Let's read the Bible together in the next year. Today our passages are Zechariah 1:1-21; Revelation 12:1–13:1a; Psalm 140:1-13; and Proverbs 30:17. The readings are the Contemporary English Version.
Zechariah 1:1-21 (Contemporary English Version)
Zechariah 1
Turn to the LORD
1I am the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah and the grandson of Iddo. In the eighth month of the second year that Darius was king of Persia, a] the LORD told me to say: 2-3Israel, I, the LORD All-Powerful, was very angry with your ancestors. But if you people will return to me, I will turn and help you. 4Don't be stubborn like your ancestors. They were warned by the earlier prophets b] to give up their evil and turn back to me, but they paid no attention. 5Where are your ancestors now? Not even prophets live forever. 6But my warnings and my words spoken by the prophets caught up with your ancestors. So they turned back to me and said, "LORD All-Powerful, you have punished us for our sins, just as you had planned."First Vision: Horses and Riders
7-8On the twenty-fourth day of Shebat, c] which was the eleventh month of that same year, d] the LORD spoke to me in a vision during the night: In a valley among myrtle trees, e] I saw someone on a red horse, with riders on red, brown, and white horses behind him. 9An angel was there to explain things to me, and I asked, "Sir, who are these riders?" "I'll tell you," the angel answered. 10Right away, the man standing among the myrtle trees said, "These are the ones the LORD has sent to find out what's happening on earth."11Then the riders spoke to the LORD's angel, who was standing among the myrtle trees, and they said, "We have gone everywhere and have discovered that the whole world is at peace."
12At this, the angel said, "LORD All-Powerful, for seventy years you have been angry with Jerusalem and the towns of Judah. When are you ever going to have mercy on them?"
13The LORD's answer was kind and comforting. 14So the angel told me to announce:
I, the LORD All-Powerful, am very protective of Jerusalem. 15For a while I was angry at the nations, but now I am furious, because they have made things worse for Jerusalem and are not the least bit concerned. 16And so, I will have pity on Jerusalem. The city will be completely rebuilt, and my temple will stand again. 17I also promise that my towns will prosper--Jerusalem will once again be my chosen city, and I will comfort the people of Zion.
Second Vision: Animal Horns
18Next, I saw four animal horns. f] 19-21The angel who was sent to explain was there, and so I asked, "What do these mean?" His answer was, "These horns are the nations that scattered the people of Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem, and took away their freedom." Then the LORD showed me four blacksmiths, and I asked, "What are they going to do?"He replied, "They are going to terrify and crush those horns."
Footnotes:
- Zechariah 1:1 eighth month. . . second year. . . king of Persia: Bul, the eighth month of the Hebrew calender, from about mid-October to mid-November; the second year of the rule of Darius was 520 B.C.
- Zechariah 1:4 the earlier prophets: Those who preached before the fall of Jerusalem in either 587 or 586 B.C.
- Zechariah 1:7 Shebat: The eleventh month of the Hebrew calendar, from about mid-January to mid-February.
- Zechariah 1:7 that same year: See verse 1 and the note there.
- Zechariah 1:7 myrtle trees: Evergreen shrubs, which in ancient times were symbols of fertility and renewal.
- Zechariah 1:18 animal horns: Horns, especially those of a bull, were symbols of power in ancient times. The number "four" would signal completeness, one representing each of the four directions.
Revelation 12-13:1 (Contemporary English Version)
Revelation 12
The Woman and the Dragon
1Something important appeared in the sky. It was a woman whose clothes were the sun. The moon was under her feet, and a crown made of twelve stars was on her head. 2She was about to give birth, and she was crying because of the great pain. 3Something else appeared in the sky. It was a huge red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, and a crown on each of its seven heads. 4With its tail, it dragged a third of the stars from the sky and threw them down to the earth. Then the dragon turned toward the woman, because it wanted to eat her child as soon as it was born.
5The woman gave birth to a son, who would rule all nations with an iron rod. The boy was snatched away. He was taken to God and placed on his throne. 6The woman ran into the desert to a place that God had prepared for her. There she would be taken care of for one thousand two hundred sixty days.
5The woman gave birth to a son, who would rule all nations with an iron rod. The boy was snatched away. He was taken to God and placed on his throne. 6The woman ran into the desert to a place that God had prepared for her. There she would be taken care of for one thousand two hundred sixty days.
Michael Fights the Dragon
7A war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels were fighting against the dragon and its angels. 8But the dragon lost the battle. It and its angels were forced out of their places in heaven 9and were thrown down to the earth. Yes, that old snake and his angels were thrown out of heaven! That snake, who fools everyone on earth, is known as the devil and Satan. 10Then I heard a voice from heaven shout, "Our God has shown
his saving power,
and his kingdom has come!
God's own Chosen One
has shown his authority.
Satan accused our people
in the presence of God
day and night.
Now he has been thrown out!
11Our people defeated Satan
because of the blood a] of the Lamb
and the message of God.
They were willing
to give up their lives.
12The heavens should rejoice,
together with everyone
who lives there.
But pity the earth
and the sea,
because the devil
was thrown down
to the earth.
He knows his time is short,
and he is very angry."
13When the dragon realized that it had been thrown down to the earth, it tried to make trouble for the woman who had given birth to a son. 14But the woman was given two wings like those of a huge eagle, so that she could fly into the desert. There she would escape from the snake and be taken care of for a time, two times, and half a time.
15The snake then spewed out water like a river to sweep the woman away. 16But the earth helped her and swallowed the water that had come from the dragon's mouth. 17This made the dragon terribly angry with the woman. So it started a war against the rest of her children. They are the people who obey God and are faithful to what Jesus did and taught. 18The dragon b] stood on the beach beside the sea.
his saving power,
and his kingdom has come!
God's own Chosen One
has shown his authority.
Satan accused our people
in the presence of God
day and night.
Now he has been thrown out!
11Our people defeated Satan
because of the blood a] of the Lamb
and the message of God.
They were willing
to give up their lives.
12The heavens should rejoice,
together with everyone
who lives there.
But pity the earth
and the sea,
because the devil
was thrown down
to the earth.
He knows his time is short,
and he is very angry."
13When the dragon realized that it had been thrown down to the earth, it tried to make trouble for the woman who had given birth to a son. 14But the woman was given two wings like those of a huge eagle, so that she could fly into the desert. There she would escape from the snake and be taken care of for a time, two times, and half a time.
15The snake then spewed out water like a river to sweep the woman away. 16But the earth helped her and swallowed the water that had come from the dragon's mouth. 17This made the dragon terribly angry with the woman. So it started a war against the rest of her children. They are the people who obey God and are faithful to what Jesus did and taught. 18The dragon b] stood on the beach beside the sea.
Revelation 13
The Two Beasts
1I looked and saw a beast coming up from the sea. This one had ten horns and seven heads, and a crown was on each of its ten horns. On each of its heads were names that were an insult to God.
Footnotes:- Revelation 12:11 blood: Or "death."
- Revelation 12:18 The dragon: The text has "he," and some manuscripts have "I."
Footnotes:
- Revelation 12:11 blood: Or "death."
- Revelation 12:18 The dragon: The text has "he," and some manuscripts have "I."
Psalm 140:1-13 (Contemporary English Version)
Psalm 140
(A psalm by David for the music leader.)
A Prayer for the LORD's Help
1Rescue me from cruel and violent enemies, LORD!
2They think up evil plans
and always cause trouble.
3Their words bite deep
like the poisonous fangs
of a snake.
4Protect me, LORD, from cruel
and brutal enemies,
who want to destroy me.
5Those proud people have hidden
traps and nets
to catch me as I walk.
6You, LORD, are my God!
Please listen to my prayer.
7You have the power to save me,
and you keep me safe
in every battle.
8Don't let the wicked succeed
in doing what they want,
or else they might never
stop planning evil.
9They have me surrounded,
but make them the victims
of their own vicious lies. a] 10Dump flaming coals on them
and throw them into pits
where they can't climb out.
11Chase those cruel liars away!
Let trouble hunt them down.
12Our LORD, I know that you
defend the homeless
and see that the poor
are given justice.
13Your people will praise you
and will live with you
because they do right.
Footnotes:- Psalm 140:9 or else. . . lies: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
2They think up evil plans
and always cause trouble.
3Their words bite deep
like the poisonous fangs
of a snake.
4Protect me, LORD, from cruel
and brutal enemies,
who want to destroy me.
5Those proud people have hidden
traps and nets
to catch me as I walk.
6You, LORD, are my God!
Please listen to my prayer.
7You have the power to save me,
and you keep me safe
in every battle.
8Don't let the wicked succeed
in doing what they want,
or else they might never
stop planning evil.
9They have me surrounded,
but make them the victims
of their own vicious lies. a] 10Dump flaming coals on them
and throw them into pits
where they can't climb out.
11Chase those cruel liars away!
Let trouble hunt them down.
12Our LORD, I know that you
defend the homeless
and see that the poor
are given justice.
13Your people will praise you
and will live with you
because they do right.
Footnotes:
- Psalm 140:9 or else. . . lies: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Proverbs 30:17 (Contemporary English Version)
17Don't make fun of your father
or disobey your mother--
crows will peck out your eyes,
and buzzards will eat
the rest of you.
or disobey your mother--
crows will peck out your eyes,
and buzzards will eat
the rest of you.
Thought for the Day
“and while they were there, she gave birth to her first-born son. She dressed him in baby clothes and laid him on a bed of hay, because there was no room for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:6-7 - Contemporary English Version) “and while they were there, she gave birth to her first-born son. She dressed him in baby clothes and laid him on a bed of hay, because there was no room for them in the inn.” God didn’t enter our time and space as a king with great wealth and power. Instead Jesus was born in a stable, and he was laid in a bed of hay. In other words, he came as one of those with whom he identified during his life and to whom he challenged us to show love.
Quote for the Day
“and while they were there, she gave birth to her first-born son. She dressed him in baby clothes and laid him on a bed of hay, because there was no room for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:6-7 - Contemporary English Version) “and while they were there, she gave birth to her first-born son. She dressed him in baby clothes and laid him on a bed of hay, because there was no room for them in the inn.” God didn’t enter our time and space as a king with great wealth and power. Instead Jesus was born in a stable, and he was laid in a bed of hay. In other words, he came as one of those with whom he identified during his life and to whom he challenged us to show love.
British author, journalist, literary critic, and travel writer, Rebecca West wrote, “Any authentic work of art must start an argument between the artist and his audience.”
Joke for Today
A drunk gets on a transit bus. The driver, impatient while the drunk fumbles in his pocket for change, drives off. As the bus starts rolling, the drunk reacts to the sudden movement by stumbling all the way to the back of the bus. The bus stops at the next stop. He reacts by stumbling to the front of the bus. Still the man is fumbling in his pockets for change. The bus jerks forward once again, and the drunk stumbles uncontrollably to the back of the bus. Next stop, the same thing happens. Every time the bus stops, the man would stagger to the front. Every time the bus starts, he staggers uncontrollably to the back. A few stops later the drunk exits the the bus from the front.
"Hey", shouts the bus driver... "You didn't pay your fare yet!"
The drunk, reeling, shouts back "And I'm not going to!..... I walked all the way!"
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 those in the arts would be open to biblical world views and principles.
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