Daily Readings for December 27

Daily Readings for December 27
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Job 37

1."Yes, at this my heart trembles, and is moved out of its place. 2.Hear, oh, hear the noise of his voice, the sound that goes out of his mouth. 3.He sends it forth under the whole sky, and his lightning to the ends of the earth. 4.After it a voice roars. He thunders with the voice of his majesty. He doesn't hold back anything when his voice is heard. 5.God thunders marvelously with his voice. He does great things, which we can't comprehend. 6.For he says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth;' likewise to the shower of rain, and to the showers of his mighty rain. 7.He seals up the hand of every man, that all men whom he has made may know it. 8.Then the animals take cover, and remain in their dens. 9.Out of its room comes the storm, and cold out of the north. 10.By the breath of God, ice is given, and the breadth of the waters is frozen. 11.Yes, he loads the thick cloud with moisture. He spreads abroad the cloud of his lightning. 12.It is turned around by his guidance, that they may do whatever he commands them on the surface of the habitable world, 13.Whether it is for correction, or for his land, or for loving kindness, that he causes it to come.

14."Listen to this, Job. Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God. 15.Do you know how God controls them, and causes the lightning of his cloud to shine? 16.Do you know the workings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge? 17.You whose clothing is warm, when the earth is still by reason of the south wind? 18.Can you, with him, spread out the sky, which is strong as a cast metal mirror? 19.Teach us what we shall tell him, for we can't make our case by reason of darkness. 20.Shall it be told him that I would speak? Or should a man wish that he were swallowed up? 21.Now men don't see the light which is bright in the skies, but the wind passes, and clears them. 22.Out of the north comes golden splendor. With God is awesome majesty. 23.We can't reach the Almighty. He is exalted in power. In justice and great righteousness, he will not oppress. 24.Therefore men revere him. He doesn't regard any who are wise of heart."

Zechariah 12

1.An oracle. The word of Yahweh concerning Israel. Yahweh, who stretches out the heavens, and lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him says: 2."Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of reeling to all the surrounding peoples, and on Judah also will it be in the siege against Jerusalem. 3.It will happen in that day, that I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all the peoples. All who burden themselves with it will be severely wounded, and all the nations of the earth will be gathered together against it. 4.In that day," says Yahweh, "I will strike every horse with terror, and his rider with madness; and I will open my eyes on the house of Judah, and will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. 5.The chieftains of Judah will say in their heart, 'The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in Yahweh of Armies their God.' 6.In that day I will make the chieftains of Judah like a pan of fire among wood, and like a flaming torch among sheaves; and they will devour all the surrounding peoples, on the right hand and on the left; and Jerusalem will yet again dwell in their own place, even in Jerusalem. 7.Yahweh also will save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem not be magnified above Judah. 8.In that day Yahweh will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem. He who is feeble among them at that day will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of Yahweh before them. 9.It will happen in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. 10.I will pour on the house of David, and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication; and they will look to me⁶ whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and will grieve bitterly for him, as one grieves for his firstborn. 11.In that day there will be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. 12.The land will mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; 13.the family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of the Shimeites apart, and their wives apart; 14.all the families who remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.

Revelation 14

1.I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him a number, one hundred forty-four thousand, having his name, and the name of his Father, written on their foreheads. 2.I heard a sound from heaven, like the sound of many waters, and like the sound of a great thunder. The sound which I heard was like that of harpists playing on their harps. 3.They sing a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the one hundred forty-four thousand, those who had been redeemed out of the earth. 4.These are those who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are those who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed by Jesus from among men, the first fruits to God and to the Lamb. 5.In their mouth was found no lie, for they are blameless.³³

6.I saw an angel flying in mid heaven, having an eternal Good News to proclaim to those who dwell on the earth, and to every nation, tribe, language, and people. 7.He said with a loud voice, "Fear the Lord, and give him glory; for the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and the springs of waters!"

8.Another, a second angel, followed, saying, "Babylon the great has fallen, which has made all the nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of her sexual immorality."

9.Another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a great voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead, or on his hand, 10.he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of his anger. He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. 11.The smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. They have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name. 12.Here is the patience of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."

13.I heard the voice from heaven saying, "Write, 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.'"

"Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors; for their works follow with them."

14.I looked, and behold, a white cloud; and on the cloud one sitting like a son of man,³⁴ having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. 15.Another angel came out from the temple, crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, "Send forth your sickle, and reap; for the hour to reap has come; for the harvest of the earth is ripe!" 16.He who sat on the cloud thrust his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.

17.Another angel came out from the temple which is in heaven. He also had a sharp sickle. 18.Another angel came out from the altar, he who has power over fire, and he called with a great voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, "Send forth your sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for the earth's grapes are fully ripe!" 19.The angel thrust his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vintage of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20.The winepress was trodden outside of the city, and blood came out from the winepress, even to the bridles of the horses, as far as one thousand six hundred stadia.³⁵