The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Saturday December 9, 2023 (NIV)

Joel 1-3

I am Joel the son of Pethuel.
And this is the message
the Lord gave to me.

Locusts Cover the Land

Listen, you leaders
and everyone else
in the land.
Has anything like this
ever happened before?
Tell our children!
Let it be told
to our grandchildren
and their children too.

Swarm after swarm of locusts[a]
has attacked our crops,
eating everything in sight.
Sober up, you drunkards!
Cry long and loud;
your wine supply is gone.
(A) A powerful nation[b]
with countless troops
has invaded our land.
They have the teeth and jaws
of powerful lions.
Our grapevines and fig trees
are stripped bare;
only naked branches remain.

Grieve like a young woman
mourning for the man
she was to marry.
Offerings of grain and wine
are no longer brought
to the Lord's temple.
His servants, the priests,
are deep in sorrow.
10 Barren fields mourn;
grain, grapes, and olives
are scorched and shriveled.

11 Mourn for our farms
and our vineyards!
There's no wheat or barley
growing in our fields.
12 Grapevines have dried up
and so has every tree—
figs and pomegranates,[c]
date palms and apples.
All happiness has faded away.

Return to God

13 Mourn, you priests who serve
at the altar of my God.
Spend your days and nights
wearing sackcloth.[d]
Offerings of grain and wine
are no longer brought
to the Lord's temple.

14 Tell the leaders and people
to come together
at the temple.
Order them to go without eating[e]
and to pray sincerely.
15 (B) We are in for trouble!
Soon the Lord All-Powerful
will bring disaster.
16 Our food is already gone;
there's no more celebrating
at the temple of our God.

17 Seeds dry up in the ground;[f]
no harvest is possible.
Our barns are in bad shape,
with no grain
to store in them.
18 Our cattle wander aimlessly,
moaning for lack of pasture,
and sheep are suffering.[g]
19 I cry out to you, Lord.
Grasslands and forests are eaten
by the scorching heat.
20 Wild animals have no water
because of you;
rivers and streams are dry,
and pastures are parched.

Locusts and an Enemy Army

Sound the trumpet on Zion,
the Lord's sacred hill.
Warn everyone to tremble!
The judgment day of the Lord
is coming soon.
It will be dark and gloomy
with storm clouds overhead.
Troops will cover the mountains
like thunderclouds.
No army this powerful
has ever been gathered before
or will be gathered again.
Fiery flames surround them;
no one escapes.
Before they invaded,
the land was like Eden;
now only a desert remains.

(C) They look like horses
and charge like cavalry.
They roar over mountains
like noisy chariots,
or a mighty army
ready for battle.
They are a forest fire
that feasts on straw.
The very sight of them
is frightening.[h]
They climb over walls
like warriors;
they march in columns
and never turn aside.[i]
They charge straight ahead,
without pushing each other;
even arrows and spears
cannot make them retreat.
They swarm over city walls
and enter our homes;
they crawl in through windows,
just like thieves.

10 (D) They make the earth tremble
and the heavens shake;
the sun and moon turn dark,
and stars stop shining.
11 (E) The Lord God leads this army
of countless troops,
and they obey his commands.
The day of his judgment
is so terrible
that no one can stand it.

The Lord's Invitation

12 The Lord said:

It isn't too late.
You can still return to me
with all your heart.
Start crying and mourning!
Go without eating.
13 Don't rip your clothes
to show your sorrow.
Instead, turn back to me
with broken hearts.
I am merciful, kind, and caring.
I don't easily lose my temper,
and I don't like to punish.

14 I am the Lord your God.
Perhaps I will change my mind
and treat you with mercy.
Then you will be blessed
with enough grain and wine
for offering sacrifices to me.

15 Sound the trumpet on Zion!
Call the people together.
Show your sorrow
by going without food.
16 (F) Make sure that everyone
is fit to worship me.[j]
Bring adults, children, babies,
and even bring newlyweds
from their festivities.

17 (G) Tell my servants, the priests,
to cry inside the temple
and to offer this prayer
near the altar:[k]
“Save your people, Lord God!
Don't let foreign nations
make jokes about us.
Don't let them laugh and ask,
‘Where is your God?’ ”

The Lord Will Bless the Land

18 The Lord was deeply concerned
about his land
and had pity on his people.
19 In answer to their prayers
he said,
“I will give you enough grain,
wine, and olive oil
to satisfy your needs.
No longer will I let you
be insulted by the nations.
20 An army attacked from the north,
but I will chase it
into a scorching desert.
There it will rot and stink
from the Dead Sea
to the Mediterranean.”

The Lord works wonders
21 and does great things.
So tell the soil to celebrate
22 and wild animals
to stop being afraid.
Grasslands are green again;
fruit trees and fig trees
are loaded with fruit.
Grapevines are covered
with grapes.

23 People of Zion,[l]
celebrate in honor
of the Lord your God!
He is generous and has sent
the autumn and spring rains
in the proper seasons.[m]
24 Grain will cover
your threshing places;
jars will overflow
with wine and olive oil.

The Lord Will Rescue His People

25 I, the Lord your God,
will make up for the losses
caused by those swarms
and swarms of locusts[n]
I sent to attack you.
26 My people, you will eat
until you are satisfied.
Then you will praise me
for the wonderful things
I have done.
Never again will you
be put to shame.

27 Israel, you will know
that I stand at your side.
I am the Lord your God—
there are no other gods.
Never again will you
be put to shame.

The Lord Will Work Wonders

The Lord said:

28 (H) Later, I will give my Spirit
to everyone.
Your sons and daughters
will prophesy.
Your old men
will have dreams,
and your young men
will see visions.
29 In those days I will even give
my Spirit to my servants,
both men and women.

30 I will work wonders
in the sky above
and on the earth below.
There will be blood and fire
and clouds of smoke.
31 (I) The sun will turn dark,
and the moon
will be as red as blood
before that great
and terrible day
when I appear.

32 (J) Then I, the Lord will save everyone who faithfully worships me. I have promised there will be survivors on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and among them will be my chosen ones.

The Lord Will Judge the Nations

At that time I, the Lord, will make Judah and Jerusalem prosperous again. Then in Judgment Valley[o] I will bring together the nations that scattered my people Israel everywhere in the world, and I will bring charges against those nations. They divided up my land and gambled to see who would get my people; they sold boys and girls to pay for prostitutes and wine.

(K) You people of Tyre and Sidon[p] and you Philistines, why are you doing this? Are you trying to get even with me? I'll strike back before you know what's happened. You've taken my prized possessions, including my silver and gold, and carried them off to your temples.[q] You have dragged the people of Judah and Jerusalem from their land and sold them to the Greeks.

But I'll make the people of Judah determined to come home, and what happened to them will happen to you. I'll hand over your sons and daughters to the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans,[r] who live far away. I, the Lord, have spoken!

Judgment in Judgment Valley

Say to the nations:

“Get ready for war!
Be eager to fight.
Line up for battle
and prepare to attack.
10 (L) Make swords out of plows
and spears out of garden tools.
Strengthen every weakling.”

11 Hurry, all you nations!
Come quickly.
Ask the Lord to bring
his warriors along.[s]
12 You must come now
to Judgment Valley,[t]
where the Lord will judge
the surrounding nations.

13 (M) They are a field of ripe crops.
Bring in the harvest!
They are grapes piled high.
Start trampling them now![u]
If our enemy's sins were wine,
every jar would overflow.
14 Crowds fill Decision Valley.
The judgment day of the Lord
will soon be here—
15 no light from the sun or moon,
and stars no longer shine.
16 (N) From the heart of Jerusalem
the Lord roars like a lion,
shaking the earth and sky.
But the Lord is a fortress,
a place of safety
for his people Israel.

God Will Bless His People

17 I am the Lord your God.
And you will know I live on Zion,
my sacred hill,
because Jerusalem will be sacred,
untouched by foreign troops.
18 On that day, fruitful vineyards
will cover the mountains.
And your cattle and goats
that graze on the hills
will produce a lot of milk.
Streams in Judah
will never run dry;
a stream from my house
will flow in Acacia Valley.[v]

19 Egypt and Edom were cruel
and brutal to Judah,
without a reason.
Now their countries will become
a barren desert,
20 but Judah and Jerusalem
will always have people.
21 I, the Lord, live on Mount Zion.
I will punish the guilty
and defend the innocent.[w]

Footnotes:

  1. 1.4 Swarm … locusts: The Hebrew text lists either four kinds of locusts or locusts in four stages of their development. Locusts are a type of grasshopper that comes in swarms and causes great damage to plant life.
  2. 1.6 A powerful nation: The swarms of locusts.
  3. 1.12 pomegranates: A bright red fruit that looks like an apple.
  4. 1.13 sackcloth: A rough, dark-colored cloth made from goat or camel hair and used to make grain sacks. It was worn in times of trouble or sorrow.
  5. 1.14 go without eating: As a way of showing sorrow for their sins.
  6. 1.17 Seeds … ground: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  7. 1.18 sheep are suffering: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  8. 2.6 The very … frightening: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  9. 2.7 and never turn aside: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  10. 2.16 fit to worship me: This required going through certain kinds of ceremonies.
  11. 2.17 inside … altar: The Hebrew text has “between the porch and the altar,” which is the place where the priests usually prayed for the people.
  12. 2.23 Zion: Jerusalem.
  13. 2.23 in … seasons: Or “as he used to do.”
  14. 2.25 swarms … locusts: See the note at 1.4.
  15. 3.2 Judgment Valley: The Hebrew text has “Jehoshaphat Valley,” which means “Valley of the Lord's Judgment.” This valley is mentioned here and in verse 12, but nowhere else in the Bible.
  16. 3.4 Tyre and Sidon: Two Phoenician coastal cities.
  17. 3.5 temples: Or “palaces.”
  18. 3.8 Sabeans: The people of Seba, a region in southwest Arabia.
  19. 3.11 Ask … along: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  20. 3.12 Judgment Valley: See the note at 3.2.
  21. 3.13 grapes … now: People trampled grapes with their bare feet to squeeze out the juice.
  22. 3.18 Acacia Valley: In the plains of Moab, northeast of the Dead Sea.
  23. 3.21 I will … innocent: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.

Revelation 1

This is what God showed to Jesus Christ, so that he could tell his servants what must happen soon. Christ then sent his angel with the message to his servant John. And John told everything he had seen about God's message and about what Jesus Christ had said and done.

God will bless everyone who reads this prophecy to others,[a] and he will bless everyone who hears and obeys it. The time is almost here.

(A) From John to the seven churches in Asia.[b]

I pray that you
will be blessed
with kindness and peace
from God, who is and was
and is coming.
May you receive
kindness and peace
from the seven spirits
before the throne of God.
(B) May kindness and peace
be yours
from Jesus Christ,
the faithful witness.

Jesus was the first
to conquer death,
and he is the ruler
of all earthly kings.
Christ loves us,
and by his blood
he set us free
from our sins.
(C) He lets us rule as kings
and serve God his Father
as priests.
To him be glory and power
forever and ever! Amen.
(D) Look! He is coming
with the clouds.
Everyone will see him,
even the ones who stuck
a sword through him.
All people on earth
will weep because of him.
Yes, it will happen! Amen.

(E) The Lord God says, “I am Alpha and Omega,[c] the one who is and was and is coming. I am God All-Powerful!”

A Vision of the Risen Lord

I am John, a follower together with all of you. We suffer because Jesus is our king, but he gives us the strength to endure. I was sent to Patmos Island,[d] because I had preached God's message and had told about Jesus. 10 On the Lord's day the Spirit took control of me, and behind me I heard a loud voice that sounded like a trumpet. 11 The voice said, “Write in a book what you see. Then send it to the seven churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”[e]

12 When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. 13 (F) There with the lampstands was someone who seemed to be the Son of Man.[f] He was wearing a robe that reached down to his feet, and a gold cloth was wrapped around his chest. 14 (G)(H) His head and his hair were white as wool or snow, and his eyes looked like flames of fire. 15 (I) His feet were glowing like bronze being heated in a furnace, and his voice sounded like the roar of a waterfall. 16 He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp double-edged sword was coming from his mouth. His face was shining as bright as the sun at noon.

17 (J) When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead person. But he put his right hand on me and said:

Don't be afraid! I am the first, the last, 18 and the living one. I died, but now I am alive forever, and I have the keys to death and the world of the dead.[g] 19 Write what you have seen and what is and what will happen after these things. 20 I will explain the mystery of the seven stars you saw at my right side and the seven gold lampstands. The seven stars are the angels[h] of the seven churches, and the lampstands are the seven churches.

Footnotes:

  1. 1.3 who reads this prophecy to others: A public reading, in a worship service.
  2. 1.4 Asia: The section 1.4—3.22 is in the form of a letter. Asia was in the eastern part of the Roman Empire and is present day Turkey.
  3. 1.8 Alpha and Omega: The first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, which sometimes mean “first” and “last.”
  4. 1.9 Patmos Island: A small island where prisoners were sometimes kept by the Romans.
  5. 1.11 Ephesus … Laodicea: Ephesus was in the center with the six other cities forming a half-circle around it.
  6. 1.13 Son of Man: That is, Jesus.
  7. 1.18 keys to death and the world of the dead: That is, power over death and the world of the dead.
  8. 1.20 angels: Perhaps guardian angels that represent the churches, or they may be church leaders or messengers sent to the churches.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.

Psalm 128

(A song for worship.)

The Lord Rewards His Faithful People

The Lord will bless you
if you respect him
and obey his laws.
Your fields will produce,
and you will be happy—
all will go well.
Your wife will be as fruitful
as a grapevine,
and just as an olive tree
is rich with olives,
your home will be rich
with healthy children.
This is how the Lord will bless
everyone who respects him.

I pray that the Lord
will bless you from Zion
and let Jerusalem prosper
as long as you live.
May you live long enough
to see your grandchildren.
Let's pray for peace in Israel!

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.

Proverbs 29:18

18 Without guidance from God
law and order disappear,
but God blesses everyone
who obeys his Law.

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.

12/8/2023 DAB Transcript

Hosea 10:1-14:9, Jude 1:1-25, Psalm 127:1-5, Proverbs 29:15-17

Today is the 8th day of December, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I’m Brian. It’s great to be here with you today as we take our steps through the final, the 12th month of the year, and wind our way into Christmas, and wind our way all the way through that, all the way to the end of the Bible. And then we’ll start over again. But we’re not there, we’re here, and here is where we belong right now. We’ve been reading from the book of Hosea in the Old Testament; we will complete the book of Hosea today. Then in the New Testament, we’ve been kind of racing through some short letters, First, Second and Third John. We arrive at another short letter named June, and we’ll read all of that today. So, we’re moving along, we’ll talk about Jude, when we get there. But first, Hosea chapters 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 today.

Introduction to the Book of Jude:

Okay, so like we said at the beginning, that concludes Hosea, and that brings us to the New Testament portion of our reading today. And that brings us to the letter or the epistle of Jude, and we’ll read the entire epistle, it’s 25 verses long. And as we read it, it may have familiar themes, maybe even familiar language. Many biblical scholars accept the idea that Second Peter imitates Jude’s letter. And if that’s true, then Jude’s letter predates Second Peter and that would, that would date it into the mid-60s AD. If that’s not the case, then the letter could have been written as late as the end of Jude’s life, probably around A.D. A.D. But that might be just trivia that like, like maybe there are more important questions, like who is Jude. Who is Jude? And that has been a vigorous debate throughout church history as well, and it continues to be examined among the scholars to this day. If we’re moving in the direction of like consensus, the majority of traditional scholars would agree that Jude, who wrote this letter was the brother of James and the brother of Jesus. And even though he’s a brother or half-brother, he was not an apostle. He did not believe in Jesus during his ministry. It’s not really clear who this letter is to; it’s addressed to all who have been called by God the Father, who loves you and keeps you safe in the care of Jesus Christ. So, we could say that includes us and probably should say that includes us. We should probably say this is a letter that was intended for us to read and understand and apply to our lives, because it’s still important to us. Jude tells us in this letter that he was planning on writing a totally different kind of letter, but that he needed to step into some, some issues. And the issues were false teaching about the grace of God. This is all still with us today. This was addressed many times in the letters throughout the New Testament. Basically, what was going on is that the teaching of…of unmerited favor, of grace, the grace of God, the mercy of God upon us, is a free gift bestowed upon us when we believe. There is no way to earn God’s favor, it is a gift that is given to us. And that’s a core understanding in the Christian faith, and were taught that in the Scriptures. It’s grace. Some people began to twist that around. Some people continue to twist that around, basically saying grace covers everything that I do, so I can do whatever I want and I can do it with whoever I want. I can do what I please because all I have to do is ask forgiveness, the mercy of God will not hold this sin against me and I can’t earn God’s grace anyway, so what’s the point. I believe grace has covered me and now I will move on doing as I please, being my own God and ruling how I choose. Jude says that’s not going to go anywhere. That will not end anywhere good. And so, we should listen to it because it’s not as if we’re not trying to justify our actions all the time. And Jude is warning us against that path. And he instructs the believers to remember that these kinds of twists…twisting’s of the teachings, they were predicted, that they knew this would happen. They knew this would come, they need to bind together and build each other up to the power of the Holy Spirit and take care of each other. Which is what we’ve been learning all year through the Scriptures. It matters that we take care of each other. So we’ll read this 25 verse letter and this is our last stop before we reach the final book in the New Testament, and that book is the book of Revelation, which we’ll take us into completely different territory than we’ve been in, in the New Testament. So, let’s pay very close attention to the words of this last letter in the New Testament.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You for Your word. We thank You for another day. We thank You for every day. We thank You that this this goes on every day, no matter what part of the year we’re in, no matter what day it is, no matter what month it is. This is the rhythm of our lives, to place Your word in our hearts and allow Your word to speak for itself inside of us, transforming us, growing us, and pulling us free from the bondage we…we get ourselves into. So, we thank You for Your word, we thank You for the letter to Jude today. All of the reminders that Your grace is not cheap. It came at a cost and when we use it cheaply, we’re missing the point, and we are not loving You. May we love You with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength, and may we love our neighbor as ourselves. We ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is home base, that’s the website. That’s where you find out what’s going on around here. Couple things; it’s Christmas time around here, so it’s all things Christmas. We have a couple of things that we do around here at Christmas time. One is our Annual Daily Audio Bible Family Christmas Party. And you can participate in that by calling in your Christmas greeting to the family here that you’ve been journeying with all year long and let your voice be heard, as we collect our season’s greetings from everyone. You can hit the Hotline button in the app to do that, or you can dial 877-942-4253 to do that. And obviously, those are familiar ways to reach out. That’s the prayer and encouragement line. It’s just for, for now, through the weekend, it’s also the holiday greeting line. And so, don’t delay, we’ll stop doing that after this weekend and we’ll start assembling that. So, this is getting to be last call. So, make sure you participate. The only rule is, if you’re calling in a holiday greeting but you also have a prayer request or encouragement, just make those separate. Don’t combine like a prayer request and a holiday greeting in the same call. We’ll get to confused, it’s too confusing for us. We can’t, we can’t stitch it together. So, make those separate. T

The other thing that is going on is an initiative where we have created a beautiful vinyl packages of the music of the Daily Audio Bible. For example, Songs for Sleep. The Promised Land soundtrack, the Heart album and the two holiday titles that we have: Family Christmas and Christmas Time. And they’re beautifully packaged, pressed on colored vinyl, like they’re collectible things. And all of the resources from this, this year is going into…into the Global Campfire and into the development of our home space on the Internet and the application that delivers the content. Just all of the apparatus for all of it, we’ll be moving into that in the new year. And so, we’re just asking for your partnership as we move in that direction. You can find these at dailyaudiobible.com in the Shop, just look for the Christmas Section and you’ll find it there. And thank you profoundly for your partnership.

And if you just want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible as…as the year winds down, thank you, thank you for your generosity. Thank you for your partnership. We aren’t a Global Campfire if we’re not here together. There’s no point in being here, if we’re not here together. But we are and so there’s lots of reasons for us to tune in each day, take the next step forward. So, thank you for your partnership. There is a link on the homepage at dailyaudiobible.com. If you’re using the app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner or the mailing address is P.O. Box 1996 Springhill, Tennessee 37174.

And as always, if you have a prayer request or encouragement, you can hit the Hotline button in the app, that’s the little red button up at the top or you can dial 877-942-4253.

And that’s it for today, I’m Brian, I love you and I’ll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Prayer and Encouragements:

This is Salt and Light with an update on my friend, who’s daughter fell over after she got out of the shower. They tried to resuscitate her, took her to the hospital, put her on life support. She did not make it. If you could pray for that family. She died from anemia and pneumonia. The previous week, her parents and friends, said to her, you need to get to the hospital. She said she would take it under consideration. But if she died, she knew where she was going. Sadly, that prediction came true. Oh my goodness. Thank you for your prayers. I love you all so much and I pray along with you every morning.

Good morning, Daily Audio Bible friends. I’m a long time listener but I’ve only called in a couple times. When I did, I remember we were going through something very difficult. And my husband said, we need ten thousand prayer warriors. And I knew just where to go. And of course, God heard through your wonderful prayers and answered. I’m reaching out now for another prayer request. We had our house damaged in Hurricane Ian, which was over a year ago. And it’s not livable. We just moved into our 7th rental, here in SW Florida. And we are battling with our insurance company. We do have a public adjuster and they are going before us but it has been very scary, as we have not received one penny for our out of pocket expenses for rental, for repairs for our home, our personal property. And so, I am asking for prayer from all of you, beautiful friends. Would you just pray for favor that we would get an answer soon. And that this company would give us the fair amount to begin repairs on our home. I thank you so much. I believe in the power of prayer and the verse, out of Him to exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. To Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus, to all generations forever and ever. That verse keeps coming back to me and I’m claiming that my God will do exceedingly, abundantly. I pray for you all. I’m going by Ever Green in SW Florida. I love you and I so appreciate your prayers.

Hi, DAB family, this is Rick from Lakeland, Florida. First time calling in, long time listener. First, thanks to everybody for their prayers. Now allow me the privilege to pray for them. I do have a couple of prayer requests, one for my Aunt Diane, who has been in the hospital on deaths door for several weeks now. It seems that, praise, she is moving in the right direction, but she’s still got a long ways to go. And the second one request I have, is for my son Josh. He’s an active duty Air Force member who had eye surgery this past week. And is in terrible pain post surgically. So just, if you get a moment, just pray for him. I know that, as he is separated from his wife and his children, that this makes that so, so much hard. And just be with my wife as she is there comforting him at Eastler Air Force Base in Mississippi and missing his own family. And of course, I’m missing my sweet wife Shari. As his family is at Tindle Air Force Base in North Florida, near Panama City. And we’re down here in Central Florida. So, and lastly pray for my sweet daughter Meg. Just that, we know that she struggles over relationships and growing, just want her heart to be 100% there for, in her life. For her to meet a Godly man, and know that she needs and wants. Alright DAB family, thanks again for listening. Have a fantastic, blessed day. Talk to you all later. Bye.

Hi everyone, my name is Daniel. I’m calling in for prayer for my mother Amy. She will be having eye surgery on December 11th in the afternoon. Recently, her, she’s noticed a difference in her vision. And after a doctors appointment, they told her she would need surgery. The recovery time is a little unclear to her. And she is worrying about what that’s gonna look like, what that means for her recovery for the holiday season. And just for her comfort in this…in this time. So, I’m asking for prayer for…for peace for her. And for a speedy and full recovery for her vision. So, thank you for all your prayers and the blessing that is the community.  

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Friday December 8, 2023 (NIV)

Hosea 10-14

10 You were a healthy vine
covered with grapes.
But the more grapes you grew,
the more altars you built;
the better off you became,
the better shrines you set up
for pagan gods.
You are deceitful and disloyal.
So you will pay
for your sins,
because the Lord will destroy
your altars and images.

“We don't have a king,”
you will say.
“We don't fear the Lord.
And what good are kings?”
Israel, you break treaties
and don't keep promises;
you turn justice
into poisonous weeds
where healthy plants should grow.[a]

All who live in Samaria tremble
with concern for the idols[b]
at sinful Bethel.[c]
The idol there was the pride
of the priests,
but it has been put to shame;
now everyone will cry.
It will be taken to Assyria
and given to the great king.
Then Israel will be disgraced
for worshiping that idol.

Like a twig in a stream,
the king of Samaria
will be swept away.
(A) The altars at sinful Bethel
will be destroyed
for causing Israel to sin;
they will be grown over
with thorns and thistles.
Then everyone will beg
the mountains and hills
to cover and protect them.

The Lord Promises To Punish Israel

(B) Israel, you have never
stopped sinning[d]
since that time at Gibeah.[e]
That's why you
will be attacked at Gibeah.[f]
10 Your sins have doubled,
and you are rebellious.
Now I have decided
to send nations to attack
and put you in chains.

11 Once you were obedient
like a calf
that loved to thresh grain.
But I will put a harness
on your beautiful neck;
you and Judah must plow
and cultivate the ground.
12 (C) Plow your fields,
scatter seeds of justice,
and harvest faithfulness.
Worship me, the Lord,
and I will send my saving power
down like rain.
13 You have planted evil,
harvested injustice, and eaten
the fruit of your lies.
You trusted your own strength
and your powerful forces.
14 So war will break out,
and your fortresses
will be destroyed.
Your enemies will do to you
what Shalman[g] did to the people
of Beth-Arbel—
mothers and their children
will be beaten to death
against rocks.
15 Bethel, this will be your fate
because of your evil.
Israel, at dawn your king
will be killed.

God's Love for His People

11 (D) When Israel was a child,
I loved him, and I called
my son out of Egypt.
But as the saying goes,
“The more they were called,
the more they rebelled.”[h]
They never stopped offering
incense and sacrifices
to the idols of Baal.

I took Israel by the arm
and taught them to walk.
But they would not admit
that I was the one
who had healed them.
I led them with kindness
and with love,
not with ropes.
I held them close to me;[i]
I bent down to feed them.

But they rejected me,
and so must return to Egypt;
now Assyria will rule them.
War will visit their cities,
and their plans will fail.[j]
My people are determined
to reject me for a god
they think is stronger,
but he can't help.[k]

(E) Israel, I can't let you go.
I can't give you up.
How could I possibly destroy you
as I did the towns of Admah
and Zeboiim?[l]
I just can't do it.
My feelings for you
are much too strong.
Israel, I won't lose my temper
and destroy you again.
I am the Holy God—
not merely some human,
and I won't stay angry.

10 I, the Lord, will roar like a lion,
and my children will return,
trembling from the west.
11 They will come back,
fluttering like birds from Egypt
or like doves from Assyria.
Then I will bring them
back to their homes.
I, the Lord, have spoken!

Israel and Judah Compared

12 Israel is deceitful to me,
their loyal and holy God;
they surround me with lies,
and Judah worships
other gods.[m]

12 All day long Israel chases
wind from the desert;
deceit and violence
are found everywhere.
Treaties are made with Assyria;
olive oil is taken to Egypt.

Israel and Judah Condemned

The Lord also brings charges
against the people of Judah,
the descendants of Jacob.
He will punish them
for what they have done.
(F)(G) Even before Jacob was born,
he cheated his brother,[n]
and when he grew up,
he fought against God.[o]

(H) At Bethel, Jacob wrestled
with an angel and won;
then with tears in his eyes,
he asked for a blessing,
and God spoke to us[p] there.
God's name is the Lord,
the Lord God All-Powerful.
So return to your God.
Patiently trust him,
and show love and justice.

Israel, you enjoy cheating
and taking advantage
of others.
You say to yourself, “I'm rich!
I earned it all on my own,
without committing a sin.”[q]

The Lord Is Still the God of Israel

(I) Israel, I, the Lord,
am still your God,
just as I have been
since the time
you were in Egypt.
Now I will force you
to live in tents once again,
as you did in the desert.[r]
10 I spoke to the prophets—
often I spoke in visions.
And so, I will send my prophets
with messages of doom.
11 Gilead is terribly sinful
and will end up ruined.
Bulls are sacrificed in Gilgal
on altars made of stones,
but those stones will be scattered
in every field.
12 (J) Jacob[s] escaped to Syria[t]
where he tended sheep
to earn himself a wife.
13 (K) I sent the prophet Moses
to lead Israel from Egypt
and to keep them safe.
14 Israel, I will make you pay
for your violent crimes
and for insulting me.

Israel Is Doomed

The Lord said:

13 When your leaders[u] spoke,
everyone in Israel trembled
and showed great respect.
But you sinned by worshiping Baal,
and you were destroyed.
Now you continue to sin
by designing and making
idols of silver
in the shape of calves.
You are told to sacrifice
to these idols[v]
yes, even to kiss them.
And so, all of you will vanish
like the mist or the dew
of early morning,
or husks of grain in the wind
or smoke from a chimney.

I, the Lord, have been your God
since the time
you were in Egypt.
I am the only God you know,
the only one who can save.
(L) I took care of you
in a thirsty desert.[w]
I fed you till you were satisfied,
then you became proud
and forgot about me.
Now I will attack like a lion,
ambush you like a leopard,
and rip you apart like a bear
robbed of her cubs.
I will gnaw on your bones,
as though I were a lion
or some other wild animal.
Israel, you are done for.
Don't expect help from me.[x]
10 (M) You wanted a king and rulers.
Where is your king now?
What cities have rulers?
11 (N) In my anger, I gave you a king;
in my fury, I took him away.

Israel's Terrible Fate

The Lord said:

12 Israel, your terrible sins
are written down
and stored away.
13 You are like a senseless child
who refuses to be born
at the proper time.
14 (O) Should I, the Lord, rescue you
from death and the grave?
No! I call death and the grave
to strike you like a plague.
I refuse to show mercy.

15 No matter if you prosper
more than the other tribes,[y]
I, the Lord, will wipe you out,
just as a scorching desert wind
dries up streams of water.
I will take away
your precious treasures.
16 Samaria[z] will be punished
for turning against me.
It will be destroyed in war—
children will be beaten
against rocks,
and pregnant women
will be ripped open.

Turn Back to the Lord

14 Israel, return! Come back
to the Lord, your God.
Sin has made you fall.
Return to the Lord and say,
“Please forgive our sins.
Accept our good sacrifices
of praise instead of bulls.[aa]
Assyria can't save us,
and chariots can't help.
So we will no longer worship
the idols we have made.
Our Lord, you show mercy
to orphans.”

The Lord Promises To Forgive

Israel, you have rejected me,
but my anger is gone;
I will heal you and love you
without limit.
I will be like the dew—
then you will blossom like lilies
and have roots like a tree.[ab]
Your branches will spread
with the beauty
of an olive tree
and with the aroma
of Lebanon Forest.
You will rest in my shade,
and your grain will grow.
You will blossom
like a vineyard
and be famous as the wine
from Lebanon.

Israel, give up your idols!
I will answer your prayers
and take care of you.[ac]
I am that glorious tree,
the source of your fruit.[ad]

If you are wise, you will know
and understand what I mean.
I am the Lord, and I lead you
along the right path.
If you obey me,
we will walk together,
but if you are wicked,
you will stumble.

Footnotes:

  1. 10.4 you turn … grow: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  2. 10.5 idols: The Hebrew text has “calves,” referring to the idols made in the shape of calves.
  3. 10.5 sinful Bethel: See the note at 4.15.
  4. 10.9 never stopped sinning: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  5. 10.9 Gibeah: See the note at 9.9.
  6. 10.9 That's why … Gibeah: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  7. 10.14 Shalman: Perhaps a Moabite king, also known as Salamanu.
  8. 11.2 But … rebelled: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  9. 11.4 I held … to me: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  10. 11.6 fail: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 6.
  11. 11.7 help: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 7.
  12. 11.8 Admah and Zeboiim: When the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, he also destroyed these two towns (see Deuteronomy 29.23).
  13. 11.12 and Judah worships other gods: Or “but Judah remains faithful.”
  14. 12.3 Jacob … cheated … brother: In Hebrew “Jacob” sounds like “cheat” and also like “heel.” Jacob grabbed his twin brother Esau by the heel at the time of their birth (see Genesis 25.26). Later he cheated him out of his rights and blessings as the first-born son (see Genesis 25.29-34; 27.1-40).
  15. 12.3 fought against God: See Genesis 32.22-32.
  16. 12.4 us: Hebrew; two ancient translations “him.”
  17. 12.8 without … sin: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  18. 12.9 as … desert: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. This probably refers to the 40 years of wandering through the desert after leaving Egypt, though it could refer to the “tents” (or “shelters”) in which the Israelites lived during the Festival of Shelters (see 9.5,6).
  19. 12.12 Jacob: His name was later changed to Israel (see Genesis 32.28), and he became the ancestor of the nation by that name.
  20. 12.12 Syria: The Hebrew text has “Aram,” probably referring to northern Syria in the region of Haran.
  21. 13.1 your leaders: The Hebrew text has “Ephraim,” here meaning Mount Ephraim, where the royal palace of Samaria (capital of the northern kingdom of Israel) was located.
  22. 13.2 You are told … idols: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  23. 13.5 thirsty desert: The 40 years that Israel wandered through the desert, after leaving Egypt.
  24. 13.9 Don't … me: Or “You are against me, the one who helps you.”
  25. 13.15 more … tribes: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  26. 13.16 Samaria: The capital of the northern kingdom of Israel.
  27. 14.2 Accept … bulls: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  28. 14.5 like a tree: The Hebrew text has “like Lebanon,” probably referring to the famous cedar trees on Mount Lebanon.
  29. 14.8 Israel … you: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  30. 14.8 I am … fruit: This is the only place in the Old Testament where the Lord is compared to a tree. Hosea reminds the people that it is the Lord who is the source of life, rather than the Canaanite gods and goddesses that are worshiped under trees at the local shrines.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

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Jude

(A) From Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and the brother of James.

To all who are chosen and loved by God the Father and are kept safe by Jesus Christ.

I pray that God will greatly bless you with mercy, peace, and love!

False Teachers

My dear friends, I really wanted to write you about God's saving power at work in our lives. But instead, I must write and ask you to defend the faith that God has once for all given to his people. Some godless people have sneaked in among us and are saying, “God treats us much better than we deserve, and so it is all right to be immoral.” They even deny we must obey Jesus Christ as our only Master and Lord. But long ago the Scriptures warned that these godless people were doomed.

(B) Don't forget what happened to those people the Lord rescued from Egypt. Some of them did not have faith, and he later destroyed them. You also know about the angels[a] who didn't do their work and left their proper places. God chained them with everlasting chains and is now keeping them in dark pits until the great day of judgment. (C) We should also be warned by what happened to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah[b] and the nearby towns. Their people became immoral and committed all sorts of sexual sins. Then God made an example of them and punished them with eternal fire.

The people I am talking about are behaving just like those dreamers who destroyed their own bodies. They reject all authority and insult angels. (D) Even Michael, the chief angel, didn't dare to insult the devil, when the two of them were arguing about the body of Moses.[c] All Michael said was, “The Lord will punish you!”

10 But these people insult powers they don't know anything about. They are like senseless animals that end up getting destroyed, because they live only by their feelings. 11 (E) Now they are in for real trouble. They have followed Cain's example[d] and have made the same mistake that Balaam[e] did by caring only for money. They have also rebelled against God, just as Korah did.[f] Because of all this, they will be destroyed.

12 These people are filthy minded, and by their shameful and selfish actions they spoil the meals you eat together. They are like clouds blown along by the wind, but never bringing any rain. They are like leafless trees, uprooted and dead, and unable to produce fruit. 13 Their shameful deeds show up like foam on wild ocean waves. They are like wandering stars forever doomed to the darkest pits of hell.

14 (F) Enoch was the seventh person after Adam, and he was talking about these people when he said:

Look! The Lord is coming with thousands and thousands of holy angels 15 to judge everyone. He will punish all those ungodly people for all the evil things they have done. The Lord will surely punish those ungodly sinners for every evil thing they have ever said about him.

16 These people grumble and complain and live by their own selfish desires. They brag about themselves and flatter others to get what they want.

More Warnings

17 My dear friends, remember the warning you were given by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 (G) They told you that near the end of time, selfish and godless people would start making fun of God. 19 And now these people are already making you turn against each other. They think only about this life, and they don't have God's Spirit.

20 Dear friends, keep building on the foundation of your most holy faith, as the Holy Spirit helps you to pray. 21 And keep in step with God's love, as you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to show how kind he is by giving you eternal life. 22 Be helpful to[g] all who may have doubts. 23 Rescue any who need to be saved, as you would rescue someone from a fire. Then with fear in your own hearts, have mercy on everyone who needs it. But hate even the clothes of those who have been made dirty by their filthy deeds.

Final Prayer

24-25 Offer praise to God our Savior because of our Lord Jesus Christ! Only God can keep you from falling and make you pure and joyful in his glorious presence. Before time began and now and forever, God is worthy of glory, honor, power, and authority. Amen.

Footnotes:

  1. 6 angels: This may refer to the angels who liked the women on earth so much that they came down and married them (see Genesis 6.2).
  2. 7 Sodom and Gomorrah: During the time of Abraham the Lord destroyed these cities because the people there were so evil.
  3. 9 Michael … the body of Moses: This refers to what was said in an ancient Jewish book about Moses.
  4. 11 Cain's example: Cain murdered his brother Abel.
  5. 11 Balaam: According to the biblical account, Balaam refused to curse the people of Israel for profit (see Numbers 22.18; 24.13), though he led them to be unfaithful to the Lord (see Numbers 25.1-3; 31.16). But by New Testament times, some Jewish teachers taught that Balaam was greedy and did accept money to curse them.
  6. 11 just as Korah did: Together with Dathan and Abiram, Korah led a rebellion against Moses and Aaron (see Numbers 16.1-35; 26.9,10).
  7. 22 Be helpful to: Some manuscripts have “Correct.”
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

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Psalm 127

(A song by Solomon for worship.)

Only the Lord Can Bless a Home

Without the help of the Lord
it is useless to build a home
or to guard a city.
It is useless to get up early
and stay up late
in order to earn a living.
God takes care of his own,
even while they sleep.[a]

Children are a blessing
and a gift from the Lord.
Having a lot of children
to take care of you
in your old age
is like a warrior
with a lot of arrows.
The more you have,
the better off you will be,
because they will protect you
when your enemies
attack you in court.

Footnotes:

  1. 127.2 God … sleep: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

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Proverbs 29:15-17

15 Correct your children,
and they will be wise;
children out of control
disgrace their mothers.
16 Crime increases
when crooks are in power,
but law-abiding citizens
will see them fall.
17 If you correct your children,
they will bring you peace
and happiness.

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

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The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Thursday December 7, 2023 (NIV)

Hosea 6-9

The Lord's People Speak

Let's return to the Lord.
He has torn us to shreds,
but he will bandage our wounds
and make us well.
In two or three days
he will heal us
and restore our strength
that we may live with him.
Let's do our best
to know the Lord.
His coming is as certain
as the morning sun;
he will refresh us like rain
renewing the earth
in the springtime.

The Lord Speaks to Israel and Judah

People of Israel and Judah,
what can I do with you?
Your love for me disappears
more quickly than mist
or dew at sunrise.
That's why I slaughtered you
with the words
of my prophets.
That's why my judgments blazed
like the dawning sun.[a]
(A) I'd rather for you to be faithful
and to know me
than to offer sacrifices.

At a place named Adam,
you[b] betrayed me
by breaking our agreement.
Everyone in Gilead is evil;
your hands are stained
with the blood of victims.[c]
You priests are like a gang
of robbers in ambush.[d]
On the road to Shechem[e]
you murder and commit
other horrible crimes.
10 I have seen a terrible thing
in Israel—
you are unfaithful
and unfit to worship me.
11 People of Judah,
your time is coming too.

The Lord Wants To Help Israel

I, the Lord, would like to make
my nation prosper again

and to heal its wounds.
But then I see the crimes
in Israel[f] and Samaria.
Everyone is deceitful;
robbers roam the streets.
No one realizes
that I have seen their sins
surround them like a flood.

The king and his officials
take great pleasure
in their sin and deceit.
Everyone burns with desire—
they are like coals in an oven,
ready to burst into flames.
On the day their king
was crowned,
his officials got him drunk,
and he joined
in their foolishness.[g]

Their anger is a fire
that smolders all night,
then flares up at dawn.
They are flames
destroying their leaders.
And their kings are powerless;
none of them trust me.

The people of Israel[h]
have mixed with foreigners;
they are a thin piece of bread
scorched on one side.
They don't seem to realize
how weak and feeble they are;
their hair has turned gray,
while foreigners rule.
10 I am the Lord, their God,
but in all of their troubles
their pride keeps them
from returning to me.

No Help from Foreign Nations

The Lord said:

11 Israel[i] is a senseless bird,
fluttering back and forth
between Egypt and Assyria.
12 But I will catch them in a net
as hunters trap birds;
I threatened to punish them,
and indeed I will.[j]
13 Trouble and destruction
will be their reward
for rejecting me.
I would have rescued them,
but they told me lies.

14 They don't really pray to me;
they just howl in their beds.
They have rejected me for Baal
and slashed themselves,[k]
in the hope that Baal
will bless their crops.
15 I taught them what they know,
and I made them strong.
Now they plot against me
16 and refuse to obey.[l]
They are more useless
than a crooked arrow.
Their leaders will die in war
for saying foolish things.
Egyptians will laugh at them.

Israel Rejects the Lord

The Lord said:

Sound a warning!
Israel, you broke our agreement
and ignored my teaching.
Now an eagle[m] is swooping down
to attack my land.
Israel, you say, “We claim you,
the Lord, as our God.”
But your enemies
will chase you for rejecting
our good agreement.[n]

You chose kings and leaders
without consulting me;
you made silver and gold idols
that led to your downfall.
City of Samaria, I'm angry
because of your idol
in the shape of a calf.
When will you ever
be innocent again?
Someone from Israel built
that idol for you,
but only I am God.
And so it will be smashed
to pieces.[o]

If you scatter wind
instead of wheat,
you will harvest a whirlwind
and have no wheat.
Even if you harvest grain,
enemies will steal it all.

Israel, you are ruined,
and now the nations
consider you worthless.
You are like a wild donkey
that goes its own way.
You've run off to Assyria
and hired them as allies.
10 You can bargain with nations,
but I'll catch you anyway.
Soon you will suffer abuse
by kings and rulers.

11 Israel, you have built
many altars where you offer
sacrifices for sin.
But these altars have become
places for sin.
12 My instructions for sacrifices
were written in detail,
but you ignored them.
13 You sacrifice your best animals
and eat the sacrificial meals,[p]
but I, the Lord,
refuse your offerings.
I will remember your sins
and punish you.
Then you will return to Egypt.[q]

14 Israel, I created you,
but you forgot me.
You and Judah built palaces
and many strong cities.[r]
Now I will send fire to destroy
your towns and fortresses.

Israel Will Be Punished

Israel, don't celebrate
or make noisy shouts[s]
like other nations.
You have been unfaithful
to your God.
Wherever grain is threshed,
you behave like prostitutes
because you enjoy
the money you receive.[t]
But you will run short
of grain and wine,
and you will have to leave
the land of the Lord.
Some of you will go to Egypt;
others will go to Assyria
and eat unclean food.

You won't be able to offer
sacrifices of wine
to the Lord.
None of your sacrifices
will please him—
they will be unclean
like food offered to the dead.
Your food will only be used
to satisfy your hunger;
none of it will be brought
to the Lord's temple.
You will no longer be able
to celebrate the festival
of the Lord.[u]
Even if you escape alive,
you will end up in Egypt
and be buried in Memphis.[v]
Your silver treasures
will be lost among weeds;[w]
thorns will sprout in your tents.

(B) Israel, the time has come.
You will get what you deserve,
and you will know it.
“Prophets are fools,” you say.
“And God's messengers
are crazy.”
Your terrible guilt
has filled you with hatred.

Israel, the Lord sent me
to look after you.[x]
But you trap his prophets
and flood his temple
with your hatred.
(C) You are brutal and corrupt,
as were the men of Gibeah.[y]
But God remembers your sin,
and you will be punished.

Sin's Terrible Results

10 (D) Israel, when I, the Lord,
found you long ago
it was like finding
grapes in a barren desert
or tender young figs.
Then you worshiped Baal Peor,
that disgusting idol,
and you became as disgusting
as the idol you loved.

11 And so, Israel, your glory
will fly away like birds—
your women will no longer
be able to give birth.
12 Even if you do have children,
I will take them all
and leave you to mourn.
I will turn away,
and you will sink down
in deep trouble.
13 Israel, when I first met you,
I thought of you as palm trees
growing in fertile ground.[z]
Now you lead your people out,
only to be slaughtered.

Hosea's Advice

14 Our Lord, do just one thing
for your people—
make their women unable
to have children
or to nurse their babies.

The Lord's Judgment on Israel

15 Israel, I first began
to hate you because
you did evil at Gilgal.[aa]
Now I will chase you
out of my house.
No longer will I love you;
your leaders betrayed me.
16 Israel, you are a vine
with dried-up roots
and fruitless branches.
Even if you had more children
and loved them dearly,
I would slaughter them all.

Hosea Warns Israel

17 Israel, you disobeyed my God.
Now he will force you to roam
from nation to nation.

Footnotes:

  1. 6.5 That's why my … sun: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  2. 6.7 At … you: Or “Like Adam, you” or “Each one of you.”
  3. 6.8 your hands … victims: This may refer to child sacrifice.
  4. 6.9 You … ambush: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  5. 6.9 Shechem: This was one of the towns where people could run for safety, if they had accidentally killed someone (see Joshua 20.1-9).
  6. 7.1 Israel: See the note at 4.17. Samaria was the capital city of Israel.
  7. 7.5 foolishness: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 5.
  8. 7.8 Israel: Hebrew “Ephraim” (see the note at 4.17).
  9. 7.11 Israel: Hebrew “Ephraim” (see the note at 4.17).
  10. 7.12 I threatened … will: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  11. 7.14 slashed themselves: One ancient translation and some Hebrew manuscripts; other Hebrew manuscripts “gather together.” Slashing themselves was one way of worshiping Baal (see 1 Kings 18.28).
  12. 7.16 and … obey: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  13. 8.1 an eagle: Or “a vulture.”
  14. 8.3 our good agreement: Or “me, the Good One” (referring to God).
  15. 8.6 smashed to pieces: Or “destroyed by fire.”
  16. 8.13 sacrifice … sacrificial meals: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. Two kinds of sacrifices are referred to: Those in which the whole animal is burned on the altar (“whole burnt offerings” in traditional translations) and those in which part is eaten by the worshipers (“fellowship offerings” in traditional translations).
  17. 8.13 return to Egypt: Either as slaves or to find help against Assyria.
  18. 8.14 built palaces … cities: They did this because they no longer trusted the Lord to protect them. “Palaces” may also mean “temples.”
  19. 9.1 or … shouts: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  20. 9.1 Wherever … receive: Grain was threshed on hills or other places where the wind could blow away the husks. People also met at these places to worship Baal, the god they thought had given them the grain harvest.
  21. 9.5 festival of the Lord: Probably the Festival of Shelters.
  22. 9.6 Memphis: An Egyptian city with a famous cemetery.
  23. 9.6 Your silver … weeds: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  24. 9.8 Israel … you: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  25. 9.9 the men of Gibeah: They raped and murdered a woman (see Judges 19).
  26. 9.13 Israel, when … ground: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  27. 9.15 Gilgal: See 4.15.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.

3 John

(A) From the church leader.[a]

To my dear friend Gaius.

I love you because we follow the truth, dear friend, and I pray all goes well for you. I hope you are as strong in body, as I know you are in spirit. It makes me very happy when the Lord's followers come by and speak openly of how you obey the truth. Nothing brings me greater happiness than to hear that my children[b] are obeying the truth.

Working Together

Dear friend, you have always been faithful in helping other followers of the Lord, even the ones you didn't know before. They have told the church about your love. They say you were good enough to welcome them and to send them on their mission in a way God's servants deserve. When they left to tell others about the Lord, they decided not to accept help from anyone who wasn't a follower. We must support people like them, so we can take part in what they are doing to spread the truth.

I wrote to the church. But Diotrephes likes to be the number-one leader, and he won't pay any attention to us. 10 So if I come, I will remind him of how he has been attacking us with gossip. Not only has he been doing this, but he refuses to welcome any of the Lord's followers who come by. And when other church members want to welcome them, he puts them out of the church.

11 Dear friend, don't imitate the evil deeds of others, but follow the example of people who do kind deeds. They are God's children, but those who are always doing evil have never seen God.

12 Everyone speaks well of Demetrius, and so does the true message that he teaches. I also speak well of him, and you know what I say is true.

Final Greetings

13 I have much more to say to you, but I don't want to write it with pen and ink. 14 I hope to see you soon, and then we can talk in person.

15 I pray that God will bless you with peace!

Your friends send their greetings. Please give a personal greeting to each of our friends.

Footnotes:

  1. 1 church leader: Or “elder” or “presbyter.”
  2. 4 children: Probably persons that the leader had led to be followers of the Lord.

Cross references:

  1. 1 : Ac 19.29; Ro 16.23,24; 1 Co 1.14.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.

Psalm 126

(A song for worship.)

Celebrating the Harvest

It seemed like a dream
when the Lord brought us back
to the city of Zion.[a]
We celebrated with laughter
and joyful songs.
In foreign nations it was said,
“The Lord has worked miracles
for his people.”
And so we celebrated
because the Lord had indeed
worked miracles for us.

Our Lord, we ask you to bless
our people again,
and let us be like streams
in the Southern Desert.
We cried as we went out
to plant our seeds.
Now let us celebrate
as we bring in the crops.
We cried on the way
to plant our seeds,
but we will celebrate and shout
as we bring in the crops.

Footnotes:

  1. 126.1 brought … Zion: Or “made the city of Zion prosperous again.”
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.

Proverbs 29:12-14

12 A ruler who listens to lies
will have corrupt officials.
13 The poor and all who abuse them
must each depend on God
for light.
14 Kings who are fair to the poor
will rule a long time.

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.

12/6/2023 DAB Transcript

Hosea 4:1-5:15, 2 John 1:1-13, Psalm 125:1-5, Proverbs 29:9-11

Today is the 6th day of December, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I’m Brian, it’s great to be here with you today as we continue the journey, the journey we’ve been on all year. And we have a bit of well, I don’t know, what do we have, a bit of ocean, a bit of road, a bit of terrain yet in front of us. We have begun the book of Hosea yesterday; we will continue our journey through Hosea today. When we get to the New Testament, we will, well, we’ll read a whole book. But we’ll talk about that in a minute. First, Hosea chapters 4 and 5 today.

Introduction to the Book of Second John:

Okay, so like we said, we finished First John yesterday, we’re gonna read an entire book today, an entire letter. It’s called Second John. And this one was probably written pretty close after the first one. It was probably written to the same people because it’s very similar, and it’s the similarities that allow textual scholars and biblical scholars to accept John as the authentic author. And since the tradition is that John spent the later years of his life doing ministry in Ephesus, then that would be likely where Second John has its origination, probably written in Ephesus. It’s short; we’re gonna read it all, 13 verses. The first three verses will give us greetings, the next three remind us how important it is to love one another. Then three more verses speak against false teachings, specifically Docetism, which is what we were…were discussing in First John. Then a couple of verses give instructions that are different than any of the other letters, these verses advise the readers how they should behave toward a traveling minister who comes into the church and attempts to introduce one of the false teachings, and the instructions are to not bring encouragement or hospitality to that person. And then the letter concludes with its final two verses. And so, we’ll read it real quick. We’ve talked about it more than it will take to read it. And it will be easy to just let it kind of blur because it’s so much of the same territory between First and Second John. But let’s just remember, let’s just imagine. First John arrived, the people read it, they began to live into it, they began to find encouragement in it and then they began to find challenge and discouragement in it. And then this second letter arrives, maybe a couple months later, and brings that boost, brings a clear reminder of where they’re supposed to be aimed, and gives them encouragement in their hearts to love one another. And that would be the posture we take now, as we read Second John.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You for Your word. And even as, even as the year speeds up for us in this holiday season. The end of the year speeds up for us as we move through so much territory in the Scriptures. So, we invite You, Holy Spirit, as we walk with You, that You will lead us into all truth and show us what we need to see and hear, what we need to know, how we need to be. Show us what we need to have in our lives as we continue this journey forward, now through Second John, tomorrow into Third John, as we continue through the minor prophets. Speak to us, Father. We are listening and we need You, and we worship You and we love You, and we pray this in the name of Jesus, who has rescued us from the darkness and made us children of the light. Come Jesus, illuminate our path that we may walk in the light, as You are in the light. We pray this in Your precious name. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com that is home base, it’s the websites, it’s where you find out what’s going on around here. Christmas time is going on around here and so, it’s time to call in your Christmas greetings for the Annual Daily Audio Bible Family Christmas Party. The way that you do that is that you either use the Hotline button in the app or call 877-942-4253. And those are recognizable ways to reach out because that…that’s the prayer and encouragement line. But right now, it’s also the prayer of encouragement and holiday greeting line. So, call in your holiday greetings now. We will, we will go for a couple more days and then we’re gonna kinda lock that down and begin assembling the party together. And so, don’t delay.

Also, for Christmas this year, it’s a little different than any other year. We haven’t got a Christmas box this year. We have pressed all of the music from the Daily Audio Bible onto different vinyl packages, a beautiful commemorative of what we do here each day and kind of what’s underneath all that we do. Some of the music from the season and seasons of the Daily Audio Bible’s existence. So, all of those are available. We will send the Christmas ornament that we have each year, out with any of those orders. And all of this, all of this initiative, all of this effort, all of the resources that come in will be invested into what is coming next for us in the new year. And it’s a complete new infrastructure for the Daily Audio Bible, with the complete new app. And so, we have worked very hard and tirelessly for years, and that should…should finally lead our community forward and be the home of the Global Campfire sometime next year. And so, this year we’re just inviting participation. And you can do that at dailyaudiobible.com. Just look for the Shop and look for the Christmas Category and you will find everything there, so check that out. Thank you.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, as we wind down another year, thank you again, humbly for your partnership. There is a link on the homepage at dailyaudiobible.com. If you’re using the app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner, or the mailing address is P.O. Box 1996 Springhill, Tennessee 37174.

And as always if you have a prayer request or encouragement, you can hit the Hotline button in the app, that’s little red button up at the top, or you can dial 877-942-4253.

And that’s it for today, I’m Brian, I love you very much and I will be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Prayer and Encouragements:

Good morning DAB family, it is December 1st, and I just heard the most precious little girl, asking for prayers for her grandma, Almanita. Child, I heard your prayer request, and I am praying for your little Almanita. And yes, we all have grandparents. Some of them are with us and some of them have passed. But grandparents do have a special place in our hearts and in our lives. And I am praying to the Father for His protection, for His healing. And also, for your comfort to know that God loves you, God loves Almanita and your mommy and daddy. And I wanna thank you so much for calling in and asking us to pray along with you. It is in Jesus name that we pray. Amen.

Shalom Daily Audio Bible, this is Dwayne from Wisconsin. All praise and glory to our wonderful Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Calling in today for Maggie May. We have been praying for you for a number of years and now you may have an opportunity to have a residence, a home I believe it was, next to your son. So, we pray the Lord is in this. We pray this is the Lord’s will. We pray that you would get this house, for you definitely are a light in the darkness. You could be a light for your son. A light for the community. So, Maggie May, we are definitely lifting you up and praying that you will get this residency. Also, calling in for Emmie, who called in and would like us to pray for her two-year-old daughter. She took her to the doctor for two-year checkup and there seems to be an issue with her heart. We pray this is just a minor issue, Lord. And that she has heard, and it’s good news and not to something to worry about. So, we pray for that. And we wanna lift up her daughter, to You, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen and God Bless.

Hey guys, this is Katie Jo from Wyoming. I was just calling in for Kristen, aka Christ in Me, who just called in saying she’s had a bad day. That dealing with all the loss. And I just wanted you to know that a … I mean, I myself have lost both parents, my mom and then also the man who brought me back to Christ and saved my life. Poured into me and disciplined me. Also died in 2021. And I mean, I’ve lost people spiritually and physically. There was a point in my life where I, I like I had lost everybody. And so, I know what you’re going through right now. And so, this prayer is for you and for anybody else who’s experienced this kind of pain. Heavenly Father, we just come to You and we come before Your throne and we praise You and we thank You that these people were in our life. That You gave them to us, that they made their mark, they made their impact on our lives. And they brought us so much joy. And so, I just pray that You’d wrap Your arms around Kristen right now and everybody else who struggles with this, Lord. That, that we sometimes we just want them back, but we know they’re…they’re where they need to be. They’re safe with You, Lord. And so, I just pray comfort and peace and just Your…Your everlasting joy to wash over everybody who suffers from this, God. And we know that Your will, will be done. And we just thank You for these people in our lives. And we give You all the praise and all the glory. In Jesus name. Amen. Love you guys, have a blessed day.

Good morning, everyone, it’s Susan from Canada, God’s Yellow Flower calling. And Sparky, I just heard your conversation with God on the community prayer. And I just wanna say, Amen and Amen. You are so loved and respected by this community and especially me. That I just wanted you to know that everything that was said there is true and it’s from God. So know, beyond a shadow of a doubt that we want you in our lives, forever. Even for eternity. Wouldn’t that be wonderful. Oh Lord God, we just praise You for the hope that we have in You. The hope of life for eternity and not a life like we have here but a life of glory for eternity with you. Praise You Lord Jesus. Praise You God. Praise You Father. We do not _. And I’m thinking of my son here, as he’s suffering from this stage 4 cancer. We do not grieve as pagans do. We have a hope. We have a future, and we have You, Lord God. Praise You Jesus. Amen.

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Wednesday December 6, 2023 (NIV)

Hosea 4-5

Israel Is Unfaithful

Israel, listen
as the Lord accuses
everyone in the land!
No one is faithful or loyal
or truly cares about God.
Cursing, dishonesty, murder,
robbery, unfaithfulness—
these happen all the time.
Violence is everywhere.
And so your land is a desert.
Every living creature is dying—
people and wild animals,
birds and fish.

The Lord Warns the Priests

Don't accuse just anyone!
Not everyone is at fault.
My case is against you,
the priests.[a]
You and the prophets
will stumble day and night;
I'll silence your mothers.
You priests have rejected me,
and my people are destroyed
by refusing to obey.
Now I'll reject you and forget
your children, because you
have forgotten my Law.

By adding more of you priests,
you multiply the number
of people who sin.
Now I'll change your pride
into shame.
You encourage others to sin,
so you can stuff yourselves
on their sin offerings.

That's why I will punish
the people for their deeds,
just as I will punish
you priests.
10 Their food won't satisfy,
and having sex at pagan shrines
won't produce children.
My people have rebelled
11 and have been unfaithful
to me, their Lord.

God Condemns Israel's Idolatry

My people, you are foolish
because of too much pleasure
and too much wine.
12 You expect wooden idols
and other objects of wood
to give you advice.
Lusting for sex at pagan shrines
has made you unfaithful
to me, your God.
13 You offer sacrifices
on mountaintops and hills,
under oak trees, and wherever
good shade is found.

Your own daughters
and daughters-in-law
sell themselves for sex.
14 But I won't punish them.
You men are to blame,
because you go to prostitutes
and offer sacrifices with them
at pagan shrines.
Your own foolishness
will lead to your ruin.
15 Israel, you are unfaithful,
but don't lead Judah to sin.
Stop worshiping at Gilgal
or at sinful Bethel.[b]
And quit making promises
in my name—the name
of the living Lord.
16 You are nothing more
than a stubborn cow—
so stubborn that I, the Lord,
cannot feed you like lambs
in an open pasture.

17 You people of Israel[c]
are charmed by[d] idols.
Leave those people alone!
18 You get drunk, then sleep
with prostitutes;
you would rather be vulgar
than lead a decent life.[e]
19 And so you will be swept away[f]
in a whirlwind
for sacrificing to idols.

Israel and Judah Will Be Judged

The Lord said:

Listen, you priests!
Pay attention, Israel![g]
Listen, you members
of the royal family.
Justice was your duty.
But[h] at Mizpah and Mount Tabor
you trapped the people.
At the place of worship
you were a treacherous pit,[i]
and I will punish you.

Israel, I know all about you,
and because of your unfaithfulness,
I find you unacceptable.
Your evil deeds are the reason
you won't return to me,
your Lord God.
And your constant craving for sex
keeps you from knowing me.

Israel, your pride
testifies to your guilt;
it makes you stumble,
and Judah stumbles too.
You offer sheep and cattle
as sacrifices to me,
but I have turned away
and refuse to be found.
You have been unfaithful
to me, your Lord;
you have had children
by prostitutes.[j]
So at the New Moon Festival,
you and your crops
will be destroyed.[k]

The Lord Warns Israel and Judah

Give a warning on the trumpet!
Let it be heard in Gibeah,
Ramah, and sinful Bethel.[l]
Benjamin, watch out![m]
I, the Lord, will punish
and wipe out Israel.
This is my solemn promise
to every tribe of Israel.
10 Judah's leaders are like crooks
who move boundary markers;
that's why I will flood them
with my anger.

11 Israel was brutally crushed.
They got what they deserved
for worshiping useless idols.[n]
12 Now I, the Lord,
will fill Israel with maggots
and make Judah rot.
13 When Israel and Judah saw
their sickness and wounds,
Israel asked help from Assyria
and its mighty king.[o]

But the king cannot cure them
or heal their wounds.
14 So I'll become a fierce lion
attacking Israel and Judah.
I'll snatch and carry off
what I want,
and no one can stop me.
15 Then I'll return to my temple
until they confess their guilt
and worship me,
until they are desperate
and beg for my help.

Footnotes:

  1. 4.4 priests: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 4. Hosea may have had in mind only one priest, possibly the chief priest.
  2. 4.15 sinful Bethel: The Hebrew text has “Beth-Aven,” which means “house of sin” or “house of nothing,” referring to “Bethel,” which means “house of God.”
  3. 4.17 Israel: The Hebrew text has “Ephraim,” the leading tribe of the northern kingdom of Israel, which sometimes stands for the whole kingdom.
  4. 4.17 charmed by: Or “joined to.”
  5. 4.18 life: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 18.
  6. 4.19 And so … swept away: Or “And so you will be ashamed.”
  7. 5.1 Israel: Probably meaning the tribal leaders of Israel.
  8. 5.1 Justice … duty. But: Or “You are doomed, because.”
  9. 5.2 At … pit: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  10. 5.7 prostitutes: See 4.14, and the note at 1.2.
  11. 5.7 So … destroyed: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  12. 5.8 sinful Bethel: See the note at 4.15. Gibeah is 5 kilometers north of Jerusalem, Ramah is 8 kilometers north, and Bethel is 17.5 kilometers north. The attack comes from the south, and all the land of Benjamin (belonging to Israel) is in danger.
  13. 5.8 watch out: Or “lead the way.”
  14. 5.11 for … idols: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  15. 5.13 and … king: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.

2 John

From the church leader.[a]

To a very special woman and her children.[b] I truly love all of you, and so does everyone else who knows the truth. We love you because the truth is now in our hearts, and it will be there forever.

I pray that God the Father and Jesus Christ his Son will be kind and merciful to us! May they give us peace and truth and love.

Truth and Love

I was very glad to learn that some of your children are obeying the truth, as the Father told us to do. (A) Dear friend, I am not writing to tell you and your children to do something you have not done before. I am writing to tell you to love each other, which is the first thing you were told to do. Love means we do what God tells us. And from the beginning, he told you to love him.

Many liars have gone out into the world. These deceitful liars are saying Jesus Christ did not have a truly human body. But they are liars and the enemies of Christ. So be sure not to lose what we[c] have worked for. If you do, you won't be given your full reward. Don't keep changing what you were taught about Christ, or else God will no longer be with you. But if you hold firmly to what you were taught, both the Father and the Son will be with you. 10 (B) If people won't agree to this teaching, don't welcome them into your home or even greet them. 11 Greeting them is the same as taking part in their evil deeds.

Final Greetings

12 I have much more to tell you, but I don't want to write it with pen and ink. I want to come and talk to you in person, because this will make us[d] really happy.

13 Greetings from the children of your very special sister.[e]

Footnotes:

  1. 1 church leader: Or “elder” or “presbyter.”
  2. 1 very special woman and her children: A group of the Lord's followers who met together for worship. “The children of your … sister” (see verse 13) is another group of followers. “Very special” (here and verse 13) probably means “chosen (by the Lord).”
  3. 8 we: Some manuscripts have “you.”
  4. 12 us: Some manuscripts have “you.”
  5. 13 sister: See the note at verse 1.

Cross references:

  1. 5 : Jn 13.34; 15.12,17.
  2. 10,11 : 3 Macc 2.33.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.

Psalm 125

(A song for worship.)

The Lord's People Are Safe

Everyone who trusts the Lord
is like Mount Zion
that cannot be shaken
and will stand forever.
Just as Jerusalem is protected
by mountains on every side,
the Lord protects his people
by holding them in his arms
now and forever.
He won't let the wicked
rule his people
or lead them to do wrong.
Let's ask the Lord to be kind
to everyone who is good
and completely obeys him.

When the Lord punishes
the wicked,
he will punish everyone else
who lives an evil life.
Pray for peace in Israel!

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.

Proverbs 29:9-11

Be wise and don't sue a fool.
You won't get satisfaction,
because all the fool will do
is sneer and shout.
10 A murderer hates everyone
who is honest
and lives right.[a]
11 Don't be a fool
and quickly lose your temper—
be sensible and patient.

Footnotes:

  1. 29.10 and lives right: Or “and those who live right are friends of honest people.”
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Tuesday December 5, 2023 (NIV)

Hosea 1-3

(A) I am Hosea son of Beeri. When Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were the kings of Judah, and when Jeroboam son of Jehoash[a] was king of Israel,[b] the Lord spoke this message to me.

Hosea's Family

The Lord said, “Hosea, Israel has betrayed me like an unfaithful wife.[c] Marry such a woman and have children by her.” So I married Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, and we had a son.

(B) Then the Lord said, “Hosea, name your son Jezreel,[d] because I will soon punish the descendants of King Jehu of Israel for the murders he committed in Jezreel Valley.[e] I will destroy his kingdom, and in Jezreel Valley I will break the power of Israel.”

Later, Gomer had a daughter, and the Lord said, “Name her Lo-Ruhamah,[f] because I will no longer have mercy and forgive Israel. But I am the Lord God of Judah, and I will have mercy and save Judah by my own power—not by wars and arrows or swords and cavalry.”

After Gomer had stopped nursing Lo-Ruhamah, she had another son. Then the Lord said, “Name him Lo-Ammi,[g] because these people are not mine, and I am not their God.”

Hope for Israel

10 (C) Someday it will be impossible to count the people of Israel, because there will be as many of them as there are grains of sand along the seashore. They are now called “Not My People,” but in the future they will be called “Children of the Living God.” 11 Israel and Judah will unite and choose one leader. Then they will take back their land, and this will be a great day for Jezreel.[h] So let your brothers be called “My People” and your sisters be called “Shown Mercy.”[i]

The Lord Promises To Punish Israel

Accuse! Accuse your mother!
She is no longer my wife,
and now I, the Lord,
am not her husband.
Beg her to give up prostitution
and stop being unfaithful,[j]
or I will strip her naked
like the day she was born.
I will make her barren
like a desert,
and she will die of thirst.
You children are the result
of her unfaithfulness,
and I'll show you no pity.
Your mother was unfaithful.
She was disgraceful and said,
“I'll run after my lovers.
Everything comes from them—
my food and drink,
my linen and wool,
my olive oil and wine.”

I, the Lord, will build
a fence of thorns
to block her path.
She will run after her lovers,
but not catch them;
she will search,
but not find them.
Then she will say, “I'll return
to my first husband.
Life was better then.”
She didn't know that her grain,
wine, and olive oil
were gifts from me,
as were the gold and silver
she used in worshiping Baal.[k]

So I'll hold back the harvest
of grain and grapes.
I'll take back
my wool and my linen
that cover her body.
10 Then I'll strip her naked
in the sight of her lovers.[l]
No one can rescue her.

11 I'll stop Israel's celebrations—
no more New Moon Festivals,
Sabbaths, or other feasts.
12 She said, “My lovers gave me
vineyards and fig trees
as payment[m] for sex.”

Now I, the Lord, will ruin
her vineyards and fig trees;
they will become clumps of weeds
eaten by wild animals.

13 I'll punish her for the days
she worshiped Baal
and burned incense to him.
I'll punish her for the times
she forgot about me
and wore jewelry and rings
to attract her lovers.
I, the Lord, have spoken!

The Lord Will Help Israel

14 Israel, I, the Lord,
will lure you into the desert
and speak gently to you.
15 (D) I will return your vineyards,
and then Trouble Valley[n]
will become Hopeful Valley.
You will say “Yes” to me
as you did in your youth,
when leaving Egypt.

16 I promise from that day on, you will call me your husband instead of your master.[o] 17 I will no longer even let you mention the names of those pagan gods that you called “Master.” 18 And I will agree to let you live in peace—you will no longer be attacked by wild animals and birds or by weapons of war. 19 I will accept you as my wife forever, and instead of a bride price[p] I will give you justice, fairness, love, kindness, 20 and faithfulness. Then you will truly know who I am.

21 I will command the sky to send rain on the earth, 22 and it will produce grain, grapes, and olives in Jezreel Valley. 23 (E) I will scatter the seeds and show mercy to Lo-Ruhamah.[q] I will say to Lo-Ammi,[r] “You are my people,” and they will answer, “You are our God.”

God's Love Offers Hope

Once again the Lord spoke to me. And this time he said, “Hosea, fall in love with an unfaithful woman[s] who has a lover. Do this to show that I love the people of Israel, even though they worship idols and enjoy the offering cakes made with fruit.”

So I paid 15 pieces of silver and about 150 kilograms of grain for such a woman. Then I said, “Now you are mine! You will have to remain faithful to me, though it will be a long time before we sleep together.”

It will also be a long time before Israel has a king or before sacrifices are offered at the temple or before there is any way to get guidance from God. But later, Israel will turn back to the Lord their God and to David their king. At that time they will come to the Lord with fear and trembling, and he will be good to them.

Footnotes:

  1. 1.1 Jehoash: The Hebrew text has “Joash,” another spelling of the name.
  2. 1.1 kings of Judah … king of Israel: Uzziah (781–740 b.c.), Jotham (740-736), Ahaz (736–716), Hezekiah (716–687), and Jeroboam II (783–743).
  3. 1.2 unfaithful wife: In some Canaanite religions of Old Testament times, young women were expected to have sex with the worshipers of their god before marriage. Such women were called “temple prostitutes.” Many of the Israelite women did this same thing, and Hosea is told to marry one of them to show that the nation has turned from the Lord to worship idols.
  4. 1.4 Jezreel: In Hebrew “Jezreel” means “God scatters (seed).” Here the name is used as a threat (meaning the Lord will punish Israel by scattering its people), while in verse 11 it is used as a promise (meaning the Lord will bless Israel by giving their nation many people, just as a big harvest comes when many seeds are scattered in a field).
  5. 1.4 murders … Valley: Jehu murdered the wife and relatives of King Ahab (see 2 Kings 9.15—10.14).
  6. 1.6 Lo-Ruhamah: In Hebrew “Lo-Ruhamah” means “No Mercy.”
  7. 1.9 Lo-Ammi: In Hebrew “Lo-Ammi” means “Not My People.”
  8. 1.11 Jezreel: See the note at 1.4.
  9. 2.1 My People … Shown Mercy: In Hebrew “My People” is “Ammi” and “Shown Mercy” is “Ruhamah” (see Lo-Ruhamah in 1.6 and Lo-Ammi in 1.9).
  10. 2.2 prostitution … unfaithful: See the note at 1.2.
  11. 2.8 Baal: A Canaanite god of fertility.
  12. 2.10 I'll strip … lovers: Or “I'll show her lovers how disgusting she is.”
  13. 2.12 fig trees … payment: Hosea uses an unusual word for “fig tree,” which is spelled something like the word for “payment.”
  14. 2.15 Trouble Valley: Or “Achor Valley.” The exact location of the valley is unknown, but in Hebrew “Achor” sounds like “Achan,” who brought trouble on Israel by disobeying the Lord (see Joshua 7.24-26).
  15. 2.16 husband … master: In Hebrew the word “master” is the same as the name of the god Baal. But the Lord promises that his people will have a deep personal relationship with him (like a devoted wife and husband) rather than merely a legal tie (like a wife and her “master”).
  16. 2.19 bride price: It was the custom for the husband to pay his wife's parents a bride price. Instead of money, the Lord will give much better benefits to Israel.
  17. 2.23 Lo-Ruhamah: See the note at 1.6.
  18. 2.23 Lo-Ammi: See the note at 1.9.
  19. 3.1 unfaithful woman: This may refer to Gomer, the woman Hosea married (see 1.3), or it may refer to another woman.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.

1 John 5

Victory over the World

If we believe Jesus is truly Christ, we are God's children. Everyone who loves the Father will also love his children. If we love and obey God, we know we will love his children. (A) We show our love for God by obeying his commandments, and they are not hard to follow.

Every child of God can defeat the world, and our faith is what gives us this victory. No one can defeat the world without having faith in Jesus as the Son of God.

Who Jesus Is

Water and blood came out from the side of Jesus Christ. It wasn't just water, but water and blood.[a] The Spirit tells about this, because the Spirit is truthful. In fact, there are three who tell about it. They are the Spirit, the water, and the blood, and they all agree.

We believe what people tell us. But we can trust what God says even more, and God is the one who has spoken about his Son. 10 If we have faith in God's Son, we have believed what God has said. But if we don't believe what God has said about his Son, it is the same as calling God a liar. 11 (B) God has also said he gave us eternal life and this life comes to us from his Son. 12 And so, if we have God's Son, we have this life. But if we don't have the Son, we don't have this life.

Knowing about Eternal Life

13 All of you have faith in the Son of God, and I have written to let you know you have eternal life. 14 We are certain God will hear our prayers when we ask for what pleases him. 15 And if we know God listens when we pray, we are sure our prayers have already been answered.

16 Suppose you see one of our people commit a sin that isn't a deadly sin. You can pray, and this person will be given eternal life. But the sin must not be one that is deadly. 17 Everything that is wrong is sin, but not all sins are deadly.

18 We are sure God's children do not keep on sinning. God's own Son protects them, and the devil cannot harm them.

19 We are certain we come from God and the rest of the world is under the power of the devil.

20 We know that Jesus Christ the Son of God has come and has shown us the true God. And because of Jesus, we now belong to the true God who gives eternal life.

21 Children, you must stay away from idols.

Footnotes:

  1. 5.6 Water and blood came out from the side of Jesus Christ. It wasn't just water, but water and blood: See John 19.34. It is also possible to translate, “Jesus Christ came by the water of baptism and by the blood of his death! He was not only baptized, but he bled and died.” The purpose of the verse is to tell that Jesus was truly human and that he really died.

Cross references:

  1. 5.3 : Jn 14.15.
  2. 5.11 : Jn 3.36.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.

Psalm 124

(A song by David for worship.)

Thanking the Lord for Victory

The Lord was on our side!
Let everyone in Israel say:
“The Lord was on our side!
Otherwise, the enemy attack
would have killed us all,
because it was furious.
We would have been swept away
in a violent flood
of high and roaring waves.”

Let's praise the Lord!
He protected us from enemies
who were like wild animals,
and we escaped like birds
from a hunter's torn net.

The Lord made heaven and earth,
and he is the one
who sends us help.

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.

Proverbs 29:5-8

Flattery is nothing less
than setting a trap.
Your sins will catch you,
but everyone who lives right
will sing and celebrate.
The wicked don't care
about the rights of the poor,
but good people do.
Sneering at others is a spark
that sets a city on fire;
using good sense can put out
the flames of anger.

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.

12/4/2023 DAB Transcript pt2

And John speaks specifically toward that today in what we read. And I quote, “you are from God, little children, and you have conquered them because the one who is in you, is greater than the one who was in the world.” So, John is telling his readers, like look, there’s lots of swirl. There’s lots of things to think about. There’s lots of ways to become distant and think of the Holy Spirit or Jesus work as esoteric and spiritual. And some of the false teachings are separating us from the reality that the spirit of God lives inside those who believe. And so, the spirit of God is in you and will lead you away from the deception of the world. But John’s not just trying like parse theology and have a theological debate. He’s trying to get the readers, and that’s us friends, to get our minds around what we cannot possibly comprehend. A reality that the spirit of God is within us. Because of Jesus, the human and the divine can be in collaboration like we see Jesus doing. And what would be the evidence that we are walking this path, love. John says it like this, “dear friends let us love one another. Because love is from God. And everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. The one who does not love, does not know God, because God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way, God sent his one and only son into the world, so that we might live through Him. Love consists in this, not that we’d love God, but that He loved us and sent His son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another. No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is made complete in us.” That is, that is very powerful. Jesus is the physical human embodiment of God’s love for us. A love we could see in action. He wasn’t an apparition, demonstrating these things. He was God offering Himself in the flesh, coming to be among us, Emmanual. God with us. And when we love one another, we are making that same love visible in the flesh, in our flesh. God dwells within us and loves the world through our flesh, just like Jesus did. John says it like this, “We have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love and the one who remains in love, remains in God and God remains in him. In this, love is made complete with us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, instead perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. So, the one who fears, is not complete in love.” So, the implications are pretty huge. We can’t see God, as John said, but we can see each other. And when we live inside the reality that the spirit of God is in us, we begin to understand that being part of the body of Christ is not just like this nice metaphor. We are physically bringing the love of God to the world, like Jesus did, because Jesus is within us. The same spirit is animating and guiding our lives. And God’s love is made perfect in us, as we live into this, and perfect love casts out all fear. In all of the Bible there are plenty of references to love. We obviously know that, but if there were a case in the Scriptures about why we must live in love, this is it, in First John. When we love, we know that the spirit of God is within us. When we love, we are the physical demonstration of God’s love to the world, the hands and feet. When we love, we are being perfected. When we love, we’re being like Christ. And so, let’s heed and take into our hearts, the council the John gives us today. Let us continue to love one another, because love comes from God.

Prayer:

Father, so often we think that we do love each other, we…we…we love, really well. And that’s because we love people who are easy to love and ignore others often. You’re asking us to be your hands and feet and we watched You in this world touch the broken and be among the people that no one else would hang around. We watched you go to the bottom because the Gospel is for those at the bottom. And we all find ourselves at the bottom. Your love conquers all and we are instructed to live in that love and not just remain in it for our own benefit but understand that we become a conduit of Your love, as we surrender to Your will, in our lives. And love casts out fear. So, Holy Spirit and show us how to love. We ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com, that’s home base, it is where you find out what’s going on around here. It’s Christmas time around here. Everybody knows that. It’s hard to miss anywhere in the world. So, Christmas time around Daily Audio Bible, around the Global Campfire, consists of a couple of things. We are preparing for our annual Daily Audio Bible Christmas party. And you can participate in that by calling in your Christmas wishes or greetings to the community, your brothers and sisters who have been traveling each and every day through the Scriptures this year. You can do that by hitting the Hotline button in the app or by dialing 877-942-4253. That probably sounds familiar since I say it most every day. That’s the prayer and encouragement line. Right now, it’s also the holiday greeting line, just for a brief amount of time, probably till the end of this week. So, don’t delay. And yeah, the only thing is, it’s the prayer requests and encouragement line. So, don’t like, if you have a prayer request and encouragement, and a holiday greeting, don’t mix them all up. Call in your holiday greeting and then call in your prayer request or encouragement separately. This is the one time that you can do that. So, we can keep things separate and make a really lovely time. I love our Christmas party, virtual as it might be, I love it, I love it, I love it. I every year, it brings tears to my eyes just the journey that we have been…been on and all of the voices. It’s just touch points, all the different stories, so make sure you participate in the… in the Christmas party this year.

The other thing this year for Christmas is that we have released all of the…the different music from the Daily Audio Bible. We pressed those under five different vinyl album packages and they’re just very lovely, very commemorative. Something tangible to hold on from the Global Campfire. And anyone who picks up any number of these, we will send you the Christmas ornament from this year in the package as well. And all of the resources from these projects, from the music here is being sewn into what’s coming next year. Brand-new Daily Audio Bible app, brand-new Global Campfire home, brand-new place to move into and grow into and move forward into. So, thank you, humbly for your partnership there. You can find that in the Daily Audio Bible Shop. You’ll find a Christmas category and you’ll see them there. Thank you, thank you, humbly.

And if you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible in these final days of the year 2023, thank you, humbly, humbly, we can’t be a Global Campfire if we’re not in this together, and so thank you. There is a link on the homepage at dailyaudiobible.com. If you’re using the app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner or the mailing address is P.O. Box 1996 Springhill, Tennessee 37174.

And of course, if you have a prayer request or encouragement or holiday greeting you can hit the Hotline button in the app, you can dial 877-942-4253.

And that’s it for today, I’m Brian, I love you and I will be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Prayer and Encouragements:

Hi, this is Susan in Indiana. And I’m calling on behalf of Liza, Philippians 6:4. And I know she called in and asked us to pray for her family so often. So, I wanted to continue to do that. And I hope that others will with me. Dear Father, I pray for my sister warrior Liza’s family. I pray that in the wake of her passing that her family members will be drawn closer to You and come to Christ. Come to know Christ the way that Liza did and that they could all be together again at the end. I love you DAB family. And I pray this in the name of Jesus.

Good morning DAB, this is Romans 12:2, calling for Kristen, aka Christ in Me. You said that you were going through a period of grief, after losing, I believe it was two of your children, your former husband and just several people close to you. And you feel somewhat alone. I just want to encourage you today, knowing that many of us who have lost family members, particularly parents or children, feel your pain. And grief is a period that we must go through. Don’t try to go around it. Go through it. The Lord will be with you. He will hold your hand. I know Christmas season can be a difficult time, particularly when we have memories of the people we love and they’re no longer around. I want to encourage you today and I pray for you, that the Lord would be with you. There’s a Scripture that says, while we do not look at the things which are seen but of things that are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary. But the things which are not seen, are eternal. Let us hold onto that. That we have eternity and we are not living in the temporary. That God will be with you. He said He will never leave us, nor forsake us. Again, He said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you. Be encouraged today. Let us all be encouraged. Lord Father, would You be with everyone today, oh God, particularly during this season, who have lost spouses, children, parents, friends even, who are close to them, Lord. May we be reminded that You will never leave us, nor forsake us. And that we will keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Amen.

Good morning DAB family, this is QD from PA. I’m calling in to pray for Kristen, Christ in Me. Hey sister, I just heard your prayer request for yourself, on November 30th. And it really touched me. I just want to pray Psalm 34:18 over you, right now. That the Lord, is close to the broken hearted and he saves those that are crushed in spirit. Father God, I just pray that You are with Kristen and that she feels Your presence, Lord. That she knows You’re near. That You comfort her, Father God. And show her the love that only You can give, Father God, and the peace that only You can give during this time for her. And to let her know that she is not alone, You are with her, You see her. You gather every tear and that You love her so, so deeply and so perfectly, Father God. And I just pray for your presence that You bring people around her who extend Your love, who are a comfort to her, from You, Father God. And Lord, just fill her with Your peace during this time. And I pray this in the mighty, precious name of Your son, Jesus. Amen.

Hi, this is Crystal of Washington State, formerly of Texas. I was just hearing Kristen, aka Christ in Me. And oh my heart hurt so much when I heard what you had to say and how you feel like you’ve lost your entire family. And my heart just breaks for you. I can’t imagine dealing with that much loss. I will be sure to say a prayer for you. And I just want to encourage you to lean into your Daily Audio Bible family. I mean you, you’ve definitely lost a lot of members. But there are a lot of members here, that hear prayers and want to encourage you to lean into us, as your Christ family. And just please, please don’t lose heart. We’re here for you. God bless.

12/4/2023 DAB Transcript

Daniel 11:36-12:13, 1 John 4:1-21, Psalm 123:1-4, Proverbs 29:2-4

Today is the 4th day of December, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian, it's…it’s wonderful, wonderful to be here today. It’s wonderful to have a place to be here around the Global Campfire, as we gather again and take another step forward on our journey through the Scriptures. And our journey leads us, every day, it leads us right to where we left off because we’re reading every chapter, every verse, every book of the Bible and we’re working our way through the book of Daniel now. Today, chapter 11 verse 36, through chapter 12 verse 13 today.

Commentary:

Okay, so, as we’re working our way through this, this first letter of John, we’re seeing that it is powerful. There is so many incredible insights for us. And what we saw today in John’s writing is that people in this early church are being deceived and abandoned their faith in Jesus by following new teachings. And as we talked about earlier, there was a swirl of teachings about who Jesus was, what He meant, what He represented, what His work was. And so, some people follow new teachings, other people just got fed up of waiting, and became antagonistic to the Gospel, even antichrist, as the Scriptures say. And all of this swirl of many different teachings that were beginning to develop in the early church, one in particular claimed that Jesus wasn’t a person, He was, He was a spiritual apparition. He was not a flesh and blood human being. And so, this became a theological debate. What is the nature of Jesus Christ? And the question that was debated was whether or not Jesus was the divine simply made visible, or the divine made flesh. And that teaching that Jesus was a spiritual apparition, would later be called Docetism.

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Monday December 4, 2023 (NIV)

Daniel 11:36-12:13

36 “The king will do as he pleases, exalting himself and claiming to be greater than every god, even blaspheming the God of gods. He will succeed, but only until the time of wrath is completed. For what has been determined will surely take place. 37 He will have no respect for the gods of his ancestors, or for the god loved by women, or for any other god, for he will boast that he is greater than them all. 38 Instead of these, he will worship the god of fortresses—a god his ancestors never knew—and lavish on him gold, silver, precious stones, and expensive gifts. 39 Claiming this foreign god’s help, he will attack the strongest fortresses. He will honor those who submit to him, appointing them to positions of authority and dividing the land among them as their reward.[a]

40 “Then at the time of the end, the king of the south will attack the king of the north. The king of the north will storm out with chariots, charioteers, and a vast navy. He will invade various lands and sweep through them like a flood. 41 He will enter the glorious land of Israel,[b] and many nations will fall, but Moab, Edom, and the best part of Ammon will escape. 42 He will conquer many countries, and even Egypt will not escape. 43 He will gain control over the gold, silver, and treasures of Egypt, and the Libyans and Ethiopians[c] will be his servants.

44 “But then news from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in great anger to destroy and obliterate many. 45 He will stop between the glorious holy mountain and the sea and will pitch his royal tents. But while he is there, his time will suddenly run out, and no one will help him.

The Time of the End

12 “At that time Michael, the archangel[d] who stands guard over your nation, will arise. Then there will be a time of anguish greater than any since nations first came into existence. But at that time every one of your people whose name is written in the book will be rescued. Many of those whose bodies lie dead and buried will rise up, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting disgrace. Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever. But you, Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal up the book until the time of the end, when many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase.”

Then I, Daniel, looked and saw two others standing on opposite banks of the river. One of them asked the man dressed in linen, who was now standing above the river, “How long will it be until these shocking events are over?”

The man dressed in linen, who was standing above the river, raised both his hands toward heaven and took a solemn oath by the One who lives forever, saying, “It will go on for a time, times, and half a time. When the shattering of the holy people has finally come to an end, all these things will have happened.”

I heard what he said, but I did not understand what he meant. So I asked, “How will all this finally end, my lord?”

But he said, “Go now, Daniel, for what I have said is kept secret and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many will be purified, cleansed, and refined by these trials. But the wicked will continue in their wickedness, and none of them will understand. Only those who are wise will know what it means.

11 “From the time the daily sacrifice is stopped and the sacrilegious object that causes desecration[e] is set up to be worshiped, there will be 1,290 days. 12 And blessed are those who wait and remain until the end of the 1,335 days!

13 “As for you, go your way until the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days, you will rise again to receive the inheritance set aside for you.”

Footnotes:

  1. 11:39 Or at a price.
  2. 11:41 Hebrew the glorious land.
  3. 11:43 Hebrew Cushites.
  4. 12:1 Hebrew the great prince.
  5. 12:11 Hebrew the abomination of desolation.
New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


1 John 4

Discerning False Prophets

Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet[a] acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here.

But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. Those people belong to this world, so they speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them. But we belong to God, and those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception.

Loving One Another

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.

13 And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. 14 Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.

God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.

18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 19 We love each other[b] because he loved us first.

20 If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer,[c] that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? 21 And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers.[d]

Footnotes:

  1. 4:2 Greek If a spirit; similarly in 4:3.
  2. 4:19 Greek We love. Other manuscripts read We love God; still others read We love him.
  3. 4:20 Greek hates his brother.
  4. 4:21 Greek The one who loves God must also love his brother.
New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Psalm 123

Psalm 123

A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.

I lift my eyes to you,
O God, enthroned in heaven.
We keep looking to the Lord our God for his mercy,
just as servants keep their eyes on their master,
as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal.
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy,
for we have had our fill of contempt.
We have had more than our fill of the scoffing of the proud
and the contempt of the arrogant.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Proverbs 29:2-4

When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice.
But when the wicked are in power, they groan.

The man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,
but if he hangs around with prostitutes, his wealth is wasted.

A just king gives stability to his nation,
but one who demands bribes destroys it.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.