Let's read the Bible together in the next year. Today our passages are Habakkuk 1:1–3:19; Revelation 9:1-21; Psalm 137:1-9; and Proverbs 30:10. The readings are the Contemporary English Version.
Habakkuk 1-3:19 (Contemporary English Version)
Habakkuk 1
Habakkuk Complains to the LORD
2Our LORD, how long must I beg for your helpbefore you listen?
How long before you save us
from all this violence?
3Why do you make me watch
such terrible injustice?
Why do you allow violence,
lawlessness,
crime, and cruelty
to spread everywhere?
4Laws cannot be enforced;
justice is always the loser;
criminals crowd out honest people
and twist the laws around.
The LORD Answers Habakkuk
5Look and be amazed at what's happeningamong the nations!
Even if you were told,
you would never believe
what's taking place now.
6I am sending the Babylonians.
They are fierce and cruel--
marching across the land,
conquering cities and towns.
7How fearsome and frightening.
Their only laws and rules
are the ones they make up.
8Their cavalry troops are faster
than leopards,
more ferocious than wolves
hunting at sunset,
and swifter than hungry eagles
suddenly swooping down.
9They are eager to destroy, b] and they gather captives
like handfuls of sand.
10They make fun of rulers
and laugh at fortresses,
while building dirt mounds
so they can capture cities. c] 11Then suddenly they disappear
like a gust of wind--
those sinful people who worship
their own strength.
Habakkuk Complains Again
12Holy LORD God, mighty rock, d] you are eternal, and we e] are safe from death. You are using those Babyloniansto judge and punish others. f] 13But you can't stand sin or wrong.
So don't sit by in silence
while they gobble down people
who are better than they are.
14The people you put on this earth
are like fish or reptiles
without a leader.
15Then an enemy comes along
and takes them captive
with hooks and nets.
It makes him so happy
16that he offers sacrifices
to his fishing nets,
because they make him rich
and provide choice foods.
17Will he keep hauling in his nets
and destroying nations
without showing mercy?
Habakkuk 2
The LORD Answers Habakkuk Again
1While standing guard on the watchtower,I waited for the LORD's answer,
before explaining the reason
for my complaint. g] 2Then the LORD told me:
"I will give you my message
in the form of a vision.
Write it clearly enough
to be read at a glance.
3At the time I have decided,
my words will come true.
You can trust what I say
about the future.
It may take a long time,
but keep on waiting--
it will happen!
4"I, the LORD, refuse to accept
anyone who is proud.
Only those who live by faith
are acceptable to me." h]
Trouble for Evil People
5Wine i] is treacherous, and arrogant people are never satisfied.They are no less greedy
than death itself--
they open their mouths as wide
as the world of the dead
and swallow everyone.
6But they will be mocked
with these words:
You're doomed!
You stored up stolen goods
and cheated others
of what belonged to them.
7But without warning,
those you owe
will demand payment.
Then you will become
a frightened victim.
8You robbed cities and nations
everywhere on earth
and murdered their people.
Now those who survived
will be as cruel to you.
9You're doomed!
You made your family rich
at the expense of others.
You even said to yourself,
"I'm above the law."
10But you will bring shame
on your family
and ruin to yourself
for what you did to others.
11The very stones and wood
in your home
will testify against you.
12You're doomed! You built a city
on crime and violence.
13But the LORD All-Powerful
sends up in flames
what nations and people
work so hard to gain.
14Just as water fills the sea,
the land will be filled
with people who know
and honor the LORD.
15You're doomed!
You get your friends drunk,
just to see them naked.
16Now you will be disgraced
instead of praised.
The LORD will make you drunk,
and when others see you naked,
you will lose their respect.
17You destroyed trees and animals
on Mount Lebanon;
you were ruthless to towns
and people everywhere.
Now you will be terrorized.
Idolatry Is Foolish
18What is an idol worth? It's merely a false god.Why trust a speechless image
made from wood or metal
by human hands?
19What can you learn from idols
covered with silver or gold?
They can't even breathe.
Pity anyone who says to an idol
of wood or stone,
"Get up and do something!"
20Let all the world be silent--
the LORD is present
in his holy temple.
Habakkuk 3
Habakkuk's Prayer
1This is my prayer: j] 2I know your reputation, LORD, and I am amazedat what you have done.
Please turn from your anger
and be merciful;
do for us what you did
for our ancestors.
3You are the same Holy God
who came from Teman
and Paran k] to help us. The brightness of your glory
covered the heavens,
and your praises were heard
everywhere on earth.
4Your glory shone like the sun,
and light flashed from your hands,
hiding your mighty power.
5Dreadful diseases and plagues
marched in front
and followed behind.
6When you stopped,
the earth shook;
when you stared,
nations trembled;
when you walked
along your ancient paths,
eternal mountains and hills
crumbled and collapsed.
7The tents of desert tribes
in Cushan and Midian l] were ripped apart.
8Our LORD, were you angry
with the monsters
of the deep? m] You attacked in your chariot
and wiped them out.
9Your arrows were ready
and obeyed your commands. n] You split the earth apart
with rivers and streams;
10mountains trembled
at the sight of you;
rain poured from the clouds;
ocean waves roared and rose.
11The sun and moon stood still,
while your arrows and spears
flashed like lightning.
12In your furious anger,
you trampled on nations
13to rescue your people
and save your chosen one. o] You crushed a nation's ruler
and stripped his evil kingdom
of its power. p] 14His troops had come like a storm,
hoping to scatter us
and glad to gobble us down.
To them we were refugees
in hiding--
but you smashed their heads
with their own weapons. q] 15Then your chariots churned
the waters of the sea.
Habakkuk's Response to God's Message
16When I heard this message, r] I felt weak from fear, and my lips quivered.My bones seemed to melt,
and I stumbled around.
But I will patiently wait.
Someday those vicious enemies
will be struck by disaster. s]
Trust in a Time of Trouble
17Fig trees may no longer bloom, or vineyards produce grapes;olive trees may be fruitless,
and harvest time a failure;
sheep pens may be empty,
and cattle stalls vacant--
18but I will still celebrate
because the LORD God
saves me.
19The LORD gives me strength.
He makes my feet as sure
as those of a deer,
and he helps me stand
on the mountains. t] To the music director:
Use stringed instruments.
Footnotes:
- Habakkuk 1:1 message: Or "vision."
- Habakkuk 1:9 eager to destroy: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- Habakkuk 1:10 dirt mounds. . . cities: Attacking armies often build dirt mounds against city walls to make it easier for them to climb the wall and capture the city.
- Habakkuk 1:12 mighty rock: The Hebrew text has "rock," which is sometimes used in poetry to compare the LORD to a mountain where his people can run for protection from their enemies.
- Habakkuk 1:12 we: Hebrew; one ancient Jewish tradition "you."
- Habakkuk 1:12 You. . . others: Or "You will judge and punish those Babylonians."
- Habakkuk 2:1 I. . . complaint: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- Habakkuk 2:4 Only. . . me: Or "But those who are acceptable to me will live because of their faithfulness."
- Habakkuk 2:5 Wine: The Standard Hebrew Text; the Dead Sea Scrolls "Wealth."
- Habakkuk 3:1 prayer: The Hebrew text adds "according to the shigionoth," which may mean a prayer of request or a prayer to be accompanied by a special musical instrument.
- Habakkuk 3:3 Teman. . . Paran: Teman is a district in Edom, but the name is sometimes used of the whole country of Edom; Paran is the hill country along the western border of the Gulf of Aqaba. In Judges 5.4, the LORD is said to have marched from Edom to help his people; in Deuteronomy 33.2, Paran is mentioned in connection with the LORD's appearance at Sinai.
- Habakkuk 3:7 Cushan and Midian: Tribes of the Arabian desert who were enemies of Israel.
- Habakkuk 3:8 monsters of the deep: The Hebrew text has "rivers and oceans," which may stand for the powerful monsters that were thought to have lived there before the LORD defeated them.
- Habakkuk 3:9 obeyed your commands: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- Habakkuk 3:13 chosen one: Or "chosen ones."
- Habakkuk 3:13 You crushed. . . power: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- Habakkuk 3:16 heard this message: Or "saw this vision."
- Habakkuk 3:16 I will. . . disaster: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- Habakkuk 3:19 stand on the mountains: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Revelation 9:1-21 (Contemporary English Version)
Revelation 9
1When the fifth angel blew his trumpet, I saw a star a] fall from the sky to earth. It was given the key to the tunnel that leads down to the deep pit. 2As it opened the tunnel, smoke poured out like the smoke of a great furnace. The sun and the air turned dark because of the smoke. 3Locusts b] came out of the smoke and covered the earth. They were given the same power that scorpions have. 4The locusts were told not to harm the grass on the earth or any plant or any tree. They were to punish only those people who did not have God's mark on their foreheads. 5The locusts were allowed to make them suffer for five months, but not to kill them. The suffering they caused was like the sting of a scorpion. 6In those days people will want to die, but they will not be able to. They will hope for death, but it will escape from them. 7These locusts looked like horses ready for battle. On their heads they wore something like gold crowns, and they had human faces. 8Their hair was like a woman's long hair, and their teeth were like those of a lion. 9On their chests they wore armor made of iron. Their wings roared like an army of horse-drawn chariots rushing into battle. 10Their tails were like a scorpion's tail with a stinger that had the power to hurt someone for five months. 11Their king was the angel in charge of the deep pit. In Hebrew his name was Abaddon, and in Greek it was Apollyon. c] 12The first horrible thing has now happened! But wait. Two more horrible things will happen soon.
13Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet. I heard a voice speak from the four corners of the gold altar that stands in the presence of God. 14The voice spoke to this angel and said, "Release the four angels who are tied up beside the great Euphrates River." 15The four angels had been prepared for this very hour and day and month and year. Now they were set free to kill a third of all people.
16By listening, I could tell there were more than two hundred million of these war horses. 17In my vision their riders wore fiery-red, dark-blue, and yellow armor on their chests. The heads of the horses looked like lions, with fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths. 18One-third of all people were killed by the three terrible troubles caused by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur. 19The horses had powerful mouths, and their tails were like poisonous snakes that bite and hurt.
20The people who lived through these terrible troubles did not turn away from the idols they had made, and they did not stop worshiping demons. They kept on worshiping idols that were made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood. Not one of these idols could see, hear, or walk. 21No one stopped murdering or practicing witchcraft or being immoral or stealing.
Footnotes:- Revelation 9:1 star: In the ancient world, stars were often thought of as living beings, such as angels.
- Revelation 9:3 Locusts: A type of grasshopper that comes in swarms and causes great damage to crops.
- Revelation 9:11 Abaddon. . . Apollyon: The Hebrew word "Abaddon" and the Greek word "Apollyon" each mean "destruction."
13Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet. I heard a voice speak from the four corners of the gold altar that stands in the presence of God. 14The voice spoke to this angel and said, "Release the four angels who are tied up beside the great Euphrates River." 15The four angels had been prepared for this very hour and day and month and year. Now they were set free to kill a third of all people.
16By listening, I could tell there were more than two hundred million of these war horses. 17In my vision their riders wore fiery-red, dark-blue, and yellow armor on their chests. The heads of the horses looked like lions, with fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths. 18One-third of all people were killed by the three terrible troubles caused by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur. 19The horses had powerful mouths, and their tails were like poisonous snakes that bite and hurt.
20The people who lived through these terrible troubles did not turn away from the idols they had made, and they did not stop worshiping demons. They kept on worshiping idols that were made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood. Not one of these idols could see, hear, or walk. 21No one stopped murdering or practicing witchcraft or being immoral or stealing.
Footnotes:
- Revelation 9:1 star: In the ancient world, stars were often thought of as living beings, such as angels.
- Revelation 9:3 Locusts: A type of grasshopper that comes in swarms and causes great damage to crops.
- Revelation 9:11 Abaddon. . . Apollyon: The Hebrew word "Abaddon" and the Greek word "Apollyon" each mean "destruction."
Psalm 137:1-9 (Contemporary English Version)
Psalm 137
A Prayer for Revenge
1Beside the rivers of Babylon we thought about Jerusalem,
and we sat down and cried.
2We hung our small harps
on the willow a] trees. 3Our enemies had brought us here
as their prisoners,
and now they wanted us to sing
and entertain them.
They insulted us and shouted,
"Sing about Zion!"
4Here in a foreign land,
how can we sing
about the LORD?
5Jerusalem, if I forget you,
let my right hand go limp.
6Let my tongue stick
to the roof of my mouth,
if I don't think about you
above all else.
7Our LORD, punish the Edomites!
Because the day Jerusalem fell,
they shouted,
"Completely destroy the city!
Tear down every building!"
8Babylon, you are doomed!
I pray the Lord's blessings
on anyone who punishes you
for what you did to us.
9May the Lord bless everyone
who beats your children
against the rocks!
and we sat down and cried.
2We hung our small harps
on the willow a] trees. 3Our enemies had brought us here
as their prisoners,
and now they wanted us to sing
and entertain them.
They insulted us and shouted,
"Sing about Zion!"
4Here in a foreign land,
how can we sing
about the LORD?
5Jerusalem, if I forget you,
let my right hand go limp.
6Let my tongue stick
to the roof of my mouth,
if I don't think about you
above all else.
7Our LORD, punish the Edomites!
Because the day Jerusalem fell,
they shouted,
"Completely destroy the city!
Tear down every building!"
8Babylon, you are doomed!
I pray the Lord's blessings
on anyone who punishes you
for what you did to us.
9May the Lord bless everyone
who beats your children
against the rocks!
Proverbs 30:10 (Contemporary English Version)
10Don't tell a slave owner
something bad
about one
of the slaves.
That slave will curse you,
and you will be in trouble.
something bad
about one
of the slaves.
That slave will curse you,
and you will be in trouble.
Thought for the Day
“Praise the Lord, the God of Israel! He has come to save his people. Our God has given us a mighty Savior from the family of David his servant. Long ago the Lord promised by the words of his holy prophets” (Luke 1:68-70 - Contemporary English Version) Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of God’s promise to us. You see, he promised to save his people. And through his son, that’s exactly what he’s done.
Quote for the Day
“Praise the Lord, the God of Israel! He has come to save his people. Our God has given us a mighty Savior from the family of David his servant. Long ago the Lord promised by the words of his holy prophets” (Luke 1:68-70 - Contemporary English Version) Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of God’s promise to us. You see, he promised to save his people. And through his son, that’s exactly what he’s done.
American public official who worked mainly in the New York metropolitan area, Robert Moses wrote, “If you elect a matinee idol mayor, you're going to have a musical comedy administration.”
Joke for Today
I was sitting in the waiting room of the hospital after my wife had gone into labor when the nurse walked out and said to a man sitting there, "Congratulations sir, you're the new father of twins!"
The man replied, "How about that! I work for the Minnesota Twins baseball team." About an hour later, the same nurse entered the waiting room and announced that Mrs. Smith had just had triplets.
Mr. Smith stood up and said, "Well, how do ya like that, I work for 3M!"
When the nurse appeared next, she told the third man that his wife had given birth to quadruplets.
"That's amazing! I work for the Four Seasons Hotel!"
At this point the gentleman sitting next to me let out a little strangled gasp and hurriedly got up, obviously distraught. When I asked him if he was okay, he explained, "I think I need a breath of fresh air." The man continued, "I'm the casting director for 101 Dalmatians."
A Prayer Request
As Christians, we can offer specific daily prayers for our community, nation and world. Below is the need that we're laying before God today.
That we resist those forces that seek to divide us.
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