September 7

Luke 22:14-23

Institution of the Lord’s Supper

[14] And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. [15] And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. [16] For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” [17] And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. [18] For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” [19] And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” [20] And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. [21] But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. [22] For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” [23] And they began to question one another, which of them it could be who was going to do this.

Hebrews 4:12-16

[12] For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. [13] And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Jesus the Great High Priest

[14] Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. [15] For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. [16] Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Proverbs 21:17-31

    [17] 

    Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man;

        he who loves wine and oil will not be rich. 

    [18] 

    The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,

        and the traitor for the upright. 

    [19] 

    It is better to live in a desert land

        than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman. 

    [20] 

    Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling,

        but a foolish man devours it. 

    [21] 

    Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness

        will find life, righteousness, and honor. 

    [22] 

    A wise man scales the city of the mighty

        and brings down the stronghold in which they trust. 

    [23] 

    Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue

        keeps himself out of trouble. 

    [24] 

    “Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man

        who acts with arrogant pride. 

    [25] 

    The desire of the sluggard kills him,

        for his hands refuse to labor. 

    [26] 

    All day long he craves and craves,

        but the righteous gives and does not hold back. 

    [27] 

    The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;

        how much more when he brings it with evil intent. 

    [28] 

    A false witness will perish,

        but the word of a man who hears will endure. 

    [29] 

    A wicked man puts on a bold face,

        but the upright gives thought to his ways. 

    [30] 

    No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel

        can avail against the LORD. 

    [31] 

    The horse is made ready for the day of battle,

        but the victory belongs to the LORD.

Isaiah 17

An Oracle Concerning Damascus

[1] An oracle concerning Damascus. 

    Behold, Damascus will cease to be a city

        and will become a heap of ruins. 

    [2] The cities of Aroer are deserted;

        they will be for flocks,

        which will lie down, and none will make them afraid. 

    [3] The fortress will disappear from Ephraim,

        and the kingdom from Damascus;

    and the remnant of Syria will be

        like the glory of the children of Israel,

    declares the LORD of hosts.

    [4] And in that day the glory of Jacob will be brought low,

        and the fat of his flesh will grow lean. 

    [5] And it shall be as when the reaper gathers standing grain

        and his arm harvests the ears,

    and as when one gleans the ears of grain

        in the Valley of Rephaim. 

    [6] Gleanings will be left in it,

        as when an olive tree is beaten—

    two or three berries

        in the top of the highest bough,

    four or five

        on the branches of a fruit tree,

    declares the LORD God of Israel.

    [7] In that day man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will look on the Holy One of Israel. [8] He will not look to the altars, the work of his hands, and he will not look on what his own fingers have made, either the Asherim or the altars of incense.

[9] In that day their strong cities will be like the deserted places of the wooded heights and the hilltops, which they deserted because of the children of Israel, and there will be desolation.

    [10] For you have forgotten the God of your salvation

        and have not remembered the Rock of your refuge;

    therefore, though you plant pleasant plants

        and sow the vine-branch of a stranger, 

    [11] though you make them grow on the day that you plant them,

        and make them blossom in the morning that you sow,

    yet the harvest will flee away

        in a day of grief and incurable pain.

    [12] Ah, the thunder of many peoples;

        they thunder like the thundering of the sea!

    Ah, the roar of nations;

        they roar like the roaring of mighty waters! 

    [13] The nations roar like the roaring of many waters,

        but he will rebuke them, and they will flee far away,

    chased like chaff on the mountains before the wind

        and whirling dust before the storm. 

    [14] At evening time, behold, terror!

        Before morning, they are no more!

    This is the portion of those who loot us,

        and the lot of those who plunder us.

Isaiah 18

An Oracle Concerning Cush

    [1] Ah, land of whirring wings

        that is beyond the rivers of Cush, 

    [2] which sends ambassadors by the sea,

        in vessels of papyrus on the waters!

    Go, you swift messengers,

        to a nation tall and smooth,

    to a people feared near and far,

        a nation mighty and conquering,

        whose land the rivers divide.

    [3] All you inhabitants of the world,

        you who dwell on the earth,

    when a signal is raised on the mountains, look!

        When a trumpet is blown, hear! 

    [4] For thus the LORD said to me:

    “I will quietly look from my dwelling

        like clear heat in sunshine,

        like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.” 

    [5] For before the harvest, when the blossom is over,

        and the flower becomes a ripening grape,

    he cuts off the shoots with pruning hooks,

        and the spreading branches he lops off and clears away. 

    [6] They shall all of them be left

        to the birds of prey of the mountains

        and to the beasts of the earth.

    And the birds of prey will summer on them,

        and all the beasts of the earth will winter on them.

    [7] At that time tribute will be brought to the LORD of hosts 

    from a people tall and smooth,

        from a people feared near and far,

    a nation mighty and conquering,

        whose land the rivers divide,

    to Mount Zion, the place of the name of the LORD of hosts. 

Isaiah 19

An Oracle Concerning Egypt

[1] An oracle concerning Egypt. 

    Behold, the LORD is riding on a swift cloud

        and comes to Egypt;

    and the idols of Egypt will tremble at his presence,

        and the heart of the Egyptians will melt within them. 

    [2] And I will stir up Egyptians against Egyptians,

        and they will fight, each against another

        and each against his neighbor,

        city against city, kingdom against kingdom; 

    [3] and the spirit of the Egyptians within them will be emptied out,

        and I will confound their counsel;

    and they will inquire of the idols and the sorcerers,

        and the mediums and the necromancers; 

    [4] and I will give over the Egyptians

        into the hand of a hard master,

    and a fierce king will rule over them,

        declares the Lord GOD of hosts.

    [5] And the waters of the sea will be dried up,

        and the river will be dry and parched, 

    [6] and its canals will become foul,

        and the branches of Egypt’s Nile will diminish and dry up,

        reeds and rushes will rot away. 

    [7] There will be bare places by the Nile,

        on the brink of the Nile,

    and all that is sown by the Nile will be parched,

        will be driven away, and will be no more. 

    [8] The fishermen will mourn and lament,

        all who cast a hook in the Nile;

    and they will languish

        who spread nets on the water. 

    [9] The workers in combed flax will be in despair,

        and the weavers of white cotton. 

    [10] Those who are the pillars of the land will be crushed,

        and all who work for pay will be grieved.

    [11] The princes of Zoan are utterly foolish;

        the wisest counselors of Pharaoh give stupid counsel.

    How can you say to Pharaoh,

        “I am a son of the wise,

        a son of ancient kings”? 

    [12] Where then are your wise men?

        Let them tell you

        that they might know what the LORD of hosts has purposed against Egypt. 

    [13] The princes of Zoan have become fools,

        and the princes of Memphis are deluded;

    those who are the cornerstones of her tribes

        have made Egypt stagger. 

    [14] The LORD has mingled within her a spirit of confusion,

    and they will make Egypt stagger in all its deeds,

        as a drunken man staggers in his vomit. 

    [15] And there will be nothing for Egypt

        that head or tail, palm branch or reed, may do.

    Egypt, Assyria, Israel Blessed

[16] In that day the Egyptians will be like women, and tremble with fear before the hand that the LORD of hosts shakes over them. [17] And the land of Judah will become a terror to the Egyptians. Everyone to whom it is mentioned will fear because of the purpose that the LORD of hosts has purposed against them.

[18] In that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the LORD of hosts. One of these will be called the City of Destruction.

[19] In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the LORD at its border. [20] It will be a sign and a witness to the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt. When they cry to the LORD because of oppressors, he will send them a savior and defender, and deliver them. [21] And the LORD will make himself known to the Egyptians, and the Egyptians will know the LORD in that day and worship with sacrifice and offering, and they will make vows to the LORD and perform them. [22] And the LORD will strike Egypt, striking and healing, and they will return to the LORD, and he will listen to their pleas for mercy and heal them.

[23] In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and Assyria will come into Egypt, and Egypt into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians.

[24] In that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, [25] whom the LORD of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.”

Isaiah 20

A Sign Against Egypt and Cush

[1] In the year that the commander in chief, who was sent by Sargon the king of Assyria, came to Ashdod and fought against it and captured it—[2] at that time the LORD spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, “Go, and loose the sackcloth from your waist and take off your sandals from your feet,” and he did so, walking naked and barefoot.

[3] Then the LORD said, “As my servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot for three years as a sign and a portent against Egypt and Cush, [4] so shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptian captives and the Cushite exiles, both the young and the old, naked and barefoot, with buttocks uncovered, the nakedness of Egypt. [5] Then they shall be dismayed and ashamed because of Cush their hope and of Egypt their boast. [6] And the inhabitants of this coastland will say in that day, ‘Behold, this is what has happened to those in whom we hoped and to whom we fled for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria! And we, how shall we escape?’”