Category: DAB Readings

14 Pay attention. The day for the Eternal is coming, a day of judgment when your enemies will plunder your goods and divide them right in front of you. ² For I am going to incite all the nations to battle against Jerusalem. The city will be surrounded and taken. The houses will be ransacked; all of your treasured possessions will be looted. Your wives and daughters will be raped. Half of the city will be forced into exile. The other half will remain in the city to pick up the pieces. ³ The Eternal One will join in the battle and fight against those enemy nations as your champion as He would on any day of any battle. ⁴ When that day comes, His feet will stand securely on the Mount of Olives, which sits east of Jerusalem. The mountain will quake under His weight and split in two, divided by a wide valley that runs east to west. Half of the mountain will retreat to the north, the other half to the south. ⁵ That valley will become your escape route because the valley of My mountains will lead as far as Azel, and you shall run as you ran from the earthquake that hit during the reign of King Uzziah of Judah. Once you are safe, the Eternal my God will come to you with all His holy ones.

⁶ On that day, there will be no light, no cold or biting frost. ⁷ There will be a single, continuous day—a unique kind of day known only to the Eternal One—when night does not eclipse the day and when light shines through the evening. ⁸ On that day, living waters will stream out of Jerusalem. Half of them will flow to the eastern Dead Sea; the other half will descend the hills and cross the plains to join the western Mediterranean Sea. These waters will flow throughout the dry summer as they do in the wet winter. ⁹ And the Eternal will be crowned as King over all the earth. On that day, the Eternal will be one and His name will be one. ¹⁰ The mountainous land around Jerusalem will be turned into plains from Geba to Rimmon, south of the city. Jerusalem itself will then sit prominently in her place between Benjamin’s gate, the location of the first gate, and the corner gate; she’ll sit between Hananel’s Tower and the royal winepresses. ¹¹ And Jerusalem will remain secure, bustling with residents, because she will never again be destined for destruction.

¹² Every nation that attempts to wage war against Jerusalem will be struck with a plague. The Eternal will infect them with a disease making their flesh decay even as they stand, their eyes decay in their sockets, and their tongues decay in their mouths. ¹³ When that horrible day arrives, the Eternal will provoke them to panic, so that in their confusion they will grab each other for safety and then turn and attack each other. ¹⁴ Even Judah will be forced to fight in Jerusalem. And the riches of all the surrounding enemy nations will be gathered together—gold, silver, and costly clothing piled deep. ¹⁵ Then the same disease that plagues the enemy forces will infect the horses, mules, camels, donkeys—whatever domesticated animals are in their battle camps.

¹⁶ In days to come, all people who took up arms against Jerusalem and survived will make a choice: they will either journey to Jerusalem every year to keep the Feast of Booths and to worship the King—the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies— ¹⁷ or the families of nations will refuse the journey to Jerusalem to adore the King, the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies. The rains will never come to those who refuse the journey. ¹⁸ Even the family of people known as Egypt, if they do not come up to and travel through the gates of Jerusalem to present themselves to God, the Eternal will afflict them with the same plague of drought He’ll use to crush those nations who won’t keep the Feast of Booths. ¹⁹ This is the punishment Egypt and the enemy nations can expect if they refuse the journey to keep the Feast of Booths.

²⁰ On that day, every aspect of the land will be ritually pure. Engraved on the bells worn by horses will be the same phrase on the high priest’s turban: “Sacred to the Eternal One.” The cooking pots used in the house of the Eternal will be as sacred as those collection bowls used at the altar. ²¹ In fact every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be treated as sacred to the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies, so that anyone who offers a sacrifice may borrow them and use them to boil the meat of the sacrifice. In that day, no merchant^[a] will be found in the temple of the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies.

20 Then I saw a messenger coming from heaven. In his hand was a key to the abyss and a great chain that had been forged in heaven. ² He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for 1,000 years with the great chain. ³ The messenger cast him into the abyss and locked it and sealed him in it so that he could not go about deceiving the nations until the 1,000 years had come to completion. Afterward he must be released for a short time.

⁴ Then I saw some thrones, and those seated in judgment were given the right to judge. Standing there were the souls of those who were beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and the word of God. They had refused to worship the beast or its detestable image and had not received the mark upon their foreheads or upon their hands. They had come back to life and reigned with the Anointed One, our Liberating King, for 1,000 years. ⁵ Now as for the rest of the dead, they were not given life until the 1,000 years were completed. This is the first resurrection.

⁶ Blessed and holy are the ones who take part in the first resurrection. Over these, the second death has no power; they will serve as priests of God and His Anointed, and they will reign with Him for 1,000 years.

⁷ When the 1,000 years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison. ⁸ And he will crawl out of the abyss in order to deceive the nations located at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog^[a] as Ezekiel described them, in order to rally them together for one final battle. They are in number as the grains of sand on the shore. ⁹ They marched in unholy array over the expanse of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. As they laid siege to the city, fire rained down from heaven and incinerated them. ¹⁰ And the devil who had deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had already been thrown; and the unholy trio will be tortured day and night throughout the ages.

¹¹ The scene changed. I saw a great white throne, and One was seated upon it. The earth and heaven receded from His presence; there was no place for them. ¹² And I saw the dead, great and small, standing in front of the throne. Some books were opened. Then another book was opened; it was called the book of life. And the dead were judged according to what had been recorded in the first books; these were the records of everything they had done. ¹³ And the sea surrendered its dead. Death and Hades gave up their dead as well. And all were judged according to their works. ¹⁴ Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. ¹⁵ And everyone whose name could not be found among the names written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Psalm 148

12 This is the message with which the Eternal burdened His prophet concerning Israel—the Eternal One, who began existence by stretching out the sky and founding the earth and forming the spirit deep in man.

13 A day is coming when a special spring will continually flow to purify the royal house of David and the citizens of Jerusalem from sin and sexual and religious impurities.

² The Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies, promises to remove all idolatry from the land.

⁷ This is a message of the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies.

19 The scene changed. After this, I heard the great sound of a multitude echoing in heaven.

³ Again praise spilled from heaven.

⁴ And the twenty-four elders and four living creatures fell on their faces and worshiped God who reigns on the throne.

⁶ And I heard what seemed to be an immense crowd speaking with one voice—it was like the sound of a roaring waterfall, like the sound of clashing thunder.

¹⁰ At that, I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he refused my praise.

¹¹ I looked up and saw that heaven had opened. Suddenly, a white horse appeared. Its rider is called Faithful and True, and with righteousness He exercises judgment and wages war. ¹² His eyes burn like a flaming fire, and on His head are many crowns. His name was written before the creation of the world, and no one knew it except He Himself. ¹³ He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name He was known by is The Word of God. ¹⁴ And the armies of heaven, outfitted in fine linen, white and pure, were following behind Him on white steeds. ¹⁵ From His mouth darts a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. He will rule over them with a scepter made of iron. He will trample the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God, the All Powerful. ¹⁶ And there on His robe and on His thigh was written His name: King of kings and Lord of lords.

¹⁷ Then I looked up and saw a messenger standing in the sun; and with a loud voice, he called to all the birds that fly through midheaven.

¹⁹ I looked down, and I saw the beast I had seen earlier and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered together to wage war against the One riding the white horse and His heavenly army. ²⁰ The beast was soon captured along with the false prophet, the earth-beast I had seen earlier who performed signs to deceive those who had agreed to receive the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its detestable image. Both of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. ²¹ And all who remained met death at the blade of the sword that proceeded from the mouth of the One riding on the white horse. All the birds feasted fully on their flesh.

Psalm 147

31 These are the words of King Lemuel. An oracle of wisdom handed down to him by his mother:

So says the Eternal One.

⁴ The Eternal my God has this to say:

⁷ And so I became the shepherd of the sheep headed for slaughter because of the poorest sheep. I took two staffs in my hand—one I named Favor of God and the other I named Unity of the People. With those I took care of the sheep. ⁸ In the span of one month, I expelled three shepherds who cared nothing for the sheep. I had become tired of the way they have cared for my flock, and they have cared nothing for me.

¹⁰ Then I took my staff named Favor of God, and I snapped it in half, dissolving the covenant I had made with all the people. ¹¹ On that very day when the covenant was broken, the sheep traders^[b] watching me knew it was the word of the Eternal One.

They took 30 pieces of silver, the price set as my wages, the price of a slave.

And I did as He told me. I took the 30 shekels of silver—the noble price of my valuable service—and gave them to the potter in the Eternal’s temple.^{[c] 14} Afterward I broke my other staff, Unity of the People, which severed the bond between the people of Judah and Israel.

18 Next I saw another messenger descending from heaven. I knew he possessed great authority because his glory illuminated the earth.

⁴ Then I heard another voice from heaven urge,

²¹ Then a mighty messenger picked up a huge stone—it looked like a great millstone—and he cast it into the sea.

Psalm 146

9 This is the message with which the Eternal burdened His prophet.

17 And then one of the seven messengers entrusted with the seven bowls came over to me.

³ Immediately I was in the Spirit, and the guide picked me up and carried me off. In the middle of a vast desert, I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet-colored beast covered with blasphemous names. The beast had seven heads and ten horns like the beast I had seen earlier rising out of the sea. ⁴ The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet fabrics; she shimmered with gold and jewels and pearls. I looked closer and saw that her hand held a golden cup brimming with abominations, bubbling over with the impurities of her sexual exploits. ⁵ On her forehead was inscribed a name, a mystery: “Babylon the great, the mother of whores and the abominations that defile the earth.” ⁶ I looked and saw that the woman was drunk because she had gorged herself on the blood of the saints and the blood of those people who refused to deny Jesus even to save their own lives. When I saw her, I was filled with wonder.

Psalm 145^[a]

A song of praise by David.

8 ^1-2 The word of the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies, came, this time bringing a series of five short messages about hope.

⁹ Here is an encouragement from the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies.

So said the Eternal.

¹⁸ The word of the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies, came to me with three brief messages about a happy future for His people and the entire world.

²² That is why many people and powerful nations will come together as one to Jerusalem to seek the blessings of the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies, and ask for His favor directly.

16 Then I heard a great voice coming from the temple ordering the seven heavenly messengers.

² So the first messenger poured out his bowl onto the earth. When he did, a foul-smelling, painful sore broke out on each person who bore the mark of the beast and who worshiped its image.

³ The second messenger poured out his bowl into the sea. When he did, the waters became like the blood that spills from a dead body, and every living creature in the sea died.

⁴ The third messenger poured out his bowl into the rivers and springs of fresh water. When he did, they, too, became blood. ⁵ And I heard the messenger over the waters speak.

⁷ And I heard a voice from the altar agree.

⁸ The fourth messenger poured out his bowl on the sun. When he did, the sun was permitted to blister people with its fire. ⁹ The incredible heat of the sun burned their skin; but instead of rethinking their actions^[a] and glorifying God, they cursed God’s name because He had the power to carry out these plagues.

¹⁰ The fifth messenger poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast. When he did, its kingdom was blanketed in darkness. People chewed on their tongues out of the depth of their agony. ¹¹ Still they refused to change their wicked ways,^[b] so they cursed the God of heaven because of their painful afflictions and ulcerous sores.

¹² The sixth messenger poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates. When he did, the river dried up and became a road so that the kings from the east and their armies could make their way. ¹³ What I saw next troubled me deeply: three foul spirits like frogs appeared, belched from the mouth of the dragon, the mouth of the beast, and the mouth of the earth-beast. ¹⁴ These frogs are demonic spirits. As they go into the world, they perform miracles persuading the kings of the world to gather for the last battle on the great day of God, the All Powerful.

¹⁶ And the kings gathered at the place called Har-Magedon in Hebrew.

¹⁷ Finally, the seventh messenger poured out his bowl into the air. When he did, a great voice came out of the temple, from the throne.

¹⁸ At the sound of the voice, there were flashes of lightning, sounds of voices, rumblings of thunder, and tremors of an earthquake. In all of human history, there had never been an earthquake of this magnitude. ¹⁹ The great city was torn into three parts, and the cities of all the nations fell. God remembered the great city, Babylon, and made her drink the cup of His fury and wrath. ²⁰ Every island sank into the ocean, and no mountains were left to be discovered. ²¹ And great hailstones, each weighing nearly 100 pounds, fell from the sky onto the people until they cursed God because the plague of hail was so severe.

Psalm 144

A song of David.

6 That night I had an eighth vision. I looked up and saw four chariots emerging from between two mountains made of bronze. ² The first chariot was pulled by red horses; the second was pulled by black horses. ³ The third was hitched to white horses and the fourth to spotted, strong horses.

⁷ The strong horses and their chariots went on their patrols of the earth with great speed and excitement at God’s command: “Go now. Patrol the entire surface of the earth.” They did as they were told.

⁹ The word of the Eternal came to me describing how He would fulfill His promise of restoring Jerusalem and His temple.

7 Two years after I saw the eight visions, on the fourth day of the ninth month (called Chislev) of the fourth year of the reign of Persian King Darius, the word of the Eternal came to me, Zechariah. ² The situation was this: the citizens of Bethel had sent a delegation, including Sharezer and Regemmelech and his men, to seek the favor of the Eternal One ³ by questioning the priests working in the temple of the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies, and by questioning the prophets.

⁴ The word of the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies came to me and told me how to address their question.

⁸ The word of the Eternal came to me, Zechariah, again.

¹¹ Some refused to listen. They turned their backs on this message and plugged their ears. ¹² They made their hearts as hard as flint, refusing to listen to the law or the messages the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies, sent by His Spirit and enacted through earlier prophets. That’s why His great wrath and calamity fell upon His people.

15 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing: seven messengers with seven plagues—plagues that marked the end. With these the wrath of God reached its end.

² And then I saw something like a sea made of glass mixed with fire flashing through it. Those who had been victorious over the beast, its image, and the number of its name were standing on the sea of glass, holding the harps of God in their hands. ³ As they stand and play their harps, they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb.

⁵ After I had taken all this in, I looked again; and the inner part of the tabernacle of witness opened in heaven. ⁶ Out of the temple came seven messengers, clothed in pure linen, bright and shining, their chests clad in a golden sash, carrying seven plagues. ⁷ Then one of the four living creatures stepped over to give to the seven messengers seven golden bowls brimming with the wrath of God who lives throughout the ages. ⁸ The temple was full of the smoke billowing from the magnificent glory of God and from His power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven messengers accomplished their God-ordained end.

Psalm 143

A song of David.

Fifth Vision: Gold Lampstand

4 The angel who was speaking with me then returned and roused me as one awakened out of sleep. ² He asked me, “What do you see?”

I replied, “I see a solid gold lampstand there with a bowl on its top. It has seven lamps on it and seven channels for each of^[a] the lamps on its top. ³ There are also two olive trees beside it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.”

⁴ Then I asked the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these, my lord?”

⁵ “Don’t you know what they are?” replied the angel who was speaking with me.

I said, “No, my lord.”

⁶ So he answered me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by strength or by might, but by My Spirit,’^(A) says the Lord of Hosts. ⁷ ‘What are you, great mountain?^(B) Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain.^(C) And he will bring out the capstone accompanied by shouts of: Grace, grace to it!’”

⁸ Then the word of the Lord came to me:^{(D) 9} “Zerubbabel’s hands have laid the foundation of this house,^(E) and his hands will complete it. Then you will know that the Lord of Hosts has sent me to you. ¹⁰ For who scorns the day of small things?^(F) These seven eyes of the Lord, which scan throughout the whole earth, will rejoice when they see the plumb line^[b] in Zerubbabel’s hand.”^(G)

¹¹ I asked him, “What are the two olive trees on the right and left of the lampstand?” ¹² And I questioned him further, “What are the two olive branches beside the two gold conduits, from which golden oil pours out?”

¹³ Then he inquired of me, “Don’t you know what these are?”

“No, my lord,” I replied.

¹⁴ “These are the two anointed ones,”^[c](H) he said, “who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.”^(I)

Sixth Vision: Flying Scroll

5 I looked up again and saw a flying scroll.^{(J) 2} “What do you see?” he asked me.

“I see a flying scroll,” I replied, “30 feet^[d] long and 15 feet^[e] wide.”^(K)

³ Then he said to me, “This is the curse^(L) that is going out over the whole land, for every thief will be removed according to what is written on one side, and everyone who swears falsely will be removed according to what is written on the other side. ⁴ I will send it out,”^(M)—this is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts—“and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of the one who swears falsely by My name. It will stay inside his house and destroy it along with its timbers and stones.”^(N)

Seventh Vision: Woman in the Basket

⁵ Then the angel who was speaking with me came forward and told me, “Look up and see what this is that is approaching.”

⁶ So I asked, “What is it?”

He responded, “It’s a measuring basket^[f] that is approaching.” And he continued, “This is their iniquity^[g] in all the land.” ⁷ Then a lead cover was lifted, and there was a woman^(O) sitting inside the basket.^{(P) 8} “This is Wickedness,” he said. He shoved her down into the basket and pushed the lead weight over its opening. ⁹ Then I looked up and saw two women approaching with the wind in their wings. Their wings were like those of a stork,^(Q) and they lifted up the basket between earth and sky.

¹⁰ So I asked the angel who was speaking with me, “Where are they taking the basket?”

¹¹ “To build a shrine for it in the land of Shinar,”^(R) he told me. “When that is ready, the basket will be placed there on its pedestal.”

The Lamb and the 144,000

14 Then I looked, and there on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with Him were 144,000 who had His name and His Father’s name written on their foreheads.^{(A) 2} I heard a sound^[a] from heaven like the sound of cascading waters^(B) and like the rumbling of loud thunder. The sound I heard was also like harpists playing on their harps.^{(C) 3} They sang^[b] a new song^(D) before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders,^(E) but no one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed^[c] from the earth. ⁴ These are the ones not defiled with women, for they have kept their virginity.^(F) These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They were redeemed^[d][e] from the human race as the firstfruits^(G) for God and the Lamb. ⁵ No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.^(H)

The Proclamation of Three Angels

⁶ Then I saw another angel flying high overhead,^(I) having the eternal gospel to announce to the inhabitants of the earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and people.^{(J) 7} He spoke with a loud voice: “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”

⁸ A second angel^[f] followed, saying: “It has fallen, Babylon the Great has fallen,^[g] who made all nations drink the wine of her sexual immorality,^[h] which brings wrath.”^(K)

⁹ And a third angel^[i] followed them and spoke with a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, ¹⁰ he will also drink the wine of God’s wrath, which is mixed full strength in the cup of His anger.^(L) He will be tormented with fire and sulfur^(M) in the sight of the holy angels and in the sight of the Lamb, ¹¹ and the smoke of their torment will go up forever and ever.^(N) There is no rest^[j] day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or anyone who receives the mark of his name. ¹² This demands the perseverance^[k] of the saints,^(O) who keep God’s commands and their faith in Jesus.”^[l]

¹³ Then I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write: The dead who die in the Lord from now on are blessed.”^(P)

“Yes,” says the Spirit, “let them rest from their labors, for their works follow them!”

Reaping the Earth’s Harvest

¹⁴ Then I looked, and there was a white cloud, and One like the Son of Man^[m](Q) was seated on the cloud, with a gold crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand. ¹⁵ Another angel came out of the sanctuary, crying out in a loud voice to the One who was seated on the cloud, “Use your sickle and reap, for the time to reap has come, since the harvest of the earth is ripe.”^{(R) 16} So the One seated on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.

¹⁷ Then another angel who also had a sharp sickle came out of the sanctuary in heaven. ¹⁸ Yet another angel, who had authority over fire, came from the altar, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Use your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from earth’s vineyard, because its grapes have ripened.” ¹⁹ So the angel swung his sickle toward earth and gathered the grapes from earth’s vineyard, and he threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath.^{(S) 20} Then the press was trampled outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press up to the horses’ bridles for about 180 miles.^[n](T)

Psalm 142

A Cry of Distress

A Davidic Maskil. When he was in the cave.^(A) A prayer.

Third Vision: Surveyor

2 ^[a]I looked up and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. ² I asked, “Where are you going?”

He answered me, “To measure Jerusalem to determine its width and length.”

³ Then the angel who was speaking with me went out, and another angel went out to meet him. ⁴ He said to him, “Run and tell this young man: Jerusalem will be inhabited without walls because of the number of people and livestock in it.”^{(A) 5} The declaration of the Lord: “I will be a wall^(B) of fire around it, and I will be the glory within it.”

⁶ “Get up! Leave the land of the north”^(C)—this is the Lord’s declaration—“for I have scattered you like the four winds of heaven”—this is the Lord’s declaration. ⁷ “Go, Zion! Escape, you who are living with Daughter Babylon.” ⁸ For the Lord of Hosts says this: “He has sent Me^[b] for His glory against the nations who are plundering you, for anyone who touches you touches the pupil^[c] of His^[d] eye. ⁹ I will move against them with My^[e] power, and they will become plunder for their own servants.^(D) Then you will know that the Lord of Hosts has sent Me.^[f]

¹⁰ “Daughter Zion, shout for joy and be glad, for I am coming to dwell among you”—this is the Lord’s declaration. ¹¹ “Many nations will join themselves to the Lord on that day and become My^[g] people.^(E) I will dwell among you, and you will know that the Lord of Hosts has sent Me^[h] to you. ¹² The Lord will take possession of Judah as His portion in the Holy Land, and He will once again choose Jerusalem.^{(F) 13} Let all people be silent^(G) before the Lord, for He is coming from His holy dwelling.”

Fourth Vision: High Priest and Branch

3 Then he showed me Joshua^(H) the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord,^(I) with Satan^[i](J) standing at his right side to accuse him. ² The Lord^[j] said to Satan: “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! May the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Isn’t this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?”^(K)

³ Now Joshua was dressed with filthy^[k] clothes^(L) as he stood before the Angel.^{(M) 4} So the Angel of the Lord^[l] spoke to those^[m] standing before Him, “Take off his filthy clothes!” Then He said to him, “See, I have removed your guilt from you,^(N) and I will clothe you with splendid robes.”

⁵ Then I said, “Let them put a clean turban^(O) on his head.” So a clean turban was placed on his head, and they clothed him in garments while the Angel of the Lord was standing nearby.

⁶ Then the Angel of the Lord charged Joshua: ⁷ “This is what the Lord of Hosts says: If you walk in My ways and keep My instructions, you will both rule My house and take care of My courts; I will also grant you access among these who are standing here.

⁸ “Listen, Joshua the high priest, you and your colleagues sitting before you; indeed, these men are a sign that I am about to bring My servant, the Branch.^{(P) 9} Notice the stone^(Q) I have set before Joshua; on that one stone are seven eyes.^(R) I will engrave an inscription on it”—this is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts—“and I will take away the guilt of this land in a single day. ¹⁰ On that day, each of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and fig tree.”^(S) This is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts.

The Beast from the Sea

13 And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea.^(A) He^[a] had 10 horns and seven heads. On his horns were 10 diadems,^(B) and on his heads were blasphemous names.^{[b](C) 2} The beast I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like a bear’s, and his mouth was like a lion’s mouth.^(D) The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. ³ One of his heads appeared to be fatally wounded,^[c] but his fatal wound was healed. The whole earth was amazed and followed the beast.^{[d](E) 4} They worshiped the dragon^(F) because he gave authority to the beast. And they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast?^(G) Who is able to wage war against him?”

⁵ A mouth was given to him to speak boasts and blasphemies.^(H) He was also given authority to act^[e][f] for 42 months.^{(I) 6} He began to speak^[g] blasphemies against God: to blaspheme His name and His dwelling—those who dwell in heaven. ⁷ And he was permitted to wage war against the saints and to conquer them. He was also given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation.^{(J) 8} All those who live on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name was not written from the foundation of the world in the book^[h] of life^(K) of the Lamb who was slaughtered.^[i](L)

⁹ If anyone has an ear, he should listen:^(M)

This demands the perseverance^[k] and faith of the saints.^(O)

The Beast from the Earth

¹¹ Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; he had two horns like a lamb,^[l](P) but he sounded like a dragon. ¹² He exercises all the authority of the first beast on his behalf and compels the earth and those who live on it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. ¹³ He also performs great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in front of people. ¹⁴ He deceives those who live on the earth^(Q) because of the signs that he is permitted to perform on behalf of the beast,^(R) telling those who live on the earth to make an image^[m] of the beast who had the sword wound and yet lived. ¹⁵ He was permitted to give a spirit^[n] to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast could both speak and cause whoever would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. ¹⁶ And he requires everyone—small and great, rich and poor, free and slave—to be given a mark^[o] on his right hand or on his forehead,^{(S) 17} so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark: the beast’s name or the number of his name.

¹⁸ Here is wisdom:^[p](T) The one who has understanding must calculate^[q] the number of the beast, because it is the number of a man.^[r] His number is 666.^[s]

Psalm 141

Protection from Sin and Sinners

A Davidic psalm.

A Plea for Repentance

1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius,^(A) the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah^(B) son of Berechiah, son of Iddo: ² “The Lord was extremely angry with your ancestors. ³ So tell the people: This is what the Lord of Hosts says: Return to Me”—this is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts—“and I will return to you, says the Lord of Hosts. ⁴ Do not be like your ancestors; the earlier prophets proclaimed to them: This is what the Lord of Hosts says: Turn from your evil ways and your evil deeds.^(C) But they did not listen or pay attention to Me”—this is the Lord’s declaration. ⁵ “Where are your ancestors now? And do the prophets live forever? ⁶ But didn’t My words and My statutes that I commanded My servants the prophets overtake your ancestors? They repented and said: As the Lord of Hosts purposed to deal with us for our ways and deeds, so He has dealt with us.”^(D)

The Night Visions

⁷ On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, son of Iddo:

First Vision: Horsemen

⁸ I looked out in the night and saw a man riding on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in the valley. Behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses. ⁹ I asked, “What are these, my lord?”

The angel who was talking to me replied, “I will show you what they are.”

¹⁰ Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, “They are the ones the Lord has sent to patrol the earth.”

¹¹ They reported to the Angel of the Lord standing among the myrtle trees, “We have patrolled the earth, and right now the whole earth is calm and quiet.”^(E)

¹² Then the Angel of the Lord responded, “How long, Lord of Hosts, will You withhold mercy from Jerusalem and the cities of Judah that You have been angry with these 70 years?”^{(F) 13} The Lord replied with kind and comforting words to the angel who was speaking with me.

¹⁴ So the angel who was speaking with me said, “Proclaim: The Lord of Hosts says: I am extremely jealous^(G) for Jerusalem and Zion. ¹⁵ I am fiercely angry with the nations that are at ease, for I was a little angry, but they made it worse. ¹⁶ Therefore, this is what the Lord says: In mercy, I have returned to Jerusalem; My house will be rebuilt within it”—this is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts—“and a measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem.

¹⁷ “Proclaim further: This is what the Lord of Hosts says: My cities will again overflow with prosperity; the Lord will once more comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.”^(H)

Second Vision: Four Horns and Craftsmen

^18 [a]Then I looked up and saw four horns. ¹⁹ So I asked the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these?”

And he said to me, “These are the horns that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”

²⁰ Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. ²¹ I asked, “What are they coming to do?”

He replied, “These are the horns that scattered Judah so no one could raise his head. These craftsmen have come to terrify them, to cut off the horns of the nations that raised their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it.”

The Woman, the Child, and the Dragon

12 A great sign^[a] appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of 12 stars on her head.^{(A) 2} She was pregnant and cried out in labor and agony as she was about to give birth. ³ Then another sign^[b] appeared in heaven: There was a great fiery red dragon having seven heads and 10 horns,^(B) and on his heads were seven diadems.^{[c] 4} His tail swept away a third of the stars in heaven and hurled them to the earth.^(C) And the dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she did give birth he might devour her child. ⁵ But she gave birth to a Son—a male who is going to shepherd^[d] all nations with an iron scepter^(D)—and her child was caught up to God and to His throne. ⁶ The woman fled into the wilderness, where she had a place prepared by God,^(E) to be fed there^[e] for 1,260 days.^(F)

The Dragon Thrown Out of Heaven

⁷ Then war broke out in heaven: Michael^(G) and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels also fought, ⁸ but he could not prevail, and there was no place for them in heaven any longer. ⁹ So the great dragon was thrown out—the ancient serpent,^(H) who is called the Devil^[f] and Satan,^[g](I) the one who deceives the whole world.^(J) He was thrown to earth, and his angels with him.

¹⁰ Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:

The Woman Persecuted

¹³ When the dragon saw that he had been thrown to earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. ¹⁴ The woman was given two wings of a great eagle, so that she could fly from the serpent’s presence to her place in the wilderness, where she was fed for a time, times, and half a time.^{[h](M) 15} From his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river flowing after the woman, to sweep her away in a torrent. ¹⁶ But the earth helped the woman. The earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the river that the dragon had spewed from his mouth. ¹⁷ So the dragon was furious with the woman and left to wage war^(N) against the rest of her offspring^[i]—those who keep God’s commands and have the testimony about Jesus.^(O)

Psalm 140

Prayer for Rescue

For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.

Command to Rebuild the Temple

1 In the second year of King Darius,^[a](A) on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came through Haggai^(B) the prophet to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel,^(C) the governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest:^(D)

² “The Lord of Hosts says this: These people say: The time has not come for the house of the Lord to be rebuilt.”^(E)

³ The word of the Lord came through Haggai the prophet: ⁴ “Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses,^(F) while this house^[b] lies in ruins?” ⁵ Now, the Lord of Hosts says this: “Think carefully^(G) about^[c] your ways:

⁷ The Lord of Hosts says this: “Think carefully about^[d] your ways. ⁸ Go up into the hills, bring down lumber, and build the house. Then I will be pleased with it and be glorified,” says the Lord. ⁹ “You expected much, but then it amounted to little. When you brought the harvest to your house, I ruined^[e] it. Why?” This is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts. “Because My house still lies in ruins, while each of you is busy with his own house.

The People’s Response

¹² Then Zerubbabel^(J) son of Shealtiel, the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, and the entire remnant of the people^(K) obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the words of the prophet Haggai, because the Lord their God had sent him. So the people feared the Lord.^(L)

¹³ Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, delivered the Lord’s message to the people, “I am with you”^(M)—this is the Lord’s declaration.

¹⁴ The Lord stirred up the spirit^(N) of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, the spirit of the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. They began work on the house of Yahweh of Hosts, their God, ¹⁵ on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month, in the second year of King Darius.

Encouragement and Promise

2 On the twenty-first day of the seventh month,^(O) the word of the Lord came through Haggai the prophet: ² “Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, and to the remnant of the people: ³ Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Doesn’t it seem like nothing to you?^{[g](P) 4} Even so, be strong, Zerubbabel”—this is the Lord’s declaration.^(Q) “Be strong, Joshua son of Jehozadak, high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land”—this is the Lord’s declaration. “Work! For I am with you”^(R)—the declaration of the Lord of Hosts. ⁵ “This is the promise I made to you when you came out of Egypt,^(S) and My Spirit is present among you; don’t be afraid.”

⁶ For the Lord of Hosts says this: “Once more, in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth,^(T) the sea and the dry land.^{(U) 7} I will shake all the nations so that the treasures of all the nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,”^(V) says the Lord of Hosts. ⁸ “The silver and gold belong to Me”—this is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts. ⁹ “The final glory of this house^[h] will be greater than the first,”^(W) says the Lord of Hosts. “I will provide peace in this place”^(X)—this is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts.

From Deprivation to Blessing

¹⁰ On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Haggai the prophet: ¹¹ “This is what the Lord of Hosts says: Ask the priests for a ruling.^{(Y) 12} If a man is carrying consecrated meat in the fold of his garment, and it touches bread, stew, wine, oil, or any other food, does it become holy?”^(Z)

The priests answered, “No.”

¹³ Then Haggai asked, “If someone defiled by contact with a corpse touches any of these, does it become defiled?”^(AA)

The priests answered, “It becomes defiled.”

¹⁴ Then Haggai replied, “So is this people, and so is this nation before Me”—this is the Lord’s declaration. “And so is every work of their hands; even what they offer there is defiled.

¹⁵ “Now, reflect back from this day: Before one stone was placed on another in the Lord’s temple, ¹⁶ what state were you in?^[i] When someone came to a grain heap of 20 measures, it only amounted to 10; when one came to the winepress to dip 50 measures from the vat, it only amounted to 20. ¹⁷ I struck you—all the work of your hands—with blight, mildew,^(AB) and hail,^(AC) but you didn’t turn to Me”—this is the Lord’s declaration. ¹⁸ “Consider carefully^(AD) from this day forward; from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid; consider it carefully. ¹⁹ Is there still seed left in the granary? The vine, the fig, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yet produced. But from this day on I will bless you.”^(AE)

Promise to Zerubbabel

²⁰ The word of the Lord came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month: ²¹ “Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah: I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.^{(AF) 22} I will overturn royal thrones and destroy the power of the Gentile kingdoms.^(AG) I will overturn chariots and their riders. Horses and their riders will fall, each by his brother’s sword. ²³ On that day”—this is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts—“I will take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, My servant”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“and make you like My signet ring,^(AH) for I have chosen you.”^(AI) This is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts.

The Two Witnesses

11 Then I was given a measuring reed^(A) like a rod,^[a] with these words: “Go^[b] and measure God’s sanctuary and the altar, and count those who worship there. ² But exclude the courtyard outside the sanctuary. Don’t measure it, because it is given to the nations,^[c] and they will trample the holy city for 42 months. ³ I will empower^[d] my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days,^[e](B) dressed in sackcloth.”^{[f] 4} These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord^[g] of the earth.^{(C) 5} If anyone wants to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and consumes their enemies;^(D) if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way. ⁶ These men have the power to close up the sky so that it does not rain during the days of their prophecy.^(E) They also have power over the waters to turn them into blood^(F) and to strike the earth with every plague whenever they want.

The Witnesses Martyred

⁷ When they finish their testimony, the beast^[h](G) that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, conquer them, and kill them. ⁸ Their dead bodies^[i](H) will lie in the public square^[j] of the great city, which prophetically^[k] is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. ⁹ And representatives from^[l] the peoples, tribes, languages, and nations^(I) will view their bodies for three and a half days and not permit their bodies to be put into a tomb. ¹⁰ Those who live on the earth will gloat over them and celebrate and send gifts to one another because these two prophets brought judgment to those who live on the earth.

The Witnesses Resurrected

¹¹ But after 3½ days, the breath^[m] of life^(J) from God entered them, and they stood on their feet. So great fear fell on those who saw them. ¹² Then they heard^[n] a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” They went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies watched them.^{(K) 13} At that moment a violent earthquake took place,^(L) a tenth of the city fell, and 7,000 people were killed in the earthquake. The survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. ¹⁴ The second woe^(M) has passed. Take note: The third woe is coming quickly!

The Seventh Trumpet

¹⁵ The seventh angel blew his trumpet,^(N) and there were loud voices in heaven saying:

¹⁶ The 24 elders, who were seated before God on their thrones, fell facedown and worshiped God, ¹⁷ saying:

¹⁹ God’s sanctuary in heaven was opened, and the ark of His covenant^[p] appeared in His sanctuary. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings of thunder,^(U) an earthquake,^[q] and severe hail.

Psalm 139

The All-Knowing, Ever-Present God

For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.