Zechariah 8
What the Lord Will Do for Zion
The Lord of Armies spoke his word.
2 This is what the Lord of Armies says:
I am very jealous about Zion.
I am fiercely possessive of it.
3 This is what the Lord says:
I will return to Zion and live in Jerusalem.
Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth.
The mountain of the Lord of Armies will be called the holy mountain.
4 This is what the Lord of Armies says:
Old men and old women will again sit in the streets of Jerusalem.
Each will have a cane in hand because of old age.
5 The city will be filled with boys and girls playing in the streets.
6 This is what the Lord of Armies says:
It may seem impossible to the few remaining people in those days,
but will it seem impossible to me? declares the Lord of Armies.
7 This is what the Lord of Armies says:
I am going to save my people
from the land where the sun rises
and from the land where the sun sets.
8 I will bring them back, and they will live in Jerusalem.
They will be my people, and I will be their God, who is faithful and just.
9 This is what the Lord of Armies says:
Be strong so that the temple might be rebuilt,
you people who are presently listening
to the words from the mouths of the prophets
who spoke when the foundation
for the house of the Lord of Armies was laid.
10 Before that time there was no money to hire any person or animal.
No one who traveled was safe from the enemy.
I turned every person against his neighbor.
11 But now I won’t deal with the few remaining people
as I did in earlier times, declares the Lord of Armies.
12 Seeds will thrive in peacetime.
Vines will produce their grapes.
The land will yield its crops.
The sky will produce its dew.
I will give the few remaining people
all these things as an inheritance.
13 Just as you, people of Judah and people of Israel,
have been a curse among the nations,
so I will now save you,
and you will become a blessing.
Don’t be afraid. Let your hands work hard.
14 This is what the Lord of Armies says:
When your ancestors made me angry,
I made plans to destroy you, declares the Lord of Armies,
and I didn’t change my plans.
15 So now I have again made plans, but this time to do good
to Jerusalem and the people of Judah.
Don’t be afraid.
16 You must do these things:
Speak the truth to each other.
Give correct and fair verdicts for peace in your courts.
17 Don’t even think of doing evil to each other.
Don’t enjoy false testimony.
I hate all these things, declares the Lord.
Many Nations Will Come to the Lord’s People
18 The Lord of Armies spoke his word to me again.
19 This is what the Lord of Armies says:
The fast in the fourth month, the fast in the fifth month,
the fast in the seventh month, and the fast in the tenth month
will become joyful and glad occasions
as well as happy festivals for the nation of Judah.
So love truth and peace.
20 This is what the Lord of Armies says:
People and citizens from many cities are going to come.
21 The citizens of one city will come to another city, saying,
“Let’s make a habit of going to ask the Lord for a blessing
and to seek the Lord of Armies.
I’m also going.”
22 Many people and powerful nations will come
to seek the Lord of Armies in Jerusalem
and to ask the Lord for a blessing.
23 This is what the Lord of Armies says:
In those days ten people from every language found among the nations
will take hold of the clothes of a Jew. They will say,
“Let us go with you
because we have heard that God is with you.”
Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group
Revelation 16
The Seven Angels Pour Out Their Bowls
16 I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Pour the seven bowls of God’s anger over the earth.”
2 The first angel poured his bowl over the earth. Horrible, painful sores appeared on the people who had the brand of the beast and worshiped its statue.
3 The second angel poured his bowl over the sea. The sea turned into blood like the blood of a dead man, and every living thing in the sea died.
4 The third angel poured his bowl over the rivers and the springs. They turned into blood. 5 Then I heard the angel of the water say,
“You are fair.
You are the one who is and the one who was, the holy one,
because you have judged these things.
6 You have given them blood to drink
because they have poured out
the blood of God’s people and prophets.
This is what they deserve.”
7 Then I heard the altar answer,
“Yes, Lord God Almighty, your judgments are true and fair.”
8 The fourth angel poured his bowl on the sun. The sun was allowed to burn people with fire. 9 They were severely burned. They cursed the name of God, who has the authority over these plagues. They would not change the way they think and act and give him glory.
10 The fifth angel poured his bowl on the throne of the beast. Its kingdom turned dark. People gnawed on their tongues in anguish 11 and cursed the God of heaven for their pains and their sores. However, they would not stop what they were doing.
12 The sixth angel poured his bowl on the great Euphrates River. The water in the river dried up to make a road for the kings from the east. 13 Then I saw three evil spirits like frogs come out of the mouths of the serpent, the beast, and the false prophet. 14 They are spirits of demons that do miracles. These spirits go to the kings of the whole world and gather them for the war on the frightening day of God Almighty.
15 “See, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who remains alert and doesn’t lose his clothes. He will not have to go naked and let others see his shame.”
16 The spirits gathered the kings at the place which is called Armageddon in Hebrew.
17 The seventh angel poured his bowl into the air. A loud voice came from the throne in the temple, and said, “It has happened!” 18 There was lightning, noise, thunder, and a powerful earthquake. There has never been such a powerful earthquake since humans have been on earth. 19 The important city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. God remembered to give Babylon the Great the cup of wine from his fierce anger. 20 Every island vanished, and the mountains could no longer be seen. 21 Large, heavy hailstones fell from the sky on people. The people cursed God because the plague of hail was such a terrible plague.
Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group
Psalm 144
1 Thank the Lord, my rock,
who trained my hands to fight
and my fingers to do battle,
2 my merciful one, my fortress,
my stronghold, and my savior,
my shield, the one in whom I take refuge,
and the one who brings people under my authority.
3 O Lord, what are humans that you should care about them?
What are mere mortals that you should think about them?
4 Humans are like a breath of air.
Their life span is like a fleeting shadow.
5 O Lord, bend your heaven low, and come down.
Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.
6 Hurl bolts of lightning, and scatter them.
Shoot your arrows, and throw them into confusion.
7 Stretch out your hands from above.
Snatch me, and rescue me from raging waters
and from foreigners’ hands.
8 Their mouths speak lies.
Their right hands take false pledges.
9 O God, I will sing a new song to you.
I will sing a psalm to you on a ten-stringed harp.
10 You are the one who gives victory to kings.
You are the one who snatches your servant David
away from a deadly sword.
11 Snatch me, and rescue me from foreigners’ hands.
Their mouths speak lies.
Their right hands take false pledges.
12 May our sons be like full-grown, young plants.
May our daughters be like stately columns
that adorn the corners of a palace.
13 May our barns be filled with all kinds of crops.
May our sheep give birth to thousands of lambs,
tens of thousands in our fields.
14 May our cattle have many calves.[a]
May no one break in, and may no one be dragged out.
May there be no cries of distress in our streets.
15 Blessed are the people who have these blessings!
Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!
Psalm 145[b]
A song of praise by David.
Footnotes:
- Psalm 144:14 Hebrew meaning of this verse uncertain.
- Psalm 144:15 Psalm 145 is a poem in Hebrew alphabetical order.
Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group
Proverbs 30:29-31
Four Things That Move with Dignity
29 There are three things that walk with dignity,
even four that march with dignity:
30 a lion, mightiest among animals, which turns away from nothing,
31 a strutting rooster,[a]
a male goat,
a king at the head of his army.[b]
Footnotes:
- Proverbs 30:31 Hebrew meaning of this line uncertain.
- Proverbs 30:31 Hebrew meaning of “at the head of his army” uncertain.
Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group