Bible Readings for December 19, 2019

Today our passages are Today our passages are Zephaniah 1:1–3:20; Revelation 10:1-11; Psalm 138:1-8; and Proverbs 30:11-14. 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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Zephaniah 1-3:20 (Contemporary English Version)

Zephaniah 1

 ¹I am Zephaniah, the son of Cushi, the grandson of Gedaliah, the great-grandson of Amariah, and the great-great-grandson of Hezekiah. ^a] When Josiah son of Amon was king of Judah, ^b] the LORD gave me this message.

Judgment on Judah

 ²I, the LORD, now promise   to destroy everything
   on this earth--
    ³people and animals,
   birds and fish.
   Everyone who is evil
   will crash to the ground, ^c] and I will wipe out
   the entire human race.
    ⁴I will reach out to punish
   Judah and Jerusalem--
   nothing will remain
   of the god Baal; ^d] nothing will be remembered
   of his pagan priests.
    ⁵Not a trace will be found
   of those who worship stars
   from their rooftops,
   or bow down to the god Milcom, ^e] while claiming loyalty
   to me, the LORD.
    ⁶Nothing will remain of anyone
   who has turned away
   and rejected me.
    ⁷Be silent! I am the LORD God,
   and the time is near.
   I am preparing
   to sacrifice my people
   and to invite my guests.
    ⁸On that day I will punish
   national leaders
   and sons of the king,
   along with all who follow
   foreign customs. ^f] 9I will punish worshipers
   of pagan gods ^g] and cruel palace officials
   who abuse their power.
    ¹⁰I, the LORD, promise
   that on that day
   noisy crying will be heard
   from Fish Gate, New Town,
   and Upper Hills.
    ¹¹Everyone in Lower Hollow ^h] will mourn loudly,
   because merchants
   and money changers
   will be wiped out.
    ¹²I'll search Jerusalem with lamps
   and punish those people
   who sit there unworried
   while thinking,
   "The LORD won't do anything,
   good or bad."
    ¹³Their possessions will be taken,
   their homes left in ruins.
   They won't get to live
   in the houses they build,
   or drink wine from the grapes
   in their own vineyards.   

A Terrible Day

 ¹⁴The great day of the LORD   is coming soon, very soon.
   On that terrible day,
   fearsome shouts of warriors
   will be heard everywhere.
    ¹⁵It will be a time of anger--
   of trouble and torment,
   of disaster and destruction,
   of darkness and despair,
   of storm clouds and shadows,
    ¹⁶of trumpet calls
   and battle cries
   against fortified cities
   and mighty fortresses.
    ¹⁷The LORD warns everyone
   who has sinned against him,
   "I'll strike you blind!
   Then your blood and your insides
   will gush out like vomit.
    ¹⁸Not even your silver or gold
   can save you on that day
   when I, the LORD, am angry.
   My anger will flare up
   like a furious fire
   scorching the earth
   and everyone on it."
   

Zephaniah 2

Turn to the LORD

 ¹You disgraceful nation,   gather around,
    ²before it's too late.
   The LORD has set a time
   when his fierce anger
   will strike like a storm
   and sweep you away.
    ³If you humbly obey the LORD,
   then come and worship him.
   If you do right and are humble,
   perhaps you will be safe
   on that day
   when the LORD
   turns loose his anger.   

Judgment on Philistia

 ⁴Gaza and Ashkelon   will be deserted
   and left in ruins.
   Ashdod will be emptied
   in broad daylight,
   and Ekron ^i] uprooted. ⁵To you people of Philistia ^j] who live along the coast,
   the LORD has this to say:
   "I am now your enemy,
   and I'll wipe you out!"
    ⁶Your seacoast will be changed
   into pastureland
   and sheep pens. ^k] 7The LORD God hasn't forgotten
   those survivors in Judah,
   and he will help them--
   his people will take your land
   to use for pasture.
   And when evening comes,
   they will rest
   in houses at Ashkelon. ^l]

Judgment on Moab and Ammon

 ⁸The LORD All-Powerful,   the God of Israel, said:
   I've heard Moab and Ammon
   insult my people
   and threaten their nation. ^m] 9And so, I swear by my very life
   that Moab and Ammon will end up
   like Sodom and Gomorrah--
   covered with thornbushes
   and salt pits forever.
   Then my people who survive
   will take their land.
    ¹⁰This is how Moab and Ammon
   will at last be repaid
   for their pride--
   and for sneering at the nation
   that belongs to me,
   the LORD All-Powerful.
    ¹¹I will fiercely attack.
   Then every god on this earth
   will shrink to nothing,
   and everyone of every nation
   will bow down to me,
   right where they are.   

Judgment on Ethiopia

 ¹²People of Ethiopia, ^n] the sword of the LORD   will slaughter you!   

Judgment on Assyria

 ¹³The LORD will reach to the north   to crush Assyria
   and overthrow Nineveh. ^o] 14Herds of wild animals
   will live in its rubble;
   all kinds of desert owls
   will perch on its stones
   and hoot in the windows.
   Noisy ravens will be heard
   inside its buildings,
   stripped bare of cedar. ^p] 15This is the glorious city
   that felt secure and said,
   "I am the only one!"
   Now it's merely ruins,
   a home for wild animals.
   Every passerby simply sneers
   and makes vulgar signs.
   

Zephaniah 3

Sinful Jerusalem

 ¹Too bad for that disgusting,   corrupt, and lawless city!
    ²Forever rebellious
   and rejecting correction,
   Jerusalem refuses to trust
   or obey the LORD God.
    ³Its officials are roaring lions,
   its judges are wolves;
   in the evening they attack,
   by morning nothing is left.
    ⁴Jerusalem's prophets are proud
   and not to be trusted.
   The priests have disgraced
   the place of worship
   and abused God's Law.
    ⁵All who do evil are shameless,
   but the LORD does right
   and is always fair.
   With the dawn of each day,
   God brings about justice.
    ⁶The LORD wiped out nations
   and left fortresses
   crumbling in the dirt.
   Their streets and towns
   were reduced to ruins
   and emptied of people.
    ⁷God felt certain that Jerusalem
   would learn to respect
   and obey him.
   Then he would hold back
   from punishing the city
   and not wipe it out.
   But everyone there was eager
   to start sinning again.   

Nations Will Turn to the LORD

 ⁸The LORD said:   Just wait for the day
   when I accuse you nations.
   I have decided on a day,
   when I will bring together
   every nation and kingdom
   and punish them all
   in my fiery anger.
   I will become furious
   and destroy the earth.
    ⁹I will purify each language
   and make those languages
   acceptable for praising me. ^q] Then, with hearts united,
   everyone will serve
   only me, the LORD.
    ¹⁰From across the rivers
   of Ethiopia, ^r] my scattered people,
   my true worshipers,
   will bring offerings to me.
    ¹¹When that time comes,
   you won't rebel against me
   and be put to shame.
   I'll do away with those
   who are proud and arrogant.
   Never will any of them
   strut around
   on my holy mountain.
    ¹²But I, the LORD, won't destroy
   any of your people
   who are truly humble
   and turn to me for safety.
    ¹³The people of Israel who survive
   will live right
   and refuse to tell lies.
   They will eat and rest
   with nothing to fear.   

A Song of Celebration

 ¹⁴Everyone in Jerusalem and Judah,   celebrate and shout
   with all your heart!
    ¹⁵Zion, your punishment is over.
   The LORD has forced your enemies
   to turn and retreat.
   Your LORD is King of Israel
   and stands at your side;
   you don't have to worry
   about any more troubles.
    ¹⁶Jerusalem, the time is coming,
   when it will be said to you:
   "Don't be discouraged
   or grow weak from fear!
    ¹⁷The LORD your God
   wins victory after victory
   and is always with you.
   He celebrates and sings
   because of you,
   and he will refresh your life
   with his love." ^s]

The LORD's Promise to His People

 ¹⁸The LORD has promised:   Your sorrow has ended,
   and you can celebrate. ^t] 19I will punish those
   who mistreat you.
   I will bring together the lame
   and the outcasts,
   then they will be praised,
   instead of despised,
   in every country on earth.
    ²⁰I will lead you home,
   and with your own eyes
   you will see me bless you
   with all you once owned.
   Then you will be famous
   everywhere on this earth.
   I, the LORD, have spoken! 

Footnotes:

1. Zephaniah 1:1 Hezekiah: Ruled 716-687 B.C.
2. Zephaniah 1:1 Josiah. . . king of Judah: Ruled 640-609 B.C.
3. Zephaniah 1:3 Everyone. . . ground: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
4. Zephaniah 1:4 Baal: A Caananite fertility god.
5. Zephaniah 1:5 Milcom: An Ammonite fertility god.
6. Zephaniah 1:8 follow foreign customs: Hebrew "wear foreign clothes."
7. Zephaniah 1:9 worshipers. . . gods: The Hebrew text has "all who jump over the threshold," which was a Philistine religious practice (see 1 Samuel 5.5).
8. Zephaniah 1:11 Fish Gate, New Town, and Upper Hills. . . Lower Hollow: Names for different sections of Jerusalem: Fish Gate was probably the main gate on the north side of the city; New Town was a newer section; Upper Hills may have been a suburb north of the city; Lower Hollow was probably on the southern edge of town.
9. Zephaniah 2:4 Gaza. . . Ekron: Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, and Gath (not mentioned because it was already destroyed) were the five major Philistine towns.
10. Zephaniah 2:5 people of Philistia: The Hebrew text also mentions "Canaan" and "Cherethites," which are other ways of referring to the Philistines.
11. Zephaniah 2:6 pens: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 6.
12. Zephaniah 2:7 Ashkelon: A Philistine town; see the note at 2.4.
13. Zephaniah 2:8 threaten their nation: Or "boast about their own nation."
14. Zephaniah 2:12 Ethiopia: The Hebrew text has "Cush," which was a region south of Egypt that included parts of the present countries of Ethiopia and Sudan.
15. Zephaniah 2:13 Nineveh: The capital of Assyria; Nineveh was protected by a moat filled with water from the nearby Tigris River.
16. Zephaniah 2:14 stripped. . . cedar: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
17. Zephaniah 3:9 I will. . . praising me: Or "I will change the hearts of all people and make them fit for praising me."
18. Zephaniah 3:10 Ethiopia: See the note at 2.12.
19. Zephaniah 3:17 refresh. . . love: Two ancient translations; Hebrew "silently show you his love."
20. Zephaniah 3:18 celebrate: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 18.

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Revelation 10:1-11 (Contemporary English Version)

Revelation 10

The Angel and the Little Scroll

 ¹I saw another powerful angel come down from heaven. This one was covered with a cloud, and a rainbow was over his head. His face was like the sun, his legs were like columns of fire, ²and with his hand he held a little scroll ^a] that had been unrolled. He stood there with his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land. ³Then he shouted with a voice that sounded like a growling lion. Thunder roared seven times. ⁴After the thunder stopped, I was about to write what it had said. But a voice from heaven shouted, "Keep it secret! Don't write these things."    ⁵The angel I had seen standing on the sea and the land then held his right hand up toward heaven. ⁶He made a promise in the name of God who lives forever and who created heaven, earth, the sea, and every living creature. The angel said, "You won't have to wait any longer. ⁷God told his secret plans to his servants the prophets, and it will all happen by the time the seventh angel sounds his trumpet."
    ⁸Once again the voice from heaven spoke to me. It said, "Go and take the open scroll from the hand of the angel standing on the sea and the land."
    ⁹When I went over to ask the angel for the little scroll, the angel said, "Take the scroll and eat it! Your stomach will turn sour, but the taste in your mouth will be as sweet as honey." ¹⁰I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. The taste was as sweet as honey, but my stomach turned sour.
    ¹¹Then some voices said, "Keep on telling what will happen to the people of many nations, races, and languages, and also to kings." 

Footnotes:

1. Revelation 10:2 scroll: See the note at 5.1.

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Psalm 138:1-8 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 138

(By David.)

Praise the LORD with All Your Heart

 ¹With all my heart   I praise you, LORD.
   In the presence of angels ^a] I sing your praises.
    ²I worship at your holy temple
   and praise you for your love
   and your faithfulness.
   You were true to your word
   and made yourself more famous
   than ever before. ^b] 3When I asked for your help,
   you answered my prayer
   and gave me courage. ^c] 4All kings on this earth
   have heard your promises, LORD,
   and they will praise you.
    ⁵You are so famous
   that they will sing
   about the things you have done.
    ⁶Though you are above us all,
   you care for humble people,
   and you keep a close watch
   on everyone who is proud.
    ⁷I am surrounded by trouble,
   but you protect me
   against my angry enemies.
   With your own powerful arm
   you keep me safe.
    ⁸You, LORD, will always
   treat me with kindness.
   Your love never fails.
   You have made us what we are.
   Don't give up on us now! ^d]

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 138:1 angels: Or " gods" or " supernatural beings" who worship and serve God in heaven or " rulers" or " leaders."
2. Psalm 138:2 You were. . . before: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
3. Psalm 138:3 and gave me courage: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
4. Psalm 138:8 You have. . . now: Or " Please don't desert your people."

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Proverbs 30:11-14 (Contemporary English Version)

¹¹Some people curse their father
   and even their mother;
    ¹²others think they are perfect,
   but they are stained by sin.
    ¹³Some people are stuck-up
   and act like snobs;
    ¹⁴others are so greedy
   that they gobble down
   the poor and homeless.

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Verse of the Day

“You, my son, will be called a prophet of God in heaven above. You will go ahead of the Lord to get everything ready for him. You will tell his people that they can be saved when their sins are forgiven. God's love and kindness will shine upon us like the sun that rises in the sky.” - Luke 1:76-78

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

American journalist, humorist, and author, H. Allen Smith wrote, “On Monday mornings I am dedicated to the proposition that all men are created jerks.”

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A Joke for Today

One Monday evening Jessica found her husband Mike with his head cocked looking at their baby's cot. Silently she watched him. As Mike twisted and turned looking at at their infant, Jessica could see on Mike's face a mixture of emotions: disbelief, doubt, joy, surprise, enchantment and skepticism.

Mike did not usually show his emotions and his unusual display brought tears to her eyes. Jessica put her her arm around her husband and asked, "A penny for your thoughts."

"It's amazing!" Mike replied, "I just can't work out how Kiddicare are able to make a cot like that for only $49.99."

Bible Readings for December 19, 2018

Today our passages are Zephaniah 1:1–3:20; Revelation 10:1-11; Psalm 138.1-8; and Proverbs 30:11-14. 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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Zephaniah 1-3:20 (The Message)

Zephaniah 1

No Longer Giving God a Thought or a Prayer

 ¹ God's Message to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah. It came during the reign of Josiah son of Amon, who was king of Judah:  ²"I'm going to make a clean sweep of the earth,
   a thorough housecleaning." God's Decree. 

 ³"Men and women and animals,
   including birds and fish—
Anything and everything that causes sin—will go,
   but especially people. 

 ^4-6"I'll start with Judah
   and everybody who lives in Jerusalem.
I'll sweep the place clean of every trace
   of the sex-and-religion Baal shrines and their priests.
I'll get rid of the people who sneak up to their rooftops at night
   to worship the star gods and goddesses;
Also those who continue to worship God
   but cover their bases by worshiping other king-gods as well;
Not to mention those who've dumped God altogether,
   no longer giving him a thought or offering a prayer. 

 ^7-13"Quiet now!
   Reverent silence before me, God, the Master!
Time's up. My Judgment Day is near:
   The Holy Day is all set, the invited guests made holy.
On the Holy Day, God's Judgment Day,
   I will punish the leaders and the royal sons;
I will punish those who dress up like foreign priests and priestesses,
   Who introduce pagan prayers and practices;
And I'll punish all who import pagan superstitions
   that turn holy places into hellholes.
Judgment Day!" God's Decree!
   "Cries of panic from the city's Fish Gate,
Cries of terror from the city's Second Quarter,
   sounds of great crashing from the hills!
Wail, you shopkeepers on Market Street!
   Moneymaking has had its day. The god Money is dead.
On Judgment Day,
   I'll search through every closet and alley in Jerusalem.
I'll find and punish those who are sitting it out, fat and lazy,
   amusing themselves and taking it easy,
Who think, 'God doesn't do anything, good or bad.
   He isn't involved, so neither are we.'
But just wait. They'll lose everything they have,
   money and house and land.
They'll build a house and never move in.
   They'll plant vineyards and never taste the wine. 

A Day of Darkness at Noon

 ^14-18"The Great Judgment Day of God is almost here.
   It's countdown time:...seven, six, five, four...
Bitter and noisy cries on my Judgment Day,
   even strong men screaming for help.
Judgment Day is payday—my anger paid out:
   a day of distress and anguish,
   a day of catastrophic doom,
   a day of darkness at noon,
   a day of black storm clouds,
   a day of bloodcurdling war cries,
   as forts are assaulted,
   as defenses are smashed.
I'll make things so bad they won't know what hit them.
   They'll walk around groping like the blind.
   They've sinned against God!
Their blood will be poured out like old dishwater,
   their guts shoveled into slop buckets.
Don't plan on buying your way out.
   Your money is worthless for this.
This is the Day of God's Judgment—my wrath!
   I care about sin with fiery passion—
A fire to burn up the corrupted world,
   a wildfire finish to the corrupting people."

Zephaniah 2

Seek God

 ^1-2 So get yourselves together. Shape up!
   You're a nation without a clue about what it wants.
Do it before you're blown away
   like leaves in a windstorm,
Before God's Judgment-anger
   sweeps down on you,
Before God's Judgment Day wrath
   descends with full force.  ³Seek God, all you quietly disciplined people
   who live by God's justice.
Seek God's right ways. Seek a quiet and disciplined life.
   Perhaps you'll be hidden on the Day of God's anger. 

All Earth-Made Gods Will Blow Away

 ^4-5Gaza is scheduled for demolition,
   Ashdod will be cleaned out by high noon,
   Ekron pulled out by the roots.
Doom to the seaside people,
   the seafaring people from Crete!
The Word of God is bad news for you
   who settled Canaan, the Philistine country:
"You're slated for destruction—
   no survivors!"  ^6-7The lands of the seafarers
   will become pastureland,
A country for shepherds and sheep.
   What's left of the family of Judah will get it.
Day after day they'll pasture by the sea,
   and go home in the evening to Ashkelon to sleep.
Their very own God will look out for them.
   He'll make things as good as before. 

 ^8-12"I've heard the crude taunts of Moab,
   the mockeries flung by Ammon,
The cruel talk they've used to put down my people,
   their self-important strutting along Israel's borders.
Therefore, as sure as I am the living God," says God-of-the-Angel-Armies,
   Israel's personal God,
"Moab will become a ruin like Sodom,
   Ammon a ghost town like Gomorrah,
One a field of rocks, the other a sterile salt flat,
   a moonscape forever.
What's left of my people will finish them off,
   will pick them clean and take over.
This is what they get for their bloated pride,
   their taunts and mockeries of the people
   of God-of-the-Angel-Armies.
God will be seen as truly terrible—a Holy Terror.
   All earth-made gods will shrivel up and blow away;
And everyone, wherever they are, far or near,
   will fall to the ground and worship him.
Also you Ethiopians,
   you, too, will die—I'll see to it." 

 ^13-15Then God will reach into the north
   and destroy Assyria.
He will waste Nineveh,
   leave her dry and treeless as a desert.
The ghost town of a city,
   the haunt of wild animals,
Nineveh will be home to raccoons and coyotes—
   they'll bed down in its ruins.
Owls will hoot in the windows, ravens will croak in the doorways—
   all that fancy woodwork now a perch for birds.
Can this be the famous Fun City
   that had it made,
That boasted, "I'm the Number-One City!
   I'm King of the Mountain!"
So why is the place deserted,
   a lair for wild animals?
Passersby hardly give it a look;
   they dismiss it with a gesture.

Zephaniah 3

Sewer City

 ^1-5 Doom to the rebellious city, the home of oppressors—Sewer City!
The city that wouldn't take advice,
   wouldn't accept correction,
Wouldn't trust God,
   wouldn't even get close to her own god!
Her very own leaders
   are rapacious lions,
Her judges are rapacious timber wolves
   out every morning prowling for a fresh kill.
Her prophets are out for what they can get.
   They're opportunists—you can't trust them.
Her priests desecrate the Sanctuary.
   They use God's law as a weapon to maim and kill souls.
Yet God remains righteous in her midst,
   untouched by the evil.
He stays at it, day after day, meting out justice.
   At evening he's still at it, strong as ever.
But evil men and women, without conscience
   and without shame, persist in evil.  ⁶"So I cut off the godless nations.
   I knocked down their defense posts,
Filled her roads with rubble
   so no one could get through.
Her cities were bombed-out ruins,
   unlivable and unlived in. 

 ⁷"I thought, 'Surely she'll honor me now,
   accept my discipline and correction,
Find a way of escape from the trouble she's in,
   find relief from the punishment I'm bringing.'
But it didn't faze her. Bright and early
   she was up at it again, doing the same old things. 

 ⁸"Well, if that's what you want, stick around."
   God's Decree.
"Your day in court is coming,
   but remember I'll be there to bring evidence.
I'll bring all the nations to the courtroom,
   round up all the kingdoms,
And let them feel the brunt of my anger,
   my raging wrath.
My zeal is a fire
   that will purge and purify the earth. 

God Is in Charge at the Center

 ^9-13"In the end I will turn things around for the people.
   I'll give them a language undistorted, unpolluted,
Words to address God in worship
   and, united, to serve me with their shoulders to the wheel.
They'll come from beyond the Ethiopian rivers,
   they'll come praying—
All my scattered, exiled people
   will come home with offerings for worship.
You'll no longer have to be ashamed
   of all those acts of rebellion.
I'll have gotten rid of your arrogant leaders.
   No more pious strutting on my holy hill!
I'll leave a core of people among you
   who are poor in spirit—
What's left of Israel that's really Israel.
   They'll make their home in God.
This core holy people
   will not do wrong.
They won't lie,
   won't use words to flatter or seduce.
Content with who they are and where they are,
   unanxious, they'll live at peace."  ^14-15So sing, Daughter Zion!
   Raise the rafters, Israel!
Daughter Jerusalem,
   be happy! celebrate!
God has reversed his judgments against you
   and sent your enemies off chasing their tails.
From now on, God is Israel's king,
   in charge at the center.
There's nothing to fear from evil
   ever again! 

God Is Present Among You

 ^16-17Jerusalem will be told:
   "Don't be afraid.
Dear Zion,
   don't despair.
Your God is present among you,
   a strong Warrior there to save you.
Happy to have you back, he'll calm you with his love
   and delight you with his songs.  ^18-20"The accumulated sorrows of your exile
   will dissipate.
I, your God, will get rid of them for you.
   You've carried those burdens long enough.
At the same time, I'll get rid of all those
   who've made your life miserable.
I'll heal the maimed;
   I'll bring home the homeless.
In the very countries where they were hated
   they will be venerated.
On Judgment Day
   I'll bring you back home—a great family gathering!
You'll be famous and honored
   all over the world.
You'll see it with your own eyes—
   all those painful partings turned into reunions!"
         God's Promise.

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Revelation 10:1-11 (The Message)

Revelation 10

 ^1-4I saw another powerful Angel coming down out of Heaven wrapped in a cloud. There was a rainbow over his head, his face was sun-radiant, his legs pillars of fire. He had a small book open in his hand. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left foot on land, then called out thunderously, a lion roar. When he called out, the Seven Thunders called back. When the Seven Thunders spoke, I started to write it all down, but a voice out of Heaven stopped me, saying, "Seal with silence the Seven Thunders; don't write a word."  ^5-7Then the Angel I saw astride sea and land lifted his right hand to Heaven and swore by the One Living Forever and Ever, who created Heaven and everything in it, earth and everything in it, sea and everything in it, that time was up—that when the seventh Angel blew his trumpet, which he was about to do, the Mystery of God, all the plans he had revealed to his servants, the prophets, would be completed. 

 ^8-11The voice out of Heaven spoke to me again: "Go, take the book held open in the hand of the Angel astride sea and earth." I went up to the Angel and said, "Give me the little book." He said, "Take it, then eat it. It will taste sweet like honey, but turn sour in your stomach." I took the little book from the Angel's hand and it was sweet honey in my mouth, but when I swallowed, my stomach curdled. Then I was told, "You must go back and prophesy again over many peoples and nations and languages and kings." 

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Psalm 138:1-8 (The Message)

Psalm 138

A David Psalm

 ^1-3 Thank you! Everything in me says "Thank you!" Angels listen as I sing my thanks.
   I kneel in worship facing your holy temple
      and say it again: "Thank you!"
   Thank you for your love,
      thank you for your faithfulness;
   Most holy is your name,
      most holy is your Word.
   The moment I called out, you stepped in;
      you made my life large with strength.

 ^4-6 When they hear what you have to say, God,
      all earth's kings will say "Thank you."
   They'll sing of what you've done:
      "How great the glory of God!"
   And here's why: God, high above, sees far below;
      no matter the distance, he knows everything about us.

 ^7-8 When I walk into the thick of trouble,
      keep me alive in the angry turmoil.
   With one hand
      strike my foes,
   With your other hand
      save me.
   Finish what you started in me, God.
      Your love is eternal—don't quit on me now.

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Proverbs 30:11-14 (The Message)

 ¹¹ Don't curse your father
   or fail to bless your mother.

 ¹² Don't imagine yourself to be quite presentable
   when you haven't had a bath in weeks.

 ¹³ Don't be stuck-up
   and think you're better than everyone else.

 ¹⁴ Don't be greedy,
   merciless and cruel as wolves,
Tearing into the poor and feasting on them,
   shredding the needy to pieces only to discard them. 

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Verse of the Day

“You, my son, will be called a prophet of God in heaven above. You will go ahead of the Lord to get everything ready for him. You will tell his people that they can be saved when their sins are forgiven. God's love and kindness will shine upon us like the sun that rises in the sky.” - Luke 1:76-78 

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

Italian Catholic friar, deacon and preacher, Francis of Assisi wrote, “For it is in giving that we receive.”

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A Joke for Today

A very successful businessman had a meeting with his new son-in-law. "I love my daughter, and now I welcome you into the family," said the man. "To show you how much we care for you, I'm making you a 50-50 partner in my business. All you have to do is go to the factory every day and learn the operations."

The son-in-law interrupted, "I hate factories. I can't stand the noise."

"I see," replied the father-in-law. "Well, then you'll work in the office and take charge of some of the operations."

"I hate office work," said the son-on-law. "I can't stand being stuck behind a desk all day."

"Wait a minute," said the father-in-law. "I just make you half-owner of a moneymaking organization, but you don't like factories and won't work in a office. What am I going to do with you?"

"Easy," said the young man. "Buy me out."

Bible Readings for December 19, 2017

Today our passages are Today our passages are Zephaniah 1:1–3:20; Revelation 10:1-11; Psalm 138:1-8; and Proverbs 30:11-14. The readings are from the Contemporary English Version.  The readings are from the Contemporary English Version. If you find these readings helpful, please consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Steet, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal by using the link below.

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Zephaniah 1-3:20 (Contemporary English Version)

Zephaniah 1

 ¹I am Zephaniah, the son of Cushi, the grandson of Gedaliah, the great-grandson of Amariah, and the great-great-grandson of Hezekiah. ^a] When Josiah son of Amon was king of Judah, ^b] the LORD gave me this message.

Judgment on Judah

 ²I, the LORD, now promise   to destroy everything
   on this earth--
    ³people and animals,
   birds and fish.
   Everyone who is evil
   will crash to the ground, ^c] and I will wipe out
   the entire human race.
    ⁴I will reach out to punish
   Judah and Jerusalem--
   nothing will remain
   of the god Baal; ^d] nothing will be remembered
   of his pagan priests.
    ⁵Not a trace will be found
   of those who worship stars
   from their rooftops,
   or bow down to the god Milcom, ^e] while claiming loyalty
   to me, the LORD.
    ⁶Nothing will remain of anyone
   who has turned away
   and rejected me.
    ⁷Be silent! I am the LORD God,
   and the time is near.
   I am preparing
   to sacrifice my people
   and to invite my guests.
    ⁸On that day I will punish
   national leaders
   and sons of the king,
   along with all who follow
   foreign customs. ^f] 9I will punish worshipers
   of pagan gods ^g] and cruel palace officials
   who abuse their power.
    ¹⁰I, the LORD, promise
   that on that day
   noisy crying will be heard
   from Fish Gate, New Town,
   and Upper Hills.
    ¹¹Everyone in Lower Hollow ^h] will mourn loudly,
   because merchants
   and money changers
   will be wiped out.
    ¹²I'll search Jerusalem with lamps
   and punish those people
   who sit there unworried
   while thinking,
   "The LORD won't do anything,
   good or bad."
    ¹³Their possessions will be taken,
   their homes left in ruins.
   They won't get to live
   in the houses they build,
   or drink wine from the grapes
   in their own vineyards.
   

A Terrible Day

 ¹⁴The great day of the LORD   is coming soon, very soon.
   On that terrible day,
   fearsome shouts of warriors
   will be heard everywhere.
    ¹⁵It will be a time of anger--
   of trouble and torment,
   of disaster and destruction,
   of darkness and despair,
   of storm clouds and shadows,
    ¹⁶of trumpet calls
   and battle cries
   against fortified cities
   and mighty fortresses.
    ¹⁷The LORD warns everyone
   who has sinned against him,
   "I'll strike you blind!
   Then your blood and your insides
   will gush out like vomit.
    ¹⁸Not even your silver or gold
   can save you on that day
   when I, the LORD, am angry.
   My anger will flare up
   like a furious fire
   scorching the earth
   and everyone on it."
   

Zephaniah 2

Turn to the LORD

 ¹You disgraceful nation,   gather around,
    ²before it's too late.
   The LORD has set a time
   when his fierce anger
   will strike like a storm
   and sweep you away.
    ³If you humbly obey the LORD,
   then come and worship him.
   If you do right and are humble,
   perhaps you will be safe
   on that day
   when the LORD
   turns loose his anger.
   

Judgment on Philistia

 ⁴Gaza and Ashkelon   will be deserted
   and left in ruins.
   Ashdod will be emptied
   in broad daylight,
   and Ekron ^i] uprooted. ⁵To you people of Philistia ^j] who live along the coast,
   the LORD has this to say:
   "I am now your enemy,
   and I'll wipe you out!"
    ⁶Your seacoast will be changed
   into pastureland
   and sheep pens. ^k] 7The LORD God hasn't forgotten
   those survivors in Judah,
   and he will help them--
   his people will take your land
   to use for pasture.
   And when evening comes,
   they will rest
   in houses at Ashkelon. ^l]

Judgment on Moab and Ammon

 ⁸The LORD All-Powerful,   the God of Israel, said:
   I've heard Moab and Ammon
   insult my people
   and threaten their nation. ^m] 9And so, I swear by my very life
   that Moab and Ammon will end up
   like Sodom and Gomorrah--
   covered with thornbushes
   and salt pits forever.
   Then my people who survive
   will take their land.
    ¹⁰This is how Moab and Ammon
   will at last be repaid
   for their pride--
   and for sneering at the nation
   that belongs to me,
   the LORD All-Powerful.
    ¹¹I will fiercely attack.
   Then every god on this earth
   will shrink to nothing,
   and everyone of every nation
   will bow down to me,
   right where they are.
   

Judgment on Ethiopia

 ¹²People of Ethiopia, ^n] the sword of the LORD   will slaughter you!
   

Judgment on Assyria

 ¹³The LORD will reach to the north   to crush Assyria
   and overthrow Nineveh. ^o] 14Herds of wild animals
   will live in its rubble;
   all kinds of desert owls
   will perch on its stones
   and hoot in the windows.
   Noisy ravens will be heard
   inside its buildings,
   stripped bare of cedar. ^p] 15This is the glorious city
   that felt secure and said,
   "I am the only one!"
   Now it's merely ruins,
   a home for wild animals.
   Every passerby simply sneers
   and makes vulgar signs.
   

Zephaniah 3

Sinful Jerusalem

 ¹Too bad for that disgusting,   corrupt, and lawless city!
    ²Forever rebellious
   and rejecting correction,
   Jerusalem refuses to trust
   or obey the LORD God.
    ³Its officials are roaring lions,
   its judges are wolves;
   in the evening they attack,
   by morning nothing is left.
    ⁴Jerusalem's prophets are proud
   and not to be trusted.
   The priests have disgraced
   the place of worship
   and abused God's Law.
    ⁵All who do evil are shameless,
   but the LORD does right
   and is always fair.
   With the dawn of each day,
   God brings about justice.
    ⁶The LORD wiped out nations
   and left fortresses
   crumbling in the dirt.
   Their streets and towns
   were reduced to ruins
   and emptied of people.
    ⁷God felt certain that Jerusalem
   would learn to respect
   and obey him.
   Then he would hold back
   from punishing the city
   and not wipe it out.
   But everyone there was eager
   to start sinning again.
   

Nations Will Turn to the LORD

 ⁸The LORD said:   Just wait for the day
   when I accuse you nations.
   I have decided on a day,
   when I will bring together
   every nation and kingdom
   and punish them all
   in my fiery anger.
   I will become furious
   and destroy the earth.
    ⁹I will purify each language
   and make those languages
   acceptable for praising me. ^q] Then, with hearts united,
   everyone will serve
   only me, the LORD.
    ¹⁰From across the rivers
   of Ethiopia, ^r] my scattered people,
   my true worshipers,
   will bring offerings to me.
    ¹¹When that time comes,
   you won't rebel against me
   and be put to shame.
   I'll do away with those
   who are proud and arrogant.
   Never will any of them
   strut around
   on my holy mountain.
    ¹²But I, the LORD, won't destroy
   any of your people
   who are truly humble
   and turn to me for safety.
    ¹³The people of Israel who survive
   will live right
   and refuse to tell lies.
   They will eat and rest
   with nothing to fear.
   

A Song of Celebration

 ¹⁴Everyone in Jerusalem and Judah,   celebrate and shout
   with all your heart!
    ¹⁵Zion, your punishment is over.
   The LORD has forced your enemies
   to turn and retreat.
   Your LORD is King of Israel
   and stands at your side;
   you don't have to worry
   about any more troubles.
    ¹⁶Jerusalem, the time is coming,
   when it will be said to you:
   "Don't be discouraged
   or grow weak from fear!
    ¹⁷The LORD your God
   wins victory after victory
   and is always with you.
   He celebrates and sings
   because of you,
   and he will refresh your life
   with his love." ^s]

The LORD's Promise to His People

 ¹⁸The LORD has promised:   Your sorrow has ended,
   and you can celebrate. ^t] 19I will punish those
   who mistreat you.
   I will bring together the lame
   and the outcasts,
   then they will be praised,
   instead of despised,
   in every country on earth.
    ²⁰I will lead you home,
   and with your own eyes
   you will see me bless you
   with all you once owned.
   Then you will be famous
   everywhere on this earth.
   I, the LORD, have spoken!
   

Footnotes:

1. Zephaniah 1:1 Hezekiah: Ruled 716-687 B.C.
2. Zephaniah 1:1 Josiah. . . king of Judah: Ruled 640-609 B.C.
3. Zephaniah 1:3 Everyone. . . ground: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
4. Zephaniah 1:4 Baal: A Caananite fertility god.
5. Zephaniah 1:5 Milcom: An Ammonite fertility god.
6. Zephaniah 1:8 follow foreign customs: Hebrew "wear foreign clothes."
7. Zephaniah 1:9 worshipers. . . gods: The Hebrew text has "all who jump over the threshold," which was a Philistine religious practice (see 1 Samuel 5.5).
8. Zephaniah 1:11 Fish Gate, New Town, and Upper Hills. . . Lower Hollow: Names for different sections of Jerusalem: Fish Gate was probably the main gate on the north side of the city; New Town was a newer section; Upper Hills may have been a suburb north of the city; Lower Hollow was probably on the southern edge of town.
9. Zephaniah 2:4 Gaza. . . Ekron: Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, and Gath (not mentioned because it was already destroyed) were the five major Philistine towns.
10. Zephaniah 2:5 people of Philistia: The Hebrew text also mentions "Canaan" and "Cherethites," which are other ways of referring to the Philistines.
11. Zephaniah 2:6 pens: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 6.
12. Zephaniah 2:7 Ashkelon: A Philistine town; see the note at 2.4.
13. Zephaniah 2:8 threaten their nation: Or "boast about their own nation."
14. Zephaniah 2:12 Ethiopia: The Hebrew text has "Cush," which was a region south of Egypt that included parts of the present countries of Ethiopia and Sudan.
15. Zephaniah 2:13 Nineveh: The capital of Assyria; Nineveh was protected by a moat filled with water from the nearby Tigris River.
16. Zephaniah 2:14 stripped. . . cedar: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
17. Zephaniah 3:9 I will. . . praising me: Or "I will change the hearts of all people and make them fit for praising me."
18. Zephaniah 3:10 Ethiopia: See the note at 2.12.
19. Zephaniah 3:17 refresh. . . love: Two ancient translations; Hebrew "silently show you his love."
20. Zephaniah 3:18 celebrate: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 18.

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Revelation 10:1-11 (Contemporary English Version)

Revelation 10

The Angel and the Little Scroll

 ¹I saw another powerful angel come down from heaven. This one was covered with a cloud, and a rainbow was over his head. His face was like the sun, his legs were like columns of fire, ²and with his hand he held a little scroll ^a] that had been unrolled. He stood there with his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land. ³Then he shouted with a voice that sounded like a growling lion. Thunder roared seven times. ⁴After the thunder stopped, I was about to write what it had said. But a voice from heaven shouted, "Keep it secret! Don't write these things."    ⁵The angel I had seen standing on the sea and the land then held his right hand up toward heaven. ⁶He made a promise in the name of God who lives forever and who created heaven, earth, the sea, and every living creature. The angel said, "You won't have to wait any longer. ⁷God told his secret plans to his servants the prophets, and it will all happen by the time the seventh angel sounds his trumpet."
    ⁸Once again the voice from heaven spoke to me. It said, "Go and take the open scroll from the hand of the angel standing on the sea and the land."
    ⁹When I went over to ask the angel for the little scroll, the angel said, "Take the scroll and eat it! Your stomach will turn sour, but the taste in your mouth will be as sweet as honey." ¹⁰I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. The taste was as sweet as honey, but my stomach turned sour.
    ¹¹Then some voices said, "Keep on telling what will happen to the people of many nations, races, and languages, and also to kings."
   

Footnotes:

1. Revelation 10:2 scroll: See the note at 5.1.

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Psalm 138:1-8 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 138

(By David.)

Praise the LORD with All Your Heart

 ¹With all my heart   I praise you, LORD.
   In the presence of angels ^a] I sing your praises.
    ²I worship at your holy temple
   and praise you for your love
   and your faithfulness.
   You were true to your word
   and made yourself more famous
   than ever before. ^b] 3When I asked for your help,
   you answered my prayer
   and gave me courage. ^c] 4All kings on this earth
   have heard your promises, LORD,
   and they will praise you.
    ⁵You are so famous
   that they will sing
   about the things you have done.
    ⁶Though you are above us all,
   you care for humble people,
   and you keep a close watch
   on everyone who is proud.
    ⁷I am surrounded by trouble,
   but you protect me
   against my angry enemies.
   With your own powerful arm
   you keep me safe.
    ⁸You, LORD, will always
   treat me with kindness.
   Your love never fails.
   You have made us what we are.
   Don't give up on us now! ^d]

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 138:1 angels: Or " gods" or " supernatural beings" who worship and serve God in heaven or " rulers" or " leaders."
2. Psalm 138:2 You were. . . before: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
3. Psalm 138:3 and gave me courage: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
4. Psalm 138:8 You have. . . now: Or " Please don't desert your people."

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Proverbs 30:11-14 (Contemporary English Version)

¹¹Some people curse their father
   and even their mother;
    ¹²others think they are perfect,
   but they are stained by sin.
    ¹³Some people are stuck-up
   and act like snobs;
    ¹⁴others are so greedy
   that they gobble down
   the poor and homeless.

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Verse of the Day

“You, my son, will be called a prophet of God in heaven above. You will go ahead of the Lord to get everything ready for him. You will tell his people that they can be saved when their sins are forgiven. God's love and kindness will shine upon us like the sun that rises in the sky.” - Luke 1:76-78

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

American sportswriter and baseball executive, Ford Frick wrote, “Keep your temper. A decision made in anger is never sound.”

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A Joke for Today

An elderly man in Phoenix calls his son in New York and says, "I hate to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing, forty-five years of misery is enough."

"Pop, what are you talking about?" the son screams.

"We can't stand the sight of each other any longer," the old man says. 

"We're sick of each other, and I'm sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Chicago and tell her," and he hangs up.

Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone. "Like heck they're getting divorced," she shouts, "I'll take care of this." She calls Phoenix immediately, and screams at the old man, "You are NOT getting divorced. Don't do a single thing until I get there. I'm calling my brother back, and we'll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don't do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME?" and hangs up.

The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife. "Okay," he says, "They're coming for Thanksgiving and paying their own fares Now what do we tell them for Christmas?