Tuesday, December 29, 2020
Isaiah 24
1See, the LORD is going to lay waste the earth and
devastate it; he will ruin its face and scatter its inhabitants-- 2it
will be the same for priest as for people, for master as for servant, for
mistress as for maid, for seller as for buyer, for borrower as for lender, for
debtor as for creditor. 3The earth will be completely laid waste and
totally plundered. The LORD has spoken this word.
4The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes
and withers, the exalted of the earth languish. 5The earth is defiled
by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken
the everlasting covenant. 6Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its
people must bear their guilt. Therefore earth's inhabitants are burned up, and
very few are left. 7The new wine dries up and the vine withers; all
the merrymakers groan. 8The gaiety of the tambourines is stilled,
the noise of the revelers has stopped, the joyful harp is silent. 9No
longer do they drink wine with a song; the beer is bitter to its drinkers. 10The
ruined city lies desolate; the entrance to every house is barred. 11In
the streets they cry out for wine; all joy turns to gloom, all gaiety is
banished from the earth. 12The city is left in ruins, its gate is
battered to pieces. 13So will it be on the earth and among the
nations, as when an olive tree is beaten, or as when gleanings are left after
the grape harvest.
14They raise their voices, they shout for joy; from
the west they acclaim the LORD's majesty. 15Therefore in the east
give glory to the LORD; exalt the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, in the
islands of the sea. 16From the ends of the earth we hear singing:
"Glory to the Righteous One."
But I said, "I
waste away, I waste away! Woe to me! The treacherous betray! With treachery the
treacherous betray!" 17Terror and pit and snare await you, O
people of the earth. 18Whoever flees at the sound of terror will
fall into a pit; whoever climbs out of the pit will be caught in a snare.
The floodgates of
the heavens are opened, the foundations of the earth shake. 19The
earth is broken up, the earth is split asunder, the earth is thoroughly shaken.
20The earth reels like a drunkard, it sways like a hut in the wind;
so heavy upon it is the guilt of its rebellion that it falls--never to rise again.
21In that day the LORD will punish the powers in the
heavens above and the kings on the earth below. 22They will be
herded together like prisoners bound in a dungeon; they will be shut up in
prison and be punished after many days. 23The moon will be abashed,
the sun ashamed; for the LORD Almighty will reign on Mount Zion and in
Jerusalem, and before its elders, gloriously.
Psalm
149
1Praise the
LORD. Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints. 2Let
Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King. 3Let
them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and
harp. 4For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the
humble with salvation. 5Let the saints rejoice in this honor and
sing for joy on their beds. 6May the praise of God be in their
mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands, 7to inflict
vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, 8to bind
their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron, 9to
carry out the sentence written against them. This is the glory of all his
saints. Praise the LORD.
2
Corinthians 13
1This will be my third visit to you. "Every
matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses." 2I
already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it
while absent: On my return I will not spare those who sinned earlier or any of
the others, 3since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking
through me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. 4For
to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power.
Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God's power we will live with him to serve
you.
5Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the
faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless,
of course, you fail the test? 6And I trust that you will discover
that we have not failed the test. 7Now we pray to God that you will
not do anything wrong. Not that people will see that we have stood the test but
that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed. 8For
we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. 9We
are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is for your
perfection. 10This is why I write these things when I am absent,
that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority--the
authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.
11Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection,
listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and
peace will be with you.
12Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13All
the saints send their greetings.
14May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love
of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
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