The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Friday October 20, 2017 (NIV)

Jeremiah 35-36

The Obedient Example of the Family of Rechab

35 The Lord spoke his word to Jeremiah during the reign of Jehoiakim, son of King Josiah of Judah. He said, “Go to the family of Rechab and talk to them. Take them into one of the side rooms in the Lord’s temple, and offer them a drink of wine.”

I took Jaazaniah, who was the son of Jeremiah and the grandson of Habazziniah, and I took Jaazaniah’s brothers and all his sons—the whole family of Rechab. I brought them into the Lord’s temple, into the side room of the sons of Hanan. (He was Igdaliah’s son, the man of God.) It was next to the room of the officials and above the side room of Maaseiah, Shallum’s son, the doorkeeper. Then I set cups and pitchers filled with wine in front of the family of Rechab. I said to them, “Drink some wine.”

They answered, “We don’t drink wine, because our ancestor Jonadab, Rechab’s son, gave us this order: ‘You and your descendants must never drink wine. Never build any houses or plant any fields or vineyards. You must never have any of these things. You must always live in tents so that you may live for a long time in the land where you are staying.’ We, along with our wives, sons, and daughters, have obeyed our ancestor Jonadab, Rechab’s son, in everything he ordered us to do. We have never drunk wine, built houses to live in, or owned vineyards, pastures, or grainfields. 10 We live in tents, and we have obeyed everything our ancestor Jonadab ordered us to do. 11 But when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon invaded this land, we said, ‘Let’s go to Jerusalem to escape the Babylonian and Aramean armies.’ That’s why we are living in Jerusalem.”

12 Then the Lord spoke his word to Jeremiah. He said, 13 “This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: Tell the people of Judah and those who live in Jerusalem, ‘Won’t you ever learn your lesson and obey my words? declares the Lord. 14 Jonadab, Rechab’s son, ordered his descendants not to drink wine. This order has been carried out. His descendants have not drunk any wine to this day, because they have obeyed their ancestor’s order. I have spoken to you again and again, but you have refused to listen to me. 15 I have sent all my servants the prophets to you again and again. They said, “Turn from your evil ways, do what is right, and don’t follow other gods in order to serve them. Then you will live in the land that I gave you and your ancestors.” However, you refused to listen to me or obey me. 16 The descendants of Jonadab, Rechab’s son, have carried out the orders of their ancestor, but you refuse to listen to me.

17 “‘This is what the Lord God of Armies, the God of Israel, says: I am going to bring on Judah and on all those who live in Jerusalem all the disasters that I threatened. I have spoken to them, but they didn’t listen. I called to them, but they didn’t answer.’”

18 Then Jeremiah said to the family of Rechab, “This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: You obeyed the order of your ancestor Jonadab, followed all his instructions, and did exactly what he told you to do. 19 So this is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: A descendant of Jonadab, Rechab’s son, will always serve me.”

Jeremiah’s Prophecies Are Written, Read, and Burned

36 In the fourth year of the reign of Jehoiakim, son of King Josiah of Judah, the Lord spoke his word to Jeremiah. He said, “Take a scroll, and write on it everything that I have dictated to you about Israel, Judah, and all the other nations from the time I spoke to you during the reign of Josiah until today. Maybe the nation of Judah will hear about all the disasters that I plan to bring on them, and they will turn from their wicked ways. Then I will forgive their wickedness and their sins.”

Then Jeremiah called Baruch, son of Neriah. Jeremiah dictated everything that the Lord had told him, and Baruch wrote it all down on a scroll. Jeremiah told Baruch, “I’m no longer allowed to go to the Lord’s temple. On a day of fasting, you must read from the scroll the Lord’s message that you wrote as I dictated. You must read it to the people in the Lord’s temple. You must also read it to all the people of Judah when they come from their cities. Maybe their prayers will come into the Lord’s presence, and they will turn from their evil ways. The Lord has threatened these people with his terrifying anger and fury.”

Baruch, son of Neriah, did as the prophet Jeremiah commanded him. In the Lord’s temple he read from the scroll everything that the Lord had said. In the ninth month of the fifth year of the reign of Jehoiakim, son of King Josiah of Judah, a time for fasting was called. It was a time for all the people in Jerusalem and for everyone who was coming from any city in Judah to Jerusalem to fast in the Lord’s presence. 10 Then Baruch read the scroll containing Jeremiah’s words. Baruch read it to all the people in the Lord’s temple in the room of the scribe Gemariah, son of Shaphan, in the upper courtyard at the entrance of New Gate of the Lord’s temple.

11 Micaiah, who was the son of Gemariah and the grandson of Shaphan, heard Baruch read from the scroll everything the Lord had said. 12 Then he went down to the scribe’s room in the king’s palace where all the scribes were sitting. The scribe Elishama, Delaiah (son of Shemaiah), Elnathan (son of Achbor), Gemariah (son of Shaphan), Zedekiah (son of Hananiah), and all the other officials were there. 13 Micaiah told them everything he heard Baruch read from the scroll publicly. 14 Then all the officials sent Jehudi, who was the son of Nethaniah, the grandson of Shelemiah, and the great-grandson of Cushi, to Baruch. Jehudi said to Baruch, “Bring the scroll that you read publicly, and come with me.” Baruch, son of Neriah, took the scroll and went with him to see the officers. 15 They said to Baruch, “Please sit down, and read it to us.”

So Baruch read it to them. 16 When they heard everything, they turned to each other in terror. They said to Baruch, “We must tell the king everything.” 17 Then they asked Baruch, “Please tell us how you wrote all this. Did Jeremiah dictate it to you?”

18 Baruch answered, “He dictated everything to me, and I wrote it on the scroll in ink.”

19 The officials said to Baruch, “You and Jeremiah must hide. Don’t let anyone know where you are.”

20 After they put the scroll in the side room of the scribe Elishama, they went to the king in the courtyard and told him everything. 21 Then the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll. He took the scroll from the side room of the scribe Elishama. Jehudi read it to the king and all the officials standing by the king. 22 It was the ninth month, and the king was in his winter house sitting in front of the fire in the fireplace. 23 As Jehudi read three or four columns, the king would cut them off with a scribe’s knife and throw them into the fire in the fireplace. He did this until the whole scroll was burned up. 24 The king and all his attendants didn’t show any fear or tear their clothes in fear when they heard everything being read. 25 Even when Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah urged the king not to burn the scroll, he refused to listen to them. 26 The king commanded Jerahmeel (the king’s son), Seraiah (son of Azriel), and Shelemiah (son of Abdeel) to arrest the scribe Baruch and the prophet Jeremiah. But the Lord had hidden Baruch and Jeremiah.

27 After the king burned up the scroll that Baruch had written and that Jeremiah had dictated, the Lord spoke his word to Jeremiah. He said, 28 “Take another scroll, and write on it everything that was written on the scroll that King Jehoiakim of Judah burned. 29 Say about King Jehoiakim of Judah, ‘This is what the Lord says: You burned this scroll, and you asked Jeremiah, “Why did you write that the king of Babylon will certainly come to destroy this land and take away people and animals?” 30 This is what the Lord says about King Jehoiakim of Judah: He will have no one to sit on David’s throne, and his own corpse will be thrown out and exposed to the heat of day and the cold of night. 31 I will punish him, his descendants, and his attendants for their wickedness. They refused to listen. So I will bring on them, on those who live in Jerusalem, and on the people of Judah all the disasters that I have threatened.’”

32 Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to the scribe Baruch, son of Neriah. As Jeremiah dictated, Baruch wrote on it everything that was on the scroll that King Jehoiakim of Judah had burned. They added many similar messages.

GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group

1 Timothy 5

Guidelines for Dealing with Other Christians

Never use harsh words when you correct an older man, but talk to him as if he were your father. Talk to younger men as if they were your brothers, older women as if they were your mothers, and younger women as if they were your sisters, while keeping yourself morally pure.

Honor widows who have no families. The children or grandchildren of a widow must first learn to respect their own family by repaying their parents. This is pleasing in God’s sight.

A widow who has no family has placed her confidence in God by praying and asking for his help night and day. But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead although she is still alive. Insist on these things so that widows will have good reputations. If anyone doesn’t take care of his own relatives, especially his immediate family, he has denied the Christian faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Any widow who had only one husband and is at least 60 years old should be put on your list of widows. 10 People should tell about the good things she has done: raising children, being hospitable, taking care of believers’ needs, helping the suffering, or always doing good things.

11 Don’t include younger widows on your list. Whenever their natural desires become stronger than their devotion to Christ, they’ll want to marry. 12 They condemn themselves by rejecting the Christian faith, the faith they first accepted. 13 At the same time, they learn to go around from house to house since they have nothing else to do. Not only this, but they also gossip and get involved in other people’s business, saying things they shouldn’t say.

14 So I want younger widows to marry, have children, manage their homes, and not give the enemy any chance to ridicule them. 15 Some of them have already turned away to follow Satan. 16 If any woman is a believer and has relatives who are widows, she should help them. In this way the church is not burdened and can help widows who have no families.

17 Give double honor to spiritual leaders[a] who handle their duties well. This is especially true if they work hard at teaching God’s word. 18 After all, Scripture says, “Never muzzle an ox when it is threshing[b] grain,” and “The worker deserves his pay.”

19 Don’t pay attention to an accusation against a spiritual leader unless it is supported by two or three witnesses. 20 Reprimand those leaders who sin. Do it in front of everyone so that the other leaders will also be afraid.

21 I solemnly call on you in the sight of God, Christ Jesus, and the chosen angels to be impartial when you follow what I’ve told you. Never play favorites.

22 Don’t be in a hurry to place your hands on anyone to ordain him. Don’t participate in the sins of others. Keep yourself morally pure.

23 Stop drinking only water. Instead, drink a little wine for your stomach because you are frequently sick.

24 The sins of some people are obvious, going ahead of them to judgment. The sins of others follow them there. 25 In the same way, the good things that people do are obvious, and those that aren’t obvious can’t remain hidden.

Footnotes:

  1. 1 Timothy 5:17 Or “pastors,” or “elders.”
  2. 1 Timothy 5:18 Threshing is the process of beating stalks to separate them from the grain.
GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group

Psalm 89:14-37

14 Righteousness and justice are the foundations of your throne.
Mercy and truth stand in front of you.
15 Blessed are the people who know how to praise you.
They walk in the light of your presence, O Lord.
16 They find joy in your name all day long.
They are joyful in your righteousness
17 because you are the glory of their strength.
By your favor you give us victory.[a]
18 Our shield belongs to the Lord.
Our king belongs to the Holy One of Israel.

19 Once in a vision you said to your faithful ones:
“I set a boy above warriors.[b]
I have raised up one chosen from the people.
20 I found my servant David.
I anointed him with my holy oil.
21 My hand is ready to help him.
My arm will also give him strength.
22 No enemy will take him by surprise.
No wicked person will mistreat him.
23 I will crush his enemies in front of him
and defeat those who hate him.
24 My faithfulness and mercy will be with him,
and in my name he will be victorious.[c]
25 I will put his left hand on the sea
and his right hand on the rivers.
26 He will call out to me,
‘You are my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.’
27 Yes, I will make him the firstborn.
He will be the Most High to the kings of the earth.
28 My mercy will stay with him forever.
My promise to him is unbreakable.
29 I will make his dynasty endure forever
and his throne like the days of heaven.

30 “If his descendants abandon my teachings
and do not live by my rules,
31 if they violate my laws
and do not obey my commandments,
32 then with a rod I will punish their rebellion
and their crimes with beatings.
33 But I will not take my mercy away from him
or allow my truth to become a lie.
34 I will not dishonor my promise
or alter my own agreement.
35 On my holiness I have taken an oath once and for all:
I will not lie to David.
36 His dynasty will last forever.
His throne will be in my presence like the sun.
37 Like the moon his throne will stand firm forever.
It will be like a faithful witness in heaven.”

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 89:17 Hebrew meaning of “give us victory” uncertain.
  2. Psalm 89:19 Hebrew meaning of this line uncertain.
  3. Psalm 89:24 Hebrew meaning of “he will be victorious” uncertain.
GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group

Proverbs 25:25-27

25 Like cold water to a thirsty soul,
so is good news from far away.
26 Like a muddied spring and a polluted well,
so is a righteous person who gives in to a wicked person.

27 Eating too much honey is not good,
and searching for honor is not honorable.[a]

Footnotes:

  1. Proverbs 25:27 Hebrew meaning of this line uncertain.
GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group