Month: October 2019

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10/31/2019 DAB Transcript

Lamentations 4:1-5:22, Hebrews 2:1-18, Psalms 103:1-22, Proverbs 26:23

Today is the 31st day of October. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian. It is a joy to be here with you today on the final day of the 10th month and the 304th day of our year together. So, we spent the last several days kind of transitioning. We were moving into new territory in the Old Testament and we were also were moving into new territory in the New Testament. Now we’re kind of settled in for a minute as we got ourselves going in the book of Lamentations in the Old Testament and the book of Hebrews in the New So, we’re finishing the month strong and preparing to move into the new month with the wind at our back, with a little bit of momentum. So, we’re reading from the Amplified Bible this week. Today, Lamentations, chapters 4 and 5 and we will be reading the lamenting poem of the siege of Jerusalem.

Prayer:

Father once again as we end our day, the proverb smacks us between the eyes about the things that we say and the way in which we use words and language. And today we are told not to be manipulative, not to be murmuring. And, so, oh Father we need Your help. And we get help actually from the psalm that we read today, the beautiful words of Your abiding love for us, and the awareness that when we use our God-given lips and tongue that You have given us for purposes that do nothing but tear down Your kingdom and bring darkness, well then we are paying no attention whatsoever to Your abiding love and patience for us. And, so we ask forgiveness and we pick up the refrain in the Psalm that we might bless You. And we confess, hearing the phrase bless the Lord, like, this is all throughout the Scriptures and this is something that we say but we don’t stop to think about what we’re saying, that we can be a blessing to You, to Your heart by following Your will and Your ways, which is also the very best possible thing we could do for ourselves. And, so, forgive us again for the ways we’ve misused words. May we be a blessing to You today. We ask this in the name of Jesus, knowing that we’re not capable of any of this stuff in our own strength. We need Your Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth, that we might collaborate in life with You and that that may last You today. Come Holy Spirit into this we pray. In the name of Jesus we ask. Amen.

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The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Thursday October 31, 2019 (NIV)

Lamentations 4-5

Distress of the Siege Described

4 How dark and dim the gold has become,
How the pure gold has changed!
The sacred stones [of the temple] are poured out and scattered
At the head of every street.
2 
The [noble and] precious sons of Zion,
[Once] worth their weight in fine gold,
How they are regarded [merely] as earthen jars,
The work of a potter’s hands!(A)
3 
Even the jackals offer the breast,
They nurse their young;
But the daughter of my people has become cruel
Like ostriches in the wilderness [that desert their young].
4 
The tongue of the infant clings
To the roof of its mouth because of thirst;
The little ones ask for food,
But no one gives it to them.
5 
Those who feasted on delicacies
Are perishing in the streets;
Those reared in purple [as nobles]
Embrace ash heaps.
6 
For the [punishment of the] wickedness of the daughter of my people [Jerusalem]
Is greater than the [punishment for the] sin of Sodom,
Which was overthrown in a moment,
And no hands were turned toward her [to offer help].(B)
7 
Her princes were purer than snow,
They were whiter than milk [in appearance];
They were more ruddy in body than rubies,
Their polishing was like lapis lazuli (sapphire).
8 
Their appearance is [now] blacker than soot [because of the prolonged famine];
They are not recognized in the streets;
Their skin clings to their bones;
It is withered, and it has become [dry] like wood.
9 
Those killed with the sword
Are more fortunate than those killed with hunger;
For the hungry pine and ebb away,
For the lack of the fruits of the field.
10 
The hands of compassionate women
Boiled their own children;
They became food for them
Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people [Judah].
11 
The Lord has fulfilled His wrath;
He has poured out His fierce anger
And has kindled a fire in Zion
That has consumed her foundations.
12 
The kings of the earth did not believe,
Nor did any of the inhabitants of the earth,
That the adversary (oppressor) and enemy
Could enter the gates of Jerusalem.
13 
Because of the sins of her [counterfeit] prophets
And the wickedness of her [unfaithful] priests,
Who have shed in her midst
The blood of the just and righteous;
14 
They wandered, blind, in the streets;
They were defiled with blood
So that no one could touch their garments.
15 
People cried to them, “Go away! Unclean!
Depart! Depart! Do not touch!”
So they fled, then they wandered [as fugitives];
People among the nations said,
“They shall not stay here any longer with us.”
16 
The presence of the Lord scattered them [among the nations];
He will not continue to look after them.
They did not honor the priests;
They did not favor the elders.
17 
[And as for us,] yet our eyes failed,
Looking in vain for help.
Watching [from the towers] we watched
For a nation that could not save.(C)
18 
The enemy hunted our steps,
So that we could not walk in our streets;
Our end drew near,
Our days were finished
For our end had come.
19 
Our pursuers were swifter
Than the eagles of the sky;
They pursued us on the mountains,
They waited in ambush for us in the wilderness.
20 
The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord [our king],
Was captured in their snares,
He of whom we had said, “Under his shadow
We shall live among the nations.”
21 
Rejoice and be glad, O Daughter of Edom,
Who lives in the land of Uz.
But the cup [of the wine of God’s wrath] will pass to you as well;
You will become drunk and make yourself naked.(D)
22 
The punishment of your sin has been completed, O Daughter of Zion;
The Lord will no longer send you into exile.
But He will punish your sin, O Daughter of Edom;
He will expose your sins.(E)

A Prayer for Mercy

5 O Lord, remember what has come upon us;
Look, and see our reproach (national disgrace)!
2 
Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers,
Our houses to foreigners.
3 
We have become orphans without a father;
Our mothers are like widows.
4 
We have to pay for our drinking water;
Our wood comes to us at a price.
5 
Our pursuers are at our necks;
We are worn out, there is no rest for us.
6 
We have given the hand [as a pledge of fidelity and submission] to Egypt and Assyria to get enough bread.
7 
Our fathers sinned, and are no more;
It is [a]we who have carried their sin.(F)
8 
Servants rule over us;
There is no one to rescue us out of their hand.(G)
9 
We get our bread at the risk of our lives
Because of the sword [of the Arabs] in the wilderness [who may attack if we go out to harvest the crop].
10 
Our skin is as hot as [the heat of] an oven
Because of the burning heat of [the fever of] famine.
11 
They ravished the women in Zion,
The virgins in the cities of Judah.
12 
Princes were hung by their hands;
Elders were not respected.
13 
Young men worked at the grinding mill,
And boys fell [staggering] under loads of wood.
14 
Elders are gone from the gate;
Young men from their music.
15 
The joy of our hearts has ended;
Our dancing has been turned into mourning.
16 
The crown has fallen from our head [our honor is covered with dust]!
Woe to us, for we have sinned!
17 
Because of this our heart is faint,
Because of these things our eyes are dim.
18 
As for Mount Zion, which lies desolate,
Foxes and the jackals prowl over it.

19 
But You, O Lord, reign forever;
Your throne endures from generation to [all] generations.
20 
Why do You forget us forever?
Why do You forsake us so long?
21 
Return us to You, O Lord, so that we may be restored;
Renew our days as of old,
22 
Unless You have utterly rejected us
And are exceedingly angry with us.

Footnotes:

  1. Lamentations 5:7 Both forefathers and sons were responsible for the disaster that had come on Jerusalem. This generation was equally deserving of punishment.

Cross references:

  1. Lamentations 4:2 : Is 30:14; Jer 19:11; 2 Cor 4:7
  2. Lamentations 4:6 : Gen 19:25
  3. Lamentations 4:17 : Ezek 29:16
  4. Lamentations 4:21 : Jer 25:17
  5. Lamentations 4:22 : Ps 137:7
  6. Lamentations 5:7 : Is 65:7; Jer 16:11, 12; 31:29; Ezek 18:2-4
  7. Lamentations 5:8 : Neh 5:15
Amplified Bible (AMP)

Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

Hebrews 2

Give Heed

2 [a]For this reason [that is, because of God’s final revelation in His Son Jesus and because of Jesus’ superiority to the angels] we must pay much closer attention than ever to the things that we have heard, so that we do not [in any way] drift away from truth. 2 For if the message given [b]through angels [the Law given to Moses] was authentic and unalterable, and every violation and disobedient act received an appropriate penalty, 3 how will we escape [the penalty] if we ignore such a great salvation [the gospel, the new covenant]? For it was spoken at first by the Lord, and it was confirmed to us and proved authentic by those who personally heard [Him speak], 4 [and besides this evidence] God also testifying with them [confirming the message of salvation], both by signs and wonders and by various miracles [carried out by Jesus and the apostles] and by [granting to believers the] gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.

Earth Subject to Man

5 It was not to angels that God subjected the [inhabited] world of the future [when Christ reigns], about which we are speaking. 6 But one has [solemnly] testified somewhere [in Scripture], saying,

“What is man, that You are mindful of him,
Or the son of man, that You graciously care for him?
7 
“You have made him for a little while lower [in status] than the angels;
You have crowned him with glory and honor,
[c]And set him over the works of Your hands;
8 
You have put all things in subjection under his feet [confirming his supremacy].”

Now in putting all things in subjection to man, He left nothing outside his control. But at present we do not yet see all things subjected to him.(A)

Jesus Briefly Humbled

9 But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while [by taking on the limitations of humanity], crowned with glory and honor because of His suffering of death, so that by the grace of God [extended to sinners] He might experience death for [the sins of] everyone.

10 For it was fitting for God [that is, an act worthy of His divine nature] that He, for whose sake are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the [d]author and founder of their salvation perfect through suffering [bringing to maturity the human experience necessary for Him to be perfectly equipped for His office as High Priest]. 11 Both Jesus who sanctifies and those who are sanctified [that is, spiritually transformed, made holy, and set apart for God’s purpose] are all from one Father; for this reason He is not ashamed to call them [e]brothers and sisters, 12 saying,

“I will declare Your (the Father’s) name to My brethren (believers),
In the midst of the congregation I will sing Your praise.”(B)

13 And again [[f]He says],

“My trust and confident hope will be placed in Him.”

And again,

“Here I am, I and the children whom God has given Me.”(C)

14 Therefore, since [these His] children share in flesh and blood [the physical nature of mankind], He Himself in a similar manner also shared in the same [physical nature, but without sin], so that through [experiencing] death He might make powerless (ineffective, impotent) him who had the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and [that He] might free all those who through [the haunting] fear of death were held in slavery throughout their lives. 16 For, as we all know, He (Christ) does not take hold of [the fallen] angels [to give them a helping hand], but He does take hold of [the fallen] descendants of Abraham [extending to them His hand of deliverance].(D) 17 Therefore, it was essential that He had to be made like His brothers (mankind) in every respect, so that He might [by experience] become a merciful and faithful High Priest in things related to God, to make atonement (propitiation) for the people’s sins [thereby wiping away the sin, satisfying divine justice, and providing a way of reconciliation between God and mankind]. 18 Because He Himself [in His humanity] has suffered in being tempted, He is able to help and provide immediate assistance to those who are being tempted and exposed to suffering.

Footnotes:

  1. Hebrews 2:1 This refers back to all of ch 1, not just the final verse.
  2. Hebrews 2:2 It was a tradition in Judaism that angels, whom the Jews highly regarded, had an important role in God’s giving of the Law to Moses. See Acts 7:38; Gal 3:19.
  3. Hebrews 2:7 Two early mss do not contain “And...hands.”
  4. Hebrews 2:10 Or pioneer, originator, champion.
  5. Hebrews 2:11 Lit brethren.
  6. Hebrews 2:13 By placing these two OT quotations on the lips of Jesus the author illustrates: 1) his high view of Scripture, and 2) that he views even written Scripture as the words of Jesus.

Cross references:

  1. Hebrews 2:8 : Ps 8:4-6
  2. Hebrews 2:12 : Ps 22:22
  3. Hebrews 2:13 : Is 8:17, 18
  4. Hebrews 2:16 : Is 41:8, 9
Amplified Bible (AMP)

Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

Psalm 103

Praise for the Lord’s Mercies.

A Psalm of David.

103 Bless and affectionately praise the Lord, O my soul,
And all that is [deep] within me, bless His holy name.
2 
Bless and affectionately praise the Lord, O my soul,
And do not forget any of His benefits;
3 
Who forgives all your sins,
Who heals all your diseases;
4 
Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you [lavishly] with lovingkindness and tender mercy;
5 
Who satisfies your years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the [soaring] eagle.(A)

6 
The Lord executes righteousness
And justice for all the oppressed.
7 
He made known His ways [of righteousness and justice] to Moses,
His acts to the children of Israel.
8 
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger and abounding in compassion and lovingkindness.(B)
9 
He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
10 
He has not dealt with us according to our sins [as we deserve],
Nor rewarded us [with punishment] according to our wickedness.
11 
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear and worship Him [with awe-filled respect and deepest reverence].
12 
As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
13 
Just as a father loves his children,
So the Lord loves those who fear and worship Him [with awe-filled respect and deepest reverence].
14 
For He knows our [mortal] frame;
He remembers that we are [merely] dust.

15 
As for man, his days are like grass;
Like a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
16 
For the wind passes over it and it is no more,
And its place knows it no longer.
17 
But the lovingkindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who [reverently] fear Him,
And His righteousness to children’s children,(C)
18 
To those who honor and keep His covenant,
And remember to do His commandments [imprinting His word on their hearts].

19 
The Lord has established His throne in the heavens,
And His sovereignty rules over all [the universe].
20 
Bless the Lord, you His angels,
You mighty ones who do His commandments,
Obeying the voice of His word!
21 
Bless the Lord, all you His hosts,
You who serve Him and do His will.
22 
Bless the Lord, all you works of His, in all places of His dominion;
Bless and affectionately praise the Lord, O my soul!

Cross references:

  1. Psalm 103:5 : Is 40:31
  2. Psalm 103:8 : James 5:11
  3. Psalm 103:17 : Deut 10:12
Amplified Bible (AMP)

Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 26:23

23 
Like a [common] clay vessel covered with the silver dross [making it appear silver when it has no real value]
Are burning lips [murmuring manipulative words] and a wicked heart.

Amplified Bible (AMP)

Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

Posted on

10/30/2019 DAB Transcript

Lamentations 3:1-66, Hebrews 1:1-14, Psalms 102:1-28, Proverbs 26:21-22

Today is the 30th day of October. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I’m Brian. It's…it’s great to be here with you, Man, one more day…one more day in this 10th month of the year and that we just keep moving on, moving forward. So, we’re reading from the book of Lamentations in the Old Testament at the moment. Yesterday we read the entire personal letter of the apostle Paul to Philemon. And, so, when we get to the New Testament today we will be beginning in the book of Hebrews and we’ll talk about that when we get there, but first we’re reading from the Amplified Bible this week. Lamentations chapter 3.

Introduction to the book of Hebrews:

Alright. As promised, we are moving into some new territory and we’ll be camping out a little bit in the New Testament here. And one of the most compelling exhortations to keep the faith endure and stay true that we’re gonna find in the New Testament. And while that’s all true, Hebrews is…is a bit of an anomaly because we don’t actually know its full origins. Often, the apostle Paul’s been credited with authoring this letter at different points in history. Most scholars would today agree that this is highly unlikely. Whoever did right Hebrews, though, was a master communicator and was clearly very well educated, particularly from a Hebrew and Hebrew culture…cultural perspective because they…they demonstrate in this letter, a skilled understanding of the Scriptures, the Hebrew Scriptures and of Judaism. So, a couple candidates that kind of bubble up to the top, although there’s no way to know for certain would be maybe Barnabas and maybe Apollo’s but no one is certain. What is certain is that the author of this letter had the authority to write this kind of a work because it comes from a place of authority and that that work then would be regarded with respect and preserved and carried forward because of that authority. Paul’s protégé and his son in the faith Timothy, and, of course, you’ll remember we just read the pastoral letters to Timothy, is mentioned in this letter. So, Hebrews is probably generally contemporary with Paul’s writings, maybe just a little bit later because Timothy was younger than Paul and he would’ve lived on after Paul’s martyrdom. So, Hebrews could have been written a little bit after Paul. It’s clear from the letter that persecution of those who believed in Jesus had begun within the Jewish or Hebrew community. So, Jewish people, Hebrew people were persecuting those who were now following Jesus, the rabbi, the Hebrew rabbi, Jesus, the Gentile Savior, which was causing all kinds of conflict. And even though…even though the fever pitch, the bloodlust hadn’t broken out to the level of martyrdom, in most cases the Hebrew believers and those who were sympathetic to the way of Jesus, they had begun to suffer the marginalization that we read about in so many of the letters. And to suffer ridicule, they were being stereotyped as irrelevant and weird, which is not so uncommon even in our day and age. Often Christians are portrayed in the media as irrelevant or backward or a bit weird. And these cultural pressures take their toll. They were causing many Hebrew believers to simply hide and withdraw, basically disappear into the woodwork, hide their faith. And others were turning their backs and walking away completely from the faith, returning to traditional Judaism. And the writer of Hebrews was observing this happening and boldly stepped forward with this letter to encourage Hebrew believers to stay faithful to Jesus, to endure, to stay true. And, as I mentioned, this is like a theme that emerges that will not leave us alone because we have to do the same thing. We have to stay faithful to Jesus and endure and stay true and not return to our former ways. And Hebrews encourages us to hold fast to the hope that we have in Christ and not waiver, which is a very important message for what obviously was a very important message for the believers then, but it is just as important a message for us today. And it’s…its a brilliant letter. It’s a very well-constructed very thought out brilliant letter that allows us to look through the lens of the Old Testament and the Jewish heritage and find Jesu in that story. And, so, we begin Hebrews chapter 1.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You for Your word and we thank You for bringing us into the book of Hebrews. We ask Father that You awaken our hearts and minds that we might absorb and as we explore the book of Hebrews and look through the lens of the Old Testament and see how the story works, we ask that You bring enlightenment, clarity and understanding. And even again today the Proverbs hit us right between the eyes and again its talking about the things come out of our mouth, specifically, backbiting and gossip. Gossip, You say, is…is like a dainty morsel so like a little treat to be greedily eaten, and yet it goes down into the innermost chambers of the body to be remembered and mused upon. So, Holy Spirit, we invite You today to help us be aware of what we are putting into ourselves, what we are allowing to go into the innermost chambers of ourselves. Help us Father to not pick up things that we shouldn’t be carrying around or listen to things that we shouldn’t be hearing. And Father, help us to not be a person that is passing around things through words and language that shouldn’t be passed around. Come Holy Spirit we pray. In the mighty name of Jesus, we ask. Amen.

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The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Wednesday October 30, 2019 (NIV)

Lamentations 3

Jeremiah Shares Israel’s Affliction

3 I am [Jeremiah] the man who has seen affliction
Because of the rod of His wrath.
2 
He has led me and made me walk
In darkness and not in light.
3 
Surely He has turned His hand against me
Repeatedly all the day.
4 
He has caused my flesh and my skin to waste away;
He has shattered my bones.
5 
He has besieged and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship.
6 
He has made me live in dark places
Like those who have long been dead.
7 
He walled me in so that I cannot get out;
He has weighted down my chain.
8 
Even when I cry out and shout for help,
He shuts out my prayer.
9 
He has blocked my ways with cut stone;
He has made my paths crooked.
10 
He is to me like a bear lying in wait,
And like a lion [hiding] in secret places.
11 
He has turned aside my ways and torn me in pieces;
He has made me desolate.
12 
He has bent His bow
And set me as a target for the arrow.
13 
He has caused the arrows of His quiver
To enter my inner parts.
14 
I have become the [object of] ridicule to all my people,
And [the subject of] their mocking song all the day.
15 
He has filled me with bitterness;
He has made me drunk with wormwood (bitterness).
16 
He has broken my teeth with gravel;
He has [covered me with ashes and] made me cower in the dust.
17 
My soul has been cast far away from peace;
I have forgotten happiness.
18 
So I say, “My strength has perished
And so has my hope and expectation from the Lord.”

Hope of Relief in God’s Mercy

19 
Remember [O Lord] my affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and the gall (bitterness).
20 
My soul continually remembers them
And is bowed down within me.
21 
But this I call to mind,
Therefore I have hope.
22 
It is because of the Lord’s lovingkindnesses that we are not consumed,
Because His [tender] compassions never fail.(A)
23 
They are new every morning;
Great and beyond measure is Your faithfulness.(B)
24 
“The Lord is my portion and my inheritance,” says my soul;
“Therefore I have hope in Him and wait expectantly for Him.”(C)
25 
The Lord is good to those who wait [confidently] for Him,
To those who seek Him [on the authority of God’s word].
26 
It is good that one waits quietly
For the salvation of the Lord.
27 
It is good for a man that he should bear
The yoke [of godly discipline] in his youth.
28 
Let him sit alone [in hope] and keep quiet,
Because God has laid it on him [for his benefit].(D)
29 
Let him put his mouth in the dust [in recognition of his unworthiness];
There may yet be hope.(E)
30 
Let him give his cheek to the one who strikes him;
Let him be filled with reproach.
31 
For the Lord will not reject forever,(F)
32 
For if He causes grief,
Then He will have compassion
According to His abundant lovingkindness and tender mercy.
33 
For He does not afflict willingly and from His heart
Or grieve the children of men.(G)
34 
To trample and crush under His feet
All the prisoners of the land,
35 
To deprive a man of justice
In the presence of the Most High,
36 
To defraud a man in his lawsuit—
The Lord does not approve of these things.
37 
Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass,
Unless the Lord has authorized and commanded it?
38 
Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
That both adversity (misfortune) and good (prosperity, happiness) proceed?

39 
Why should any living mortal, or any man,
Complain [of punishment] in view of his sins?
40 
Let us test and examine our ways,
And let us return to the Lord.
41 
Let us lift up our hearts and our hands [in prayer]
Toward God in heaven;
42 
We have transgressed and rebelled,
You have not pardoned.
43 
You have covered Yourself with anger
And pursued us;
You have slain [without pity] and have not spared.
44 
You have covered Yourself with a cloud
So that no prayer can pass through.
45 
You have made us scum and refuse
Among the peoples (Gentile nations).
46 
All our enemies have gaped at us.
47 
Panic and pitfall (traps, danger) have come on us,
Devastation and destruction.
48 
My eyes overflow with streams of tears
Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people (Jerusalem).
49 
My eyes overflow unceasingly,
Without stopping,
50 
Until the Lord looks down
And sees from heaven.
51 
My eyes [see things that] bring pain to my soul
Because of all the daughters of my city.
52 
Without cause my enemies
Hunted me down like a bird;
53 
They silenced me in the pit
And placed a stone over me.(H)
54 
The waters ran down on my head;
I said, “I am cut off (destroyed)!”
55 
I called on Your name, O Lord,
Out of the lowest pit.(I)
56 
You have heard my voice,
“Do not hide Your ear from my prayer for relief,
From my cry for help.”
57 
You drew near on the day I called to You;
You said, “Do not fear.”(J)
58 
O Lord, You have pleaded my soul’s cause [You have guided my way and protected me];
You have rescued and redeemed my life.
59 
O Lord, You have seen the wrong [done to me];
Judge my case.
60 
You have seen all their vengeance,
All their schemes against me.
61 
You have heard their reproach, O Lord,
And all their schemes against me.
62 
The lips and whispering of my assailants
Are against me all day long.
63 
Look at their sitting and their rising [their actions and secret counsels];
I am their mocking song [the subject of their ridicule].(K)
64 
You will repay them, O Lord,
According to the work of their hands.
65 
You will harden their hearts;
Your curse will be upon them.
66 
You will pursue them in anger and destroy them
From under the heavens of the Lord.

Cross references:

  1. Lamentations 3:22 : Mal 3:6
  2. Lamentations 3:23 : Is 33:2
  3. Lamentations 3:24 : Num 18:20
  4. Lamentations 3:28 : Rom 8:28
  5. Lamentations 3:29 : Mic 7:17
  6. Lamentations 3:31 : Ps 94:14
  7. Lamentations 3:33 : Ezek 18:23, 32; Hos 11:8; Heb 12:5-10; 2 Pet 3:9
  8. Lamentations 3:53 : Jer 38
  9. Lamentations 3:55 : Jer 38:6
  10. Lamentations 3:57 : James 4:8
  11. Lamentations 3:63 : Ps 139:2; Is 37:28
Amplified Bible (AMP)

Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

Hebrews 1

God’s Final Word in His Son

1 God, having spoken to the fathers long ago in [the voices and writings of] the prophets in many separate revelations [each of which set forth a portion of the truth], and in many ways, 2 has in these last days spoken [with finality] to us in [the person of One who is by His character and nature] His Son [namely Jesus], whom He appointed heir and lawful owner of all things, through whom also He created the universe [that is, the universe as a space-time-matter continuum]. 3 The Son is the radiance and only expression of the glory of [our awesome] God [reflecting God’s [a]Shekinah glory, the Light-being, the brilliant light of the divine], and the exact representation and perfect imprint of His [Father’s] essence, and upholding and maintaining and propelling all things [the entire physical and spiritual universe] by His powerful word [carrying the universe along to its predetermined goal]. When He [Himself and no other] had [by offering Himself on the cross as a sacrifice for sin] accomplished purification from sins and established our freedom from guilt, He sat down [revealing His completed work] at the right hand of the Majesty on high [revealing His Divine authority], 4 having become as much superior to angels, since He has inherited a more excellent and glorious [b]name than they [that is, Son—the name above all names].

5 For to which of the angels did the Father ever say,

“You are My Son,
Today I have begotten (fathered) You [established You as a Son, with kingly dignity]”?

And again [did He ever say to the angels],

“I shall be a Father to Him
And He shall be a Son to Me”?(A)

6 [c]And when He again brings the firstborn [highest-ranking Son] into the world, He says,

“And all the angels of God are to worship Him.”(B)

7 And concerning the angels He says,

“Who makes His angels winds,
And His ministering servants flames of fire [to do His bidding].”(C)

8 But about the Son [the Father says to Him],

“Your throne, [d]O God, is forever and ever,
And the [e]scepter of [absolute] righteousness is the scepter of [f]His kingdom.
9 
“You have loved righteousness [integrity, virtue, uprightness in purpose] and have hated lawlessness [injustice, sin].
Therefore God, Your God, Has anointed You
With the oil of gladness above Your companions.”(D)

10 And,

“[g]You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning,
And the heavens are the works of Your hands;
11 
They will perish, but You remain [forever and ever];
And they will all wear out like a garment,
12 
And like a robe You will roll them up;
Like a garment they will be changed.
But [h]You are the same [forever],
And Your years will never end.”(E)

13 But to which of the angels has the Father ever said,

“Sit at My right hand [together with me in royal dignity],
Until I make your enemies
A footstool for your feet [in triumphant conquest]”?(F)

14 Are not all the angels ministering spirits sent out [by God] to serve (accompany, protect) those who will inherit salvation? [Of course they are!]

Footnotes:

  1. Hebrews 1:3 The word “Shekinah” does not appear in Scripture, but has been used by both Christians and Jews to describe the visible divine Presence of God, in such things as the burning bush, the cloud and the pillar of fire that led the Hebrews in the wilderness, and the Presence of God that rested between the cherubim over the mercy seat of the ark.
  2. Hebrews 1:4 In Greek “name” occurs last in this verse to emphasize that Jesus alone bears the name Son. No angel is superior to the Son.
  3. Hebrews 1:6 Most likely a reference to the second coming of Christ when He will be acknowledged as divine and worshiped as the Son of God. Another view suggests that this may be a reference to His incarnation as Jesus of Nazareth.
  4. Hebrews 1:8 The Son is recognized as deity by being addressed by the Father as “God.”
  5. Hebrews 1:8 I.e. symbol of authority.
  6. Hebrews 1:8 Late mss read Your.
  7. Hebrews 1:10 The deity of Jesus is acclaimed by the designation “You, Lord.”
  8. Hebrews 1:12 Since He is deity, the eternality of Jesus is recognized.

Cross references:

  1. Hebrews 1:5 : 2 Sam 7:14; Ps 2:7
  2. Hebrews 1:6 : Ps 97:7
  3. Hebrews 1:7 : Ps 104:4
  4. Hebrews 1:9 : Ps 45:6, 7
  5. Hebrews 1:12 : Ps 102:25-27
  6. Hebrews 1:13 : Ps 110:1
Amplified Bible (AMP)

Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

Psalm 102

Prayer of an Afflicted Man for Mercy on Himself and on Zion.

A Prayer of the afflicted; when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint to God.

102 Hear my prayer, O Lord,
And let my cry for help come to You!
2 
Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my distress!
Incline Your ear to me;
In the day when I call, answer me quickly.
3 
For my days have vanished in smoke,
And my bones have been scorched like a hearth.
4 
My heart has been struck like grass and withered,
Indeed, [absorbed by my heartache] I forget to eat my food.
5 
Because of the sound of my groaning [in suffering and trouble]
My bones cling to my flesh.
6 
I am like a [mournful] [a]vulture of the wilderness;
I am like a [desolate] owl of the wasteland.
7 
I am sleepless and lie awake [mourning],
I have become like a lonely bird on a housetop.

8 
My enemies taunt me all day long;
Those who ridicule me use my name as a curse.
9 
For I have eaten ashes like bread,
And have mingled my drink with tears(A)
10 
Because of Your indignation and Your wrath,
For You have lifted me up and thrown me away.
11 
My days are like an evening shadow that lengthens and vanishes [with the sun];
And as for me, I wither away like grass.

12 
But You, O Lord, are enthroned forever [ruling eternally as sovereign];
And [the fame and glory of] Your name [endures] to all generations.
13 
You will arise and have compassion on Zion,
For it is time to be gracious and show favor to her;
Yes, the appointed time [the moment designated] has come.(B)
14 
For Your servants find [melancholy] pleasure in the stones [of her ruins]
And feel pity for her dust.
15 
So the nations will fear the name of the Lord,
And all the kings of the earth [will recognize] Your glory.(C)
16 
For the Lord has built up Zion;
He has appeared in His glory and brilliance;
17 
He has regarded the prayer of the destitute,
And has not despised their prayer.

18 
Let this be recorded for the generation to come,
That a people yet to be created will praise the Lord.
19 
For He looked down from His holy height [of His sanctuary],
From heaven the Lord gazed on the earth,
20 
To hear the sighing of the prisoner,
To set free those who were doomed to death,
21 
So that people may declare the name of the Lord in Zion
And His praise in Jerusalem,
22 
When the peoples are gathered together,
And the kingdoms, to serve the Lord.

23 
He has exhausted my strength [humbling me with sorrow] in the way;
He has shortened my days.
24 
I said, “O my God, do not take me away in the midst of my days;
Your years are [eternal] throughout all generations.
25 
“At the beginning You founded the earth;
The heavens are the work of Your hands.
26 
“Even they will perish, but You endure;
Yes, all of them will wear out like a garment.
Like clothing You will change them and they shall be changed.
27 
“But You remain the same,
And Your years will never end.(D)
28 
“The children of Your servants will continue,
And their descendants will be established before You.”

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 102:6 Lit pelican, or some kind of desert bird.

Cross references:

  1. Psalm 102:9 : Is 44:20
  2. Psalm 102:13 : Ps 12:5; 119:126
  3. Psalm 102:15 : Ps 96:9
  4. Psalm 102:27 : Heb 1:10-12
Amplified Bible (AMP)

Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 26:21-22

21 
Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
So is a contentious man to kindle strife.(A)
22 
The words of a whisperer (gossip) are like dainty morsels [to be greedily eaten];
They go down into the innermost chambers of the body [to be remembered and mused upon].(B)

Cross references:

  1. Proverbs 26:21 : Prov 15:18; 29:22
  2. Proverbs 26:22 : Prov 18:8
Amplified Bible (AMP)

Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

Posted on

10/29/2019 DAB Transcript

Lamentations 1:1-2:22, Philemon 1:1-25, Psalms 101:1-8, Proverbs 26:20

Today is the 29th day of October. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I’m Brian. It’s great to be here with you today as we continue our journey through this week and through, of course, the month and the year and the Bible. And we have come to a day where we are making some changes into some new territory, new books, new letters in both the Old and the New Testaments today. So, obviously, we begin with the Old Testament and we’ll be beginning the book of Lamentations today. So, we can see there’s an arc, there’s kind of a flow that the Bible takes us through. And, so, we reach certain books like Job or Ecclesiastes and issues of the heart that we don’t normally deal with are brought up and that’s what the book of Lamentations does as we move into kind of mournful territory. Again, the idea of mourning or lamenting or regret or grief, you don’t usually sign up for those things. They visit us all, but we don’t usually get in line for them. But the Bible leads us into all of the territory that we will experience as human beings and that…that’s where were headed and it comes at a good time. As we’re preparing to move into the final push of the year. It’s important that we explore this territory.

Introduction to the book of Lamentations:

The book of Lamentations is actually composed of five poems and they’re poems of lament over the fall and the destruction of Jerusalem. And it’s right here that we need to just pause for second and put ourselves in the right frame of mind. We can think of the ancient fall of the Roman Empire, the ancient fall of Jerusalem and go like, “that happened thousands of years ago. Like it doesn’t really affect me.” And if we were to name any modern city like, you know, lamenting over the fall of Tokyo or lamenting over the fall of New York or the fall of London, I mean even saying that snaps us to attention because we can only imagine what that would…what that would do to the world and what that would be like. So, when Jerusalem fell at the time of the writing of Lamentations it would’ve been like any of the major cities that we just named or any of them around the world falling. So, we can try, at least, to appreciate the magnitude of the soul wrenching emotion that these poems are coming from. Jerusalem was lost and we’ve been…we’ve been reading the prophecies and the stories of that destruction, and the exile that came as a result of it. The temple of the Almighty God had been destroyed, right? Fire consumed the city, ash was thick in the air, blood was in the streets. In Hebrew, the book of Lamentations is called “eicha”, which means “how”, “how could this happen”. And we know…like…we know that it did happen. The Babylonians finally breached the wall of Jerusalem and subsequently destroyed the wall and the city, and there’s plenty of archaeological evidence of this conquest that can be seen in Jerusalem even till today. How it could happen was…was largely the topic we were covering as we read through the prophecies of Jeremiah. We just concluded that yesterday. Jeremiah warned for decades of the impending doom that would befall God’s people if they didn’t turn from…from the trajectory that they were on. And now, here in Lamentations the prophecies have come true. This book doesn't…doesn’t explicitly name its author. So, that makes things a little bit more difficult, but the traditions of the book was written by Jeremiah, which is one of the reasons why Lamentations follows Jeremiah in the Bible. But that…that’s been up for debate among biblical scholars for centuries. And there’s plenty of compelling theories that are in favor of Jeremiah being the author, but there’s many compelling reasons why he couldn’t be the author. But there is a general consensus on one thing, whoever wrote Lamentations was probably an eyewitness to the destruction of the holy city. The Babylonians did conquer Jerusalem and they did utterly destroy Jerusalem in 586 BC. And, so, Lamentations was probably written shortly after that today. And today in the Hebrew culture, on the ninth day of Av, Lamentations is read on a day of fasting to commemorate the fall of Jerusalem and the reading of each of the poems is a backdrop for personal lamentation, personal reflection, personalizing the story in our lives. And like we said a little bit ago, nobody signs up for that. Lamenting isn’t an easy thing. Grief is hard but…but it has a way, right? It may never ever quite leave us, but it has a way of washing us clean. It whittles us down. It strips off all of the fluff until all that’s left is what is true, what is bedrock, what is real. And even though it’s intensely painful it’s also freeing. When we’ve gone into the depths of sadness and we’ve reached the bottom then there’s hope there for the future. And lamenting helps us to not stuff things inside, and name them and give them voice. Lamenting helps give us a language for suffering and it gives us a language that acknowledges that things have changed and may never ever be the same again and that we have to let go of how it was or how we once were, and be renewed again, begin again. And we’ll find in this book of Lamentations that sort of language and we’ll find it in our own lives as we enter into the book of Lamentations. And, so, we begin. We’re reading from the Amplified Bible this week. Lamentations chapter 1 and 2.

Introduction to the letter to Philemon:

Okay. So, now we’re moving into our New Testament portion, obviously, and we’re entering into some new territory there as well and it’s another personal letter from the apostle Paul, this one not a pastoral letter. This one, a personal letter to an individual person in a church. And this book or this letter or epistle is 25 verses long. So, we’ll be beginning and completing it in today’s reading. And this is the final letter clearly attributed to the apostle Paul. And it probably accompanied the delivery of the letter to the Colossians, which was a congregation that Philemon was a leader in. So, our likely scenario is that Philemon was likely one of the more wealthy and influential people in the church in Colossae and according to the letter a congregation met in his home and he had a servant who was named Onesimus and this servant ran away, probably stealing from Philemon in the process, which would’ve been an offense punishable by death in those days. So, Onesimus probably fled to Rome with the idea of disappearing. At the same time Paul was in Rome under house arrest, awaiting trial, and in a strange twist of divine providence Onesimus came into contact with Paul and under Paul’s instruction became a follower of Jesus, and after beginning to follow the Lord he served Paul’s needs in Rome. So, you have Onesimus the slave being freed to move around to serve Paul and you have Paul, the Roman citizen who’s been arrested for his religious convictions who is under arrest. So, sometime later Paul wrote a letter to the church in Colossae with the intention of sending Tychicus on the journey to hand deliver it, but in the process Paul also wrote a personal note that’s been preserved to Philemon and sent Onesimus the runaway slave to accompany Tychicus back to his hometown and his…his master, which would've…which would’ve been a frighteningly large step of faith, one in which he was taking his life into his hands, but the influence of Paul in his life and watching him as he was imprisoned gave Onesimus the faith, the boldness, to leave his life in God’s hands as Paul was doing and do the right thing. And this letter actually packs…packs a punch it. It shows the importance of forgiveness and shows us that no matter how much authority we have or how much power we have over someone if…if they’re a believer in Jesus then they’re a brother or a sister, part of the family of God and none of us, no matter how much we have or don’t have deserve that. It’s God’s gift His love for us. And this little letter gives us a real-life example of how God does work things together for the good of those who love him. And, so, we begin, and we’ll read in its entirety the letter to Philemon.

Prayer:

Father we thank You for Your word and we thank You for bringing us into two new different territories in the New Testament today, but we also thank You for the closing reminder, that gossip keeps the fire burning in a bad way, in a consuming way, in a destructive way. And yet when that is removed, the fuel is taken from the fire and contention quiets down. And, so help us Father, not to be…not to be gossips, not to run around today saying things about people behind their back, even just in conversation. And help us Father, perhaps even more importantly to not be consumers of this kind of behavior, to not listen, to not participate in it, because it does no good. It gives us offenses to carry around that we don’t have, and it blurs things and infects our relationships in a very negative way. So, come Holy Spirit into our words today we ask in the precious name of Jesus. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is the website, home base, and indeed where you can find out what’s going on around here.

Check out the Initiatives, including the God of Your Story, a brand-new resource that has just been released that is of us and for the Daily Audio Bible and for the journey through the Bible in a year. So, check that out.

Check out the Community section in the website as well for the different links to different social media channels. And the Prayer Wall is in the Community section as well.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, you can do that at dailyaudiobible.com also. There is a link and it lives on the homepage. So, thank you profoundly, humbly for your partnership. If you’re using the Daily Audio Bible app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner or, if you prefer, the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.

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

Community Prayer and Praise:

Hello Daily Audio Bible family this is a Leonora calling from the Florida Panhandle. Six years ago, I started listening to DAB. It was an awakening to God’s word like I’ve never had. It burst a closer and growing relationship with our Father. I am 35 years married to a man I love very dearly and have been unequally yoked to a nonbeliever. Five years ago, I called in asking for prayer that after my husband soon retired, I shall continue to have quiet time with our Lord and stay focused on my walk with him. Now, five years later I confess it has not been an easy path. The enemy has a field day with my husband, and I am constantly tested. I need your prayers for strength, for focus, and self-discipline. I have just retired from my nursing career and it seems even harder than ever now to stay focused and make time for our Father and I am ashamed of that. My husband is a good man, but he will not yield to a God he is so unsure of. Please Lord, give me the strength to live through You and in You and every word and deed so that I may show my husband your faithful love. May the scales drop from his eyes in Jesus’ name I pray. I love you all so very much. I listen, I cry with you and pray for you always. Thank you, dear family. This is Leonora calling from the Florida Panhandle. I love you.

I’m sitting here with a patient. I’m a psychiatrist and I’m just reaching out to the Daily Audio Bible family to pray for her suffering from depression and anxiety. It’s affecting her whole life and she’s really scared right now with the different logistical effects it’s having on her including finances and connection. So, please pray for her Daily Audio Bible family. I’m really grateful for you. Take care.

I stand at the patio door watching snow fall upon the deck, the lawn, and the bushes beyond. The lilac leaves hold the gathering flakes as cupped hands receiving a gift. No wind disturbs the downward journey. As the flakes collect upon the deck I think of a summer day when I walked in prayer during the Daily Audio Bible long walk cottonwoods cast their seeds into the air swirling in unseen eddies and gathering near buildings and curbs in great clubs resembling snowdrifts. My praise rises to our Creator. This snow may disappear within a few hours but for now a silent fall of white upon white speaks peace. Oh Lord Jesus my heart aches for those who feel no peace. I lift up my brothers and sisters for whom each day holds pain and anguish. I ask for Your provision for those seeking work and safe homes. I pray for restoration of relationships. I pray for children who have lost their way. I seek Your forgiveness for those who took the wealth of Your house and spent it on pleasure only to find themselves living among the pigs. I weep with those who mourn for loved ones, beloved pets, or the loss of a life they once knew. Show them the path to move forward. Send light on their darkness and comfort their pain. I rejoice with those who rejoice. I stand with many who wait in faith not yet seeing the result of their hope but trusting in You anyway. May Your blessing fall upon this ministry as generously as the snow. Keep us united in love across the oceans, rivers, and hills that separate us. Keep us united until all the world here’s Your word. Amen.

Hi Daily Audio Bible family this is Heather. I’ve been listening for about five years and I’ve always been too scared to call in, but I love to listen and pray with you my family all around the world. Brian, thank you for the work you do. It’s so wonderful and soothing to hear your voice and God’s word every day at the touch of a button and I love praying along with each and every one of you that calls in. And today I’m calling to ask for prayer for my family. My husband recently retired from the military and it’s been five months and it’s been hard to find a job. He’s had a few interviews and a few rejections and most of all he’s starting to lose hope. I’m not really sure of his salvation but my prayer is that not only would he find a job, but God would use this to really get a hold of his heart and show him where his true identity lies. Thank you so much for praying for our family. I love you.

Hello Daily Audio Bible my name is Melissa and I just want to clarify that our Lord is awesome and powerful and mighty and wonderful and He’s working in our lives even when we don’t know what He’s doing. Today is my birthday and I just talked with my birth father that I have never known for 50 years for the very first time. And this all came about because the Lord…I don’t know…He provided an illness in me I guess…He provided it but I had adrenal tumor and I had to go through many problems seeing doctors, psychiatrists, Prozac, and they found out…I said, “there’s something’s wrong”, God was speaking to me, He led me to see an endocrinologist and they removed my adrenal. So, I’ve been on steroids since April. So, just pray that my right adrenal will wake up. But in the meantime, I searched out my family birth history that I’ve never desired or wanted to do before, and I’ve already contacted my birth mother and my birth father, and it’s been amazing stories and an amazing 10 months. And I slip back, and I see how God has worked and He has used all this to bring about other people in my lives and to witness to them about how awesome He is and how He’s just worked in my life to do all this. I’m still struggling from how the effects of the adrenal mess with my system and the hormones but I’m working on it every day and with faith and trust in the Lord and you can do it too. Just love Him and just He’s amazing and awesome and I just pray for anybody who’s struggling, that you might not see what’s happening at the moment but you look back and I see how he’s been working His hand on me the whole time and He was there and I thank you Jesus for that. So, always keep Him in mind and look up.

Hello Daily Audio Bible family this is Amari. I’m asking for prayer for my marriage. Been in my marriage for almost 30 years. Last 10 or 15 the been really really rough on me. We’ve come back from infidelity on his behalf and we’ve been trying our best to come back from that. Our marriage…our intimate relationship is just zero. We’re the best of friends and we’re good parents and we take care of business. We just don’t have an intimate relationship. And I admit that during…out of this conflict that I even had an affair because I was trying to fill a void that I wasn’t getting for my husband. But I knew it was wrong, so I broke it off because I was trying to be what God wanted me to be. But still things haven’t changed and now I’m at a crossroads where I’m ready to give up because I want to be loved and I want to be cared for and I want to be happy. Just want the hundred percent of our marriage and not just bits and pieces. So, pray my strength and pray that God would repair our marriage because I want it from my husband…no one else. And I’ll continue to pray for you all and I thank you, Brian for this platform. God bless all of you all and continue to pray for me and thank you in advance for the prayers and God blessing me and my marriage.

Posted on

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Tuesday October 29, 2019 (NIV)

Lamentations 1-2

The Sorrows of Zion

1 [a]How solitary and lonely sits the city [Jerusalem]
That was [once] full of people!
How like a widow she has become.
She who was great among the nations!
The princess among the provinces,
Has become a forced laborer!
2 
She weeps bitterly in the night
And her tears are [constantly] on her cheeks;
Among all her lovers (political allies)
She has no one to comfort her.
All her friends have dealt treacherously with her;
They have become her enemies.(A)
3 
Judah has gone into exile under affliction
And under harsh servitude;
She dwells among the [pagan] nations,
But she has found no rest;
All her pursuers have overtaken her
In the midst of [her] distress.
4 
The roads to Zion are in mourning
Because no one comes to the appointed feasts.
All her gates are desolate;
Her priests are groaning,
Her virgins are grieved and suffering,
And she suffers bitterly.
5 
Her adversaries have become her masters,
Her enemies prosper;
For the Lord has caused her grief
Because of the multitude of her transgressions;
Her young children have gone
Into captivity before the enemy.(B)
6 
All her beauty and majesty
Have departed from the Daughter of Zion (Jerusalem).
Her princes have become like deer
That have found no pasture;
They have fled without strength
Before the pursuer.
7 
In the days of her affliction and homelessness
Jerusalem remembers all her precious things
That she had from the days of old,
When her people fell into the hand of the adversary,
And no one helped her,
The enemy saw her,
They mocked at her downfall.
8 
Jerusalem sinned greatly;
Therefore she has become an unclean thing [and has been removed].
All who honored her [now] despise her
Because they have seen her nakedness;
Even she herself groans and turns [her face] away.
9 
Her (ceremonial) uncleanness was on her skirts;
She did not [seriously] consider her future.
Therefore she has come down [from throne to slavery] in an astonishing manner;
She has no comforter.
“O Lord” [cries Jerusalem], “look at my affliction,
For the enemy has magnified himself [in triumph]!”
10 
The adversary has spread out his hand
Over all her precious and desirable things;
For she has seen the [Gentile] nations enter her sanctuary (the Jerusalem temple)—
[b]The ones whom You commanded
That they should not enter into Your congregation [not even in the outer courts].(C)
11 
All her people groan, seeking bread;
They have exchanged their desirable and precious things for food
To restore their lives.
“See, O Lord, and consider
How despised and repulsive I have become!”
12 
“Is it nothing to you, all you who pass this way?
Look and see if there is any pain like my pain
Which was severely dealt out to me,
Which the Lord has inflicted [on me] on the day of His fierce anger.
13 
“From on high He sent fire into my bones,
And it prevailed over them.
He has spread a net for my feet;
He has turned me back.
He has made me desolate and hopelessly miserable,
Faint all the day long.
14 
“The yoke of my transgressions is bound;
By His hand they are knit and woven together.
They have come upon my neck.
He has made my strength fail;
The Lord has put me into the hand
Of those against whom I cannot stand.(D)
15 
“The Lord has rejected all the strong men
In my midst;
He has proclaimed an established time against me
To crush my young men.
The Lord has trampled down as in a wine press
The Virgin Daughter of Judah.
16 
“I weep for these things;
My eyes overflow with tears,
Because a comforter,
One who could restore my soul, is far away from me.
My children are desolate and perishing,
For the enemy has prevailed.”(E)
17 
Zion stretches out her hands,
But there is no comforter for her.
The Lord has commanded concerning Jacob
That his neighbors should be his enemies;
Jerusalem has become a filthy thing [an object of contempt] among them.
18 
“The Lord is righteous and just;
For I have rebelled against His commandment (His word).
Hear now, all you peoples,
And look at my pain;
My virgins and my young men
Have gone into captivity.
19 
“I [Jerusalem] called to my lovers (political allies), but they deceived me.
My priests and my elders perished in the city
While they looked for food to restore their strength.
20 
“See, O Lord, how distressed I am!
My spirit is deeply disturbed;
My heart is overturned within me and cannot rest,
For I have been very rebellious.
In the street the sword kills and bereaves;
In the house there is [famine, disease and] death!
21 
“People have heard that I groan,
That I have no comforter [in You].
All my enemies have heard of my desperation;
They are delighted [O Lord] that You have done it.
Oh, that You would bring the day [of judgment] which You have proclaimed
So that they will become like me.(F)
22 
“Let all their wickedness come before You;
And deal with them as You have dealt with me
Because of all my transgressions;
For my groans are many and my heart is faint.”

God’s Anger over Israel

2 How the Lord has covered the Daughter of Zion (Jerusalem)
With a cloud in His anger!
He has cast down from heaven to the earth
The glory and splendor of Israel
And has not remembered His footstool
In the day of His anger.
2 
The Lord has swallowed up; He has not spared
All the country places of Jacob.
In His wrath He has thrown down
The strongholds of the Daughter of Judah (Jerusalem).
He has brought them down to the ground [in disgrace];
He has debased the kingdom and its princes.
3 
In fierce anger He has cut off and destroyed
Every [c]horn of Israel.
He has withdrawn His right hand
From the presence of the enemy.
And He has burned in Jacob like a flaming fire
Consuming all around.
4 
He has bent His bow like an enemy;
He has set His right hand like an adversary
And slain all that were delightful and pleasing to the eye;
In the tent of the Daughter of Zion
He has poured out His wrath like fire.
5 
The Lord has become like an enemy;
He has swallowed up Israel.
He has swallowed up all its palaces;
He has destroyed its strongholds
And multiplied in the Daughter of Judah
Mourning and lamentation (expressions of grief).
6 
And He has violently broken down His temple like a [fragile] garden hedge;
He has destroyed His appointed meeting place.
The Lord has caused the appointed feast and Sabbath
To be forgotten in Zion
And has despised and rejected the king and the priest
In the indignation of His anger.
7 
The Lord has rejected His altar;
He has abandoned His sanctuary.
He has given into the hand of the enemy
The walls of her palaces;
They have made a noise in the house of the Lord
As on a day of an appointed feast.
8 
The Lord determined to lay in ruins
The [city] wall of the Daughter of Zion.
He has stretched out a line,
He has not stopped His hand from destroying.
He has caused the rampart and the wall to lament (mourn in grief);
They have languished together.
9 
Her gates have sunk into the ground;
He has destroyed and broken her bars.
Her king and her princes are [exiled] among the nations;
The law is no more.
Also, her prophets no longer find
Vision from the Lord.
10 
The elders of the Daughter of Zion
Sit on the ground keeping silent;
They have thrown dust on their heads,
They have covered themselves with sackcloth.
The virgins of Jerusalem
Have bowed their heads to the ground.
11 
My eyes fail because of tears [mourns Jeremiah],
My spirit is deeply disturbed;
My heart is poured out on the earth [in grief]
Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people [Jerusalem],
When little ones and infants faint
In the streets of the city.
12 
They cry to their mothers,
“Where is grain and wine?”
As they faint like a wounded man
In the streets of the city,
As their life [slips away and] is poured out
In their mothers’ arms.
13 
How shall I console you?
To what shall I compare you,
O Daughter of Jerusalem?
With what shall I compare you, so that I may comfort you,
O Virgin Daughter of Zion?
For your ruin is as vast as the sea;
Who can heal you?(G)
14 
Your prophets have seen (imagined) for you
False and foolish visions;
And they have not exposed your wickedness
To restore you from captivity [by teaching you to repent],
But they have seen (imagined) and declared to you false and misleading oracles.
15 
All who pass along the way
Clap their hands in derision at you;
They scoff and shake their heads
At the Daughter of Jerusalem, saying,
“Is this the city that was called
‘The perfection of beauty,
The joy of all the earth’?”
16 
All your enemies
Have opened their mouths wide against you;
They [scornfully] hiss and gnash their teeth.
They say, “We have swallowed her up!
Certainly this is the day for which we waited;
We have reached it, we have seen it!”
17 
The Lord has done what He planned;
He has accomplished His word
Which He commanded [d]from days of old.
He has demolished without sparing,
And He has caused the enemy to rejoice over you;
He has exalted the power of your enemies.(H)
18 
Their hearts cried out to the Lord.
“O wall of the Daughter of Zion,
Let your tears run down like a river day and night;
Give yourself no relief,
Let your eyes have no rest.
19 
“Arise, cry aloud in the night,
At the beginning of the night watches;
Pour out your heart like water
Before the presence of the Lord;
Lift up your hands to Him
For the life of your little ones
Who are faint from hunger
At the head of every street.”(I)
20 
See, O Lord, and look!
With whom have You dealt this way?
Should women eat their offspring,
The little ones who were born healthy and beautiful?
Should priest and prophet be killed
In the sanctuary of the Lord?
21 
The young and the old
Lie on the ground in the streets;
My virgins and my young men
Have fallen by the sword.
You have killed them in the day of Your anger,
You have slaughtered, not sparing.
22 
You [Lord] called as in the day of an appointed feast
My terrors (dangers) on every side;
And there was no one who escaped or survived
In the day of the Lord’s anger.
Those I have cared for and brought up with tenderness,
My enemy annihilated them.

Footnotes:

  1. Lamentations 1:1 The writings of the prophets are not only valuable contributions to Old Testament history, but the reader is also enriched by familiarity with the forecasts of events which have been fulfilled, thus revealing the divine inspiration of the books and the wisdom and power of the God who prompted their writings.
  2. Lamentations 1:10 The Ammonites and Moabites, descendants of Lot and related to Israel, were forbidden to enter the congregation of the Lord, “even to their tenth generation,” because they refused to assist the sons of Israel when they were escaping from Egypt, and because they hired Balaam to curse Israel (Deut 23:3, 4). The Israelites never assembled any closer to the sanctuary of the temple than in the court outside its door. No Jew, not even David was authorized to enter the sanctuary proper except for certain Levites to whom such service was assigned. But now, Jeremiah says, the forbidden pagan nations enter the Holy of Holies to vandalize.
  3. Lamentations 2:3 The horn is symbolic of strength and power.
  4. Lamentations 2:17 The Jews were well aware of the ancient predictions of the coming judgment against Israel because of their sin.

Cross references:

  1. Lamentations 1:2 : Jer 3:1; 4:30
  2. Lamentations 1:5 : Jer 30:14, 15; 52:28; Dan 9:7-14
  3. Lamentations 1:10 : Deut 23:3; Jer 51:51; Ezek 44:7, 9
  4. Lamentations 1:14 : Deut 28:48
  5. Lamentations 1:16 : Lam 1:21
  6. Lamentations 1:21 : Is 14:5, 6; Jer 30:16
  7. Lamentations 2:13 : Lam 1:12; Dan 9:12
  8. Lamentations 2:17 : Lev 26:14-39; Deut 28:15-68
  9. Lamentations 2:19 : Ps 62:8
Amplified Bible (AMP)

Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

Philemon

Salutation

1 Paul, a prisoner [for the sake] of Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed), and our brother Timothy,

To Philemon our dearly beloved friend and fellow worker, 2 and to [your wife] Apphia our sister, and to [a]Archippus our fellow soldier [in ministry], and to the [b]church that meets in your [c]house: 3 Grace to you and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philemon’s Love and Faith

4 I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, 5 because I hear of your love and of your faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the [d]saints (God’s people). 6 I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective and powerful because of your accurate knowledge of every good thing which is ours in Christ. 7 For I have had great joy and comfort and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints (God’s people) have been refreshed through you, my brother.

8 Therefore [on the basis of these facts], though I have enough confidence in Christ to order you to do what is appropriate, 9 yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you—since I am such a person as Paul, an old man, and now also a prisoner [for the sake] of Christ Jesus—

A Plea for Onesimus to be Freed

10 I appeal to you for my [own spiritual] child Onesimus, whom I have fathered [in the faith] while a captive in these chains. 11 Once he was useless to you, but now he is indeed [e]useful to you as well as to me. 12 I have sent him back to you in person, that is, like sending my very heart. 13 I would have chosen to keep him with me, so that he might minister to me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel; 14 but I did not want to do anything without first getting your consent, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will. 15 Perhaps it was for this reason that he was separated from you for a while, so that you would have him back forever, 16 no longer as a slave, but [as someone] more than a slave, as a brother [in Christ], especially dear to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh [as a servant] and in the Lord [as a fellow believer].(A)

17 So if you consider me a partner, welcome and accept him as you would me. 18 But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account; 19 I, Paul, write this with my [f]own hand, I will repay it in full (not to mention to you that you [g]owe to me even your own self as well). 20 Yes, brother, let me have some benefit and joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.

21 I write to you [perfectly] confident of your obedient compliance, [h]since I know that you will do even more than I ask.

22 At the same time also prepare a guest room for me [in expectation of a visit], for I hope that through your prayers I will be [granted the gracious privilege of] coming to you [at Colossae].

23 Greetings to you from Epaphras, my fellow prisoner here in [the cause of] Christ Jesus, 24 and from Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Footnotes:

  1. Philemon 1:2 Perhaps the son of Philemon and Apphia.
  2. Philemon 1:2 Philemon was responsible to see that this letter was shared with his fellow Colossian believers.
  3. Philemon 1:2 Prior to the third century a.d. churches customarily met in private homes.
  4. Philemon 1:5 All born-again believers (saints) have been reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, made holy and set apart for God’s purpose.
  5. Philemon 1:11 Paul makes a play on words here because Onesimus means “useful” or “profitable.”
  6. Philemon 1:19 By writing this with his own hand, Paul accepted legal liability.
  7. Philemon 1:19 Philemon evidently was saved through Paul’s ministry and therefore owed Paul a debt that could not be repaid.
  8. Philemon 1:21 This was probably a subtle suggestion by Paul to emancipate Onesimus.

Cross references:

  1. Philemon 1:16 : Col 4:9
Amplified Bible (AMP)

Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

Psalm 101

The Psalmist’s Profession of Uprightness.

A Psalm of David.

101 I will sing of [steadfast] lovingkindness and justice;
To You, O Lord, I will sing praises.
2 
I will behave wisely and follow the way of integrity.
When will You come to me?
I will walk in my house in integrity and with a blameless heart.
3 
I will set no worthless or wicked thing before my eyes.
I hate the practice of those who fall away [from the right path];
It will not grasp hold of me.
4 
A perverse heart shall depart from me;
I will not tolerate evil.
5 
Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will silence;
The one who has a haughty look and a proud (arrogant) heart I will not tolerate.

6 
My eyes will be on the faithful (honorable) of the land, that they may dwell with me;
He who walks blamelessly is the one who will minister to and serve me.
7 
He who practices deceit will not dwell in my house;
He who tells lies and half-truths will not continue [to remain] in my presence.
8 
Morning after morning I will destroy all the wicked in the land,
That I may cut off from the city of the Lord all those who do evil.

Amplified Bible (AMP)

Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 26:20

20 
For lack of wood the fire goes out,
And where there is no whisperer [who gossips], contention quiets down.

Amplified Bible (AMP)

Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

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10/28/2019 DAB Transcript

Jeremiah 51:54-52:34, Titus 3:1-15, Psalms 100:1-5, Proverbs 26:18-19

Today is the 28th day of October. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I’m Brian and what a joy it is to be here with you as we…as we get going into this workweek, start taking steps forward toward the new month that is a few days away. It’s great to be here with you. What a journey this year has been so far and we have some of the most beautiful territory in the Scriptures out in front of us still. So, what a journey it has been. We’re reading from the Amplified Bible this week. Today we’re gonna finish Old and New Testament writings. I don’t mean we’re like at the end of Bible. We’re gonna finish the book of Jeremiah in the Old Testament. We’re gonna finish the letter, the pastoral letter to Titus in the New Testament and we’re reading from the Amplified Bible this week. Did I already say that? We’re reading from the Amplified Bible this week. Jeremiah 51:54 through 52:34 today.

Commentary:

Okay. So, yesterday in our Proverbs reading we were…we were counseled about staying out of business that has nothing to do with us, like not inserting ourselves uninvited into someone else’s issues or matters or business. So, today the Proverbs is kind of continuing with that thought and is inviting us to…to consider basically lying and then saying you were just joking. And you may have seen this, you may even do this, you may like…only you would know inside yourself, but you may berate a person, you may be harsh to a person and then, you know, if they have finally have had enough and they start pushing back you’re like, “it’s just a…it’s just a joke, I was just joking.” And usually that kind of a person,  they do…they don’t just…I mean…they do it a lot and they just walk around nicking and cutting these little wounds into people but then the second somebody’s had enough and steps up to it, “like, you’re not gonna bully me” basically and it’s all flipped around and they’re…they were “just joking” and they never really meant anything by it and then they try to flip it around so that it’s you’re…like…if you’re on the receiving end and it’s your fault because you can’t joke you don’t and you don’t know the difference. So, it’s like a no win situation because…because the person who spoke out with these little nicks and cuts with these words, they meant what they said…like they meant to be hurtful, but it’s done in such a way that they could deny that, which simply lets the lie, the falseness, remain. It’s a lie, but it’s twisted up. So, interestingly enough, the proverb is thousands of years old. So, this has been going on for thousands of years. And the proverb says, “like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death, so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, was I not joking?” Another translation I think puts it the most starkly because every year when we come by here by this particular territory it just stops me my tracks. So, “just as damaging as a madman shooting a deadly weapon is someone who lies to a friend and then says, I was only joking.” So…so, the idea of a madman shooting a firebrand or a deadly weapon, right? That's…that’s a pretty…that’s a pretty current image these days. And the proverb is basically saying, “when you…when you say…when you cut somebody with your words and then kind of sidestep your wrongdoing and not owning it and trying to deceive the other person that they’re the crazy one because they didn’t understand you”, when you’re trying to insult somebody, tear them down and then injure them again by trying to make them believe it was a joke. The proverb says that’s like a madman shooting a deadly weapon. So…so, that’s pretty stark. And, so, if that’s something that’s maybe been a part of your story, that’s been happening to you for a long time, then you can probably exhale and stop feeling like you’re the one that’s going crazy. You’re actually in an unhealthy situation and maybe…maybe some counsel is what you need or maybe you need to name what it is and bring it into the light. But on the other side of that coin, if you’re feeling like convicted because you do this all the time and get some of your identity by trying to make yourself superior somebody else then name it and face it, because the implications from the Scriptures, the description of what that actually like is not something that any of us, I don’t think, that any of us want to be. So, let’s steward what we’re saying out of our mouths today because we have a choice with our words. Often, we’re saying them before we’re not thinking about what we’re saying, but that's…that’s simply because we’re not paying attention. Our words can and should, and actually must align themselves with Gods kingdom. But the alternative in this particular scenario is that we can align our words with God’s kingdom and be uplifting, lift everyone around us up, build them up and encourage them in their day or we can walk around like a dangerous madman shooting a deadly weapon with that same mouth. So…so, what are you gonna choose today.

Prayer:

Father, we invite You in that…into that because it is true. We find ourselves saying things that we wouldn’t say, had we thought about that. And in retrospect and reflection later on, we regret having said what we said. We feel awful about it. And the Scriptures have given us a visual today that helps us understand why. And, so we don’t want to be dangerous. We don’t want to be like a madman shooting a weapon. We want to be fully aligned with Your kingdom and Your will in our lives, and in this world, on earth as it is in heaven. So, Holy Spirit we invite You into that. We will not succeed without You. We will not. And You are ever present. It’s not like we have to summon You to help us with our mouths. It’s rather that we must become aware that You are present and are guiding us if we would submit. And, so, we surrender. We’ve all, everyone, we’ve all said things that we wish we hadn’t said. Some of us are habitual about it. And we need Your help. Help us to bridle our tongues to get them under control. We pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is home base, it is the website and it is certainly where you keep up with what’s going on around here. So, be sure to check that out.

Check out the Initiatives section of the website to see the different things that are going, like the God of Your Story. Like Israel 2020. Just…I mean…that trip was sold out. Couple cancellations have made a couple spots available. So, they won’t last, but if it’s been on your bucket list you check out that Initiative, Israel 2020 in the Initiatives section.

Check out the Daily Audio Bible Shop. There are a number of resources that have been created for the journey that we take in a year through the Bible. So, check those…those things out.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible. If…if God’s word being read fresh every day and brought to you brings good news and light and life and encouragement into your life then thank you. Thank you for your partnership. We wouldn’t be here at all if we were not in this together. So, there’s a link on the homepage at dailyaudiobible.com. If you’re using the Daily Audio Bible app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner or the mailing address, if you prefer the mail, is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.

And as always, if you have a prayer request or comment 877-942-4253 is the number to dial, or you can press the red outline button right inside the Daily Audio Bible app at the top and just start talking, sharing your story.

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

Community Prayer and Praise:

Hey guys, this is Mike Greenberg and I am a 10-year listener and maybe a first-time caller. I kind of made it an internal policy to not call in because of favoritism as I get to serve the team here at Daily Audio Bible in various ways, but a friend of mine, a dear friend of mine, David, his 18-year-old daughter took her life just a couple days ago and I don’t know how to pray for he and his family - his wife and his 14-year-old daughter. But if we can join hands together and pray for David and his family, his wife, and his 14-year-old daughter as they go through this process, I appreciate it. Love you guys. I listen to your prayer requests and no you intimately and appreciate you and appreciate you praying for David and for me to be able to help and serve them in any way I can. Blessings.

Good morning Daily Audio Bible brothers and sisters, Brian and family. My name is Norma and I just wanted to…I just felt like I needed to call and share a testimony about my son. He’s 37. He was just 37 yesterday and for like about 20 years my son was really angry and bitter and verbally abusive. And I knew that, you know, it…it…a lot of it came from a really nasty divorce from domestic violence but I kept praying and praying for like 20 years and finally yesterday on his birthday he told me that his father used to beat him. And I never knew that, he never told me when he used to go visit his dad. But somehow prayers, 20 years of prayers, finally…just…my prayers were answered, and I believe that my son and I are on the path of healing. And I just want to encourage all of you that are dealing with loved ones that are hurting and really angry and bitter, there’s a root, there’s a root that’s coming from somewhere. Don’t give up on them. Don’t give up on them because they’re hurting. And I pray that this testimony will help you all out there, prayers are answered. God will answer your prayers eventually. Just hang in there…

This is Holly from Glendale Arizona. I just ask for prayer for my brother Chris. It’s the 23rd of October. He’s going into rehab for alcohol today at 10 o’clock. This is my first time calling. I’ve been listening for about a year and I just want to thank you all for your prayers.

Hey DAB family it’s Shanda from Aberdeen South Dakota and I’m calling in because I am in need of prayer desperately. I called in yesterday in reference to somebody else’s need for prayer about kind of like displaced anger and I had a situation with it last night. I was arguing with my 17-year-old son. Instead of being the adult I entertained the argument over his disrespectful attitude and behavior of going into my room and just taking things without asking when all he’d have to do is ask. And then I yelled that my two younger children kind of out of context and I apologized after, but I just can’t get away from the shame of feeling like I’m not growing. And I’m at this point where I’m not really sure. I keep praying and __ but my anger…I just don’t know how to…I don’t know. I feel lost at this point and I’m just asking that you guys can lift me up in prayer please. Thank you. Bye.

Morning Daily Audio Bible community this is Natasha from Brooklyn. I’d called a while ago, probably back in September to ask for prayer regarding my work situation and some other things that was going on in my life. I just wanted to give a praise report to the community that I have started working and the Lord has blessed me with a really great job that is paying me extremely well. And my point in giving this praise report is to let everyone in the community know that prayer works. Stay strong people. Keep praying. The Lord answers us. He answers our requests and he is faithful. Stay strong. Keep praying. Keep asking Him to resolve the…the…the…the problems that occur in your life, the setbacks that come up. Keep asking Him to move those mountains out of your way and He will answer because He is faithful, and He is…He’s awesome and He loves us. And this is my testimony, that all the time that I was out of work the Lord was setting something up for me, a perfect job and more salary that I could even ask for, that I could even think about. It was a huge miracle and I thank Him and thank you guys. Thank you, Brian for this community and thank you everyone. Have a blessed and wonderful day in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Hey Max, this is Denise and the rest of the Daily Audio Bible community. Max, I almost fell off the treadmill when I heard you talking when I was listening to the podcast. And buddy, just stay with us and I’ve never called in before, but I heard the pain and I love you and I don’t even know you and I don’t want to lose you. So, stay with us. So, I’m gonna read Psalm 121 over you. Max will lift eyes up to the hills and from whence comes his help. His help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth. He will not allow Max’s foot to be moved. He who keeps Max will not slumber. Behold he who keeps Max shall neither sleep nor slumber. The Lord is Max’s keeper. The Lord is Max’s shad at his right hand. The son shall not strike Max by day nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve Max from all evil. He shall preserve his very soul. The Lord shall preserve Max’s coming in this time forth and forever more. Stay with us buddy. We love you.

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The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Monday October 28, 2019 (NIV)

Jeremiah 51:54-52:34

54 
The sound of an outcry [comes] from Babylon,
And [the sound] of great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans!
55 
For the Lord is going to destroy Babylon and make her a ruin,
And He will still her great voice [that hums with city life].
And the waves [of her conquerors] roar like great waters,
The noise of their voices is raised up [like the marching of an army].
56 
For the destroyer is coming against her, against Babylon;
And her mighty warriors will be captured,
Their bows are shattered;
For the Lord is a God of [just] restitution;
He will fully repay.
57 
“I will make her princes and her wise men drunk,
Her governors and her commanders and her mighty warriors;
They will sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake up,”
Says the King—the Lord of hosts is His name.

58 Thus says the Lord of hosts,

“The [a]broad wall of Babylon will be completely overthrown and the foundations razed
And her high gates will be set on fire;
The peoples will labor in vain,
And the nations become exhausted [only] for fire [that will destroy their work].”(A)

59 The message which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the grandson of Mahseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah to Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. Now this Seraiah was chief chamberlain or quartermaster [and brother of Baruch]. 60 So Jeremiah wrote in a single scroll all the disaster which would come on Babylon, [that is] all these words which have been written concerning Babylon. 61 Then Jeremiah said to Seraiah, “When you come to Babylon, see to it that you read all these words aloud, 62 and say, ‘You, O Lord, have promised concerning this place to cut it off and destroy it, so that there shall be nothing living in it, neither man nor animal, but it will be perpetually desolate.’ 63 And as soon as you finish reading this scroll, you shall tie a stone to it and throw it into the middle of the Euphrates. 64 Then say, ‘In the same way Babylon will sink down and not rise because of the disaster that I will bring on her; and the Babylonians will become [hopelessly] exhausted.’” Thus the words of Jeremiah are completed.(B)

The Fall of Jerusalem

52 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of [b]Jeremiah of Libnah.(C) 2 He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord like all that Jehoiakim had done. 3 For all this came about in Jerusalem and Judah because of the anger of the Lord, and [in the end] He cast them from His presence. And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. 4 Now it came about in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem; and they camped against it and built moveable towers and siege mounds all around it.(D) 5 So the city was besieged until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.(E) 6 In the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, the famine was so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land. 7 Then the city was broken into, and all the soldiers fled. They left the city at night [as Ezekiel prophesied] passing through the gate between the two walls by the king’s garden, though the Chaldeans were all around the city. They fled by way of the Arabah (the Jordan Valley).(F) 8 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and his entire army was scattered from him. 9 Then they seized the king and brought him to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the [Syrian] land of Hamath [on the northern border of Israel], where he pronounced sentence on him. 10 The king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes; he also killed all the princes of Judah at Riblah. 11 Then the king of Babylon blinded Zedekiah, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon and there he put him in prison [c][in a mill] until the day of his death.(G)

12 Now in the fifth month, on the tenth day, which was the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan captain of the guard, who served the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 13 He burned down the house of the Lord and the king’s palace and all the houses of Jerusalem; every great house or important structure he set on fire. 14 So all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down all the walls around Jerusalem. 15 Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took away into exile some of the poorest of the people, those who were left in the city [at the time it was captured], along with those who deserted to join the king of Babylon [during the siege] and the rest of the artisans. 16 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and farmers.

17 Now the Chaldeans broke into pieces the pillars of bronze which belonged to the house of the Lord, and the bronze pedestals [which supported the ten basins] and the [enormous] bronze Sea, which were in the house of the Lord, and carried all the bronze to Babylon. 18 They also took away the pots [for carrying away ashes] and the shovels and the snuffers and the bowls and the spoons and all the bronze articles used in the temple service. 19 The captain of the guard also took away the [small] bowls and the firepans and the basins and the pots and the lampstands and the incense cups and the bowls for the drink offerings—whatever was made of fine gold and whatever was made of fine silver. 20 The two pillars, the one [enormous] Sea (basin), and [d]the twelve bronze bulls under the Sea, and the stands, which King Solomon had made for the house of the Lord—the bronze of all these things was beyond weighing. 21 Concerning the pillars, the height of each pillar was eighteen cubits (twenty-seven feet), and a line [an ornamental molding] of twelve cubits (eighteen feet) went around its circumference; it was four fingers thick, and [the pillar was] hollow. 22 A capital of bronze was on [top of] it. The height of each capital was five cubits (seven and one-half feet), with a lattice-work and pomegranates around it, all of bronze. The second pillar also, with its pomegranates, was similar to these. 23 There were ninety-six pomegranates on the sides; and a hundred pomegranates were on the lattice-work all around.

24 Then the captain of the guard took [as prisoners] Seraiah the chief priest and Zephaniah the second priest and the three doorkeepers. 25 He also took out of the city one official who was overseer of the soldiers, and seven of the king’s advisers who were found in the city, and the scribe of the commander of the army who mustered the people of the land, and sixty men who were still in the city. 26 Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 27 Then the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was led away into exile from its own land.

28 This is the number of people whom Nebuchadnezzar took captive and exiled: in the seventh year, 3,023 Jews; 29 in the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar, [he took captive] 832 persons from Jerusalem; 30 in the twenty-third year of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuzaradan the captain of the [Babylonian] guard took captive 745 Jewish people; there were 4,600 persons in all.

31 Now it came about in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin [also called Coniah and Jeconiah] king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-fifth of the month, Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, [e]showed favor to Jehoiachin king of Judah and brought him out of prison.(H) 32 He spoke kindly to him and gave him a throne above the thrones of the kings who were [captives] with him in Babylon. 33 Jehoiachin changed his prison clothes, and he dined regularly at the king’s table all the days of his life. 34 And his allowance, a regular allowance was given to him by the king of Babylon, a daily portion [according to his needs] until the day of his death, [f]all the days of his life.

Footnotes:

  1. Jeremiah 51:58 Babylon was surrounded by a moat and two separate walls approximately fifty feet high. Both walls consisted of two layers. The outer layer of the outer wall was twenty-five feet thick, and the inner layer twenty-three feet thick. The outer layer of the inner defensive wall was twenty-one feet thick, and the inner layer twelve feet thick. These walls were so massive that archeologists estimate that 180 million bricks were required for their construction. Babylon’s immense ruins may still be seen—an amazing, enduring testimony to the power of God.
  2. Jeremiah 52:1 A different man from the prophet and author of this book.
  3. Jeremiah 52:11 The Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) translates this word “mill.” This may imply that the Chaldeans treated Zedekiah in his old age to the same fate Samson suffered when he was a Philistine captive (Judg 16:21).
  4. Jeremiah 52:20 King Ahaz had previously removed the twelve bronze bulls (1 Kin 7:25) from under the big basin and had replaced them with a substructure of stone (2 Kin 16:17), but unfortunately he had not put them beyond the reach of the Chaldeans.
  5. Jeremiah 52:31 Lit lifted up the head of.
  6. Jeremiah 52:34 The purpose of these last few words may be to avoid ending the book with the word “death.” The general purpose of the last four verses seems to have been to leave the reader with the comforting thought that even in exile the Lord remembered His people and softened the heart of the conqueror toward David’s descendant. Note also the contrast between Zedekiah, who remained in prison until his death (v 11), and Jehoiachin, who was set free and treated with honor until his death.

Cross references:

  1. Jeremiah 51:58 : Hab 2:13
  2. Jeremiah 51:64 : Rev 18:21
  3. Jeremiah 52:1 : 2 Kin 24:18-25:21
  4. Jeremiah 52:4 : Jer 39:1-10
  5. Jeremiah 52:5 : 2 Chr 36:11-13
  6. Jeremiah 52:7 : Ezek 12:12
  7. Jeremiah 52:11 : Ezek 12:13
  8. Jeremiah 52:31 : 2 Kin 25:27-30
Amplified Bible (AMP)

Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

Titus 3

Godly Living

3 Remind people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready and willing to do good, 2 to slander or abuse no one, to be kind and conciliatory and gentle, showing unqualified consideration and courtesy toward everyone. 3 For we too once were foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various sinful desires and pleasures, spending and wasting our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared [in human form as the Man, Jesus Christ], 5 He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we have done, but because of His own compassion and mercy, by the cleansing of the new birth (spiritual transformation, regeneration) and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out richly upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that we would be justified [made free of the guilt of sin] by His [compassionate, undeserved] grace, and that we would be [acknowledged as acceptable to Him and] made heirs of eternal life [actually experiencing it] according to our hope (His guarantee). 8 This is a faithful and trustworthy saying; and concerning these things I want you to speak with great confidence, so that those who have believed God [that is, those who have trusted in, relied on, and accepted Christ Jesus as Savior,] will be careful to participate in doing good and honorable things. These things are excellent [in themselves] and profitable for the people. 9 But avoid foolish and ill-informed and stupid controversies and genealogies and dissensions and quarrels about the Law, for they are unprofitable and useless. 10 After a first and second warning reject a divisive man [who promotes heresy and causes dissension—ban him from your fellowship and have nothing more to do with him], 11 well aware that such a person is twisted and is sinning; he is convicted and self-condemned [and is gratified by causing confusion among believers].

Personal Concerns

12 When I send Artemas or [perhaps] Tychicus to you, make every effort to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. 13 Do your best to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they are supplied and lack nothing. 14 Our people must learn to do good deeds to meet necessary demands [whatever the occasion may require], so that they will not be unproductive.

15 All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith.

Grace be with all of you.

Amplified Bible (AMP)

Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

Psalm 100

All Men Exhorted to Praise God.

A Psalm of Thanksgiving.

100 Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth.
2 
Serve the Lord with gladness and delight;
Come before His presence with joyful singing.
3 
Know and fully recognize with gratitude that the Lord Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, [a]not we ourselves [and we are His].
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.(A)

4 
Enter His gates with a song of thanksgiving
And His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, bless and praise His name.
5 
For the Lord is good;
His mercy and lovingkindness are everlasting,
His faithfulness [endures] to all generations.

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 100:3 Some mss read His we are.

Cross references:

  1. Psalm 100:3 : Eph 2:10
Amplified Bible (AMP)

Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 26:18-19

18 
Like a madman who throws
Firebrands, arrows, and death,
19 
So is the man who deceives his neighbor (acquaintance, friend)
And then says, “Was I not joking?”(A)

Cross references:

  1. Proverbs 26:19 : Eph 5:4
Amplified Bible (AMP)

Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

Posted on

10/27/2019 DAB Transcript

Jeremiah 51:1-53, Titus 2:1-15, Psalms 99:1-9, Proverbs 26:17

Today is the 27th day of October. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I’m Brian. Welcome to this brand-new week stretching out in front of us and we’re here now as we begin together and release what has gone before and look forward to all that is out in front of us. And before this week is out, we will enter a new month, the 11th month of the year, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We’re here now taking the next step forward and the next step forward will lead us back to the book of Jeremiah and we’ll actually be concluding the book of Jeremiah tomorrow. We’ll also be concluding the letter to Titus tomorrow. But today, Jeremiah chapter 51 verses 1 through 53 and we’ll read from the Amplified Bible this week.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You for Your word. We thank You for bringing us into these final these final days of this 10th month of the year and as…as we talked about earlier before this week is out, we’ll be into the 11th month of the year. And once again as we reach the beginning of a new week, we take a second to look back and just see how much You have spoken to us through Your word and how profoundly it’s affecting the way we think about things and we are grateful. So, come Holy Spirit into this new week. We invite You completely. Make us aware of Your presence. Help us to be in tune as You lead our steps. And we take this counsel from the final reading today from the book of Proverbs, not to get involved in things that are not our business. That’s like grabbing a dog by the ears. And, so, come into that Holy Spirit we pray. In Jesus’ name we ask. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is the website, it is, of course, home base and we’re you find out what’s happening and all of that kind of good stuff. So, be sure to stay connected and stay tuned.

Check out, for sure, the Prayer Wall. We are a community that prays for one another and it is…it binds us together as we take this journey. So, the Prayer Wall is definitely a great place to always reach out and always…if you’re failing impressed or pulled forward to pray for people, it’s a great place to find out some things to pray for. So, check out the Prayer Wall. It’s in the Community section of the website or you can get to it in the Daily Audio Bible app as well by just pressing the little drawer icon in the upper left-hand corner of the app.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible you can do that dailyaudiobible.com as well. There’s a link on the homepage or if you’re using the app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner. And I can’t thank you enough. Thank you profoundly for your partnership. If you prefer the mail, the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.

And, as always, if you have a prayer request or comment you can press the Hotline button in the app, the little red button up at the top. Just press it and off you go, you just start talking 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.

Community Prayer and Praise:

Hi this is Diana I am a first time caller and I’m calling for Cindy and I heard your…your request on the 19th and you’re the flute player and I just wanted to encourage you that…don’t give up and keep on keeping on with the faith. The enemy wants you to…to not…he wants you to give up but it’s a spiritual battle and he’s…he’s vying for your mind and depression is one of his tools. And I just…heavenly Father I would like to lift Cindy up to You and I pray that she would…that You would turn around her outlook and her…her perspective Father God. I know she how she feels. I have married the same type of person and I have the same type of daughter I’m sure, but we aren’t of this world. We are getting spiritual warfare coming against us. So, Father God we’re asking that You would Your angels around Cindy and that You would strengthen her resolve Father God and keep her strong and looking to You Father and looking we are both looking for Your return we are all looking for Your return Father God. I would like to lift up Blind Tony and Victoria Soldier and thank you for your prayer warriors and your poems and just thank you all for being here. It’s such a refreshment. And just…I enjoy so much listening to you and praying with you each day. Thank you for your service and Brian and…

Hi good morning and good evening wherever you are. God bless you. I’d like for you to join with me in prayer for my friend Deanna. Deanna’s recovering from surgery and her son…she says that he’s back on drugs but she…he pawned some of her stuff…she’s not in a position to…she’s recovering from surgery so she’s not able to get around well. And, so I ask you to pray with me in the name of Jesus for Jesus to put His hand on this child and show the child the right way and make the…make the drugs ineffective and unwelcome and that he doesn’t even…that they just turn his stomach and that he is drawn toward the light of Jesus Christ and be saved, be set free, and that Deanna be healed. This family be healed and restored in the mighty name of Jesus.

And good…good…good morning my name is __ from __ please pray for us. We are __ Christians asylum seekers. So, please pray for me and my family. Thank you very much. God bless you.

Hello Daily Audio Bible community. I am enjoying this community. I just got reinduced…reintroduced recently. I listened to you guys a few years ago and it’s been really refreshing. I’ve been enjoying listening to the readings every day and just to hear the community call and…and just everyone’s little corner of the world and hearing what’s going on another’s lives and to know that you’re not alone going through trials and tribulations. It’s quite comforting. I am going through some really hard times at work right now. I think things are working…working out, the Lord is working it out. He goes before us and there’s already provision to get through the storm before the storm even comes, but it’s just really been evident after this past storm that…that I’m just really feeling like this season is coming to an end and I want it to come to an end and also kind of nervous about what the next seasons going to hold. Please keep me in prayer. I think that it’s time for me to come out of the secular world and start pursuing full-time ministry and I just want to have wisdom on how to do that and the right timing and the right programs. So, please keep me in prayer. Thank you.

Hello Daily Audio Bible family. This is my first time calling in so, forgive me if I sound a little onshore but I am seeking prayer for a career job transition. I’ve gone on so many interviews…well not so many interviews…I’ve gone on interviews and I’ve applied for so so very many jobs but sometimes I just want to give up. So, just seeking prayer that God provides me with discernment so that the careers and jobs that I’m seeking or what He has in store for me and that ultimately the job that I am blessed with is one that is for His will and not mine. So, just asking for prayer as I continue to just step out in faith on a completely different career and just thank you all in advance.

Hello, my name is Jeremy I’m calling because I would like some prayer over me and my life. I’m going to some struggles, some personal things, and it’s affecting people around me and my girlfriend and I are also going through some struggles and I just pray that I can see God working because I have started to drift away and my only anchor at this point, I feel, is the Daily Audio community. You guys have really helped me, out being able to hear the Bible every day, but I’m still struggling. So, I just ask that you guys pray for me to overcome all the struggles with God’s help. And thank you.

Posted on

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Sunday October 27, 2019 (NIV)

Jeremiah 51:1-53

Babylon Judged for Sins against Israel

51 Thus says the Lord:

“Behold, I am going to stir up and put into action [a fury] against Babylon
And against the [rebellious] people of Leb-kamai (Chaldea)
A destroying wind and hostile spirit;
2 
“And I will send foreigners to Babylon that they may winnow her
And may devastate and empty her land;
For in the day of destruction
They will be against her on every side.
3 
“Do not let him (the Chaldean defender) who bends his bow bend it,
Nor let him rise up in his coat of armor.
So do not spare her young men;
Devote her entire army to destruction.
4 
“They shall fall down dead in the land of the Chaldeans,
And wounded in her streets.”

5 
For neither Israel nor Judah has been [a]abandoned
By his God, the Lord of hosts,
Though their land is full of sin and guilt
Before the Holy One of Israel.
6 
Flee out of Babylon,
Let every one of you save his life!
Do not be destroyed in her punishment,
For this is the time of the Lord’s vengeance;
He is going to pay her what she has earned.(A)
7 
Babylon has been a golden cup in the Lord’s hand,
Intoxicating all the earth.
The nations drank her wine;
Therefore the nations have gone mad.(B)
8 
Babylon has suddenly fallen and is shattered!
Wail for her [if you care to]!
Get balm for her [incurable] pain;
Perhaps she may be healed.(C)
9 
We would have healed Babylon, but she was not to be healed.
Abandon her and let each [captive] return to his own country,
For her guilt and judgment have reached to heaven
And are lifted up to the very skies.(D)
10 
The Lord has brought about our vindication and has revealed the righteousness of our cause;
Come and let us proclaim in Zion
The work of the Lord our God!

11 
Sharpen the arrows, take up the shields [and cover yourselves]!
The Lord has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the [b]Medes,
Because His purpose concerning Babylon is to destroy it;
For that is the vengeance of the Lord, vengeance [on Babylon] for [plundering and destroying] His temple.
12 
Set up a signal on the walls of Babylon [to spread the news];
Post a strong blockade,
Station the guards,
Prepare the men for ambush!
For the Lord has both purposed and done
That which He spoke against the people of Babylon.
13 
[O Babylon] you who live by many waters,
Rich in treasures,
Your end has come,
And the line measuring your life is cut.(E)
14 
The Lord of hosts has sworn [an oath] by Himself, saying,
“Surely I will fill you with men, as with [a swarm of] locusts [who strip the land clean],
And they will lift up a song and shout of victory over you.”

15 
He made the earth by His power;
He established the world by His wisdom
And stretched out the heavens by His understanding.
16 
When He utters His voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens,
And He causes the clouds to ascend from the ends of the earth.
He makes lightnings for the rain
And brings out the wind from His storehouses.
17 
Every man has become stupid and brutelike, without knowledge [of God];
Every goldsmith is shamed by the cast images he has made;
For his molten idols are a lie,
And there is no breath [of life] or spirit in them.
18 
They are worthless (empty, false, futile), a work of delusion and worthy of derision;
In the time of their inspection and punishment they will perish.
19 
The Portion of Jacob [the true God of Israel] is not like these [handmade gods];
For He is the Maker of all and the One who formed and fashioned all things,
And Israel is the tribe of His inheritance—
The Lord of hosts is His name.(F)
20 
“You [Cyrus of Persia, soon to conquer Babylon] are My battle-axe and weapon of war—
For with you I shatter nations,
With you I destroy kingdoms.
21 
“With you I shatter the horse and his rider,
With you I shatter the chariot and its driver,
22 
With you I shatter man and woman,
With you I shatter old man and youth,
With you I shatter young man and virgin,
23 
With you I shatter the shepherd and his flock,
With you I shatter the farmer and his yoke of oxen,
And with you I shatter governors and commanders.

24 “And I will [completely] repay Babylon and all the people of Chaldea for all the evil that they have done in Zion—before your very eyes [I will do it],” says the Lord.

25 
“Behold, I am against you,
O destroying mountain [conqueror of nations],
Who destroys the whole earth,” declares the Lord,
“I will stretch out My hand against you,
And roll you down from the [rugged] cliffs,
And will make you a burnt mountain (extinct volcano).
26 
“They will not take from you [even] a stone for a cornerstone
Nor any rock for a foundation,
But you will be [c]desolate forever,” says the Lord.

27 
Lift up a signal in the land [to spread the news]!
Blow the trumpet among the nations!
Dedicate the nations [for war] against her;
Call against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz.
Appoint a marshal against her;
Cause the horses to come up like bristly locusts [with their wings not yet released from their cases].
28 
Prepare and dedicate the nations for war against her—
The kings of Media,
With their governors and commanders,
And every land of their dominion.
29 
The land trembles and writhes [in pain and sorrow],
For the purposes of the Lord against Babylon stand,
To make the land of Babylon
A desolation without inhabitants.
30 
The mighty warriors of Babylon have ceased to fight;
They remain in their strongholds.
Their strength and power have failed;
They are becoming [weak and helpless] like women.
Their dwelling places are set on fire;
The [d]bars on her gates are broken.
31 
One courier runs to meet another,
And one messenger to meet another,
To tell the [e]king of Babylon
That his city has been captured from end to end;
32 
And that the fords [across the Euphrates] have been blocked and [the ferries] seized,
And they have set the [great] marshes on fire,
And the men of war are terrified.

33 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel:

“The Daughter of Babylon is like a [f]threshing floor
At the time it is being trampled and prepared;
Yet in a little while the time of harvest will come for her.”

34 
“Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has devoured [g]me, he has crushed me,
He has set me down like an empty vessel.
Like a monster he has swallowed me up,
He has filled his belly with my delicacies;
He has spit me out and washed me away.
35 
“May the violence done to me and to my flesh and blood be upon Babylon,”
The inhabitant of Zion will say;
And, “May my blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea,”
Jerusalem will say.

36 Therefore thus says the Lord,

“Behold, I will plead your case
And take full vengeance for you;
I will dry up her sea and great reservoir
And make her fountain dry.
37 
“Babylon will become a heap [of ruins], a haunt and dwelling place of jackals,
An object of horror (an astonishing desolation) and a hissing [of scorn and amazement], without inhabitants.
38 
“They (the Chaldean lords) will be roaring together [before their sudden capture] like young lions [roaring over their prey],
They (the princes) will be growling like lions’ cubs.
39 
“When they are [h]inflamed [with wine and lust during their drinking bouts], I will prepare them a feast [of My wrath]
And make them drunk, that they may rejoice
And may sleep a perpetual sleep
And not wake up,” declares the Lord.
40 
“I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter,
Like rams together with male goats.

41 
“How Sheshak (Babylon) has been captured,
And the praise of the whole earth been seized!
How Babylon has become an astonishing desolation and an object of horror among the nations!
42 
“The sea has come up over Babylon;
She has been engulfed with its tumultuous waves.
43 
“Her cities have become an astonishing desolation and an object of horror,
A parched land and a desert,
A land in which no one lives,
And through which no son of man passes.
44 
“I will punish and judge Bel [the handmade god] in Babylon
And take out of his mouth what he has swallowed up [the stolen sacred articles and the captives of Judah and elsewhere].
The nations will no longer flow to him.
Yes, the wall of Babylon has fallen down!

45 
“Come out of her midst, My people,
And each of you [escape and] save yourself
From the fierce anger of the Lord.(G)
46 
“Now beware so that you do not lose heart,
And so that you are not afraid at the rumor that will be heard in the land—
For the rumor shall come one year,
And after that another rumor in another year,
And violence shall be in the land,
Ruler against ruler—
47 
“Therefore behold (listen carefully), the days are coming
When I will judge and punish the idols of Babylon;
Her whole land will be perplexed and shamed,
And all her slain will fall in her midst.
48 
“Then heaven and earth and all that is in them
Will shout and sing for joy over Babylon,
For the [i]destroyers will come against her from the north,”
Says the Lord.(H)

49 
Indeed Babylon is to fall for the slain of Israel,
As also for Babylon the slain of all the earth have fallen.
50 
You who have escaped the sword,
Go away! Do not stay!
Remember the Lord from far away,
And let [desolate] Jerusalem come into your mind.
51 
We are perplexed and ashamed, for we have heard reproach;
Disgrace has covered our faces,
For foreigners [from Babylon] have come
Into the [most] sacred parts of the sanctuary of the Lord [even those places forbidden to all but the appointed priest].

52 
“Therefore behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord,
“When I will judge and punish the idols [of Babylon],
And throughout her land the mortally wounded will groan.”
53 
“Though Babylon should ascend to the heavens,
And though she should fortify her lofty stronghold,
Yet destroyers will come on her from Me,” says the Lord.

Footnotes:

  1. Jeremiah 51:5 Lit widowed.
  2. Jeremiah 51:11 Perhaps a reference to the conquest of Babylon by the Medes and the Persians in 539 b.c.
  3. Jeremiah 51:26 See note Is 13:22 for this prophecy’s fulfillment.
  4. Jeremiah 51:30 Babylon fell in 539 b.c. on the night King Belshazzar was assassinated (Dan 5:30).
  5. Jeremiah 51:31 In 553 b.c. Belshazzar was named co-ruler of Babylon by his father, King Nabonidus, and reigned in that capacity until Babylon was conquered. In spite of this co-regency, Nabonidus is regarded historically as the last of the Babylonian kings. Belshazzar’s mother, Nitrocris, was the daughter of King Nebuchadnezzar.
  6. Jeremiah 51:33 At harvest time the threshing floor had to be firmly trampled before the grain or seeds could be extracted with the flail. A flail consisted of a handle to which was attached a freely swinging stick or bar. In the Bible, the harvest is often used as metaphor for judgment.
  7. Jeremiah 51:34 The Jewish captives.
  8. Jeremiah 51:39 Through the voice of Jeremiah God revealed the ultimate destiny of great Babylon, whom Herodotus praised as “embellished with ornaments more than any city.” The fact that all of the details of the prophecy were fulfilled is recorded by Daniel (5:1-30), and becomes even more amazing after twenty-six centuries. Only a “fool” could say in his heart, “There is no God” (Ps 14:1).
  9. Jeremiah 51:48 I.e. the Medo-Persian Empire.

Cross references:

  1. Jeremiah 51:6 : Jer 50:28; 2 Cor 6:17; Rev 18:4
  2. Jeremiah 51:7 : Rev 14:8; 17:4
  3. Jeremiah 51:8 : Jer 25:15; Rev 14:8-10; 16:19; 18:2, 3
  4. Jeremiah 51:9 : Gen 18:20, 21
  5. Jeremiah 51:13 : Rev 17:1-6
  6. Jeremiah 51:19 : Jer 10:12-16
  7. Jeremiah 51:45 : Jer 50:8; 2 Cor 6:17; Rev 18:4
  8. Jeremiah 51:48 : Is 44:23; Jer 51:11; Rev 12:12; 18:20
Amplified Bible (AMP)

Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

Titus 2

Duties of the Older and Younger

2 But as for you, teach the things which are in agreement with sound doctrine [which produces men and women of good character whose lifestyle identifies them as true Christians]. 2 Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in steadfastness [Christlike in character].

3 Older women similarly are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor addicted to much wine, teaching what is right and good, 4 so that they may encourage the young women to tenderly love their husbands and their children, 5 to be sensible, pure, makers of a home [where God is honored], good-natured, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

6 In a similar way urge the young men to be sensible and self-controlled and to behave wisely [taking life seriously]. 7 And in all things show yourself to be an example of good works, with purity in doctrine [having the strictest regard for integrity and truth], dignified, 8 sound and beyond reproach in instruction, so that the opponent [of the faith] will be shamed, having nothing bad to say about us.

9 Urge bond-servants to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be pleasing and not talk back, 10 not stealing [things, regardless of value], but proving themselves trustworthy, so that in every respect they will adorn and do credit to the teaching of God our Savior.

11 For the [remarkable, undeserved] grace of God that [a]brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12 It teaches us to reject ungodliness and worldly (immoral) desires, and to live sensible, upright, and godly lives [lives with a purpose that reflect spiritual maturity] in this present age, 13 awaiting and confidently expecting the [fulfillment of our] blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14 who [willingly] gave Himself [to be crucified] on our behalf to redeem us and purchase our freedom from all wickedness, and to purify for Himself a chosen and very special people to be His own possession, who are enthusiastic for doing what is good.(A)

15 Tell them these things. Encourage and rebuke with full authority. Let no one disregard or despise you [conduct yourself and your teaching so as to command respect].

Footnotes:

  1. Titus 2:11 Jesus is the source of salvation for all who believe and accept Him as Savior and Lord.

Cross references:

  1. Titus 2:14 : Deut 14:2; Ps 130:8; Ezek 37:23
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Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

Psalm 99

Praise to the Lord for His Fidelity to Israel.

99 The Lord reigns, let the peoples tremble [with submissive wonder]!
He sits enthroned above the cherubim, let the earth shake!
2 
The Lord is great in Zion,
And He is exalted and magnified above all the peoples.
3 
Let them [reverently] praise Your great and awesome name;
Holy is He.(A)
4 
The strength of the King loves justice and righteous judgment;
You have established fairness;
You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob (Israel).
5 
Exalt the Lord our God
And worship at His footstool;
Holy is He.

6 
Moses and Aaron were among His priests,
And Samuel was among those who called on His name;
They called upon the Lord and He answered them.
7 
He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud;
They kept His testimonies
And the statutes that He gave them.(B)
8 
You answered them, O Lord our God;
You were a forgiving God to them,
And yet an avenger of their evil practices.
9 
Exalt the Lord our God
And worship at His holy hill [Zion, the temple mount],
For the Lord our God is holy.

Cross references:

  1. Psalm 99:3 : Rev 15:4
  2. Psalm 99:7 : Ps 105:9, 10
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Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 26:17

17 
Like one who grabs a dog by the ears [and is likely to be bitten]
Is he who, passing by, stops to meddle with a dispute that is none of his business.

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Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.