December 12

John 17:20-26

[20] “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, [21] that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. [22] The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, [23] I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. [24] Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. [25] O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. [26] I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

Revelation 9

[1] And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. [2] He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft. [3] Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth. [4] They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. [5] They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone. [6] And in those days people will seek death and will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them.

[7] In appearance the locusts were like horses prepared for battle: on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces, [8] their hair like women’s hair, and their teeth like lions’ teeth; [9] they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle. [10] They have tails and stings like scorpions, and their power to hurt people for five months is in their tails. [11] They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon.

[12] The first woe has passed; behold, two woes are still to come.

[13] Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God, [14] saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” [15] So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, were released to kill a third of mankind. [16] The number of mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand; I heard their number. [17] And this is how I saw the horses in my vision and those who rode them: they wore breastplates the color of fire and of sapphire and of sulfur, and the heads of the horses were like lions’ heads, and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths. [18] By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths. [19] For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails, for their tails are like serpents with heads, and by means of them they wound.

[20] The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, [21] nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.

Job 33:12-33

    [12] “Behold, in this you are not right. I will answer you,

        for God is greater than man. 

    [13] Why do you contend against him,

        saying, ‘He will answer none of man’s words’? 

    [14] For God speaks in one way,

        and in two, though man does not perceive it. 

    [15] In a dream, in a vision of the night,

        when deep sleep falls on men,

        while they slumber on their beds, 

    [16] then he opens the ears of men

        and terrifies them with warnings, 

    [17] that he may turn man aside from his deed

        and conceal pride from a man; 

    [18] he keeps back his soul from the pit,

        his life from perishing by the sword.

    [19] “Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed

        and with continual strife in his bones, 

    [20] so that his life loathes bread,

        and his appetite the choicest food. 

    [21] His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen,

        and his bones that were not seen stick out. 

    [22] His soul draws near the pit,

        and his life to those who bring death. 

    [23] If there be for him an angel,

        a mediator, one of the thousand,

        to declare to man what is right for him, 

    [24] and he is merciful to him, and says,

        ‘Deliver him from going down into the pit;

        I have found a ransom; 

    [25] let his flesh become fresh with youth;

        let him return to the days of his youthful vigor’; 

    [26] then man prays to God, and he accepts him;

        he sees his face with a shout of joy,

    and he restores to man his righteousness. 

    [27]     He sings before men and says:

    ‘I sinned and perverted what was right,

        and it was not repaid to me. 

    [28] He has redeemed my soul from going down into the pit,

        and my life shall look upon the light.’

    [29] “Behold, God does all these things,

        twice, three times, with a man, 

    [30] to bring back his soul from the pit,

        that he may be lighted with the light of life. 

    [31] Pay attention, O Job, listen to me;

        be silent, and I will speak. 

    [32] If you have any words, answer me;

        speak, for I desire to justify you. 

    [33] If not, listen to me;

        be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”

Obadiah 1

[1] The vision of Obadiah. 

    Thus says the Lord GOD concerning Edom:

    We have heard a report from the LORD,

        and a messenger has been sent among the nations:

    “Rise up! Let us rise against her for battle!” 

    [2] Behold, I will make you small among the nations;

        you shall be utterly despised. 

    [3] The pride of your heart has deceived you,

        you who live in the clefts of the rock,

        in your lofty dwelling,

    who say in your heart,

        “Who will bring me down to the ground?” 

    [4] Though you soar aloft like the eagle,

        though your nest is set among the stars,

        from there I will bring you down,

    declares the LORD.

    [5] If thieves came to you,

        if plunderers came by night—

        how you have been destroyed!—

        would they not steal only enough for themselves?

    If grape gatherers came to you,

        would they not leave gleanings? 

    [6] How Esau has been pillaged,

        his treasures sought out! 

    [7] All your allies have driven you to your border;

        those at peace with you have deceived you;

    they have prevailed against you;

        those who eat your bread have set a trap beneath you—

        you have no understanding.

    [8] Will I not on that day, declares the LORD,

        destroy the wise men out of Edom,

        and understanding out of Mount Esau? 

    [9] And your mighty men shall be dismayed, O Teman,

        so that every man from Mount Esau will be cut off by slaughter.

    [10] Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob,

        shame shall cover you,

        and you shall be cut off forever. 

    [11] On the day that you stood aloof,

        on the day that strangers carried off his wealth

    and foreigners entered his gates

        and cast lots for Jerusalem,

        you were like one of them. 

    [12] But do not gloat over the day of your brother

        in the day of his misfortune;

    do not rejoice over the people of Judah

        in the day of their ruin;

    do not boast

        in the day of distress. 

    [13] Do not enter the gate of my people

        in the day of their calamity;

    do not gloat over his disaster

        in the day of his calamity;

    do not loot his wealth

        in the day of his calamity. 

    [14] Do not stand at the crossroads

        to cut off his fugitives;

    do not hand over his survivors

        in the day of distress.

    [15] For the day of the LORD is near upon all the nations.

    As you have done, it shall be done to you;

        your deeds shall return on your own head. 

    [16] For as you have drunk on my holy mountain,

        so all the nations shall drink continually;

    they shall drink and swallow,

        and shall be as though they had never been. 

    [17] But in Mount Zion there shall be those who escape,

        and it shall be holy,

    and the house of Jacob shall possess their own possessions. 

    [18] The house of Jacob shall be a fire,

        and the house of Joseph a flame,

        and the house of Esau stubble;

    they shall burn them and consume them,

        and there shall be no survivor for the house of Esau,

    for the LORD has spoken.

    [19] Those of the Negeb shall possess Mount Esau,

        and those of the Shephelah shall possess the land of the Philistines;

    they shall possess the land of Ephraim and the land of Samaria,

        and Benjamin shall possess Gilead. 

    [20] The exiles of this host of the people of Israel

        shall possess the land of the Canaanites as far as Zarephath,

    and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad

        shall possess the cities of the Negeb. 

    [21] Saviors shall go up to Mount Zion

        to rule Mount Esau,

        and the kingdom shall be the LORD’s.