March 9

Matthew 24:1-14

Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple

[1] Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. [2] But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

Signs of the End of the Age

[3] As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” [4] And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. [5] For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. [6] And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. [7] For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. [8] All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

[9] “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. [10] And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. [11] And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. [12] And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. [13] But the one who endures to the end will be saved. [14] And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Romans 6:15-23

Slaves to Righteousness

[15] What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! [16] Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? [17] But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, [18] and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. [19] I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

[20] For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. [21] But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. [22] But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. [23] For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Psalm 56

In God I Trust

To the choirmaster: according to The Dove on Far-off Terebinths. A Miktam of David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.

    [1] Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me;

        all day long an attacker oppresses me; 

    [2] my enemies trample on me all day long,

        for many attack me proudly. 

    [3] When I am afraid,

        I put my trust in you. 

    [4] In God, whose word I praise,

        in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.

        What can flesh do to me?

    [5] All day long they injure my cause;

        all their thoughts are against me for evil. 

    [6] They stir up strife, they lurk;

        they watch my steps,

        as they have waited for my life. 

    [7] For their crime will they escape?

        In wrath cast down the peoples, O God!

    [8] You have kept count of my tossings;

        put my tears in your bottle.

        Are they not in your book? 

    [9] Then my enemies will turn back

        in the day when I call.

        This I know, that God is for me. 

    [10] In God, whose word I praise,

        in the LORD, whose word I praise, 

    [11] in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.

        What can man do to me?

    [12] I must perform my vows to you, O God;

        I will render thank offerings to you. 

    [13] For you have delivered my soul from death,

        yes, my feet from falling,

    that I may walk before God

        in the light of life.

Numbers 21

Arad Destroyed

[1] When the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the Negeb, heard that Israel was coming by the way of Atharim, he fought against Israel, and took some of them captive. [2] And Israel vowed a vow to the LORD and said, “If you will indeed give this people into my hand, then I will devote their cities to destruction.” [3] And the LORD heeded the voice of Israel and gave over the Canaanites, and they devoted them and their cities to destruction. So the name of the place was called Hormah.

The Bronze Serpent

[4] From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. [5] And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.” [6] Then the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. [7] And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you. Pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. [8] And the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” [9] So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.

The Song of the Well

[10] And the people of Israel set out and camped in Oboth. [11] And they set out from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim, in the wilderness that is opposite Moab, toward the sunrise. [12] From there they set out and camped in the Valley of Zered. [13] From there they set out and camped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness that extends from the border of the Amorites, for the Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. [14] Therefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of the LORD, 

    “Waheb in Suphah, and the valleys of the Arnon, 

    [15] and the slope of the valleys

    that extends to the seat of Ar,

    and leans to the border of Moab.”

    [16] And from there they continued to Beer; that is the well of which the LORD said to Moses, “Gather the people together, so that I may give them water.” [17] Then Israel sang this song: 

    “Spring up, O well!—Sing to it!—

    [18] the well that the princes made,

    that the nobles of the people dug,

    with the scepter and with their staffs.”

    And from the wilderness they went on to Mattanah,  [19] and from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth, [20] and from Bamoth to the valley lying in the region of Moab by the top of Pisgah that looks down on the desert.

King Sihon Defeated

[21] Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, [22] “Let me pass through your land. We will not turn aside into field or vineyard. We will not drink the water of a well. We will go by the King’s Highway until we have passed through your territory.” [23] But Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his territory. He gathered all his people together and went out against Israel to the wilderness and came to Jahaz and fought against Israel. [24] And Israel defeated him with the edge of the sword and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as to the Ammonites, for the border of the Ammonites was strong. [25] And Israel took all these cities, and Israel settled in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all its villages. [26] For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and taken all his land out of his hand, as far as the Arnon. [27] Therefore the ballad singers say, 

    “Come to Heshbon, let it be built;

        let the city of Sihon be established. 

    [28] For fire came out from Heshbon,

        flame from the city of Sihon.

    It devoured Ar of Moab,

        and swallowed the heights of the Arnon. 

    [29] Woe to you, O Moab!

        You are undone, O people of Chemosh!

    He has made his sons fugitives,

        and his daughters captives,

        to an Amorite king, Sihon. 

    [30] So we overthrew them;

        Heshbon, as far as Dibon, perished;

        and we laid waste as far as Nophah;

        fire spread as far as Medeba.”

    King Og Defeated

[31] Thus Israel lived in the land of the Amorites. [32] And Moses sent to spy out Jazer, and they captured its villages and dispossessed the Amorites who were there. [33] Then they turned and went up by the way to Bashan. And Og the king of Bashan came out against them, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei. [34] But the LORD said to Moses, “Do not fear him, for I have given him into your hand, and all his people, and his land. And you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.” [35] So they defeated him and his sons and all his people, until he had no survivor left. And they possessed his land.

Numbers 22

Balak Summons Balaam

[1] Then the people of Israel set out and camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho. [2] And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. [3] And Moab was in great dread of the people, because they were many. Moab was overcome with fear of the people of Israel. [4] And Moab said to the elders of Midian, “This horde will now lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” So Balak the son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, [5] sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the people of Amaw, to call him, saying, “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the earth, and they are dwelling opposite me. [6] Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”

[7] So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fees for divination in their hand. And they came to Balaam and gave him Balak’s message. [8] And he said to them, “Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, as the LORD speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. [9] And God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” [10] And Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying, [11] ‘Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and it covers the face of the earth. Now come, curse them for me. Perhaps I shall be able to fight against them and drive them out.’” [12] God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” [13] So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your own land, for the LORD has refused to let me go with you.” [14] So the princes of Moab rose and went to Balak and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”

[15] Once again Balak sent princes, more in number and more honorable than these. [16] And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Let nothing hinder you from coming to me, [17] for I will surely do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Come, curse this people for me.’” [18] But Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the LORD my God to do less or more. [19] So you, too, please stay here tonight, that I may know what more the LORD will say to me.” [20] And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you.” [21] So Balaam rose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab.

Balaam’s Donkey and the Angel

[22] But God’s anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the way as his adversary. Now he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him. [23] And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand. And the donkey turned aside out of the road and went into the field. And Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the road. [24] Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side. [25] And when the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pushed against the wall and pressed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So he struck her again. [26] Then the angel of the LORD went ahead and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left. [27] When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam. And Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff. [28] Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” [29] And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you.” [30] And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.”

[31] Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face. [32] And the angel of the LORD said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me. [33] The donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let her live.” [34] Then Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in your sight, I will turn back.” [35] And the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only the word that I tell you.” So Balaam went on with the princes of Balak.

[36] When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, on the border formed by the Arnon, at the extremity of the border. [37] And Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?” [38] Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you! Have I now any power of my own to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that must I speak.” [39] Then Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. [40] And Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent for Balaam and for the princes who were with him.

[41] And in the morning Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal, and from there he saw a fraction of the people.