Podcasts about Sinim

God's Great Plan (1) (audio) David Eells 6/18/25 Many prophetic words are not understood in the day they are given. Just as the scriptures show, they come ahead so that warnings are taken and spiritual warfare done. Also, many more people can partake of them this way.   Now Is the Time of My Great Plan Glynda Lomax - 10/01/2012 Now is the time of My Great Plan for the people of the earth. For thousands of years, I have planned the victory of My people in great detail. Now it is time for My people to rise up and walk as I have called you to walk, talk as I have called you to talk, for I have much to accomplish through you, My people. Cast your burdens to Me and walk forth as I have called you to do. Those I have called to ministry will now be positioned to move forward as never before. A great and glorious destiny awaits you, My people, such as you cannot imagine. Great shall be the reward of all My people who serve Me in this time. Yes, there shall be many trials and much tribulation also, but My glory through My people will outshine the darkness in the final days. Look up, My people, your redemption draws near! Glynda gives these verses: Heb.12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 1Pe.5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 1Pe.4:12-13 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. Rev.22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. Deu.4:29-31 But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. 30 When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; 31 (For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them. Isa.60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. Luk.21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.   Strategic Couplings Glynda Lomax - 09/26/2012 My children, the heat is being turned up in your lives and in your world. I will soon begin to place My devoted ones into position for battle as I have called them to stand. Some of you I will place in pairs - strategic couplings for the battles ahead. I have chosen mates for you that complement your weaknesses. They will be your rear guards on the earth as you march forth into all I have called you to do. Many of you I will pair with unlikely counterparts, of which the world around you will not approve, nor understand. Those near you cannot always see My mighty hand in all I am doing in your lives. Be careful, My children, of judging with your eyes or your hearts - judge only by My Spirit, for you walk in danger of calling My plans evil when you do this, and I do not consider lightly those who call My good evil, just as those who call evil good. Refrain your lips from speaking evil and seek Me only. Judge not what does not concern your own lives, for you shall see much around you in these end times you will not understand. The times approaching are perilous indeed, and I have a plan for each of your lives. You will not always understand what I am doing or the many ways I shall bless you through it. Many plans of the Evil One are being hatched behind the scenes, the horrors of which many are unaware. My children who have been watching and praying for My Son's soon return shall not be caught unawares. Rest now while you can, My children, for a fierce battle looms on the horizon of your lives and will soon be at your doors. Glynda gives these verses: Isa.58:8-10 (NIV) 8 and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness[a] will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. 9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, 10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. Isa.55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isa.5:20-21 20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! 2Ti.3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. Mat.7:1-5 1 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. Rom.14:12-13 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. 13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.   The Master's Plan Is Given G. W. - 11/21/2010 (David's notes in red) Part 1: I went to pray on Saturday night for full reconciliation for someone who was falling away. I could not pray. As I tried, my prayer returned to me. The word came to me, “I'm moving him out of the way to make room for another from the West”. Part 2: I had a dream Sunday night. It took place in the future. David had just received this email from me, which I wrote above as Part 1. David responded to the email by handing me a master plan. (Note: The email was sent to me on Monday, 11/22/10. I responded by sharing this interpretation of the parable of the master plan. This is the David's/Man-child's mission to receive and give revelation from the throne of God's plan on earth. Moses went up the mount to receive this and came down with his face glowing. Jesus also received this master plan and gave it to the disciples.) G. W. - I knew this master plan was the work that needed to be done by the people in the ministry. The master plan appeared to me in a hologram in the shape of a square. As I looked at the square before me, I knew it to be the uncomely parts of the body. (Note: There are many, many uncomely parts now but they will change through the Word from heaven. Remember this started with a falling away in Part 1 and now we see a raising up in Part 2. Luk.2:34 ... Behold, this [child] is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel; and for a sign which is spoken against... This is the master plan.) G. W.- The hologram began to change, like a slot machine changes its images as it goes around. Different numbers began flashing, and in my mind I knew them to be the different workings in the ministry. (Note: The falling of the old order and raising up of the new five-fold ministers, the deacons [ministries] and the gifts in the ministry.) G. W. - I also realized that the positions were growing into greater honor in the body and they started to become chess pieces. (Note: Those who are growing in the image of Christ.) G. W. - I was waiting for the hologram flashes to go up to the highest honors in God. But as I was watching it go up, it came to the Rook piece and I was taken out of the dream. That was the last thing I recall from this dream. (Note: The revelation didn't go up to the king, who is normally the highest honor, because in this dream, the King gives the highest honors to those “in God”, as the dream says. The game is centered around the King and He is never taken. The highest honor didn't go as high as the queen because the Man-child is the head of the Queen on earth, just as David was the head of Jerusalem, which is the Bride, according to Revelation 21:9,10. The Rook is the second most powerful piece on the chess board and has the highest honor, the revelation went to, and represents the Man-child. G. W. - Excerpt from Chess Rules for Movement of the Rook: The rook, shaped like a castle, is one of the more powerful pieces on the board. (Note: The rook is represented by the lookout portion of a castle. Where the “watchman” would stand and fight to protect the castle. A Man-child has power to defend the Castle of Zion.) G. W. - The rooks, grouped with the queen, are often thought of as the “major pieces”. (Note: A Man-child can be seen with the queen and has a major advantage against a foe.) G. W. - Rooks are worth a bishop or a knight plus two pawns. (Note: Man-childs are greater than bishops or overseers and knights or warriors.) G. W. - The rook can move any number of squares in a straight line along any column or row. (Note: Man-childs only move on a straight path that is not impeded.) G. W. - They CANNOT move diagonally. (Note: Never a crooked path.) G. W. - The rook can move or capture only on this straight line. (Note: One can only take leadership by walking on the straight path.) G. W. - The simplicity of the rook's movement is indeed what makes it powerful. (Note: Man-childs, like Jesus, have a simple life and walk with power.) G. W. - It can cover a significant area of the board, and there are no areas which an opponent's piece -- moving one square at a time -- can slip through. (Note: Man-childs can move supernaturally to far places. The enemy cannot deceive them or outmaneuver them.) G. W. - The rook may also make a move in conjunction with the king. (Note: Like Jesus said, “I do always those things I see of my Father”.)   Bride Prepares for Man-child Deborah Horton - 09/20/2010 (David's notes in red) As David has said, something wonderful is going to happen. :) (Looking forward to it.) In a dream, I was inside a large building, on the bottom floor, with people everywhere. They were all waiting for a Jewish man and while they were waiting, they were very busy all through the building. I have no idea what they were busy with -- can't remember. (The coming Jewish man is Jesus, Who will inhabit the Man-child as “Christ in you the hope of glory”. The building is the House of God, His people, which is being prepared for His coming habitation. I was just saying to several brethren that I hope we can prepare it ahead of time.) Then, as I looked around, I saw the Jewish man come in, along with a young woman/girl, who was his assistant somehow. I think she was setting up some audio equipment (speakers, etc.) (The Bride is making ready for the Man-child to reach many people.) Even though I saw him, no one else seemed able to do so. (He is coming in the heart of the true  House.) It wasn't that he was invisible; they could look at him and see him, but at the same time they didn't see him (this is hard to explain and doesn't make a whole lot of sense), and they kept on with whatever it was that they were doing. (We can see the body He will inhabit but many don't recognize Him to the extent He is in it now.) The next thing I can remember is that I walked over to him and he asked me to sing with him, but I told him that I couldn't because I didn't “know the language” or “speak Hebrew” (can't remember exactly how I worded it). (Singing with Him means to be in harmony with Him.) I think he was a little disappointed by that. (Reminds me of Miriam's song about Moses and the Israelites crossing the Red Sea into the wilderness tribulation and the destruction of the old man, or, as you say, the song only the 144,000 first-fruits could sing.) His assistant was still working on getting everything set up. As I looked at him, I absolutely had to give him a great big hug, which I did. I squeezed him like there was no tomorrow -- poor guy! And then I let go, although I didn't want to let go of him. He was completely ordinary-looking, about two inches taller than me, I think he was wearing a work shirt and jeans -- very informal. He was so ordinary that there was nothing you could say about him to describe him. (As Isaiah 53 says, the first individual body Jesus came in was unremarkable, so the corporate first-fruits body will be plain folks.) He had dark hair; I can't remember if he had a beard, but I don't think he did. He reminded me of a teddy bear and there was no way I could ever be afraid of him. He wasn't skinny or fat, just had a tiny bit of extra weight on his belly, so you could tell that he wasn't a very physical person. He radiated such confidence, such peace and such love! (The anointing of the latter rain is coming to manifest the attributes of Jesus in His first-fruits body, like Hosea 6:1-3 says.) The last scene I remember is that somehow pigeons were all around us and they kept landing on him. They didn't want to get off. He was petting them and let me pet them, too, and then he'd put them down where they would walk about and coo. There were three specific pigeons with beautiful markings, as gorgeous as any pigeon is ever going to get without being a specialty-breed show pigeon. He handed me one that had some dark black markings on its back and it felt like velour; it was so soft. (Maybe these are the overcomers, 30-, 60- and 100-fold. According to Romans 8, the whole creation is awaiting the manifestation of sonship or Christ in you because it too will be delivered.)   White Horse Prepared for Rider Linda L. Gray - 09/29/2016 (David's notes in red) I had this dream where I was inside my home when I noticed an unusual white cloud formation through one of my windows. To get a better look at the cloud formation, I went outside. It was a clear blue sky with no clouds elsewhere but this particular large formation in front of my house. (Nothing else will be more significant concerning changes in the world for God's people.) Within the formation of clouds, I saw a white horse. (The Bride who lives above this evil world in heavenly places by abiding IN Christ. Eph.2:4 but God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have ye been saved), 6 and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus: 7 that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. The Bride as a cloud will water the earth with the Word of God. The rest of the Church has not arrived at this place and not chosen to be in the Bride.) There was no rider on the horse that I could see as the clouds kept going around the horse, making it difficult to get a clearer view. Psa.48:2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. (The white horse is the Bride or Zion, as John was told in Revelation. All of the horses in the seals of Revelation 6 are white (representing holiness conquering the Beast), red (war), black (famine and economic collapse) and pale (death and Hades). The hoses represent the flesh of men who serve the spirit and leadership that rides them and rules over them. All of these horses are people who bring these judgments to the world. When they are empowered, they will have riders upon them. The first rider is the Lord in His first-fruits Man-child body who will ride/rule the Bride white horse and through them the Church. At the time of this dream, this first rider is not anointed or set on the horse. When Jesus was anointed to lead the first of the disciples to recognize Him, John said, “He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom”. But that rider is coming, according to this next verse Linda received.) Rev.1:7 Behold, he cometh with the clouds (notice, the white horse); and every eye shall see him, and they that pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn over him. Even so, Amen. This verse has a more literal interpretation at the end of the tribulation, but it accurately describes in the spirit what will happen when the white horse rider, Jesus in the Man-child body, leads the other horse judgments in the earth, which is exactly what Moses the Man-child did. He brought the other judgments. “He cometh with clouds”. The Gematria for “clouds” here is 144 x 10. 144 is the number of the Man-child and 10 is the number of the Word or law he obeys and teaches. “Were purchased from among men to be first-fruits” is verse 14:4. Notice the verse number 144. Rev.14:1 And I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on the mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty and four thousand, having his name, and the name of his Father, written on their foreheads. 4 These are they that were not defiled with women (sects or denominations); for they are virgins (not having received the seed or word of man). These are they that follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were purchased from among men, to be the firstfruits unto God and unto the Lamb. Both Jesus and Jesus in the Man-child as a repeat of history fit this. Psa.118:22 The stone which the builders rejected Is become the head of the corner. Circling the outer perimeter of the cloud formation was a large plane, which apparently had seen this formation (surveillance) and was trying to get a better view. (Haman attempted to bring down the Bride before Mordecai came to leadership; before the Man-child was anointed to rule in the Book of Esther. The white horse rider is typed by Mordecai, Moses, Joseph, David, Jesus and many more. This was a judgment on Egypt, as a type of the world. Each of these men and many like them led the Bride, and through them the Church, to freedom and power. Each of these also brought judgment on the Beast body, as a type of the world Beast body of seven heads and 10 horns.) I was very excited and wanted a photo of the beautiful white horse, so I went inside my house to retrieve my cell phone. When I came back outside, the airspace was filled with war planes covering the entire field of vision, flying in a grid formation heading from south to north. It looked like a tic-tac-toe-type grid with the planes in perfect formation. Rev.12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels going forth to war with the dragon; and the dragon warred and his angels; 8 And they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him. 10 And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying, Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accuseth them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death. And the Dragon or Satan was cast down to rule over his world body of seven heads and 10 horns, which is beaten by He who “came with the clouds”, the Man-child, and saints in whom the Lord lives. Jesus in the Man-child reformers will conquer the world beast. Dan.7:13 I saw in the night-visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. ... 22 until the ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High, and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. The dream then ended. (Whatever was in the clouds, the powers that be didn't like, and they were ready to wage war against it.) (Yes, the powers that be are the head of the Dragon body on earth. They are Satanists whom we are casting down.) This preparation for the Bride to receive her head fits well with this next dream of the Wedding Feast.   Wedding and Temple Cakes M.L.- 09/22/2016 (David's notes in red) I woke up from a dream, and was taken back by it, but in a good way. I was in a huge room with many very sturdy tables. They were all square with white tablecloths. Each table had an extremely large wedding cake on it. (Time for the Wedding Feast to begin, the tribulation seven days before the bride is escorted by the virgins to the Groom's home in Heaven.) These cakes seemed to be about four feet tall and many inches round, coming to about two inches to the edge of the table all the way around. They were multi-tiered and in various designs and were all decorated white-on-white. Nothing stood out that would distract the eyes from one cake to another. Flowers in white in all sizes, small pillars of white, miniature fountains, white ribbon, white doves. Looking at all this, it was magnificent, all made according to their Creator's desire. After taking all this in, I looked to the right and saw the most magnificent of all cakes: a replica of the Temple. (The temple of God's presence is in the Jerusalem Bride, who is born from above.) It resembled light gray marble stone and was very smooth without a flaw in the icing! It stood about five feet high (representing grace), with the outside perimeters a square. And it was all cake. It was displayed on a very sturdy table with a white tablecloth draped to the floor. It had ornate gold trim work on top of the roof line. It reminded me of the points on a “king's crown”. (The Bride is a crown in Isa.62:1 For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her righteousness go forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burneth. 2 And the nations shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory, and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of Jehovah shall name. 3 Thou shalt also be a crown of beauty in the hand of Jehovah, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. At the base of these points was a wide piece that looked like “crown molding”, the color of the building itself. In the same width of the molding above was a decorative, gold ornate area going around the top. On the two front corners were pillars, and a pillar on each side of the door. On top of each pillar were gold embellishments. Then I woke up. The wedding cakes are made ready. (For the Marriage Feast.) I didn't see any tables that were “set”. (Yet). The Bride has made herself ready. She is in fine linen, pure and white. Eph.5:27 that he might present the church to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. These are the righteous acts of the saints. Obedience: Jas.1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves. 4:17 To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. Faith: Heb.11:6 And without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing unto him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek after him. Fruit: Mat.7:20 Therefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Love: 1Jn.4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is begotten of God, and knoweth God. The temple cake: The temple is where God dwells. We are also God's temple, for He dwells in us. 1Co.3:16 Know ye not that ye are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man destroyeth the temple of God, him shall God destroy; 17 ... for the temple of God is holy, and such are ye ... 19) For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He that taketh the wise in their craftiness...   It's Not What They Thought Sandy Shaw - 09/21/2016 (David's notes in red) In a dream, I landed on my feet in a big city (Babylon/US), for I was translated there. Immediately, I felt the earth quake and I could tell by the surroundings that there had been others. (The time is the great earthquakes just before the tribulation; some will help others through translation, as happened to me.) I can see a road buckled, and the top half of a skyscraper had fallen to the ground. People were running and screaming, and I saw two little girls to the right. The five-year-old (five is grace) had long blond curly hair (1 Corinthians 11: submission to the sun/Son) and deep dimples and wore a blue dress (dressed up with heavenly works). The other little girl was black (representing walking in darkness) and seven years old. She wore a red dress and had dark pigtails with red ribbons (the color of the red Dragon body). I walked to them and asked them where their fathers were. (Fathers represent heads of churches.) They didn't know. The black-haired girl said that they were there for Daily Vacation Bible School. I asked, “Where are your mothers?” The seven-year-old black girl said, “She died a few months ago”. (The apostate Church mother is dead.) And the five-year-old very excitedly said, “Oh, my mom has already been with Jesus”. (Her mother is the early Church because she abides in Christ. 1Jn.2:24 As for you, let that abide in you which ye heard from the beginning. If that which ye heard from the beginning abide in you, ye also shall abide in the Son, and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise which he promised us, even the life eternal.) The ground started to shake some more and I knew that they were not safe. (At the time of the great earthquakes many will be helped to escape by the righteous.) So I grabbed the two little girl's wrists and started to fly over the city. (Although I have only done this instantaneously, I believe translation can happen slowly like flying. It is in the Spirit, though, and unseen by the world. It is without wings or propulsion, so it is not literally flying. Flying also represents overcoming the world and its law of sin and death, represented by gravity, to ascend into heavenly places in Christ by abiding in Jesus Who is the Word. Eph.2:4 but God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have ye been saved), 6 and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus. The woman in the wilderness tribulation was given the overcoming wings of the eagle by the Man-child to escape the Dragon/serpent and his works. Rev.12:14 And there were given to the woman the two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness unto her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time [by the Man-child body], from the face of the serpent.) The seven-year-old said, “I don't understand”. Then she asked, “What is this ...the tribulation?” We landed on a suspension bridge stretched out over the water. All of a sudden, the bridge became a slide (falling into the water) and before we got to the bottom, we started to fly again. (The way of escape is cut off as in Jer.25:35 And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape. But the righteous always have a way of escape, even if by flight. 1Co.10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to endure it.) We flew over the city and into the country, where there was a huge red barn, and we landed. Cars were coming up on both sides of the barn. People were coming up to it because they knew it was a refuge and a safe place and all the people around were in a state of confusion. These people were Christians and yet confused. The seven-year-old said, “Hey, that looks like my church barn!” And she let go of my hand and started running. (Many of the Church are confused by their doctrines but if they have walked with the Lord in a righteous life, they will escape. Even those who are chosen to come to understanding and holiness later will escape like the seven-year-old who walks in darkness.) The blond girl said, “There's my daddy!” He was sitting down on a folding chair inside the barn, elbows on his knees and head in his hands, and he said, “I don't understand. I don't understand”. The five-year-old shook his arm and said, “Daddy! I'm here! I'm here!” He mumbled, “Yeah, yeah”. She said, “No, Daddy, she brought me here (pointing to me)! We flew! We were flying! And we were on a big slide (toward death)”. The dad reached out and touched my hand and said, “Thank you. Thank you for bringing her here”. Then he said, in a daze, “Lord, I thought my heart was right with You”. I said, “If you were waiting for the rapture, it's not going to happen now or in the way that you think”. (At the time of the great quakes, tsunamis, volcanic activity, economic collapse, chaos, many will see that they have not escaped tribulation and will repent of this deception.) I heard the seven-year-old say, “Daddy! Daddy!” And he hugged her. She asked, “This is tribulation?” She waited for him to respond and said, “Jesus didn't come yet”. He fell to his knees crying and asking the Lord, “I thought I was in right standing with You. I thought my heart was right with You. I have been preaching for 35 years”. I grabbed his hand and said, “This isn't the rapture you're waiting for. That's not happening”. I said, “You come with me”. And we walked over to the other preacher who was sitting down. (The great earthquakes are at the beginning of the tribulation, as in Rev.8:5 And the angel taketh the censer; and he filled it with the fire of the altar, and cast it upon the earth (meteors striking the earth): and there followed thunders, and voices, and lightnings, and an earthquake. Notice that this came just before the first trumpet of the tribulation. 6 And the seven angels that had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.) I told the two little girls to stay in the barn. Then I took them to the corner of the barn. I reached to the floor, pulled open the door to a root cellar, and grabbed two bottles of water. There was food there also. Then I took the preacher's hands and we went up and through the roof of the barn! (Meaning not physical flight.) And we flew to Tennessee. David and Michael were standing outside. They saw that we had landed. The preachers were confused about what had just happened. Then I said, “Now these two men can answer any questions you have about the rapture or anything else you think you're going through”. Michael asked, “Sandy, where have you been? Where were you?” I said, “I don't know. I was translated.” Michael said, “I should have known that.” Then I went back and got the girls and brought them to Tennessee. Then I woke up. By faith at random I received Isa.49:1 Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye peoples, from far: JEHOVAH hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name: 2 and he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me: and he hath made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he kept me close: 3 and he said unto me, Thou art my servant; Israel, in whom I will be glorified. 4 But I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nought and vanity; yet surely the justice due to me is with JEHOVAH, and my recompense with my God. The rest of this chapter tells the magnificent story of His people being used to restore those of God's people who have been in captivity to the nations. 5 And now saith Jehovah that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, and that Israel be gathered unto him (for I am honorable in the eyes of Jehovah, and my God is become my strength); 6 yea, he saith, It is too light a thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. 7 Thus saith Jehovah, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers: Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall worship; because of Jehovah that is faithful, even the Holy One of Israel, who hath chosen thee. 8 Thus saith Jehovah, In an acceptable time have I answered thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee; and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to raise up the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritages: 9 saying to them that are bound, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and on all bare heights shall be their pasture. 10 They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them will lead them, even by springs of water will he guide them. 11 And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted. 12 Lo, these shall come from far; and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim. 13 Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for Jehovah hath comforted his people, and will have compassion upon his afflicted. 14 But Zion said, Jehovah hath forsaken me, and the Lord hath forgotten me. 15 Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, these may forget, yet will not I forget thee. 16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me. 17 Thy children make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth from thee. 18 Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith Jehovah, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all as with an ornament, and gird thyself with them, like a bride. 19 For, as for thy waste and thy desolate places, and thy land that hath been destroyed, surely now shalt thou be too strait for the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away. 20 The children of thy bereavement shall yet say in thine ears, The place is too strait for me; give place to me that I may dwell. 21 Then shalt thou say in thy heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have been bereaved of my children, and am solitary, an exile, and wandering to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where were they? (Converts coming from all over the World!) 22 Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and set up my ensign to the peoples; and they shall bring thy sons in their bosom, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. 23 And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their faces to the earth, and lick the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am Jehovah; and they that wait for me shall not be put to shame. 24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captives be delivered? 25 But thus saith Jehovah, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered; for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children. 26 And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I, Jehovah, am thy Saviour, and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

April 25, 2025 - Equipped 2025 - Day 2 - 3:30PM Session   Rick addresses the ability of Isaiah to predict events in the future to significant detail while being a significant number of years (700) before the events would come to pass.   Isaiah 48-53 - Israel Refined for God's Glory 48 “Hear this, O house of Jacob, Who are called by the name of Israel, And have come forth from the wellsprings of Judah; Who swear by the name of the Lord, And make mention of the God of Israel, But not in truth or in righteousness; 2 For they call themselves after the holy city, And lean on the God of Israel; The Lord of hosts is His name: 3 “I have declared the former things from the beginning; They went forth from My mouth, and I caused them to hear it. Suddenly I did them, and they came to pass. 4 Because I knew that you were obstinate, And your neck was an iron sinew, And your brow bronze, 5 Even from the beginning I have declared it to you; Before it came to pass I proclaimed it to you, Lest you should say, ‘My idol has done them, And my carved image and my molded image Have commanded them.' 6 “You have heard; See all this. And will you not declare it? I have made you hear new things from this time, Even hidden things, and you did not know them. 7 They are created now and not from the beginning; And before this day you have not heard them, Lest you should say, ‘Of course I knew them.' 8 Surely you did not hear, Surely you did not know; Surely from long ago your ear was not opened. For I knew that you would deal very treacherously, And were called a transgressor from the womb. 9 “For My name's sake I will defer My anger, And for My praise I will restrain it from you, So that I do not cut you off. 10 Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. 11 For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it; For how should My name be profaned? And I will not give My glory to another. God's Ancient Plan to Redeem Israel 12 “Listen to Me, O Jacob, And Israel, My called: I am He, I am the First, I am also the Last. 13 Indeed My hand has laid the foundation of the earth, And My right hand has stretched out the heavens; When I call to them, They stand up together. 14 “All of you, assemble yourselves, and hear! Who among them has declared these things? The Lord loves him; He shall do His pleasure on Babylon, And His arm shall be against the Chaldeans. 15 I, even I, have spoken; Yes, I have called him, I have brought him, and his way will prosper. 16 “Come near to Me, hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; From the time that it was, I was there. And now the Lord God and His Spirit Have sent Me.” 17 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go. 18 Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, And your righteousness like the waves of the sea. 19 Your descendants also would have been like the sand, And the offspring of your body like the grains of sand; His name would not have been cut off Nor destroyed from before Me.” 20 Go forth from Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans! With a voice of singing, Declare, proclaim this, Utter it to the end of the earth; Say, “The Lord has redeemed His servant Jacob!” 21 And they did not thirst When He led them through the deserts; He caused the waters to flow from the rock for them; He also split the rock, and the waters gushed out. 22 “There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.” The Servant, the Light to the Gentiles 49 “Listen, O coastlands, to Me, And take heed, you peoples from afar! The Lord has called Me from the womb; From the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name. 2 And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword; In the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me, And made Me a polished shaft; In His quiver He has hidden Me.” 3 “And He said to me, ‘You are My servant, O Israel, In whom I will be glorified.' 4 Then I said, ‘I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain; Yet surely my just reward is with the Lord, And my work with my God.' ” 5 “And now the Lord says, Who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, To bring Jacob back to Him, So that Israel is gathered to Him (For I shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, And My God shall be My strength), 6 Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.' ” 7 Thus says the Lord, The Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One, To Him whom man despises, To Him whom the nation abhors, To the Servant of rulers: “Kings shall see and arise, Princes also shall worship, Because of the Lord who is faithful, The Holy One of Israel; And He has chosen You.” 8 Thus says the Lord: “In an acceptable time I have heard You, And in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will preserve You and give You As a covenant to the people, To restore the earth, To cause them to inherit the desolate heritages; 9 That You may say to the prisoners, ‘Go forth,' To those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.' “They shall feed along the roads, And their pastures shall be on all desolate heights. 10 They shall neither hunger nor thirst, Neither heat nor sun shall strike them; For He who has mercy on them will lead them, Even by the springs of water He will guide them. 11 I will make each of My mountains a road, And My highways shall be elevated. 12 Surely these shall come from afar; Look! Those from the north and the west, And these from the land of Sinim.” 13 Sing, O heavens! Be joyful, O earth! And break out in singing, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted His people, And will have mercy on His afflicted. God Will Remember Zion 14 But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me, And my Lord has forgotten me.” 15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you. 16 See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me. 17 Your sons shall make haste; Your destroyers and those who laid you waste Shall go away from you. 18 Lift up your eyes, look around and see; All these gather together and come to you. As I live,” says the Lord, “You shall surely clothe yourselves with them all as an ornament, And bind them on you as a bride does. 19 “For your waste and desolate places, And the land of your destruction, Will even now be too small for the inhabitants; And those who swallowed you up will be far away. 20 The children you will have, After you have lost the others, Will say again in your ears, ‘The place is too small for me; Give me a place where I may dwell.' 21 Then you will say in your heart, ‘Who has begotten these for me, Since I have lost my children and am desolate, A captive, and wandering to and fro? And who has brought these up? There I was, left alone; But these, where were they?' ” 22 Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I will lift My hand in an oath to the nations, And set up My standard for the peoples; They shall bring your sons in their arms, And your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders; 23 Kings shall be your foster fathers, And their queens your nursing mothers; They shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth, And lick up the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord, For they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me.” 24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, Or the captives of the righteous be delivered? 25 But thus says the Lord: “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, And the prey of the terrible be delivered; For I will contend with him who contends with you, And I will save your children. 26 I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh, And they shall be drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine. All flesh shall know That I, the Lord, am your Savior, And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” The Servant, Israel's Hope 50 Thus says the Lord: “Where is the certificate of your mother's divorce, Whom I have put away? Or which of My creditors is it to whom I have sold you? For your iniquities you have sold yourselves, And for your transgressions your mother has been put away. 2 Why, when I came, was there no man? Why, when I called, was there none to answer? Is My hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver? Indeed with My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness; Their fish stink because there is no water, And die of thirst. 3 I clothe the heavens with blackness, And I make sackcloth their covering.” 4 “The Lord God has given Me The tongue of the learned, That I should know how to speak A word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear To hear as the learned. 5 The Lord God has opened My ear; And I was not rebellious, Nor did I turn away. 6 I gave My back to those who struck Me, And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting. 7 “For the Lord God will help Me; Therefore I will not be disgraced; Therefore I have set My face like a flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed. 8 He is near who justifies Me; Who will contend with Me? Let us stand together. Who is My adversary? Let him come near Me. 9 Surely the Lord God will help Me; Who is he who will condemn Me? Indeed they will all grow old like a garment; The moth will eat them up. 10 “Who among you fears the Lord? Who obeys the voice of His Servant? Who walks in darkness And has no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord And rely upon his God. 11 Look, all you who kindle a fire, Who encircle yourselves with sparks: Walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks you have kindled— This you shall have from My hand: You shall lie down in torment. The Lord Comforts Zion 51 “Listen to Me, you who follow after righteousness, You who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were hewn, And to the hole of the pit from which you were dug. 2 Look to Abraham your father, And to Sarah who bore you; For I called him alone, And blessed him and increased him.” 3 For the Lord will comfort Zion, He will comfort all her waste places; He will make her wilderness like Eden, And her desert like the garden of the Lord; Joy and gladness will be found in it, Thanksgiving and the voice of melody. 4 “Listen to Me, My people; And give ear to Me, O My nation: For law will proceed from Me, And I will make My justice rest As a light of the peoples. 5 My righteousness is near, My salvation has gone forth, And My arms will judge the peoples; The coastlands will wait upon Me, And on My arm they will trust. 6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, And look on the earth beneath. For the heavens will vanish away like smoke, The earth will grow old like a garment, And those who dwell in it will die in like manner; But My salvation will be forever, And My righteousness will not be abolished. 7 “Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, You people in whose heart is My law: Do not fear the reproach of men, Nor be afraid of their insults. 8 For the moth will eat them up like a garment, And the worm will eat them like wool; But My righteousness will be forever, And My salvation from generation to generation.” 9 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord! Awake as in the ancient days, In the generations of old. Are You not the arm that cut Rahab apart, And wounded the serpent? 10 Are You not the One who dried up the sea, The waters of the great deep; That made the depths of the sea a road For the redeemed to cross over? 11 So the ransomed of the Lord shall return, And come to Zion with singing, With everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness; Sorrow and sighing shall flee away. 12 “I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you should be afraid Of a man who will die, And of the son of a man who will be made like grass? 13 And you forget the Lord your Maker, Who stretched out the heavens And laid the foundations of the earth; You have feared continually every day Because of the fury of the oppressor, When he has prepared to destroy. And where is the fury of the oppressor? 14 The captive exile hastens, that he may be loosed, That he should not die in the pit, And that his bread should not fail. 15 But I am the Lord your God, Who divided the sea whose waves roared— The Lord of hosts is His name. 16 And I have put My words in your mouth; I have covered you with the shadow of My hand, That I may plant the heavens, Lay the foundations of the earth, And say to Zion, ‘You are My people.' ” God's Fury Removed 17 Awake, awake! Stand up, O Jerusalem, You who have drunk at the hand of the Lord The cup of His fury; You have drunk the dregs of the cup of trembling, And drained it out. 18 There is no one to guide her Among all the sons she has brought forth; Nor is there any who takes her by the hand Among all the sons she has brought up. 19 These two things have come to you; Who will be sorry for you?— Desolation and destruction, famine and sword— By whom will I comfort you? 20 Your sons have fainted, They lie at the head of all the streets, Like an antelope in a net; They are full of the fury of the Lord, The rebuke of your God. 21 Therefore please hear this, you afflicted, And drunk but not with wine. 22 Thus says your Lord, The Lord and your God, Who pleads the cause of His people: “See, I have taken out of your hand The cup of trembling, The dregs of the cup of My fury; You shall no longer drink it. 23 But I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you, Who have said to you, ‘Lie down, that we may walk over you.' And you have laid your body like the ground, And as the street, for those who walk over.” God Redeems Jerusalem 52 Awake, awake! Put on your strength, O Zion; Put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city! For the uncircumcised and the unclean Shall no longer come to you. 2 Shake yourself from the dust, arise; Sit down, O Jerusalem! Loose yourself from the bonds of your neck, O captive daughter of Zion! 3 For thus says the Lord: “You have sold yourselves for nothing, And you shall be redeemed without money.” 4 For thus says the Lord God: “My people went down at first Into Egypt to dwell there; Then the Assyrian oppressed them without cause. 5 Now therefore, what have I here,” says the Lord, “That My people are taken away for nothing? Those who rule over them Make them wail,” says the Lord, “And My name is blasphemed continually every day. 6 Therefore My people shall know My name; Therefore they shall know in that day That I am He who speaks: ‘Behold, it is I.' ” 7 How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” 8 Your watchmen shall lift up their voices, With their voices they shall sing together; For they shall see eye to eye When the Lord brings back Zion. 9 Break forth into joy, sing together, You waste places of Jerusalem! For the Lord has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem. 10 The Lord has made bare His holy arm In the eyes of all the nations; And all the ends of the earth shall see The salvation of our God. 11 Depart! Depart! Go out from there, Touch no unclean thing; Go out from the midst of her, Be clean, You who bear the vessels of the Lord. 12 For you shall not go out with haste, Nor go by flight; For the Lord will go before you, And the God of Israel will be your rear guard. The Sin-Bearing Servant 13 Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. 14 Just as many were astonished at you, So His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men; 15 So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; For what had not been told them they shall see, And what they had not heard they shall consider. The Sin-Bearing Messiah 53 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. 3 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. 9 And they made His grave with the wicked— But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. 11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.   Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnGl00h-CJo   Duration 37:06

April 26, 2025 - Equipped 2025 - Day 3 - 9:00AM Session   Whitney leads a bible study reflecting on how to know God. Using the book of Isaiah and other passages she shows how God reveals himself.   Isaiah 49 - The Servant, the Light to the Gentiles 49 “Listen, O coastlands, to Me, And take heed, you peoples from afar! The Lord has called Me from the womb; From the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name. 2 And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword; In the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me, And made Me a polished shaft; In His quiver He has hidden Me.” 3 “And He said to me, ‘You are My servant, O Israel, In whom I will be glorified.' 4 Then I said, ‘I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain; Yet surely my just reward is with the Lord, And my work with my God.' ” 5 “And now the Lord says, Who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, To bring Jacob back to Him, So that Israel is gathered to Him (For I shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, And My God shall be My strength), 6 Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.' ” 7 Thus says the Lord, The Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One, To Him whom man despises, To Him whom the nation abhors, To the Servant of rulers: “Kings shall see and arise, Princes also shall worship, Because of the Lord who is faithful, The Holy One of Israel; And He has chosen You.” 8 Thus says the Lord: “In an acceptable time I have heard You, And in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will preserve You and give You As a covenant to the people, To restore the earth, To cause them to inherit the desolate heritages; 9 That You may say to the prisoners, ‘Go forth,' To those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.' “They shall feed along the roads, And their pastures shall be on all desolate heights. 10 They shall neither hunger nor thirst, Neither heat nor sun shall strike them; For He who has mercy on them will lead them, Even by the springs of water He will guide them. 11 I will make each of My mountains a road, And My highways shall be elevated. 12 Surely these shall come from afar; Look! Those from the north and the west, And these from the land of Sinim.” 13 Sing, O heavens! Be joyful, O earth! And break out in singing, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted His people, And will have mercy on His afflicted. God Will Remember Zion 14 But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me, And my Lord has forgotten me.” 15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you. 16 See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me. 17 Your sons shall make haste; Your destroyers and those who laid you waste Shall go away from you. 18 Lift up your eyes, look around and see; All these gather together and come to you. As I live,” says the Lord, “You shall surely clothe yourselves with them all as an ornament, And bind them on you as a bride does. 19 “For your waste and desolate places, And the land of your destruction, Will even now be too small for the inhabitants; And those who swallowed you up will be far away. 20 The children you will have, After you have lost the others, Will say again in your ears, ‘The place is too small for me; Give me a place where I may dwell.' 21 Then you will say in your heart, ‘Who has begotten these for me, Since I have lost my children and am desolate, A captive, and wandering to and fro? And who has brought these up? There I was, left alone; But these, where were they?' ” 22 Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I will lift My hand in an oath to the nations, And set up My standard for the peoples; They shall bring your sons in their arms, And your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders; 23 Kings shall be your foster fathers, And their queens your nursing mothers; They shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth, And lick up the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord, For they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me.” 24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, Or the captives of the righteous be delivered? 25 But thus says the Lord: “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, And the prey of the terrible be delivered; For I will contend with him who contends with you, And I will save your children. 26 I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh, And they shall be drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine. All flesh shall know That I, the Lord, am your Savior, And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”   Isaiah 66 -True Worship and False 66 Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? 2 For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist,” Says the Lord. “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word. 3 “He who kills a bull is as if he slays a man; He who sacrifices a lamb, as if he breaks a dog's neck; He who offers a grain offering, as if he offers swine's blood; He who burns incense, as if he blesses an idol. Just as they have chosen their own ways, And their soul delights in their abominations, 4 So will I choose their delusions, And bring their fears on them; Because, when I called, no one answered, When I spoke they did not hear; But they did evil before My eyes, And chose that in which I do not delight.” The Lord Vindicates Zion 5 Hear the word of the Lord, You who tremble at His word: “Your brethren who hated you, Who cast you out for My name's sake, said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified, That we may see your joy.' But they shall be ashamed.” 6 The sound of noise from the city! A voice from the temple! The voice of the Lord, Who fully repays His enemies! 7 “Before she was in labor, she gave birth; Before her pain came, She delivered a male child. 8 Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, She gave birth to her children. 9 Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery?” says the Lord. “Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb?” says your God. 10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem, And be glad with her, all you who love her; Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn for her; 11 That you may feed and be satisfied With the consolation of her bosom, That you may drink deeply and be delighted With the abundance of her glory.” 12 For thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, And the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream. Then you shall feed; On her sides shall you be carried, And be dandled on her knees. 13 As one whom his mother comforts, So I will comfort you; And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.” The Reign and Indignation of God 14 When you see this, your heart shall rejoice, And your bones shall flourish like grass; The hand of the Lord shall be known to His servants, And His indignation to His enemies. 15 For behold, the Lord will come with fire And with His chariots, like a whirlwind, To render His anger with fury, And His rebuke with flames of fire. 16 For by fire and by His sword The Lord will judge all flesh; And the slain of the Lord shall be many. 17 “Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves, To go to the gardens After an idol in the midst, Eating swine's flesh and the abomination and the mouse, Shall be consumed together,” says the Lord. 18 “For I know their works and their thoughts. It shall be that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see My glory. 19 I will set a sign among them; and those among them who escape I will send to the nations: to Tarshish and Pul and Lud, who draw the bow, and Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands afar off who have not heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles. 20 Then they shall bring all your brethren for an offering to the Lord out of all nations, on horses and in chariots and in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the Lord, “as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord. 21 And I will also take some of them for priests and Levites,” says the Lord. 22 “For as the new heavens and the new earth Which I will make shall remain before Me,” says the Lord, “So shall your descendants and your name remain. 23 And it shall come to pass That from one New Moon to another, And from one Sabbath to another, All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the Lord. 24 “And they shall go forth and look Upon the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, And their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”   Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHsbriSQBks   Duration 43:03

Seimui vakar atmetus visuotinio nekilnojamojo turto mokesčio įstatymo pataisas, Finansų ministerija parengė naują jo modelį. Siūloma apmokestinti pirmąjį būstą, kurio vertė vienam asmeniui siektų 10-imt tūkstančių eurų. Pirminiame vyriausybės pasiūlyme buvo numatyta 20-ies tūkstančių riba. Jei Seimas pritartų, konkrečius mokesčio tarifus nustatys savivaldybės, o jie galėtų siekti iki vieno procento būsto vertės.Rusijai atsisakant skelbti paliaubas Ukrainoje, tarpininkauti derybose siūlosi Vatikanas.LRT tyrimas atskleidė, kad Kremliaus kontroliuojamas „Profondas“ aktyviai remia Lietuvoje gyvenančius prorusiškus asmenis ir teismuose juos ginančius advokatus.Lenkijos prokurorai pateikė kaltinimus vyrui dėl pagalbos Rusijos žvalgybai planuoti pasikėsinimą į Ukrainos prezidentą Volodymyrą Zelenskį.Briedžio gaudynės Vilniuje: ar daugėja laukinių gyvūnų miestuose?Ved. Andrius Kavaliauskas.

Joel Rosenberg delves into the growing strategic alliance between China and Iran and its implications for Israel, the Middle East, and Bible prophecy. Sharing his sermon from Cornerstone Chapel in Northern Virginia, Joel explores key questions about China's role in end-times prophecy, the rapid spiritual awakening in China despite persecution, and how Christians should pray for the people of China and those affected by its government's actions. Joel also reflects on his experiences engaging with world leaders. Pastor Gary Hamrick joins Joel for a Q&A session to discuss significant topics, including the spiritual awakening in China, threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party, and the need for the church to respond to the challenges in Gaza and the Middle East. Listeners are encouraged to ponder how the church can engage with these pressing issues and to lift prayers for strength and guidance during these tumultuous times. Learn more about The Joshua Fund: JoshuaFund.comMake a tax-deductible donation: Donate | The Joshua FundStock Media provided by DimmySad / Pond5 Bible VerseIsaiah 49:12Behold, these will come from afar, and lo, these will come from the north, the west, and the land of Sinim." Prayer Request:Pray for the believers in China:For the persecuted church in China to have the courage and boldness to preach the gospel and the strength to continue making disciples amidst resistance and persecution. Links For reference: https://www.inspirationtravel.com/tja https://www.joshuafund.com/learn/latest-news/join-us-on-our-alaska-cruise Donate a generous monthly gift to The Joshua Fund to bless Israel and Her Neighbors now and for the long haul. Become an Epicenter Ally today! Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Šiame Idėjų Komposte sviedžiame papildomą dozę pasikėsinimų nugalabyti mažąjį Dolfą. Gerokai anksčiau nei 1945'aisiais kapralas galėjo mirti tiek nuo policijos, tiek ir nuo savo paties rankos. Taip pat sužinosite ką bendro su Adolfu turėjo Šrekas. Išsėmę pasikėsinimų aruodą, pasukome ir į kitus idėjų klodus. Pavyzdžiui, kada galime sulaukti dienos, kuomet Adolfo Hitlerio atmintis populiariojoje kultūroje taps skalaujama šviesesnėmis spalvomis. O gal taip jau nutiko?   Rėmimas ir kiti linkai:https://linktr.ee/protopemza

2. Messiah's Mission Isaiah 49:1 - 13 49:1 Listen, islands, to me; and listen, you peoples, from far: Yahweh has called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother has he made mention of my name: 49:2 and he has made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand, he has hidden me: and he has made me a polished shaft; in his quiver has he kept me close: 49:3 and he said to me, "You are my servant; Israel, in whom I will be glorified." 49:4 But I said, "I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely the justice due to me is with Yahweh, and my reward with my God." 49:5 Now says Yahweh who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, and that Israel be gathered to him (for I am honorable in the eyes of Yahweh, and my God has become my strength); 49:6 yes, he says, "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give you for a light to the nations, that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth." 49:7 Thus says Yahweh, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despises, to him whom the nation abhors, to a servant of rulers: "Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall worship; because of Yahweh who is faithful, even the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you." 49:8 Thus says Yahweh, "In an acceptable time have I answered you, and in a day of salvation have I helped you; and I will preserve you, and give you for a covenant of the people, to raise up the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritage: 49:9 saying to those who are bound, ‘Come out!'; to those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves!' "They shall feed in the ways, and on all bare heights shall be their pasture. 49:10 They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun strike them: for he who has mercy on them will lead them, even by springs of water he will guide them. 49:11 I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted. 49:12 Behold, these shall come from far; and behold, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim." 49:13 Sing, heavens; and be joyful, earth; and break forth into singing, mountains: for Yahweh has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his afflicted. The Servant This is the second Servant song, and here the Servant Himself is speaking! We have no idea of his actual name but He does have a name (Isaiah 49:1)! In the first Servant song, with the dispensing of justice as part of His identity, the Servant is a King! But not just a King, something more as well! In this song, the Servant appears as if He is a prophet by the things He is saying. He was called Isaiah 49v1) just as Jeremiah was. The words he speak are as if a double-edged sword (Isaiah 49v2). Despite the opposition (Isaiah 49v4), He perseveres to gain the reward and to glorify God (Isaiah 49v3). And while we find His name is Israel! Not the nation of Israel itself, but as a person who embodies all that Israel was meant to be and do. This Servant would glorify God in all His ways. This servant is a Prophet who is also a King. This Servant is a perfect incarnation of God's light, covenant and salvation. The Servants Mission! In verse 5, the Servants mission is clear. Firstly the Servant will be a light to the nation of Israel and then to be a light to the nations. Isaiah 49:4 & 7 intimates the Servant will suffer for being who He is - despised and abhorred in slavish servitude. This Servant will be despised by the very people He has been sent to. But He will eventually be worshipped and honoured by rulers and kings. The Servant is on a mission to bring all people back into relationship with God who is "the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One". The exiled people will be restored to the land (Isaiah 49v8). People are described as being freed from captivity and have all manner of needs met (Isaiah 49v9-10)! The Servant will gather people back to God just as a Shepherd gathers his flock of sheep. And it wont just be a restored Israel, but all peoples from all lands and nations, hence Isaiah 49:12 "Behold, these shall come from far; and behold, these from the north and from the west;" This Servant King and Servant Prophet will shepherd people back into relationship with God and dispense God's justice throughout the whole world. That is all part of the Messiah's mission - to bring comfort to people and compassion on the afflicted (Isaiah 49:13). Then as if bursting from the seams with praise, we read "Sing, heavens; and be joyful, earth; and break forth into singing, mountains: for Yahweh has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his afflicted." Jesus as the Servant Paul quotes Isaiah 49:8 in 2 Corinthians 6:1-2 "As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation." Paul here is saying to the Corinthians to grasp hold of God's offer of salvation, right now! Right now, because it is a time acceptable to God! But who is Paul talking about? Paul is talking about Jesus Christ "All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation." 2 Corinthians 5:18-19. Jesus Christ said of himself that he was the Good Shepherd (John 10) and the Light of the World rescuing those in darkness (John 8:12) - all images portrayed in this Servant Song of Isaiah 49v1-13.. Jesus came to save the lost (John 12:47) and to gather all people from all places back into relationship with God. Jesus Christ, the man who was despised, abhorred and rejected by his own people just as the Servant of Isaiah 49 was to be. Jesus Christ, who is honoured and worshipped, just as Isaiah 49 tells us the Servant would be. Jesus Christ, the Servant King and Prophet, who had as His mission statement Mark 10v45 - "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." Right mouse click to save this Podcast as a MP3.

Milvokyje, prasidedant respublikonų suvažiavimui, pareigūnai toliau aiškinasi pasikėsinimo į buvusio prezidento Donaldo Trumpo gyvybę.Šiaulių rajono valdžia toliau skaičiuoja viesulo padarytus nuostolius ir teiks sprendimą dėl ekstremalios situacijos paskelbimo.Krašto apsaugos ministerija dėl poligonų steigimo susitinka su Tauragės ir Šilalės rajonų gyventojais.Naujai išrinktas Europos parlamentas pradeda darbą 5-erių metų kadencijoje. Svarbiausia į pirmą posėdį Strasbūre susirinkusių parlamentarų užduotis - išrinkti naująjį parlamento pirmininką, taip pat Europos Komisijos pirmininką.Europos futbolo čempionate pergalę prieš Angliją iškovojus Ispanijai, kokios nuotaikos vyrauja šiose šalyse?Ved. Karolina Panto

Isaiah 49 1 Listen to Me, O islands, And pay attention, you peoples from afar. The Lord called Me from the womb; From the body of My mother He named Me. 2 He has made My mouth like a sharp sword, In the shadow of His hand He has concealed Me; And He has also made Me a select arrow, He has hidden Me in His quiver. 3 He said to Me, “You are My Servant, Israel, In Whom I will show My glory.” 4 But I said, “I have toiled in vain, I have spent My strength for nothing and vanity; Yet surely the justice due to Me is with the Lord, And My reward with My God.” 5 And now says the Lord, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, To bring Jacob back to Him, so that Israel might be gathered to Him (For I am honored in the sight of the Lord, And My God is My strength), 6 He says, “It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7 Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel and its Holy One, To the despised One, To the One abhorred by the nation, To the Servant of rulers, “Kings will see and arise, Princes will also bow down, Because of the Lord who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel who has chosen You.” 8 Thus says the Lord, “In a favorable time I have answered You, And in a day of salvation I have helped You; And I will keep You and give You for a covenant of the people, To restore the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritages; 9 Saying to those who are bound, ‘Go forth,' To those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.' Along the roads they will feed, And their pasture will be on all bare heights. 10 “They will not hunger or thirst, Nor will the scorching heat or sun strike them down; For He who has compassion on them will lead them And will guide them to springs of water. 11 “I will make all My mountains a road, And My highways will be raised up. 12 “Behold, these will come from afar; And lo, these will come from the north and from the west, And these from the land of Sinim.” 13 Shout for joy, O heavens! And rejoice, O earth! Break forth into joyful shouting, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted His people And will have compassion on His afflicted. 14 But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me, And the Lord has forgotten me.” 15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child And have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. 16 “Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me. 17 “Your builders hurry; Your destroyers and devastators Will depart from you. 18 “Lift up your eyes and look around; All of them gather together, they come to you. As I live,” declares the Lord, “You will surely put on all of them as jewels and bind them on as a bride. 19 “For your waste and desolate places and your destroyed land— Surely now you will be too cramped for the inhabitants, And those who swallowed you will be far away. 20 “The children of whom you were bereaved will yet say in your ears, ‘The place is too cramped for me; Make room for me that I may live here.' 21 “Then you will say in your heart, ‘Who has begotten these for me, Since I have been bereaved of my children And am barren, an exile and a wanderer? And who has reared these? Behold, I was left alone; From where did these come?'” 22 Thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations And set up My standard to the peoples; And they will bring your sons in their bosom, And your daughters will be carried on their shoulders. 23 “Kings will be your guardians, And their princesses your nurses. They will bow down to you with their faces to the earth And lick the dust of your feet; And you will know that I am the Lord; Those who hopefully wait for Me will not be put to shame... --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/maranatha-ministries/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/maranatha-ministries/support

Told by Lilly River,  AFM missionary serving the Sinim of Southeast Asia. Frontier Missions Journal--Stories of hope from Adventist Frontier Missions, reaching people around the world who have never heard the name of Jesus.   

Get ready to dive into the deep end of biblical baloney as we tackle the perplexing poetry of Isaiah's Servant Songs. We'll wade through the murky waters of who's who in the ancient zoo – is it Israel, Jesus, or just a fancy metaphor? Spoiler: it's probably not Jesus, but don't tell the prophecy enthusiasts! Join us as we decode divine delusions of grandeur, and explore how mountains can apparently burst into song – because, why not? We've also got a mystical place called "Sinim" that could be anywhere from Persia to your local Starbucks. And for a good laugh, we'll venture into the logic of God's "unforgettable" memory (so much better than your mom's, apparently) and the delightful image of nations birthing babies as party favors. All this with a side of live Discord chaos – no expertise needed, just a high tolerance for scriptural shenanigans. Strap in for an episode that's part academic inquiry, part comedy gold, and entirely irreverent.Join us on DISCORD: https://discord.gg/8RwwMrb5zKSkip the ads by joining Acast+ https://plus.acast.com/s/6331d364470c7900137bb57dThank you for stopping by Sacrilegious Discourse - Bible Study for Atheists!Check out these links for more information about our podcast and merchandise:Our Homepage: https://sacrilegiousdiscourse.com/ Join Acast+ to enjoy our podcast adfree! https://plus.acast.com/s/sacrilegiousiscourse. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Psalms and Wisdom: Psalm 138 Psalm 138 (Listen) Give Thanks to the Lord Of David. 138   I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart;    before the gods I sing your praise;2   I bow down toward your holy temple    and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,    for you have exalted above all things    your name and your word.13   On the day I called, you answered me;    my strength of soul you increased.2 4   All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD,    for they have heard the words of your mouth,5   and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD,    for great is the glory of the LORD.6   For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly,    but the haughty he knows from afar. 7   Though I walk in the midst of trouble,    you preserve my life;  you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,    and your right hand delivers me.8   The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;    your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever.    Do not forsake the work of your hands. Footnotes [1] 138:2 Or you have exalted your word above all your name [2] 138:3 Hebrew you made me bold in my soul with strength (ESV) Pentateuch and History: Job 27 Job 27 (Listen) Job Continues: I Will Maintain My Integrity 27 And Job again took up his discourse, and said: 2   “As God lives, who has taken away my right,    and the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter,3   as long as my breath is in me,    and the spirit of God is in my nostrils,4   my lips will not speak falsehood,    and my tongue will not utter deceit.5   Far be it from me to say that you are right;    till I die I will not put away my integrity from me.6   I hold fast my righteousness and will not let it go;    my heart does not reproach me for any of my days. 7   “Let my enemy be as the wicked,    and let him who rises up against me be as the unrighteous.8   For what is the hope of the godless when God cuts him off,    when God takes away his life?9   Will God hear his cry    when distress comes upon him?10   Will he take delight in the Almighty?    Will he call upon God at all times?11   I will teach you concerning the hand of God;    what is with the Almighty I will not conceal.12   Behold, all of you have seen it yourselves;    why then have you become altogether vain? 13   “This is the portion of a wicked man with God,    and the heritage that oppressors receive from the Almighty:14   If his children are multiplied, it is for the sword,    and his descendants have not enough bread.15   Those who survive him the pestilence buries,    and his widows do not weep.16   Though he heap up silver like dust,    and pile up clothing like clay,17   he may pile it up, but the righteous will wear it,    and the innocent will divide the silver.18   He builds his house like a moth's,    like a booth that a watchman makes.19   He goes to bed rich, but will do so no more;    he opens his eyes, and his wealth is gone.20   Terrors overtake him like a flood;    in the night a whirlwind carries him off.21   The east wind lifts him up and he is gone;    it sweeps him out of his place.22   It1 hurls at him without pity;    he flees from its2 power in headlong flight.23   It claps its hands at him    and hisses at him from its place. Footnotes [1] 27:22 Or He (that is, God); also verse 23 [2] 27:22 Or his; also verse 23 (ESV) Chronicles and Prophets: Isaiah 48–49 Isaiah 48–49 (Listen) Israel Refined for God's Glory 48   Hear this, O house of Jacob,    who are called by the name of Israel,    and who came from the waters of Judah,  who swear by the name of the LORD    and confess the God of Israel,    but not in truth or right.2   For they call themselves after the holy city,    and stay themselves on the God of Israel;    the LORD of hosts is his name. 3   “The former things I declared of old;    they went out from my mouth, and I announced them;    then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.4   Because I know that you are obstinate,    and your neck is an iron sinew    and your forehead brass,5   I declared them to you from of old,    before they came to pass I announced them to you,  lest you should say, ‘My idol did them,    my carved image and my metal image commanded them.' 6   “You have heard; now see all this;    and will you not declare it?  From this time forth I announce to you new things,    hidden things that you have not known.7   They are created now, not long ago;    before today you have never heard of them,    lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.'8   You have never heard, you have never known,    from of old your ear has not been opened.  For I knew that you would surely deal treacherously,    and that from before birth you were called a rebel. 9   “For my name's sake I defer my anger;    for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you,    that I may not cut you off.10   Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver;    I have tried1 you in the furnace of affliction.11   For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it,    for how should my name2 be profaned?    My glory I will not give to another. The Lord's Call to Israel 12   “Listen to me, O Jacob,    and Israel, whom I called!  I am he; I am the first,    and I am the last.13   My hand laid the foundation of the earth,    and my right hand spread out the heavens;  when I call to them,    they stand forth together. 14   “Assemble, all of you, and listen!    Who among them has declared these things?  The LORD loves him;    he shall perform his purpose on Babylon,    and his arm shall be against the Chaldeans.15   I, even I, have spoken and called him;    I have brought him, and he will prosper in his way.16   Draw near to me, hear this:    from the beginning I have not spoken in secret,    from the time it came to be I have been there.”  And now the Lord GOD has sent me, and his Spirit. 17   Thus says the LORD,    your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:  “I am the LORD your God,    who teaches you to profit,    who leads you in the way you should go.18   Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments!    Then your peace would have been like a river,    and your righteousness like the waves of the sea;19   your offspring would have been like the sand,    and your descendants like its grains;  their name would never be cut off    or destroyed from before me.” 20   Go out from Babylon, flee from Chaldea,    declare this with a shout of joy, proclaim it,  send it out to the end of the earth;    say, “The LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob!”21   They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts;    he made water flow for them from the rock;    he split the rock and the water gushed out. 22   “There is no peace,” says the LORD, “for the wicked.” The Servant of the Lord 49   Listen to me, O coastlands,    and give attention, you peoples from afar.  The LORD called me from the womb,    from the body of my mother he named my name.2   He made my mouth like a sharp sword;    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;  he made me a polished arrow;    in his quiver he hid me away.3   And he said to me, “You are my servant,    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”34   But I said, “I have labored in vain;    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;  yet surely my right is with the LORD,    and my recompense with my God.” 5   And now the LORD says,    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,  to bring Jacob back to him;    and that Israel might be gathered to him—  for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,    and my God has become my strength—6   he says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant    to raise up the tribes of Jacob    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;  I will make you as a light for the nations,    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7   Thus says the LORD,    the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,  to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,    the servant of rulers:  “Kings shall see and arise;    princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;  because of the LORD, who is faithful,    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” The Restoration of Israel 8   Thus says the LORD:  “In a time of favor I have answered you;    in a day of salvation I have helped you;  I will keep you and give you    as a covenant to the people,  to establish the land,    to apportion the desolate heritages,9   saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,'    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.'  They shall feed along the ways;    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10   they shall not hunger or thirst,    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,  for he who has pity on them will lead them,    and by springs of water will guide them.11   And I will make all my mountains a road,    and my highways shall be raised up.12   Behold, these shall come from afar,    and behold, these from the north and from the west,4    and these from the land of Syene.”5 13   Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;    break forth, O mountains, into singing!  For the LORD has comforted his people    and will have compassion on his afflicted. 14   But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;    my Lord has forgotten me.” 15   “Can a woman forget her nursing child,    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget,    yet I will not forget you.16   Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;    your walls are continually before me.17   Your builders make haste;6    your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.18   Lift up your eyes around and see;    they all gather, they come to you.  As I live, declares the LORD,    you shall put them all on as an ornament;    you shall bind them on as a bride does. 19   “Surely your waste and your desolate places    and your devastated land—  surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,    and those who swallowed you up will be far away.20   The children of your bereavement    will yet say in your ears:  ‘The place is too narrow for me;    make room for me to dwell in.'21   Then you will say in your heart:    ‘Who has borne me these?  I was bereaved and barren,    exiled and put away,    but who has brought up these?  Behold, I was left alone;    from where have these come?'” 22   Thus says the Lord GOD:  “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,    and raise my signal to the peoples;  and they shall bring your sons in their arms,7    and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.23   Kings shall be your foster fathers,    and their queens your nursing mothers.  With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,    and lick the dust of your feet.  Then you will know that I am the LORD;    those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” 24   Can the prey be taken from the mighty,    or the captives of a tyrant8 be rescued?25   For thus says the LORD:

Told by Elisha Joy,  AFM missionary to the Sinim of Southeast Asia.Frontier Missions Journal--Stories of hope from Adventist Frontier Missions, reaching people around the world who have never heard the name of Jesus.  

Told by Angeline Nguyen,  AFM missionary to the Sinim of Southeast Asia.Frontier Missions Journal--Stories of hope from Adventist Frontier Missions, reaching people around the world who have never heard the name of Jesus.    

Old Testament: Isaiah 49–51 Isaiah 49–51 (Listen) The Servant of the Lord 49   Listen to me, O coastlands,    and give attention, you peoples from afar.  The LORD called me from the womb,    from the body of my mother he named my name.2   He made my mouth like a sharp sword;    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;  he made me a polished arrow;    in his quiver he hid me away.3   And he said to me, “You are my servant,    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”14   But I said, “I have labored in vain;    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;  yet surely my right is with the LORD,    and my recompense with my God.” 5   And now the LORD says,    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,  to bring Jacob back to him;    and that Israel might be gathered to him—  for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,    and my God has become my strength—6   he says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant    to raise up the tribes of Jacob    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;  I will make you as a light for the nations,    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7   Thus says the LORD,    the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,  to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,    the servant of rulers:  “Kings shall see and arise;    princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;  because of the LORD, who is faithful,    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” The Restoration of Israel 8   Thus says the LORD:  “In a time of favor I have answered you;    in a day of salvation I have helped you;  I will keep you and give you    as a covenant to the people,  to establish the land,    to apportion the desolate heritages,9   saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,'    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.'  They shall feed along the ways;    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10   they shall not hunger or thirst,    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,  for he who has pity on them will lead them,    and by springs of water will guide them.11   And I will make all my mountains a road,    and my highways shall be raised up.12   Behold, these shall come from afar,    and behold, these from the north and from the west,2    and these from the land of Syene.”3 13   Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;    break forth, O mountains, into singing!  For the LORD has comforted his people    and will have compassion on his afflicted. 14   But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;    my Lord has forgotten me.” 15   “Can a woman forget her nursing child,    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget,    yet I will not forget you.16   Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;    your walls are continually before me.17   Your builders make haste;4    your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.18   Lift up your eyes around and see;    they all gather, they come to you.  As I live, declares the LORD,    you shall put them all on as an ornament;    you shall bind them on as a bride does. 19   “Surely your waste and your desolate places    and your devastated land—  surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,    and those who swallowed you up will be far away.20   The children of your bereavement    will yet say in your ears:  ‘The place is too narrow for me;    make room for me to dwell in.'21   Then you will say in your heart:    ‘Who has borne me these?  I was bereaved and barren,    exiled and put away,    but who has brought up these?  Behold, I was left alone;    from where have these come?'” 22   Thus says the Lord GOD:  “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,    and raise my signal to the peoples;  and they shall bring your sons in their arms,5    and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.23   Kings shall be your foster fathers,    and their queens your nursing mothers.  With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,    and lick the dust of your feet.  Then you will know that I am the LORD;    those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” 24   Can the prey be taken from the mighty,    or the captives of a tyrant6 be rescued?25   For thus says the LORD:  “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken,    and the prey of the tyrant be rescued,  for I will contend with those who contend with you,    and I will save your children.26   I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,    and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.  Then all flesh shall know    that I am the LORD your Savior,    and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Israel's Sin and the Servant's Obedience 50   Thus says the LORD:  “Where is your mother's certificate of divorce,    with which I sent her away?  Or which of my creditors is it    to whom I have sold you?  Behold, for your iniquities you were sold,    and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.2   Why, when I came, was there no man;    why, when I called, was there no one to answer?  Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem?    Or have I no power to deliver?  Behold, by my rebuke I dry up the sea,    I make the rivers a desert;  their fish stink for lack of water    and die of thirst.3   I clothe the heavens with blackness    and make sackcloth their covering.” 4   The Lord GOD has given me    the tongue of those who are taught,  that I may know how to sustain with a word    him who is weary.  Morning by morning he awakens;    he awakens my ear    to hear as those who are taught.5   The Lord GOD has opened my ear,    and I was not rebellious;    I turned not backward.6   I gave my back to those who strike,    and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard;  I hid not my face    from disgrace and spitting. 7   But the Lord GOD helps me;    therefore I have not been disgraced;  therefore I have set my face like a flint,    and I know that I shall not be put to shame.8     He who vindicates me is near.  Who will contend with me?    Let us stand up together.  Who is my adversary?    Let him come near to me.9   Behold, the Lord GOD helps me;    who will declare me guilty?  Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment;    the moth will eat them up. 10   Who among you fears the LORD    and obeys the voice of his servant?  Let him who walks in darkness    and has no light  trust in the name of the LORD    and rely on his God.11   Behold, all you who kindle a fire,    who equip yourselves with burning torches!  Walk by the light of your fire,    and by the torches that you have kindled!  This you have from my hand:    you shall lie down in torment. The Lord's Comfort for Zion 51   “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness,    you who seek the LORD:  look to the rock from which you were hewn,    and to the quarry from which you were dug.2   Look to Abraham your father    and to Sarah who bore you;  for he was but one when I called him,    that I might bless him and multiply him.3   For the LORD comforts Zion;    he comforts all her waste places  and makes her wilderness like Eden,    her desert like the garden of the LORD;  joy and gladness will be found in her,    thanksgiving and the voice of song. 4   “Give attention to me, my people,    and give ear to me, my nation;  for a law7 will go out from me,    and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples.5   My righteousness draws near,    my salvation has gone out,    and my arms will judge the peoples;  the coastlands hope for me,    and for my arm they wait.6   Lift up your eyes to the heavens,    and look at the earth beneath;  for the heavens vanish like smoke,    the earth will wear out like a garment,    and they who dwell in it will die in like manner;8  but my salvation will be forever,    and my righteousness will never be dismayed. 7   “Listen to me, you who know righteousness,    the people in whose heart is my law;  fear not the reproach of man,    nor be dismayed at their revilings.8   For the moth will eat them up like a garment,    and the worm will eat them like wool,  but my righteousness will be forever,    and my salvation to all generations.” 9   Awake, awake, put on strength,    O arm of the LORD;  awake, as in days of old,    the generations of long ago.  Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces,    who pierced the dragon?10   Was it not you who dried up the sea,    the waters of the great deep,  who made the depths of the sea a way    for the redeemed to pass over?11   And the ransomed of the LORD shall return    and come to Zion with singing;  everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;    they shall obtain gladness and joy,    and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. 12   “I, I am he who comforts you;    who are you that you are afraid of man who dies,    of the son of man who is made like grass,13   and have forgotten the LORD, your Maker,    who stretched out the heavens    and laid the foundations of the earth,  and you fear continually all the day    because of the wrath of the oppressor,  when he sets himself to destroy?    And where is the wrath of the oppressor?14   He who is bowed down shall speedily be released;    he shall not die and go down to the pit,    neither shall his bread be lacking.15   I am the LORD your God,    who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—    the LORD of hosts is his name.16   And I have put my words in your mouth    and covered you in the shadow of my hand,  establishing9 the heavens    and laying the foundations of the earth,    and saying to Zion, ‘You are my people.'” 17   Wake yourself, wake yourself,    stand up, O Jerusalem,  you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD    the cup of his wrath,  who have drunk to the dregs    the bowl, the cup of staggering.18   There is none to guide her    among all the sons she has borne;  there is none to take her by the hand    among all the sons she has brought up.19   These two things have happened to you—    who will console you?—  devastation and destruction, famine and sword;    who will comfort you?1020   Your sons have fainted;    they lie at the head of every street    like an antelope in a net;  they are full of the wrath of the LORD,    the rebuke of your God. 21   Therefore hear this, you who are afflicted,    who are drunk, but not with wine:22   Thus says your Lord, the LORD,    your God who pleads the cause of his people:  “Behold, I have taken from your hand the cup of staggering;  the bowl of my wrath you shall drink no more;23   and I will put it into the hand of your tormentors,    who have said to you,    ‘Bow down, that we may pass over';  and you have made your back like the ground    and like the street for them to pass over.” Footnotes [1] 49:3 Or I will display my beauty [2] 49:12 Hebrew from the sea [3] 49:12 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Sinim

Old Testament: Isaiah 49–51 Isaiah 49–51 (Listen) The Servant of the Lord 49   Listen to me, O coastlands,    and give attention, you peoples from afar.  The LORD called me from the womb,    from the body of my mother he named my name.2   He made my mouth like a sharp sword;    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;  he made me a polished arrow;    in his quiver he hid me away.3   And he said to me, “You are my servant,    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”14   But I said, “I have labored in vain;    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;  yet surely my right is with the LORD,    and my recompense with my God.” 5   And now the LORD says,    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,  to bring Jacob back to him;    and that Israel might be gathered to him—  for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,    and my God has become my strength—6   he says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant    to raise up the tribes of Jacob    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;  I will make you as a light for the nations,    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7   Thus says the LORD,    the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,  to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,    the servant of rulers:  “Kings shall see and arise;    princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;  because of the LORD, who is faithful,    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” The Restoration of Israel 8   Thus says the LORD:  “In a time of favor I have answered you;    in a day of salvation I have helped you;  I will keep you and give you    as a covenant to the people,  to establish the land,    to apportion the desolate heritages,9   saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,'    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.'  They shall feed along the ways;    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10   they shall not hunger or thirst,    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,  for he who has pity on them will lead them,    and by springs of water will guide them.11   And I will make all my mountains a road,    and my highways shall be raised up.12   Behold, these shall come from afar,    and behold, these from the north and from the west,2    and these from the land of Syene.”3 13   Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;    break forth, O mountains, into singing!  For the LORD has comforted his people    and will have compassion on his afflicted. 14   But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;    my Lord has forgotten me.” 15   “Can a woman forget her nursing child,    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget,    yet I will not forget you.16   Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;    your walls are continually before me.17   Your builders make haste;4    your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.18   Lift up your eyes around and see;    they all gather, they come to you.  As I live, declares the LORD,    you shall put them all on as an ornament;    you shall bind them on as a bride does. 19   “Surely your waste and your desolate places    and your devastated land—  surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,    and those who swallowed you up will be far away.20   The children of your bereavement    will yet say in your ears:  ‘The place is too narrow for me;    make room for me to dwell in.'21   Then you will say in your heart:    ‘Who has borne me these?  I was bereaved and barren,    exiled and put away,    but who has brought up these?  Behold, I was left alone;    from where have these come?'” 22   Thus says the Lord GOD:  “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,    and raise my signal to the peoples;  and they shall bring your sons in their arms,5    and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.23   Kings shall be your foster fathers,    and their queens your nursing mothers.  With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,    and lick the dust of your feet.  Then you will know that I am the LORD;    those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” 24   Can the prey be taken from the mighty,    or the captives of a tyrant6 be rescued?25   For thus says the LORD:  “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken,    and the prey of the tyrant be rescued,  for I will contend with those who contend with you,    and I will save your children.26   I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,    and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.  Then all flesh shall know    that I am the LORD your Savior,    and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Israel's Sin and the Servant's Obedience 50   Thus says the LORD:  “Where is your mother's certificate of divorce,    with which I sent her away?  Or which of my creditors is it    to whom I have sold you?  Behold, for your iniquities you were sold,    and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.2   Why, when I came, was there no man;    why, when I called, was there no one to answer?  Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem?    Or have I no power to deliver?  Behold, by my rebuke I dry up the sea,    I make the rivers a desert;  their fish stink for lack of water    and die of thirst.3   I clothe the heavens with blackness    and make sackcloth their covering.” 4   The Lord GOD has given me    the tongue of those who are taught,  that I may know how to sustain with a word    him who is weary.  Morning by morning he awakens;    he awakens my ear    to hear as those who are taught.5   The Lord GOD has opened my ear,    and I was not rebellious;    I turned not backward.6   I gave my back to those who strike,    and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard;  I hid not my face    from disgrace and spitting. 7   But the Lord GOD helps me;    therefore I have not been disgraced;  therefore I have set my face like a flint,    and I know that I shall not be put to shame.8     He who vindicates me is near.  Who will contend with me?    Let us stand up together.  Who is my adversary?    Let him come near to me.9   Behold, the Lord GOD helps me;    who will declare me guilty?  Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment;    the moth will eat them up. 10   Who among you fears the LORD    and obeys the voice of his servant?  Let him who walks in darkness    and has no light  trust in the name of the LORD    and rely on his God.11   Behold, all you who kindle a fire,    who equip yourselves with burning torches!  Walk by the light of your fire,    and by the torches that you have kindled!  This you have from my hand:    you shall lie down in torment. The Lord's Comfort for Zion 51   “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness,    you who seek the LORD:  look to the rock from which you were hewn,    and to the quarry from which you were dug.2   Look to Abraham your father    and to Sarah who bore you;  for he was but one when I called him,    that I might bless him and multiply him.3   For the LORD comforts Zion;    he comforts all her waste places  and makes her wilderness like Eden,    her desert like the garden of the LORD;  joy and gladness will be found in her,    thanksgiving and the voice of song. 4   “Give attention to me, my people,    and give ear to me, my nation;  for a law7 will go out from me,    and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples.5   My righteousness draws near,    my salvation has gone out,    and my arms will judge the peoples;  the coastlands hope for me,    and for my arm they wait.6   Lift up your eyes to the heavens,    and look at the earth beneath;  for the heavens vanish like smoke,    the earth will wear out like a garment,    and they who dwell in it will die in like manner;8  but my salvation will be forever,    and my righteousness will never be dismayed. 7   “Listen to me, you who know righteousness,    the people in whose heart is my law;  fear not the reproach of man,    nor be dismayed at their revilings.8   For the moth will eat them up like a garment,    and the worm will eat them like wool,  but my righteousness will be forever,    and my salvation to all generations.” 9   Awake, awake, put on strength,    O arm of the LORD;  awake, as in days of old,    the generations of long ago.  Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces,    who pierced the dragon?10   Was it not you who dried up the sea,    the waters of the great deep,  who made the depths of the sea a way    for the redeemed to pass over?11   And the ransomed of the LORD shall return    and come to Zion with singing;  everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;    they shall obtain gladness and joy,    and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. 12   “I, I am he who comforts you;    who are you that you are afraid of man who dies,    of the son of man who is made like grass,13   and have forgotten the LORD, your Maker,    who stretched out the heavens    and laid the foundations of the earth,  and you fear continually all the day    because of the wrath of the oppressor,  when he sets himself to destroy?    And where is the wrath of the oppressor?14   He who is bowed down shall speedily be released;    he shall not die and go down to the pit,    neither shall his bread be lacking.15   I am the LORD your God,    who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—    the LORD of hosts is his name.16   And I have put my words in your mouth    and covered you in the shadow of my hand,  establishing9 the heavens    and laying the foundations of the earth,    and saying to Zion, ‘You are my people.'” 17   Wake yourself, wake yourself,    stand up, O Jerusalem,  you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD    the cup of his wrath,  who have drunk to the dregs    the bowl, the cup of staggering.18   There is none to guide her    among all the sons she has borne;  there is none to take her by the hand    among all the sons she has brought up.19   These two things have happened to you—    who will console you?—  devastation and destruction, famine and sword;    who will comfort you?1020   Your sons have fainted;    they lie at the head of every street    like an antelope in a net;  they are full of the wrath of the LORD,    the rebuke of your God. 21   Therefore hear this, you who are afflicted,    who are drunk, but not with wine:22   Thus says your Lord, the LORD,    your God who pleads the cause of his people:  “Behold, I have taken from your hand the cup of staggering;  the bowl of my wrath you shall drink no more;23   and I will put it into the hand of your tormentors,    who have said to you,    ‘Bow down, that we may pass over';  and you have made your back like the ground    and like the street for them to pass over.” Footnotes [1] 49:3 Or I will display my beauty [2] 49:12 Hebrew from the sea [3] 49:12 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Sinim

Morning: Isaiah 48–49 Isaiah 48–49 (Listen) Israel Refined for God's Glory 48   Hear this, O house of Jacob,    who are called by the name of Israel,    and who came from the waters of Judah,  who swear by the name of the LORD    and confess the God of Israel,    but not in truth or right.2   For they call themselves after the holy city,    and stay themselves on the God of Israel;    the LORD of hosts is his name. 3   “The former things I declared of old;    they went out from my mouth, and I announced them;    then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.4   Because I know that you are obstinate,    and your neck is an iron sinew    and your forehead brass,5   I declared them to you from of old,    before they came to pass I announced them to you,  lest you should say, ‘My idol did them,    my carved image and my metal image commanded them.' 6   “You have heard; now see all this;    and will you not declare it?  From this time forth I announce to you new things,    hidden things that you have not known.7   They are created now, not long ago;    before today you have never heard of them,    lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.'8   You have never heard, you have never known,    from of old your ear has not been opened.  For I knew that you would surely deal treacherously,    and that from before birth you were called a rebel. 9   “For my name's sake I defer my anger;    for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you,    that I may not cut you off.10   Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver;    I have tried1 you in the furnace of affliction.11   For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it,    for how should my name2 be profaned?    My glory I will not give to another. The Lord's Call to Israel 12   “Listen to me, O Jacob,    and Israel, whom I called!  I am he; I am the first,    and I am the last.13   My hand laid the foundation of the earth,    and my right hand spread out the heavens;  when I call to them,    they stand forth together. 14   “Assemble, all of you, and listen!    Who among them has declared these things?  The LORD loves him;    he shall perform his purpose on Babylon,    and his arm shall be against the Chaldeans.15   I, even I, have spoken and called him;    I have brought him, and he will prosper in his way.16   Draw near to me, hear this:    from the beginning I have not spoken in secret,    from the time it came to be I have been there.”  And now the Lord GOD has sent me, and his Spirit. 17   Thus says the LORD,    your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:  “I am the LORD your God,    who teaches you to profit,    who leads you in the way you should go.18   Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments!    Then your peace would have been like a river,    and your righteousness like the waves of the sea;19   your offspring would have been like the sand,    and your descendants like its grains;  their name would never be cut off    or destroyed from before me.” 20   Go out from Babylon, flee from Chaldea,    declare this with a shout of joy, proclaim it,  send it out to the end of the earth;    say, “The LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob!”21   They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts;    he made water flow for them from the rock;    he split the rock and the water gushed out. 22   “There is no peace,” says the LORD, “for the wicked.” The Servant of the Lord 49   Listen to me, O coastlands,    and give attention, you peoples from afar.  The LORD called me from the womb,    from the body of my mother he named my name.2   He made my mouth like a sharp sword;    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;  he made me a polished arrow;    in his quiver he hid me away.3   And he said to me, “You are my servant,    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”34   But I said, “I have labored in vain;    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;  yet surely my right is with the LORD,    and my recompense with my God.” 5   And now the LORD says,    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,  to bring Jacob back to him;    and that Israel might be gathered to him—  for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,    and my God has become my strength—6   he says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant    to raise up the tribes of Jacob    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;  I will make you as a light for the nations,    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7   Thus says the LORD,    the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,  to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,    the servant of rulers:  “Kings shall see and arise;    princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;  because of the LORD, who is faithful,    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” The Restoration of Israel 8   Thus says the LORD:  “In a time of favor I have answered you;    in a day of salvation I have helped you;  I will keep you and give you    as a covenant to the people,  to establish the land,    to apportion the desolate heritages,9   saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,'    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.'  They shall feed along the ways;    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10   they shall not hunger or thirst,    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,  for he who has pity on them will lead them,    and by springs of water will guide them.11   And I will make all my mountains a road,    and my highways shall be raised up.12   Behold, these shall come from afar,    and behold, these from the north and from the west,4    and these from the land of Syene.”5 13   Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;    break forth, O mountains, into singing!  For the LORD has comforted his people    and will have compassion on his afflicted. 14   But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;    my Lord has forgotten me.” 15   “Can a woman forget her nursing child,    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget,    yet I will not forget you.16   Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;    your walls are continually before me.17   Your builders make haste;6    your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.18   Lift up your eyes around and see;    they all gather, they come to you.  As I live, declares the LORD,    you shall put them all on as an ornament;    you shall bind them on as a bride does. 19   “Surely your waste and your desolate places    and your devastated land—  surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,    and those who swallowed you up will be far away.20   The children of your bereavement    will yet say in your ears:  ‘The place is too narrow for me;    make room for me to dwell in.'21   Then you will say in your heart:    ‘Who has borne me these?  I was bereaved and barren,    exiled and put away,    but who has brought up these?  Behold, I was left alone;    from where have these come?'” 22   Thus says the Lord GOD:  “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,    and raise my signal to the peoples;  and they shall bring your sons in their arms,7    and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.23   Kings shall be your foster fathers,    and their queens your nursing mothers.  With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,    and lick the dust of your feet.  Then you will know that I am the LORD;    those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” 24   Can the prey be taken from the mighty,    or the captives of a tyrant8 be rescued?25   For thus says the LORD:  “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken,    and the prey of the tyrant be rescued,  for I will contend with those who contend with you,    and I will save your children.26   I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,    and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.  Then all flesh shall know    that I am the LORD your Savior,    and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Footnotes [1] 48:10 Or I have chosen [2] 48:11 Hebrew lacks my name [3] 49:3 Or I will display my beauty [4] 49:12 Hebrew from the sea [5] 49:12 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Sinim [6] 49:17 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Your children make haste [7] 49:22 Hebrew in their bosom [8] 49:24 Dead Sea Scroll, Syriac, Vulgate (see also verse 25); Masoretic Text of a righteous man (ESV) Evening: Colossians 4 Colossians 4 (Listen) 4 Masters, treat your bondservants1 justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven. Further Instructions 2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. 5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. Final Greetings 7 Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant2 in the Lord. 8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts, 9 and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here. 10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. 14 Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers3 at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. 16 And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. 17 And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.” 18 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. Footnotes [1] 4:1 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; likewise for servant in verse 12 [2] 4:7 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word sundoulos, see Preface [3] 4:15 Or brothers and sisters (ESV)

Isaiah 49–53 Isaiah 49–53 (Listen) The Servant of the Lord 49   Listen to me, O coastlands,    and give attention, you peoples from afar.  The LORD called me from the womb,    from the body of my mother he named my name.2   He made my mouth like a sharp sword;    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;  he made me a polished arrow;    in his quiver he hid me away.3   And he said to me, “You are my servant,    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”14   But I said, “I have labored in vain;    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;  yet surely my right is with the LORD,    and my recompense with my God.” 5   And now the LORD says,    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,  to bring Jacob back to him;    and that Israel might be gathered to him—  for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,    and my God has become my strength—6   he says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant    to raise up the tribes of Jacob    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;  I will make you as a light for the nations,    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7   Thus says the LORD,    the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,  to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,    the servant of rulers:  “Kings shall see and arise;    princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;  because of the LORD, who is faithful,    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” The Restoration of Israel 8   Thus says the LORD:  “In a time of favor I have answered you;    in a day of salvation I have helped you;  I will keep you and give you    as a covenant to the people,  to establish the land,    to apportion the desolate heritages,9   saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,'    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.'  They shall feed along the ways;    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10   they shall not hunger or thirst,    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,  for he who has pity on them will lead them,    and by springs of water will guide them.11   And I will make all my mountains a road,    and my highways shall be raised up.12   Behold, these shall come from afar,    and behold, these from the north and from the west,2    and these from the land of Syene.”3 13   Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;    break forth, O mountains, into singing!  For the LORD has comforted his people    and will have compassion on his afflicted. 14   But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;    my Lord has forgotten me.” 15   “Can a woman forget her nursing child,    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget,    yet I will not forget you.16   Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;    your walls are continually before me.17   Your builders make haste;4    your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.18   Lift up your eyes around and see;    they all gather, they come to you.  As I live, declares the LORD,    you shall put them all on as an ornament;    you shall bind them on as a bride does. 19   “Surely your waste and your desolate places    and your devastated land—  surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,    and those who swallowed you up will be far away.20   The children of your bereavement    will yet say in your ears:  ‘The place is too narrow for me;    make room for me to dwell in.'21   Then you will say in your heart:    ‘Who has borne me these?  I was bereaved and barren,    exiled and put away,    but who has brought up these?  Behold, I was left alone;    from where have these come?'” 22   Thus says the Lord GOD:  “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,    and raise my signal to the peoples;  and they shall bring your sons in their arms,5    and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.23   Kings shall be your foster fathers,    and their queens your nursing mothers.  With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,    and lick the dust of your feet.  Then you will know that I am the LORD;    those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” 24   Can the prey be taken from the mighty,    or the captives of a tyrant6 be rescued?25   For thus says the LORD:  “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken,    and the prey of the tyrant be rescued,  for I will contend with those who contend with you,    and I will save your children.26   I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,    and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.  Then all flesh shall know    that I am the LORD your Savior,    and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Israel's Sin and the Servant's Obedience 50   Thus says the LORD:  “Where is your mother's certificate of divorce,    with which I sent her away?  Or which of my creditors is it    to whom I have sold you?  Behold, for your iniquities you were sold,    and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.2   Why, when I came, was there no man;    why, when I called, was there no one to answer?  Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem?    Or have I no power to deliver?  Behold, by my rebuke I dry up the sea,    I make the rivers a desert;  their fish stink for lack of water    and die of thirst.3   I clothe the heavens with blackness    and make sackcloth their covering.” 4   The Lord GOD has given me    the tongue of those who are taught,  that I may know how to sustain with a word    him who is weary.  Morning by morning he awakens;    he awakens my ear    to hear as those who are taught.5   The Lord GOD has opened my ear,    and I was not rebellious;    I turned not backward.6   I gave my back to those who strike,    and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard;  I hid not my face    from disgrace and spitting. 7   But the Lord GOD helps me;    therefore I have not been disgraced;  therefore I have set my face like a flint,    and I know that I shall not be put to shame.8     He who vindicates me is near.  Who will contend with me?    Let us stand up together.  Who is my adversary?    Let him come near to me.9   Behold, the Lord GOD helps me;    who will declare me guilty?  Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment;    the moth will eat them up. 10   Who among you fears the LORD    and obeys the voice of his servant?  Let him who walks in darkness    and has no light  trust in the name of the LORD    and rely on his God.11   Behold, all you who kindle a fire,    who equip yourselves with burning torches!  Walk by the light of your fire,    and by the torches that you have kindled!  This you have from my hand:    you shall lie down in torment. The Lord's Comfort for Zion 51   “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness,    you who seek the LORD:  look to the rock from which you were hewn,    and to the quarry from which you were dug.2   Look to Abraham your father    and to Sarah who bore you;  for he was but one when I called him,    that I might bless him and multiply him.3   For the LORD comforts Zion;    he comforts all her waste places  and makes her wilderness like Eden,    her desert like the garden of the LORD;  joy and gladness will be found in her,    thanksgiving and the voice of song. 4   “Give attention to me, my people,    and give ear to me, my nation;  for a law7 will go out from me,    and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples.5   My righteousness draws near,    my salvation has gone out,    and my arms will judge the peoples;  the coastlands hope for me,    and for my arm they wait.6   Lift up your eyes to the heavens,    and look at the earth beneath;  for the heavens vanish like smoke,    the earth will wear out like a garment,    and they who dwell in it will die in like manner;8  but my salvation will be forever,    and my righteousness will never be dismayed. 7   “Listen to me, you who know righteousness,    the people in whose heart is my law;  fear not the reproach of man,    nor be dismayed at their revilings.8   For the moth will eat them up like a garment,    and the worm will eat them like wool,  but my righteousness will be forever,    and my salvation to all generations.” 9   Awake, awake, put on strength,    O arm of the LORD;  awake, as in days of old,    the generations of long ago.  Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces,    who pierced the dragon?10   Was it not you who dried up the sea,    the waters of the great deep,  who made the depths of the sea a way    for the redeemed to pass over?11   And the ransomed of the LORD shall return    and come to Zion with singing;  everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;    they shall obtain gladness and joy,    and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. 12   “I, I am he who comforts you;    who are you that you are afraid of man who dies,    of the son of man who is made like grass,13   and have forgotten the LORD, your Maker,    who stretched out the heavens    and laid the foundations of the earth,  and you fear continually all the day    because of the wrath of the oppressor,  when he sets himself to destroy?    And where is the wrath of the oppressor?14   He who is bowed down shall speedily be released;    he shall not die and go down to the pit,    neither shall his bread be lacking.15   I am the LORD your God,    who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—    the LORD of hosts is his name.16   And I have put my words in your mouth    and covered you in the shadow of my hand,  establishing9 the heavens    and laying the foundations of the earth,    and saying to Zion, ‘You are my people.'” 17   Wake yourself, wake yourself,    stand up, O Jerusalem,  you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD    the cup of his wrath,  who have drunk to the dregs    the bowl, the cup of staggering.18   There is none to guide her    among all the sons she has borne;  there is none to take her by the hand    among all the sons she has brought up.19   These two things have happened to you—    who will console you?—  devastation and destruction, famine and sword;    who will comfort you?1020   Your sons have fainted;    they lie at the head of every street    like an antelope in a net;  they are full of the wrath of the LORD,    the rebuke of your God. 21   Therefore hear this, you who are afflicted,    who are drunk, but not with wine:22   Thus says your Lord, the LORD,    your God who pleads the cause of his people:  “Behold, I have taken from your hand the cup of staggering;  the bowl of my wrath you shall drink no more;23   and I will put it into the hand of your tormentors,    who have said to you,    ‘Bow down, that we may pass over';  and you have made your back like the ground    and like the street for them to pass over.” The Lord's Coming Salvation 52   Awake, awake,    put on your strength, O Zion;  put on your beautiful garments,    

Isaiah 49–53 Isaiah 49–53 (Listen) The Servant of the Lord 49   Listen to me, O coastlands,    and give attention, you peoples from afar.  The LORD called me from the womb,    from the body of my mother he named my name.2   He made my mouth like a sharp sword;    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;  he made me a polished arrow;    in his quiver he hid me away.3   And he said to me, “You are my servant,    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”14   But I said, “I have labored in vain;    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;  yet surely my right is with the LORD,    and my recompense with my God.” 5   And now the LORD says,    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,  to bring Jacob back to him;    and that Israel might be gathered to him—  for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,    and my God has become my strength—6   he says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant    to raise up the tribes of Jacob    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;  I will make you as a light for the nations,    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7   Thus says the LORD,    the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,  to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,    the servant of rulers:  “Kings shall see and arise;    princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;  because of the LORD, who is faithful,    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” The Restoration of Israel 8   Thus says the LORD:  “In a time of favor I have answered you;    in a day of salvation I have helped you;  I will keep you and give you    as a covenant to the people,  to establish the land,    to apportion the desolate heritages,9   saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,'    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.'  They shall feed along the ways;    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10   they shall not hunger or thirst,    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,  for he who has pity on them will lead them,    and by springs of water will guide them.11   And I will make all my mountains a road,    and my highways shall be raised up.12   Behold, these shall come from afar,    and behold, these from the north and from the west,2    and these from the land of Syene.”3 13   Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;    break forth, O mountains, into singing!  For the LORD has comforted his people    and will have compassion on his afflicted. 14   But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;    my Lord has forgotten me.” 15   “Can a woman forget her nursing child,    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget,    yet I will not forget you.16   Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;    your walls are continually before me.17   Your builders make haste;4    your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.18   Lift up your eyes around and see;    they all gather, they come to you.  As I live, declares the LORD,    you shall put them all on as an ornament;    you shall bind them on as a bride does. 19   “Surely your waste and your desolate places    and your devastated land—  surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,    and those who swallowed you up will be far away.20   The children of your bereavement    will yet say in your ears:  ‘The place is too narrow for me;    make room for me to dwell in.'21   Then you will say in your heart:    ‘Who has borne me these?  I was bereaved and barren,    exiled and put away,    but who has brought up these?  Behold, I was left alone;    from where have these come?'” 22   Thus says the Lord GOD:  “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,    and raise my signal to the peoples;  and they shall bring your sons in their arms,5    and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.23   Kings shall be your foster fathers,    and their queens your nursing mothers.  With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,    and lick the dust of your feet.  Then you will know that I am the LORD;    those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” 24   Can the prey be taken from the mighty,    or the captives of a tyrant6 be rescued?25   For thus says the LORD:  “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken,    and the prey of the tyrant be rescued,  for I will contend with those who contend with you,    and I will save your children.26   I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,    and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.  Then all flesh shall know    that I am the LORD your Savior,    and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Israel's Sin and the Servant's Obedience 50   Thus says the LORD:  “Where is your mother's certificate of divorce,    with which I sent her away?  Or which of my creditors is it    to whom I have sold you?  Behold, for your iniquities you were sold,    and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.2   Why, when I came, was there no man;    why, when I called, was there no one to answer?  Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem?    Or have I no power to deliver?  Behold, by my rebuke I dry up the sea,    I make the rivers a desert;  their fish stink for lack of water    and die of thirst.3   I clothe the heavens with blackness    and make sackcloth their covering.” 4   The Lord GOD has given me    the tongue of those who are taught,  that I may know how to sustain with a word    him who is weary.  Morning by morning he awakens;    he awakens my ear    to hear as those who are taught.5   The Lord GOD has opened my ear,    and I was not rebellious;    I turned not backward.6   I gave my back to those who strike,    and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard;  I hid not my face    from disgrace and spitting. 7   But the Lord GOD helps me;    therefore I have not been disgraced;  therefore I have set my face like a flint,    and I know that I shall not be put to shame.8     He who vindicates me is near.  Who will contend with me?    Let us stand up together.  Who is my adversary?    Let him come near to me.9   Behold, the Lord GOD helps me;    who will declare me guilty?  Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment;    the moth will eat them up. 10   Who among you fears the LORD    and obeys the voice of his servant?  Let him who walks in darkness    and has no light  trust in the name of the LORD    and rely on his God.11   Behold, all you who kindle a fire,    who equip yourselves with burning torches!  Walk by the light of your fire,    and by the torches that you have kindled!  This you have from my hand:    you shall lie down in torment. The Lord's Comfort for Zion 51   “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness,    you who seek the LORD:  look to the rock from which you were hewn,    and to the quarry from which you were dug.2   Look to Abraham your father    and to Sarah who bore you;  for he was but one when I called him,    that I might bless him and multiply him.3   For the LORD comforts Zion;    he comforts all her waste places  and makes her wilderness like Eden,    her desert like the garden of the LORD;  joy and gladness will be found in her,    thanksgiving and the voice of song. 4   “Give attention to me, my people,    and give ear to me, my nation;  for a law7 will go out from me,    and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples.5   My righteousness draws near,    my salvation has gone out,    and my arms will judge the peoples;  the coastlands hope for me,    and for my arm they wait.6   Lift up your eyes to the heavens,    and look at the earth beneath;  for the heavens vanish like smoke,    the earth will wear out like a garment,    and they who dwell in it will die in like manner;8  but my salvation will be forever,    and my righteousness will never be dismayed. 7   “Listen to me, you who know righteousness,    the people in whose heart is my law;  fear not the reproach of man,    nor be dismayed at their revilings.8   For the moth will eat them up like a garment,    and the worm will eat them like wool,  but my righteousness will be forever,    and my salvation to all generations.” 9   Awake, awake, put on strength,    O arm of the LORD;  awake, as in days of old,    the generations of long ago.  Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces,    who pierced the dragon?10   Was it not you who dried up the sea,    the waters of the great deep,  who made the depths of the sea a way    for the redeemed to pass over?11   And the ransomed of the LORD shall return    and come to Zion with singing;  everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;    they shall obtain gladness and joy,    and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. 12   “I, I am he who comforts you;    who are you that you are afraid of man who dies,    of the son of man who is made like grass,13   and have forgotten the LORD, your Maker,    who stretched out the heavens    and laid the foundations of the earth,  and you fear continually all the day    because of the wrath of the oppressor,  when he sets himself to destroy?    And where is the wrath of the oppressor?14   He who is bowed down shall speedily be released;    he shall not die and go down to the pit,    neither shall his bread be lacking.15   I am the LORD your God,    who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—    the LORD of hosts is his name.16   And I have put my words in your mouth    and covered you in the shadow of my hand,  establishing9 the heavens    and laying the foundations of the earth,    and saying to Zion, ‘You are my people.'” 17   Wake yourself, wake yourself,    stand up, O Jerusalem,  you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD    the cup of his wrath,  who have drunk to the dregs    the bowl, the cup of staggering.18   There is none to guide her    among all the sons she has borne;  there is none to take her by the hand    among all the sons she has brought up.19   These two things have happened to you—    who will console you?—  devastation and destruction, famine and sword;    who will comfort you?1020   Your sons have fainted;    they lie at the head of every street    like an antelope in a net;  they are full of the wrath of the LORD,    the rebuke of your God. 21   Therefore hear this, you who are afflicted,    who are drunk, but not with wine:22   Thus says your Lord, the LORD,    your God who pleads the cause of his people:  “Behold, I have taken from your hand the cup of staggering;  the bowl of my wrath you shall drink no more;23   and I will put it into the hand of your tormentors,    who have said to you,    ‘Bow down, that we may pass over';  and you have made your back like the ground    and like the street for them to pass over.” The Lord's Coming Salvation 52   Awake, awake,    put on your strength, O Zion;  put on your beautiful garments,    

With family: Deuteronomy 22; Psalms 110–111 Deuteronomy 22 (Listen) Various Laws 22 “You shall not see your brother's ox or his sheep going astray and ignore them. You shall take them back to your brother. 2 And if he does not live near you and you do not know who he is, you shall bring it home to your house, and it shall stay with you until your brother seeks it. Then you shall restore it to him. 3 And you shall do the same with his donkey or with his garment, or with any lost thing of your brother's, which he loses and you find; you may not ignore it. 4 You shall not see your brother's donkey or his ox fallen down by the way and ignore them. You shall help him to lift them up again. 5 “A woman shall not wear a man's garment, nor shall a man put on a woman's cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God. 6 “If you come across a bird's nest in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs and the mother sitting on the young or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young. 7 You shall let the mother go, but the young you may take for yourself, that it may go well with you, and that you may live long. 8 “When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, that you may not bring the guilt of blood upon your house, if anyone should fall from it. 9 “You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seed, lest the whole yield be forfeited,1 the crop that you have sown and the yield of the vineyard. 10 You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together. 11 You shall not wear cloth of wool and linen mixed together. 12 “You shall make yourself tassels on the four corners of the garment with which you cover yourself. Laws Concerning Sexual Immorality 13 “If any man takes a wife and goes in to her and then hates her 14 and accuses her of misconduct and brings a bad name upon her, saying, ‘I took this woman, and when I came near her, I did not find in her evidence of virginity,' 15 then the father of the young woman and her mother shall take and bring out the evidence of her virginity to the elders of the city in the gate. 16 And the father of the young woman shall say to the elders, ‘I gave my daughter to this man to marry, and he hates her; 17 and behold, he has accused her of misconduct, saying, “I did not find in your daughter evidence of virginity.” And yet this is the evidence of my daughter's virginity.' And they shall spread the cloak before the elders of the city. 18 Then the elders of that city shall take the man and whip2 him, 19 and they shall fine him a hundred shekels3 of silver and give them to the father of the young woman, because he has brought a bad name upon a virgin4 of Israel. And she shall be his wife. He may not divorce her all his days. 20 But if the thing is true, that evidence of virginity was not found in the young woman, 21 then they shall bring out the young woman to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones, because she has done an outrageous thing in Israel by whoring in her father's house. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. 22 “If a man is found lying with the wife of another man, both of them shall die, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman. So you shall purge the evil from Israel. 23 “If there is a betrothed virgin, and a man meets her in the city and lies with her, 24 then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them to death with stones, the young woman because she did not cry for help though she was in the city, and the man because he violated his neighbor's wife. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. 25 “But if in the open country a man meets a young woman who is betrothed, and the man seizes her and lies with her, then only the man who lay with her shall die. 26 But you shall do nothing to the young woman; she has committed no offense punishable by death. For this case is like that of a man attacking and murdering his neighbor, 27 because he met her in the open country, and though the betrothed young woman cried for help there was no one to rescue her. 28 “If a man meets a virgin who is not betrothed, and seizes her and lies with her, and they are found, 29 then the man who lay with her shall give to the father of the young woman fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife, because he has violated her. He may not divorce her all his days. 5 30 “A man shall not take his father's wife, so that he does not uncover his father's nakedness.6 Footnotes [1] 22:9 Hebrew become holy [2] 22:18 Or discipline [3] 22:19 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams [4] 22:19 Or girl of marriageable age [5] 22:29 Ch 23:1 in Hebrew [6] 22:30 Hebrew uncover his father's skirt (ESV) Psalms 110–111 (Listen) Sit at My Right Hand A Psalm of David. 110   The LORD says to my Lord:    “Sit at my right hand,  until I make your enemies your footstool.” 2   The LORD sends forth from Zion    your mighty scepter.    Rule in the midst of your enemies!3   Your people will offer themselves freely    on the day of your power,1    in holy garments;2  from the womb of the morning,    the dew of your youth will be yours.34   The LORD has sworn    and will not change his mind,  “You are a priest forever    after the order of Melchizedek.” 5   The Lord is at your right hand;    he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.6   He will execute judgment among the nations,    filling them with corpses;  he will shatter chiefs4    over the wide earth.7   He will drink from the brook by the way;    therefore he will lift up his head. Great Are the Lord's Works 111   5 Praise the LORD!  I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart,    in the company of the upright, in the congregation.2   Great are the works of the LORD,    studied by all who delight in them.3   Full of splendor and majesty is his work,    and his righteousness endures forever.4   He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered;    the LORD is gracious and merciful.5   He provides food for those who fear him;    he remembers his covenant forever.6   He has shown his people the power of his works,    in giving them the inheritance of the nations.7   The works of his hands are faithful and just;    all his precepts are trustworthy;8   they are established forever and ever,    to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.9   He sent redemption to his people;    he has commanded his covenant forever.    Holy and awesome is his name!10   The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;    all those who practice it have a good understanding.    His praise endures forever! Footnotes [1] 110:3 Or on the day you lead your forces [2] 110:3 Masoretic Text; some Hebrew manuscripts and Jerome on the holy mountains [3] 110:3 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain [4] 110:6 Or the head [5] 111:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, each line beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet (ESV) In private: Isaiah 49; Revelation 19 Isaiah 49 (Listen) The Servant of the Lord 49   Listen to me, O coastlands,    and give attention, you peoples from afar.  The LORD called me from the womb,    from the body of my mother he named my name.2   He made my mouth like a sharp sword;    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;  he made me a polished arrow;    in his quiver he hid me away.3   And he said to me, “You are my servant,    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”14   But I said, “I have labored in vain;    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;  yet surely my right is with the LORD,    and my recompense with my God.” 5   And now the LORD says,    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,  to bring Jacob back to him;    and that Israel might be gathered to him—  for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,    and my God has become my strength—6   he says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant    to raise up the tribes of Jacob    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;  I will make you as a light for the nations,    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7   Thus says the LORD,    the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,  to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,    the servant of rulers:  “Kings shall see and arise;    princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;  because of the LORD, who is faithful,    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” The Restoration of Israel 8   Thus says the LORD:  “In a time of favor I have answered you;    in a day of salvation I have helped you;  I will keep you and give you    as a covenant to the people,  to establish the land,    to apportion the desolate heritages,9   saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,'    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.'  They shall feed along the ways;    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10   they shall not hunger or thirst,    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,  for he who has pity on them will lead them,    and by springs of water will guide them.11   And I will make all my mountains a road,    and my highways shall be raised up.12   Behold, these shall come from afar,    and behold, these from the north and from the west,2    and these from the land of Syene.”3 13   Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;    break forth, O mountains, into singing!  For the LORD has comforted his people    and will have compassion on his afflicted. 14   But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;    my Lord has forgotten me.” 15   “Can a woman forget her nursing child,    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget,    yet I will not forget you.16   Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;    your walls are continually before me.17   Your builders make haste;4    your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.18   Lift up your eyes around and see;    they all gather, they come to you.  As I live, declares the LORD,    you shall put them all on as an ornament;    you shall bind them on as a bride does. 19   “Surely your waste and your desolate places    and your devastated land—  surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,    and those who swallowed you up will be far away.20   The children of your bereavement    will yet say in your ears:  ‘The place is too narrow for me;    make room for me to dwell in.'21   Then you will say in your heart:    ‘Who has borne me these?  I was bereaved and barren,    exiled and put away,    but who has brought up these?  Behold, I was left alone;    from where have these come?'” 22   Thus says the Lord GOD:  “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,    and raise my signal to the peoples;  and they shall bring your sons in their arms,5    and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.23   Kings shall be your foster fathers,    and their queens your nursing mothers.  With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,    and lick the dust of your feet.  Then you will know that I am the LORD;    those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” 24   Can the prey be taken from the mighty,    or the captives of a tyrant6 be rescued?25   For thus says the LORD:  “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken,    and the prey of the tyrant be rescued,  for I will contend with those who contend with you,    and I will save your children.26   I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,    and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.  Then all flesh shall know    that I am the LORD your Savior,    and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Footnotes [1] 49:3 Or I will display my beauty [2] 49:12 Hebrew from the sea [3] 49:12 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Sinim [4] 49:17 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Your children make haste [5] 49:22 Hebrew in their bosom [6] 49:24 Dead Sea Scroll, Syriac, Vulgate (see also verse 25); Masoretic Text of a righteous man (ESV) Revelation 19 (Listen) Rejoicing in Heaven 19 After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out,   “Hallelujah!  Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,2     for his judgments are true and just;  for he has judged the great prostitute    who corrupted the earth with her immorality,  and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.” 3 Once more they cried out,   “Hallelujah!  The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.” 4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!” 5 And from the throne came a voice saying,   “Praise our God,    all you his servants,  you who fear him,    small and great.” The Marriage Supper of the Lamb 6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,   “Hallelujah!  For the Lord our God    the Almighty reigns.7   Let us rejoice and exult    and give him the glory,  for the marriage of the Lamb has come,    and his Bride has made herself ready;8   it was granted her to clothe herself    with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. 9 And the angel said

Psalms and Wisdom: Psalm 130 Psalm 130 (Listen) My Soul Waits for the Lord A Song of Ascents. 130   Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!2     O Lord, hear my voice!  Let your ears be attentive    to the voice of my pleas for mercy! 3   If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities,    O Lord, who could stand?4   But with you there is forgiveness,    that you may be feared. 5   I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,    and in his word I hope;6   my soul waits for the Lord    more than watchmen for the morning,    more than watchmen for the morning. 7   O Israel, hope in the LORD!    For with the LORD there is steadfast love,    and with him is plentiful redemption.8   And he will redeem Israel    from all his iniquities. (ESV) Pentateuch and History: Numbers 10:11–36 Numbers 10:11–36 (Listen) Israel Leaves Sinai 11 In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony, 12 and the people of Israel set out by stages from the wilderness of Sinai. And the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran. 13 They set out for the first time at the command of the LORD by Moses. 14 The standard of the camp of the people of Judah set out first by their companies, and over their company was Nahshon the son of Amminadab. 15 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar. 16 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon. 17 And when the tabernacle was taken down, the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who carried the tabernacle, set out. 18 And the standard of the camp of Reuben set out by their companies, and over their company was Elizur the son of Shedeur. 19 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 20 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel. 21 Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy things, and the tabernacle was set up before their arrival. 22 And the standard of the camp of the people of Ephraim set out by their companies, and over their company was Elishama the son of Ammihud. 23 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 24 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni. 25 Then the standard of the camp of the people of Dan, acting as the rear guard of all the camps, set out by their companies, and over their company was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 26 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ochran. 27 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan. 28 This was the order of march of the people of Israel by their companies, when they set out. 29 And Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, “We are setting out for the place of which the LORD said, ‘I will give it to you.' Come with us, and we will do good to you, for the LORD has promised good to Israel.” 30 But he said to him, “I will not go. I will depart to my own land and to my kindred.” 31 And he said, “Please do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us. 32 And if you do go with us, whatever good the LORD will do to us, the same will we do to you.” 33 So they set out from the mount of the LORD three days' journey. And the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them three days' journey, to seek out a resting place for them. 34 And the cloud of the LORD was over them by day, whenever they set out from the camp. 35 And whenever the ark set out, Moses said, “Arise, O LORD, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you.” 36 And when it rested, he said, “Return, O LORD, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel.” (ESV) Chronicles and Prophets: Isaiah 48–49 Isaiah 48–49 (Listen) Israel Refined for God's Glory 48   Hear this, O house of Jacob,    who are called by the name of Israel,    and who came from the waters of Judah,  who swear by the name of the LORD    and confess the God of Israel,    but not in truth or right.2   For they call themselves after the holy city,    and stay themselves on the God of Israel;    the LORD of hosts is his name. 3   “The former things I declared of old;    they went out from my mouth, and I announced them;    then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.4   Because I know that you are obstinate,    and your neck is an iron sinew    and your forehead brass,5   I declared them to you from of old,    before they came to pass I announced them to you,  lest you should say, ‘My idol did them,    my carved image and my metal image commanded them.' 6   “You have heard; now see all this;    and will you not declare it?  From this time forth I announce to you new things,    hidden things that you have not known.7   They are created now, not long ago;    before today you have never heard of them,    lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.'8   You have never heard, you have never known,    from of old your ear has not been opened.  For I knew that you would surely deal treacherously,    and that from before birth you were called a rebel. 9   “For my name's sake I defer my anger;    for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you,    that I may not cut you off.10   Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver;    I have tried1 you in the furnace of affliction.11   For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it,    for how should my name2 be profaned?    My glory I will not give to another. The Lord's Call to Israel 12   “Listen to me, O Jacob,    and Israel, whom I called!  I am he; I am the first,    and I am the last.13   My hand laid the foundation of the earth,    and my right hand spread out the heavens;  when I call to them,    they stand forth together. 14   “Assemble, all of you, and listen!    Who among them has declared these things?  The LORD loves him;    he shall perform his purpose on Babylon,    and his arm shall be against the Chaldeans.15   I, even I, have spoken and called him;    I have brought him, and he will prosper in his way.16   Draw near to me, hear this:    from the beginning I have not spoken in secret,    from the time it came to be I have been there.”  And now the Lord GOD has sent me, and his Spirit. 17   Thus says the LORD,    your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:  “I am the LORD your God,    who teaches you to profit,    who leads you in the way you should go.18   Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments!    Then your peace would have been like a river,    and your righteousness like the waves of the sea;19   your offspring would have been like the sand,    and your descendants like its grains;  their name would never be cut off    or destroyed from before me.” 20   Go out from Babylon, flee from Chaldea,    declare this with a shout of joy, proclaim it,  send it out to the end of the earth;    say, “The LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob!”21   They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts;    he made water flow for them from the rock;    he split the rock and the water gushed out. 22   “There is no peace,” says the LORD, “for the wicked.” The Servant of the Lord 49   Listen to me, O coastlands,    and give attention, you peoples from afar.  The LORD called me from the womb,    from the body of my mother he named my name.2   He made my mouth like a sharp sword;    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;  he made me a polished arrow;    in his quiver he hid me away.3   And he said to me, “You are my servant,    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”34   But I said, “I have labored in vain;    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;  yet surely my right is with the LORD,    and my recompense with my God.” 5   And now the LORD says,    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,  to bring Jacob back to him;    and that Israel might be gathered to him—  for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,    and my God has become my strength—6   he says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant    to raise up the tribes of Jacob    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;  I will make you as a light for the nations,    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7   Thus says the LORD,    the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,  to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,    the servant of rulers:  “Kings shall see and arise;    princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;  because of the LORD, who is faithful,    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” The Restoration of Israel 8   Thus says the LORD:  “In a time of favor I have answered you;    in a day of salvation I have helped you;  I will keep you and give you    as a covenant to the people,  to establish the land,    to apportion the desolate heritages,9   saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,'    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.'  They shall feed along the ways;    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10   they shall not hunger or thirst,    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,  for he who has pity on them will lead them,    and by springs of water will guide them.11   And I will make all my mountains a road,    and my highways shall be raised up.12   Behold, these shall come from afar,    and behold, these from the north and from the west,4    and these from the land of Syene.”5 13   Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;    break forth, O mountains, into singing!  For the LORD has comforted his people    and will have compassion on his afflicted. 14   But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;    my Lord has forgotten me.” 15   “Can a woman forget her nursing child,    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget,    yet I will not forget you.16   Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;    your walls are continually before me.17   Your builders make haste;6    your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.18   Lift up your eyes around and see;    they all gather, they come to you.  As I live, declares the LORD,    you shall put them all on as an ornament;    you shall bind them on as a bride does. 19   “Surely your waste and your desolate places    and your devastated land—  surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,    and those who swallowed you up will be far away.20   The children of your bereavement    will yet say in your ears:  ‘The place is too narrow for me;    make room for me to dwell in.'21   Then you will say in your heart:    ‘Who has borne me these?  I was bereaved and barren,    exiled and put away,    but who has brought up these?  Behold, I was left alone;    from where have these come?'” 22   Thus says the Lord GOD:  “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,    and raise my signal to the peoples;  and they shall bring your sons in their arms,7    and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.23   Kings shall be your foster fathers,    and their queens your nursing mothers.  With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,    and lick the dust of your feet.  Then you will know that I am the LORD;    those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” 24   Can the prey be taken from the mighty,    or the captives of a tyrant8 be rescued?25   For thus says the LORD:  “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken,    and the prey of the tyrant be rescued,  for I will contend with those who contend with you,    and I will save your children.26   I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,    and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.  Then all flesh shall know    that I am the LORD your Savior,    and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Footnotes [1] 48:10 Or I have chosen [2] 48:11 Hebrew lacks my name [3] 49:3 Or I will display my beauty [4] 49:12 Hebrew from the sea [5] 49:12 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Sinim [6] 49:17 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Your children make haste [7] 49:22 Hebrew in their bosom [8] 49:24 Dead Sea Scroll, Syriac, Vulgate (see also verse 25); Masoretic Text of a righteous man (ESV) Gospels and Epistles: Colossians 2:6–23 Colossians 2:6–23 (Listen) Alive in Christ 6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits1 of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood agai

Primeira Leitura: Isaías 49,8-15 Leitura do livro do profeta Isaías – 8Isto diz o Senhor: “Eu atendo teus pedidos com favores e te ajudo na obra de salvação; preservei-te para seres elo de aliança entre os povos, para restaurar a terra, para distribuir a herança dispersa; 9para dizer aos que estão presos: ‘Saí!' e aos que estão nas trevas: ‘Mostrai-vos'. E todos se alimentam pelas estradas e até nas colinas estéreis se abastecem; 10não sentem fome nem sede, não os castiga nem o calor nem o sol, porque o seu protetor toma conta deles e os conduz às fontes de água. 11Farei de todos os montes uma estrada e os meus caminhos serão nivelados. 12Eis que estão vindo de longe, uns chegam do norte e do lado do mar, e outros, da terra de Sinim. 13Louvai, ó céus, alegra-te, terra; montanhas, fazei ressoar o louvor, porque o Senhor consola o seu povo e se compadece dos pobres. 14Disse Sião: ‘O Senhor abandonou-me, o Senhor esqueceu-se de mim!' 15Acaso pode a mulher esquecer-se do filho pequeno, a ponto de não ter pena do fruto de seu ventre? Se ela se esquecer, eu, porém, não me esquecerei de ti”. – Palavra do Senhor. Salmo Responsorial: 144(145) Misericórdia e piedade é o Senhor. 1. Misericórdia e piedade é o Senhor, / ele é amor, é paciência, é compaixão. / O Senhor é muito bom para com todos, / sua ternura abraça toda criatura. – R. 2. O Senhor é amor fiel em sua palavra, / é santidade em toda obra que ele faz. / Ele sustenta todo aquele que vacila / e levanta todo aquele que tombou. – R. 3. É justo o Senhor em seus caminhos, / é santo em toda obra que ele faz. / Ele está perto da pessoa que o invoca, / de todo aquele que o invoca lealmente. – R. Evangelho: João 5,17-30 Jesus Cristo, sois bendito, / sois o ungido de Deus Pai! Eu sou a ressurreição, eu sou a vida; / quem crê em mim, ainda que morra, viverá (Jo 11,25s). – R. Proclamação do Evangelho de Jesus Cristo segundo João – Naquele tempo, 17Jesus respondeu aos judeus: “Meu Pai trabalha sempre, portanto também eu trabalho”. 18Então, os judeus ainda mais procuravam matá-lo, porque, além de violar o sábado, chamava Deus o seu Pai, fazendo-se, assim, igual a Deus. 19Tomando a palavra, Jesus disse aos judeus: “Em verdade, em verdade vos digo, o Filho não pode fazer nada por si mesmo; ele faz apenas o que vê o Pai fazer. O que o Pai faz, o Filho o faz também. 20O Pai ama o Filho e lhe mostra tudo o que ele mesmo faz. E lhe mostrará obras maiores ainda, de modo que ficareis admirados. 21Assim como o Pai ressuscita os mortos e lhes dá a vida, o Filho também dá a vida a quem ele quer. 22De fato, o Pai não julga ninguém, mas ele deu ao Filho o poder de julgar, 23para que todos honrem o Filho assim como honram o Pai. Quem não honra o Filho também não honra o Pai, que o enviou. 24Em verdade, em verdade vos digo, quem ouve a minha palavra e crê naquele que me enviou possui a vida eterna. Não será condenado, pois já passou da morte para a vida. 25Em verdade, em verdade, eu vos digo, está chegando a hora, e já chegou, em que os mortos ouvirão a voz do Filho de Deus e os que a ouvirem viverão. 26Porque, assim como o Pai possui a vida em si mesmo, do mesmo modo concedeu ao Filho possuir a vida em si mesmo. 27Além disso, deu-lhe o poder de julgar, pois ele é o Filho do Homem. 28Não fiqueis admirados com isso, porque vai chegar a hora em que todos os que estão nos túmulos ouvirão a voz do Filho e sairão: 29aqueles que fizeram o bem ressuscitarão para a vida; e aqueles que praticaram o mal, para a condenação. 30Eu não posso fazer nada por mim mesmo. Eu julgo conforme o que escuto, e meu julgamento é justo, porque não procuro fazer a minha vontade, mas a vontade daquele que me enviou”. – Palavra da salvação.

Beasts to Bring in the Harvest (2) (Audio) David Eells - 3/5/23 Poisoning the Crops David Eells - 8/18/10   In a dream, I saw some large, beautiful strawberries, which I tasted, and they were great. I began to examine one of them and saw inside of it a dead fish in the middle of black-looking mud with trash around it.  I shared this on a broadcast and got some feedback. Philippe said, "I was reflecting on your dream about the strawberry, and I felt that the meaning of the strawberry is indicating the time of the year -- early spring where the poison would make its way into the food chain and start to be in the food and on the market.” (This depopulation effort has been going on for a long time and it's in “overdrive” right now because people are waking up and they can't afford that and still stay in power.) Betty pointed out that some strawberries are genetically altered with fish genes. I don't know if the fish genes will be a problem or not, but I am sure the crops are being poisoned by chemtrails, environmental disasters and GMO's. It will be hard to know when this is in your food, but God has a solution.  Learn to bless your food by faith: {1Ti.4:1} But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons ... [and commanding] to abstain from meats, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by them that believe and know the truth. {4} For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it be received with thanksgiving: {5} for it is sanctified through the word of God and prayer. {6} If thou put the brethren in mind of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished in the words of the faith, and of the good doctrine which thou hast followed [until now].) Also, in this dream, we were in a war and the enemy's weapons were large, plastic tanks with metal straps around them. (These reminded me of some plastic tanks we used at Exxon to store hazardous chemicals. The chemtrail planes are filled with plastic containers that contain hazardous chemicals.) Also, I had a gift to move people out of harm's way. When they stood beside me, we transported to a safe place. I mentioned, "And we don't even have wings". (There could be a gift of translation going on here but, also, when people stand next to me, meaning, stand where I do in regard to the Gospel of preservation, they are taken to a safe place.)  When we abide in Jesus through faith in His promises, we are in the Psalm 91 secret place of the Most High, for He has taken away our curse [Galatians 3:13]. This faith delivers us from the curses of this world.) Earth Shattering Contamination Lana Galchenko - 2/18/23 (David's notes in red) I dreamed that I was looking at a blue sky and out of the corner of my eye I noticed a darkness. I turned around and the sky was absolutely black. For a moment I couldn't believe the possibility of such blackness after seeing the blue. I began to look for the source of blackness and saw a burning tower. It looked like a metal silo, and it was full of crude oil.  A great fire had erupted on top of it and they were using a crane to try and put a lid on it in order to put it out. The lid kept spinning but they were finely able to place it on. For a moment it looked like they succeeded but then the whole thing collapsed and the ground shook as if an earthquake was happening. Many other buildings started to fall as well. (Lana described a tank fire in a tank farm. These tall, metal tanks had floating roofs to keep vapors from collecting which are dangerous. The floating roof had a seal around the outside edge. These would occasionally be hit by lightning and catch fire. I was a part-time industrial fireman for Exxon, and we would use a crane with fire hose to put these fires out. “Putting a lid on it” means that the fire hoses were spreading foam in the top of a tank to cut off the fuel from the air, so the fire goes out. Lana also described a “bleve” which would feel like an earthquake shaking the ground. In a tank fire where the seal is leaking, water put on the fire would go through the seal to the bottom of the tank. The longer you fought the fire, the more the temperature reached down towards the bottom of the tank. This had to be watched carefully. When the temperature reached the water at boiling point, it would multiply it 1600 times as it turned to steam suddenly. This is a tremendous explosion which would blow all the hydrocarbons out of the tank on fire and kill everyone around and could devastate buildings in the area. So, if you haven't put the fire out before the temperature reaches the bottom, the only thing left to do is run as far and as fast as you can.)   A Removing of Things That Can Be Shaken February 18, 2023 Prophet Ken Dewey (David's notes in red) I heard this: “I will remove out of the way things that hinder and offend. I will shake them off their foundations and they will fall down. [This is the great earthquakes that will circle the globe.] I will then open up a great door; effectual, to my ones working, for the many obstacles from before will be removed for a time [This is the short time of relative respite for God's people that president Trump will bring before the saints are made war on by the Beast.], and I then will work a mighty work before the great Day of Judgment which will come upon the earth to try all men. [This is the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord that lasts for one year at the end of the Tribulation. Isa. 34:8] No doubt the things that will shake down can only be removed out of the way by Me, for their force is too great for anyone else to handle. [At this time, the DS Babylonish Beast has embedded itself in all of the earth. I have believed that the Alliance will not be able to finish the job, but the Lord will intercede as He comes in the Man-child reformers who will speak prophetic words for the Lord which will devastate the enemy.] I AM that I AM, and once more I will shake both heaven and the earth and all men will see My reasons coming forth!” [God will get the credit for the fall of Babylon as it was for Pharoah's army at the Red Sea.] Scripture given to me to post here: Hebrews 12:25-29 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh.  For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: for our God is a consuming fire.    I have posted this Word as I heard it coming forth. I only speak what I hear and have permission to write. I now look with anticipation of a New Day coming to work and run with great Victory. Time is Running Out Winnie Osegueda - 2/21/23 (David's notes in red) Something interesting happened on the evening of 2/21/23.  Zoé sleep-walked out of her bedroom, which she never does, and when I ushered her back into her room, I noticed that she had an hourglass in her hand and the sand was getting low. (I knew the Lord was saying that time is running out and to redeem the time for the days are evil.) My husband, Chuc, told me to get a verse by faith at random in his Bible and I received, Acts 4:11 He is the stone, which was set at nought of you the builders, which was made the head of the corner. (We are running out of time to be in the Man-child and Bride bodies and when they are manifested, judgment will fall.) (The Alliance has been fighting to remove the DS element resisting their depopulation campaign.) EPA Still Hasn't Studied How Pesticides Disrupt Human Hormones 27 Years After Congress Demanded It By: Nate Seltenrich - 2/27/23 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's failure to implement the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program, testing of the affect of pesticides used in food production on human hormones, led to a lawsuit filed late last year by a group of nonprofits. In 1996, Congress ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to test all pesticides used on food for endocrine disruption by 1999. The EPA still doesn't do this today. Nor does it appear close to doing so, argue the plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed against the agency in December 2022 for its ongoing failure to implement the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program. “As of the time of this filing, more than 25 years after the passage of the Food Quality Protection Act, [the] EPA has yet to implement the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program it created and further, has failed to even initiate endocrine testing for approximately 96% of registered pesticides,” the lawsuit states. (This is clearly their depopulation agenda.) Experts say such screening is vital to protect people's health as endocrine-disrupting chemicals — compounds that can block, mimic or interfere with the proper functioning of hormones — have been linked to a variety of health problems including obesity, diabetes, respiratory issues, some cancers and negative impacts on the nervous, reproductive and immune systems. However, other than a draft white paper updating a single aspect of the program this January — coincidental timing, EPA deputy assistant administrator for pesticide programs Ya-Wei “Jake” Li told Environmental Health News (EHN) — the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program has appeared dormant since 2015. That year, almost two decades after its inception, the program released its first batch of test results. Among 52 pesticides screened for endocrine-disrupting activities at the time (a tiny fraction of the more than 1,300 pesticides now registered by the EPA), 18 were found to warrant additional testing. But that testing never occurred, and those pesticides are still in use. Li said the January white paper, which proposes two new test methods that don't rely on animal assays, is an important milestone. He also promised, “more to come later this year.” However, other than citing unsuccessful attempts by the Trump administration to defund the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program, he didn't comment on why it's taken so long to get it off the ground. (Further in this article, not included here, they mentioned that the EPA is still receiving 7.5 million a year for this program that is doing nothing.) “This is a program that's been ignored for 25 years, essentially,” Pegga Mosavi, a lawyer with Washington, D.C. nonprofit Center for Food Safety, told EHN. The Center for Food Safety brought the lawsuit against the EPA with fellow plaintiffs … Rural Coalition, Pesticide Action Network North America, and Center for Environmental Health. “We started looking into it last summer and recognized just how egregious the entire issue was,” Mosavi said. “It's impacting so many people, specifically a lot of people [represented by] our clients. Farmworkers are incredibly vulnerable, since they are the most directly exposed to pesticides via their occupation, but there's also concern of exposure via food and drinking water.”… Eight Alarming Cover-ups and Contradictions in the East Palestine Train Wreck Chemical Nightmare Now Spreading Across Multiple States Monday, February 27, 2023, by: Mike Adams   This article may contain statements that reflect the opinion of the author. (Natural News) When it comes to explaining away the single largest ecological catastrophe in the history of America, the EPA and Ohio officials just can't seem to get their stories straight. Every explanation they offer is a contradiction or cover-up. And they refuse to test for the one thing that poses the greatest health hazard of all: DIOXINS. Dioxins are always created when chlorinated compounds are burned within a certain temperature range. They're also the most deadly chemical compounds known to humankind, and they can be toxic at parts-per-quadrillion concentrations. Put another way, it seems that they cause toxic effects on the human body at concentrations 100,000 times lower than where glyphosate begins to show toxicity. That's just an estimate. The real number may be a million times or more. (Glyphosates are chemicals in pesticides that are sprayed on our food.) Yet the EPA — and Ohio authorities — all refuse to test for dioxins. Or, at least, they refuse to release the test numbers publicly. No doubt they already have their own secret dioxin test results, and they are panicked over those numbers, trying to figure out how to sweep this whole problem under the rug without having to face the reality of an evacuation order that will likely soon be necessary. The entire town of East Palestine may ultimately have to be condemned, razed, and decontaminated. Instead, the EPA is spreading the toxic waste across multiple states. The recent effort to ship over a million gallons of this toxic waste to Texas was thwarted over the weekend, with the EPA now redirecting that toxic waste to Indiana and Ohio, the AP now reports. And then there's the issue of the tens of thousands of farms downwind from this disaster… and the countless families who depend on those farms for their food and livelihoods. If there really were no dioxins to be found, the EPA should have already conducted tests, found nothing and released the “all clear” test results publicly. Why haven't they done that? It's obvious: They're covering up the dioxin contamination nightmare for as long as possible. (So, their depopulation agenda is fulfilled.) Here are just a few of the many contradictions now emerging from the EPA and Ohio government handling of this incident: #1) Why are we told by the EPA that vinyl chloride toxic ignition fallout fumes are perfectly safe to live with, but carbon dioxide — necessary for all plant photosynthesis and rain forest growth — is a deadly “pollutant” that threatens human civilization? Because… “science.” #2) Why are we told that the toxic chemical runoff from the firefighting water sprayed on the chemical fire is so toxic that it has to be injected deep underground so that it won't surface for thousands of years, but also that the land and water where all those chemicals rained down is now perfectly safe and there's nothing to worry about? (They injected poisonous chemicals in the earth and now there is a huge dead zone in the Gulf where nothing lives.) When it falls on your farm, it's “safe.” When it falls on the sidewalk, it's a deadly hazardous waste that must be disposed by an EPA-licensed hazardous waste disposal company. #3) If the Texas-based hazardous waste disposal company Texas Molecular is already licensed to dispose of vinyl chloride, then why didn't the railroad just mop up the vinyl chloride and send it to Texas Molecular instead of setting it on fire, creating millions of gallons of contaminated firefighting water? (To say nothing of going up into the air and covering the earth. Aren't you Christians glad for Psalm 91?) Just think, you would only be dealing with a few hundred thousand gallons of toxins instead of millions of gallons of toxic water (plus the toxic cloud, fallout, etc.). Whatever happened to the idea of “containment?”  #4) Why are both the EPA and Ohio state authorities completely unwilling to test the surrounding farms for dioxins (which are toxic at parts-per-quadrillion exposure concentrations) but they claim everything is safe enough for families, children and pregnant women to return? It won't be long before children are born with birth defects and missing limbs. The EPA already knows this. Maybe they plan to “Tiffany Dover” all the deformed babies or call for post-birth abortions to hide the evidence of their crimes against humanity… #5) Why do people who already left East Palestine and healed from their original exposure start getting sick again when they return to East Palestine? Breitbart.com reports on this, revealing how people who feel better after they leave the area begin to experience horrible symptoms as they return. “Maybe it's something in the air…”  #6) Every decision made by authorities about how to handle the chemicals had the result of SPREADING them, not containing them. You couldn't write a better script on how to spread toxic chemicals across multiple states, running the toxic water to Texas and Indiana, while unleashing a toxic cloud over multiple northeastern states. If containment was the goal, the EPA failed miserably. If only they could contain these toxic molecules as effectively as they contained news about Hunter Biden's laptop… #7) If East Palestine first responders had 1.8 million gallons of water to spray on the fire that officials ignited, then they also had enough water to put out the initial small fires that they claim placed the tanker cars at risk (which led to them emptying those cars and igniting the vinyl chloride). Clearly they had millions of gallons of water available to put out fires. So why didn't they put out the initial fire and stop this entire disaster from the beginning? Which genius came up with the idea, “Hey let's set fire to these chemicals because that will make them go away…” #8) We are told that they had to set fire to the vinyl chloride which had been emptied from the rail tanker cars to prevent the risk of a tanker car explosion causing shrapnel injuries, but if the vinyl chloride was already emptied from the tanker cars, the shrapnel explosion risk was already eliminated. In other words, the moment the tanker cars were emptied of the chemical, they no longer had any justification for starting any fire at all. So why did they do it, then? Likely answer: Somebody ordered them to do it, and they needed a cover story. Straight-up ecological terrorism, disguised as a railroad accident. We're not actually being ruled by idiots, you see. We're being gaslit by terrorists. Also watch for the launch of Dioxins.news and read about EPA corruption and failures at EPA.news. East Palestine Residents Issue List of Demands to Government “demanding action” Following Train Derailment Chemical Catastrophe 3/2/23 by: Ethan Huff   (Natural News) An Ohio nonprofit group called River Valley Organizing has created a list of demands for Norfolk Southern to accommodate locals who were harmed by the disaster. Concerned residents need help relocating, one of the demands reads. Another calls for increased environmental and medical testing and monitoring to ensure that East Palestine and the surrounding region is safe for people and animals. (Related: Some say that East Palestine needs to be continually monitored and tested well into the future for both for dioxins and furans.) River Valley Organizing also wants Norfolk Southern to safely dispose of all toxic waste in the area while covering all the costs associated with cleanup efforts. “We heard the people of East Palestine loud and clear: what they want are safe homes and independent testing,” said Jami Cozy, an RVO organizer and resident of East Palestine. “It is only through coming together and demanding action that we will hold Norfolk Southern accountable and get families and businesses in our community the help they are owed.” Too much taxpayer money going to Ukraine instead of East Palestine For residents that feel they need to temporarily relocate to a hotel or safe house until the chemical scourge has passed, RVO wants Norfolk Southern to foot their bills until life can return to normal. RVO also wants the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct air, soil, and water testing for dioxins, which are among the most dangerous and persistent chemicals in the world. EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore says the agency does not currently test for dioxins because it does not “have baseline information in this area to do a proper test.” The federal Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) must also get involved to “provide ongoing health monitoring” and “guarantee health coverage” for residents, many of whom are reporting headaches and rashes. One such resident told the media that her child became sick after playing in a local park following the derailment. The Ohio Department of Health recently opened a health clinic to help residents get screened for any medical concerns they might have. It is free, and it allows visitors to have their vitals taken and receive a medical evaluation. RVO is also concerned about the disposal of toxic waste from the wreck “in the heritage thermal toxic incinerator” in nearby East Liverpool, which the group says “has already been polluting our communities for years” and “will only further spread the contaminants.” Finally, it is completely unacceptable for any resident of East Palestine or nearby towns to have to pay for all this out of their own pocket. That should be the responsibility of Norfolk Southern, RVO says. “Taxpayers shouldn't foot this bill,” RVO wrote in a post on Facebook. “Norfolk Southern made this mess. They should clean it up.” In order to compile this list of demands, RVO volunteers went door to door in East Palestine asking residents to share their points of view on the matter. RVO also conducted phone canvassing and listened to residents speak at the recent town hall meeting. The EPA reportedly screened 578 homes for reentry as of February 27. The federal agency is continuing to monitor several locations throughout the village. “Compared to EPA National Air Toxics data (NATA 2014), some concentrations in East Palestine (OH) for 9 out of ~50 chemicals EPA reported are higher than ‘normal.' If these levels continue, they may be of health concern (especially acrolein),” tweeted researchers from Texas A&M University on February 24. In the comments, someone joked that too little is being done in East Palestine because the American government is too busy wasting taxpayer dollars “funding Ukraine's quest for power and covering up its corruption.” Coming Famine & Zombie Apocalypse Isaac Payne - 1/11/2023 (David's notes in red) In this dream, I was in the town where I grew up which is Owensboro, Ky. It was nighttime but this night seemed extra dark. Jer. 4:28 For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black; because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and I have not repented, neither will I turn back from it. The night sky was so dark that the darkness had a density to it.  I found myself in an SUV with David Eells and Michael Hare in the front seat driving and I was in the back seat. (Sarah laughed when the Lord told her she would birth the promised Man-child, so he was named Isaac, meaning laughter. So all 3 are typed in dreams as Man-child reformers.) We were driving near Towne Square Mall. (Towne Square Mall has been around many years. It has always had a large turnover of stores inside the mall. The small stores usually always go out of business. I believe Towne Square, in the last few years, has gone out of business as well.)  David, Michael, and I were driving in the night with our vehicle lights cutting through the dense darkness. We were driving North West on Hwy. 2121. (We could represent the first fruits Man-child reformers who will shine the light of the true Gospel in the darkness of the World and its ways represented by the Hwy. 2121.) The meaning of number 21 according to biblestudy.org is that of great wickedness of rebellion and sin. After the children of Israel left Egyptian bondage, they had twenty-one major rebellious events as they wandered the wilderness. The number 13, which symbolizes depravity and sinfulness, and 21 are closely related. What twenty-one symbolizes is an outgrowth of thirteen. Adding thirteen (sinfulness) and eight (symbolizing a new beginning) gives us twenty-one or a number that represents beginning a new level or effort that is sinful and disobedient against God. On the last day of God's seven-day spring festival, day 21 of the month of Nisan, the Eternal carried out his last judgment against the Egyptians. He drowned Pharaoh and his entire army in the Red Sea as they were pursuing the Israelites in order to make them slaves again. The last day of God's annual Fall Feast of Tabernacles, which occurs every year on the twenty-first day of the seventh Hebrew month, pictures the end of Christ's 1,000-year reign on earth. At the end of this period, the devil will also be loosed out of his spiritual prison for a short time. Satan's first task after being freed from prison is to lead people, once again, into war and rebellion against all that is Holy. He will only get so far, however, as God will execute His judgment against the Satanic forces by consuming them in fire (Revelation 20:10). We were headed towards Farm View Dr. Our approximate location was near Goetz Dr. (This name is pronounced “gets”.) (I think this points to Bill Gates [as a play on the name Goetz] and the eugenicist atrocities he has helped commit as the dream will show later.) Also, on the left side of the road, there were many Healthcare services, ATM banks & ATM cryptocurrency, restaurants, insurance agencies, & a retirement home. (I think these types of businesses are predominantly on the left and will be collapsing due to the darkness ahead.  While I was looking at the surrounding businesses, I saw a company called Asmark Institute. Upon research, I found that they are a liaison between the Agriculture sector and the Government and notice also that they are located on Goetz Dr. (It is interesting that Bill Gates now owns more rural farmland and property than anyone else in the US.) In the dream, David, Michael, and I were headed toward Farm View Dr. (I think this represents the farming or agriculture industry and that it is going to take a massive hit. I believe a famine will spread across the world and it seems to be man made. However, we know who controls the hearts of men, our Sovereign Father!) As we were driving, we started seeing zombie people that were walking in the fields and were primarily on the left side. (The walking dead represents people who not only have been vaccinated but also people who will be poisoned by the environmental toxins in the air, food, and water.) The masses of zombies were aimlessly walking in the darkness. I knew in the dream these were the vaccinated. (As we have discussed before, the vaccine takes away any fervency for the Lord and dumbs a person down.) David, Michael, and I continued driving in the middle of the road [avoiding the zombies on both sides] heading Northwest, secure and safe in the SUV with our lights on. Joh 8:12 Again therefore Jesus spake unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, (Like the walking dead) but shall have the light of life. Then I woke up.    More Manipulation From the Beast Vanessa Weeks - 2/7/23 (David's notes in red) I dreamed that I was in my bedroom and standing in front of my dresser. I was thinking about how almost everyone was wearing masks again because of the fear of a sickness that was spreading. I knew I would not wear the masks and was not afraid. These masks had to be worn with rubber bands to stay on your face. (Barry - This made me think of them tightening down restrictions on the people.) I had visions in the dream of small paper bags, like lunch bags, of rubber bands used for this purpose, and they were all narrow and most were dull colors like gray, and brown. (The lunch bags could represent the connection between needing to wear masks this time around, not because of a virus, but because of environmental contamination which would affect people's food. Since it's been proven that the masks, themselves, are hazardous to your health, we could say that “grey and brown” represents death by the Nazis.)  (Barry - I think this well captures the mood that this put people in before, of fear, resignation, and depression.) (I asked the Lord for a word about the rubber bands and received by faith at random Jer. 31:18 (in context 18-20) 18 I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus, Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a calf unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art Jehovah my God. (This implies a truth that God uses the wicked to chasten His people.) 19 Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. 20 Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a darling child? for as often as I speak against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my heart yearneth for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith Jehovah.  Also I knew that someone stole Bill Clinton's bag of rubber bands from his residence. These were all wide and green and this sack was on my dresser. (Barry - Could these represent the Green New Deal that these forces are trying to implement globally, or in a widespread way?)  I said I did not want them because of where they had been. Also, I knew that Obama was hanging around in this dream. (As we saw in the 3/1/23 Broadcast, Beasts to Bring in the Harvest (1), Alexander the Great/Obama? will succeed the Trump/Alliance Beast.) I asked the Lord for a word about this dream and received by faith at random Psa. 22:29 with my finger on “cannot keep his soul alive.” (in context 27-19) 27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto Jehovah; And all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. 28 For the kingdom is Jehovah's; And he is the ruler over the nations. 29 All the fat ones of the earth shall eat and worship: All they that go down to the dust shall bow before him, Even he that cannot keep his soul alive. (There are many judgments that are being unleashed on the populations of the earth by God through the DS and Tribulation Beasts. Many more terrible judgements prophesied in the Word are on the way. But we must resist the temptation to become fearful for our own lives and for the lives of loved ones that we are praying for. The Word has very encouraging news for the Bride concerning the children of her bereavement! But it's important to remember that we ourselves, as well as, our natural and spiritual children have the promise of sanctification and salvation only if we follow the Lord in faith and sanctification.)   Saving Our Children by Faith David Eells We're told in, (1Co.7:14) For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the brother: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. That means when we're a sanctified believer and believing for them, they're reckoned as clean since God gives us that benefit. We can see this promise again here. (Deu.12:28) Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children and with thy children after thee for ever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the eyes of the Lord thy God. (If you observe the words of God, then your children will prosper.) Amen! So there are some conditions put on this promise. And we're also told, (Psa.102:28) The children of thy servants shall continue, And their seed shall be established before thee. Those people who serve God are His servants, not those people who just claim Christianity, but those who serve the Lord. What happens to our children when we don't serve the Lord? We have His warning to us that, (Hos.4:6) My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I also will forget thy children.  This is a threat from the Lord that if we forget Him, He will forget our children. When somebody has enough fear of the Lord (Proverbs 1:7,4:7,9:10; Psalm 111:10, etc.), they need only a little faith to believe in God, and the Word teaches household salvation as a benefit to the believer. (Act.11:14) Who (that is Peter) shall speak unto thee words, whereby thou shalt be saved, thou and all thy house. (Act.16:31) And they (“They” refers to Paul and Silas.) said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house.  The children of the Bride corporate body, who are typed in the Scriptures as Zion, or faithful Jerusalem, will come into the Kingdom by multitudes in a great revival. (Isa.60:1) Arise, shine; for thy (This is the Bride.) light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. First the Seed is sown in the heart of the Bride, who can pass it on to her children, and that Seed is what brings forth fruit. The Seed is in the fruit. If a person doesn't have fruit, they don't really have the Seed. (Isa.60:2) For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. (3) And nations shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. (4) Lift up thine eyes round about, and see they all gather themselves together, they come to thee; thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be carried in the arms. (These children represent the physical and spiritual children of the Bride.) Many, many children will come to Zion, which is their true mother and true Biblical leadership underneath the David Man-child ministry, which is, of course, the leader over faithful Jerusalem, Zion the Bride. The Lord has placed the Bride over the rest of the body, and He's placed the Man-child over the Bride. (Isa.60:5) Then thou shalt see and be radiant, and thy heart shall thrill and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea (We're told in Revelation 5:9 and 10:11 that the “sea” is “peoples, nations, tribes, and tongues.”) shall be turned unto thee (This is speaking of a great revival.), the wealth of the nations shall come unto thee. …  (Isa.60:14) And the sons of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee The city of the Lord, The Zion (And again, this is the corporate Bride.) of the Holy One of Israel. There are terrible things coming upon the world, but God is going to use them to cause many people to repent and to fear Him and turn to Him. Amen. God raised up His Man-child Jesus to bring many children to Zion, the Bride, and that's especially seen here.  (Isa.49:7) Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth (As we've learned, this is speaking about Jesus.), to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers… This is Jesus and it's Jesus in the Man-child body. Remember that Jesus said, (Mat.10:40) He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.  We need to understand that no matter who the vessel is that God is using, when God speaks to us or leads us through that person, He holds us accountable to Him. (Isa.49:7) Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers: Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall worship; because of the Lord that is faithful, even the Holy One of Israel, who hath chosen thee.  (8) Thus, saith the Lord, In an acceptable time have I answered thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee; and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to raise up the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritages (Yes, they had departed from their land, they had departed from Jerusalem. They had departed and been taken captive.): (9) saying to them that are bound (So they're in captivity but God is about to tell them that they've been set free.), Go forth (You know, God can do that at any time, can't He? He is Sovereign. He turns people over to the tormentors and He turns them loose.); to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and on all bare heights shall be their pasture. (10) They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them will lead them, even by springs of water will he guide them.  And where is He guiding them to? He tells us here. (11) And I will make all my mountains a way (That “way” is for the redeemed to come to Zion.), and my highways shall be exalted. (12) Lo, these shall come from far; and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim. (“Sinim” refers to all the lands of the East.) (13) Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the Lord hath comforted his people and will have compassion upon his afflicted.  This is when God's timing has been fulfilled, praise the Lord! (Isa.49:14) But Zion said, the Lord hath forsaken me, and the Lord hath forgotten me. (15) Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, these may forget, yet will not I forget thee. (16) Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me. These are the walls of Zion the Bride. “Walls” represent “separation,” and here they represent the sanctification that the corporate Bride body will have.  (17) Thy children make haste (Here it is once again. Here is the time when God gives that grace for His people to “Go forth, depart from the darkness.”); thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth from thee. (Those who crucified the Bride from the apostate church will repent or flee, and her children, spiritual and physical, will come to her.) (18) Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the Lord, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all as with an ornament, and gird thyself with them, like a bride. Praise God! There's the Bride and her children.  (Isa.49:19) For, as for thy waste and thy desolate places, and thy land that hath been destroyed, surely now shalt thou be too strait (This is the Hebrew word “yatsar” and it means “be restricted, narrow, scant, cramped.”) for the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away. The road will be too narrow for those who persecuted the Bride and they will separate from her, as we've seen throughout history (Genesis 13:9,25:23; 1 Kings 12; Nehemiah 9:2; etc.) But then … (20) The children of thy bereavement (These are children she lost. They were born and taken into captivity.) shall yet say in thine ears, The place is too strait for me; give place to me that I may dwell.  In other words, those who return will need grace. It is a narrow way, and it doesn't start out that narrow, but it gets narrower the further we go down it (Matthew 7:13-14). God gives us a little leeway because of where we're coming from, but where we're going to, the way gets narrower and narrower. That's what the Word teaches. [The book Sanctification Before Blessing may be read free at https://www.ubm1.org/books/pdf/SBB as a pdf.]  (Isa.49:21) Then shalt thou say in thy heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have been bereaved of my children, and am solitary, an exile, and wandering to and fro? and who hath brought up these? (New “children,” who were being prepared in secret among the nations, are now coming to the Bride.) Behold, I was left alone; these, where were they? The Bride didn't know them, but God is preparing these people to be nurtured and fed by the Bride.  When John the Baptist spoke of Jesus, he said, “He that hath the bride is the bridegroom” (John 3:29), meaning those disciples whom Jesus was leading were the Bride of the First fruits at that time. So, the Bride asks, “These, where were they?” and the Lord answers her. (Isa.49:22) Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and set up my ensign to the peoples; and they shall bring thy sons in their bosom, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. (23) And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers (As it was with Joseph {Genesis 39:21- 23; 47:6; etc.}, and as it was with Daniel {Daniel 5:29; 6:1- 23,28; etc.}, the people of the Beast corporate body will humble themselves to take care of these people, even while persecuting the rest. God says it, saints, and it will happen.): they shall bow down to thee with their faces to the earth, and lick the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord; and they that wait for me shall not be put to shame.  Be patient and wait on the Lord. He will do everything He has said. (Isa.49:24) Shall the prey be taken from the mighty (In other words, these people are the “prey” that are taken away from the nations.), or the lawful captives be delivered? They were in captivity because of their sins, and so they were lawfully taken by Satan's emissaries, but the Lord has mercy. The children of the Bride will be set free from captivity to the Beast and Harlot, which was the first message of the Man-child Jesus.  (Isa.61:1) The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; (2) to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor (Jesus stopped reading here and returned the scroll to the attendant {Luke 4:19-20} but this and the rest of the verse is all going to be fulfilled in our day by the Man-child body.), and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; (3) to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.  The Man-child's ministry that's going to go forth is, (2Co.6:17) … Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch no unclean thing; And I will receive you. The Man-child is coming in right behind the John the Baptist ministry of our day, which is the call to “Repent! Repent!” (Matthew 3:2; Luke 3:8). (Isa.49:25) But thus saith the Lord, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered (Oh praise be to God! Those that have gone into captivity, those that have been in captivity all along, are turning to the Lord and are coming to the Bride.); for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.  (And again, that's both our physical and spiritual children. Oh, praise God! We have a better Covenant based on better promises, and if He saved the children of the Jews who were faithful, He will save the children of the Christians who have been faithful.) (Isa.49:26) And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh (Sadly, some of them will not repent and so they won't come out of bondage. Those people will devour themselves.); and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I, the Lord, am thy Saviour, and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.  Amen. Oh hallelujah! The Bride is typed as Jerusalem, as was told to John (Revelation 21:2,10). She will bear many children of those who are faithful from among the larger Church. (Isa.43:1) But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel (Both “Jacob” and “Israel” are used here as types of the larger Church.): Fear not, for I have redeemed thee; I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine. … (5) Fear not; for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; (6) I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back; bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the end of the earth; (7) every one that is called by my name, and whom I have created for my glory, whom I have formed, yea, whom I have made. (8) Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.  Yes, these people have physical eyes and physical ears but they need spiritual eyes and spiritual ears. And when God commands them to be released, when He says, “Give up...Keep not back,” they will come. Praise be to God! When Jesus came on the scene, the elect came out from among the Jews and followed Him. There was a mighty revival that began among the elect, and so it will be in our day. We are heading into the 7-year Tribulation. We should not be deceived; those who do not bear fruit before the end of the Tribulation will be cut-off and fall away.   Father is Seeking Fruit  David Eells In a parable Jesus gave concerning the end of the Jews' covenant, when the fruitful escaped but the apostates went into the wrath in 70 A.D. This is also a type about to be fulfilled in the end of the Church's covenant. (Luk.13:6) And he spake this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit thereon and found none. (7) And he said unto the vinedresser, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why doth it also cumber the ground? (8) And he answering saith unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: (9) and if it bear fruit thenceforth, [well]; but if not, thou shalt cut it down.  The husbandman, the Father, had given three years to the fig tree of His people to bear fruit. According to the Law of First Mention, the number three by itself is first found in the Bible in Genesis 6:10, “And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.” The seed of the saved of all mankind was in these three. They were in the ark of grace, (Gen.6:8) But Noah found favor (grace) in the eyes of the Lord. The next three verses in Genesis 6:11-13 speak of the total corruption of mankind and God warning, “I will destroy them with the earth.”  God said almost the same thing in Jesus' parable after the three years, “cut it down.” However, the Son's intercession gained a fourth year of grace. There is also a First Mention in the New Testament for “three.” (Mat.12:40) For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Notice that God's grace through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus for all mankind, symbolized by the number three, is spoken four times, possibly symbolizing God going the extra mile here.  The Father was disappointed in the lack of fruit on the tree that represents His apostate people and gave command to “cut it down.” The vinedresser, His Son, interceded for one more year's grace, until he could “dig about it,” breaking up its fallow ground through tribulation, “and dung it” through persecution to see “if it bear fruit… but if not, thou shall cut it down.” We should not be deceived; those who do not bear fruit before the end of the Tribulation will be cut-off and fall away.  Notice that the Lord ultimately is only coming for the “fruit” of the spiritual man, not the “fig tree” of the natural man. Our natural life is only the earth in which God has planted the seed of His Son, the Word, so that He bears fruit in us (Mat.13:19-23). Only He that came out of heaven will go back. (Joh.3:13) And no one hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended out of heaven, [even] the Son of man. (Note: “who is in heaven” is usually added here but is not in the ancient manuscripts and has no numeric pattern.)  Bearing fruit is normal for those who walk by faith, but for those who profess Christ while they do not believe His Word to bear fruit, there is destruction. (Jud.1:5) Now I desire to put you in remembrance…that the Lord, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. Moses also interceded and delayed the cutting down of the fig tree in his day, but some continued in unbelief and murmured, and God overthrew them in their wilderness tribulation (Psa.106:21-26).  Some of you would say that God can't break His promise to bring us into His kingdom. Haven't you read that God disinherits His people who do not believe? (Num.14:11) And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this people despise me? and how long will they not believe in me, for all the signs which I have wrought among them? (12) I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a nation greater and mightier than they.  God swore He would bring them to the Promised Land and then changed His mind because they did not keep their side of the covenant through walking by faith. (30) Surely ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware that I would make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. God revoked His promise and then promised they would fall in the wilderness tribulation. (34)…Ye shall know my alienation (which in Hebrew means the “revoking of my promise”). (35) I, the Lord, have spoken, surely this will I do unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.  The wilderness trials are to prove who the chosen believers are among the called, “for many are called, but few chosen” (Mat.22:14). Because of faith and obedience, or the lack thereof, God can promise evil or good to a people and yet change His mind. (Jer.18:7) At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it; (8) if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. (9) And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; (10) if they do that which is evil in my sight, that they obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.  Micah prophesied the destruction of Zion, but the people repented and God changed His mind as Jeremiah 26:18-19 says. In Exodus 32:10-14, Moses interceded for Israel on the grounds that God promised the fathers to save their seed, and so God repented. However, when the people continued to turn the grace of God into a license to go their own way, Ezekiel prophesied that even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were there interceding, they would deliver only their own souls by their righteousness (Eze.14:14).  We must move quickly now to redeem the time for the race is to bear fruit before our individual or corporate allotted time is up. Paul said that “they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize” (1Co. 9:24). That One is Christ – those in whom Christ lives, and those who live in Him. Paul called this “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col.1:27).  This principle of the race was given to my wife, Mary, many years ago in a dream. She saw us running on a treadmill and up ahead of us was a door that was closing. Then she noticed that the treadmill was deceitfully picking up speed to carry us away from the door. We had to run faster and faster to make progress. This is the way of the world, friend. It is picking up speed departing from God. Mary said that I made it through the door just as it was about to close and then I jerked her through.  Paul went on to say that the only way to win in this race against the clock is to “exerciseth self-control in all things” (1Co. 9:25). He then enforced this by saying, “I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected” (27). “Rejected” here is from the Greek word for reprobated, meaning “not standing the test.” Paul was saying that even after all his preaching, if he didn't make his body serve the Lord, he would not finish the race and would be reprobated. If it was true of him, then it is true of us.  It's not those who call Jesus Lord and do mighty works, but those who bear the fruit of obedience who shall enter the kingdom. (Mat.7:21) Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven. (22) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out demons, and by thy name do many mighty works? (23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.  Gifts and powers are wonderful and necessary, but they will not gain for us the kingdom; only 30-, 60-, or 100-fold fruit can do that. They who build their house on the Rock that stands the test of the tribulations of life, hear the Word, and obey it (Mat.7:24-27). The “works of the flesh” are listed in Galatians 5:19-21 and Christians are warned that “they who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” The works of the Spirit are also listed there but they are called “the fruit of the Spirit.” God's works in us through our faith are His fruit in us.   SERVICES Ubbs Outreach Friday Night Worship CONTACT Share Your Testimony Request Prayer Technical Support Questions   SUPPORT US We are a non-profit organisation based in United States. Our goal is to empower and equip people to discover more about Christianity and point them to a life of happiness, peace and purpose. Donate

3 Epiphany First Psalm: Psalm 119:49–72 Psalm 119:49–72 (Listen) Zayin 49   Remember your word to your servant,    in which you have made me hope.50   This is my comfort in my affliction,    that your promise gives me life.51   The insolent utterly deride me,    but I do not turn away from your law.52   When I think of your rules from of old,    I take comfort, O LORD.53   Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked,    who forsake your law.54   Your statutes have been my songs    in the house of my sojourning.55   I remember your name in the night, O LORD,    and keep your law.56   This blessing has fallen to me,    that I have kept your precepts. Heth 57   The LORD is my portion;    I promise to keep your words.58   I entreat your favor with all my heart;    be gracious to me according to your promise.59   When I think on my ways,    I turn my feet to your testimonies;60   I hasten and do not delay    to keep your commandments.61   Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me,    I do not forget your law.62   At midnight I rise to praise you,    because of your righteous rules.63   I am a companion of all who fear you,    of those who keep your precepts.64   The earth, O LORD, is full of your steadfast love;    teach me your statutes! Teth 65   You have dealt well with your servant,    O LORD, according to your word.66   Teach me good judgment and knowledge,    for I believe in your commandments.67   Before I was afflicted I went astray,    but now I keep your word.68   You are good and do good;    teach me your statutes.69   The insolent smear me with lies,    but with my whole heart I keep your precepts;70   their heart is unfeeling like fat,    but I delight in your law.71   It is good for me that I was afflicted,    that I might learn your statutes.72   The law of your mouth is better to me    than thousands of gold and silver pieces. (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalm 49; Psalm 53 Psalm 49 (Listen) Why Should I Fear in Times of Trouble? To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. 49   Hear this, all peoples!    Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,2   both low and high,    rich and poor together!3   My mouth shall speak wisdom;    the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.4   I will incline my ear to a proverb;    I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre. 5   Why should I fear in times of trouble,    when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,6   those who trust in their wealth    and boast of the abundance of their riches?7   Truly no man can ransom another,    or give to God the price of his life,8   for the ransom of their life is costly    and can never suffice,9   that he should live on forever    and never see the pit. 10   For he sees that even the wise die;    the fool and the stupid alike must perish    and leave their wealth to others.11   Their graves are their homes forever,1    their dwelling places to all generations,    though they called lands by their own names.12   Man in his pomp will not remain;    he is like the beasts that perish. 13   This is the path of those who have foolish confidence;    yet after them people approve of their boasts.2 Selah14   Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;    death shall be their shepherd,  and the upright shall rule over them in the morning.    Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.15   But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,    for he will receive me. Selah 16   Be not afraid when a man becomes rich,    when the glory of his house increases.17   For when he dies he will carry nothing away;    his glory will not go down after him.18   For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed    —and though you get praise when you do well for yourself—19   his soul will go to the generation of his fathers,    who will never again see light.20   Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish. Footnotes [1] 49:11 Septuagint, Syriac, Targum; Hebrew Their inward thought was that their homes were forever [2] 49:13 Or and of those after them who approve of their boasts (ESV) Psalm 53 (Listen) There Is None Who Does Good To the choirmaster: according to Mahalath. A Maskil1 of David. 53   The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”    They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity;    there is none who does good. 2   God looks down from heaven    on the children of man  to see if there are any who understand,2    who seek after God. 3   They have all fallen away;    together they have become corrupt;  there is none who does good,    not even one. 4   Have those who work evil no knowledge,    who eat up my people as they eat bread,    and do not call upon God? 5   There they are, in great terror,    where there is no terror!  For God scatters the bones of him who encamps against you;    you put them to shame, for God has rejected them. 6   Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!    When God restores the fortunes of his people,    let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad. Footnotes [1] 53:1 Probably musical or liturgical terms [2] 53:2 Or who act wisely (ESV) Old Testament: Isaiah 49:1–12 Isaiah 49:1–12 (Listen) The Servant of the Lord 49   Listen to me, O coastlands,    and give attention, you peoples from afar.  The LORD called me from the womb,    from the body of my mother he named my name.2   He made my mouth like a sharp sword;    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;  he made me a polished arrow;    in his quiver he hid me away.3   And he said to me, “You are my servant,    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”14   But I said, “I have labored in vain;    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;  yet surely my right is with the LORD,    and my recompense with my God.” 5   And now the LORD says,    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,  to bring Jacob back to him;    and that Israel might be gathered to him—  for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,    and my God has become my strength—6   he says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant    to raise up the tribes of Jacob    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;  I will make you as a light for the nations,    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7   Thus says the LORD,    the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,  to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,    the servant of rulers:  “Kings shall see and arise;    princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;  because of the LORD, who is faithful,    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” The Restoration of Israel 8   Thus says the LORD:  “In a time of favor I have answered you;    in a day of salvation I have helped you;  I will keep you and give you    as a covenant to the people,  to establish the land,    to apportion the desolate heritages,9   saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,'    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.'  They shall feed along the ways;    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10   they shall not hunger or thirst,    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,  for he who has pity on them will lead them,    and by springs of water will guide them.11   And I will make all my mountains a road,    and my highways shall be raised up.12   Behold, these shall come from afar,    and behold, these from the north and from the west,2    and these from the land of Syene.”3 Footnotes [1] 49:3 Or I will display my beauty [2] 49:12 Hebrew from the sea [3] 49:12 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Sinim (ESV) New Testament: Galatians 2:11–21 Galatians 2:11–21 (Listen) Paul Opposes Peter 11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party.1 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?” Justified by Faith 15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16 yet we know that a person is not justified2 by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. 17 But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness3 were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose. Footnotes [1] 2:12 Or fearing those of the circumcision [2] 2:16 Or counted righteous (three times in verse 16); also verse 17 [3] 2:21 Or justification (ESV) Gospel: Mark 6:13–29 Mark 6:13–29 (Listen) 13 And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them. The Death of John the Baptist 14 King Herod heard of it, for Jesus'1 name had become known. Some2 said, “John the Baptist3 has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” 15 But others said, “He is Elijah.” And others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” 16 But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.” 17 For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because he had married her. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.” 19 And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, 20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly. 21 But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22 For when Herodias's daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” 23 And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.” 24 And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” 25 And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26 And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. 27 And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John's4 head. He went and beheaded him in the prison 28 and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. Footnotes [1] 6:14 Greek his [2] 6:14 Some manuscripts He [3] 6:14 Greek baptizer; also verse 24 [4] 6:27 Greek his (ESV)

Psalms and Wisdom: Psalm 138 Psalm 138 (Listen) Give Thanks to the Lord Of David. 138   I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart;    before the gods I sing your praise;2   I bow down toward your holy temple    and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,    for you have exalted above all things    your name and your word.13   On the day I called, you answered me;    my strength of soul you increased.2 4   All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD,    for they have heard the words of your mouth,5   and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD,    for great is the glory of the LORD.6   For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly,    but the haughty he knows from afar. 7   Though I walk in the midst of trouble,    you preserve my life;  you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,    and your right hand delivers me.8   The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;    your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever.    Do not forsake the work of your hands. Footnotes [1] 138:2 Or you have exalted your word above all your name [2] 138:3 Hebrew you made me bold in my soul with strength (ESV) Pentateuch and History: Job 27 Job 27 (Listen) Job Continues: I Will Maintain My Integrity 27 And Job again took up his discourse, and said: 2   “As God lives, who has taken away my right,    and the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter,3   as long as my breath is in me,    and the spirit of God is in my nostrils,4   my lips will not speak falsehood,    and my tongue will not utter deceit.5   Far be it from me to say that you are right;    till I die I will not put away my integrity from me.6   I hold fast my righteousness and will not let it go;    my heart does not reproach me for any of my days. 7   “Let my enemy be as the wicked,    and let him who rises up against me be as the unrighteous.8   For what is the hope of the godless when God cuts him off,    when God takes away his life?9   Will God hear his cry    when distress comes upon him?10   Will he take delight in the Almighty?    Will he call upon God at all times?11   I will teach you concerning the hand of God;    what is with the Almighty I will not conceal.12   Behold, all of you have seen it yourselves;    why then have you become altogether vain? 13   “This is the portion of a wicked man with God,    and the heritage that oppressors receive from the Almighty:14   If his children are multiplied, it is for the sword,    and his descendants have not enough bread.15   Those who survive him the pestilence buries,    and his widows do not weep.16   Though he heap up silver like dust,    and pile up clothing like clay,17   he may pile it up, but the righteous will wear it,    and the innocent will divide the silver.18   He builds his house like a moth's,    like a booth that a watchman makes.19   He goes to bed rich, but will do so no more;    he opens his eyes, and his wealth is gone.20   Terrors overtake him like a flood;    in the night a whirlwind carries him off.21   The east wind lifts him up and he is gone;    it sweeps him out of his place.22   It1 hurls at him without pity;    he flees from its2 power in headlong flight.23   It claps its hands at him    and hisses at him from its place. Footnotes [1] 27:22 Or He (that is, God); also verse 23 [2] 27:22 Or his; also verse 23 (ESV) Chronicles and Prophets: Isaiah 48–49 Isaiah 48–49 (Listen) Israel Refined for God's Glory 48   Hear this, O house of Jacob,    who are called by the name of Israel,    and who came from the waters of Judah,  who swear by the name of the LORD    and confess the God of Israel,    but not in truth or right.2   For they call themselves after the holy city,    and stay themselves on the God of Israel;    the LORD of hosts is his name. 3   “The former things I declared of old;    they went out from my mouth, and I announced them;    then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.4   Because I know that you are obstinate,    and your neck is an iron sinew    and your forehead brass,5   I declared them to you from of old,    before they came to pass I announced them to you,  lest you should say, ‘My idol did them,    my carved image and my metal image commanded them.' 6   “You have heard; now see all this;    and will you not declare it?  From this time forth I announce to you new things,    hidden things that you have not known.7   They are created now, not long ago;    before today you have never heard of them,    lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.'8   You have never heard, you have never known,    from of old your ear has not been opened.  For I knew that you would surely deal treacherously,    and that from before birth you were called a rebel. 9   “For my name's sake I defer my anger;    for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you,    that I may not cut you off.10   Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver;    I have tried1 you in the furnace of affliction.11   For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it,    for how should my name2 be profaned?    My glory I will not give to another. The Lord's Call to Israel 12   “Listen to me, O Jacob,    and Israel, whom I called!  I am he; I am the first,    and I am the last.13   My hand laid the foundation of the earth,    and my right hand spread out the heavens;  when I call to them,    they stand forth together. 14   “Assemble, all of you, and listen!    Who among them has declared these things?  The LORD loves him;    he shall perform his purpose on Babylon,    and his arm shall be against the Chaldeans.15   I, even I, have spoken and called him;    I have brought him, and he will prosper in his way.16   Draw near to me, hear this:    from the beginning I have not spoken in secret,    from the time it came to be I have been there.”  And now the Lord GOD has sent me, and his Spirit. 17   Thus says the LORD,    your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:  “I am the LORD your God,    who teaches you to profit,    who leads you in the way you should go.18   Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments!    Then your peace would have been like a river,    and your righteousness like the waves of the sea;19   your offspring would have been like the sand,    and your descendants like its grains;  their name would never be cut off    or destroyed from before me.” 20   Go out from Babylon, flee from Chaldea,    declare this with a shout of joy, proclaim it,  send it out to the end of the earth;    say, “The LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob!”21   They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts;    he made water flow for them from the rock;    he split the rock and the water gushed out. 22   “There is no peace,” says the LORD, “for the wicked.” The Servant of the Lord 49   Listen to me, O coastlands,    and give attention, you peoples from afar.  The LORD called me from the womb,    from the body of my mother he named my name.2   He made my mouth like a sharp sword;    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;  he made me a polished arrow;    in his quiver he hid me away.3   And he said to me, “You are my servant,    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”34   But I said, “I have labored in vain;    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;  yet surely my right is with the LORD,    and my recompense with my God.” 5   And now the LORD says,    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,  to bring Jacob back to him;    and that Israel might be gathered to him—  for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,    and my God has become my strength—6   he says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant    to raise up the tribes of Jacob    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;  I will make you as a light for the nations,    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7   Thus says the LORD,    the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,  to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,    the servant of rulers:  “Kings shall see and arise;    princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;  because of the LORD, who is faithful,    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” The Restoration of Israel 8   Thus says the LORD:  “In a time of favor I have answered you;    in a day of salvation I have helped you;  I will keep you and give you    as a covenant to the people,  to establish the land,    to apportion the desolate heritages,9   saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,'    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.'  They shall feed along the ways;    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10   they shall not hunger or thirst,    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,  for he who has pity on them will lead them,    and by springs of water will guide them.11   And I will make all my mountains a road,    and my highways shall be raised up.12   Behold, these shall come from afar,    and behold, these from the north and from the west,4    and these from the land of Syene.”5 13   Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;    break forth, O mountains, into singing!  For the LORD has comforted his people    and will have compassion on his afflicted. 14   But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;    my Lord has forgotten me.” 15   “Can a woman forget her nursing child,    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget,    yet I will not forget you.16   Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;    your walls are continually before me.17   Your builders make haste;6    your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.18   Lift up your eyes around and see;    they all gather, they come to you.  As I live, declares the LORD,    you shall put them all on as an ornament;    you shall bind them on as a bride does. 19   “Surely your waste and your desolate places    and your devastated land—  surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,    and those who swallowed you up will be far away.20   The children of your bereavement    will yet say in your ears:  ‘The place is too narrow for me;    make room for me to dwell in.'21   Then you will say in your heart:    ‘Who has borne me these?  I was bereaved and barren,    exiled and put away,    but who has brought up these?  Behold, I was left alone;    from where have these come?'” 22   Thus says the Lord GOD:  “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,    and raise my signal to the peoples;  and they shall bring your sons in their arms,7    and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.23   Kings shall be your foster fathers,    and their queens your nursing mothers.  With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,    and lick the dust of your feet.  Then you will know that I am the LORD;    those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” 24   Can the prey be taken from the mighty,    or the captives of a tyrant8 be rescued?25   For thus says the LORD:

Old Testament: Isaiah 49–51 Isaiah 49–51 (Listen) The Servant of the Lord 49   Listen to me, O coastlands,    and give attention, you peoples from afar.  The LORD called me from the womb,    from the body of my mother he named my name.2   He made my mouth like a sharp sword;    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;  he made me a polished arrow;    in his quiver he hid me away.3   And he said to me, “You are my servant,    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”14   But I said, “I have labored in vain;    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;  yet surely my right is with the LORD,    and my recompense with my God.” 5   And now the LORD says,    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,  to bring Jacob back to him;    and that Israel might be gathered to him—  for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,    and my God has become my strength—6   he says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant    to raise up the tribes of Jacob    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;  I will make you as a light for the nations,    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7   Thus says the LORD,    the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,  to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,    the servant of rulers:  “Kings shall see and arise;    princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;  because of the LORD, who is faithful,    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” The Restoration of Israel 8   Thus says the LORD:  “In a time of favor I have answered you;    in a day of salvation I have helped you;  I will keep you and give you    as a covenant to the people,  to establish the land,    to apportion the desolate heritages,9   saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,'    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.'  They shall feed along the ways;    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10   they shall not hunger or thirst,    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,  for he who has pity on them will lead them,    and by springs of water will guide them.11   And I will make all my mountains a road,    and my highways shall be raised up.12   Behold, these shall come from afar,    and behold, these from the north and from the west,2    and these from the land of Syene.”3 13   Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;    break forth, O mountains, into singing!  For the LORD has comforted his people    and will have compassion on his afflicted. 14   But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;    my Lord has forgotten me.” 15   “Can a woman forget her nursing child,    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget,    yet I will not forget you.16   Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;    your walls are continually before me.17   Your builders make haste;4    your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.18   Lift up your eyes around and see;    they all gather, they come to you.  As I live, declares the LORD,    you shall put them all on as an ornament;    you shall bind them on as a bride does. 19   “Surely your waste and your desolate places    and your devastated land—  surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,    and those who swallowed you up will be far away.20   The children of your bereavement    will yet say in your ears:  ‘The place is too narrow for me;    make room for me to dwell in.'21   Then you will say in your heart:    ‘Who has borne me these?  I was bereaved and barren,    exiled and put away,    but who has brought up these?  Behold, I was left alone;    from where have these come?'” 22   Thus says the Lord GOD:  “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,    and raise my signal to the peoples;  and they shall bring your sons in their arms,5    and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.23   Kings shall be your foster fathers,    and their queens your nursing mothers.  With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,    and lick the dust of your feet.  Then you will know that I am the LORD;    those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” 24   Can the prey be taken from the mighty,    or the captives of a tyrant6 be rescued?25   For thus says the LORD:  “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken,    and the prey of the tyrant be rescued,  for I will contend with those who contend with you,    and I will save your children.26   I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,    and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.  Then all flesh shall know    that I am the LORD your Savior,    and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Israel's Sin and the Servant's Obedience 50   Thus says the LORD:  “Where is your mother's certificate of divorce,    with which I sent her away?  Or which of my creditors is it    to whom I have sold you?  Behold, for your iniquities you were sold,    and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.2   Why, when I came, was there no man;    why, when I called, was there no one to answer?  Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem?    Or have I no power to deliver?  Behold, by my rebuke I dry up the sea,    I make the rivers a desert;  their fish stink for lack of water    and die of thirst.3   I clothe the heavens with blackness    and make sackcloth their covering.” 4   The Lord GOD has given me    the tongue of those who are taught,  that I may know how to sustain with a word    him who is weary.  Morning by morning he awakens;    he awakens my ear    to hear as those who are taught.5   The Lord GOD has opened my ear,    and I was not rebellious;    I turned not backward.6   I gave my back to those who strike,    and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard;  I hid not my face    from disgrace and spitting. 7   But the Lord GOD helps me;    therefore I have not been disgraced;  therefore I have set my face like a flint,    and I know that I shall not be put to shame.8     He who vindicates me is near.  Who will contend with me?    Let us stand up together.  Who is my adversary?    Let him come near to me.9   Behold, the Lord GOD helps me;    who will declare me guilty?  Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment;    the moth will eat them up. 10   Who among you fears the LORD    and obeys the voice of his servant?  Let him who walks in darkness    and has no light  trust in the name of the LORD    and rely on his God.11   Behold, all you who kindle a fire,    who equip yourselves with burning torches!  Walk by the light of your fire,    and by the torches that you have kindled!  This you have from my hand:    you shall lie down in torment. The Lord's Comfort for Zion 51   “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness,    you who seek the LORD:  look to the rock from which you were hewn,    and to the quarry from which you were dug.2   Look to Abraham your father    and to Sarah who bore you;  for he was but one when I called him,    that I might bless him and multiply him.3   For the LORD comforts Zion;    he comforts all her waste places  and makes her wilderness like Eden,    her desert like the garden of the LORD;  joy and gladness will be found in her,    thanksgiving and the voice of song. 4   “Give attention to me, my people,    and give ear to me, my nation;  for a law7 will go out from me,    and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples.5   My righteousness draws near,    my salvation has gone out,    and my arms will judge the peoples;  the coastlands hope for me,    and for my arm they wait.6   Lift up your eyes to the heavens,    and look at the earth beneath;  for the heavens vanish like smoke,    the earth will wear out like a garment,    and they who dwell in it will die in like manner;8  but my salvation will be forever,    and my righteousness will never be dismayed. 7   “Listen to me, you who know righteousness,    the people in whose heart is my law;  fear not the reproach of man,    nor be dismayed at their revilings.8   For the moth will eat them up like a garment,    and the worm will eat them like wool,  but my righteousness will be forever,    and my salvation to all generations.” 9   Awake, awake, put on strength,    O arm of the LORD;  awake, as in days of old,    the generations of long ago.  Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces,    who pierced the dragon?10   Was it not you who dried up the sea,    the waters of the great deep,  who made the depths of the sea a way    for the redeemed to pass over?11   And the ransomed of the LORD shall return    and come to Zion with singing;  everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;    they shall obtain gladness and joy,    and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. 12   “I, I am he who comforts you;    who are you that you are afraid of man who dies,    of the son of man who is made like grass,13   and have forgotten the LORD, your Maker,    who stretched out the heavens    and laid the foundations of the earth,  and you fear continually all the day    because of the wrath of the oppressor,  when he sets himself to destroy?    And where is the wrath of the oppressor?14   He who is bowed down shall speedily be released;    he shall not die and go down to the pit,    neither shall his bread be lacking.15   I am the LORD your God,    who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—    the LORD of hosts is his name.16   And I have put my words in your mouth    and covered you in the shadow of my hand,  establishing9 the heavens    and laying the foundations of the earth,    and saying to Zion, ‘You are my people.'” 17   Wake yourself, wake yourself,    stand up, O Jerusalem,  you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD    the cup of his wrath,  who have drunk to the dregs    the bowl, the cup of staggering.18   There is none to guide her    among all the sons she has borne;  there is none to take her by the hand    among all the sons she has brought up.19   These two things have happened to you—    who will console you?—  devastation and destruction, famine and sword;    who will comfort you?1020   Your sons have fainted;    they lie at the head of every street    like an antelope in a net;  they are full of the wrath of the LORD,    the rebuke of your God. 21   Therefore hear this, you who are afflicted,    who are drunk, but not with wine:22   Thus says your Lord, the LORD,    your God who pleads the cause of his people:  “Behold, I have taken from your hand the cup of staggering;  the bowl of my wrath you shall drink no more;23   and I will put it into the hand of your tormentors,    who have said to you,    ‘Bow down, that we may pass over';  and you have made your back like the ground    and like the street for them to pass over.” Footnotes [1] 49:3 Or I will display my beauty [2] 49:12 Hebrew from the sea [3] 49:12 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Sinim

Old Testament: Isaiah 49–51 Isaiah 49–51 (Listen) The Servant of the Lord 49   Listen to me, O coastlands,    and give attention, you peoples from afar.  The LORD called me from the womb,    from the body of my mother he named my name.2   He made my mouth like a sharp sword;    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;  he made me a polished arrow;    in his quiver he hid me away.3   And he said to me, “You are my servant,    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”14   But I said, “I have labored in vain;    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;  yet surely my right is with the LORD,    and my recompense with my God.” 5   And now the LORD says,    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,  to bring Jacob back to him;    and that Israel might be gathered to him—  for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,    and my God has become my strength—6   he says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant    to raise up the tribes of Jacob    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;  I will make you as a light for the nations,    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7   Thus says the LORD,    the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,  to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,    the servant of rulers:  “Kings shall see and arise;    princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;  because of the LORD, who is faithful,    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” The Restoration of Israel 8   Thus says the LORD:  “In a time of favor I have answered you;    in a day of salvation I have helped you;  I will keep you and give you    as a covenant to the people,  to establish the land,    to apportion the desolate heritages,9   saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,'    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.'  They shall feed along the ways;    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10   they shall not hunger or thirst,    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,  for he who has pity on them will lead them,    and by springs of water will guide them.11   And I will make all my mountains a road,    and my highways shall be raised up.12   Behold, these shall come from afar,    and behold, these from the north and from the west,2    and these from the land of Syene.”3 13   Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;    break forth, O mountains, into singing!  For the LORD has comforted his people    and will have compassion on his afflicted. 14   But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;    my Lord has forgotten me.” 15   “Can a woman forget her nursing child,    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget,    yet I will not forget you.16   Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;    your walls are continually before me.17   Your builders make haste;4    your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.18   Lift up your eyes around and see;    they all gather, they come to you.  As I live, declares the LORD,    you shall put them all on as an ornament;    you shall bind them on as a bride does. 19   “Surely your waste and your desolate places    and your devastated land—  surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,    and those who swallowed you up will be far away.20   The children of your bereavement    will yet say in your ears:  ‘The place is too narrow for me;    make room for me to dwell in.'21   Then you will say in your heart:    ‘Who has borne me these?  I was bereaved and barren,    exiled and put away,    but who has brought up these?  Behold, I was left alone;    from where have these come?'” 22   Thus says the Lord GOD:  “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,    and raise my signal to the peoples;  and they shall bring your sons in their arms,5    and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.23   Kings shall be your foster fathers,    and their queens your nursing mothers.  With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,    and lick the dust of your feet.  Then you will know that I am the LORD;    those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” 24   Can the prey be taken from the mighty,    or the captives of a tyrant6 be rescued?25   For thus says the LORD:  “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken,    and the prey of the tyrant be rescued,  for I will contend with those who contend with you,    and I will save your children.26   I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,    and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.  Then all flesh shall know    that I am the LORD your Savior,    and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Israel's Sin and the Servant's Obedience 50   Thus says the LORD:  “Where is your mother's certificate of divorce,    with which I sent her away?  Or which of my creditors is it    to whom I have sold you?  Behold, for your iniquities you were sold,    and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.2   Why, when I came, was there no man;    why, when I called, was there no one to answer?  Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem?    Or have I no power to deliver?  Behold, by my rebuke I dry up the sea,    I make the rivers a desert;  their fish stink for lack of water    and die of thirst.3   I clothe the heavens with blackness    and make sackcloth their covering.” 4   The Lord GOD has given me    the tongue of those who are taught,  that I may know how to sustain with a word    him who is weary.  Morning by morning he awakens;    he awakens my ear    to hear as those who are taught.5   The Lord GOD has opened my ear,    and I was not rebellious;    I turned not backward.6   I gave my back to those who strike,    and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard;  I hid not my face    from disgrace and spitting. 7   But the Lord GOD helps me;    therefore I have not been disgraced;  therefore I have set my face like a flint,    and I know that I shall not be put to shame.8     He who vindicates me is near.  Who will contend with me?    Let us stand up together.  Who is my adversary?    Let him come near to me.9   Behold, the Lord GOD helps me;    who will declare me guilty?  Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment;    the moth will eat them up. 10   Who among you fears the LORD    and obeys the voice of his servant?  Let him who walks in darkness    and has no light  trust in the name of the LORD    and rely on his God.11   Behold, all you who kindle a fire,    who equip yourselves with burning torches!  Walk by the light of your fire,    and by the torches that you have kindled!  This you have from my hand:    you shall lie down in torment. The Lord's Comfort for Zion 51   “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness,    you who seek the LORD:  look to the rock from which you were hewn,    and to the quarry from which you were dug.2   Look to Abraham your father    and to Sarah who bore you;  for he was but one when I called him,    that I might bless him and multiply him.3   For the LORD comforts Zion;    he comforts all her waste places  and makes her wilderness like Eden,    her desert like the garden of the LORD;  joy and gladness will be found in her,    thanksgiving and the voice of song. 4   “Give attention to me, my people,    and give ear to me, my nation;  for a law7 will go out from me,    and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples.5   My righteousness draws near,    my salvation has gone out,    and my arms will judge the peoples;  the coastlands hope for me,    and for my arm they wait.6   Lift up your eyes to the heavens,    and look at the earth beneath;  for the heavens vanish like smoke,    the earth will wear out like a garment,    and they who dwell in it will die in like manner;8  but my salvation will be forever,    and my righteousness will never be dismayed. 7   “Listen to me, you who know righteousness,    the people in whose heart is my law;  fear not the reproach of man,    nor be dismayed at their revilings.8   For the moth will eat them up like a garment,    and the worm will eat them like wool,  but my righteousness will be forever,    and my salvation to all generations.” 9   Awake, awake, put on strength,    O arm of the LORD;  awake, as in days of old,    the generations of long ago.  Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces,    who pierced the dragon?10   Was it not you who dried up the sea,    the waters of the great deep,  who made the depths of the sea a way    for the redeemed to pass over?11   And the ransomed of the LORD shall return    and come to Zion with singing;  everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;    they shall obtain gladness and joy,    and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. 12   “I, I am he who comforts you;    who are you that you are afraid of man who dies,    of the son of man who is made like grass,13   and have forgotten the LORD, your Maker,    who stretched out the heavens    and laid the foundations of the earth,  and you fear continually all the day    because of the wrath of the oppressor,  when he sets himself to destroy?    And where is the wrath of the oppressor?14   He who is bowed down shall speedily be released;    he shall not die and go down to the pit,    neither shall his bread be lacking.15   I am the LORD your God,    who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—    the LORD of hosts is his name.16   And I have put my words in your mouth    and covered you in the shadow of my hand,  establishing9 the heavens    and laying the foundations of the earth,    and saying to Zion, ‘You are my people.'” 17   Wake yourself, wake yourself,    stand up, O Jerusalem,  you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD    the cup of his wrath,  who have drunk to the dregs    the bowl, the cup of staggering.18   There is none to guide her    among all the sons she has borne;  there is none to take her by the hand    among all the sons she has brought up.19   These two things have happened to you—    who will console you?—  devastation and destruction, famine and sword;    who will comfort you?1020   Your sons have fainted;    they lie at the head of every street    like an antelope in a net;  they are full of the wrath of the LORD,    the rebuke of your God. 21   Therefore hear this, you who are afflicted,    who are drunk, but not with wine:22   Thus says your Lord, the LORD,    your God who pleads the cause of his people:  “Behold, I have taken from your hand the cup of staggering;  the bowl of my wrath you shall drink no more;23   and I will put it into the hand of your tormentors,    who have said to you,    ‘Bow down, that we may pass over';  and you have made your back like the ground    and like the street for them to pass over.” Footnotes [1] 49:3 Or I will display my beauty [2] 49:12 Hebrew from the sea [3] 49:12 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Sinim

Morning: Isaiah 48–49 Isaiah 48–49 (Listen) Israel Refined for God's Glory 48   Hear this, O house of Jacob,    who are called by the name of Israel,    and who came from the waters of Judah,  who swear by the name of the LORD    and confess the God of Israel,    but not in truth or right.2   For they call themselves after the holy city,    and stay themselves on the God of Israel;    the LORD of hosts is his name. 3   “The former things I declared of old;    they went out from my mouth, and I announced them;    then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.4   Because I know that you are obstinate,    and your neck is an iron sinew    and your forehead brass,5   I declared them to you from of old,    before they came to pass I announced them to you,  lest you should say, ‘My idol did them,    my carved image and my metal image commanded them.' 6   “You have heard; now see all this;    and will you not declare it?  From this time forth I announce to you new things,    hidden things that you have not known.7   They are created now, not long ago;    before today you have never heard of them,    lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.'8   You have never heard, you have never known,    from of old your ear has not been opened.  For I knew that you would surely deal treacherously,    and that from before birth you were called a rebel. 9   “For my name's sake I defer my anger;    for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you,    that I may not cut you off.10   Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver;    I have tried1 you in the furnace of affliction.11   For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it,    for how should my name2 be profaned?    My glory I will not give to another. The Lord's Call to Israel 12   “Listen to me, O Jacob,    and Israel, whom I called!  I am he; I am the first,    and I am the last.13   My hand laid the foundation of the earth,    and my right hand spread out the heavens;  when I call to them,    they stand forth together. 14   “Assemble, all of you, and listen!    Who among them has declared these things?  The LORD loves him;    he shall perform his purpose on Babylon,    and his arm shall be against the Chaldeans.15   I, even I, have spoken and called him;    I have brought him, and he will prosper in his way.16   Draw near to me, hear this:    from the beginning I have not spoken in secret,    from the time it came to be I have been there.”  And now the Lord GOD has sent me, and his Spirit. 17   Thus says the LORD,    your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:  “I am the LORD your God,    who teaches you to profit,    who leads you in the way you should go.18   Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments!    Then your peace would have been like a river,    and your righteousness like the waves of the sea;19   your offspring would have been like the sand,    and your descendants like its grains;  their name would never be cut off    or destroyed from before me.” 20   Go out from Babylon, flee from Chaldea,    declare this with a shout of joy, proclaim it,  send it out to the end of the earth;    say, “The LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob!”21   They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts;    he made water flow for them from the rock;    he split the rock and the water gushed out. 22   “There is no peace,” says the LORD, “for the wicked.” The Servant of the Lord 49   Listen to me, O coastlands,    and give attention, you peoples from afar.  The LORD called me from the womb,    from the body of my mother he named my name.2   He made my mouth like a sharp sword;    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;  he made me a polished arrow;    in his quiver he hid me away.3   And he said to me, “You are my servant,    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”34   But I said, “I have labored in vain;    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;  yet surely my right is with the LORD,    and my recompense with my God.” 5   And now the LORD says,    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,  to bring Jacob back to him;    and that Israel might be gathered to him—  for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,    and my God has become my strength—6   he says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant    to raise up the tribes of Jacob    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;  I will make you as a light for the nations,    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7   Thus says the LORD,    the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,  to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,    the servant of rulers:  “Kings shall see and arise;    princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;  because of the LORD, who is faithful,    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” The Restoration of Israel 8   Thus says the LORD:  “In a time of favor I have answered you;    in a day of salvation I have helped you;  I will keep you and give you    as a covenant to the people,  to establish the land,    to apportion the desolate heritages,9   saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,'    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.'  They shall feed along the ways;    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10   they shall not hunger or thirst,    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,  for he who has pity on them will lead them,    and by springs of water will guide them.11   And I will make all my mountains a road,    and my highways shall be raised up.12   Behold, these shall come from afar,    and behold, these from the north and from the west,4    and these from the land of Syene.”5 13   Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;    break forth, O mountains, into singing!  For the LORD has comforted his people    and will have compassion on his afflicted. 14   But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;    my Lord has forgotten me.” 15   “Can a woman forget her nursing child,    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget,    yet I will not forget you.16   Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;    your walls are continually before me.17   Your builders make haste;6    your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.18   Lift up your eyes around and see;    they all gather, they come to you.  As I live, declares the LORD,    you shall put them all on as an ornament;    you shall bind them on as a bride does. 19   “Surely your waste and your desolate places    and your devastated land—  surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,    and those who swallowed you up will be far away.20   The children of your bereavement    will yet say in your ears:  ‘The place is too narrow for me;    make room for me to dwell in.'21   Then you will say in your heart:    ‘Who has borne me these?  I was bereaved and barren,    exiled and put away,    but who has brought up these?  Behold, I was left alone;    from where have these come?'” 22   Thus says the Lord GOD:  “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,    and raise my signal to the peoples;  and they shall bring your sons in their arms,7    and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.23   Kings shall be your foster fathers,    and their queens your nursing mothers.  With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,    and lick the dust of your feet.  Then you will know that I am the LORD;    those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” 24   Can the prey be taken from the mighty,    or the captives of a tyrant8 be rescued?25   For thus says the LORD:  “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken,    and the prey of the tyrant be rescued,  for I will contend with those who contend with you,    and I will save your children.26   I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,    and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.  Then all flesh shall know    that I am the LORD your Savior,    and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Footnotes [1] 48:10 Or I have chosen [2] 48:11 Hebrew lacks my name [3] 49:3 Or I will display my beauty [4] 49:12 Hebrew from the sea [5] 49:12 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Sinim [6] 49:17 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Your children make haste [7] 49:22 Hebrew in their bosom [8] 49:24 Dead Sea Scroll, Syriac, Vulgate (see also verse 25); Masoretic Text of a righteous man (ESV) Evening: Colossians 4 Colossians 4 (Listen) 4 Masters, treat your bondservants1 justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven. Further Instructions 2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. 5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. Final Greetings 7 Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant2 in the Lord. 8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts, 9 and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here. 10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. 14 Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers3 at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. 16 And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. 17 And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.” 18 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. Footnotes [1] 4:1 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; likewise for servant in verse 12 [2] 4:7 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word sundoulos, see Preface [3] 4:15 Or brothers and sisters (ESV)

Isaiah 49–53 Isaiah 49–53 (Listen) The Servant of the Lord 49   Listen to me, O coastlands,    and give attention, you peoples from afar.  The LORD called me from the womb,    from the body of my mother he named my name.2   He made my mouth like a sharp sword;    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;  he made me a polished arrow;    in his quiver he hid me away.3   And he said to me, “You are my servant,    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”14   But I said, “I have labored in vain;    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;  yet surely my right is with the LORD,    and my recompense with my God.” 5   And now the LORD says,    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,  to bring Jacob back to him;    and that Israel might be gathered to him—  for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,    and my God has become my strength—6   he says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant    to raise up the tribes of Jacob    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;  I will make you as a light for the nations,    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7   Thus says the LORD,    the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,  to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,    the servant of rulers:  “Kings shall see and arise;    princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;  because of the LORD, who is faithful,    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” The Restoration of Israel 8   Thus says the LORD:  “In a time of favor I have answered you;    in a day of salvation I have helped you;  I will keep you and give you    as a covenant to the people,  to establish the land,    to apportion the desolate heritages,9   saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,'    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.'  They shall feed along the ways;    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10   they shall not hunger or thirst,    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,  for he who has pity on them will lead them,    and by springs of water will guide them.11   And I will make all my mountains a road,    and my highways shall be raised up.12   Behold, these shall come from afar,    and behold, these from the north and from the west,2    and these from the land of Syene.”3 13   Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;    break forth, O mountains, into singing!  For the LORD has comforted his people    and will have compassion on his afflicted. 14   But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;    my Lord has forgotten me.” 15   “Can a woman forget her nursing child,    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget,    yet I will not forget you.16   Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;    your walls are continually before me.17   Your builders make haste;4    your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.18   Lift up your eyes around and see;    they all gather, they come to you.  As I live, declares the LORD,    you shall put them all on as an ornament;    you shall bind them on as a bride does. 19   “Surely your waste and your desolate places    and your devastated land—  surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,    and those who swallowed you up will be far away.20   The children of your bereavement    will yet say in your ears:  ‘The place is too narrow for me;    make room for me to dwell in.'21   Then you will say in your heart:    ‘Who has borne me these?  I was bereaved and barren,    exiled and put away,    but who has brought up these?  Behold, I was left alone;    from where have these come?'” 22   Thus says the Lord GOD:  “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,    and raise my signal to the peoples;  and they shall bring your sons in their arms,5    and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.23   Kings shall be your foster fathers,    and their queens your nursing mothers.  With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,    and lick the dust of your feet.  Then you will know that I am the LORD;    those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” 24   Can the prey be taken from the mighty,    or the captives of a tyrant6 be rescued?25   For thus says the LORD:  “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken,    and the prey of the tyrant be rescued,  for I will contend with those who contend with you,    and I will save your children.26   I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,    and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.  Then all flesh shall know    that I am the LORD your Savior,    and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Israel's Sin and the Servant's Obedience 50   Thus says the LORD:  “Where is your mother's certificate of divorce,    with which I sent her away?  Or which of my creditors is it    to whom I have sold you?  Behold, for your iniquities you were sold,    and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.2   Why, when I came, was there no man;    why, when I called, was there no one to answer?  Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem?    Or have I no power to deliver?  Behold, by my rebuke I dry up the sea,    I make the rivers a desert;  their fish stink for lack of water    and die of thirst.3   I clothe the heavens with blackness    and make sackcloth their covering.” 4   The Lord GOD has given me    the tongue of those who are taught,  that I may know how to sustain with a word    him who is weary.  Morning by morning he awakens;    he awakens my ear    to hear as those who are taught.5   The Lord GOD has opened my ear,    and I was not rebellious;    I turned not backward.6   I gave my back to those who strike,    and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard;  I hid not my face    from disgrace and spitting. 7   But the Lord GOD helps me;    therefore I have not been disgraced;  therefore I have set my face like a flint,    and I know that I shall not be put to shame.8     He who vindicates me is near.  Who will contend with me?    Let us stand up together.  Who is my adversary?    Let him come near to me.9   Behold, the Lord GOD helps me;    who will declare me guilty?  Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment;    the moth will eat them up. 10   Who among you fears the LORD    and obeys the voice of his servant?  Let him who walks in darkness    and has no light  trust in the name of the LORD    and rely on his God.11   Behold, all you who kindle a fire,    who equip yourselves with burning torches!  Walk by the light of your fire,    and by the torches that you have kindled!  This you have from my hand:    you shall lie down in torment. The Lord's Comfort for Zion 51   “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness,    you who seek the LORD:  look to the rock from which you were hewn,    and to the quarry from which you were dug.2   Look to Abraham your father    and to Sarah who bore you;  for he was but one when I called him,    that I might bless him and multiply him.3   For the LORD comforts Zion;    he comforts all her waste places  and makes her wilderness like Eden,    her desert like the garden of the LORD;  joy and gladness will be found in her,    thanksgiving and the voice of song. 4   “Give attention to me, my people,    and give ear to me, my nation;  for a law7 will go out from me,    and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples.5   My righteousness draws near,    my salvation has gone out,    and my arms will judge the peoples;  the coastlands hope for me,    and for my arm they wait.6   Lift up your eyes to the heavens,    and look at the earth beneath;  for the heavens vanish like smoke,    the earth will wear out like a garment,    and they who dwell in it will die in like manner;8  but my salvation will be forever,    and my righteousness will never be dismayed. 7   “Listen to me, you who know righteousness,    the people in whose heart is my law;  fear not the reproach of man,    nor be dismayed at their revilings.8   For the moth will eat them up like a garment,    and the worm will eat them like wool,  but my righteousness will be forever,    and my salvation to all generations.” 9   Awake, awake, put on strength,    O arm of the LORD;  awake, as in days of old,    the generations of long ago.  Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces,    who pierced the dragon?10   Was it not you who dried up the sea,    the waters of the great deep,  who made the depths of the sea a way    for the redeemed to pass over?11   And the ransomed of the LORD shall return    and come to Zion with singing;  everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;    they shall obtain gladness and joy,    and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. 12   “I, I am he who comforts you;    who are you that you are afraid of man who dies,    of the son of man who is made like grass,13   and have forgotten the LORD, your Maker,    who stretched out the heavens    and laid the foundations of the earth,  and you fear continually all the day    because of the wrath of the oppressor,  when he sets himself to destroy?    And where is the wrath of the oppressor?14   He who is bowed down shall speedily be released;    he shall not die and go down to the pit,    neither shall his bread be lacking.15   I am the LORD your God,    who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—    the LORD of hosts is his name.16   And I have put my words in your mouth    and covered you in the shadow of my hand,  establishing9 the heavens    and laying the foundations of the earth,    and saying to Zion, ‘You are my people.'” 17   Wake yourself, wake yourself,    stand up, O Jerusalem,  you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD    the cup of his wrath,  who have drunk to the dregs    the bowl, the cup of staggering.18   There is none to guide her    among all the sons she has borne;  there is none to take her by the hand    among all the sons she has brought up.19   These two things have happened to you—    who will console you?—  devastation and destruction, famine and sword;    who will comfort you?1020   Your sons have fainted;    they lie at the head of every street    like an antelope in a net;  they are full of the wrath of the LORD,    the rebuke of your God. 21   Therefore hear this, you who are afflicted,    who are drunk, but not with wine:22   Thus says your Lord, the LORD,    your God who pleads the cause of his people:  “Behold, I have taken from your hand the cup of staggering;  the bowl of my wrath you shall drink no more;23   and I will put it into the hand of your tormentors,    who have said to you,    ‘Bow down, that we may pass over';  and you have made your back like the ground    and like the street for them to pass over.” The Lord's Coming Salvation 52   Awake, awake,    put on your strength, O Zion;  put on your beautiful garments,    

Isaiah 49–53 Isaiah 49–53 (Listen) The Servant of the Lord 49   Listen to me, O coastlands,    and give attention, you peoples from afar.  The LORD called me from the womb,    from the body of my mother he named my name.2   He made my mouth like a sharp sword;    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;  he made me a polished arrow;    in his quiver he hid me away.3   And he said to me, “You are my servant,    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”14   But I said, “I have labored in vain;    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;  yet surely my right is with the LORD,    and my recompense with my God.” 5   And now the LORD says,    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,  to bring Jacob back to him;    and that Israel might be gathered to him—  for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,    and my God has become my strength—6   he says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant    to raise up the tribes of Jacob    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;  I will make you as a light for the nations,    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7   Thus says the LORD,    the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,  to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,    the servant of rulers:  “Kings shall see and arise;    princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;  because of the LORD, who is faithful,    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” The Restoration of Israel 8   Thus says the LORD:  “In a time of favor I have answered you;    in a day of salvation I have helped you;  I will keep you and give you    as a covenant to the people,  to establish the land,    to apportion the desolate heritages,9   saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,'    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.'  They shall feed along the ways;    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10   they shall not hunger or thirst,    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,  for he who has pity on them will lead them,    and by springs of water will guide them.11   And I will make all my mountains a road,    and my highways shall be raised up.12   Behold, these shall come from afar,    and behold, these from the north and from the west,2    and these from the land of Syene.”3 13   Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;    break forth, O mountains, into singing!  For the LORD has comforted his people    and will have compassion on his afflicted. 14   But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;    my Lord has forgotten me.” 15   “Can a woman forget her nursing child,    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget,    yet I will not forget you.16   Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;    your walls are continually before me.17   Your builders make haste;4    your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.18   Lift up your eyes around and see;    they all gather, they come to you.  As I live, declares the LORD,    you shall put them all on as an ornament;    you shall bind them on as a bride does. 19   “Surely your waste and your desolate places    and your devastated land—  surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,    and those who swallowed you up will be far away.20   The children of your bereavement    will yet say in your ears:  ‘The place is too narrow for me;    make room for me to dwell in.'21   Then you will say in your heart:    ‘Who has borne me these?  I was bereaved and barren,    exiled and put away,    but who has brought up these?  Behold, I was left alone;    from where have these come?'” 22   Thus says the Lord GOD:  “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,    and raise my signal to the peoples;  and they shall bring your sons in their arms,5    and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.23   Kings shall be your foster fathers,    and their queens your nursing mothers.  With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,    and lick the dust of your feet.  Then you will know that I am the LORD;    those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” 24   Can the prey be taken from the mighty,    or the captives of a tyrant6 be rescued?25   For thus says the LORD:  “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken,    and the prey of the tyrant be rescued,  for I will contend with those who contend with you,    and I will save your children.26   I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,    and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.  Then all flesh shall know    that I am the LORD your Savior,    and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Israel's Sin and the Servant's Obedience 50   Thus says the LORD:  “Where is your mother's certificate of divorce,    with which I sent her away?  Or which of my creditors is it    to whom I have sold you?  Behold, for your iniquities you were sold,    and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.2   Why, when I came, was there no man;    why, when I called, was there no one to answer?  Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem?    Or have I no power to deliver?  Behold, by my rebuke I dry up the sea,    I make the rivers a desert;  their fish stink for lack of water    and die of thirst.3   I clothe the heavens with blackness    and make sackcloth their covering.” 4   The Lord GOD has given me    the tongue of those who are taught,  that I may know how to sustain with a word    him who is weary.  Morning by morning he awakens;    he awakens my ear    to hear as those who are taught.5   The Lord GOD has opened my ear,    and I was not rebellious;    I turned not backward.6   I gave my back to those who strike,    and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard;  I hid not my face    from disgrace and spitting. 7   But the Lord GOD helps me;    therefore I have not been disgraced;  therefore I have set my face like a flint,    and I know that I shall not be put to shame.8     He who vindicates me is near.  Who will contend with me?    Let us stand up together.  Who is my adversary?    Let him come near to me.9   Behold, the Lord GOD helps me;    who will declare me guilty?  Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment;    the moth will eat them up. 10   Who among you fears the LORD    and obeys the voice of his servant?  Let him who walks in darkness    and has no light  trust in the name of the LORD    and rely on his God.11   Behold, all you who kindle a fire,    who equip yourselves with burning torches!  Walk by the light of your fire,    and by the torches that you have kindled!  This you have from my hand:    you shall lie down in torment. The Lord's Comfort for Zion 51   “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness,    you who seek the LORD:  look to the rock from which you were hewn,    and to the quarry from which you were dug.2   Look to Abraham your father    and to Sarah who bore you;  for he was but one when I called him,    that I might bless him and multiply him.3   For the LORD comforts Zion;    he comforts all her waste places  and makes her wilderness like Eden,    her desert like the garden of the LORD;  joy and gladness will be found in her,    thanksgiving and the voice of song. 4   “Give attention to me, my people,    and give ear to me, my nation;  for a law7 will go out from me,    and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples.5   My righteousness draws near,    my salvation has gone out,    and my arms will judge the peoples;  the coastlands hope for me,    and for my arm they wait.6   Lift up your eyes to the heavens,    and look at the earth beneath;  for the heavens vanish like smoke,    the earth will wear out like a garment,    and they who dwell in it will die in like manner;8  but my salvation will be forever,    and my righteousness will never be dismayed. 7   “Listen to me, you who know righteousness,    the people in whose heart is my law;  fear not the reproach of man,    nor be dismayed at their revilings.8   For the moth will eat them up like a garment,    and the worm will eat them like wool,  but my righteousness will be forever,    and my salvation to all generations.” 9   Awake, awake, put on strength,    O arm of the LORD;  awake, as in days of old,    the generations of long ago.  Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces,    who pierced the dragon?10   Was it not you who dried up the sea,    the waters of the great deep,  who made the depths of the sea a way    for the redeemed to pass over?11   And the ransomed of the LORD shall return    and come to Zion with singing;  everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;    they shall obtain gladness and joy,    and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. 12   “I, I am he who comforts you;    who are you that you are afraid of man who dies,    of the son of man who is made like grass,13   and have forgotten the LORD, your Maker,    who stretched out the heavens    and laid the foundations of the earth,  and you fear continually all the day    because of the wrath of the oppressor,  when he sets himself to destroy?    And where is the wrath of the oppressor?14   He who is bowed down shall speedily be released;    he shall not die and go down to the pit,    neither shall his bread be lacking.15   I am the LORD your God,    who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—    the LORD of hosts is his name.16   And I have put my words in your mouth    and covered you in the shadow of my hand,  establishing9 the heavens    and laying the foundations of the earth,    and saying to Zion, ‘You are my people.'” 17   Wake yourself, wake yourself,    stand up, O Jerusalem,  you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD    the cup of his wrath,  who have drunk to the dregs    the bowl, the cup of staggering.18   There is none to guide her    among all the sons she has borne;  there is none to take her by the hand    among all the sons she has brought up.19   These two things have happened to you—    who will console you?—  devastation and destruction, famine and sword;    who will comfort you?1020   Your sons have fainted;    they lie at the head of every street    like an antelope in a net;  they are full of the wrath of the LORD,    the rebuke of your God. 21   Therefore hear this, you who are afflicted,    who are drunk, but not with wine:22   Thus says your Lord, the LORD,    your God who pleads the cause of his people:  “Behold, I have taken from your hand the cup of staggering;  the bowl of my wrath you shall drink no more;23   and I will put it into the hand of your tormentors,    who have said to you,    ‘Bow down, that we may pass over';  and you have made your back like the ground    and like the street for them to pass over.” The Lord's Coming Salvation 52   Awake, awake,    put on your strength, O Zion;  put on your beautiful garments,    

With family: Deuteronomy 22; Psalms 110–111 Deuteronomy 22 (Listen) Various Laws 22 “You shall not see your brother's ox or his sheep going astray and ignore them. You shall take them back to your brother. 2 And if he does not live near you and you do not know who he is, you shall bring it home to your house, and it shall stay with you until your brother seeks it. Then you shall restore it to him. 3 And you shall do the same with his donkey or with his garment, or with any lost thing of your brother's, which he loses and you find; you may not ignore it. 4 You shall not see your brother's donkey or his ox fallen down by the way and ignore them. You shall help him to lift them up again. 5 “A woman shall not wear a man's garment, nor shall a man put on a woman's cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God. 6 “If you come across a bird's nest in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs and the mother sitting on the young or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young. 7 You shall let the mother go, but the young you may take for yourself, that it may go well with you, and that you may live long. 8 “When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, that you may not bring the guilt of blood upon your house, if anyone should fall from it. 9 “You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seed, lest the whole yield be forfeited,1 the crop that you have sown and the yield of the vineyard. 10 You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together. 11 You shall not wear cloth of wool and linen mixed together. 12 “You shall make yourself tassels on the four corners of the garment with which you cover yourself. Laws Concerning Sexual Immorality 13 “If any man takes a wife and goes in to her and then hates her 14 and accuses her of misconduct and brings a bad name upon her, saying, ‘I took this woman, and when I came near her, I did not find in her evidence of virginity,' 15 then the father of the young woman and her mother shall take and bring out the evidence of her virginity to the elders of the city in the gate. 16 And the father of the young woman shall say to the elders, ‘I gave my daughter to this man to marry, and he hates her; 17 and behold, he has accused her of misconduct, saying, “I did not find in your daughter evidence of virginity.” And yet this is the evidence of my daughter's virginity.' And they shall spread the cloak before the elders of the city. 18 Then the elders of that city shall take the man and whip2 him, 19 and they shall fine him a hundred shekels3 of silver and give them to the father of the young woman, because he has brought a bad name upon a virgin4 of Israel. And she shall be his wife. He may not divorce her all his days. 20 But if the thing is true, that evidence of virginity was not found in the young woman, 21 then they shall bring out the young woman to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones, because she has done an outrageous thing in Israel by whoring in her father's house. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. 22 “If a man is found lying with the wife of another man, both of them shall die, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman. So you shall purge the evil from Israel. 23 “If there is a betrothed virgin, and a man meets her in the city and lies with her, 24 then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them to death with stones, the young woman because she did not cry for help though she was in the city, and the man because he violated his neighbor's wife. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. 25 “But if in the open country a man meets a young woman who is betrothed, and the man seizes her and lies with her, then only the man who lay with her shall die. 26 But you shall do nothing to the young woman; she has committed no offense punishable by death. For this case is like that of a man attacking and murdering his neighbor, 27 because he met her in the open country, and though the betrothed young woman cried for help there was no one to rescue her. 28 “If a man meets a virgin who is not betrothed, and seizes her and lies with her, and they are found, 29 then the man who lay with her shall give to the father of the young woman fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife, because he has violated her. He may not divorce her all his days. 5 30 “A man shall not take his father's wife, so that he does not uncover his father's nakedness.6 Footnotes [1] 22:9 Hebrew become holy [2] 22:18 Or discipline [3] 22:19 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams [4] 22:19 Or girl of marriageable age [5] 22:29 Ch 23:1 in Hebrew [6] 22:30 Hebrew uncover his father's skirt (ESV) Psalms 110–111 (Listen) Sit at My Right Hand A Psalm of David. 110   The LORD says to my Lord:    “Sit at my right hand,  until I make your enemies your footstool.” 2   The LORD sends forth from Zion    your mighty scepter.    Rule in the midst of your enemies!3   Your people will offer themselves freely    on the day of your power,1    in holy garments;2  from the womb of the morning,    the dew of your youth will be yours.34   The LORD has sworn    and will not change his mind,  “You are a priest forever    after the order of Melchizedek.” 5   The Lord is at your right hand;    he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.6   He will execute judgment among the nations,    filling them with corpses;  he will shatter chiefs4    over the wide earth.7   He will drink from the brook by the way;    therefore he will lift up his head. Great Are the Lord's Works 111   5 Praise the LORD!  I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart,    in the company of the upright, in the congregation.2   Great are the works of the LORD,    studied by all who delight in them.3   Full of splendor and majesty is his work,    and his righteousness endures forever.4   He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered;    the LORD is gracious and merciful.5   He provides food for those who fear him;    he remembers his covenant forever.6   He has shown his people the power of his works,    in giving them the inheritance of the nations.7   The works of his hands are faithful and just;    all his precepts are trustworthy;8   they are established forever and ever,    to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.9   He sent redemption to his people;    he has commanded his covenant forever.    Holy and awesome is his name!10   The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;    all those who practice it have a good understanding.    His praise endures forever! Footnotes [1] 110:3 Or on the day you lead your forces [2] 110:3 Masoretic Text; some Hebrew manuscripts and Jerome on the holy mountains [3] 110:3 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain [4] 110:6 Or the head [5] 111:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, each line beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet (ESV) In private: Isaiah 49; Revelation 19 Isaiah 49 (Listen) The Servant of the Lord 49   Listen to me, O coastlands,    and give attention, you peoples from afar.  The LORD called me from the womb,    from the body of my mother he named my name.2   He made my mouth like a sharp sword;    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;  he made me a polished arrow;    in his quiver he hid me away.3   And he said to me, “You are my servant,    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”14   But I said, “I have labored in vain;    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;  yet surely my right is with the LORD,    and my recompense with my God.” 5   And now the LORD says,    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,  to bring Jacob back to him;    and that Israel might be gathered to him—  for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,    and my God has become my strength—6   he says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant    to raise up the tribes of Jacob    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;  I will make you as a light for the nations,    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7   Thus says the LORD,    the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,  to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,    the servant of rulers:  “Kings shall see and arise;    princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;  because of the LORD, who is faithful,    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” The Restoration of Israel 8   Thus says the LORD:  “In a time of favor I have answered you;    in a day of salvation I have helped you;  I will keep you and give you    as a covenant to the people,  to establish the land,    to apportion the desolate heritages,9   saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,'    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.'  They shall feed along the ways;    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10   they shall not hunger or thirst,    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,  for he who has pity on them will lead them,    and by springs of water will guide them.11   And I will make all my mountains a road,    and my highways shall be raised up.12   Behold, these shall come from afar,    and behold, these from the north and from the west,2    and these from the land of Syene.”3 13   Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;    break forth, O mountains, into singing!  For the LORD has comforted his people    and will have compassion on his afflicted. 14   But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;    my Lord has forgotten me.” 15   “Can a woman forget her nursing child,    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget,    yet I will not forget you.16   Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;    your walls are continually before me.17   Your builders make haste;4    your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.18   Lift up your eyes around and see;    they all gather, they come to you.  As I live, declares the LORD,    you shall put them all on as an ornament;    you shall bind them on as a bride does. 19   “Surely your waste and your desolate places    and your devastated land—  surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,    and those who swallowed you up will be far away.20   The children of your bereavement    will yet say in your ears:  ‘The place is too narrow for me;    make room for me to dwell in.'21   Then you will say in your heart:    ‘Who has borne me these?  I was bereaved and barren,    exiled and put away,    but who has brought up these?  Behold, I was left alone;    from where have these come?'” 22   Thus says the Lord GOD:  “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,    and raise my signal to the peoples;  and they shall bring your sons in their arms,5    and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.23   Kings shall be your foster fathers,    and their queens your nursing mothers.  With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,    and lick the dust of your feet.  Then you will know that I am the LORD;    those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” 24   Can the prey be taken from the mighty,    or the captives of a tyrant6 be rescued?25   For thus says the LORD:  “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken,    and the prey of the tyrant be rescued,  for I will contend with those who contend with you,    and I will save your children.26   I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,    and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.  Then all flesh shall know    that I am the LORD your Savior,    and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Footnotes [1] 49:3 Or I will display my beauty [2] 49:12 Hebrew from the sea [3] 49:12 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Sinim [4] 49:17 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Your children make haste [5] 49:22 Hebrew in their bosom [6] 49:24 Dead Sea Scroll, Syriac, Vulgate (see also verse 25); Masoretic Text of a righteous man (ESV) Revelation 19 (Listen) Rejoicing in Heaven 19 After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out,   “Hallelujah!  Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,2     for his judgments are true and just;  for he has judged the great prostitute    who corrupted the earth with her immorality,  and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.” 3 Once more they cried out,   “Hallelujah!  The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.” 4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!” 5 And from the throne came a voice saying,   “Praise our God,    all you his servants,  you who fear him,    small and great.” The Marriage Supper of the Lamb 6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,   “Hallelujah!  For the Lord our God    the Almighty reigns.7   Let us rejoice and exult    and give him the glory,  for the marriage of the Lamb has come,    and his Bride has made herself ready;8   it was granted her to clothe herself    with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. 9 And the angel said

No Weapon Formed Against Us Shall Prosper (3) (Audio) David Eells - 5/29/22 Cast down Witchcraft and Double-Mindedness Winnie Osegueda - 5/18/22 (David's notes in red)   This following verse kept coming to me: Proverbs 1:33 but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.” I asked the Lord about the verse and what He wanted to show me about it, and I had the following dream that night about the kind of witchcraft being sent against the body that causes us to stray from His Word and His promises.)  I dreamt I was in a large cabin. (UBM has been shown in many dreams and revelations as a log cabin or a tower of logs. This is because a cabin's logs cross each other at the corners representing our Biblical doctrine of living the crucified life.)  It was pretty dim in there with the exception of the fire going in the fireplace, and perhaps some candles. ... (I thought about the fiery trials) (Yes, the crucified life presents us with many fiery trials that burn up the wood, hay, and stubble of our carnal nature. This only works when we hold fast to the Word in the trial.)  There were many others in this large room that I was in, as well, although I don't not recall anyone except for my husband, Chuc. (As we will see, Chuc, meaning, “free man" is representing our heavenly husband, Jesus, who watches over us for our good and guards us from the plots and plans of the enemy. Jesus came to “free man” from the bondages of sin and death.) I then received a package from two very young black girls about the same age, which I believe represent deceiving spirits (Angelica: These two black girls could represent double-mindedness). (Packages are often wrapped up nicely. This represents a deception or a Trojan horse gift that seems desirable outwardly but inside it leads to death.)  I was sitting on the floor of this large room and I could see the two young black girls sitting to my left. (These factious, rebellious deceivers are on the left where Jesus put the goats. They send witchcraft in subtle ways that make war on our minds.) In this package was a stack of music CDs with "Christian" music. I inserted one of the CDs into the music player to my left, and the music began to play. (This music could represent seduction. Also, much of the “Christian" music that is put out today is actually from the pit of hell. It isn't praise music that glorifies the Lord; it is music that sounds good to the flesh. Most of it doesn't even mention the name of Jesus but only says, “You” so who is it that they are really singing to? Lucifer was in charge of the praise and worship in heaven before he sinned against God and was cast down to the earth as satan. He is a deceiver who still manifests himself as an angel of light through his demonically inspired “Christian music” which is really worshipping him and not Jesus.) I don't remember the song or the melody, but I remember thinking nothing was wrong with it as I listened, and that it sounded pretty good. (Many times we don't even notice or are aware of the lies represented by these “songs” in the dream because they are very subtly implanted into our minds when we are distracted and not on our spiritual guard. We don't think there is anything wrong with these thoughts because we think that they are our own thoughts. A good analogy is how viruses operate to trick the cells in the body. A virus uses camouflage to trick the cell. Its capsid or receptor proteins look like nutrients the cell needs. When the virus receptor binds to the cell receptor, the cell thinks the virus is a nutrient, and pulls it in. Now the cell is infected! In the same way satan camouflages his lies to trick your mind into receiving the lies and then your mind becomes infected. We must stick closely to scripture and keep our Ephesians 6 armor on in order to defend ourselves from becoming infected with satan's thoughts.) I then looked down and saw the rest of the stack of CDs and noticed the cover on all of them had a demonic clown face on the cover, as well as a parental advisory sticker on some of them. (I'm remembering Garrett's dream of satan being a cartoon clown. When we have eyes to see, we can see through the lies and deceptions. Our parental advisory sticker is the Word from our Father God which advises us against the traps and snares of the enemy.) Chuc then appeared standing to my right (representing the Lord) and he said “Get rid of it”, referring to the music CDs. In the dream, I did not seem to understand why it was so bad. (I believe the Lord was making a point because in real life I would see it as heinous.) Although I did not understand, I said "Ok,” in obedience to Chuc, and then I woke up. (We don't have to understand everything the Lord commands us to do or not do. Our evil reasonings will often times get us into deeper trouble and lead to rebellion. There are many so called Christians who reasoned their way right into hell. We must live in faithful obedience to the Word and the commands of the Lord for our lives.) After praying and seeking the Lord regarding this dream, I put two and two together and realized that He was reminding me, with the Proverbs 1:33 verse, that what counts is listening to only what He has to say, and it will keep us safe from what is coming because we are standing and believing on His Word, which is the only place of safety. I inquired of the Lord about this dream and I asked if this was witchcraft sent against us and I received two heads for yes. I believe this represents an attack on the body with confusion, double-mindedness, and even condemnation. It's the lying spirits wanting to get us to agree with them, but the Lord is wanting us to agree with His Word only and cast out the invasive thoughts of the enemy. (The mind is the battleground. Our salvation will be determined in this battle arena of the mind. We must turn and face the enemy head on to win this battle, for there is no other choice. It's fight or die physically, spiritually, and ultimately eternally!) I believe the reason it was magnified in the dream that I did not see the music as being so bad, is because I have not seen condemnation as the great sin that it actually is, just like anxiety or double-mindedness, and therefore have not warred against it like I should. By the grace of God, I have recently been more adamant about casting it down and entering His rest.  I also opened my bible to a note I had written referencing Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me. I also asked the Lord for a few verses from my scripture playlist and received:  Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 94:19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me Thy comforts delight my soul. Psalm 55:22 Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and he will sustain thee: He will never suffer the righteous to be moved. 2 Cor 10:3-5 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh 4 (for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds); 5 casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.   Witchcraft Obstacle to Winning the Race Claire Pienaar - 5/20/22  (David's notes in red) I dreamed that I (Claire representing the Bride Body because her name means “brilliance”) I was in a white wedding dress. (Rev. 19:8, And it was given unto her that she should array herself in fine linen, bright and pure: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.) I was in a competition that was a timed race and I had to run, but the running was short and it was in-and-out of various buildings, or arenas. (As we will see, the enemy, satan, wants to dominate our time and keep us from running the race.) I was very tall in this dream and confident in my abilities in this race. (Riaan: Tall represents the maturity of the Bride). Behind me, there were various tiny women in red dresses. (Riaan: The enemy is trying to delay these from coming out by witchcraft and word curses from the immature, represented by the women in red dresses.) (As the Bride matures spiritually, armed with a strong spirit man who has been well fed with the Word, she is confident in her battles and in spiritual warfare to defeat the plans of the enemy and win the race. 1 Co 9:24-27 Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain. 25 And every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26 I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I, as not beating the air: 27 but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected. The women in the red dresses are spiritually immature apostates.) I knew I would win each event. However, each event was timed by a person dressed completely in black. This person hated me and really tried to make the obstacles or events very challenging and difficult but I just kept on going; winning every time. (The devil tries his hardest to derail our walk and make things as challenging and difficult as he can because he has been jealous of mankind since we were created and he hates us with intense hatred and wants to see us fail and be separated from God.) I asked for another word by faith at random with the thought, “Who am I, Lord?” or "Who do I represent?") and received by faith at random Matt 13:8 (my finger on "good ground”),  and others fell upon the good ground, and yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. (Overcoming the obstacles in our trials is what makes us good ground.)   The Bride Escapes the Old Man?  Claire Pienaar - 5/10/22 (David's note in red)  I dreamed I (Representing the Bride) was looking for Richard, my “first love”. (He was my first boyfriend, and represents Jesus our first love. His name means “brave warrior”. There is none greater than King Jesus!).    I was on the second floor of a hotel. (The second floor represents the 60 fold glory of the Bride, Mark 4:20 And those are they that were sown upon the good ground; such as hear the word, and accept it, and bear fruit, thirtyfold, and sixtyfold, and a hundredfold.) My old boss was trying to get me dressed up and arrange a bridal shower for me. (The old boss represents the apostate church and their Nicolaitan system that lords itself over the people.) The old boss had dyed platinum blonde hair. Her name was Kerry, meaning, “black-haired”. (She represents the apostate church that used to have dominion over us? She seems good outwardly but inwardly she is submitted to darkness and is the enemy of our spirit man.)  She was decorating the room entirely in shades of red which represent the blood of Jesus. (The apostate church only believes only half of the gospel, the “covered by the blood” part.) (Riaan: The apostate Church system tries to "dress up” and rule over the soul, which is the mind, will and emotions with worldly religion, but our mind must stay fixed on finding Jesus, our first love by renewing our mind or soul with the Word).  The entire suite was decorated in red and maroon. There were red flowers, red tablecloths, red everything. My old boss seemed giddy at the thought of the bridal shower, and she wanted a real celebration. (The apostate Church thinks that they are the Bride of Christ but they will not be celebrating when they figure out that there is no rapture and that they didn't all “fly away.”) The only thing that was not red in this room was the pure white garment that was hanging in between all the clothing, in various shades of red, that my boss had picked out for me. This garment was very elegant. It had the lightest blue piping all around the edges. My old boss wanted me to choose something red, but I was intent on wearing the white garment. ​ (Riaan: We are covered by the blood, seated in the heavenly places on the second floor, but the apostate church says "once saved, always saved or "sinners saved by grace" which represents them only wanting to wear the blood covering but not the white dress which represents walking in holiness, being spotless and the righteous acts of the saints represented by the blue piping. Rev 19:7-8  Let us rejoice and be exceeding glad, and let us give the glory unto him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And it was given unto her that she should array herself in fine linen, bright and pure: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.)   During this process of trying to get ready, I kept on texting Richard. I noticed my messages were not going through, because he was not replying immediately. I was so insecure about him not answering me. (This represents a lack of faith, trust, and belief in the strength of the relationship, and our security in Jesus' love for us.) (Without faith it's impossible to please the Lord. We must walk by faith and not by sight. Heb. 11:6 ...and without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing unto him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek after him.)  My phone's battery was on 19% and this was worrying to me because I did not want it going dead without getting in contact with Richard. (Riaan: The number 19 represents faith.) (The phone represents self-works that are eventually depleted. We are supposed to be like a tree planted by the streams of water that cannot be moved like in Psalm 1:3:  And he shall be like a tree planted by the streams of water, That bringeth forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also doth not wither; And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.)  Richard was on the third floor of this same hotel, in suite number 23.  (Riaan: The third floor is the spirit, second floor is soul and ground floor is the flesh. Number 23 represents death. Jesus took on death so that we, through the spirit (representing the 3rd floor) can put to death, through baptism, the flesh and renew our souls (represented by the second floor) through the works of the Spirit and faith).   I was trying to get into his hotel room by knocking on the door, texting him, calling him and asking others to help me get to him. I clearly remember saying to all who would listen, “Have you seen my beloved?”(Song 5:6  I opened to my beloved; But my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone. My soul had failed me when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.) (If we diligently seek Him we will find Him.) (Mat. 7:7-11  Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 9 Or what man is there of you, who, if his son shall ask him for a loaf, will give him a stone; 10 or if he shall ask for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?)   Then I went back to my room after nothing worked in my own strength and I just stood there and thought of him. Then I miraculously appeared or was translated to in his suite and then I woke up. (Riaan: Amen! We can enter the holy of holies on the "3rd floor" by dying to self and self-works through faith in Him only and resting from our own works!).  What this dream is saying is that we don't have to strive through self effort and self works to get to Jesus or get His attention. He wants us to rest in faith that He will be with us to the end and that He will never leave us nor forsake us.   You Can't Bypass the Crucified Life  Claire Pienaar - 5/12/22  (David's notes in red)   I dreamed Riaan (Riaan, meaning, “little king”, represents the Man-child.) was outside of a home that had a garden similar to our own garden in real life, but it was smaller. (The Man-child tends the disciples whom He sent out two by two representing the two witnesses. This is the small garden.) There was also an covered BBQ area that we don't have in the natural. (This BBQ area represents the willingness to sacrifice the flesh in the fiery trial.) (This is God's requirement to be in the first fruits as well as for all the other elect of God who follow.) Riaan was cleaning this covered BBQ area. (The Man-child will be performing a major clean up around the BBQ pit representing the tribulation and the fiery trial which burns up the flesh which is coming upon all of God's elect who are on the fence and in need of refining and purification.) I was standing and watching him from the sliding glass door. (The bride is privy to the workings of the Man-Child and she is protected by the “glass door” which represents abiding in the secret place of the Most High.) (Psa. 91:8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold, And see the reward of the wicked.).  I noticed how the grey brick paving all around the BBQ was all messy with soil and dirt. I thought, “If we give this an hour a day for the next four months, maybe we can get all the dirt gone”. (This represents trying to clean up our walk through our own efforts. The dirt represents the sins of those who tread the path of avoidance around the crucified life, represented by the BBQ pit. They are covered in filth and sin which will lead to death represented by the grey brick paving.) I also noticed that a huge tree to my right had been completely cut down, with only a stump remaining. (Representing the fall of the Babylonish state and church leaders being removed before the 7 years of tribulation so the people will follow the Man-child reformers through the wilderness.  Dan. 4:20-26 The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; 21 whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was food for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the birds of the heavens had their habitation: 22 it is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong; for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth. 23 And whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew down the tree, and destroy it; nevertheless leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of heaven: and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him;  24 this is the interpretation, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High, which is come upon my lord the king: 25 that thou shalt be driven from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and thou shalt be made to eat grass as oxen, and shalt be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee; till thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. 26 And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.) No sooner had I thought this, then a large water-pressure hose appeared in my hands. It switched on, and then I aimed it at the paving, which became clean instantly. (The water pressure hose represents an anointing of power that will be given to the Bride to clean up the walk of her "little sister”.)  Then I aimed it at the tree stump and blew away all the mulch and dirt that was packed around it. It revealed a dead and decaying bumble bee's nest. (In other dreams that we've had the bee's and their nests represented the factious crucifiers.) I thought, “That was dealt with ages ago but it's good to have it really gone now”. (The dead and decaying bumble bee's nest represents that our enemies have already been removed and defeated at the cross by Jesus. Luk 1:68-75  Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; For he hath visited and wrought redemption for his people,  69  And hath raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of his servant David   70  (As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets that have been from of old),  71  Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;  72  To show mercy towards our fathers, And to remember his holy covenant;  73  The oath which he sware unto Abraham our father,  74  To grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies should serve him without fear,  75  In holiness and righteousness before him all our days.) I felt something on my cheek then, and I lifted my hand up to touch it. As I did so, it fell to the floor. It was a shrivelled up, dead huntsman spider. I thought “Oh wow. I am sure glad that was dead”. (Mic 7:2  The godly man is perished out of the earth, and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net. They have already lost before they ever began to attack us. Judas and Absalom hung themselves by their own works. Luke 10:19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you.) I asked the Lord for a word by faith at random for this dream, and received Isaiah 33:20, in context 17-24:  17 Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold a land that reacheth afar. 18 Thy heart shall muse on the terror: Where is he that counted, where is he that weighed the tribute? where is he that counted the towers? (This represents the terror on the apostate leaders that count their tithes under their steeples or phallic symbols.)   19 Thou shalt not see the fierce people, a people of a deep speech that thou canst not comprehend, of a strange tongue that thou canst not understand. (The righteous are not in fear of the coming Beast invasion.) 20 Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tent that shall not be removed, the stakes whereof shall never be plucked up, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken.  21 But there Jehovah will be with us in majesty, a place of broad rivers and streams, wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby. (This represents churches run by man's power.) 22 For Jehovah is our judge, Jehovah is our lawgiver, Jehovah is our king; he will save us. 23 Thy tacklings are loosed; they could not strengthen the foot of their mast, they could not spread the sail: (They do not have the power of the Spirit.) then was the prey of a great spoil divided; the lame took the prey. 24 And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.)   Tempted to Look at the Curse of the Snake  Claire Pienaar - 5/18/22  (David's notes in red) In this dream, I was on the third floor balcony of a high school. (The righteous are being tested by the unbelieving on every level of their maturity.) A boy named Kyle (meaning, “narrow") was trying his best to get me to come and see what he had. (I think this person might represent those who are narrow-minded.). (Those who are narrow minded when it comes to God and His Word try to put Him in a box and limit His ability to save us from the curse.) Another friend named Hamish (meaning, “supplanter") was trying to smooth-talk me into going and seeing what Kyle had. (The devil is a deceiver and a supplanter trying to trick us into believing in the curse and walking by sight.)  I already knew he had a big black snake, and I did not even want to look upon it from a distance, much less go see it up close. (We should be careful not to follow those who are lacking in fruit and discernment. True believers will get their eyes off of the curse and on to the promises. We should resist the temptation to ruminate on our trials or examine up close and focus on the lying symptoms of the curses that we are tested with.) Another person came to me and said, “Just be patient and go look at the snake”. (Rom 16:19  For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I rejoice therefore over you: but I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple unto that which is evil.) All those in this building were committed to looking at the curse of the snake, but I was not going to look at it at all. Then I woke up. (True believers have faith in the law of liberty instead of faith in the law of sin and death. James 1:25  But he that looketh into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and so continueth, being not a hearer that forgetteth but a doer that worketh, this man shall be blessed in his doing. And Rom 8:2: For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.).     Treading on the Serpent    Vanessa Weeks - 4/9/22 (David's notes in red) I dreamed that I was driving on a road to where we were meeting, and others from UBM were following. Three other women were in the car with me. The two in the back seat were visiting UBM.  David and Michael were following us in Michael's blue truck. (The blue truck represents that the “vehicle" of the Man-child Davids is being caught up to the throne of heavenly authority.) (Michael means “Who is like God?”) (He represents God's presence and authority that is with the Man-child Davids.) There were also two visitors riding with them. (Representing the 2 witnesses corporate body who follows the Man-child just as the 2 corporate witnesses who went forth two by two in order to spread the Gospel.) Even though David and Michael were behind us, they were driving faster than us. Isa 52:12  For ye shall not go out in haste, neither shall ye go by flight: for Jehovah will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rearward. I was thinking that some people may not know where we were going, so I was trying to sing loudly out the window as we passed each landmark. I was singing phrases like, "passed the trees", "turn right at the barn", "over the river” etc.  (Jos 3:4  Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go; for ye have not passed this way heretofore. And Joh 14:4-6  And whither I go, ye know the way.  5  Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; how know we the way?  6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me.) Those in captivity who don't know how to get to where we are will once again hear the voice of the Bridegroom and Bride and return out of their captivity. Jer 33:10-11, Thus saith Jehovah: Yet again there shall be heard in this place, … 11 the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, ... For I will cause the captivity of the land to return as at the first, saith Jehovah.) As we crossed a river over a bridge, there was a large black and white snake lying across the whole road. It had a black tail that was on the left side of the bridge. (I asked the Lord what this snake was, and received by faith at random Jer 22:25  and I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy life, and into the hand of them of whom thou art afraid, even into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of the Chaldeans.) (Representing Bel the DS Babylonish Dragon who stands in the way.)  I drove over the snake's tail and was singing as we crossed the river, “Over the river.” (The woman will escape the ”river of water” of lies that the Serpent or Dragon spews out of his mouth, trying to swallow her up. Rev. 12:13-16  And when the dragon saw that he was cast down to the earth, he persecuted the woman that brought forth the Man-child. 14 And there were given to the woman the two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness unto her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. 15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman water as a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the stream. 16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth. (The world will swallow the deceptions revealing to the righteous the wrong way.)   I knew this was also for William so he could find where we were meeting. Then I woke up. (William means, “conquerer” and represents a body of believers who are overcomers and will come out of Babylonish apostasy.  Rev. 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh, to him will I give of the hidden manna…)  Driving over the snakes tail made me think of  Luk 10:18-19  And he said unto them, I beheld Satan fallen as lightning from heaven. 19  Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you. (The tail of the Dragon represents the “prophet that speaks lies” in Isa. 9:13-16  Yet the people have not turned unto him that smote them, neither have they sought Jehovah of hosts. 14 Therefore Jehovah will cut off from Israel head and tail, palm-branch and rush, in one day. 15 The elder and the honorable man, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. 16 For they that lead this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.)   Angels Sent Out to Protect the Bride's Fruit Claire Pienaar - 1/27/22 (David's notes in red) ...I dreamed I walked out of my grandma's kitchen for a second time. (Grandma's kitchen is where the spiritual food of the original Word is prepared.) (Riaan: Walking out of grandma's kitchen is walking in the truth of the original Word.)  My three children were playing outside. They were all about 5 yrs old, and they all had brighter shades of blonde than they currently do. (Blonde hair represents submission to the sun/Son. The children represent the spiritual fruit of the Bride which is our personal Man-child and our fruit that we bear in the lives of others who are coming into the kingdom.)  (Riaan: The number 5 here represents grace, not self-works.  The "walking out” of Grandma's kitchen shows that walking by faith produced good fruit by God's grace. And, as we will see, this faith will be required for the upcoming trials.) My son, Daniel, was on a swing that was very rickety. (Riaan: Our son's name means, "God is my judge”.) The swing ropes were too short, and there was no safety bolt on the one side of the swing to keep the swing ropes secure. (Riaan: This could represent the immature who are swinging or wavering on unstable foundations that could lead to failure and judgment.)  I started telling him firmly, “Daniel, be careful!” But, he could not hear me as he was having too much fun. (Representing the immature who are caught up in the pleasures of life and don't hear.) I thought, “This is reckless!” and I started praying in the Spirit and I had a thought, “Send the angels”. (Heb 1:14  Are they (Speaking of the angels) not all ministering spirits, sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation?  We pray for the immature among God's elect and send the angels out to watch over them and bring them fully into the kingdom.) As I thought about sending the angels, he flipped out of the swing and went flying and the seat went flying with him. He was very high up in the sky, where the clouds were. I saw him go higher and higher and then, just as quickly, he hit the ground; the seat breaking his fall. (The immature will be forced through judgment to draw near to God and seek to abide in Christ to be seated with Him in heavenly places. Being seated with Christ will supernaturally protect and deliver them by breaking their fall and keep them from perishing in the judgments that are coming.) He immediately moved his arms and legs. (Representing the works and walk of Jesus. These will become true disciples; His hands and His feet.) I ran over to him, and I prayed and inspected his eyes and ears and nose. (Representing the spiritual senses of seeing, hearing and discernment being restored. This “accident” or judgment upon the careless, immature Christians will teach them the fear of the Lord and bring them revival.) An impact like that would usually rupture internal organs but he seemed 100%. (These judgments will bring many to maturity and they will become  true disciples.) I called for my daughters to get their dad. I was sure I was witnessing a miracle. Then I woke up. (Riaan: These people will only learn through trials and judgment. But the prayers of faith will bring household salvation. Mat 18:10  See that ye despise not one of these little ones: for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven). I asked the Lord immediately in my spirit, “Is this a warning for me?” “Is this a warning for Daniel?” “What are you trying to show me?” Daniel or “my fruit” defied death and the attacks of the enemy because I sent the angels.  I asked the Lord to speak to me about this dream. First, I repented for being fearful of a judgement on my fruit. I heard Him say, “This is a warning. You are not being judged, you are being attacked. Stand and fight”. (We were attacked with a severe wind storm during the night of this dream, but we prayed in faith, slept peacefully and in the morning, there was no damage, only a few flower petals on the ground). (Amen. The storms of judgment will have no effect upon those who abide in faith in their justification by faith and their Psalm 91 promises of protection.)   There's Safety in the Secret Place of the Most High  Claire Pienaar - 5/20/22  (David's notes in red) I dreamed I was in Japan, in the jungle. I was watching two snipers, who were camouflaged in the foliage, point their weapons towards a white little jet plane hovering in the sky. It was not moving across the blue sky; it was just staying in one spot. (This plane represents those who abide in heavenly places in Christ. Psa 11:2  For, lo, the wicked bend the bow, They make ready their arrow upon the string, That they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.)  Sometimes they missed the plane. Sometimes they hit the plane on the wings. (The enemy targets the wings because this is what keeps the plane in the heavenlies. Isa. 40:31 but they that wait for Jehovah shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint. And Rev 12:14 And there were given to the woman the two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness unto her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.)   The plane jiggled a little, then steadied itself. (Riaan: The fiery darts of the enemy trying to bring down vessels of honor, but the vessels remain in the heavenlies, unmoved.) (1Co. 15:58 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not vain in the Lord.) The Lord then translated me inside the jet plane for the remainder of the dream. There was no pilot in the plane. (This heavenly vehicle or mode of transportation is driven by the Holy Spirit of God and not by men's methods.)  There were no seats and It seemed that it was almost like a cargo plane, but instead of cargo, there were all these people dressed in white, sitting in a circle, holding hands, and praying. (Riaan: The lack of cargo symbolizes trusting completely in the Lord for provision and protection.) Then I woke up. I asked the Lord for a word by faith at random and received, Jonah 1:5  then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god; and they cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it unto them. But Jonah was gone down into the innermost parts of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep. (This represents being at rest and trusting the Lord in the midst of the stormy trials, represented by the attacks of the snipers.  Jesus also slept in the boat during the storm in, Luke 8:22-25  Now it came to pass on one of those days, that he entered into a boat, himself and his disciples; and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake: and they launched forth. 23 But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. (We go through many situations like this and we should remember that Jesus is in our boat.) 24 And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. And he awoke, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. 25 And he said unto them, Where is your faith? (Meaning we can do something about our situations.) And being afraid they marvelled, saying one to another, Who then is this, that he commandeth even the winds and the water, and they obey him?   East Coast Tsunami: Safety in the Heavenlies Michelle Rogers - 1/12/07  (Deb's notes in Green | David's notes in red) At the time of this dream, I was living in Norfolk, Virginia. In my dream I saw a huge fire ball fall from the sky into the Atlantic Ocean off of the coast of Virginia Beach.  (I believe this fire ball could be symbolic of God's judgment which will bring great revival. We recently received a revelation of a golden tsunami wave of revival that the Lord is going to use to sweep over his elect during a time of severe economic hardship and mass unemployment.) The fire ball sparked a massive tsunami that came rushing inland with a horrific, deafening roar. It's hard to put the sound and experience into words to really do it justice. (That sound and the experience of this dream is as real today as it was the night that I had it.) (Deb: The word "tsunami" is Japanese for "harbor wave" and "harbor" is defined as: "A sheltered part of a body of water deep enough to provide anchorage for ships. A place of shelter; a refuge." Maybe this is also a wordplay that the DS players will lose their shelter and be washed away. One of the phrases used by the White Hats is "watch the water.”) As the wave was roaring towards me, I grabbed my cell phone and frantically tried to call my family, but immediately realized with horror that all communications were down.  Then, I looked outside my window, and in the sky I saw planes flying overhead every which way. The planes seemed to be like those smaller Cessna planes and not the large jumbo jets. It was not clear if they were war planes or what they were doing flying around in the sky, but it was a prominent feature in the dream and just added to the sense of emergency and mass pandemonium. (This reminds me of the little jet plane in Claires dream above. Because it is a tsunami, small individual planes represent those who will escape by abiding "in heavenly places in Christ”.) Right before the mighty, rushing water was about to hit me, I suddenly awoke (thank goodness.)  We received encouraging words on the morning of 5-26-22 by faith at random. Words to the effect that No Weapon Formed Against Us Shall Prosper. David: I asked for the Lord to give me something Really good for us and got: (The Red Sea is coming for the enemies of God's people.) Eze 31:18 To whom art thou thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? yet shalt thou be brought down with the trees of Eden unto the nether parts of the earth: thou shalt lie in the midst of the uncircumcised, with them that are slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith the Lord Jehovah.   Winnie got: (God will bring back the elect captives and prosper and glorify his Bride to rebuild the Kingdom of God while her enemies will be humbled.) Isa 60:8-14  Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?  9  Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, for the name of Jehovah thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.  10  And foreigners shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favor have I had mercy on thee.  11  Thy gates also shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the wealth of the nations, and their kings led captive.  12  For that nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.  13  The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir-tree, the pine, and the box-tree together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious.  14  And the sons of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee The city of Jehovah, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Chuc got: (The Bride city will come to dominion again and the spiritually crippled will be made strong. The Bride will bring forth the Man-child reformers and conquer her enemies.)  Mic 4:6-13  In that day, saith Jehovah, will I assemble that which is lame, and I will gather that which is driven away, and that which I have afflicted;  7  and I will make that which was lame a remnant, and that which was cast far off a strong nation: and Jehovah will reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth even for ever.  8  And thou, O tower of the flock, the hill of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, yea, the former dominion shall come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.  9  Now why dost thou cry out aloud? Is there no king in thee, is thy counsellor perished, that pangs have taken hold of thee as of a woman in travail?  10  Be in pain, and labor to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail; for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and shalt dwell in the field, and shalt come even unto Babylon: there shalt thou be rescued; there will Jehovah redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies.  11  And now many nations are assembled against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye see our desire upon Zion.  12  But they know not the thoughts of Jehovah, neither understand they his counsel; for he hath gathered them as the sheaves to the threshing-floor.  13  Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion; for I will make thy horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass; and thou shalt beat in pieces many peoples: and I will devote their gain unto Jehovah, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth. Brandy got: (Those who sought to devour Jesus in the Man-child by word and Spirit will stumble and fall and be ruled over by him.) 1Pe 2:6-10  Because it is contained in scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: And he that believeth on him shall not be put to shame.  7  For you therefore that believe is the preciousness: but for such as disbelieve, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner;  8  and, A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence; for they stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.  9  But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:  10  who in time past were no people, but now are the people of God: who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Barry got: (The proud enemies who boast against the Bride and the Man-child shall be smitten.) Isa 36:13-18  Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and said, Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of Assyria.  14  Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you; for he will not be able to deliver you:  15  neither let Hezekiah make you trust in Jehovah, saying, Jehovah will surely deliver us; this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.  16  Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make your peace with me, and come out to me; and eat ye every one of his vine, and every one of his fig-tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his own cistern;  17  until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards.  18  Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, Jehovah will deliver us. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? Hezekiah was a type of the Man-child and 185,000 of the enemies were smitten and the City escaped their beast kingdom.) Gaynold got: (Those who return to the capitol city are the Bride and the David Man-childs and the tribes of God's people will return under them, all in peace.) Psa 122:1-9  A Song of Ascents; of David. I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go unto the house of Jehovah.  2  Our feet are standing Within thy gates, O Jerusalem,  3  Jerusalem, that art builded As a city that is compact together;  4  Whither the tribes go up, even the tribes of Jehovah, For an ordinance for Israel, To give thanks unto the name of Jehovah.  5  For there are set thrones for judgment, The thrones of the house of David.  6  Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: They shall prosper that love thee.  7  Peace be within thy walls, And prosperity within thy palaces.  8  For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee.  9  For the sake of the house of Jehovah our God I will seek thy good. Missy asked, "Where are we in prophetic time line” and got: (Revival of the former and latter rain is just ahead for those who will obey the commands of God and be blessed to take their Promised Land. Those who do not obey will be judged.)  Deu 11:13-25  And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love Jehovah your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,  14  that I will give the rain of your land in its season, the former rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy grain, and thy new wine, and thine oil.  15  And I will give grass in thy fields for thy cattle, and thou shalt eat and be full.  16  Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;  17  and the anger of Jehovah be kindled against you, and he shut up the heavens, so that there shall be no rain, and the land shall not yield its fruit; and ye perish quickly from off the good land which Jehovah giveth you.  18  Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul; and ye shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes.  19  And ye shall teach them your children, talking of them, when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.  20  And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thy house, and upon thy gates;  21  that your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which Jehovah sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of the heavens above the earth.  22  For if ye shall diligently keep all this commandment which I command you, to do it, to love Jehovah your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him;  23  then will Jehovah drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourselves.  24  Every place whereon the sole of your foot shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness, and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the hinder sea shall be your border.  25  There shall no man be able to stand before you: Jehovah your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon, as he hath spoken unto you. David: I also received this confirming text: Isa 49:8-26  Thus saith Jehovah, In an acceptable time have I answered thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee; and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to raise up the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritages:  9  saying to them that are bound, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and on all bare heights shall be their pasture.  10  They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them will lead them, even by springs of water will he guide them.  11  And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.  12  Lo, these shall come from far; and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.  13  Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for Jehovah hath comforted his people, and will have compassion upon his afflicted.  14  But Zion said, Jehovah hath forsaken me, and the Lord hath forgotten me.  15  Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, these may forget, yet will not I forget thee.  16  Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.  17  Thy children make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth from thee.  18  Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith Jehovah, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all as with an ornament, and gird thyself with them, like a bride.  19  For, as for thy waste and thy desolate places, and thy land that hath been destroyed, surely now shalt thou be too strait for the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away.  20  The children of thy bereavement shall yet say in thine ears, The place is too strait for me; give place to me that I may dwell.  21  Then shalt thou say in thy heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have been bereaved of my children, and am solitary, an exile, and wandering to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where were they?  22  Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and set up my ensign to the peoples; and they shall bring thy sons in their bosom, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.  23  And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their faces to the earth, and lick the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am Jehovah; and they that wait for me shall not be put to shame.  24  Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captives be delivered?  25  But thus saith Jehovah, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered; for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.  26  And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I, Jehovah, am thy Saviour, and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. (The haters of God's people will bite and devour one another.)     Select LanguageAfrikaansAlbanianAmharicArabicArmenianAzerbaijaniBasqueBelarusianBengaliBosnianBulgarianCatalanCebuanoChichewaChinese (Simplified)Chinese (Traditional)CorsicanCroatianCzechDanishDutchEsperantoEstonianFilipinoFinnishFrenchFrisianGalicianGeorgianGermanGreekGujaratiHaitian CreoleHausaHawaiianHebrewHindiHmongHungarianIcelandicIgboIndonesianIrishItalianJapaneseJavaneseKannadaKazakhKhmerKinyarwandaKoreanKurdish (Kurmanji)KyrgyzLaoLatinLatvianLithuanianLuxembourgishMacedonianMalagasyMalayMalayalamMalteseMaoriMarathiMongolianMyanmar (Burmese)NepaliNorwegianOdia (Oriya)PashtoPersianPolishPortuguesePunjabiRomanianRussianSamoanScots GaelicSerbianSesothoShonaSindhiSinhalaSlovakSlovenianSomaliSpanishSundaneseSwahiliSwedishTajikTamilTatarTeluguThaiTurkishTurkmenUkrainianUrduUyghurUzbekVietnameseWelshXhosaYiddishYorubaZulu Powered by Translate Printer-friendly version

Psalms and Wisdom: Psalm 130 Psalm 130 (Listen) My Soul Waits for the Lord A Song of Ascents. 130   Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!2     O Lord, hear my voice!  Let your ears be attentive    to the voice of my pleas for mercy! 3   If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities,    O Lord, who could stand?4   But with you there is forgiveness,    that you may be feared. 5   I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,    and in his word I hope;6   my soul waits for the Lord    more than watchmen for the morning,    more than watchmen for the morning. 7   O Israel, hope in the LORD!    For with the LORD there is steadfast love,    and with him is plentiful redemption.8   And he will redeem Israel    from all his iniquities. (ESV) Pentateuch and History: Numbers 10:11–36 Numbers 10:11–36 (Listen) Israel Leaves Sinai 11 In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony, 12 and the people of Israel set out by stages from the wilderness of Sinai. And the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran. 13 They set out for the first time at the command of the LORD by Moses. 14 The standard of the camp of the people of Judah set out first by their companies, and over their company was Nahshon the son of Amminadab. 15 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar. 16 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon. 17 And when the tabernacle was taken down, the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who carried the tabernacle, set out. 18 And the standard of the camp of Reuben set out by their companies, and over their company was Elizur the son of Shedeur. 19 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 20 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel. 21 Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy things, and the tabernacle was set up before their arrival. 22 And the standard of the camp of the people of Ephraim set out by their companies, and over their company was Elishama the son of Ammihud. 23 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 24 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni. 25 Then the standard of the camp of the people of Dan, acting as the rear guard of all the camps, set out by their companies, and over their company was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 26 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ochran. 27 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan. 28 This was the order of march of the people of Israel by their companies, when they set out. 29 And Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, “We are setting out for the place of which the LORD said, ‘I will give it to you.' Come with us, and we will do good to you, for the LORD has promised good to Israel.” 30 But he said to him, “I will not go. I will depart to my own land and to my kindred.” 31 And he said, “Please do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us. 32 And if you do go with us, whatever good the LORD will do to us, the same will we do to you.” 33 So they set out from the mount of the LORD three days' journey. And the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them three days' journey, to seek out a resting place for them. 34 And the cloud of the LORD was over them by day, whenever they set out from the camp. 35 And whenever the ark set out, Moses said, “Arise, O LORD, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you.” 36 And when it rested, he said, “Return, O LORD, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel.” (ESV) Chronicles and Prophets: Isaiah 48–49 Isaiah 48–49 (Listen) Israel Refined for God's Glory 48   Hear this, O house of Jacob,    who are called by the name of Israel,    and who came from the waters of Judah,  who swear by the name of the LORD    and confess the God of Israel,    but not in truth or right.2   For they call themselves after the holy city,    and stay themselves on the God of Israel;    the LORD of hosts is his name. 3   “The former things I declared of old;    they went out from my mouth, and I announced them;    then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.4   Because I know that you are obstinate,    and your neck is an iron sinew    and your forehead brass,5   I declared them to you from of old,    before they came to pass I announced them to you,  lest you should say, ‘My idol did them,    my carved image and my metal image commanded them.' 6   “You have heard; now see all this;    and will you not declare it?  From this time forth I announce to you new things,    hidden things that you have not known.7   They are created now, not long ago;    before today you have never heard of them,    lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.'8   You have never heard, you have never known,    from of old your ear has not been opened.  For I knew that you would surely deal treacherously,    and that from before birth you were called a rebel. 9   “For my name's sake I defer my anger;    for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you,    that I may not cut you off.10   Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver;    I have tried1 you in the furnace of affliction.11   For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it,    for how should my name2 be profaned?    My glory I will not give to another. The Lord's Call to Israel 12   “Listen to me, O Jacob,    and Israel, whom I called!  I am he; I am the first,    and I am the last.13   My hand laid the foundation of the earth,    and my right hand spread out the heavens;  when I call to them,    they stand forth together. 14   “Assemble, all of you, and listen!    Who among them has declared these things?  The LORD loves him;    he shall perform his purpose on Babylon,    and his arm shall be against the Chaldeans.15   I, even I, have spoken and called him;    I have brought him, and he will prosper in his way.16   Draw near to me, hear this:    from the beginning I have not spoken in secret,    from the time it came to be I have been there.”  And now the Lord GOD has sent me, and his Spirit. 17   Thus says the LORD,    your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:  “I am the LORD your God,    who teaches you to profit,    who leads you in the way you should go.18   Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments!    Then your peace would have been like a river,    and your righteousness like the waves of the sea;19   your offspring would have been like the sand,    and your descendants like its grains;  their name would never be cut off    or destroyed from before me.” 20   Go out from Babylon, flee from Chaldea,    declare this with a shout of joy, proclaim it,  send it out to the end of the earth;    say, “The LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob!”21   They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts;    he made water flow for them from the rock;    he split the rock and the water gushed out. 22   “There is no peace,” says the LORD, “for the wicked.” The Servant of the Lord 49   Listen to me, O coastlands,    and give attention, you peoples from afar.  The LORD called me from the womb,    from the body of my mother he named my name.2   He made my mouth like a sharp sword;    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;  he made me a polished arrow;    in his quiver he hid me away.3   And he said to me, “You are my servant,    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”34   But I said, “I have labored in vain;    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;  yet surely my right is with the LORD,    and my recompense with my God.” 5   And now the LORD says,    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,  to bring Jacob back to him;    and that Israel might be gathered to him—  for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,    and my God has become my strength—6   he says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant    to raise up the tribes of Jacob    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;  I will make you as a light for the nations,    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7   Thus says the LORD,    the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,  to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,    the servant of rulers:  “Kings shall see and arise;    princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;  because of the LORD, who is faithful,    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” The Restoration of Israel 8   Thus says the LORD:  “In a time of favor I have answered you;    in a day of salvation I have helped you;  I will keep you and give you    as a covenant to the people,  to establish the land,    to apportion the desolate heritages,9   saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,'    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.'  They shall feed along the ways;    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10   they shall not hunger or thirst,    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,  for he who has pity on them will lead them,    and by springs of water will guide them.11   And I will make all my mountains a road,    and my highways shall be raised up.12   Behold, these shall come from afar,    and behold, these from the north and from the west,4    and these from the land of Syene.”5 13   Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;    break forth, O mountains, into singing!  For the LORD has comforted his people    and will have compassion on his afflicted. 14   But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;    my Lord has forgotten me.” 15   “Can a woman forget her nursing child,    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget,    yet I will not forget you.16   Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;    your walls are continually before me.17   Your builders make haste;6    your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.18   Lift up your eyes around and see;    they all gather, they come to you.  As I live, declares the LORD,    you shall put them all on as an ornament;    you shall bind them on as a bride does. 19   “Surely your waste and your desolate places    and your devastated land—  surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,    and those who swallowed you up will be far away.20   The children of your bereavement    will yet say in your ears:  ‘The place is too narrow for me;    make room for me to dwell in.'21   Then you will say in your heart:    ‘Who has borne me these?  I was bereaved and barren,    exiled and put away,    but who has brought up these?  Behold, I was left alone;    from where have these come?'” 22   Thus says the Lord GOD:  “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,    and raise my signal to the peoples;  and they shall bring your sons in their arms,7    and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.23   Kings shall be your foster fathers,    and their queens your nursing mothers.  With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,    and lick the dust of your feet.  Then you will know that I am the LORD;    those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” 24   Can the prey be taken from the mighty,    or the captives of a tyrant8 be rescued?25   For thus says the LORD:  “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken,    and the prey of the tyrant be rescued,  for I will contend with those who contend with you,    and I will save your children.26   I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,    and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.  Then all flesh shall know    that I am the LORD your Savior,    and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Footnotes [1] 48:10 Or I have chosen [2] 48:11 Hebrew lacks my name [3] 49:3 Or I will display my beauty [4] 49:12 Hebrew from the sea [5] 49:12 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Sinim [6] 49:17 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Your children make haste [7] 49:22 Hebrew in their bosom [8] 49:24 Dead Sea Scroll, Syriac, Vulgate (see also verse 25); Masoretic Text of a righteous man (ESV) Gospels and Epistles: Colossians 2:6–23 Colossians 2:6–23 (Listen) Alive in Christ 6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits1 of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its lega

49 “Listen, O coastlands, to Me,And take heed, you peoples from afar!The Lord has called Me from the womb;From the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name.2 And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword;In the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me,And made Me a polished shaft;In His quiver He has hidden Me.”3 “And He said to me,‘You are My servant, O Israel,In whom I will be glorified.'4 Then I said, ‘I have labored in vain,I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain;Yet surely my just reward is with the Lord,And my work with my God.' ”5 “And now the Lord says,Who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant,To bring Jacob back to Him,So that Israel is gathered to Him(For I shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord,And My God shall be My strength),6 Indeed He says,‘It is too small a thing that You should be My ServantTo raise up the tribes of Jacob,And to restore the preserved ones of Israel;I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles,That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.' ”7 Thus says the Lord,The Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One,To Him whom man despises,To Him whom the nation abhors,To the Servant of rulers:“Kings shall see and arise,Princes also shall worship,Because of the Lord who is faithful,The Holy One of Israel;And He has chosen You.”8 Thus says the Lord:“In an acceptable time I have heard You,And in the day of salvation I have helped You;I will preserve You and give YouAs a covenant to the people,To restore the earth,To cause them to inherit the desolate heritages;9 That You may say to the prisoners, ‘Go forth,'To those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.'“They shall feed along the roads,And their pastures shall be on all desolate heights.10 They shall neither hunger nor thirst,Neither heat nor sun shall strike them;For He who has mercy on them will lead them,Even by the springs of water He will guide them.11 I will make each of My mountains a road,And My highways shall be elevated.12 Surely these shall come from afar;Look! Those from the north and the west,And these from the land of Sinim.”13 Sing, O heavens!Be joyful, O earth!And break out in singing, O mountains!For the Lord has comforted His people,And will have mercy on His afflicted.

Primeira Leitura: Isaías 49,8-15 Leitura do livro do profeta Isaías – 8Isto diz o Senhor: “Eu atendo teus pedidos com favores e te ajudo na obra de salvação; preservei-te para seres elo de aliança entre os povos, para restaurar a terra, para distribuir a herança dispersa; 9para dizer aos que estão presos: ‘Saí!' e aos que estão nas trevas: ‘Mostrai-vos'. E todos se alimentam pelas estradas e até nas colinas estéreis se abastecem; 10não sentem fome nem sede, não os castiga nem o calor nem o sol, porque o seu protetor toma conta deles e os conduz às fontes de água. 11Farei de todos os montes uma estrada, e os meus caminhos serão nivelados. 12Eis que estão vindo de longe, uns chegam do norte e do lado do mar, e outros, da terra de Sinim. 13Louvai, ó céus, alegra-te, terra; montanhas, fazei ressoar o louvor, porque o Senhor consola o seu povo e se compadece dos pobres. 14Disse Sião: ‘O Senhor abandonou-me, o Senhor esqueceu-se de mim!' 15Acaso pode a mulher esquecer-se do filho pequeno, a ponto de não ter pena do fruto de seu ventre? Se ela se esquecer, eu, porém, não me esquecerei de ti”. – Palavra do Senhor. Salmo Responsorial: 144(145) Misericórdia e piedade é o Senhor. 1. Misericórdia e piedade é o Senhor, / ele é amor, é paciência, é compaixão. / O Senhor é muito bom para com todos, / sua ternura abraça toda criatura. – R. 2. O Senhor é amor fiel em sua palavra, / é santidade em toda obra que ele faz. / Ele sustenta todo aquele que vacila / e levanta todo aquele que tombou. – R. 3. É justo o Senhor em seus caminhos, / é santo em toda obra que ele faz. / Ele está perto da pessoa que o invoca, / de todo aquele que o invoca lealmente. – R. Evangelho: João 5,17-30 Jesus Cristo, sois bendito, / sois o ungido de Deus Pai! Eu sou a ressurreição, eu sou a vida; / quem crê em mim, ainda que morra, viverá (Jo 11,25s). – R. Proclamação do Evangelho de Jesus Cristo segundo João – Naquele tempo, 17Jesus respondeu aos judeus: “Meu Pai trabalha sempre, portanto também eu trabalho”. 18Então, os judeus ainda mais procuravam matá-lo, porque, além de violar o sábado, chamava Deus o seu Pai, fazendo-se, assim, igual a Deus. 19Tomando a palavra, Jesus disse aos judeus: “Em verdade, em verdade vos digo, o Filho não pode fazer nada por si mesmo; ele faz apenas o que vê o Pai fazer. O que o Pai faz, o Filho o faz também. 20O Pai ama o Filho e lhe mostra tudo o que ele mesmo faz. E lhe mostrará obras maiores ainda, de modo que ficareis admirados. 21Assim como o Pai ressuscita os mortos e lhes dá a vida, o Filho também dá a vida a quem ele quer. 22De fato, o Pai não julga ninguém, mas ele deu ao Filho o poder de julgar, 23para que todos honrem o Filho assim como honram o Pai. Quem não honra o Filho também não honra o Pai, que o enviou. 24Em verdade, em verdade vos digo, quem ouve a minha palavra e crê naquele que me enviou possui a vida eterna. Não será condenado, pois já passou da morte para a vida. 25Em verdade, em verdade, eu vos digo, está chegando a hora, e já chegou, em que os mortos ouvirão a voz do Filho de Deus e os que a ouvirem viverão. 26Porque, assim como o Pai possui a vida em si mesmo, do mesmo modo concedeu ao Filho possuir a vida em si mesmo. 27Além disso, deu-lhe o poder de julgar, pois ele é o Filho do Homem. 28Não fiqueis admirados com isso, porque vai chegar a hora em que todos os que estão nos túmulos ouvirão a voz do Filho e sairão: 29aqueles que fizeram o bem ressuscitarão para a vida; e aqueles que praticaram o mal, para a condenação. 30Eu não posso fazer nada por mim mesmo. Eu julgo conforme o que escuto, e meu julgamento é justo, porque não procuro fazer a minha vontade, mas a vontade daquele que me enviou”. – Palavra da salvação.

2. Messiah's Mission Right mouse click to save/download this Podcast as a MP3 file 49:1 Listen, islands, to me; and listen, you peoples, from far: Yahweh has called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother has he made mention of my name: 49:2 and he has made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand, he has hidden me: and he has made me a polished shaft; in his quiver has he kept me close: 49:3 and he said to me, "You are my servant; Israel, in whom I will be glorified." 49:4 But I said, "I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely the justice due to me is with Yahweh, and my reward with my God." 49:5 Now says Yahweh who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, and that Israel be gathered to him (for I am honorable in the eyes of Yahweh, and my God has become my strength); 49:6 yes, he says, "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give you for a light to the nations, that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth." 49:7 Thus says Yahweh, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despises, to him whom the nation abhors, to a servant of rulers: "Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall worship; because of Yahweh who is faithful, even the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you." 49:8 Thus says Yahweh, "In an acceptable time have I answered you, and in a day of salvation have I helped you; and I will preserve you, and give you for a covenant of the people, to raise up the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritage: 49:9 saying to those who are bound, ‘Come out!'; to those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves!' "They shall feed in the ways, and on all bare heights shall be their pasture. 49:10 They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun strike them: for he who has mercy on them will lead them, even by springs of water he will guide them. 49:11 I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted. 49:12 Behold, these shall come from far; and behold, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim." 49:13 Sing, heavens; and be joyful, earth; and break forth into singing, mountains: for Yahweh has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his afflicted. The Servant This is the second Servant song, and here the Servant Himself is speaking!  We have no idea of his actual name but He does have a name (Isaiah 49:1)!  In the first Servant song, with the dispensing of justice as part of His identity, the Servant is a King! But not just a King, something more as well!  In this song, the Servant appears as if He is a prophet by the things He is saying.  He was called Isaiah 49v1) just as Jeremiah was.  The words he speak are as if a double-edged sword (Isaiah 49v2).  Despite the opposition (Isaiah 49v4), He perseveres to gain the reward and to glorify God (Isaiah 49v3).  And while we find His name is Israel!  Not the nation of Israel itself, but as a person who embodies all that Israel was meant to be and do.  This Servant would glorify God in all His ways.  This servant is a Prophet who is also a King.  This Servant is a perfect incarnation of God's light, covenant and salvation. The Servants Mission! In verse 5, the Servants mission is clear.  Firstly the Servant will be a light to the nation of Israel and then to be a light to the nations.  Isaiah 49:4 & 7 intimates the Servant will suffer for being who He is - despised and abhorred in slavish servitude.  This Servant will be despised by the very people He has been sent to. But He will eventually be worshipped and honoured by rulers and kings. The Servant is on a mission to bring all people back into relationship with God who is "the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One".  The exiled people will be restored to the land (Isaiah 49v8).  People are described as being freed from captivity and have all manner of needs met (Isaiah 49v9-10)! The Servant will gather people back to God just as a Shepherd gathers his flock of sheep. And it wont just be a restored Israel, but all peoples from all lands and nations, hence Isaiah 49:12 "Behold, these shall come from far; and behold, these from the north and from the west;"  This Servant King and Servant Prophet will shepherd people back into relationship with God and dispense God's justice throughout the whole world.  That is all part of the Messiah's mission - to bring comfort to people and compassion on the afflicted (Isaiah 49:13). Then as if bursting from the seams with praise, we read "Sing, heavens; and be joyful, earth; and break forth into singing, mountains: for Yahweh has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his afflicted." Jesus as the Servant Paul quotes Isaiah 49:8 in 2 Corinthians 6:1-2 "As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation." Paul here is saying to the Corinthians to grasp hold of God's offer of salvation, right now! Right now, because it is a time acceptable to God! But who is Paul talking about? Paul is talking about Jesus Christ "All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. Furthermore, He has committed to us the message of reconciliation." 2 Corinthians 5:18-19. Jesus Christ said of himself that he was the Good Shepherd (John 10) and the Light of the World rescuing those in darkness (John 8:12) - all images portrayed in this Servant Song of Isaiah 49v1-13..  Jesus came to save the lost (John 12:47) and to gather all people from all places back into relationship with God.  Jesus Christ, the man who was despised, abhorred and rejected by his own people just as the Servant of Isaiah 49 was to be.  Jesus Christ, who is honoured and worshipped, just as Isaiah 49 tells us the Servant would be.  Jesus Christ, the Servant King and Prophet, who had as His mission statement Mark 10:45 - "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." Right mouse click or tap here to save/download this Podcast as a MP3 file

Psalms and Wisdom: Psalm 138 Psalm 138 (Listen) Give Thanks to the Lord Of David. 138   I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart;    before the gods I sing your praise;2   I bow down toward your holy temple    and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,    for you have exalted above all things    your name and your word.13   On the day I called, you answered me;    my strength of soul you increased.2 4   All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD,    for they have heard the words of your mouth,5   and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD,    for great is the glory of the LORD.6   For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly,    but the haughty he knows from afar. 7   Though I walk in the midst of trouble,    you preserve my life;  you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,    and your right hand delivers me.8   The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;    your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever.    Do not forsake the work of your hands. Footnotes [1] 138:2 Or you have exalted your word above all your name [2] 138:3 Hebrew you made me bold in my soul with strength (ESV) Pentateuch and History: Job 27 Job 27 (Listen) Job Continues: I Will Maintain My Integrity 27 And Job again took up his discourse, and said: 2   “As God lives, who has taken away my right,    and the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter,3   as long as my breath is in me,    and the spirit of God is in my nostrils,4   my lips will not speak falsehood,    and my tongue will not utter deceit.5   Far be it from me to say that you are right;    till I die I will not put away my integrity from me.6   I hold fast my righteousness and will not let it go;    my heart does not reproach me for any of my days. 7   “Let my enemy be as the wicked,    and let him who rises up against me be as the unrighteous.8   For what is the hope of the godless when God cuts him off,    when God takes away his life?9   Will God hear his cry    when distress comes upon him?10   Will he take delight in the Almighty?    Will he call upon God at all times?11   I will teach you concerning the hand of God;    what is with the Almighty I will not conceal.12   Behold, all of you have seen it yourselves;    why then have you become altogether vain? 13   “This is the portion of a wicked man with God,    and the heritage that oppressors receive from the Almighty:14   If his children are multiplied, it is for the sword,    and his descendants have not enough bread.15   Those who survive him the pestilence buries,    and his widows do not weep.16   Though he heap up silver like dust,    and pile up clothing like clay,17   he may pile it up, but the righteous will wear it,    and the innocent will divide the silver.18   He builds his house like a moth's,    like a booth that a watchman makes.19   He goes to bed rich, but will do so no more;    he opens his eyes, and his wealth is gone.20   Terrors overtake him like a flood;    in the night a whirlwind carries him off.21   The east wind lifts him up and he is gone;    it sweeps him out of his place.22   It1 hurls at him without pity;    he flees from its2 power in headlong flight.23   It claps its hands at him    and hisses at him from its place. Footnotes [1] 27:22 Or He (that is, God); also verse 23 [2] 27:22 Or his; also verse 23 (ESV) Chronicles and Prophets: Isaiah 48–49 Isaiah 48–49 (Listen) Israel Refined for God's Glory 48   Hear this, O house of Jacob,    who are called by the name of Israel,    and who came from the waters of Judah,  who swear by the name of the LORD    and confess the God of Israel,    but not in truth or right.2   For they call themselves after the holy city,    and stay themselves on the God of Israel;    the LORD of hosts is his name. 3   “The former things I declared of old;    they went out from my mouth, and I announced them;    then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.4   Because I know that you are obstinate,    and your neck is an iron sinew    and your forehead brass,5   I declared them to you from of old,    before they came to pass I announced them to you,  lest you should say, ‘My idol did them,    my carved image and my metal image commanded them.' 6   “You have heard; now see all this;    and will you not declare it?  From this time forth I announce to you new things,    hidden things that you have not known.7   They are created now, not long ago;    before today you have never heard of them,    lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.'8   You have never heard, you have never known,    from of old your ear has not been opened.  For I knew that you would surely deal treacherously,    and that from before birth you were called a rebel. 9   “For my name's sake I defer my anger;    for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you,    that I may not cut you off.10   Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver;    I have tried1 you in the furnace of affliction.11   For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it,    for how should my name2 be profaned?    My glory I will not give to another. The Lord's Call to Israel 12   “Listen to me, O Jacob,    and Israel, whom I called!  I am he; I am the first,    and I am the last.13   My hand laid the foundation of the earth,    and my right hand spread out the heavens;  when I call to them,    they stand forth together. 14   “Assemble, all of you, and listen!    Who among them has declared these things?  The LORD loves him;    he shall perform his purpose on Babylon,    and his arm shall be against the Chaldeans.15   I, even I, have spoken and called him;    I have brought him, and he will prosper in his way.16   Draw near to me, hear this:    from the beginning I have not spoken in secret,    from the time it came to be I have been there.”  And now the Lord GOD has sent me, and his Spirit. 17   Thus says the LORD,    your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:  “I am the LORD your God,    who teaches you to profit,    who leads you in the way you should go.18   Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments!    Then your peace would have been like a river,    and your righteousness like the waves of the sea;19   your offspring would have been like the sand,    and your descendants like its grains;  their name would never be cut off    or destroyed from before me.” 20   Go out from Babylon, flee from Chaldea,    declare this with a shout of joy, proclaim it,  send it out to the end of the earth;    say, “The LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob!”21   They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts;    he made water flow for them from the rock;    he split the rock and the water gushed out. 22   “There is no peace,” says the LORD, “for the wicked.” The Servant of the Lord 49   Listen to me, O coastlands,    and give attention, you peoples from afar.  The LORD called me from the womb,    from the body of my mother he named my name.2   He made my mouth like a sharp sword;    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;  he made me a polished arrow;    in his quiver he hid me away.3   And he said to me, “You are my servant,    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”34   But I said, “I have labored in vain;    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;  yet surely my right is with the LORD,    and my recompense with my God.” 5   And now the LORD says,    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,  to bring Jacob back to him;    and that Israel might be gathered to him—  for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,    and my God has become my strength—6   he says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant    to raise up the tribes of Jacob    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;  I will make you as a light for the nations,    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7   Thus says the LORD,    the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,  to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,    the servant of rulers:  “Kings shall see and arise;    princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;  because of the LORD, who is faithful,    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” The Restoration of Israel 8   Thus says the LORD:  “In a time of favor I have answered you;    in a day of salvation I have helped you;  I will keep you and give you    as a covenant to the people,  to establish the land,    to apportion the desolate heritages,9   saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,'    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.'  They shall feed along the ways;    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10   they shall not hunger or thirst,    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,  for he who has pity on them will lead them,    and by springs of water will guide them.11   And I will make all my mountains a road,    and my highways shall be raised up.12   Behold, these shall come from afar,    and behold, these from the north and from the west,4    and these from the land of Syene.”5 13   Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;    break forth, O mountains, into singing!  For the LORD has comforted his people    and will have compassion on his afflicted. 14   But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;    my Lord has forgotten me.” 15   “Can a woman forget her nursing child,    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget,    yet I will not forget you.16   Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;    your walls are continually before me.17   Your builders make haste;6    your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.18   Lift up your eyes around and see;    they all gather, they come to you.  As I live, declares the LORD,    you shall put them all on as an ornament;    you shall bind them on as a bride does. 19   “Surely your waste and your desolate places    and your devastated land—  surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,    and those who swallowed you up will be far away.20   The children of your bereavement    will yet say in your ears:  ‘The place is too narrow for me;    make room for me to dwell in.'21   Then you will say in your heart:    ‘Who has borne me these?  I was bereaved and barren,    exiled and put away,    but who has brought up these?  Behold, I was left alone;    from where have these come?'” 22   Thus says the Lord GOD:  “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,    and raise my signal to the peoples;  and they shall bring your sons in their arms,7    and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.23   Kings shall be your foster fathers,    and their queens your nursing mothers.  With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,    and lick the dust of your feet.  Then you will know that I am the LORD;    those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” 24   Can the prey be taken from the mighty,    or the captives of a tyrant8 be rescued?25   For thus says the LORD:&am

Sinine laguun ja Sinimäed, Narva Veneetsia ja trepp nagu Odessas, tossavad korstnad ja katakombid. Kui minna koos Avasta Eesti reisijuhi Marko Kalduriga avastusretkele, siis avastab Eesti Kirdenurgas kontrastseid paiku, nii shokeerivat kui ilu. Sinna juurde ka nostalgiat Nõukogude Liidu ajast. Koos Markoga saab ettekujutuse Ida-Virumaa hingelaadist ja õigest tasakaalust. Saatejuht on Thea Karin.

Sinine laguun ja Sinimäed, Narva Veneetsia ja trepp nagu Odessas, tossavad korstnad ja katakombid. Kui minna koos Avasta Eesti reisijuhi Marko Kalduriga avastusretkele, siis avastab Eesti Kirdenurgas kontrastseid paiku, nii shokeerivat kui ilu. Sinna juurde ka nostalgiat Nõukogude Liidu ajast. Koos Markoga saab ettekujutuse Ida-Virumaa hingelaadist ja õigest tasakaalust. Saatejuht on Thea Karin.

Old Testament: Isaiah 49–51 Isaiah 49–51 (Listen) The Servant of the Lord 49   Listen to me, O coastlands,    and give attention, you peoples from afar.  The LORD called me from the womb,    from the body of my mother he named my name.2   He made my mouth like a sharp sword;    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;  he made me a polished arrow;    in his quiver he hid me away.3   And he said to me, “You are my servant,    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”14   But I said, “I have labored in vain;    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;  yet surely my right is with the LORD,    and my recompense with my God.” 5   And now the LORD says,    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,  to bring Jacob back to him;    and that Israel might be gathered to him—  for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,    and my God has become my strength—6   he says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant    to raise up the tribes of Jacob    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;  I will make you as a light for the nations,    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7   Thus says the LORD,    the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,  to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,    the servant of rulers:  “Kings shall see and arise;    princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;  because of the LORD, who is faithful,    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” The Restoration of Israel 8   Thus says the LORD:  “In a time of favor I have answered you;    in a day of salvation I have helped you;  I will keep you and give you    as a covenant to the people,  to establish the land,    to apportion the desolate heritages,9   saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,'    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.'  They shall feed along the ways;    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10   they shall not hunger or thirst,    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,  for he who has pity on them will lead them,    and by springs of water will guide them.11   And I will make all my mountains a road,    and my highways shall be raised up.12   Behold, these shall come from afar,    and behold, these from the north and from the west,2    and these from the land of Syene.”3 13   Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;    break forth, O mountains, into singing!  For the LORD has comforted his people    and will have compassion on his afflicted. 14   But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;    my Lord has forgotten me.” 15   “Can a woman forget her nursing child,    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget,    yet I will not forget you.16   Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;    your walls are continually before me.17   Your builders make haste;4    your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.18   Lift up your eyes around and see;    they all gather, they come to you.  As I live, declares the LORD,    you shall put them all on as an ornament;    you shall bind them on as a bride does. 19   “Surely your waste and your desolate places    and your devastated land—  surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,    and those who swallowed you up will be far away.20   The children of your bereavement    will yet say in your ears:  ‘The place is too narrow for me;    make room for me to dwell in.'21   Then you will say in your heart:    ‘Who has borne me these?  I was bereaved and barren,    exiled and put away,    but who has brought up these?  Behold, I was left alone;    from where have these come?'” 22   Thus says the Lord GOD:  “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,    and raise my signal to the peoples;  and they shall bring your sons in their arms,5    and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.23   Kings shall be your foster fathers,    and their queens your nursing mothers.  With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,    and lick the dust of your feet.  Then you will know that I am the LORD;    those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” 24   Can the prey be taken from the mighty,    or the captives of a tyrant6 be rescued?25   For thus says the LORD:  “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken,    and the prey of the tyrant be rescued,  for I will contend with those who contend with you,    and I will save your children.26   I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,    and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.  Then all flesh shall know    that I am the LORD your Savior,    and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Israel's Sin and the Servant's Obedience 50   Thus says the LORD:  “Where is your mother's certificate of divorce,    with which I sent her away?  Or which of my creditors is it    to whom I have sold you?  Behold, for your iniquities you were sold,    and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.2   Why, when I came, was there no man;    why, when I called, was there no one to answer?  Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem?    Or have I no power to deliver?  Behold, by my rebuke I dry up the sea,    I make the rivers a desert;  their fish stink for lack of water    and die of thirst.3   I clothe the heavens with blackness    and make sackcloth their covering.” 4   The Lord GOD has given me    the tongue of those who are taught,  that I may know how to sustain with a word    him who is weary.  Morning by morning he awakens;    he awakens my ear    to hear as those who are taught.5   The Lord GOD has opened my ear,    and I was not rebellious;    I turned not backward.6   I gave my back to those who strike,    and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard;  I hid not my face    from disgrace and spitting. 7   But the Lord GOD helps me;    therefore I have not been disgraced;  therefore I have set my face like a flint,    and I know that I shall not be put to shame.8     He who vindicates me is near.  Who will contend with me?    Let us stand up together.  Who is my adversary?    Let him come near to me.9   Behold, the Lord GOD helps me;    who will declare me guilty?  Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment;    the moth will eat them up. 10   Who among you fears the LORD    and obeys the voice of his servant?  Let him who walks in darkness    and has no light  trust in the name of the LORD    and rely on his God.11   Behold, all you who kindle a fire,    who equip yourselves with burning torches!  Walk by the light of your fire,    and by the torches that you have kindled!  This you have from my hand:    you shall lie down in torment. The Lord's Comfort for Zion 51   “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness,    you who seek the LORD:  look to the rock from which you were hewn,    and to the quarry from which you were dug.2   Look to Abraham your father    and to Sarah who bore you;  for he was but one when I called him,    that I might bless him and multiply him.3   For the LORD comforts Zion;    he comforts all her waste places  and makes her wilderness like Eden,    her desert like the garden of the LORD;  joy and gladness will be found in her,    thanksgiving and the voice of song. 4   “Give attention to me, my people,    and give ear to me, my nation;  for a law7 will go out from me,    and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples.5   My righteousness draws near,    my salvation has gone out,    and my arms will judge the peoples;  the coastlands hope for me,    and for my arm they wait.6   Lift up your eyes to the heavens,    and look at the earth beneath;  for the heavens vanish like smoke,    the earth will wear out like a garment,    and they who dwell in it will die in like manner;8  but my salvation will be forever,    and my righteousness will never be dismayed. 7   “Listen to me, you who know righteousness,    the people in whose heart is my law;  fear not the reproach of man,    nor be dismayed at their revilings.8   For the moth will eat them up like a garment,    and the worm will eat them like wool,  but my righteousness will be forever,    and my salvation to all generations.” 9   Awake, awake, put on strength,    O arm of the LORD;  awake, as in days of old,    the generations of long ago.  Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces,    who pierced the dragon?10   Was it not you who dried up the sea,    the waters of the great deep,  who made the depths of the sea a way    for the redeemed to pass over?11   And the ransomed of the LORD shall return    and come to Zion with singing;  everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;    they shall obtain gladness and joy,    and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. 12   “I, I am he who comforts you;    who are you that you are afraid of man who dies,    of the son of man who is made like grass,13   and have forgotten the LORD, your Maker,    who stretched out the heavens    and laid the foundations of the earth,  and you fear continually all the day    because of the wrath of the oppressor,  when he sets himself to destroy?    And where is the wrath of the oppressor?14   He who is bowed down shall speedily be released;    he shall not die and go down to the pit,    neither shall his bread be lacking.15   I am the LORD your God,    who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—    the LORD of hosts is his name.16   And I have put my words in your mouth    and covered you in the shadow of my hand,  establishing9 the heavens    and laying the foundations of the earth,    and saying to Zion, ‘You are my people.'” 17   Wake yourself, wake yourself,    stand up, O Jerusalem,  you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD    the cup of his wrath,  who have drunk to the dregs    the bowl, the cup of staggering.18   There is none to guide her    among all the sons she has borne;  there is none to take her by the hand    among all the sons she has brought up.19   These two things have happened to you—    who will console you?—  devastation and destruction, famine and sword;    who will comfort you?1020   Your sons have fainted;    they lie at the head of every street    like an antelope in a net;  they are full of the wrath of the LORD,    the rebuke of your God. 21   Therefore hear this, you who are afflicted,    who are drunk, but not with wine:22   Thus says your Lord, the LORD,    your God who pleads the cause of his people:  “Behold, I have taken from your hand the cup of staggering;  the bowl of my wrath you shall drink no more;23   and I will put it into the hand of your tormentors,    who have said to you,    ‘Bow down, that we may pass over';  and you have made your back like the ground    and like the street for them to pass over.” Footnotes [1] 49:3 Or I will display my beauty [2] 49:12 Hebrew from the sea [3] 49:12 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Sinim

Old Testament: Isaiah 49–51 Isaiah 49–51 (Listen) The Servant of the Lord 49   Listen to me, O coastlands,    and give attention, you peoples from afar.  The LORD called me from the womb,    from the body of my mother he named my name.2   He made my mouth like a sharp sword;    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;  he made me a polished arrow;    in his quiver he hid me away.3   And he said to me, “You are my servant,    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”14   But I said, “I have labored in vain;    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;  yet surely my right is with the LORD,    and my recompense with my God.” 5   And now the LORD says,    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,  to bring Jacob back to him;    and that Israel might be gathered to him—  for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,    and my God has become my strength—6   he says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant    to raise up the tribes of Jacob    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;  I will make you as a light for the nations,    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7   Thus says the LORD,    the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,  to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,    the servant of rulers:  “Kings shall see and arise;    princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;  because of the LORD, who is faithful,    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” The Restoration of Israel 8   Thus says the LORD:  “In a time of favor I have answered you;    in a day of salvation I have helped you;  I will keep you and give you    as a covenant to the people,  to establish the land,    to apportion the desolate heritages,9   saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,'    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.'  They shall feed along the ways;    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10   they shall not hunger or thirst,    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,  for he who has pity on them will lead them,    and by springs of water will guide them.11   And I will make all my mountains a road,    and my highways shall be raised up.12   Behold, these shall come from afar,    and behold, these from the north and from the west,2    and these from the land of Syene.”3 13   Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;    break forth, O mountains, into singing!  For the LORD has comforted his people    and will have compassion on his afflicted. 14   But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;    my Lord has forgotten me.” 15   “Can a woman forget her nursing child,    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget,    yet I will not forget you.16   Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;    your walls are continually before me.17   Your builders make haste;4    your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.18   Lift up your eyes around and see;    they all gather, they come to you.  As I live, declares the LORD,    you shall put them all on as an ornament;    you shall bind them on as a bride does. 19   “Surely your waste and your desolate places    and your devastated land—  surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,    and those who swallowed you up will be far away.20   The children of your bereavement    will yet say in your ears:  ‘The place is too narrow for me;    make room for me to dwell in.'21   Then you will say in your heart:    ‘Who has borne me these?  I was bereaved and barren,    exiled and put away,    but who has brought up these?  Behold, I was left alone;    from where have these come?'” 22   Thus says the Lord GOD:  “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,    and raise my signal to the peoples;  and they shall bring your sons in their arms,5    and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.23   Kings shall be your foster fathers,    and their queens your nursing mothers.  With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,    and lick the dust of your feet.  Then you will know that I am the LORD;    those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” 24   Can the prey be taken from the mighty,    or the captives of a tyrant6 be rescued?25   For thus says the LORD:  “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken,    and the prey of the tyrant be rescued,  for I will contend with those who contend with you,    and I will save your children.26   I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,    and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.  Then all flesh shall know    that I am the LORD your Savior,    and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Israel's Sin and the Servant's Obedience 50   Thus says the LORD:  “Where is your mother's certificate of divorce,    with which I sent her away?  Or which of my creditors is it    to whom I have sold you?  Behold, for your iniquities you were sold,    and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.2   Why, when I came, was there no man;    why, when I called, was there no one to answer?  Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem?    Or have I no power to deliver?  Behold, by my rebuke I dry up the sea,    I make the rivers a desert;  their fish stink for lack of water    and die of thirst.3   I clothe the heavens with blackness    and make sackcloth their covering.” 4   The Lord GOD has given me    the tongue of those who are taught,  that I may know how to sustain with a word    him who is weary.  Morning by morning he awakens;    he awakens my ear    to hear as those who are taught.5   The Lord GOD has opened my ear,    and I was not rebellious;    I turned not backward.6   I gave my back to those who strike,    and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard;  I hid not my face    from disgrace and spitting. 7   But the Lord GOD helps me;    therefore I have not been disgraced;  therefore I have set my face like a flint,    and I know that I shall not be put to shame.8     He who vindicates me is near.  Who will contend with me?    Let us stand up together.  Who is my adversary?    Let him come near to me.9   Behold, the Lord GOD helps me;    who will declare me guilty?  Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment;    the moth will eat them up. 10   Who among you fears the LORD    and obeys the voice of his servant?  Let him who walks in darkness    and has no light  trust in the name of the LORD    and rely on his God.11   Behold, all you who kindle a fire,    who equip yourselves with burning torches!  Walk by the light of your fire,    and by the torches that you have kindled!  This you have from my hand:    you shall lie down in torment. The Lord's Comfort for Zion 51   “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness,    you who seek the LORD:  look to the rock from which you were hewn,    and to the quarry from which you were dug.2   Look to Abraham your father    and to Sarah who bore you;  for he was but one when I called him,    that I might bless him and multiply him.3   For the LORD comforts Zion;    he comforts all her waste places  and makes her wilderness like Eden,    her desert like the garden of the LORD;  joy and gladness will be found in her,    thanksgiving and the voice of song. 4   “Give attention to me, my people,    and give ear to me, my nation;  for a law7 will go out from me,    and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples.5   My righteousness draws near,    my salvation has gone out,    and my arms will judge the peoples;  the coastlands hope for me,    and for my arm they wait.6   Lift up your eyes to the heavens,    and look at the earth beneath;  for the heavens vanish like smoke,    the earth will wear out like a garment,    and they who dwell in it will die in like manner;8  but my salvation will be forever,    and my righteousness will never be dismayed. 7   “Listen to me, you who know righteousness,    the people in whose heart is my law;  fear not the reproach of man,    nor be dismayed at their revilings.8   For the moth will eat them up like a garment,    and the worm will eat them like wool,  but my righteousness will be forever,    and my salvation to all generations.” 9   Awake, awake, put on strength,    O arm of the LORD;  awake, as in days of old,    the generations of long ago.  Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces,    who pierced the dragon?10   Was it not you who dried up the sea,    the waters of the great deep,  who made the depths of the sea a way    for the redeemed to pass over?11   And the ransomed of the LORD shall return    and come to Zion with singing;  everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;    they shall obtain gladness and joy,    and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. 12   “I, I am he who comforts you;    who are you that you are afraid of man who dies,    of the son of man who is made like grass,13   and have forgotten the LORD, your Maker,    who stretched out the heavens    and laid the foundations of the earth,  and you fear continually all the day    because of the wrath of the oppressor,  when he sets himself to destroy?    And where is the wrath of the oppressor?14   He who is bowed down shall speedily be released;    he shall not die and go down to the pit,    neither shall his bread be lacking.15   I am the LORD your God,    who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—    the LORD of hosts is his name.16   And I have put my words in your mouth    and covered you in the shadow of my hand,  establishing9 the heavens    and laying the foundations of the earth,    and saying to Zion, ‘You are my people.'” 17   Wake yourself, wake yourself,    stand up, O Jerusalem,  you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD    the cup of his wrath,  who have drunk to the dregs    the bowl, the cup of staggering.18   There is none to guide her    among all the sons she has borne;  there is none to take her by the hand    among all the sons she has brought up.19   These two things have happened to you—    who will console you?—  devastation and destruction, famine and sword;    who will comfort you?1020   Your sons have fainted;    they lie at the head of every street    like an antelope in a net;  they are full of the wrath of the LORD,    the rebuke of your God. 21   Therefore hear this, you who are afflicted,    who are drunk, but not with wine:22   Thus says your Lord, the LORD,    your God who pleads the cause of his people:  “Behold, I have taken from your hand the cup of staggering;  the bowl of my wrath you shall drink no more;23   and I will put it into the hand of your tormentors,    who have said to you,    ‘Bow down, that we may pass over';  and you have made your back like the ground    and like the street for them to pass over.” Footnotes [1] 49:3 Or I will display my beauty [2] 49:12 Hebrew from the sea [3] 49:12 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Sinim

Morning: Isaiah 48–49 Isaiah 48–49 (Listen) Israel Refined for God's Glory 48   Hear this, O house of Jacob,    who are called by the name of Israel,    and who came from the waters of Judah,  who swear by the name of the LORD    and confess the God of Israel,    but not in truth or right.2   For they call themselves after the holy city,    and stay themselves on the God of Israel;    the LORD of hosts is his name. 3   “The former things I declared of old;    they went out from my mouth, and I announced them;    then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.4   Because I know that you are obstinate,    and your neck is an iron sinew    and your forehead brass,5   I declared them to you from of old,    before they came to pass I announced them to you,  lest you should say, ‘My idol did them,    my carved image and my metal image commanded them.' 6   “You have heard; now see all this;    and will you not declare it?  From this time forth I announce to you new things,    hidden things that you have not known.7   They are created now, not long ago;    before today you have never heard of them,    lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.'8   You have never heard, you have never known,    from of old your ear has not been opened.  For I knew that you would surely deal treacherously,    and that from before birth you were called a rebel. 9   “For my name's sake I defer my anger;    for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you,    that I may not cut you off.10   Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver;    I have tried1 you in the furnace of affliction.11   For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it,    for how should my name2 be profaned?    My glory I will not give to another. The Lord's Call to Israel 12   “Listen to me, O Jacob,    and Israel, whom I called!  I am he; I am the first,    and I am the last.13   My hand laid the foundation of the earth,    and my right hand spread out the heavens;  when I call to them,    they stand forth together. 14   “Assemble, all of you, and listen!    Who among them has declared these things?  The LORD loves him;    he shall perform his purpose on Babylon,    and his arm shall be against the Chaldeans.15   I, even I, have spoken and called him;    I have brought him, and he will prosper in his way.16   Draw near to me, hear this:    from the beginning I have not spoken in secret,    from the time it came to be I have been there.”  And now the Lord GOD has sent me, and his Spirit. 17   Thus says the LORD,    your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:  “I am the LORD your God,    who teaches you to profit,    who leads you in the way you should go.18   Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments!    Then your peace would have been like a river,    and your righteousness like the waves of the sea;19   your offspring would have been like the sand,    and your descendants like its grains;  their name would never be cut off    or destroyed from before me.” 20   Go out from Babylon, flee from Chaldea,    declare this with a shout of joy, proclaim it,  send it out to the end of the earth;    say, “The LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob!”21   They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts;    he made water flow for them from the rock;    he split the rock and the water gushed out. 22   “There is no peace,” says the LORD, “for the wicked.” The Servant of the Lord 49   Listen to me, O coastlands,    and give attention, you peoples from afar.  The LORD called me from the womb,    from the body of my mother he named my name.2   He made my mouth like a sharp sword;    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;  he made me a polished arrow;    in his quiver he hid me away.3   And he said to me, “You are my servant,    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”34   But I said, “I have labored in vain;    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;  yet surely my right is with the LORD,    and my recompense with my God.” 5   And now the LORD says,    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,  to bring Jacob back to him;    and that Israel might be gathered to him—  for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,    and my God has become my strength—6   he says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant    to raise up the tribes of Jacob    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;  I will make you as a light for the nations,    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7   Thus says the LORD,    the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,  to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,    the servant of rulers:  “Kings shall see and arise;    princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;  because of the LORD, who is faithful,    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” The Restoration of Israel 8   Thus says the LORD:  “In a time of favor I have answered you;    in a day of salvation I have helped you;  I will keep you and give you    as a covenant to the people,  to establish the land,    to apportion the desolate heritages,9   saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,'    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.'  They shall feed along the ways;    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10   they shall not hunger or thirst,    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,  for he who has pity on them will lead them,    and by springs of water will guide them.11   And I will make all my mountains a road,    and my highways shall be raised up.12   Behold, these shall come from afar,    and behold, these from the north and from the west,4    and these from the land of Syene.”5 13   Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;    break forth, O mountains, into singing!  For the LORD has comforted his people    and will have compassion on his afflicted. 14   But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;    my Lord has forgotten me.” 15   “Can a woman forget her nursing child,    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget,    yet I will not forget you.16   Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;    your walls are continually before me.17   Your builders make haste;6    your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.18   Lift up your eyes around and see;    they all gather, they come to you.  As I live, declares the LORD,    you shall put them all on as an ornament;    you shall bind them on as a bride does. 19   “Surely your waste and your desolate places    and your devastated land—  surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,    and those who swallowed you up will be far away.20   The children of your bereavement    will yet say in your ears:  ‘The place is too narrow for me;    make room for me to dwell in.'21   Then you will say in your heart:    ‘Who has borne me these?  I was bereaved and barren,    exiled and put away,    but who has brought up these?  Behold, I was left alone;    from where have these come?'” 22   Thus says the Lord GOD:  “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,    and raise my signal to the peoples;  and they shall bring your sons in their arms,7    and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.23   Kings shall be your foster fathers,    and their queens your nursing mothers.  With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,    and lick the dust of your feet.  Then you will know that I am the LORD;    those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” 24   Can the prey be taken from the mighty,    or the captives of a tyrant8 be rescued?25   For thus says the LORD:  “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken,    and the prey of the tyrant be rescued,  for I will contend with those who contend with you,    and I will save your children.26   I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,    and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.  Then all flesh shall know    that I am the LORD your Savior,    and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Footnotes [1] 48:10 Or I have chosen [2] 48:11 Hebrew lacks my name [3] 49:3 Or I will display my beauty [4] 49:12 Hebrew from the sea [5] 49:12 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Sinim [6] 49:17 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Your children make haste [7] 49:22 Hebrew in their bosom [8] 49:24 Dead Sea Scroll, Syriac, Vulgate (see also verse 25); Masoretic Text of a righteous man (ESV) Evening: Colossians 4 Colossians 4 (Listen) 4 Masters, treat your bondservants1 justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven. Further Instructions 2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. 5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. Final Greetings 7 Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant2 in the Lord. 8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts, 9 and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here. 10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. 14 Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers3 at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. 16 And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. 17 And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.” 18 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. Footnotes [1] 4:1 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; likewise for servant in verse 12 [2] 4:7 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word sundoulos, see Preface [3] 4:15 Or brothers and sisters (ESV)

Laura Sinimäe

Isaiah 49–53 Isaiah 49–53 (Listen) The Servant of the Lord 49   Listen to me, O coastlands,    and give attention, you peoples from afar.  The LORD called me from the womb,    from the body of my mother he named my name.2   He made my mouth like a sharp sword;    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;  he made me a polished arrow;    in his quiver he hid me away.3   And he said to me, “You are my servant,    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”14   But I said, “I have labored in vain;    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;  yet surely my right is with the LORD,    and my recompense with my God.” 5   And now the LORD says,    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,  to bring Jacob back to him;    and that Israel might be gathered to him—  for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,    and my God has become my strength—6   he says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant    to raise up the tribes of Jacob    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;  I will make you as a light for the nations,    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7   Thus says the LORD,    the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,  to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,    the servant of rulers:  “Kings shall see and arise;    princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;  because of the LORD, who is faithful,    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” The Restoration of Israel 8   Thus says the LORD:  “In a time of favor I have answered you;    in a day of salvation I have helped you;  I will keep you and give you    as a covenant to the people,  to establish the land,    to apportion the desolate heritages,9   saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,'    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.'  They shall feed along the ways;    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10   they shall not hunger or thirst,    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,  for he who has pity on them will lead them,    and by springs of water will guide them.11   And I will make all my mountains a road,    and my highways shall be raised up.12   Behold, these shall come from afar,    and behold, these from the north and from the west,2    and these from the land of Syene.”3 13   Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;    break forth, O mountains, into singing!  For the LORD has comforted his people    and will have compassion on his afflicted. 14   But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;    my Lord has forgotten me.” 15   “Can a woman forget her nursing child,    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget,    yet I will not forget you.16   Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;    your walls are continually before me.17   Your builders make haste;4    your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.18   Lift up your eyes around and see;    they all gather, they come to you.  As I live, declares the LORD,    you shall put them all on as an ornament;    you shall bind them on as a bride does. 19   “Surely your waste and your desolate places    and your devastated land—  surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,    and those who swallowed you up will be far away.20   The children of your bereavement    will yet say in your ears:  ‘The place is too narrow for me;    make room for me to dwell in.'21   Then you will say in your heart:    ‘Who has borne me these?  I was bereaved and barren,    exiled and put away,    but who has brought up these?  Behold, I was left alone;    from where have these come?'” 22   Thus says the Lord GOD:  “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,    and raise my signal to the peoples;  and they shall bring your sons in their arms,5    and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.23   Kings shall be your foster fathers,    and their queens your nursing mothers.  With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,    and lick the dust of your feet.  Then you will know that I am the LORD;    those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” 24   Can the prey be taken from the mighty,    or the captives of a tyrant6 be rescued?25   For thus says the LORD:  “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken,    and the prey of the tyrant be rescued,  for I will contend with those who contend with you,    and I will save your children.26   I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,    and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.  Then all flesh shall know    that I am the LORD your Savior,    and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Israel's Sin and the Servant's Obedience 50   Thus says the LORD:  “Where is your mother's certificate of divorce,    with which I sent her away?  Or which of my creditors is it    to whom I have sold you?  Behold, for your iniquities you were sold,    and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.2   Why, when I came, was there no man;    why, when I called, was there no one to answer?  Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem?    Or have I no power to deliver?  Behold, by my rebuke I dry up the sea,    I make the rivers a desert;  their fish stink for lack of water    and die of thirst.3   I clothe the heavens with blackness    and make sackcloth their covering.” 4   The Lord GOD has given me    the tongue of those who are taught,  that I may know how to sustain with a word    him who is weary.  Morning by morning he awakens;    he awakens my ear    to hear as those who are taught.5   The Lord GOD has opened my ear,    and I was not rebellious;    I turned not backward.6   I gave my back to those who strike,    and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard;  I hid not my face    from disgrace and spitting. 7   But the Lord GOD helps me;    therefore I have not been disgraced;  therefore I have set my face like a flint,    and I know that I shall not be put to shame.8     He who vindicates me is near.  Who will contend with me?    Let us stand up together.  Who is my adversary?    Let him come near to me.9   Behold, the Lord GOD helps me;    who will declare me guilty?  Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment;    the moth will eat them up. 10   Who among you fears the LORD    and obeys the voice of his servant?  Let him who walks in darkness    and has no light  trust in the name of the LORD    and rely on his God.11   Behold, all you who kindle a fire,    who equip yourselves with burning torches!  Walk by the light of your fire,    and by the torches that you have kindled!  This you have from my hand:    you shall lie down in torment. The Lord's Comfort for Zion 51   “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness,    you who seek the LORD:  look to the rock from which you were hewn,    and to the quarry from which you were dug.2   Look to Abraham your father    and to Sarah who bore you;  for he was but one when I called him,    that I might bless him and multiply him.3   For the LORD comforts Zion;    he comforts all her waste places  and makes her wilderness like Eden,    her desert like the garden of the LORD;  joy and gladness will be found in her,    thanksgiving and the voice of song. 4   “Give attention to me, my people,    and give ear to me, my nation;  for a law7 will go out from me,    and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples.5   My righteousness draws near,    my salvation has gone out,    and my arms will judge the peoples;  the coastlands hope for me,    and for my arm they wait.6   Lift up your eyes to the heavens,    and look at the earth beneath;  for the heavens vanish like smoke,    the earth will wear out like a garment,    and they who dwell in it will die in like manner;8  but my salvation will be forever,    and my righteousness will never be dismayed. 7   “Listen to me, you who know righteousness,    the people in whose heart is my law;  fear not the reproach of man,    nor be dismayed at their revilings.8   For the moth will eat them up like a garment,    and the worm will eat them like wool,  but my righteousness will be forever,    and my salvation to all generations.” 9   Awake, awake, put on strength,    O arm of the LORD;  awake, as in days of old,    the generations of long ago.  Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces,    who pierced the dragon?10   Was it not you who dried up the sea,    the waters of the great deep,  who made the depths of the sea a way    for the redeemed to pass over?11   And the ransomed of the LORD shall return    and come to Zion with singing;  everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;    they shall obtain gladness and joy,    and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. 12   “I, I am he who comforts you;    who are you that you are afraid of man who dies,    of the son of man who is made like grass,13   and have forgotten the LORD, your Maker,    who stretched out the heavens    and laid the foundations of the earth,  and you fear continually all the day    because of the wrath of the oppressor,  when he sets himself to destroy?    And where is the wrath of the oppressor?14   He who is bowed down shall speedily be released;    he shall not die and go down to the pit,    neither shall his bread be lacking.15   I am the LORD your God,    who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—    the LORD of hosts is his name.16   And I have put my words in your mouth    and covered you in the shadow of my hand,  establishing9 the heavens    and laying the foundations of the earth,    and saying to Zion, ‘You are my people.'” 17   Wake yourself, wake yourself,    stand up, O Jerusalem,  you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD    the cup of his wrath,  who have drunk to the dregs    the bowl, the cup of staggering.18   There is none to guide her    among all the sons she has borne;  there is none to take her by the hand    among all the sons she has brought up.19   These two things have happened to you—    who will console you?—  devastation and destruction, famine and sword;    who will comfort you?1020   Your sons have fainted;    they lie at the head of every street    like an antelope in a net;  they are full of the wrath of the LORD,    the rebuke of your God. 21   Therefore hear this, you who are afflicted,    who are drunk, but not with wine:22   Thus says your Lord, the LORD,    your God who pleads the cause of his people:  “Behold, I have taken from your hand the cup of staggering;  the bowl of my wrath you shall drink no more;23   and I will put it into the hand of your tormentors,    who have said to you,    ‘Bow down, that we may pass over';  and you have made your back like the ground    and like the street for them to pass over.” The Lord's Coming Salvation 52   Awake, awake,    put on your strength, O Zion;  put on your beautiful garments,    O Jerusalem, the hol

With family: Deuteronomy 22; Psalms 110–111 Deuteronomy 22 (Listen) Various Laws 22 “You shall not see your brother's ox or his sheep going astray and ignore them. You shall take them back to your brother. 2 And if he does not live near you and you do not know who he is, you shall bring it home to your house, and it shall stay with you until your brother seeks it. Then you shall restore it to him. 3 And you shall do the same with his donkey or with his garment, or with any lost thing of your brother's, which he loses and you find; you may not ignore it. 4 You shall not see your brother's donkey or his ox fallen down by the way and ignore them. You shall help him to lift them up again. 5 “A woman shall not wear a man's garment, nor shall a man put on a woman's cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God. 6 “If you come across a bird's nest in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs and the mother sitting on the young or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young. 7 You shall let the mother go, but the young you may take for yourself, that it may go well with you, and that you may live long. 8 “When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, that you may not bring the guilt of blood upon your house, if anyone should fall from it. 9 “You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seed, lest the whole yield be forfeited,1 the crop that you have sown and the yield of the vineyard. 10 You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together. 11 You shall not wear cloth of wool and linen mixed together. 12 “You shall make yourself tassels on the four corners of the garment with which you cover yourself. Laws Concerning Sexual Immorality 13 “If any man takes a wife and goes in to her and then hates her 14 and accuses her of misconduct and brings a bad name upon her, saying, ‘I took this woman, and when I came near her, I did not find in her evidence of virginity,' 15 then the father of the young woman and her mother shall take and bring out the evidence of her virginity to the elders of the city in the gate. 16 And the father of the young woman shall say to the elders, ‘I gave my daughter to this man to marry, and he hates her; 17 and behold, he has accused her of misconduct, saying, “I did not find in your daughter evidence of virginity.” And yet this is the evidence of my daughter's virginity.' And they shall spread the cloak before the elders of the city. 18 Then the elders of that city shall take the man and whip2 him, 19 and they shall fine him a hundred shekels3 of silver and give them to the father of the young woman, because he has brought a bad name upon a virgin4 of Israel. And she shall be his wife. He may not divorce her all his days. 20 But if the thing is true, that evidence of virginity was not found in the young woman, 21 then they shall bring out the young woman to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones, because she has done an outrageous thing in Israel by whoring in her father's house. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. 22 “If a man is found lying with the wife of another man, both of them shall die, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman. So you shall purge the evil from Israel. 23 “If there is a betrothed virgin, and a man meets her in the city and lies with her, 24 then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them to death with stones, the young woman because she did not cry for help though she was in the city, and the man because he violated his neighbor's wife. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. 25 “But if in the open country a man meets a young woman who is betrothed, and the man seizes her and lies with her, then only the man who lay with her shall die. 26 But you shall do nothing to the young woman; she has committed no offense punishable by death. For this case is like that of a man attacking and murdering his neighbor, 27 because he met her in the open country, and though the betrothed young woman cried for help there was no one to rescue her. 28 “If a man meets a virgin who is not betrothed, and seizes her and lies with her, and they are found, 29 then the man who lay with her shall give to the father of the young woman fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife, because he has violated her. He may not divorce her all his days. 5 30 “A man shall not take his father's wife, so that he does not uncover his father's nakedness.6 Footnotes [1] 22:9 Hebrew become holy [2] 22:18 Or discipline [3] 22:19 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams [4] 22:19 Or girl of marriageable age [5] 22:29 Ch 23:1 in Hebrew [6] 22:30 Hebrew uncover his father's skirt (ESV) Psalms 110–111 (Listen) Sit at My Right Hand A Psalm of David. 110   The LORD says to my Lord:    “Sit at my right hand,  until I make your enemies your footstool.” 2   The LORD sends forth from Zion    your mighty scepter.    Rule in the midst of your enemies!3   Your people will offer themselves freely    on the day of your power,1    in holy garments;2  from the womb of the morning,    the dew of your youth will be yours.34   The LORD has sworn    and will not change his mind,  “You are a priest forever    after the order of Melchizedek.” 5   The Lord is at your right hand;    he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.6   He will execute judgment among the nations,    filling them with corpses;  he will shatter chiefs4    over the wide earth.7   He will drink from the brook by the way;    therefore he will lift up his head. Great Are the Lord's Works 111   5 Praise the LORD!  I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart,    in the company of the upright, in the congregation.2   Great are the works of the LORD,    studied by all who delight in them.3   Full of splendor and majesty is his work,    and his righteousness endures forever.4   He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered;    the LORD is gracious and merciful.5   He provides food for those who fear him;    he remembers his covenant forever.6   He has shown his people the power of his works,    in giving them the inheritance of the nations.7   The works of his hands are faithful and just;    all his precepts are trustworthy;8   they are established forever and ever,    to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.9   He sent redemption to his people;    he has commanded his covenant forever.    Holy and awesome is his name!10   The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;    all those who practice it have a good understanding.    His praise endures forever! Footnotes [1] 110:3 Or on the day you lead your forces [2] 110:3 Masoretic Text; some Hebrew manuscripts and Jerome on the holy mountains [3] 110:3 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain [4] 110:6 Or the head [5] 111:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, each line beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet (ESV) In private: Isaiah 49; Revelation 19 Isaiah 49 (Listen) The Servant of the Lord 49   Listen to me, O coastlands,    and give attention, you peoples from afar.  The LORD called me from the womb,    from the body of my mother he named my name.2   He made my mouth like a sharp sword;    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;  he made me a polished arrow;    in his quiver he hid me away.3   And he said to me, “You are my servant,    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”14   But I said, “I have labored in vain;    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;  yet surely my right is with the LORD,    and my recompense with my God.” 5   And now the LORD says,    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,  to bring Jacob back to him;    and that Israel might be gathered to him—  for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,    and my God has become my strength—6   he says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant    to raise up the tribes of Jacob    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;  I will make you as a light for the nations,    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7   Thus says the LORD,    the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,  to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,    the servant of rulers:  “Kings shall see and arise;    princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;  because of the LORD, who is faithful,    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” The Restoration of Israel 8   Thus says the LORD:  “In a time of favor I have answered you;    in a day of salvation I have helped you;  I will keep you and give you    as a covenant to the people,  to establish the land,    to apportion the desolate heritages,9   saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,'    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.'  They shall feed along the ways;    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10   they shall not hunger or thirst,    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,  for he who has pity on them will lead them,    and by springs of water will guide them.11   And I will make all my mountains a road,    and my highways shall be raised up.12   Behold, these shall come from afar,    and behold, these from the north and from the west,2    and these from the land of Syene.”3 13   Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;    break forth, O mountains, into singing!  For the LORD has comforted his people    and will have compassion on his afflicted. 14   But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;    my Lord has forgotten me.” 15   “Can a woman forget her nursing child,    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget,    yet I will not forget you.16   Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;    your walls are continually before me.17   Your builders make haste;4    your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.18   Lift up your eyes around and see;    they all gather, they come to you.  As I live, declares the LORD,    you shall put them all on as an ornament;    you shall bind them on as a bride does. 19   “Surely your waste and your desolate places    and your devastated land—  surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,    and those who swallowed you up will be far away.20   The children of your bereavement    will yet say in your ears:  ‘The place is too narrow for me;    make room for me to dwell in.'21   Then you will say in your heart:    ‘Who has borne me these?  I was bereaved and barren,    exiled and put away,    but who has brought up these?  Behold, I was left alone;    from where have these come?'” 22   Thus says the Lord GOD:  “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,    and raise my signal to the peoples;  and they shall bring your sons in their arms,5    and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.23   Kings shall be your foster fathers,    and their queens your nursing mothers.  With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,    and lick the dust of your feet.  Then you will know that I am the LORD;    those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” 24   Can the prey be taken from the mighty,    or the captives of a tyrant6 be rescued?25   For thus says the LORD:  “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken,    and the prey of the tyrant be rescued,  for I will contend with those who contend with you,    and I will save your children.26   I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,    and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.  Then all flesh shall know    that I am the LORD your Savior,    and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Footnotes [1] 49:3 Or I will display my beauty [2] 49:12 Hebrew from the sea [3] 49:12 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Sinim [4] 49:17 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Your children make haste [5] 49:22 Hebrew in their bosom [6] 49:24 Dead Sea Scroll, Syriac, Vulgate (see also verse 25); Masoretic Text of a righteous man (ESV) Revelation 19 (Listen) Rejoicing in Heaven 19 After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out,   “Hallelujah!  Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,2     for his judgments are true and just;  for he has judged the great prostitute    who corrupted the earth with her immorality,  and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.” 3 Once more they cried out,   “Hallelujah!  The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.” 4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!” 5 And from the throne came a voice saying,   “Praise our God,    all you his servants,  you who fear him,    small and great.” The Marriage Supper of the Lamb 6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,   “Hallelujah!  For the Lord our God    the Almighty reigns.7   Let us rejoice and exult    and give him the glory,  for the marriage of the Lamb has come,    and his Bride has made herself ready;8   it was granted her to clothe herself    with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. 9 And the angel said1

“Mas agora diz o Senhor, que me formou desde o ventre para ser o seu servo, para trazer Jacó de volta e reunir Israel a ele, porque sou glorificado diante do Senhor, e o meu Deus é a minha força. Sim, ele diz: “Para você, é muito pouco ser o meu servo para restaurar as tribos de Jacó e trazer de volta o remanescente de Israel. Farei também com que você seja uma luz para os gentios, para que você seja a minha salvação até os confins da terra.” O Senhor, o Redentor e Santo de Israel, diz ao que é desprezado, ao que é detestado pelas nações, ao servo dos dominadores: “Os reis o verão e se levantarão; os príncipes se inclinarão diante de você por amor do Senhor, que é fiel, e do Santo de Israel, que o escolheu.” Assim diz o Senhor: “No tempo aceitável eu escutei você e no dia da salvação eu o socorri. Eu o guardarei e o farei mediador da aliança com o povo, para restaurar a terra e repartir as propriedades devastadas, para dizer aos presos: ‘Saiam da prisão!', e aos que estão em trevas: ‘Venham para fora!'” “Eles pastarão ao longo dos caminhos e em todos os montes desertos terão o seu pasto. Não terão fome nem sede, o calor forte e o sol não os afligirão, porque o que se compadece deles os guiará e os conduzirá aos mananciais das águas. Transformarei todos os meus montes em caminhos, e as minhas estradas serão levantadas. Eis que estes virão de longe, e eis que aqueles virão do Norte e do Ocidente; outros virão da terra de Sinim.” Alegrem-se, ó céus, exulte, ó terra, e vocês, montes, cantem de alegria, porque o Senhor consolou o seu povo e se compadece dos seus aflitos. Mas Sião diz: “O Senhor me abandonou, o Senhor se esqueceu de mim.” O Senhor responde: “Será que uma mulher pode se esquecer do filho que ainda mama, de maneira que não se compadeça do filho do seu ventre? Mas ainda que esta viesse a se esquecer dele, eu, porém, não me esquecerei de você.” ‭‭Isaías‬ ‭49:5-15‬

Psalms and Wisdom: Psalm 130 Psalm 130 (Listen) My Soul Waits for the Lord A Song of Ascents. 130   Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!2     O Lord, hear my voice!  Let your ears be attentive    to the voice of my pleas for mercy! 3   If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities,    O Lord, who could stand?4   But with you there is forgiveness,    that you may be feared. 5   I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,    and in his word I hope;6   my soul waits for the Lord    more than watchmen for the morning,    more than watchmen for the morning. 7   O Israel, hope in the LORD!    For with the LORD there is steadfast love,    and with him is plentiful redemption.8   And he will redeem Israel    from all his iniquities. (ESV) Pentateuch and History: Numbers 10:11–36 Numbers 10:11–36 (Listen) Israel Leaves Sinai 11 In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony, 12 and the people of Israel set out by stages from the wilderness of Sinai. And the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran. 13 They set out for the first time at the command of the LORD by Moses. 14 The standard of the camp of the people of Judah set out first by their companies, and over their company was Nahshon the son of Amminadab. 15 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar. 16 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon. 17 And when the tabernacle was taken down, the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who carried the tabernacle, set out. 18 And the standard of the camp of Reuben set out by their companies, and over their company was Elizur the son of Shedeur. 19 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 20 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel. 21 Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy things, and the tabernacle was set up before their arrival. 22 And the standard of the camp of the people of Ephraim set out by their companies, and over their company was Elishama the son of Ammihud. 23 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 24 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni. 25 Then the standard of the camp of the people of Dan, acting as the rear guard of all the camps, set out by their companies, and over their company was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 26 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ochran. 27 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan. 28 This was the order of march of the people of Israel by their companies, when they set out. 29 And Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out for the place of which the LORD said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will do good to you, for the LORD has promised good to Israel.” 30 But he said to him, “I will not go. I will depart to my own land and to my kindred.” 31 And he said, “Please do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us. 32 And if you do go with us, whatever good the LORD will do to us, the same will we do to you.” 33 So they set out from the mount of the LORD three days’ journey. And the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them three days’ journey, to seek out a resting place for them. 34 And the cloud of the LORD was over them by day, whenever they set out from the camp. 35 And whenever the ark set out, Moses said, “Arise, O LORD, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you.” 36 And when it rested, he said, “Return, O LORD, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel.” (ESV) Chronicles and Prophets: Isaiah 48–49 Isaiah 48–49 (Listen) Israel Refined for God’s Glory 48   Hear this, O house of Jacob,    who are called by the name of Israel,    and who came from the waters of Judah,  who swear by the name of the LORD    and confess the God of Israel,    but not in truth or right.2   For they call themselves after the holy city,    and stay themselves on the God of Israel;    the LORD of hosts is his name. 3   “The former things I declared of old;    they went out from my mouth, and I announced them;    then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.4   Because I know that you are obstinate,    and your neck is an iron sinew    and your forehead brass,5   I declared them to you from of old,    before they came to pass I announced them to you,  lest you should say, ‘My idol did them,    my carved image and my metal image commanded them.’ 6   “You have heard; now see all this;    and will you not declare it?  From this time forth I announce to you new things,    hidden things that you have not known.7   They are created now, not long ago;    before today you have never heard of them,    lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.’8   You have never heard, you have never known,    from of old your ear has not been opened.  For I knew that you would surely deal treacherously,    and that from before birth you were called a rebel. 9   “For my name’s sake I defer my anger;    for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you,    that I may not cut you off.10   Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver;    I have tried1 you in the furnace of affliction.11   For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it,    for how should my name2 be profaned?    My glory I will not give to another. The Lord’s Call to Israel 12   “Listen to me, O Jacob,    and Israel, whom I called!  I am he; I am the first,    and I am the last.13   My hand laid the foundation of the earth,    and my right hand spread out the heavens;  when I call to them,    they stand forth together. 14   “Assemble, all of you, and listen!    Who among them has declared these things?  The LORD loves him;    he shall perform his purpose on Babylon,    and his arm shall be against the Chaldeans.15   I, even I, have spoken and called him;    I have brought him, and he will prosper in his way.16   Draw near to me, hear this:    from the beginning I have not spoken in secret,    from the time it came to be I have been there.”  And now the Lord GOD has sent me, and his Spirit. 17   Thus says the LORD,    your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:  “I am the LORD your God,    who teaches you to profit,    who leads you in the way you should go.18   Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments!    Then your peace would have been like a river,    and your righteousness like the waves of the sea;19   your offspring would have been like the sand,    and your descendants like its grains;  their name would never be cut off    or destroyed from before me.” 20   Go out from Babylon, flee from Chaldea,    declare this with a shout of joy, proclaim it,  send it out to the end of the earth;    say, “The LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob!”21   They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts;    he made water flow for them from the rock;    he split the rock and the water gushed out. 22   “There is no peace,” says the LORD, “for the wicked.” The Servant of the Lord 49   Listen to me, O coastlands,    and give attention, you peoples from afar.  The LORD called me from the womb,    from the body of my mother he named my name.2   He made my mouth like a sharp sword;    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;  he made me a polished arrow;    in his quiver he hid me away.3   And he said to me, “You are my servant,    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”34   But I said, “I have labored in vain;    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;  yet surely my right is with the LORD,    and my recompense with my God.” 5   And now the LORD says,    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,  to bring Jacob back to him;    and that Israel might be gathered to him—  for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,    and my God has become my strength—6   he says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant    to raise up the tribes of Jacob    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;  I will make you as a light for the nations,    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7   Thus says the LORD,    the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,  to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,    the servant of rulers:  “Kings shall see and arise;    princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;  because of the LORD, who is faithful,    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” The Restoration of Israel 8   Thus says the LORD:  “In a time of favor I have answered you;    in a day of salvation I have helped you;  I will keep you and give you    as a covenant to the people,  to establish the land,    to apportion the desolate heritages,9   saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.’  They shall feed along the ways;    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10   they shall not hunger or thirst,    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,  for he who has pity on them will lead them,    and by springs of water will guide them.11   And I will make all my mountains a road,    and my highways shall be raised up.12   Behold, these shall come from afar,    and behold, these from the north and from the west,4    and these from the land of Syene.”5 13   Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;    break forth, O mountains, into singing!  For the LORD has comforted his people    and will have compassion on his afflicted. 14   But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;    my Lord has forgotten me.” 15   “Can a woman forget her nursing child,    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget,    yet I will not forget you.16   Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;    your walls are continually before me.17   Your builders make haste;6    your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.18   Lift up your eyes around and see;    they all gather, they come to you.  As I live, declares the LORD,    you shall put them all on as an ornament;    you shall bind them on as a bride does. 19   “Surely your waste and your desolate places    and your devastated land—  surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,    and those who swallowed you up will be far away.20   The children of your bereavement    will yet say in your ears:  ‘The place is too narrow for me;    make room for me to dwell in.’21   Then you will say in your heart:    ‘Who has borne me these?  I was bereaved and barren,    exiled and put away,    but who has brought up these?  Behold, I was left alone;    from where have these come?’” 22   Thus says the Lord GOD:  “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,    and raise my signal to the peoples;  and they shall bring your sons in their arms,7    and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.23   Kings shall be your foster fathers,    and their queens your nursing mothers.  With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,    and lick the dust of your feet.  Then you will know that I am the LORD;    those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” 24   Can the prey be taken from the mighty,    or the captives of a tyrant8 be rescued?25   For thus says the LORD:  “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken,    and the prey of the tyrant be rescued,  for I will contend with those who contend with you,    and I will save your children.26   I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,    and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.  Then all flesh shall know    that I am the LORD your Savior,    and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Footnotes [1] 48:10 Or I have chosen [2] 48:11 Hebrew lacks my name [3] 49:3 Or I will display my beauty [4] 49:12 Hebrew from the sea [5] 49:12 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Sinim [6] 49:17 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Your children make haste [7] 49:22 Hebrew in their bosom [8] 49:24 Dead Sea Scroll, Syriac, Vulgate (see also verse 25); Masoretic Text of a righteous man (ESV) Gospels and Epistles: Colossians 2:6–23 Colossians 2:6–23 (Listen) Alive in Christ 6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits1 of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nail

Assim diz o Senhor: No tempo aceitável te ouvi e no dia da salvação te ajudei, e te guardarei, e te darei por aliança do povo, para restaurares a terra, e dar-lhes em herança as herdades assoladas; Para dizeres aos presos: Saí; e aos que estão em trevas: Aparecei. Eles pastarão nos caminhos, e em todos os lugares altos haverá o seu pasto. Nunca terão fome, nem sede, nem o calor, nem o sol os afligirá; porque o que se compadece deles os guiará e os levará mansamente aos mananciais das águas. E farei de todos os meus montes um caminho; e as minhas estradas serão levantadas. Eis que estes virão de longe, e eis que aqueles do norte, e do ocidente, e aqueles outros da terra de Sinim. Exultai, ó céus, e alegra-te, ó terra, e vós, montes, estalai com júbilo, porque o Senhor consolou o seu povo, e dos seus aflitos se compadecerá. Porém Sião diz: Já me desamparou o Senhor, e o meu Senhor se esqueceu de mim. Porventura pode uma mulher esquecer-se tanto de seu filho que cria, que não se compadeça dele, do filho do seu ventre? Mas ainda que esta se esquecesse dele, contudo eu não me esquecerei de ti. Eis que nas palmas das minhas mãos eu te gravei; os teus muros estão continuamente diante de mim. Isaías 49:8-16

Primeira Leitura: Isaías 49,8-15 Leitura do livro do profeta Isaías – 8Isto diz o Senhor: “Eu atendo teus pedidos com favores e te ajudo na obra de salvação; preservei-te para seres elo de aliança entre os povos, para restaurar a terra, para distribuir a herança dispersa; 9para dizer aos que estão presos: ‘Saí!' e aos que estão nas trevas: ‘Mostrai-vos'. E todos se alimentam pelas estradas e até nas colinas estéreis se abastecem; 10não sentem fome nem sede, não os castiga nem o calor nem o sol, porque o seu protetor toma conta deles e os conduz às fontes de água. 11Farei de todos os montes uma estrada e os meus caminhos serão nivelados. 12Eis que estão vindo de longe, uns chegam do norte e do lado do mar, e outros, da terra de Sinim. 13Louvai, ó céus, alegra-te, terra; montanhas, fazei ressoar o louvor, porque o Senhor consola o seu povo e se compadece dos pobres. 14Disse Sião: ‘O Senhor abandonou-me, o Senhor esqueceu-se de mim!' 15Acaso pode a mulher esquecer-se do filho pequeno, a ponto de não ter pena do fruto de seu ventre? Se ela se esquecer, eu, porém, não me esquecerei de ti”. – Palavra do Senhor. Salmo Responsorial: 144(145) Misericórdia e piedade é o Senhor. 1. Misericórdia e piedade é o Senhor, / ele é amor, é paciência, é compaixão. / O Senhor é muito bom para com todos, / sua ternura abraça toda criatura. – R. 2. O Senhor é amor fiel em sua palavra, / é santidade em toda obra que ele faz. / Ele sustenta todo aquele que vacila / e levanta todo aquele que tombou. – R. 3. É justo o Senhor em seus caminhos, / é santo em toda obra que ele faz. / Ele está perto da pessoa que o invoca, / de todo aquele que o invoca lealmente. – R. Evangelho: João 5,17-30 Jesus Cristo, sois bendito, / sois o ungido de Deus Pai! Eu sou a ressurreição, eu sou a vida; / quem crê em mim, ainda que morra, viverá (Jo 11,25s). – R. Proclamação do Evangelho de Jesus Cristo segundo João – Naquele tempo, 17Jesus respondeu aos judeus: “Meu Pai trabalha sempre, portanto também eu trabalho”. 18Então, os judeus ainda mais procuravam matá-lo, porque, além de violar o sábado, chamava Deus o seu Pai, fazendo-se, assim, igual a Deus. 19Tomando a palavra, Jesus disse aos judeus: “Em verdade, em verdade vos digo, o Filho não pode fazer nada por si mesmo; ele faz apenas o que vê o Pai fazer. O que o Pai faz, o Filho o faz também. 20O Pai ama o Filho e lhe mostra tudo o que ele mesmo faz. E lhe mostrará obras maiores ainda, de modo que ficareis admirados. 21Assim como o Pai ressuscita os mortos e lhes dá a vida, o Filho também dá a vida a quem ele quer. 22De fato, o Pai não julga ninguém, mas ele deu ao Filho o poder de julgar, 23para que todos honrem o Filho assim como honram o Pai. Quem não honra o Filho também não honra o Pai, que o enviou. 24Em verdade, em verdade vos digo, quem ouve a minha palavra e crê naquele que me enviou possui a vida eterna. Não será condenado, pois já passou da morte para a vida. 25Em verdade, em verdade, eu vos digo, está chegando a hora, e já chegou, em que os mortos ouvirão a voz do Filho de Deus e os que a ouvirem viverão. 26Porque, assim como o Pai possui a vida em si mesmo, do mesmo modo concedeu ao Filho possuir a vida em si mesmo. 27Além disso, deu-lhe o poder de julgar, pois ele é o Filho do Homem. 28Não fiqueis admirados com isso, porque vai chegar a hora em que todos os que estão nos túmulos ouvirão a voz do Filho e sairão: 29aqueles que fizeram o bem ressuscitarão para a vida; e aqueles que praticaram o mal, para a condenação. 30Eu não posso fazer nada por mim mesmo. Eu julgo conforme o que escuto, e meu julgamento é justo, porque não procuro fazer a minha vontade, mas a vontade daquele que me enviou”. – Palavra da salvação.

Listen to Elijah as he shares his story journeying to the land of the Sinim people and how God called him there.Frontier Missions Journal--Stories of hope from Adventist Frontier Missions, reaching people around the world who have never heard the name of Jesus.

3 Epiphany First Psalm: Psalm 119:49–72 Psalm 119:49–72 (Listen) Zayin 49   Remember your word to your servant,    in which you have made me hope.50   This is my comfort in my affliction,    that your promise gives me life.51   The insolent utterly deride me,    but I do not turn away from your law.52   When I think of your rules from of old,    I take comfort, O LORD.53   Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked,    who forsake your law.54   Your statutes have been my songs    in the house of my sojourning.55   I remember your name in the night, O LORD,    and keep your law.56   This blessing has fallen to me,    that I have kept your precepts. Heth 57   The LORD is my portion;    I promise to keep your words.58   I entreat your favor with all my heart;    be gracious to me according to your promise.59   When I think on my ways,    I turn my feet to your testimonies;60   I hasten and do not delay    to keep your commandments.61   Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me,    I do not forget your law.62   At midnight I rise to praise you,    because of your righteous rules.63   I am a companion of all who fear you,    of those who keep your precepts.64   The earth, O LORD, is full of your steadfast love;    teach me your statutes! Teth 65   You have dealt well with your servant,    O LORD, according to your word.66   Teach me good judgment and knowledge,    for I believe in your commandments.67   Before I was afflicted I went astray,    but now I keep your word.68   You are good and do good;    teach me your statutes.69   The insolent smear me with lies,    but with my whole heart I keep your precepts;70   their heart is unfeeling like fat,    but I delight in your law.71   It is good for me that I was afflicted,    that I might learn your statutes.72   The law of your mouth is better to me    than thousands of gold and silver pieces. (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalm 49; Psalm 53 Psalm 49 (Listen) Why Should I Fear in Times of Trouble? To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. 49   Hear this, all peoples!    Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,2   both low and high,    rich and poor together!3   My mouth shall speak wisdom;    the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.4   I will incline my ear to a proverb;    I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre. 5   Why should I fear in times of trouble,    when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,6   those who trust in their wealth    and boast of the abundance of their riches?7   Truly no man can ransom another,    or give to God the price of his life,8   for the ransom of their life is costly    and can never suffice,9   that he should live on forever    and never see the pit. 10   For he sees that even the wise die;    the fool and the stupid alike must perish    and leave their wealth to others.11   Their graves are their homes forever,1    their dwelling places to all generations,    though they called lands by their own names.12   Man in his pomp will not remain;    he is like the beasts that perish. 13   This is the path of those who have foolish confidence;    yet after them people approve of their boasts.2 Selah14   Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;    death shall be their shepherd,  and the upright shall rule over them in the morning.    Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.15   But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,    for he will receive me. Selah 16   Be not afraid when a man becomes rich,    when the glory of his house increases.17   For when he dies he will carry nothing away;    his glory will not go down after him.18   For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed    —and though you get praise when you do well for yourself—19   his soul will go to the generation of his fathers,    who will never again see light.20   Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish. Footnotes [1] 49:11 Septuagint, Syriac, Targum; Hebrew Their inward thought was that their homes were forever [2] 49:13 Or and of those after them who approve of their boasts (ESV) Psalm 53 (Listen) There Is None Who Does Good To the choirmaster: according to Mahalath. A Maskil1 of David. 53   The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”    They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity;    there is none who does good. 2   God looks down from heaven    on the children of man  to see if there are any who understand,2    who seek after God. 3   They have all fallen away;    together they have become corrupt;  there is none who does good,    not even one. 4   Have those who work evil no knowledge,    who eat up my people as they eat bread,    and do not call upon God? 5   There they are, in great terror,    where there is no terror!  For God scatters the bones of him who encamps against you;    you put them to shame, for God has rejected them. 6   Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!    When God restores the fortunes of his people,    let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad. Footnotes [1] 53:1 Probably musical or liturgical terms [2] 53:2 Or who act wisely (ESV) Old Testament: Isaiah 49:1–12 Isaiah 49:1–12 (Listen) The Servant of the Lord 49   Listen to me, O coastlands,    and give attention, you peoples from afar.  The LORD called me from the womb,    from the body of my mother he named my name.2   He made my mouth like a sharp sword;    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;  he made me a polished arrow;    in his quiver he hid me away.3   And he said to me, “You are my servant,    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”14   But I said, “I have labored in vain;    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;  yet surely my right is with the LORD,    and my recompense with my God.” 5   And now the LORD says,    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,  to bring Jacob back to him;    and that Israel might be gathered to him—  for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,    and my God has become my strength—6   he says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant    to raise up the tribes of Jacob    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;  I will make you as a light for the nations,    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7   Thus says the LORD,    the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,  to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,    the servant of rulers:  “Kings shall see and arise;    princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;  because of the LORD, who is faithful,    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” The Restoration of Israel 8   Thus says the LORD:  “In a time of favor I have answered you;    in a day of salvation I have helped you;  I will keep you and give you    as a covenant to the people,  to establish the land,    to apportion the desolate heritages,9   saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.’  They shall feed along the ways;    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10   they shall not hunger or thirst,    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,  for he who has pity on them will lead them,    and by springs of water will guide them.11   And I will make all my mountains a road,    and my highways shall be raised up.12   Behold, these shall come from afar,    and behold, these from the north and from the west,2    and these from the land of Syene.”3 Footnotes [1] 49:3 Or I will display my beauty [2] 49:12 Hebrew from the sea [3] 49:12 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Sinim (ESV) New Testament: Galatians 2:11–21 Galatians 2:11–21 (Listen) Paul Opposes Peter 11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party.1 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?” Justified by Faith 15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16 yet we know that a person is not justified2 by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. 17 But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness3 were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose. Footnotes [1] 2:12 Or fearing those of the circumcision [2] 2:16 Or counted righteous (three times in verse 16); also verse 17 [3] 2:21 Or justification (ESV) Gospel: Mark 6:13–29 Mark 6:13–29 (Listen) 13 And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them. The Death of John the Baptist 14 King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’1 name had become known. Some2 said, “John the Baptist3 has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” 15 But others said, “He is Elijah.” And others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” 16 But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.” 17 For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because he had married her. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, 20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly. 21 But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22 For when Herodias’s daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” 23 And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.” 24 And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” 25 And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26 And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. 27 And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s4 head. He went and beheaded him in the prison 28 and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. Footnotes [1] 6:14 Greek his [2] 6:14 Some manuscripts He [3] 6:14 Greek baptizer; also verse 24 [4] 6:27 Greek his (ESV)

Morning: Isaiah 48–49 Isaiah 48–49 (Listen) Israel Refined for God’s Glory 48   Hear this, O house of Jacob,    who are called by the name of Israel,    and who came from the waters of Judah,  who swear by the name of the LORD    and confess the God of Israel,    but not in truth or right.2   For they call themselves after the holy city,    and stay themselves on the God of Israel;    the LORD of hosts is his name. 3   “The former things I declared of old;    they went out from my mouth, and I announced them;    then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.4   Because I know that you are obstinate,    and your neck is an iron sinew    and your forehead brass,5   I declared them to you from of old,    before they came to pass I announced them to you,  lest you should say, ‘My idol did them,    my carved image and my metal image commanded them.’ 6   “You have heard; now see all this;    and will you not declare it?  From this time forth I announce to you new things,    hidden things that you have not known.7   They are created now, not long ago;    before today you have never heard of them,    lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.’8   You have never heard, you have never known,    from of old your ear has not been opened.  For I knew that you would surely deal treacherously,    and that from before birth you were called a rebel. 9   “For my name’s sake I defer my anger;    for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you,    that I may not cut you off.10   Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver;    I have tried1 you in the furnace of affliction.11   For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it,    for how should my name2 be profaned?    My glory I will not give to another. The Lord’s Call to Israel 12   “Listen to me, O Jacob,    and Israel, whom I called!  I am he; I am the first,    and I am the last.13   My hand laid the foundation of the earth,    and my right hand spread out the heavens;  when I call to them,    they stand forth together. 14   “Assemble, all of you, and listen!    Who among them has declared these things?  The LORD loves him;    he shall perform his purpose on Babylon,    and his arm shall be against the Chaldeans.15   I, even I, have spoken and called him;    I have brought him, and he will prosper in his way.16   Draw near to me, hear this:    from the beginning I have not spoken in secret,    from the time it came to be I have been there.”  And now the Lord GOD has sent me, and his Spirit. 17   Thus says the LORD,    your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:  “I am the LORD your God,    who teaches you to profit,    who leads you in the way you should go.18   Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments!    Then your peace would have been like a river,    and your righteousness like the waves of the sea;19   your offspring would have been like the sand,    and your descendants like its grains;  their name would never be cut off    or destroyed from before me.” 20   Go out from Babylon, flee from Chaldea,    declare this with a shout of joy, proclaim it,  send it out to the end of the earth;    say, “The LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob!”21   They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts;    he made water flow for them from the rock;    he split the rock and the water gushed out. 22   “There is no peace,” says the LORD, “for the wicked.” The Servant of the Lord 49   Listen to me, O coastlands,    and give attention, you peoples from afar.  The LORD called me from the womb,    from the body of my mother he named my name.2   He made my mouth like a sharp sword;    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;  he made me a polished arrow;    in his quiver he hid me away.3   And he said to me, “You are my servant,    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”34   But I said, “I have labored in vain;    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;  yet surely my right is with the LORD,    and my recompense with my God.” 5   And now the LORD says,    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,  to bring Jacob back to him;    and that Israel might be gathered to him—  for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,    and my God has become my strength—6   he says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant    to raise up the tribes of Jacob    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;  I will make you as a light for the nations,    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7   Thus says the LORD,    the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,  to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,    the servant of rulers:  “Kings shall see and arise;    princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;  because of the LORD, who is faithful,    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” The Restoration of Israel 8   Thus says the LORD:  “In a time of favor I have answered you;    in a day of salvation I have helped you;  I will keep you and give you    as a covenant to the people,  to establish the land,    to apportion the desolate heritages,9   saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.’  They shall feed along the ways;    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10   they shall not hunger or thirst,    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,  for he who has pity on them will lead them,    and by springs of water will guide them.11   And I will make all my mountains a road,    and my highways shall be raised up.12   Behold, these shall come from afar,    and behold, these from the north and from the west,4    and these from the land of Syene.”5 13   Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;    break forth, O mountains, into singing!  For the LORD has comforted his people    and will have compassion on his afflicted. 14   But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;    my Lord has forgotten me.” 15   “Can a woman forget her nursing child,    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget,    yet I will not forget you.16   Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;    your walls are continually before me.17   Your builders make haste;6    your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.18   Lift up your eyes around and see;    they all gather, they come to you.  As I live, declares the LORD,    you shall put them all on as an ornament;    you shall bind them on as a bride does. 19   “Surely your waste and your desolate places    and your devastated land—  surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,    and those who swallowed you up will be far away.20   The children of your bereavement    will yet say in your ears:  ‘The place is too narrow for me;    make room for me to dwell in.’21   Then you will say in your heart:    ‘Who has borne me these?  I was bereaved and barren,    exiled and put away,    but who has brought up these?  Behold, I was left alone;    from where have these come?’” 22   Thus says the Lord GOD:  “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,    and raise my signal to the peoples;  and they shall bring your sons in their arms,7    and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.23   Kings shall be your foster fathers,    and their queens your nursing mothers.  With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,    and lick the dust of your feet.  Then you will know that I am the LORD;    those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” 24   Can the prey be taken from the mighty,    or the captives of a tyrant8 be rescued?25   For thus says the LORD:  “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken,    and the prey of the tyrant be rescued,  for I will contend with those who contend with you,    and I will save your children.26   I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,    and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.  Then all flesh shall know    that I am the LORD your Savior,    and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Footnotes [1] 48:10 Or I have chosen [2] 48:11 Hebrew lacks my name [3] 49:3 Or I will display my beauty [4] 49:12 Hebrew from the sea [5] 49:12 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Sinim [6] 49:17 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Your children make haste [7] 49:22 Hebrew in their bosom [8] 49:24 Dead Sea Scroll, Syriac, Vulgate (see also verse 25); Masoretic Text of a righteous man (ESV) Evening: Colossians 4 Colossians 4 (Listen) 4 Masters, treat your bondservants1 justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven. Further Instructions 2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. 5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. Final Greetings 7 Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant2 in the Lord. 8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts, 9 and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here. 10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. 14 Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers3 at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. 16 And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. 17 And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.” 18 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. Footnotes [1] 4:1 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; likewise for servant in verse 12 [2] 4:7 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word sundoulos, see Preface [3] 4:15 Or brothers and sisters (ESV)

With family: Deuteronomy 22; Psalms 110–111 Deuteronomy 22 (Listen) Various Laws 22 “You shall not see your brother's ox or his sheep going astray and ignore them. You shall take them back to your brother. 2 And if he does not live near you and you do not know who he is, you shall bring it home to your house, and it shall stay with you until your brother seeks it. Then you shall restore it to him. 3 And you shall do the same with his donkey or with his garment, or with any lost thing of your brother's, which he loses and you find; you may not ignore it. 4 You shall not see your brother's donkey or his ox fallen down by the way and ignore them. You shall help him to lift them up again. 5 “A woman shall not wear a man's garment, nor shall a man put on a woman's cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God. 6 “If you come across a bird's nest in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs and the mother sitting on the young or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young. 7 You shall let the mother go, but the young you may take for yourself, that it may go well with you, and that you may live long. 8 “When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, that you may not bring the guilt of blood upon your house, if anyone should fall from it. 9 “You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seed, lest the whole yield be forfeited,1 the crop that you have sown and the yield of the vineyard. 10 You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together. 11 You shall not wear cloth of wool and linen mixed together. 12 “You shall make yourself tassels on the four corners of the garment with which you cover yourself. Laws Concerning Sexual Immorality 13 “If any man takes a wife and goes in to her and then hates her 14 and accuses her of misconduct and brings a bad name upon her, saying, ‘I took this woman, and when I came near her, I did not find in her evidence of virginity,’ 15 then the father of the young woman and her mother shall take and bring out the evidence of her virginity to the elders of the city in the gate. 16 And the father of the young woman shall say to the elders, ‘I gave my daughter to this man to marry, and he hates her; 17 and behold, he has accused her of misconduct, saying, “I did not find in your daughter evidence of virginity.” And yet this is the evidence of my daughter's virginity.’ And they shall spread the cloak before the elders of the city. 18 Then the elders of that city shall take the man and whip2 him, 19 and they shall fine him a hundred shekels3 of silver and give them to the father of the young woman, because he has brought a bad name upon a virgin4 of Israel. And she shall be his wife. He may not divorce her all his days. 20 But if the thing is true, that evidence of virginity was not found in the young woman, 21 then they shall bring out the young woman to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones, because she has done an outrageous thing in Israel by whoring in her father's house. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. 22 “If a man is found lying with the wife of another man, both of them shall die, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman. So you shall purge the evil from Israel. 23 “If there is a betrothed virgin, and a man meets her in the city and lies with her, 24 then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them to death with stones, the young woman because she did not cry for help though she was in the city, and the man because he violated his neighbor's wife. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. 25 “But if in the open country a man meets a young woman who is betrothed, and the man seizes her and lies with her, then only the man who lay with her shall die. 26 But you shall do nothing to the young woman; she has committed no offense punishable by death. For this case is like that of a man attacking and murdering his neighbor, 27 because he met her in the open country, and though the betrothed young woman cried for help there was no one to rescue her. 28 “If a man meets a virgin who is not betrothed, and seizes her and lies with her, and they are found, 29 then the man who lay with her shall give to the father of the young woman fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife, because he has violated her. He may not divorce her all his days. 5 30 “A man shall not take his father's wife, so that he does not uncover his father's nakedness.6 Footnotes [1] 22:9 Hebrew become holy [2] 22:18 Or discipline [3] 22:19 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams [4] 22:19 Or girl of marriageable age [5] 22:29 Ch 23:1 in Hebrew [6] 22:30 Hebrew uncover his father's skirt (ESV) Psalms 110–111 (Listen) Sit at My Right Hand A Psalm of David. 110   The LORD says to my Lord:    “Sit at my right hand,  until I make your enemies your footstool.” 2   The LORD sends forth from Zion    your mighty scepter.    Rule in the midst of your enemies!3   Your people will offer themselves freely    on the day of your power,1    in holy garments;2  from the womb of the morning,    the dew of your youth will be yours.34   The LORD has sworn    and will not change his mind,  “You are a priest forever    after the order of Melchizedek.” 5   The Lord is at your right hand;    he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.6   He will execute judgment among the nations,    filling them with corpses;  he will shatter chiefs4    over the wide earth.7   He will drink from the brook by the way;    therefore he will lift up his head. Great Are the Lord's Works 111   5 Praise the LORD!  I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart,    in the company of the upright, in the congregation.2   Great are the works of the LORD,    studied by all who delight in them.3   Full of splendor and majesty is his work,    and his righteousness endures forever.4   He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered;    the LORD is gracious and merciful.5   He provides food for those who fear him;    he remembers his covenant forever.6   He has shown his people the power of his works,    in giving them the inheritance of the nations.7   The works of his hands are faithful and just;    all his precepts are trustworthy;8   they are established forever and ever,    to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.9   He sent redemption to his people;    he has commanded his covenant forever.    Holy and awesome is his name!10   The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;    all those who practice it have a good understanding.    His praise endures forever! Footnotes [1] 110:3 Or on the day you lead your forces [2] 110:3 Masoretic Text; some Hebrew manuscripts and Jerome on the holy mountains [3] 110:3 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain [4] 110:6 Or the head [5] 111:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, each line beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet (ESV) In private: Isaiah 49; Revelation 19 Isaiah 49 (Listen) The Servant of the Lord 49   Listen to me, O coastlands,    and give attention, you peoples from afar.  The LORD called me from the womb,    from the body of my mother he named my name.2   He made my mouth like a sharp sword;    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;  he made me a polished arrow;    in his quiver he hid me away.3   And he said to me, “You are my servant,    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”14   But I said, “I have labored in vain;    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;  yet surely my right is with the LORD,    and my recompense with my God.” 5   And now the LORD says,    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,  to bring Jacob back to him;    and that Israel might be gathered to him—  for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,    and my God has become my strength—6   he says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant    to raise up the tribes of Jacob    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;  I will make you as a light for the nations,    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7   Thus says the LORD,    the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,  to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,    the servant of rulers:  “Kings shall see and arise;    princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;  because of the LORD, who is faithful,    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” The Restoration of Israel 8   Thus says the LORD:  “In a time of favor I have answered you;    in a day of salvation I have helped you;  I will keep you and give you    as a covenant to the people,  to establish the land,    to apportion the desolate heritages,9   saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.’  They shall feed along the ways;    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10   they shall not hunger or thirst,    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,  for he who has pity on them will lead them,    and by springs of water will guide them.11   And I will make all my mountains a road,    and my highways shall be raised up.12   Behold, these shall come from afar,    and behold, these from the north and from the west,2    and these from the land of Syene.”3 13   Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;    break forth, O mountains, into singing!  For the LORD has comforted his people    and will have compassion on his afflicted. 14   But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;    my Lord has forgotten me.” 15   “Can a woman forget her nursing child,    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget,    yet I will not forget you.16   Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;    your walls are continually before me.17   Your builders make haste;4    your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.18   Lift up your eyes around and see;    they all gather, they come to you.  As I live, declares the LORD,    you shall put them all on as an ornament;    you shall bind them on as a bride does. 19   “Surely your waste and your desolate places    and your devastated land—  surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,    and those who swallowed you up will be far away.20   The children of your bereavement    will yet say in your ears:  ‘The place is too narrow for me;    make room for me to dwell in.’21   Then you will say in your heart:    ‘Who has borne me these?  I was bereaved and barren,    exiled and put away,    but who has brought up these?  Behold, I was left alone;    from where have these come?’” 22   Thus says the Lord GOD:  “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,    and raise my signal to the peoples;  and they shall bring your sons in their arms,5    and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.23   Kings shall be your foster fathers,    and their queens your nursing mothers.  With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,    and lick the dust of your feet.  Then you will know that I am the LORD;    those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” 24   Can the prey be taken from the mighty,    or the captives of a tyrant6 be rescued?25   For thus says the LORD:  “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken,    and the prey of the tyrant be rescued,  for I will contend with those who contend with you,    and I will save your children.26   I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,    and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.  Then all flesh shall know    that I am the LORD your Savior,    and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Footnotes [1] 49:3 Or I will display my beauty [2] 49:12 Hebrew from the sea [3] 49:12 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Sinim [4] 49:17 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Your children make haste [5] 49:22 Hebrew in their bosom [6] 49:24 Dead Sea Scroll, Syriac, Vulgate (see also verse 25); Masoretic Text of a righteous man (ESV) Revelation 19 (Listen) Rejoicing in Heaven 19 After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out,   “Hallelujah!  Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,2     for his judgments are true and just;  for he has judged the great prostitute    who corrupted the earth with her immorality,  and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.” 3 Once more they cried out,   “Hallelujah!  The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.” 4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!” 5 And from the throne came a voice saying,   “Praise our God,    all you his servants,  you who fear him,    small and great.” The Marriage Supper of the Lamb 6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,   “Hallelujah!  For the Lord our God    the Almighty reigns.7   Let us rejoice and exult    and give him the glory,  for the marriage of the Lamb has come,    and his Bride has made herself ready;8   it was granted her to clothe herself    with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. 9 And the angel said1&l

Psalms and Wisdom: Psalm 130 Psalm 130 (Listen) My Soul Waits for the Lord A Song of Ascents. 130   Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!2     O Lord, hear my voice!  Let your ears be attentive    to the voice of my pleas for mercy! 3   If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities,    O Lord, who could stand?4   But with you there is forgiveness,    that you may be feared. 5   I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,    and in his word I hope;6   my soul waits for the Lord    more than watchmen for the morning,    more than watchmen for the morning. 7   O Israel, hope in the LORD!    For with the LORD there is steadfast love,    and with him is plentiful redemption.8   And he will redeem Israel    from all his iniquities. (ESV) Pentateuch and History: Numbers 10:11–36 Numbers 10:11–36 (Listen) Israel Leaves Sinai 11 In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony, 12 and the people of Israel set out by stages from the wilderness of Sinai. And the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran. 13 They set out for the first time at the command of the LORD by Moses. 14 The standard of the camp of the people of Judah set out first by their companies, and over their company was Nahshon the son of Amminadab. 15 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar. 16 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon. 17 And when the tabernacle was taken down, the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who carried the tabernacle, set out. 18 And the standard of the camp of Reuben set out by their companies, and over their company was Elizur the son of Shedeur. 19 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 20 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel. 21 Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy things, and the tabernacle was set up before their arrival. 22 And the standard of the camp of the people of Ephraim set out by their companies, and over their company was Elishama the son of Ammihud. 23 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 24 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni. 25 Then the standard of the camp of the people of Dan, acting as the rear guard of all the camps, set out by their companies, and over their company was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 26 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ochran. 27 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan. 28 This was the order of march of the people of Israel by their companies, when they set out. 29 And Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, “We are setting out for the place of which the LORD said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will do good to you, for the LORD has promised good to Israel.” 30 But he said to him, “I will not go. I will depart to my own land and to my kindred.” 31 And he said, “Please do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us. 32 And if you do go with us, whatever good the LORD will do to us, the same will we do to you.” 33 So they set out from the mount of the LORD three days' journey. And the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them three days' journey, to seek out a resting place for them. 34 And the cloud of the LORD was over them by day, whenever they set out from the camp. 35 And whenever the ark set out, Moses said, “Arise, O LORD, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you.” 36 And when it rested, he said, “Return, O LORD, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel.” (ESV) Chronicles and Prophets: Isaiah 48–49 Isaiah 48–49 (Listen) Israel Refined for God's Glory 48   Hear this, O house of Jacob,    who are called by the name of Israel,    and who came from the waters of Judah,  who swear by the name of the LORD    and confess the God of Israel,    but not in truth or right.2   For they call themselves after the holy city,    and stay themselves on the God of Israel;    the LORD of hosts is his name. 3   “The former things I declared of old;    they went out from my mouth, and I announced them;    then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.4   Because I know that you are obstinate,    and your neck is an iron sinew    and your forehead brass,5   I declared them to you from of old,    before they came to pass I announced them to you,  lest you should say, ‘My idol did them,    my carved image and my metal image commanded them.’ 6   “You have heard; now see all this;    and will you not declare it?  From this time forth I announce to you new things,    hidden things that you have not known.7   They are created now, not long ago;    before today you have never heard of them,    lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.’8   You have never heard, you have never known,    from of old your ear has not been opened.  For I knew that you would surely deal treacherously,    and that from before birth you were called a rebel. 9   “For my name's sake I defer my anger;    for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you,    that I may not cut you off.10   Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver;    I have tried1 you in the furnace of affliction.11   For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it,    for how should my name2 be profaned?    My glory I will not give to another. The Lord's Call to Israel 12   “Listen to me, O Jacob,    and Israel, whom I called!  I am he; I am the first,    and I am the last.13   My hand laid the foundation of the earth,    and my right hand spread out the heavens;  when I call to them,    they stand forth together. 14   “Assemble, all of you, and listen!    Who among them has declared these things?  The LORD loves him;    he shall perform his purpose on Babylon,    and his arm shall be against the Chaldeans.15   I, even I, have spoken and called him;    I have brought him, and he will prosper in his way.16   Draw near to me, hear this:    from the beginning I have not spoken in secret,    from the time it came to be I have been there.”  And now the Lord GOD has sent me, and his Spirit. 17   Thus says the LORD,    your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:  “I am the LORD your God,    who teaches you to profit,    who leads you in the way you should go.18   Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments!    Then your peace would have been like a river,    and your righteousness like the waves of the sea;19   your offspring would have been like the sand,    and your descendants like its grains;  their name would never be cut off    or destroyed from before me.” 20   Go out from Babylon, flee from Chaldea,    declare this with a shout of joy, proclaim it,  send it out to the end of the earth;    say, “The LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob!”21   They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts;    he made water flow for them from the rock;    he split the rock and the water gushed out. 22   “There is no peace,” says the LORD, “for the wicked.” The Servant of the Lord 49   Listen to me, O coastlands,    and give attention, you peoples from afar.  The LORD called me from the womb,    from the body of my mother he named my name.2   He made my mouth like a sharp sword;    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;  he made me a polished arrow;    in his quiver he hid me away.3   And he said to me, “You are my servant,    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”34   But I said, “I have labored in vain;    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;  yet surely my right is with the LORD,    and my recompense with my God.” 5   And now the LORD says,    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,  to bring Jacob back to him;    and that Israel might be gathered to him—  for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,    and my God has become my strength—6   he says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant    to raise up the tribes of Jacob    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;  I will make you as a light for the nations,    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7   Thus says the LORD,    the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,  to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,    the servant of rulers:  “Kings shall see and arise;    princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;  because of the LORD, who is faithful,    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” The Restoration of Israel 8   Thus says the LORD:  “In a time of favor I have answered you;    in a day of salvation I have helped you;  I will keep you and give you    as a covenant to the people,  to establish the land,    to apportion the desolate heritages,9   saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.’  They shall feed along the ways;    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10   they shall not hunger or thirst,    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,  for he who has pity on them will lead them,    and by springs of water will guide them.11   And I will make all my mountains a road,    and my highways shall be raised up.12   Behold, these shall come from afar,    and behold, these from the north and from the west,4    and these from the land of Syene.”5 13   Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;    break forth, O mountains, into singing!  For the LORD has comforted his people    and will have compassion on his afflicted. 14   But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;    my Lord has forgotten me.” 15   “Can a woman forget her nursing child,    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget,    yet I will not forget you.16   Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;    your walls are continually before me.17   Your builders make haste;6    your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.18   Lift up your eyes around and see;    they all gather, they come to you.  As I live, declares the LORD,    you shall put them all on as an ornament;    you shall bind them on as a bride does. 19   “Surely your waste and your desolate places    and your devastated land—  surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,    and those who swallowed you up will be far away.20   The children of your bereavement    will yet say in your ears:  ‘The place is too narrow for me;    make room for me to dwell in.’21   Then you will say in your heart:    ‘Who has borne me these?  I was bereaved and barren,    exiled and put away,    but who has brought up these?  Behold, I was left alone;    from where have these come?’” 22   Thus says the Lord GOD:  “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,    and raise my signal to the peoples;  and they shall bring your sons in their arms,7    and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.23   Kings shall be your foster fathers,    and their queens your nursing mothers.  With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,    and lick the dust of your feet.  Then you will know that I am the LORD;    those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” 24   Can the prey be taken from the mighty,    or the captives of a tyrant8 be rescued?25   For thus says the LORD:  “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken,    and the prey of the tyrant be rescued,  for I will contend with those who contend with you,    and I will save your children.26   I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,    and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.  Then all flesh shall know    that I am the LORD your Savior,    and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Footnotes [1] 48:10 Or I have chosen [2] 48:11 Hebrew lacks my name [3] 49:3 Or I will display my beauty [4] 49:12 Hebrew from the sea [5] 49:12 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Sinim [6] 49:17 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Your children make haste [7] 49:22 Hebrew in their bosom [8] 49:24 Dead Sea Scroll, Syriac, Vulgate (see also verse 25); Masoretic Text of a righteous man (ESV) Gospels and Epistles: Colossians 2:6–23 Colossians 2:6–23 (Listen) Alive in Christ 6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits1 of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to th

2020-05-10 God's Motherly LoveBy Pastor Eric McNeilScripture Reference: Isaiah 49:14-165 And now says the LORD, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, To bring Jacob back to Him, so that Israel might be gathered to Him (For I am honored in the sight of the LORD, And My God is My strength ), 6 He says, "It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth." 7 Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel and its Holy One, To the despised One, To the One abhorred by the nation, To the Servant of rulers, "Kings will see and arise, Princes will also bow down, Because of the LORD who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel who has chosen You." 8 Thus says the LORD, "In a favorable time I have answered You, And in a day of salvation I have helped You; And I will keep You and give You for a covenant of the people, To restore the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritages; 9 Saying to those who are bound, 'Go forth,' To those who are in darkness, 'Show yourselves.' Along the roads they will feed, And their pasture will be on all bare heights. 10 "They will not hunger or thirst, Nor will the scorching heat or sun strike them down; For He who has compassion on them will lead them And will guide them to springs of water. 11 "I will make all My mountains a road, And My highways will be raised up. 12 "Behold, these will come from afar; And lo, these will come from the north and from the west, And these from the land of Sinim." 13 Shout for joy, O heavens! And rejoice, O earth! Break forth into joyful shouting, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people And will have compassion on His afflicted.14 But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me, And the Lord has forgotten me." 15 "Can a woman forget her nursing child And have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. 16 "Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me.