Let's read the Bible together in the next year. Today, our passages are Ezekiel 27:1–28:26; Hebrews 11:17-31; Psalm 111:1-10; and Proverbs 27:15-16. The readings are from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson.
Ezekiel 27-28:26 (The Message)
Ezekiel 27
Tyre, Gateway to the Sea
1-9 God's Message came to me: "You, son of man, raise a funeral song over Tyre. Tell Tyre, gateway to the sea, merchant to the world, trader among the far-off islands, 'This is what God, the Master, says: "'You boast, Tyre:
"I'm the perfect ship—stately, handsome."
You ruled the high seas from
a real beauty, crafted to perfection.
Your planking came from
Mount Hermon junipers.
A Lebanon cedar
supplied your mast.
They made your oars
from sturdy Bashan oaks.
Cypress from Cyprus inlaid with ivory
was used for the decks.
Your sail and flag were of colorful
embroidered linen from Egypt.
Your purple deck awnings
also came from Cyprus.
Men of Sidon and Arvad pulled the oars.
Your seasoned seamen, O Tyre, were the crew.
Ship's carpenters
were old salts from Byblos.
All the ships of the sea and their sailors
clustered around you to barter for your goods.
10-11"'Your army was composed of soldiers
from Paras, Lud, and Put,
Elite troops in uniformed splendor.
They put you on the map!
Your city police were imported from
Arvad, Helech, and Gammad.
They hung their shields from the city walls,
a final, perfect touch to your beauty.
12 "'Tarshish carried on business with you because of your great wealth. They worked for you, trading in silver, iron, tin, and lead for your products.
13 "'Greece, Tubal, and Meshech did business with you, trading slaves and bronze for your products.
14 "'Beth-togarmah traded work horses, war horses, and mules for your products.
15 "'The people of Rhodes did business with you. Many far-off islands traded with you in ivory and ebony.
16 "'Edom did business with you because of all your goods. They traded for your products with agate, purple textiles, embroidered cloth, fine linen, coral, and rubies.
17 "'Judah and Israel did business with you. They traded for your products with premium wheat, millet, honey, oil, and balm.
18 "'Damascus, attracted by your vast array of products and well-stocked warehouses, carried on business with you, trading in wine from Helbon and wool from Zahar.
19 "'Danites and Greeks from Uzal traded with you, using wrought iron, cinnamon, and spices.
20 "'Dedan traded with you for saddle blankets.
21 "'Arabia and all the Bedouin sheiks of Kedar traded lambs, rams, and goats with you.
22 "'Traders from Sheba and Raamah in South Arabia carried on business with you in premium spices, precious stones, and gold.
23-24 "'Haran, Canneh, and Eden from the east in Assyria and Media traded with you, bringing elegant clothes, dyed textiles, and elaborate carpets to your bazaars.
25 "'The great Tarshish ships were your freighters, importing and exporting. Oh, it was big business for you, trafficking the seaways!
26-32"'Your sailors row mightily,
taking you into the high seas.
Then a storm out of the east
shatters your ship in the ocean deep.
Everything sinks—your rich goods and products,
sailors and crew, ship's carpenters and soldiers,
Sink to the bottom of the sea.
Total shipwreck.
The cries of your sailors
reverberate on shore.
Sailors everywhere abandon ship.
Veteran seamen swim for dry land.
They cry out in grief,
a choir of bitter lament over you.
They smear their faces with ashes,
shave their heads,
Wear rough burlap,
wildly keening their loss.
They raise their funeral song:
"Who on the high seas is like Tyre!"
33-36"'As you crisscrossed the seas with your products,
you satisfied many peoples.
Your worldwide trade
made earth's kings rich.
And now you're battered to bits by the waves,
sunk to the bottom of the sea,
And everything you've bought and sold
has sunk to the bottom with you.
Everyone on shore looks on in terror.
The hair of kings stands on end,
their faces drawn and haggard!
The buyers and sellers of the world
throw up their hands:
This horror can't happen!
Oh, this has happened!'"
"I'm the perfect ship—stately, handsome."
You ruled the high seas from
a real beauty, crafted to perfection.
Your planking came from
Mount Hermon junipers.
A Lebanon cedar
supplied your mast.
They made your oars
from sturdy Bashan oaks.
Cypress from Cyprus inlaid with ivory
was used for the decks.
Your sail and flag were of colorful
embroidered linen from Egypt.
Your purple deck awnings
also came from Cyprus.
Men of Sidon and Arvad pulled the oars.
Your seasoned seamen, O Tyre, were the crew.
Ship's carpenters
were old salts from Byblos.
All the ships of the sea and their sailors
clustered around you to barter for your goods.
10-11"'Your army was composed of soldiers
from Paras, Lud, and Put,
Elite troops in uniformed splendor.
They put you on the map!
Your city police were imported from
Arvad, Helech, and Gammad.
They hung their shields from the city walls,
a final, perfect touch to your beauty.
12 "'Tarshish carried on business with you because of your great wealth. They worked for you, trading in silver, iron, tin, and lead for your products.
13 "'Greece, Tubal, and Meshech did business with you, trading slaves and bronze for your products.
14 "'Beth-togarmah traded work horses, war horses, and mules for your products.
15 "'The people of Rhodes did business with you. Many far-off islands traded with you in ivory and ebony.
16 "'Edom did business with you because of all your goods. They traded for your products with agate, purple textiles, embroidered cloth, fine linen, coral, and rubies.
17 "'Judah and Israel did business with you. They traded for your products with premium wheat, millet, honey, oil, and balm.
18 "'Damascus, attracted by your vast array of products and well-stocked warehouses, carried on business with you, trading in wine from Helbon and wool from Zahar.
19 "'Danites and Greeks from Uzal traded with you, using wrought iron, cinnamon, and spices.
20 "'Dedan traded with you for saddle blankets.
21 "'Arabia and all the Bedouin sheiks of Kedar traded lambs, rams, and goats with you.
22 "'Traders from Sheba and Raamah in South Arabia carried on business with you in premium spices, precious stones, and gold.
23-24 "'Haran, Canneh, and Eden from the east in Assyria and Media traded with you, bringing elegant clothes, dyed textiles, and elaborate carpets to your bazaars.
25 "'The great Tarshish ships were your freighters, importing and exporting. Oh, it was big business for you, trafficking the seaways!
26-32"'Your sailors row mightily,
taking you into the high seas.
Then a storm out of the east
shatters your ship in the ocean deep.
Everything sinks—your rich goods and products,
sailors and crew, ship's carpenters and soldiers,
Sink to the bottom of the sea.
Total shipwreck.
The cries of your sailors
reverberate on shore.
Sailors everywhere abandon ship.
Veteran seamen swim for dry land.
They cry out in grief,
a choir of bitter lament over you.
They smear their faces with ashes,
shave their heads,
Wear rough burlap,
wildly keening their loss.
They raise their funeral song:
"Who on the high seas is like Tyre!"
33-36"'As you crisscrossed the seas with your products,
you satisfied many peoples.
Your worldwide trade
made earth's kings rich.
And now you're battered to bits by the waves,
sunk to the bottom of the sea,
And everything you've bought and sold
has sunk to the bottom with you.
Everyone on shore looks on in terror.
The hair of kings stands on end,
their faces drawn and haggard!
The buyers and sellers of the world
throw up their hands:
This horror can't happen!
Oh, this has happened!'"
Ezekiel 28
The Money Has Gone to Your Head
1-5 God's Message came to me, "Son of man, tell the prince of Tyre, 'This is what God, the Master, says: "'Your heart is proud,
going around saying, "I'm a god.
I sit on God's divine throne,
ruling the sea"—
You, a mere mortal,
not even close to being a god,
A mere mortal
trying to be a god.
Look, you think you're smarter than Daniel.
No enigmas can stump you.
Your sharp intelligence
made you world-wealthy.
You piled up gold and silver
in your banks.
You used your head well,
worked good deals, made a lot of money.
But the money has gone to your head,
swelled your head—what a big head!
6-11"'Therefore, God, the Master, says:
"'Because you're acting like a god,
pretending to be a god,
I'm giving fair warning: I'm bringing strangers down on you,
the most vicious of all nations.
They'll pull their swords and make hash
of your reputation for knowing it all.
They'll puncture the balloon
of your god-pretensions.
They'll bring you down from your self-made pedestal
and bury you in the deep blue sea.
Will you protest to your assassins,
"You can't do that! I'm a god"?
To them you're a mere mortal.
They're killing a man, not a god.
You'll die like a stray dog,
killed by strangers—
Because I said so.
Decree of God, the Master.'"
11-19God's Message came to me: "Son of man, raise a funeral song over the king of Tyre. Tell him, A Message from God, the Master:
"You had everything going for you.
You were in Eden, God's garden.
You were dressed in splendor,
your robe studded with jewels:
Carnelian, peridot, and moonstone,
beryl, onyx, and jasper,
Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald,
all in settings of engraved gold.
A robe was prepared for you
the same day you were created.
You were the anointed cherub.
I placed you on the mountain of God.
You strolled in magnificence
among the stones of fire.
From the day of your creation
you were sheer perfection...
and then imperfection—evil!—was detected in you.
In much buying and selling
you turned violent, you sinned!
I threw you, disgraced, off the mountain of God.
I threw you out—you, the anointed angel-cherub.
No more strolling among the gems of fire for you!
Your beauty went to your head.
You corrupted wisdom
by using it to get worldly fame.
I threw you to the ground,
sent you sprawling before an audience of kings
and let them gloat over your demise.
By sin after sin after sin,
by your corrupt ways of doing business,
you defiled your holy places of worship.
So I set a fire around and within you.
It burned you up. I reduced you to ashes.
All anyone sees now
when they look for you is ashes,
a pitiful mound of ashes.
All who once knew you
now throw up their hands:
'This can't have happened!
This has happened!'"
20-23 God's Message came to me: "Son of man, confront Sidon. Preach against it. Say, 'Message from God, the Master:
"'Look! I'm against you, Sidon.
I intend to be known for who I truly am among you.'
They'll know that I am God
when I set things right
and reveal my holy presence.
I'll order an epidemic of disease there,
along with murder and mayhem in the streets.
People will drop dead right and left,
as war presses in from every side.
Then they'll realize that I mean business,
that I am God.
24"No longer will Israel have to put up with
their thistle-and-thorn neighbors
Who have treated them so contemptuously.
And they also will realize that I am God."
25-26 God, the Master, says, "When I gather Israel from the peoples among whom they've been scattered and put my holiness on display among them with all the nations looking on, then they'll live in their own land that I gave to my servant Jacob. They'll live there in safety. They'll build houses. They'll plant vineyards, living in safety. Meanwhile, I'll bring judgment on all the neighbors who have treated them with such contempt. And they'll realize that I am God."
going around saying, "I'm a god.
I sit on God's divine throne,
ruling the sea"—
You, a mere mortal,
not even close to being a god,
A mere mortal
trying to be a god.
Look, you think you're smarter than Daniel.
No enigmas can stump you.
Your sharp intelligence
made you world-wealthy.
You piled up gold and silver
in your banks.
You used your head well,
worked good deals, made a lot of money.
But the money has gone to your head,
swelled your head—what a big head!
6-11"'Therefore, God, the Master, says:
"'Because you're acting like a god,
pretending to be a god,
I'm giving fair warning: I'm bringing strangers down on you,
the most vicious of all nations.
They'll pull their swords and make hash
of your reputation for knowing it all.
They'll puncture the balloon
of your god-pretensions.
They'll bring you down from your self-made pedestal
and bury you in the deep blue sea.
Will you protest to your assassins,
"You can't do that! I'm a god"?
To them you're a mere mortal.
They're killing a man, not a god.
You'll die like a stray dog,
killed by strangers—
Because I said so.
Decree of God, the Master.'"
11-19God's Message came to me: "Son of man, raise a funeral song over the king of Tyre. Tell him, A Message from God, the Master:
"You had everything going for you.
You were in Eden, God's garden.
You were dressed in splendor,
your robe studded with jewels:
Carnelian, peridot, and moonstone,
beryl, onyx, and jasper,
Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald,
all in settings of engraved gold.
A robe was prepared for you
the same day you were created.
You were the anointed cherub.
I placed you on the mountain of God.
You strolled in magnificence
among the stones of fire.
From the day of your creation
you were sheer perfection...
and then imperfection—evil!—was detected in you.
In much buying and selling
you turned violent, you sinned!
I threw you, disgraced, off the mountain of God.
I threw you out—you, the anointed angel-cherub.
No more strolling among the gems of fire for you!
Your beauty went to your head.
You corrupted wisdom
by using it to get worldly fame.
I threw you to the ground,
sent you sprawling before an audience of kings
and let them gloat over your demise.
By sin after sin after sin,
by your corrupt ways of doing business,
you defiled your holy places of worship.
So I set a fire around and within you.
It burned you up. I reduced you to ashes.
All anyone sees now
when they look for you is ashes,
a pitiful mound of ashes.
All who once knew you
now throw up their hands:
'This can't have happened!
This has happened!'"
20-23 God's Message came to me: "Son of man, confront Sidon. Preach against it. Say, 'Message from God, the Master:
"'Look! I'm against you, Sidon.
I intend to be known for who I truly am among you.'
They'll know that I am God
when I set things right
and reveal my holy presence.
I'll order an epidemic of disease there,
along with murder and mayhem in the streets.
People will drop dead right and left,
as war presses in from every side.
Then they'll realize that I mean business,
that I am God.
24"No longer will Israel have to put up with
their thistle-and-thorn neighbors
Who have treated them so contemptuously.
And they also will realize that I am God."
25-26 God, the Master, says, "When I gather Israel from the peoples among whom they've been scattered and put my holiness on display among them with all the nations looking on, then they'll live in their own land that I gave to my servant Jacob. They'll live there in safety. They'll build houses. They'll plant vineyards, living in safety. Meanwhile, I'll bring judgment on all the neighbors who have treated them with such contempt. And they'll realize that I am God."
Hebrews 11:17-31 (The Message)
17-19By faith, Abraham, at the time of testing, offered Isaac back to God. Acting in faith, he was as ready to return the promised son, his only son, as he had been to receive him—and this after he had already been told, "Your descendants shall come from Isaac." Abraham figured that if God wanted to, he could raise the dead. In a sense, that's what happened when he received Isaac back, alive from off the altar.
20By an act of faith, Isaac reached into the future as he blessed Jacob and Esau.
21By an act of faith, Jacob on his deathbed blessed each of Joseph's sons in turn, blessing them with God's blessing, not his own—as he bowed worshipfully upon his staff.
22By an act of faith, Joseph, while dying, prophesied the exodus of Israel, and made arrangements for his own burial.
23By an act of faith, Moses' parents hid him away for three months after his birth. They saw the child's beauty, and they braved the king's decree.
24-28By faith, Moses, when grown, refused the privileges of the Egyptian royal house. He chose a hard life with God's people rather than an opportunistic soft life of sin with the oppressors. He valued suffering in the Messiah's camp far greater than Egyptian wealth because he was looking ahead, anticipating the payoff. By an act of faith, he turned his heel on Egypt, indifferent to the king's blind rage. He had his eye on the One no eye can see, and kept right on going. By an act of faith, he kept the Passover Feast and sprinkled Passover blood on each house so that the destroyer of the firstborn wouldn't touch them.
29By an act of faith, Israel walked through the Red Sea on dry ground. The Egyptians tried it and drowned.
30By faith, the Israelites marched around the walls of Jericho for seven days, and the walls fell flat.
31By an act of faith, Rahab, the Jericho harlot, welcomed the spies and escaped the destruction that came on those who refused to trust God.
20By an act of faith, Isaac reached into the future as he blessed Jacob and Esau.
21By an act of faith, Jacob on his deathbed blessed each of Joseph's sons in turn, blessing them with God's blessing, not his own—as he bowed worshipfully upon his staff.
22By an act of faith, Joseph, while dying, prophesied the exodus of Israel, and made arrangements for his own burial.
23By an act of faith, Moses' parents hid him away for three months after his birth. They saw the child's beauty, and they braved the king's decree.
24-28By faith, Moses, when grown, refused the privileges of the Egyptian royal house. He chose a hard life with God's people rather than an opportunistic soft life of sin with the oppressors. He valued suffering in the Messiah's camp far greater than Egyptian wealth because he was looking ahead, anticipating the payoff. By an act of faith, he turned his heel on Egypt, indifferent to the king's blind rage. He had his eye on the One no eye can see, and kept right on going. By an act of faith, he kept the Passover Feast and sprinkled Passover blood on each house so that the destroyer of the firstborn wouldn't touch them.
29By an act of faith, Israel walked through the Red Sea on dry ground. The Egyptians tried it and drowned.
30By faith, the Israelites marched around the walls of Jericho for seven days, and the walls fell flat.
31By an act of faith, Rahab, the Jericho harlot, welcomed the spies and escaped the destruction that came on those who refused to trust God.
Psalm 111:1-10 (The Message)
Psalm 111
Hallelujah! I give thanks to God with everything I've got—
Wherever good people gather, and in the congregation.
God's works are so great, worth
A lifetime of study—endless enjoyment!
Splendor and beauty mark his craft;
His generosity never gives out.
His miracles are his memorial—
This God of Grace, this God of Love.
He gave food to those who fear him,
He remembered to keep his ancient promise.
He proved to his people that he could do what he said:
Hand them the nations on a platter—a gift!
He manufactures truth and justice;
All his products are guaranteed to last—
Never out-of-date, never obsolete, rust-proof.
All that he makes and does is honest and true:
He paid the ransom for his people,
He ordered his Covenant kept forever.
He's so personal and holy, worthy of our respect.
The good life begins in the fear of God—
Do that and you'll know the blessing of God.
His Hallelujah lasts forever!
Wherever good people gather, and in the congregation.
God's works are so great, worth
A lifetime of study—endless enjoyment!
Splendor and beauty mark his craft;
His generosity never gives out.
His miracles are his memorial—
This God of Grace, this God of Love.
He gave food to those who fear him,
He remembered to keep his ancient promise.
He proved to his people that he could do what he said:
Hand them the nations on a platter—a gift!
He manufactures truth and justice;
All his products are guaranteed to last—
Never out-of-date, never obsolete, rust-proof.
All that he makes and does is honest and true:
He paid the ransom for his people,
He ordered his Covenant kept forever.
He's so personal and holy, worthy of our respect.
The good life begins in the fear of God—
Do that and you'll know the blessing of God.
His Hallelujah lasts forever!
Proverbs 27:15-16 (The Message)
15-16 A nagging spouse is like
the drip, drip, drip of a leaky faucet;
You can't turn it off,
and you can't get away from it.
15-16 A nagging spouse is like
the drip, drip, drip of a leaky faucet;
You can't turn it off,
and you can't get away from it.
Thought for the Day
“God wants you to silence stupid and ignorant people by doing right. You are free, but still you are God's servants, and you must not use your freedom as an excuse for doing wrong.” (1 Peter 2:15-16 - Contemporary English Version) When confronted with ignorance, we have a choice. On one hand, we can either dismiss them or make the kind of comment we'd expect from them. On the other hand, we can humbly do with is right and respond in a way that demonstrates love for both God and one another.
Quote for the Day
Hungarian-born American industrial designer known for her work with ceramics, Eva Zeisel wrote, "When you have clay in your hands, it's hard to avoid making birds."
Thought for the Day
“God wants you to silence stupid and ignorant people by doing right. You are free, but still you are God's servants, and you must not use your freedom as an excuse for doing wrong.” (1 Peter 2:15-16 - Contemporary English Version) When confronted with ignorance, we have a choice. On one hand, we can either dismiss them or make the kind of comment we'd expect from them. On the other hand, we can humbly do with is right and respond in a way that demonstrates love for both God and one another.
Quote for the Day
Hungarian-born American industrial designer known for her work with ceramics, Eva Zeisel wrote, "When you have clay in your hands, it's hard to avoid making birds."
An American businessman goes to Japan on a business trip, but he hates Japanese food, so he asks the concierge at his hotel if there's any place around where he can get American food. The concierge tells him he's in luck, there's a pizza place that just opened, and they deliver. The concierge gives the businessman the phone number, and he goes back to his room and orders a pizza.
Thirty minutes later, the delivery guy shows up to the door with the pizza. The businessman takes the pizza, and starts sneezing uncontrollably. He asks the delivery man, "What the Heck did you put on this pizza?" The delivery man bows deeply and says, "We put on the pizza what you ordered, pepper only."
An American businessman goes to Japan on a business trip, but he hates Japanese food, so he asks the concierge at his hotel if there's any place around where he can get American food. The concierge tells him he's in luck, there's a pizza place that just opened, and they deliver. The concierge gives the businessman the phone number, and he goes back to his room and orders a pizza.
Thirty minutes later, the delivery guy shows up to the door with the pizza. The businessman takes the pizza, and starts sneezing uncontrollably. He asks the delivery man, "What the Heck did you put on this pizza?" The delivery man bows deeply and says, "We put on the pizza what you ordered, pepper only."