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Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading
December 6 - Bible-in-a-Year
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Ezekiel 8-9
Chapter 8
Vision of Abominations in Jerusalem
1 Now it came about in the sixth year, on the fifth day of the sixth month, as I was sitting in my house with the elders of Judah sitting before me, that the hand of the Lord (F1)GOD fell upon me there.2 Then I looked, and behold, something like the appearance of (F1)a man; from His waist and downward there was the (C1)appearance of fire, and from His waist and upward like the appearance of a glow, like (C2)gleaming (F2)metal.3 And He extended the form of a hand and took me by the hair of my head; and the (C1)Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the (F1)north gate of the inner courtyard, where the seat of the idol of jealousy, which (C2)provokes to jealousy, was located.4 And behold, the (C1)glory of the God of Israel was there, like the appearance which I saw in the plain.
5 Then He said to me, "Son of man, (C1)raise your eyes now toward the north." So I raised my eyes toward the north, and behold, to the north of the altar gate was this (C2)idol of jealousy at the entrance.6 And He said to me, "Son of man, do you see what they are doing, the great (C1)abominations which the house of Israel are committing here, so that I would be far from My sanctuary? But yet you will see still greater abominations!"
7 Then He brought me to the entrance of the courtyard, and when I looked, behold, a hole in the wall.8 And He said to me, "Son of man, now (C1)dig through the wall." So I dug through the wall, and behold, an entrance.9 Then He said to me, "Go in and see the wicked abominations that they are committing here."10 So I entered and looked, and behold, every form of crawling things and animals and detestable things, with all the idols of the house of Israel, were carved on the wall all around.11 And standing in front of them were (C1)seventy (C2)elders of the house of Israel, with Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan standing among them, each man with his (C3)censer in his hand; and the fragrance of the cloud of incense was rising.12 Then He said to me, "Do you see, son of man, what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark, each man in the rooms of his carved images? For they say, '(C1)The LORD does not see us; the LORD has (C2)abandoned the land.'"13 And He said to me, "Yet you will see still greater abominations which they are committing!"
14 Then He brought me to the entrance of the (C1)gate of the LORD'S house which was toward the north; and behold, women were sitting there weeping for (F1)Tammuz.15 And He said to me, "Do you see this, son of man? Yet you will see still greater abominations than these!"
16 Then He brought me into the inner courtyard of the LORD'S house. And behold, at the entrance to the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their (C1)backs to the temple of the LORD while their faces were toward the east; and (C2)they were (F1)prostrating themselves eastward toward the sun.17 And He said to me, "Do you see this, son of man? Is it a trivial thing for the house of Judah to commit the abominations which they have committed here, that they have (C1)filled the land with violence and (C2)provoked Me to anger repeatedly? Yet behold, they are (F1)putting the twig to their nose!18 "Therefore, I indeed will deal in wrath. My eye will have no pity nor will I spare; and (C1)though they cry out in My ears with a loud voice, yet I will not listen to them."
Chapter 9
The Vision of Slaughter
1 Then He cried out in my (F1)presence with a loud (C1)voice, saying, "Come forward, you (F2)executioners of the city, each with his weapon of destruction in his hand."2 And behold, six men came from the direction of the upper gate which faces north, each with his smashing weapon in his hand; and among them was (C1)one man clothed in linen with a scribe's kit at his waist. And they came in and stood beside the bronze altar.
3 Then the (C1)glory of the God of Israel ascended from the cherub on which it had been, to the threshold of the (F1)temple. And He called to the man clothed in linen at whose waist was the scribe's kit.4 And the LORD said to him, "Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and make a (C1)mark on the foreheads of the people who (C2)groan and sigh over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst."5 But to the others He said in my (F1)presence, "Go through the city after him and strike; do not let your eye have pity and do not spare.6 "(F1)Utterly (C1)kill old men, young men, female virgins, little children, and women, but do not (C2)touch any person on whom is the mark; and you shall (C3)start from My sanctuary." So they started with the (F2)elders who were before the (F3)temple.7 He also said to them, "(C1)Defile the (F1)temple and fill the courtyards with the dead. Go out!" So they went out and struck and killed the people in the city.8 And as they were striking the people and I alone was left, I (C1)fell on my face and cried out, (F1)saying, "(C2)Oh, Lord (F2)GOD! Are You going to destroy the entire remnant of Israel (F3)by pouring out Your wrath on Jerusalem?"
9 Then He said to me, "The guilt of the house of Israel and Judah is very, very great, and the land is (C1)filled with blood, and the city is (C2)full of perversion; for (C3)they say, 'The LORD has abandoned the land, and the LORD does not see!'10 "But as for Me, (C1)My eye will have no pity nor will I spare, but (C2)I will bring their conduct upon their heads."
11 Then behold, the man clothed in linen, at whose waist was the scribe's kit, (F1)reported, saying, "I have done just as You have commanded me."
Isaiah 41
Chapter 41
Israel Encouraged
1 "(C1)Listen to Me (C2)in silence, you coastlands,
And let the peoples (C3)gain new strength;
(C4)Let them come forward, then let them speak;
(C5)Let's come together for judgment.
2 "(C1)Who has stirred one from the east
Whom He (C2)calls in righteousness to His (F1)feet?
He (C3)turns nations over to him
And subdues kings.
He makes them like (C4)dust with his sword,
Like the wind-driven (C5)chaff with his bow.
3 "He pursues them, passing on in safety,
By a way he had not been (F1)traversing with his feet.
4 "(C1)Who has performed and accomplished it,
Summoning the generations from the beginning?
'(C2)I, the LORD, am the first, and with the last. (C3)I am He.'"
5 The (C1)coastlands have seen and are afraid;
The (C2)ends of the earth tremble;
They have approached and have come.
6 Each one helps his neighbor
And says to his brother, "Be strong!"
7 So the (C1)craftsman encourages the (C2)smelter,
And he who smooths metal with the hammer encourages him who beats the anvil,
Saying of the soldering, "It is good";
And he fastens it with nails,
(C3)So that it will not totter.
8 "But you, Israel, (C1)My servant,
Jacob whom I have chosen,
Descendant of (C2)Abraham My (C3)friend,
9 You whom I have (F1)(C1)taken from the ends of the earth
And called from its (C2)remotest parts,
And said to you, 'You are (C3)My servant,
I have (C4)chosen you and have not rejected you.
10 'Do not (C1)fear, for I am with you;
Do not be afraid, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, (C2)I will also help you,
I will also uphold you with My righteous (C3)right hand.'
11 "Behold, (C1)all those who are angered at you will be shamed and dishonored;
(C2)Those who contend with you will be as nothing and will perish.
12 "(C1)You will seek those who quarrel with you, but will not find them,
Those who war with you will be as nothing and non-existent.
13 "For I am the LORD your God (C1)who takes hold of your right hand,
Who says to you, '(C2)Do not fear, I will help you.'
14 "Do not fear, you (C1)worm Jacob, you people of Israel;
I will help you," declares the LORD, "and (C2)your (F1)Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
15 "Behold, I turned you into a new, sharp threshing sledge with double edges;
(C1)You will thresh the (C2)mountains and pulverize them,
And make the hills like chaff.
16 "You will (C1)winnow them, and the wind will carry them away,
And the storm will scatter them;
But you will (C2)rejoice in the LORD,
You will boast in the Holy One of Israel.
17 "The poor and needy are seeking (C1)water, but there is none,
And their tongues are parched with thirst.
I, the LORD, (C2)will answer them Myself;
As the God of Israel I (C3)will not abandon them.
18 "I will open (C1)rivers on the bare heights,
And springs in the midst of the valleys;
I will make (C2)the wilderness a pool of water,
And the dry land fountains of water.
19 "I will put the cedar in the wilderness,
The acacia, the (C1)myrtle, and the olive tree;
I will place the (C1)juniper in the desert,
Together with the elm tree and the cypress,
20 So that (C1)they may see and recognize,
And consider and gain insight as well,
That the (C2)hand of the LORD has done this,
And the Holy One of Israel has created it.
21 "(F1)Present your case," the LORD says.
"Bring forward your evidence,"
The (C1)King of Jacob says.
22 (C1)Let them bring them forward and declare to us what is going to take place;
As for the (C2)former events, declare what they were,
So that we may consider them and know their outcome.
Or announce to us what is coming;
23 (C1)Declare the things that are going to come afterward,
So that we may know that you are gods;
Indeed, (C2)do good or evil, that we may be afraid and fear together.
24 Behold, (C1)you are less than nothing,
And (C2)your work is less than nothing!
He who chooses you is an (C3)abomination.
25 "I have put (C1)one from the north into motion, and he has come;
From the rising of the sun he will call on My name;
And he will come upon rulers as upon (F1)(C2)mortar,
As the potter treads on clay."
26 Who has (C1)declared this from the beginning, that we might know?
Or from former times, that we may say, "He is right!"?
There was (C2)no one at all who declared,
There was no one at all who proclaimed,
There was no one at all who heard your words.
27 "(C1)Previously I said to Zion, 'Behold, here they are.'
And to Jerusalem, 'I will give a (C2)messenger of good news.'
28 "But (C1)when I look, there is no one,
And there is no (C2)counselor (F1)among them
Who, if I ask, can (C3)give an answer.
29 "Behold, all of them are (F1)false;
Their (C1)works are (C2)nothing,
Their cast metal images are (C3)wind and emptiness.
Ephesians 3
Chapter 3
Paul's Stewardship
1 For this reason I, Paul, (C1)the prisoner of (C2)Christ Jesus (C3)for the sake of you (C4)Gentiles—2 if indeed you have heard of the (C1)administration of God's grace which was given to me for you;3 (C1)that (C2)by revelation there was (C3)made known to me (C4)the mystery, (C5)as I wrote before briefly.4 (F1)By referring to this, when you read you can understand (C1)my insight (F2)into the (C2)mystery of Christ,5 which in other generations was not made known to (F1)mankind, as it has now been revealed to His holy (C1)apostles and prophets (F2)in the Spirit;6 to be specific, that the Gentiles are (C1)fellow heirs and (C2)fellow members of the body, and (C3)fellow partakers of the promise in (C4)Christ Jesus through the gospel,7 (C1)of which I was made a (C2)minister, according to the gift of (C3)God's grace which was given to me (C4)according to the working of His power.8 To me, (C1)the very least of all (F1)saints, this grace was given, to (C2)preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable (C3)riches of Christ,9 and to (F1)enlighten all people as to what the plan of the (C1)mystery is which for ages has been (C2)hidden in God, (C3)who created all things;10 so that the multifaceted (C1)wisdom of God might now be (C2)made known through the church to the (C3)rulers and the authorities in (C4)the heavenly places.11 This was in (C1)accordance with the (F1)eternal purpose which He (F2)carried out in (C2)Christ Jesus our Lord,12 in whom we have boldness and (F1)(C1)confident (C2)access through faith (F2)in Him.13 Therefore I ask (F1)you not (C1)to become discouraged about my tribulations (C2)in your behalf, (F2)since they are your glory.
14 For this reason I (C1)bend my knees before the Father,15 from whom (F1)every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,16 that He would grant you, according to (C1)the riches of His glory, to be (C2)strengthened with power through His Spirit in (C3)the inner (F1)self,17 so that (C1)Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being (C2)rooted and (C3)grounded in love,18 may be able to comprehend with (C1)all the (F1)saints what is (C2)the width and length and height and depth,19 and to know (C1)the love of Christ which (C2)surpasses knowledge, that you may be (C3)filled to all the (C4)fullness of God.
20 (C1)Now to Him who is (C2)able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, (C3)according to the power that works within us,21 (C1)to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations (F1)forever and ever. Amen.
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