December 20

John 20:1-9

The Resurrection

[1] Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. [2] So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” [3] So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. [4] Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. [5] And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. [6] Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, [7] and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. [8] Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; [9] for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.

Revelation 17

The Great Prostitute and the Beast

[1] Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, [2] with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” [3] And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. [4] The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. [5] And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” [6] And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. 

When I saw her, I marveled greatly.  [7] But the angel said to me, “Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her. [8] The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come. [9] This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; [10] they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while. [11] As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction. [12] And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. [13] These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast. [14] They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”

[15] And the angel said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages. [16] And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, [17] for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. [18] And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.”

Job 38:22-41

    [22] “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow,

        or have you seen the storehouses of the hail, 

    [23] which I have reserved for the time of trouble,

        for the day of battle and war? 

    [24] What is the way to the place where the light is distributed,

        or where the east wind is scattered upon the earth?

    [25] “Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain

        and a way for the thunderbolt, 

    [26] to bring rain on a land where no man is,

        on the desert in which there is no man, 

    [27] to satisfy the waste and desolate land,

        and to make the ground sprout with grass?

    [28] “Has the rain a father,

        or who has begotten the drops of dew? 

    [29] From whose womb did the ice come forth,

        and who has given birth to the frost of heaven? 

    [30] The waters become hard like stone,

        and the face of the deep is frozen.

    [31] “Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades

        or loose the cords of Orion? 

    [32] Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season,

        or can you guide the Bear with its children? 

    [33] Do you know the ordinances of the heavens?

        Can you establish their rule on the earth?

    [34] “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,

        that a flood of waters may cover you? 

    [35] Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go

        and say to you, ‘Here we are’? 

    [36] Who has put wisdom in the inward parts

        or given understanding to the mind? 

    [37] Who can number the clouds by wisdom?

        Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens, 

    [38] when the dust runs into a mass

        and the clods stick fast together?

    [39] “Can you hunt the prey for the lion,

        or satisfy the appetite of the young lions, 

    [40] when they crouch in their dens

        or lie in wait in their thicket? 

    [41] Who provides for the raven its prey,

        when its young ones cry to God for help,

        and wander about for lack of food?

Zephaniah 3

Judgment on Jerusalem and the Nations

    [1] Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled,

        the oppressing city! 

    [2] She listens to no voice;

        she accepts no correction.

    She does not trust in the LORD;

        she does not draw near to her God.

    [3] Her officials within her

        are roaring lions;

    her judges are evening wolves

        that leave nothing till the morning. 

    [4] Her prophets are fickle, treacherous men;

    her priests profane what is holy;

        they do violence to the law. 

    [5] The LORD within her is righteous;

        he does no injustice;

    every morning he shows forth his justice;

        each dawn he does not fail;

        but the unjust knows no shame.

    [6] “I have cut off nations;

        their battlements are in ruins;

    I have laid waste their streets

        so that no one walks in them;

    their cities have been made desolate,

        without a man, without an inhabitant. 

    [7] I said, ‘Surely you will fear me;

        you will accept correction.

    Then your dwelling would not be cut off

        according to all that I have appointed against you.’

    But all the more they were eager

        to make all their deeds corrupt.

    [8] “Therefore wait for me,” declares the LORD,

        “for the day when I rise up to seize the prey.

    For my decision is to gather nations,

        to assemble kingdoms,

    to pour out upon them my indignation,

        all my burning anger;

    for in the fire of my jealousy

        all the earth shall be consumed.

    The Conversion of the Nations

    [9] “For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples

        to a pure speech,

    that all of them may call upon the name of the LORD

        and serve him with one accord. 

    [10] From beyond the rivers of Cush

        my worshipers, the daughter of my dispersed ones,

        shall bring my offering.

    [11] “On that day you shall not be put to shame

        because of the deeds by which you have rebelled against me;

    for then I will remove from your midst

        your proudly exultant ones,

    and you shall no longer be haughty

        in my holy mountain. 

    [12] But I will leave in your midst

        a people humble and lowly.

    They shall seek refuge in the name of the LORD, 

    [13]     those who are left in Israel;

    they shall do no injustice

        and speak no lies,

    nor shall there be found in their mouth

        a deceitful tongue.

    For they shall graze and lie down,

        and none shall make them afraid.”

    Israel’s Joy and Restoration

    [14] Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion;

        shout, O Israel!

    Rejoice and exult with all your heart,

        O daughter of Jerusalem! 

    [15] The LORD has taken away the judgments against you;

        he has cleared away your enemies.

    The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst;

        you shall never again fear evil. 

    [16] On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:

    “Fear not, O Zion;

        let not your hands grow weak. 

    [17] The LORD your God is in your midst,

        a mighty one who will save;

    he will rejoice over you with gladness;

        he will quiet you by his love;

    he will exult over you with loud singing. 

    [18] I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival,

        so that you will no longer suffer reproach. 

    [19] Behold, at that time I will deal

        with all your oppressors.

    And I will save the lame

        and gather the outcast,

    and I will change their shame into praise

        and renown in all the earth. 

    [20] At that time I will bring you in,

        at the time when I gather you together;

    for I will make you renowned and praised

        among all the peoples of the earth,

    when I restore your fortunes

        before your eyes,” says the LORD.