Bible Readings for June 26, 2017

Today our passages are 2 Kings 9:14–10:31; Acts 17:1-34; Psalm 144:1-15; and Proverbs 17:27-28. The readings are the Contemporary English Version. 

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2 Kings 9:14-10:31 (Contemporary English Version)

Jehu Kills Joram and Ahaziah

 ^14-16King Joram ^[a] of Israel had been badly wounded in the battle at Ramoth, trying to defend it against King Hazael and the Syrian army. Joram was now recovering in Jezreel, and King Ahaziah of Judah was there, visiting him. Meanwhile, Jehu was in Ramoth, making plans to kill Joram. He said to his officers, "If you want me to be king, then don't let anyone leave this town. They might go to Jezreel and tell Joram." Then Jehu got in his chariot and rode to Jezreel.     ¹⁷When the guard in the watchtower at Jezreel saw Jehu and his men riding up, he shouted to the king, "I see a bunch of men coming this way."
   Joram ordered, "Send someone out to ask them if this is a friendly visit."
    ¹⁸One of the soldiers rode out and said to Jehu, "King Joram wants to know if this is a friendly visit."
   "What's it to you?" Jehu asked. "Just stay behind me with the rest of my troops!"
   About the same time the guard in the watchtower said, "Your Majesty, the rider got there, but he isn't coming back."
    ¹⁹So Joram sent out another rider, who rode up to Jehu and said, "The king wants to know if this is a friendly visit."
   "What's it to you?" Jehu asked. "Just get behind me with the rest of my troops!"
    ²⁰The guard in the watchtower said, "Your Majesty, the rider got there, but he isn't coming back either. Wait a minute! That one man is a reckless chariot driver--it must be Jehu!"
    ²¹Joram commanded, "Get my chariot ready." Then he and Ahaziah got in their chariots and rode out to meet Jehu. They all met on the land that had belonged to Naboth. ^[b] ²²Joram asked, "Jehu, is this a peaceful visit?" "How can there be peace?" Jehu asked. "Your mother Jezebel has caused everyone to worship idols and practice witchcraft."
    ²³"Ahaziah, let's get out of here!" Joram yelled. "It's a trap!" As Joram tried to escape, ²⁴Jehu shot an arrow. It hit Joram between his shoulders, then it went through his heart and came out his chest. He fell over dead in his chariot.
    ^25-26Jehu commanded his assistant Bidkar, "Get Joram's body and throw it in the field that Naboth once owned. Do you remember when you and I used to ride side by side behind Joram's father Ahab? It was then that the LORD swore to Ahab that he would be punished in the same field where he had killed Naboth and his sons. So throw Joram's body there, just as the LORD said."
    ²⁷Ahaziah saw all of this happen and tried to escape to the town of Beth-Haggan, but Jehu caught up with him and shouted, "Kill him too!" So his troops shot Ahaziah with an arrow while he was on the road to Gur near Ibleam. He went as far as Megiddo, where he died. ²⁸Ahaziah's officers put his body in a chariot and took it back to Jerusalem, where they buried him beside his ancestors.
    ²⁹Ahaziah had become king of Judah in the eleventh year of the rule of Ahab's son Joram.
   

Jehu Kills Jezebel

 ³⁰Jehu headed toward Jezreel, and when Jezebel heard he was coming, she put on eye shadow and brushed her hair. Then she stood at the window, waiting for him to arrive. ³¹As he walked through the city gate, she shouted down to him, "Why did you come here, you murderer? To kill the king? You're no better than Zimri!" ^[c] ³²He looked up toward the window and asked, "Is anyone up there on my side?" A few palace workers stuck their heads out of a window, ³³and Jehu shouted, "Throw her out the window!" They threw her down, and her blood splattered on the walls and on the horses that trampled her body. ^[d] ³⁴Jehu left to get something to eat and drink. Then he told some workers, "Even though she was evil, she was a king's daughter, ^[e] so make sure she has a proper burial." ³⁵But when they went out to bury her body, they found only her skull, her hands, and her feet. ³⁶They reported this to Jehu, and he said, "The LORD told Elijah the prophet that Jezebel's body would be eaten by dogs right here in Jezreel. ³⁷And he warned that her bones would be spread all over the ground like manure, so that no one could tell who it was."    

2 Kings 10

Jehu Kills All of Ahab's Descendants

 ¹Ahab still had seventy descendants living in Samaria. So Jehu wrote a letter to each of the important leaders and officials of the town, ^[f] and to those who supported Ahab. In the letters he wrote: ²Your town is strong, and you're protected by chariots and an armed cavalry. And I know that King Ahab's descendants live there with you. So as soon as you read this letter, ³choose the best person for the job and make him the next king. Then be prepared to defend Ahab's family.     ⁴The officials and leaders read the letters and were very frightened. They said to each other, "Jehu has already killed King Joram and King Ahaziah! We have to do what he says." ⁵The prime minister, the mayor of the city, as well as the other leaders and Ahab's supporters, sent this answer to Jehu, "We are your servants, Your Majesty, and we will do whatever you tell us. But it's not our place to choose someone to be king. You do what you think is best."
    ⁶Jehu then wrote another letter which said, "If you are on my side and will obey me, then prove it. Bring me the heads of the descendants of Ahab! And be here in Jezreel by this time tomorrow."
   The seventy descendants of King Ahab were living with some of the most important people of the city. ⁷And when these people read Jehu's second letter, they called together all seventy of Ahab's descendants. They killed them, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jezreel.
    ⁸When Jehu was told what had happened, he said, "Put the heads in two piles at the city gate, and leave them there until morning."
    ⁹The next morning, Jehu went out and stood where everyone could hear him, and he said, "You people are not guilty of anything. I'm the one who plotted against Joram and had him killed. But who killed all these men? ¹⁰Listen to me. Everything the LORD's servant Elijah promised about Ahab's family will come true." ^[g] ¹¹Then Jehu killed the rest of Ahab's relatives living in Jezreel, as well as his highest officials, his priests, and his closest friends. No one in Ahab's family was left alive in Jezreel.
    ^12-13Jehu left for Samaria, and along the way, he met some relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah at a place where shepherds meet. ^[h] He asked, "Who are you?" "We are relatives of Ahaziah," they answered. "We're going to visit his family."
    ¹⁴"Take them alive!" Jehu said to his officers. So they grabbed them and led them to the well near the shepherds' meeting place, where they killed all forty-two of them.
    ¹⁵As Jehu went on, he saw Jehonadab son of Rechab ^[i] coming to meet him. Jehu greeted him, then said, "Jehonadab, I'm on your side. Are you on mine?" "Yes, I am."
   "Then give me your hand," Jehu answered. He helped Jehonadab into his chariot ¹⁶and said, "Come with me and see how faithful I am to the LORD."
   They rode together in Jehu's chariot ¹⁷to Samaria. Jehu killed everyone there who belonged to Ahab's family, as well as all his officials. Everyone in his family was now dead, just as the LORD had promised Elijah.
   

Jehu Kills All the Worshipers of Baal

 ¹⁸Jehu called together the people in Samaria and said:    King Ahab sometimes worshiped Baal, but I will be completely faithful to Baal. ¹⁹I'm going to offer a huge sacrifice to him. So invite his prophets and priests, and be sure everyone who worships him is there. Anyone who doesn't come will be killed.
   But this was a trick--Jehu was really planning to kill the worshipers of Baal. ²⁰He said, "Announce a day of worship for Baal!" After the day had been announced, ²¹Jehu sent an invitation to everyone in Israel. All the worshipers of Baal came, and the temple was filled from one end to the other. ²²Jehu told the official in charge of the sacred robes to make sure that everyone had a robe to wear.
    ²³Jehu and Jehonadab went into the temple, and Jehu said to the crowd, "Look around and make sure that only the worshipers of Baal are here. No one who worships the LORD is allowed in." ²⁴Then they began to offer sacrifices to Baal.
   Earlier, Jehu had ordered eighty soldiers to wait outside the temple. He had warned them, "I will get all these worshipers here, and if any of you let even one of them escape, you will be killed instead!"
    ²⁵As soon as Jehu finished offering the sacrifice, he told the guards and soldiers, "Come in and kill them! Don't let anyone escape." They slaughtered everyone in the crowd and threw the bodies outside. Then they went back into the temple ²⁶and carried out the image of Baal. They burned it ²⁷and broke it into pieces, then they completely destroyed Baal's temple. And since that time, it's been nothing but a public toilet. ^[j] ²⁸That's how Jehu stopped the worship of Baal in Israel. ²⁹But he did not stop the worship of the gold statues of calves at Dan and Bethel that Jeroboam had made for the people to worship. ^[k] ³⁰Later the LORD said, "Jehu, you have done right by destroying Ahab's entire family, just as I had planned. So I will make sure that the next four kings of Israel will come from your own family."
    ³¹But Jehu did not completely obey the commands of the LORD God of Israel. Instead, he kept doing the sinful things that Jeroboam had caused the Israelites to do.
   

Footnotes:

1. 2 Kings 9:14 Joram: The Hebrew text has "Jehoram," another spelling of the name.
2. 2 Kings 9:21 the land. . . Naboth: See 1 Kings 21.
3. 2 Kings 9:31 Zimri: An Israelite king who killed King Elah and his family so he could become king, but who ruled only seven days (see 1 Kings 16.8-20).
4. 2 Kings 9:33 horses. . . her body: Two ancient translations; Hebrew "horses. Then Jehu trampled her body."
5. 2 Kings 9:34 she. . . daughter: Her father was King Ethbaal of Sidon (see 1 Kings 16.31).
6. 2 Kings 10:1 the town: Two ancient translations; Hebrew "Jezreel."
7. 2 Kings 10:10 Everything. . . come true: See 1 Kings 21.17-24.
8. 2 Kings 10:12 at a place where shepherds meet: Or "at Betheked of the Shepherds."
9. 2 Kings 10:15 Jehonadab son of Rechab: Or "Jehonadab the chariot driver."
10. 2 Kings 10:27 public toilet: Or "garbage dump."
11. 2 Kings 10:29 gold statues. . . to worship: See 1 Kings 12.26-30.

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Acts 17:1-34 (Contemporary English Version)

Acts 17

Trouble in Thessalonica

 ¹After Paul and his friends had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they went on to Thessalonica. A Jewish meeting place was in that city. ²So as usual, Paul went there to worship, and on three Sabbaths he spoke to the people. He used the Scriptures ³to show them that the Messiah had to suffer, but that he would rise from death. Paul also told them that Jesus is the Messiah he was preaching about. ⁴Some of them believed what Paul had said, and they became followers with Paul and Silas. Some Gentiles ^[a] and many important women also believed the message. ⁵The Jewish leaders were jealous and got some worthless bums who hung around the marketplace to start a riot in the city. They wanted to drag Paul and Silas out to the mob, and so they went straight to Jason's home. ⁶But when they did not find them there, they dragged out Jason and some of the Lord's followers. They took them to the city authorities and shouted, "Paul and Silas have been upsetting things everywhere. Now they have come here, ⁷and Jason has welcomed them into his home. All of them break the laws of the Roman Emperor by claiming that someone named Jesus is king."     ⁸The officials and the people were upset when they heard this. ⁹So they made Jason and the other followers pay bail before letting them go.
   

People in Berea Welcome the Message

 ¹⁰That same night the Lord's followers sent Paul and Silas on to Berea, and after they arrived, they went to the Jewish meeting place. ¹¹The people in Berea were much nicer than those in Thessalonica, and they gladly accepted the message. Day after day they studied the Scriptures to see if these things were true. ¹²Many of them put their faith in the Lord, including some important Greek women and several men.     ¹³When the Jewish leaders in Thessalonica heard that Paul had been preaching God's message in Berea, they went there and caused trouble by turning the crowds against Paul.
    ¹⁴Right away the followers sent Paul down to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed in Berea. ¹⁵Some men went with Paul as far as Athens, and then returned with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.
   

Paul in Athens

 ¹⁶While Paul was waiting in Athens, he was upset to see all the idols in the city. ¹⁷He went to the Jewish meeting place to speak to the Jews and to anyone who worshiped with them. Day after day he also spoke to everyone he met in the market. ¹⁸Some of them were Epicureans ^[b] and some were Stoics, ^[c] and they started arguing with him. People were asking, "What is this know-it-all trying to say?"    Some even said, "Paul must be preaching about foreign gods! That's what he means when he talks about Jesus and about people rising from death." ^[d] ¹⁹They brought Paul before a council called the Areopagus, and said, "Tell us what your new teaching is all about. ²⁰We have heard you say some strange things, and we want to know what you mean."
    ²¹More than anything else the people of Athens and the foreigners living there loved to hear and to talk about anything new. ²²So Paul stood up in front of the council and said:
   People of Athens, I see that you are very religious. ²³As I was going through your city and looking at the things you worship, I found an altar with the words, "To an Unknown God." You worship this God, but you don't really know him. So I want to tell you about him. ²⁴This God made the world and everything in it. He is Lord of heaven and earth, and he doesn't live in temples built by human hands. ²⁵He doesn't need help from anyone. He gives life, breath, and everything else to all people. ²⁶From one person God made all nations who live on earth, and he decided when and where every nation would be.
    ²⁷God has done all this, so that we will look for him and reach out and find him. He isn't far from any of us, ²⁸and he gives us the power to live, to move, and to be who we are. "We are his children," just as some of your poets have said.
    ²⁹Since we are God's children, we must not think that he is like an idol made out of gold or silver or stone. He isn't like anything that humans have thought up and made. ³⁰In the past, God forgave all this because people did not know what they were doing. But now he says that everyone everywhere must turn to him. ³¹He has set a day when he will judge the world's people with fairness. And he has chosen the man Jesus to do the judging for him. God has given proof of this to all of us by raising Jesus from death.
    ³²As soon as the people heard Paul say that a man had been raised from death, some of them started laughing. Others said, "We will hear you talk about this some other time." ³³When Paul left the council meeting, ³⁴some of the men put their faith in the Lord and went with Paul. One of them was a council member named Dionysius. A woman named Damaris and several others also put their faith in the Lord.
   

Footnotes:

1. Acts 17:4 Gentiles: See the note at 14.1.
2. Acts 17:18 Epicureans: People who followed the teaching of a man named Epicurus, who taught that happiness should be the main goal in life.
3. Acts 17:18 Stoics: Followers of a man named Zeno, who taught that people should learn self-control and be guided by their consciences.
4. Acts 17:18 people rising from death: Or "a goddess named `Rising from Death.' "

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Psalm 144:1-15 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 144

(By David.)

A Prayer for the Nation

 ¹I praise you, LORD!    You are my mighty rock, ^[a] and you teach me
   how to fight my battles.
    ²You are my friend,
   and you are my fortress
   where I am safe.
   You are my shield,
   and you made me the ruler
   of our people. ^[b] ³Why do we humans mean anything
   to you, our LORD?
   Why do you care about us?
    ⁴We disappear like a breath;
   we last no longer
   than a faint shadow.
    ⁵Open the heavens like a curtain
   and come down, LORD.
   Touch the mountains
   and make them send up smoke.
    ⁶Use your lightning as arrows
   to scatter my enemies
   and make them run away.
    ⁷Reach down from heaven
   and set me free.
   Save me from the mighty flood
    ⁸of those lying foreigners
   who can't tell the truth.
    ⁹In praise of you, our God,
   I will sing a new song,
   while playing my harp.
    ¹⁰By your power, kings win wars,
   and your servant David is saved
   from deadly swords.
    ¹¹Won't you keep me safe
   from those lying foreigners
   who can't tell the truth?
    ¹²Let's pray that our young sons
   will grow like strong plants
   and that our daughters
   will be as lovely
   as columns
   in the corner of a palace.
    ¹³May our barns be filled
   with all kinds of crops.
   May our fields be covered
   with sheep by the thousands,
    ¹⁴and every cow have calves. ^[c] Don't let our city be captured
   or any of us be taken away,
   and don't let cries of sorrow
   be heard in our streets.
    ¹⁵Our LORD and our God,
   you give these blessings
   to all who worship you.
   

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 144:1 mighty rock: See the note at 18.2.
2. Psalm 144:2 of our people: Some Hebrew manuscripts and ancient translations have " of the nations."
3. Psalm 144:14 have calves: Or " grow fat."

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Proverbs 17:27-28 (Contemporary English Version)

²⁷It makes a lot of sense
   to be a person of few words
   and to stay calm.
    ²⁸Even fools seem smart
   when they are quiet.

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Verse of the Day

“Stop being angry and don't try to take revenge. I am the LORD, and I command you to love others as much as you love yourself.” - Leviticus 19:18

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

American Episcopal clergyman and author, long the Rector of Boston's Trinity Church and briefly Bishop of Massachusetts, and particularly remembered as lyricist of the Christmas hymn, "O Little Town of Bethlehem", Phillips Brooks wrote, “Forgive, forget. Bear with the faults of others as you would have them bear with yours.”

Bible Reading for December 17, 2016

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

Nahum 1

God Is Serious Business

 ¹ A report on the problem of Nineveh, the way God gave Nahum of Elkosh to see it:  ^2-6God is serious business.
   He won't be trifled with.
He avenges his foes.
   He stands up against his enemies, fierce and raging.
But God doesn't lose his temper.
   He's powerful, but it's a patient power.
Still, no one gets by with anything.
   Sooner or later, everyone pays.
Tornadoes and hurricanes
   are the wake of his passage,
Storm clouds are the dust
   he shakes off his feet.
He yells at the sea: It dries up.
   All the rivers run dry.
The Bashan and Carmel mountains shrivel,
   the Lebanon orchards shrivel.
Mountains quake in their roots,
   hills dissolve into mud flats.
Earth shakes in fear of God.
   The whole world's in a panic.
Who can face such towering anger?
   Who can stand up to this fierce rage?
His anger spills out like a river of lava,
   his fury shatters boulders.
 ^7-10God is good,
   a hiding place in tough times.
He recognizes and welcomes
   anyone looking for help,
No matter how desperate the trouble.
   But cozy islands of escape
He wipes right off the map.
   No one gets away from God.
Why waste time conniving against God?
   He's putting an end to all such scheming.
For troublemakers, no second chances.
   Like a pile of dry brush,
Soaked in oil,
   they'll go up in flames.

A Think Tank for Lies

 ¹¹Nineveh's an anthill
   of evil plots against God,
A think tank for lies
   that seduce and betray.  ^12-13And God has something to say about all this:
   "Even though you're on top of the world,
With all the applause and all the votes,
   you'll be mowed down flat.
   "I've afflicted you, Judah, true,
   but I won't afflict you again.
From now on I'm taking the yoke from your neck
   and splitting it up for kindling.
I'm cutting you free
   from the ropes of your bondage."
 ¹⁴God's orders on Nineveh:
   "You're the end of the line.
   It's all over with Nineveh.
I'm gutting your temple.
   Your gods and goddesses go in the trash.
I'm digging your grave. It's an unmarked grave.
   You're nothing—no, you're less than nothing!"
 ¹⁵Look! Striding across the mountains—
   a messenger bringing the latest good news: peace!
A holiday, Judah! Celebrate!
   Worship and recommit to God!
No more worries about this enemy.
   This one is history. Close the books.

Nahum 2

Israel's Been to Hell and Back

 ¹ The juggernaut's coming! Post guards, lay in supplies.
Get yourselves together,
   get ready for the big battle.  ²God has restored the Pride of Jacob,
   the Pride of Israel.
Israel's lived through hard times.
   He's been to hell and back.
 ^3-12Weapons flash in the sun,
   the soldiers splendid in battle dress,
Chariots burnished and glistening,
   ready to charge,
A spiked forest of brandished spears,
   lethal on the horizon.
The chariots pour into the streets.
   They fill the public squares,
Flaming like torches in the sun,
   like lightning darting and flashing.
The Assyrian king rallies his men,
   but they stagger and stumble.
They run to the ramparts
   to stem the tide, but it's too late.
Soldiers pour through the gates.
   The palace is demolished.
Soon it's all over:
   Nineveh stripped, Nineveh doomed,
Maids and slaves moaning like doves,
   beating their breasts.
Nineveh is a tub
   from which they've pulled the plug.
Cries go up, "Do something! Do something!"
   but it's too late. Nineveh's soon empty—nothing.
Other cries come: "Plunder the silver!
   Plunder the gold!
A bonanza of plunder!
   Take everything you want!"
Doom! Damnation! Desolation!
   Hearts sink,
   knees fold,
   stomachs retch,
   faces blanch.
So, what happened to the famous
   and fierce Assyrian lion
And all those cute Assyrian cubs?
   To the lion and lioness
Cozy with their cubs,
   fierce and fearless?
To the lion who always returned from the hunt
   with fresh kills for lioness and cubs,
The lion lair heaped with bloody meat,
   blood and bones for the royal lion feast?
 ¹³"Assyria, I'm your enemy,"
   says God-of-the-Angel-Armies.
"I'll torch your chariots. They'll go up in smoke.
   'Lion Country' will be strewn with carcasses.
The war business is over—you're out of work:
   You'll have no more wars to report,
No more victories to announce.
   You're out of war work forever."

Nahum 3

Let the Nations Get Their Fill of the Ugly Truth

 ^1-4 Doom to Murder City— full of lies, bursting with loot, addicted to violence!
Horns blaring, wheels clattering,
   horses rearing, chariots lurching,
Horsemen galloping,
   brandishing swords and spears,
Dead bodies rotting in the street,
   corpses stacked like cordwood,
Bodies in every gutter and alley,
   clogging every intersection!
And whores! Whores without end!
   Whore City,
Fatally seductive, you're the Witch of Seduction,
   luring nations to their ruin with your evil spells.  ^5-7"I'm your enemy, Whore Nineveh—
   I, God-of-the-Angel-Armies!
I'll strip you of your seductive silk robes
   and expose you on the world stage.
I'll let the nations get their fill of the ugly truth
   of who you really are and have been all along.
I'll pelt you with dog dung
   and place you on a pedestal: 'Slut on Exhibit.'
Everyone who sees you will gag and say,
   'Nineveh's a pigsty:
What on earth did we ever see in her?
   Who would give her a second look? Ugh!'"

Past the Point of No Return

 ^8-13Do you think you're superior to Egyptian Thebes,
   proudly invincible on the River Nile,
Protected by the great River,
   walled in by the River, secure?
Ethiopia stood guard to the south,
   Egypt to the north.
Put and Libya, strong friends,
   were ready to step in and help.
But you know what happened to her:
   The whole city was marched off to a refugee camp,
Her babies smashed to death
   in public view on the streets,
Her prize leaders auctioned off,
   her celebrities put in chain gangs.
Expect the same treatment, Nineveh.
   You'll soon be staggering like a bunch of drunks,
Wondering what hit you,
   looking for a place to sleep it off.
All your forts are like peach trees,
   the lush peaches ripe, ready for the picking.
One shake of the tree and they fall
   straight into hungry mouths.
Face it: Your warriors are wimps.
   You're sitting ducks.
Your borders are gaping doors, inviting
   your enemies in. And who's to stop them?  ^14-15Store up water for the siege.
   Shore up your defenses.
Get down to basics: Work the clay
   and make bricks.
Sorry. Too late.
   Enemy fire will burn you up.
Swords will cut you to pieces.
   You'll be chewed up as if by locusts.
 ^15-17Yes, as if by locusts—a fitting fate,
   for you yourselves are a locust plague.
You've multiplied shops and shopkeepers—
   more buyers and sellers than stars in the sky!
A plague of locusts, cleaning out the neighborhood
   and then flying off.
Your bureaucrats are locusts,
   your brokers and bankers are locusts.
Early on, they're all at your service,
   full of smiles and promises,
But later when you return with questions or complaints,
   you'll find they've flown off and are nowhere to be found.
 ^18-19King of Assyria! Your shepherd-leaders,
   in charge of caring for your people,
Are busy doing everything else but.
   They're not doing their job,
And your people are scattered and lost.
   There's no one to look after them.
You're past the point of no return.
   Your wound is fatal.
When the story of your fate gets out,
   the whole world will applaud and cry "Encore!"
Your cruel evil has seeped
   into every nook and cranny of the world.
   Everyone has felt it and suffered.

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Revelation 8:1-13 (The Message)

Revelation 8

 ¹ When the Lamb ripped off the seventh seal, Heaven fell quiet— complete silence for about half an hour. Blowing the Trumpets  ^2-4I saw the Seven Angels who are always in readiness before God handed seven trumpets. Then another Angel, carrying a gold censer, came and stood at the Altar. He was given a great quantity of incense so that he could offer up the prayers of all the holy people of God on the Golden Altar before the Throne. Smoke billowed up from the incense-laced prayers of the holy ones, rose before God from the hand of the Angel.
 ⁵Then the Angel filled the censer with fire from the Altar and heaved it to earth. It set off thunders, voices, lightnings, and an earthquake.
 ^6-7The Seven Angels with the trumpets got ready to blow them. At the first trumpet blast, hail and fire mixed with blood were dumped on earth. A third of the earth was scorched, a third of the trees, and every blade of green grass—burned to a crisp.
 ^8-9The second Angel trumpeted. Something like a huge mountain blazing with fire was flung into the sea. A third of the sea turned to blood, a third of the living sea creatures died, and a third of the ships sank.
 ^10-11The third Angel trumpeted. A huge Star, blazing like a torch, fell from Heaven, wiping out a third of the rivers and a third of the springs. The Star's name was Wormwood. A third of the water turned bitter, and many people died from the poisoned water.
 ¹²The fourth Angel trumpeted. A third of the sun, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars were hit, blacked out by a third, both day and night in one-third blackout.
 ¹³I looked hard; I heard a lone eagle, flying through Middle-Heaven, crying out ominously, "Doom! Doom! Doom to everyone left on earth! There are three more Angels about to blow their trumpets. Doom is on its way!"

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Psalm 136:1-26 (The Message)

Psalm 136

    Thank God! He deserves your thanks. His love never quits.
   Thank the God of all gods,
      His love never quits.
   Thank the Lord of all lords.
      His love never quits.

 ^4-22 Thank the miracle-working God,
      His love never quits.
   The God whose skill formed the cosmos,
      His love never quits.
   The God who laid out earth on ocean foundations,
      His love never quits.
   The God who filled the skies with light,
      His love never quits.
   The sun to watch over the day,
      His love never quits.
   Moon and stars as guardians of the night,
      His love never quits.
   The God who struck down the Egyptian firstborn,
      His love never quits.
   And rescued Israel from Egypt's oppression,
      His love never quits.
   Took Israel in hand with his powerful hand,
      His love never quits.
   Split the Red Sea right in half,
      His love never quits.
   Led Israel right through the middle,
      His love never quits.
   Dumped Pharaoh and his army in the sea,
      His love never quits.
   The God who marched his people through the desert,
      His love never quits.
   Smashed huge kingdoms right and left,
      His love never quits.
   Struck down the famous kings,
      His love never quits.
   Struck Sihon the Amorite king,
      His love never quits.
   Struck Og the Bashanite king,
      His love never quits.
   Then distributed their land as booty,
      His love never quits.
   Handed the land over to Israel.
      His love never quits.

 ^23-26 God remembered us when we were down,
      His love never quits.
   Rescued us from the trampling boot,
      His love never quits.
   Takes care of everyone in time of need.
      His love never quits.
   Thank God, who did it all!
      His love never quits!

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Proverbs 30:7-9 (The Message)

 ^7-9 And then he prayed, "God, I'm asking for two things
   before I die; don't refuse me—
Banish lies from my lips
   and liars from my presence.
Give me enough food to live on,
   neither too much nor too little.
If I'm too full, I might get independent,
   saying, 'God? Who needs him?'
If I'm poor, I might steal
   and dishonor the name of my God."

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Verse of the Day

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

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

American Episcopal clergyman and author, long the Rector of Boston's Trinity Church and briefly Bishop of Massachusetts, and particularly remembered as lyricist of the Christmas hymn, "O Little Town of Bethlehem", Phillips Brooks wrote, “Be patient and understanding. Life is too short to be vengeful or malicious.”

Bible Readings for October 27, 2015

Today our passages are Jeremiah 51:1-53; Titus 2:1-15; Psalm 99:1-9; and Proverbs 26:17. 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. 

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Jeremiah 51:1-53 (Contemporary English Version)

Jeremiah 51

Babylon Will Be Destroyed

 ¹I, the LORD, am sending    a wind ^[a] to destroy the people of Babylonia ^[b] and Babylon, its capital.
    ²Foreign soldiers will come
   from every direction,
   and when the disaster is over,
   Babylonia will be empty
   and worthless.
    ³I will tell these soldiers,
   "Attack quickly,
   before the Babylonians
   can string their bows
   or put on their armor. ^[c] Kill their best soldiers
   and destroy their army!"
    ⁴Their troops will fall wounded
   in the streets of Babylon.
    ⁵Everyone in Israel and Judah
   is guilty.
   But I, the LORD All-Powerful,
   their holy God,
   have not abandoned them.
    ⁶Get out of Babylon!
   Run for your lives!
   If you stay, you will be killed
   when I take revenge on the city
   and punish it for its sins.
    ⁷Babylon was my golden cup,
   filled with the wine
   of my anger.
   The nations of the world
   got drunk on this wine
   and went insane.
    ⁸But suddenly, Babylon will fall
   and be destroyed.
   I, the LORD, told the foreigners ^[d] who lived there,
   "Weep for the city!
   Get medicine for its wounds;
   maybe they will heal."
    ⁹The foreigners answered,
   "We have already tried
   to treat Babylon's wounds,
   but they would not heal.
   Come on, let's all go home
   to our own countries.
   Nothing is left in Babylonia;
   everything is destroyed."
    ¹⁰The people of Israel said,
   "Tell everyone in Zion!
   The LORD has taken revenge
   for what Babylon did to us."
   

The LORD Wants Babylon Destroyed

 ¹¹I, the LORD,    want Babylon destroyed,
   because its army
   destroyed my temple.
   So, you kings of Media, ^[e] sharpen your arrows
   and pick up your shields.
    ¹²Raise the signal flag
   and attack the city walls.
   Post more guards.
   Have soldiers watch the city
   and set up ambushes.
   I have made plans
   to destroy Babylon,
   and nothing will stop me.
    ¹³People of Babylon, you live
   along the Euphrates River
   and are surrounded by canals.
   You are rich,
   but now the time has come
   for you to die. ^{[f] 14}I, the LORD All-Powerful,
   swear by my own life
   that enemy soldiers
   will fill your streets
   like a swarm of locusts. ^[g] They will shout
   and celebrate their victory.
   

A Hymn of Praise

(Jeremiah 10.12-16)

 ¹⁵God used his wisdom and power    to create the earth
   and spread out the heavens.
    ¹⁶The waters in the heavens roar
   at his command.
   He makes clouds appear;
   he sends the wind
   from his storehouse
   and makes lightning flash
   in the rain.
    ¹⁷People who make idols
   are stupid!
   They will be disappointed,
   because their false gods
   cannot breathe.
    ¹⁸Idols are merely a joke,
   and when the time is right,
   they will be destroyed.
    ¹⁹But the LORD, Israel's God,
   is all-powerful.
   He created everything,
   and he chose Israel
   to be his very own.
   
   

God's Hammer

The LORD said:

 ²⁰Babylonia, you were my hammer;    I used you to pound nations
   and break kingdoms,
    ²¹to shatter cavalry and chariots,
    ²²as well as men and women,
   young and old,
    ²³shepherds and their flocks,
   farmers and their oxen,
   and governors and leaders.
    ²⁴But now, my people will watch,
   while I repay you
   for what you did to Zion.
    ²⁵You destroyed the nations
   and seem strong as a mountain,
   but I am your enemy.
   I might even grab you
   and roll you off a cliff.
   When I am finished,
   you'll only be a pile
   of scorched bricks.
    ²⁶Your stone blocks won't be reused
   for cornerstones
   or foundations,
   and I promise that forever
   you will be a desert.
   I, the LORD, have spoken.
   
   

The Nations Will Attack Babylon

The LORD said:

 ²⁷Signal the nations    to get ready to attack.
   Raise a flag and blow a trumpet.
   Send for the armies of Ararat,
   Minni, and Ashkenaz. ^[h] Choose a commander;
   let the cavalry attack
   like a swarm of locusts.
    ²⁸Tell the kings and governors,
   the leaders and the people
   of the kingdoms of the Medes
   to prepare for war!
    ²⁹The earth twists and turns
   in torment,
   because I have decided
   to make Babylonia a desert
   where no one can live,
   and I won't change my mind.
    ³⁰The Babylonian soldiers
   have lost their strength
   and courage. ^[i] They stay in their fortresses,
   unable to fight,
   while the enemy breaks through
   the city gates,
   then sets their homes on fire.
    ³¹One messenger after another
   announces to the king,
   "Babylon has been captured!
    ³²The enemy now controls
   the river crossings!
   The marshes ^[j] are on fire! Your army has panicked!"
    ³³I am the LORD All-Powerful,
   the God of Israel,
   and I make this promise--
   "Soon Babylon will be leveled
   and packed down
   like a threshing place
   at harvest time." ^[k]

Babylonia Will Pay!

 ³⁴The people of Jerusalem say,    "King Nebuchadnezzar ^[l] made us panic.
   That monster stuffed himself
   with us and our treasures,
   leaving us empty--
   he gobbled down
   what he wanted
   and spit out the rest.
    ³⁵The people of Babylonia
   harmed some of us ^[m] and killed others.
   Now, LORD, make them pay!"
   

The LORD Will Take Revenge on Babylon

 ³⁶My people, I am on your side,    and I will take revenge
   on Babylon.
   I will cut off its water supply,
   and its stream ^[n] will dry up. ³⁷Babylon will be a pile of rubble
   where only jackals ^[o] live. People will laugh,
   but they will be afraid
   to walk among the ruins.
    ³⁸The Babylonians roar and growl
   like young lions.
    ³⁹And since they are hungry,
   I will give them a banquet.
   They will celebrate, get drunk,
   then fall asleep,
   never to wake up!
    ⁴⁰I will lead them away to die,
   like sheep, lambs, and goats
   being led to the butcher.
    ⁴¹All nations now praise Babylon, ^[p] but when it is captured,
   those same nations
   will be horrified.
    ⁴²Babylon's enemies will rise
   like ocean waves
   and flood the city.
    ⁴³Horrible destruction will strike
   the nearby towns.
   The land will become
   a barren desert,
   where no one can live
   or even travel.
    ⁴⁴I will punish Marduk, ^[q] the god of Babylon,
   and make him vomit up
   everything he gobbled down.
   Then nations will no longer
   bring him gifts,
   and Babylon's walls will crumble.
   

The LORD Offers Hope to His People

 ⁴⁵Get out of Babylon, my people,    and run for your lives,
   before I strike the city
   in my anger!
    ⁴⁶Don't be afraid or lose hope,
   though year after year
   there are rumors
   of leaders fighting for control
   in the city of Babylon.
    ⁴⁷The time will come
   when I will punish
   Babylon's false gods.
   Everyone there will die,
   and the whole nation
   will be disgraced,
    ⁴⁸when an army attacks
   from the north
   and brings destruction.
   Then the earth and the heavens
   and everything in them
   will celebrate.
    ⁴⁹Babylon must be overthrown,
   because it slaughtered
   the people of Israel
   and of many other nations.
    ⁵⁰My people, you escaped death
   when Jerusalem fell.
   Now you live far from home,
   but you should trust me
   and think about Jerusalem.
   Leave Babylon! Don't stay!
    ⁵¹You feel ashamed and disgraced,
   because foreigners have entered
   my sacred temple.
    ⁵²Soon I will send a war
   to punish Babylon's idols
   and leave its wounded people
   moaning everywhere.
    ⁵³Although Babylon's walls
   reach to the sky,
   the army I send
   will destroy that city.
   I, the LORD, have spoken.
   
   

Footnotes:

1. Jeremiah 51:1 wind: Or "spirit."
2. Jeremiah 51:1 Babylonia: The Hebrew text has "Leb-Qamai," a secret way of writing "Babylonia."
3. Jeremiah 51:3 I will tell. . . armor: Or "Attack quickly! String your bows and put on your armor."
4. Jeremiah 51:8 the foreigners: Or "my people."
5. Jeremiah 51:11 kings of Media: Probably kings of smaller kingdoms that were part of the Median Empire (see also verse 27 and the note there).
6. Jeremiah 51:13 for you to die: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
7. Jeremiah 51:14 locusts: See the note at 46.22,23.
8. Jeremiah 51:27 Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz: Kingdoms to the north of Babylonia that were part of the Median Empire (see also verse 28).
9. Jeremiah 51:30 have lost their strength and courage: Hebrew "have lost their strength and have become like women."
10. Jeremiah 51:32 marshes: The tall grass in the marshes could have provided hiding places for people trying to escape from Babylon.
11. Jeremiah 51:33 leveled. . . harvest time: A threshing place with a dirt surface had to be leveled and packed down before it could be used.
12. Jeremiah 51:34 Nebuchadnezzar: See the note at 21.2.
13. Jeremiah 51:35 harmed some of us: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
14. Jeremiah 51:36 stream: Probably the Euphrates River.
15. Jeremiah 51:37 jackals: See the note at 9.11.
16. Jeremiah 51:41 Babylon: The Hebrew text has "Sheshach," a secret way of writing the name "Babylon."
17. Jeremiah 51:44 Marduk: Hebrew "Bel" (see the note at 50.2).

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Titus 2:1-15 (Contemporary English Version)

Titus 2

Instructions for Different Groups of People

 ¹Titus, you must teach only what is correct. ²Tell the older men to have self-control and to be serious and sensible. Their faith, love, and patience must never fail.     ³Tell the older women to behave as those who love the Lord should. They must not gossip about others or be slaves of wine. They must teach what is proper, ⁴so the younger women will be loving wives and mothers. ⁵Each of the younger women must be sensible and kind, as well as a good homemaker, who puts her own husband first. Then no one can say insulting things about God's message.
    ⁶Tell the young men to have self-control in everything.
    ⁷Always set a good example for others. Be sincere and serious when you teach. ⁸Use clean language that no one can criticize. Do this, and your enemies will be too ashamed to say anything against you.
    ⁹Tell slaves always to please their owners by obeying them in everything. Slaves must not talk back to their owners ¹⁰or steal from them. They must be completely honest and trustworthy. Then everyone will show great respect for what is taught about God our Savior.
   

God's Kindness and the New Life

 ¹¹God has shown us how kind he is by coming to save all people. ¹²He taught us to give up our wicked ways and our worldly desires and to live decent and honest lives in this world. ¹³We are filled with hope, as we wait for the glorious return of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. ^{[a] 14}He gave himself to rescue us from everything that is evil and to make our hearts pure. He wanted us to be his own people and to be eager to do right. ¹⁵Teach these things, as you use your full authority to encourage and correct people. Make sure you earn everyone's respect.    

Footnotes:

1. Titus 2:13 the glorious return of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ: Or "the glorious return of our great God and our Savior Jesus Christ" or "the return of Jesus Christ, who is the glory of our great God and Savior."

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Psalm 99:1-9 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 99

Our LORD Is King

 ¹Our LORD, you are King!    You rule from your throne
   above the winged creatures, ^[a] as people tremble
   and the earth shakes.
    ²You are praised in Zion,
   and you control all nations.
    ³Only you are God!
   And your power alone,
   so great and fearsome,
   is worthy of praise.
    ⁴You are our mighty King, ^[b] a lover of fairness,
   who sees that justice is done
   everywhere in Israel.
    ⁵Our LORD and our God,
   we praise you
   and kneel down to worship you,
   the God of holiness!
    ⁶Moses and Aaron were two
   of your priests.
   Samuel was also one of those
   who prayed in your name,
   and you, our LORD,
   answered their prayers.
    ⁷You spoke to them
   from a thick cloud,
   and they obeyed your laws.
    ⁸Our LORD and our God,
   you answered their prayers
   and forgave their sins,
   but when they did wrong,
   you punished them.
    ⁹We praise you, LORD God,
   and we worship you
   at your sacred mountain.
   Only you are God!
   

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 99:1 winged creatures: See the note at 80.1.
2. Psalm 99:4 You. . . King: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

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Proverbs 26:17 (Contemporary English Version)

¹⁷It's better to take hold
   of a mad dog by the ears
   than to take part
   in someone else's argument.

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Verse of the Day

“What God has said isn't only alive and active! It is sharper than any double-edged sword. His word can cut through our spirits and souls and through our joints and marrow, until it discovers the desires and thoughts of our hearts.” - Hebrews 4:12

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

American Episcopal clergyman and author, long the Rector of Boston's Trinity Church and briefly Bishop of Massachusetts, and particularly remembered as lyricist of the Christmas hymn, "O Little Town of Bethlehem", Phillips Brooks wrote, “Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks.”