to Israel.
    ⁴Like a shepherd
   taking care of his sheep,
   this ruler will lead
   and care for his people
   by the power and glorious name
   of the LORD his God.
   His people will live securely,
   and the whole earth will know
   his true greatness,
    ⁵because he will bring peace.
   Let Assyria attack our country
   and our palaces.
   We will counterattack,
   led by a number of rulers   

Assyria Will Be Defeated

 ⁶whose strong army will defeat   the nation of Assyria. ^c] Yes, our leaders will rescue us,
   if those Assyrians
   dare to invade our land.   

The Survivors Will Be Safe

 ⁷A few of Jacob's descendants   survived and are scattered
   among the nations.
   But the LORD will let them
   cover the earth
   like dew and rain
   that refreshes the soil.
    ⁸At present they are scattered,
   but later they will attack,
   as though they were fierce lions
   pouncing on sheep.
   Their enemies will be torn
   to shreds,
   with no one to save them;
    ⁹they will be helpless,
   completely destroyed.   

Idols Will Be Destroyed in Israel

 ¹⁰The LORD said:   At that time I will wipe out
   your cavalry and chariots,
    ¹¹as well as your cities
   and your fortresses.
    ¹²I will stop you
   from telling fortunes
   and practicing witchcraft.
    ¹³You will no longer worship
   the idols or stone images
   you have made--
   I will destroy them,
    ¹⁴together with the sacred poles ^d] and even your towns.
    ¹⁵I will become furious
   and take revenge
   on the nations
   that refuse to obey me.
   

Micah 6

The LORD's Challenge to His People

 ¹The LORD said to his people:   Come and present your case
   to the hills and mountains.
    ²Israel, I am bringing charges
   against you--
   I call upon the mountains
   and the earth's firm foundation
   to be my witnesses.
    ³My people, have I wronged you
   in any way at all?
   Please tell me.
    ⁴I rescued you from Egypt,
   where you were slaves.
   I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam
   to be your leaders.
    ⁵Don't forget the evil plans
   of King Balak of Moab
   or what Balaam son of Beor ^e] said to him.
   Remember how I, the LORD,
   saved you many times
   on your way from Acacia
   to Gilgal. ^f]

True Obedience

 ⁶What offering should I bring   when I bow down to worship
   the LORD God Most High?
   Should I try to please him ^g] by sacrificing
   calves a year old?
    ⁷Will thousands of sheep
   or rivers of olive oil
   make God satisfied with me?
   Should I sacrifice to the LORD
   my first-born child
   as payment
   for my terrible sins?
    ⁸The LORD God has told us
   what is right
   and what he demands:
   "See that justice is done,
   let mercy be your first concern,
   and humbly obey your God."   

Cheating and Violence

 ⁹I am the LORD,   and it makes sense to respect
   my power to punish.
   So listen to my message
   for the city of Jerusalem: ^h] 10You store up stolen treasures
   and use dishonest scales. ^i] 11But I, the LORD, will punish you
   for cheating with weights
   and with measures.
    ¹²You rich people are violent,
   and everyone tells lies.
    ¹³Because of your sins,
   I will wound you
   and leave you
   ruined and defenseless.
    ¹⁴You will eat,
   but still be hungry;
   you will store up goods,
   but lose everything--
   I, the LORD, will let it all
   be captured in war.
    ¹⁵You won't harvest what you plant
   or use the oil
   from your olive trees
   or drink the wine
   from grapes you grow.
    ¹⁶Jerusalem, this will happen
   because you followed
   the sinful example
   of kings Omri and Ahab. ^j] Now I will destroy you
   and your property.
   Then the people of every nation
   will make fun and insult you.
   

Micah 7

Israel Is Corrupt

 ¹I feel so empty inside--   like someone starving
   for grapes or figs,
   after the vines and trees
   have all been picked clean.
    ²No one is loyal to God;
   no one does right.
   Everyone is brutal
   and eager to deceive
   everyone else.
    ³People cooperate to commit crime.
   Judges and leaders demand bribes,
   and rulers cheat in court. ^k] 4The most honest of them
   is worse than a thorn patch.
   Your doom has come!
   Lookouts sound the warning,
   and everyone panics.
    ⁵Don't trust anyone,
   not even your best friend,
   and be careful what you say
   to the one you love.
    ⁶Sons refuse to respect
   their own fathers,
   daughters rebel against
   their own mothers,
   and daughters-in-law despise
   their mothers-in-law.
   Your family is now your enemy.
    ⁷But I trust the LORD God
   to save me,
   and I will wait for him
   to answer my prayer.   

The Nation Turns to God

 ⁸My enemies, don't be glad   because of my troubles!
   I may have fallen,
   but I will get up;
   I may be sitting in the dark,
   but the LORD is my light.
    ⁹I have sinned against the LORD.
   And so I must endure his anger,
   until he comes to my defense.
   But I know that I will see him
   making things right for me
   and leading me to the light.
    ¹⁰You, my enemies, said,
   "The LORD God is helpless."
   Now each of you
   will be disgraced
   and put to shame.
   I will see you trampled
   like mud in the street.   

A Bright Future

 ¹¹Towns of Judah, the day is coming   when your walls will be rebuilt,
   and your boundaries enlarged.
    ¹²People will flock to you
   from Assyria and Egypt,
   from Babylonia ^l] and everywhere else.
    ¹³Those nations will suffer disaster
   because of what they did.   

Micah's Prayer and the LORD's Answer

 ¹⁴Lead your people, LORD!   Come and be our shepherd.
   Grasslands surround us,
   but we live in a forest.
   So lead us to Bashan and Gilead, ^m] and let us find pasture
   as we did long ago.
    ¹⁵I, the LORD, will work miracles
   just as I did
   when I led you
   out of Egypt.
    ¹⁶Nations will see this
   and be ashamed
   because
   of their helpless armies.
   They will be in shock,
   unable to speak or hear,
    ¹⁷because of their fear of me,
   your LORD and God.
   Then they will come trembling,
   crawling out of their fortresses
   like insects or snakes,
   lapping up the dust.   

No One Is Like God

The people said:

 ¹⁸Our God, no one is like you.   We are all that is left
   of your chosen people,
   and you freely forgive
   our sin and guilt.
   You don't stay angry forever;
   you're glad to have pity
    ¹⁹and pleased to be merciful.
   You will trample on our sins
   and throw them in the sea.
    ²⁰You will keep your word
   and be faithful to Jacob
   and to Abraham,
   as you promised our ancestors
   many years ago. 

Footnotes:

1. Micah 5:1 Jerusalem. . . you: Or "Jerusalem, you are slashing yourself in sorrow, because of the enemy troops."
2. Micah 5:2 family. . . times: Or "kingdom is eternal."
3. Micah 5:6 the nation of Assyria: The Hebrew text uses both "land of Assyria" and "land of Nimrod," which was a poetic name for Assyria.
4. Micah 5:14 sacred poles: Used in the worship of Asherah, the fertility goddess.
5. Micah 6:5 Balak. . . Beor: See Numbers 22-24.
6. Micah 6:5 Acacia to Gilgal: Acacia was where the Israelites camped after the experience with Balaam (see Numbers 25.1; Joshua 2.1; 3.1); Gilgal was where they camped while waiting to attack Jericho (see Joshua 4.19--5.12).
7. Micah 6:6 try to please him: This refers to what are traditionally called "burnt sacrifices," which were offered as a way of pleasing the LORD.
8. Micah 6:9 Jerusalem: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 9.
9. Micah 6:10 scales: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 10.
10. Micah 6:16 Omri and Ahab: King Ahab was the son of Omri and the husband of the evil Jezebel. Almost two centuries before Micah, the prophet Elijah had spoken against the idolatry and the other sinful practices that Ahab had encouraged in Israel (see 1 Kings 16.21-34; 18.1-18; 21.1-26).
11. Micah 7:3 court: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 3.
12. Micah 7:12 Babylonia: The Hebrew text has "the river," meaning the Euphrates River, which stood for Babylonia.
13. Micah 7:14 Bashan and Gilead: Two regions east of the Jordan River, known for their fertile pasturelands.

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Revelation 7:1-17 (Contemporary English Version)

Revelation 7

The 144,000 Are Marked for God

 ^1-2After this I saw four angels. Each one was standing on one of the earth's four corners. The angels held back the four winds, so that no wind would blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree. These angels had also been given the power to harm the earth and the sea. Then I saw another angel come up from where the sun rises in the east, and he was ready to put the mark of the living God on people. He shouted to the four angels, ³"Don't harm the earth or the sea or any tree! Wait until I have marked the foreheads of the servants of our God."    ⁴Then I heard how many people had been marked on the forehead. There were one hundred forty-four thousand, and they came from every tribe of Israel:
    ⁵12,000 from Judah,
   12,000 from Reuben,
   12,000 from Gad,
    ⁶12,000 from Asher,
   12,000 from Naphtali,
   12,000 from Manasseh,
    ⁷12,000 from Simeon,
   12,000 from Levi,
   12,000 from Issachar,
    ⁸12,000 from Zebulun,
   12,000 from Joseph, and
   12,000 from Benjamin.   

People from Every Nation

 ⁹After this, I saw a large crowd with more people than could be counted. They were from every race, tribe, nation, and language, and they stood before the throne and before the Lamb. They wore white robes and held palm branches in their hands, ¹⁰as they shouted,   "Our God, who sits
   upon the throne,
   has the power
   to save his people,
   and so does the Lamb."
    ¹¹The angels who stood around the throne knelt in front of it with their faces to the ground. The elders and the four living creatures knelt there with them. Then they all worshiped God ¹²and said,
   "Amen! Praise, glory, wisdom,
   thanks, honor, power,
   and strength belong to our God
   forever and ever! Amen!"
    ¹³One of the elders asked me, "Do you know who these people are that are dressed in white robes? Do you know where they come from?"
    ¹⁴"Sir," I answered, "you must know."
   Then he told me:
   "These are the ones
   who have gone through
   the great suffering.
   They have washed their robes
   in the blood of the Lamb
   and have made them white.
    ¹⁵And so they stand
   before the throne of God
   and worship him in his temple
   day and night.
   The one who sits on the throne
   will spread his tent
   over them.
    ¹⁶They will never hunger
   or thirst again,
   and they won't be troubled
   by the sun
   or any scorching heat.
    ¹⁷The Lamb in the center
   of the throne
   will be their shepherd.
   He will lead them to streams
   of life-giving water,
   and God will wipe all tears
   from their eyes."

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Psalm 135:1-21 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 135

In Praise of the LORD's Kindness

 ¹Shout praises to the LORD!   You are his servants,
   so praise his name.
    ²All who serve in the temple
   of the LORD our God,
    ³come and shout praises.
   Praise the name of the LORD!
   He is kind and good.
    ⁴He chose the family of Jacob
   and the people of Israel
   for his very own.
    ⁵The LORD is much greater
   than any other god.
    ⁶He does as he chooses
   in heaven and on earth
   and deep in the sea.
    ⁷The LORD makes the clouds rise
   from far across the earth,
   and he makes lightning
   to go with the rain.
   Then from his secret place
   he sends out the wind.
    ⁸The LORD killed the first-born
   of people and animals
   in the land of Egypt.
    ⁹God used miracles and wonders
   to fight the king of Egypt
   and all of his officials.
    ¹⁰He destroyed many nations
   and killed powerful kings,
    ¹¹including King Sihon
   of the Amorites
   and King Og of Bashan.
   He conquered every kingdom
   in the land of Canaan
    ¹²and gave their property
   to his people Israel.
    ¹³The name of the LORD
   will be remembered forever,
   and he will be famous
   for all time to come.
    ¹⁴The LORD will bring justice
   and show mercy
   to all
   who serve him.
    ¹⁵Idols of silver and gold
   are made
   and worshiped
   in other nations.
    ¹⁶They have a mouth and eyes,
   but they can't speak or see.
    ¹⁷They are completely deaf,
   and they can't breathe.
    ¹⁸Everyone who makes idols
   and all who trust them
   will end up as helpless
   as their idols.
    ¹⁹Everyone in Israel,
   come praise the LORD!
   All the family of Aaron
    ²⁰and all the tribe of Levi, ^a] come praise the LORD!
   All of his worshipers,
   come praise the LORD.
    ²¹Praise the LORD from Zion!
   He lives here in Jerusalem.
   Shout praises to the LORD! 

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 135:20 Aaron. . . Levi: Aaron was from the tribe of Levi, and all priests were from his family. The temple helpers, singers, and musicians were also from the tribe of Levi.

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Proverbs 30:5-6 (Contemporary English Version)

⁵Everything God says is true--
   and it's a shield for all
   who come to him for safety.
    ⁶Don't change what God has said!
   He will correct you and show
   that you are a liar.

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Verse of the Day

“[Mary's Song of Praise]Mary said: With all my heart I praise the Lord, and I am glad because of God my Savior. God All-Powerful has done great things for me, and his name is holy.” - Luke 1:46-47, 49

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

English Anglican cleric who was one of the founders of Methodism and the evangelical movement, George Whitefield wrote, “It is a poor sermon that gives no offense; that neither makes the hearer displeased with himself nor with the preacher.”

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A Joke for Today

The pastor was talking to a group of young children about being good and going to heaven. At the end of his talk, he asked, "Where do you want to go?"

"Heaven!" they all piped up.

"And what do you have to do to get there?"

They said, "Be dead!"

Bible Readings for December 15, 2019

Today our passages are Micah 1:1–4:13; Revelation 6:1-17; Psalm 134:1-3; and Proverbs 30:1-4. 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 Street, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal by using the link below.

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Micah 1-4:13 (Contemporary English Version)

Micah 1

 ¹I am Micah from Moresheth. ^a] And this is the message about Samaria and Jerusalem ^b] that the LORD gave to me when Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah ^c]were the kings of Judah.

Judgment on Samaria

 ²Listen, all of you!   Earth and everything on it,
   pay close attention.
   The LORD God accuses you
   from his holy temple. ^d] 3And he will come down
   to crush underfoot
   every pagan altar.
    ⁴Mountains will melt
   beneath his feet
   like wax beside a fire.
   Valleys will vanish like water
   rushing down a ravine.
    ⁵This will happen because of
   the terrible sins of Israel,
   the descendants of Jacob.
   Samaria has led Israel to sin,
   and pagan altars at Jerusalem
   have made Judah sin.
    ⁶So the LORD will leave Samaria
   in ruins--
   merely an empty field
   where vineyards are planted.
   He will scatter its stones
   and destroy its foundations.
    ⁷Samaria's idols will be smashed,
   and the wages
   of temple prostitutes ^e] will be destroyed by fire.
   Silver and gold from those idols
   will then be used
   by foreigners
   as payment for prostitutes.   

Judah Is Doomed

 ⁸Because of this tragedy, ^f] I go barefoot and naked.   My crying and weeping
   sound like howling wolves
   or ostriches.
    ⁹The nation is fatally wounded.
   Judah is doomed.
   Jerusalem will fall.
    ¹⁰Don't tell it in Gath!
   Don't even cry.
   Instead, roll in the dust
   at Beth-Leaphrah. ^g] 11Depart naked and ashamed,
   you people of Shaphir. ^h] The town of Bethezel ^i] mourns because no one from Zaanan ^j] went out to help. ^k] 12Everyone in Maroth ^l] hoped for the best,
   but the LORD sent disaster
   down on Jerusalem.
    ¹³Get the war chariots ready,
   you people of Lachish. ^m] You led Jerusalem into sin,
   just as Israel did. ^n] 14Now you will have to give
   a going-away gift ^o] to Moresheth. ^p] Israel's kings will discover
   that they cannot trust
   the town of Achzib. ^q] 15People of Mareshah, ^r] the LORD will send someone
   to capture your town.
   Then Israel's glorious king
   will be forced to hide
   in Adullam Cave. ^s] 16Judah, shave your head
   as bald as a buzzard
   and start mourning.
   Your precious children ^t] will be dragged off
   to a foreign country.
   

Micah 2

Punishment for Those Who Abuse Their Power

 ¹Doomed! You're doomed!   At night you lie in bed,
   making evil plans.
   And when morning comes,
   you do what you've planned
   because you have the power.
    ²You grab any field or house
   that you want;
   you cheat families
   out of homes and land.
    ³But here is what the LORD says:
   "I am planning trouble for you.
   Your necks will be caught
   in a noose,
   and you will be disgraced
   in this time of disaster."
    ⁴When that happens,
   this sorrowful song
   will be sung about you:
   "Ruined! Completely ruined!
   The LORD has taken our land
   and given it to traitors." ^u] 5And so you will never again
   own property
   among the LORD's people.
    ⁶"Enough of your preaching!"
   That's what you tell me.
   "We won't be disgraced,
   so stop preaching!"
    ⁷Descendants of Jacob,
   is it right for you to claim
   that the LORD did what he did
   because he was angry?
   Doesn't he always bless
   those who do right?
    ⁸My people, you have even stolen
   clothes right off the backs
   of your unsuspecting soldiers
   returning home from battle.
    ⁹You take over lovely homes
   that belong to the women
   of my nation.
   Then you cheat their children
   out of the inheritance
   that comes from the LORD. ^v] 10Get out of here, you crooks!
   You'll find no rest here.
   You're not fit to belong
   to the LORD's people,
   and you will be destroyed. ^w] 11The only prophet you want
   is a liar who will say,
   "Drink and get drunk!"   

A Promise of Hope

 ¹²I, the LORD, promise   to bring together
   the people of Israel
   who have survived.
   I will gather them,
   just as a shepherd
   brings sheep together,
   and there will be many.
    ¹³I will break down the gate
   and lead them out--
   then I will be their king.
   

Micah 3

Evil Rulers and Lying Prophets

 ¹Listen to me,   you rulers of Israel!
   You know right from wrong,
    ²but you prefer to do evil
   instead of what is right.
   You skin my people alive.
   You strip off their flesh,
    ³break their bones,
   cook it all in a pot,
   and gulp it down.
    ⁴Someday you will beg the LORD
   to help you,
   but he will turn away
   because of your sins.
    ⁵You lying prophets promise
   security for anyone
   who gives you food,
   but disaster for anyone
   who refuses to feed you.
   Here is what the LORD says
   to you prophets:
    ⁶"You will live in the dark,
   far from the sight of the sun,
   with no message from me.
    ⁷You prophets and fortunetellers
   will all be disgraced,
   with no message from me."
    ⁸But the LORD has filled me
   with power and his Spirit.
   I have been given the courage
   to speak about justice
   and to tell you people of Israel
   that you have sinned.
    ⁹So listen to my message,
   you rulers of Israel!
   You hate justice
   and twist the truth.
    ¹⁰You make cruelty and murder
   a way of life in Jerusalem.
    ¹¹You leaders accept bribes
   for dishonest decisions.
   You priests and prophets
   teach and preach,
   but only for money.
   Then you say,
   "The LORD is on our side.
   No harm will come to us."
    ¹²And so, because of you,
   Jerusalem will be plowed under
   and left in ruins.
   Thorns will cover the mountain
   where the temple now stands.
   

Micah 4

Peace and Prosperity

 ¹In the future, the mountain   with the LORD's temple
   will be the highest of all.
   It will reach above the hills,
   and every nation
   will rush to it.
    ²People of many nations
   will come and say,
   "Let's go up to the mountain
   of the LORD God of Jacob
   and worship in his temple."
   The LORD will teach us his Law
   from Jerusalem,
   and we will obey him.
    ³He will settle arguments
   between distant
   and powerful nations.
   They will pound their swords
   and their spears
   into rakes and shovels;
   they will never again make war
   or attack one another.
    ⁴Everyone will find rest
   beneath their own fig trees
   or grape vines,
   and they will live in peace.
   This is a solemn promise
   of the LORD All-Powerful.
    ⁵Others may follow their gods,
   but we will always follow
   the LORD our God.   

The LORD Will Lead His People Home

 ⁶The LORD said:   At that time
   I will gather my people--
   the lame and the outcasts,
   and all into whose lives
   I have brought sorrow.
    ⁷Then the lame and the outcasts
   will belong to my people
   and become a strong nation.
   I, the LORD, will rule them
   from Mount Zion forever.
    ⁸Mount Zion in Jerusalem,
   guardian of my people,
   you will rule again.
    ⁹Jerusalem, why are you crying?
   Don't you have a king?
   Have your advisors gone?
   Are you suffering
   like a woman in childbirth?
    ¹⁰Keep on groaning with pain,
   you people of Jerusalem!
   If you escape from your city
   to the countryside,
   you will still be taken
   as prisoners to Babylonia.
   But later I will rescue you
   from your enemies.
    ¹¹Zion, because of your sins
   you are surrounded
   by many nations who say,
   "We can hardly wait
   to see you disgraced." ^x] 12But they don't know
   that I, the LORD,
   have gathered them here
   to grind them like grain.
    ¹³Smash them to pieces, Zion!
   I'll let you be like a bull
   with iron horns
   and bronze hoofs.
   Crush those nations
   and bring their wealth to me,
   the LORD of the earth. 

Footnotes:

1. Micah 1:1 Moresheth: A town in southern Judah not far from Gath. In verse 14 it is called Moresheth-Gath.
2. Micah 1:1 Samaria and Jerusalem: Samaria was the capital of the northern kingdom (Israel), and Jerusalem was the capital of the southern kingdom (Judah).
3. Micah 1:1 Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah: Jotham, the son of Uzziah, ruled Judah 740-736 B.C.; Ahaz, the son of Jotham, ruled 736-716 B.C.; Hezekiah, the son of Ahaz, ruled 716-687 B.C.
4. Micah 1:2 holy temple: Possibly the one in heaven, though it may be the Jerusalem temple.
5. Micah 1:7 wages of temple prostitutes: At pagan temples, people had sex with prostitutes as a way of worshiping the idols, and the money earned in this way was used to support the pagan religion.
6. Micah 1:8 this tragedy: Either the destruction of Samaria (verses 6,7) or the coming destruction of Judah and Jerusalem.
7. Micah 1:10 Gath. . . Beth-Leaphrah: Gath was a Philistine city; Beth-Leaphrah is unknown, but in Hebrew it sounds like "House of Dust."
8. Micah 1:11 Shaphir: Mentioned only here in the Old Testament; in Hebrew "Shaphir" means "beautiful."
9. Micah 1:11 Bethezel: Mentioned only here in the Old Testament; in Hebrew "Bethezel" means "house next door."
10. Micah 1:11 Zaanan: Mentioned only here in the Old Testament; in Hebrew "Zaanan" means "one who goes out."
11. Micah 1:11 The town. . . help: Or "No one from Zaanan refused to desert their town, and Bethezel mourns because it is left undefended."
12. Micah 1:12 Maroth: Mentioned only here in the Old Testament; in Hebrew "Maroth" means "bitter."
13. Micah 1:13 Lachish: The chief city of southwest Judah, about thirty miles from Jerusalem.
14. Micah 1:13 led. . . sin. . . did: Or "You led Jerusalem and Israel into sin." In Hebrew "Lachish" sounds like "a team of horses (that pulls a war chariot)." And the sin may be that Lachish led the nation to trust the power of war chariots instead of the LORD. But the sin could be idolatry or some false teachings that were brought in from Egypt by way of Lachish.
15. Micah 1:14 going-away gift: The gift (dowry) that a bride's father gave her when she left the home of her parents to live with the family of her husband. In Hebrew the word for "bride" or "fiancee" sounds like "Moresheth."
16. Micah 1:14 Moresheth: Hebrew "Moresheth-Gath"; the home of Micah (see verse 1).
17. Micah 1:14 Achzib: Meaning "lie" or "deception" was near Adullam Cave (verse 15), where David hid from King Saul (see 1 Samuel 22.1,2). Micah probably means that the people of Israel (including their king) will have to run for their lives, but will find that all hope for escape is merely a "lie" (see verse 15).
18. Micah 1:15 Mareshah: Sounds something like the Hebrew word for "conqueror" and was only a few miles northeast of Lachish.
19. Micah 1:15 Adullam Cave: See the note at 1.14.
20. Micah 1:16 precious children: The towns mentioned in verses 10-15.
21. Micah 2:4 The LORD. . . traitors: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
22. Micah 2:9 inheritance. . . LORD: The Hebrew text has "my glory," which refers to the inheritance of land that the LORD had promised his people.
23. Micah 2:10 destroyed: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
24. Micah 4:11 We. . . disgraced: Or "We'll pull up your skirt and expose your nakedness!"

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Revelation 6:1-17 (Contemporary English Version)

Revelation 6

Opening the Seven Seals

 ¹At the same time that I saw the Lamb open the first of the seven seals, I heard one of the four living creatures shout with a voice like thunder. It said, "Come out!" ²Then I saw a white horse. Its rider carried a bow and was given a crown. He had already won some victories, and he went out to win more.    ³When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, "Come out!" ⁴Then another horse came out. It was fiery red. And its rider was given the power to take away all peace from the earth, so that people would slaughter one another. He was also given a big sword.
    ⁵When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come out!" Then I saw a black horse, and its rider had a balance scale in one hand. ⁶I heard what sounded like a voice from somewhere among the four living creatures. It said, "A quart of wheat will cost you a whole day's wages! Three quarts of barley will cost you a day's wages too. But don't ruin the olive oil or the wine."
    ⁷When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come out!" ⁸Then I saw a pale green horse. Its rider was named Death, and Death's Kingdom followed behind. They were given power over one fourth of the earth, and they could kill its people with swords, famines, diseases, and wild animals.
    ⁹When the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of everyone who had been killed for speaking God's message and telling about their faith. ¹⁰They shouted, "Master, you are holy and faithful! How long will it be before you judge and punish the people of this earth who killed us?"
    ¹¹Then each of those who had been killed was given a white robe and told to rest for a little while. They had to wait until the complete number of the Lord's other servants and followers would be killed.
    ¹²When I saw the Lamb open the sixth seal, I looked and saw a great earthquake. The sun turned as dark as sackcloth, ^a] and the moon became as red as blood. ¹³The stars in the sky fell to earth, just like figs shaken loose by a windstorm. ¹⁴Then the sky was rolled up like a scroll, ^b] and all mountains and islands were moved from their places. ¹⁵The kings of the earth, its famous people, and its military leaders hid in caves or behind rocks on the mountains. They hid there together with the rich and the powerful and with all the slaves and free people. ¹⁶Then they shouted to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us! Hide us from the one who sits on the throne and from the anger of the Lamb. ¹⁷That terrible day has come! God and the Lamb will show their anger, and who can face it?" 

Footnotes:

1. Revelation 6:12 sackcloth: A rough, dark-colored cloth made from goat or camel hair and used to make grain sacks. It was worn in times of trouble or sorrow.
2. Revelation 6:14 scroll: See the note at 5.1.

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Psalm 134:1-3 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 134

(A song for worship.)

Praising the LORD at Night

 ¹Everyone who serves the LORD,   come and offer praises.
   Everyone who has gathered
   in his temple tonight,
    ²lift your hands in prayer
   toward his holy place
   and praise the LORD.
    ³The LORD is the Creator
   of heaven and earth,
   and I pray that the LORD
   will bless you from Zion.

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Proverbs 30:1-4 (Contemporary English Version)

Proverbs 30

The Sayings of Agur

 ¹These are the sayings   and the message
   of Agur son of Jakeh.
   Someone cries out to God,
   "I am completely worn out!
   How can I last? ^a] 2I am far too stupid
   to be considered human.
    ³I never was wise,
   and I don't understand
   what God is like."
    ⁴Has anyone gone up to heaven
   and come back down?
   Has anyone grabbed hold
   of the wind?
   Has anyone wrapped up the sea
   or marked out boundaries
   for the earth?
   If you know of any
   who have done such things,
   then tell me their names
   and their children's names. 

Footnotes:

1. Proverbs 30:1 last: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 1.

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Verse of the Day

 

“Then the angel told Mary, "Don't be afraid! God is pleased with you, and you will have a son. His name will be Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of God Most High. The Lord God will make him king, as his ancestor David was. He will rule the people of Israel forever, and his kingdom will never end.” - Luke 1:30-33

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

Brazilian architect, Oscar Niemeyer wrote, “Humanity needs dreams to be able to survive the miseries of daily existence, even if only for an instant.”

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A Joke for Today

It's wise to remember how easily this wonderful technology can be misused, sometimes unintentionally, with serious consequences.

Consider the case of the Illinois man who left the snow-filled streets of Chicago for a vacation in Florida. His wife was on a business trip and was planning to meet him there the next day. When he reached his hotel, he decided to send his wife a quick e-mail. Unable to find the scrap of paper on which he had written her e-mail address, he did his best to type it in from memory.

Unfortunately, he missed one letter, and his note was directed instead to an elderly preacher's wife, whose husband had passed away only the day before. When the grieving widow checked here-mail, she took one look at the monitor, let out a piercing scream, and fell to the floor in a dead faint.

At the sound, her family rushed into the room and saw this note on the screen: 

Dearest Wife,

Just got checked in. Everything prepared for your arrival tomorrow.

PS. Sure is hot down here.

Bible Readings for December 16, 2018

Today our passages are Micah 5:1–7:20; Revelation 7:1-17; Psalm 135:1-21; and Proverbs 30:5-6. The readings are from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson. 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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Micah 5-7:20 (The Message)

Micah 5

The Leader Who Will Shepherd-Rule Israel

¹ But for now, prepare for the worst, victim daughter! The siege is set against us.
They humiliate Israel's king,
slapping him around like a rag doll. ^2-4But you, Bethlehem, David's country,
the runt of the litter—
From you will come the leader
who will shepherd-rule Israel.
He'll be no upstart, no pretender.
His family tree is ancient and distinguished.
Meanwhile, Israel will be in foster homes
until the birth pangs are over and the child is born,
And the scattered brothers come back
home to the family of Israel.
He will stand tall in his shepherd-rule by God's strength,
centered in the majesty of God-Revealed.
And the people will have a good and safe home,
for the whole world will hold him in respect—
Peacemaker of the world!
^5-6And if some bullying Assyrian shows up,
invades and violates our land, don't worry.
We'll put him in his place, send him packing,
and watch his every move.
Shepherd-rule will extend as far as needed,
to Assyria and all other Nimrod-bullies.
Our shepherd-ruler will save us from old or new enemies,
from anyone who invades or violates our land.
⁷The purged and select company of Jacob will be
like an island in the sea of peoples.
They'll be like dew from God,
like summer showers
Not mentioned in the weather forecast,
not subject to calculation or control.
^8-9Yes, the purged and select company of Jacob will be
like an island in the sea of peoples,
Like the king of beasts among wild beasts,
like a young lion loose in a flock of sheep,
Killing and devouring the lambs
and no one able to stop him.
With your arms raised in triumph over your foes,
your enemies will be no more!
^10-15"The day is coming"
—God's Decree—
"When there will be no more war. None.
I'll slaughter your war horses and demolish your chariots.
I'll dismantle military posts
and level your fortifications.
I'll abolish your religious black markets,
your underworld traffic in black magic.
I will smash your carved and cast gods
and chop down your phallic posts.
No more taking control of the world,
worshiping what you do or make.
I'll root out your sacred sex-and-power centers
and destroy the God-defiant.
In raging anger, I'll make a clean sweep
of godless nations who haven't listened." 

Micah 6

What God Is Looking For

^1-2 Listen now, listen to God: "Take your stand in court.
If you have a complaint, tell the mountains;
make your case to the hills.
And now, Mountains, hear God's case;
listen, Jury Earth—
For I am bringing charges against my people.
I am building a case against Israel. ^3-5"Dear people, how have I done you wrong?
Have I burdened you, worn you out? Answer!
I delivered you from a bad life in Egypt;
I paid a good price to get you out of slavery.
I sent Moses to lead you—
and Aaron and Miriam to boot!
Remember what Balak king of Moab tried to pull,
and how Balaam son of Beor turned the tables on him.
Remember all those stories about Shittim and Gilgal.
Keep all God's salvation stories fresh and present."
^6-7How can I stand up before God
and show proper respect to the high God?
Should I bring an armload of offerings
topped off with yearling calves?
Would God be impressed with thousands of rams,
with buckets and barrels of olive oil?
Would he be moved if I sacrificed my firstborn child,
my precious baby, to cancel my sin?
⁸But he's already made it plain how to live, what to do,
what God is looking for in men and women.
It's quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,
be compassionate and loyal in your love,
And don't take yourself too seriously—
take God seriously.
⁹Attention! God calls out to the city!
If you know what's good for you, you'll listen.
So listen, all of you!
This is serious business.
^10-16"Do you expect me to overlook obscene wealth
you've piled up by cheating and fraud?
Do you think I'll tolerate shady deals
and shifty scheming?
I'm tired of the violent rich
bullying their way with bluffs and lies.
I'm fed up. Beginning now, you're finished.
You'll pay for your sins down to your last cent.
No matter how much you get, it will never be enough—
hollow stomachs, empty hearts.
No matter how hard you work, you'll have nothing to show for it—
bankrupt lives, wasted souls.
You'll plant grass
but never get a lawn.
You'll make jelly
but never spread it on your bread.
You'll press apples
but never drink the cider.
You have lived by the standards of your king, Omri,
the decadent lifestyle of the family of Ahab.
Because you've slavishly followed their fashions,
I'm forcing you into bankruptcy.
Your way of life will be laughed at, a tasteless joke.
Your lives will be derided as futile and fake." 

Micah 7

Stick Around to See What God Will Do

^1-6 I'm overwhelmed with sorrow! sunk in a swamp of despair!
I'm like someone who goes to the garden
to pick cabbages and carrots and corn
And returns empty-handed,
finds nothing for soup or sandwich or salad.
There's not a decent person in sight.
Right-living humans are extinct.
They're all out for one another's blood,
animals preying on each other.
They've all become experts in evil.
Corrupt leaders demand bribes.
The powerful rich
make sure they get what they want.
The best and brightest are thistles.
The top of the line is crabgrass.
But no longer: It's exam time.
Look at them slinking away in disgrace!
Don't trust your neighbor,
don't confide in your friend.
Watch your words,
even with your spouse.
Neighborhoods and families are falling to pieces.
The closer they are—sons, daughters, in-laws—
The worse they can be.
Your own family is the enemy. ⁷But me, I'm not giving up.
I'm sticking around to see what God will do.
I'm waiting for God to make things right.
I'm counting on God to listen to me. 

Spreading Your Wings

^8-10Don't, enemy, crow over me.
I'm down, but I'm not out.
I'm sitting in the dark right now,
but God is my light.
I can take God's punishing rage.
I deserve it—I sinned.
But it's not forever. He's on my side
and is going to get me out of this.
He'll turn on the lights and show me his ways.
I'll see the whole picture and how right he is.
And my enemy will see it, too,
and be discredited—yes, disgraced!
This enemy who kept taunting,
"So where is this God of yours?"
I'm going to see it with these, my own eyes—
my enemy disgraced, trash in the gutter. ^11-13Oh, that will be a day! A day for rebuilding your city,
a day for stretching your arms, spreading your wings!
All your dispersed and scattered people will come back,
old friends and family from faraway places,
From Assyria in the east to Egypt in the west,
from across the seas and out of the mountains.
But there'll be a reversal for everyone else—massive depopulation—
because of the way they lived, the things they did.
^14-17Shepherd, O God, your people with your staff,
your dear and precious flock.
Uniquely yours in a grove of trees,
centered in lotus land.
Let them graze in lush Bashan
as in the old days in green Gilead.
Reproduce the miracle-wonders
of our exodus from Egypt.
And the godless nations: Put them in their place—
humiliated in their arrogance, speechless and clueless.
Make them slink like snakes, crawl like cockroaches,
come out of their holes from under their rocks
And face our God.
Fill them with holy fear and trembling.
^18-20Where is the god who can compare with you—
wiping the slate clean of guilt,
Turning a blind eye, a deaf ear,
to the past sins of your purged and precious people?
You don't nurse your anger and don't stay angry long,
for mercy is your specialty. That's what you love most.
And compassion is on its way to us.
You'll stamp out our wrongdoing.
You'll sink our sins
to the bottom of the ocean.
You'll stay true to your word to Father Jacob
and continue the compassion you showed Grandfather Abraham—
Everything you promised our ancestors
from a long time ago.

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Revelation 7:1-17 (The Message)

Revelation 7

The Servants of God

¹ Immediately I saw Four Angels standing at the four corners of earth, standing steady with a firm grip on the four winds so no wind would blow on earth or sea, not even rustle a tree. ^2-3Then I saw another Angel rising from where the sun rose, carrying the seal of the Living God. He thundered to the Four Angels assigned the task of hurting earth and sea, "Don't hurt the earth! Don't hurt the sea! Don't so much as hurt a tree until I've sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads!" ^4-8I heard the count of those who were sealed: 144,000! They were sealed out of every Tribe of Israel: 12,000 sealed from Judah, 12,000 from Reuben, 12,000 from Gad, 12,000 from Asher, 12,000 from Naphtali, 12,000 from Manasseh, 12,000 from Simeon, 12,000 from Levi, 12,000 from Issachar, 12,000 from Zebulun, 12,000 from Joseph, 12,000 sealed from Benjamin.
^9-12I looked again. I saw a huge crowd, too huge to count. Everyone was there—all nations and tribes, all races and languages. And they were standing, dressed in white robes and waving palm branches, standing before the Throne and the Lamb and heartily singing:

Salvation to our God on his Throne!
Salvation to the Lamb!
All who were standing around the Throne—Angels, Elders, Animals— fell on their faces before the Throne and worshiped God, singing:

Oh, Yes!
The blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving,
The honor and power and strength,
To our God forever and ever and ever!
Oh, Yes!
^13-14Just then one of the Elders addressed me: "Who are these dressed in white robes, and where did they come from?" Taken aback, I said, "O Sir, I have no idea—but you must know."
^14-17Then he told me, "These are those who come from the great tribulation, and they've washed their robes, scrubbed them clean in the blood of the Lamb. That's why they're standing before God's Throne. They serve him day and night in his Temple. The One on the Throne will pitch his tent there for them: no more hunger, no more thirst, no more scorching heat. The Lamb on the Throne will shepherd them, will lead them to spring waters of Life. And God will wipe every last tear from their eyes."

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Psalm 135:1-21 (The Message)

Psalm 135

Hallelujah! Praise the name of God,
praise the works of God.
All you priests on duty in God's temple,
serving in the sacred halls of our God,
Shout "Hallelujah!" because God's so good,
sing anthems to his beautiful name.
And why? Because God chose Jacob,
embraced Israel as a prize possession.

^5-12 I, too, give witness to the greatness of God,
our Lord, high above all other gods.
He does just as he pleases—
however, wherever, whenever.
He makes the weather—clouds and thunder,
lightning and rain, wind pouring out of the north.
He struck down the Egyptian firstborn,
both human and animal firstborn.
He made Egypt sit up and take notice,
confronted Pharaoh and his servants with miracles.
Yes, he struck down great nations,
he slew mighty kings—
Sihon king of the Amorites, also Og of Bashan—
every last one of the Canaanite kings!
Then he turned their land over to Israel,
a gift of good land to his people.

^13-18 God, your name is eternal,
God, you'll never be out-of-date.
God stands up for his people,
God holds the hands of his people.
The gods of the godless nations are mere trinkets,
made for quick sale in the markets:
Chiseled mouths that can't talk,
painted eyes that can't see,
Carved ears that can't hear—
dead wood! cold metal!
Those who make and trust them
become like them.

^19-21 Family of Israel, bless God!
Family of Aaron, bless God!
Family of Levi, bless God!
You who fear God, bless God!
Oh, blessed be God of Zion,
First Citizen of Jerusalem!
Hallelujah!

 

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Proverbs 30:5-6 (The Message)

^5-6 The believer replied, "Every promise of God proves true;
he protects everyone who runs to him for help.
So don't second-guess him;
he might take you to task and show up your lies."

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Verse of the Day

“[Mary's Song of Praise]Mary said: With all my heart I praise the Lord, and I am glad because of God my Savior. God All-Powerful has done great things for me, and his name is holy.” - Luke 1:46-47, 49

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for Day

American Baptist minister and activist who was a leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote, “Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.”