Through the Bible – Day 291

Bible text(s)

Isaiah 63

God's wonderful new creation

The LORD's victory over the nations

1Who is this coming

from Bozrah in Edom

with clothes stained red?

Who is this hero marching

in his glorious uniform?

“It's me, the LORD!

I have won the battle,

and I can save you!”

2What are those red spots?

Your clothes look stained

from trampling on grapes.

3“I alone trampled the grapes!

None of the nations helped.

I trampled nations in my anger

and stained my clothes

with their blood.

4I did this because I wanted

to take revenge—

the time had come

to rescue my people.

5No one was there to help me

or to give support;

my mighty arm won the battle,

strengthened by my anger.

6In my fury I trampled on nations

and made them drunk;

their blood poured out

everywhere on earth.”

The LORD's goodness to his people

7I will tell about the kind deeds

the LORD has done.

They deserve praise!

The LORD has shown mercy

to the people of Israel;

he has been kind and good.

8The LORD rescued his people,

and said, “They are mine.

They won't betray me.”

9It troubled the LORD

to see them in trouble,

and his angel saved them.

The LORD was truly merciful,

so he rescued his people.

He took them in his arms

and carried them all those years.

10Then the LORD's people

turned against him and made

his Holy Spirit sad.

So he became their enemy

and attacked them.

11But his people remembered

what had happened

during the time of Moses.

Didn't the LORD bring them

and their leaders

safely through the sea?

Didn't he give them

his Holy Spirit?

12The glorious power of the LORD

marched beside Moses.

The LORD will be praised for ever

for dividing the sea.

13He led his people across

like horses running wild

without stumbling.

14His Spirit gave them rest,

just as cattle find rest

when led into a valley.

The name of the LORD was praised

for doing these things.

A prayer for mercy and help

15Please, LORD, look down

from your holy and glorious

home in the heavens

and see what's going on.

Have you lost interest?

Where is your power?

Show that you care about us

and have mercy!

16Our ancestors Abraham and Jacob

have both rejected us.

But you are still our Father;

you have been our protector

since ancient times.

17Why did you make us turn away

from you, our LORD?

Why did you make us want

to disobey you?

Please change your mind!

We are your servants,

your very own people.

18For a little while,

your temple belonged to us;

and now our enemies

have torn it down.

19We act as though you

had never ruled us

or called us your people.

Isaiah 64

1Rip the heavens apart!

Come down, LORD;

make the mountains tremble.

2Be a spark that starts a fire

causing water to boil.

Then your enemies will know

who you are;

all nations will tremble

because you are nearby.

3Your fearsome deeds

have completely amazed us;

even the mountains shake

when you come down.

4You are the only God

ever seen or heard of

who works miracles

for his followers.

5You help all who gladly obey

and do what you want,

but sin makes you angry.

Only by your help

can we ever be saved.

6We are unfit to worship you;

each of our good deeds

is merely a filthy rag.

We dry up like leaves;

our sins are storm winds

sweeping us away.

7No one worships in your name

or remains faithful.

You have turned your back on us

and let our sins melt us away.

8You, LORD, are our Father.

We are nothing but clay,

but you are the potter

who moulded us.

9Don't be so furious

or keep our sins

in your thoughts for ever!

Remember that all of us

are your people.

10Every one of your towns

has turned into a desert,

especially Jerusalem.

11Zion's glorious and holy temple

where our ancestors praised you

has been destroyed by fire.

Our beautiful buildings

are now a pile of ruins.

12When you see these things,

how can you just sit there

and make us suffer more?

Isaiah 65

The LORD will punish the guilty

1I, the LORD, was ready

to answer even those

who were not asking

and to be found by those

who were not searching.

To a nation that refused

to worship me,

I said, “Here I am!”

2All day long I have reached out

to stubborn and sinful people

going their own way.

3They keep making me angry

by sneering at me,

while offering sacrifices

to idols in gardens

and burning incense

to them on bricks.

4They spend their nights

hiding in burial caves;

they eat the meat of pigs,

cooked in sauces

made of stuff unfit to eat.

5And then they say to others,

“Don't come near us!

We're dedicated to God.”

Such people are like smoke,

irritating my nose all day.

6I have written this down;

I won't keep silent.

I'll pay them back

just as their sins deserve.

7I, the LORD, will make them pay

for their sins and for those

of their ancestors—

they have disgraced me

by burning incense

on mountains.

8Here is what the LORD says:

A cluster of grapes

that produces wine

is worth keeping!

So, because of my servants,

I won't destroy everyone.

9I have chosen the people

of Israel and Judah,

and I will bless them

with many descendants.

They will settle here

in this land of mountains,

and it will be theirs.

10My people will worship me.

Then the coastlands of Sharon

and the land as far

as Achor Valley

will turn into pasture land

where cattle and sheep

will feed and rest.

11What will I, the LORD, do

if any of you reject me

and my holy mountain?

What will happen to you

for offering food and wine

to the gods you call

“Good Luck” and “Fate”?

12Your luck will end!

I will see to it that you

are slaughtered with swords.

You refused to answer

when I called out;

you paid no attention

to my instructions.

Instead, you did what I hated,

knowing it was wrong.

13I, the LORD God, will give

food and drink to my servants,

and they will celebrate.

But all of you sinners

will go hungry and thirsty,

overcome with disgrace.

14My servants will laugh and sing,

but you will be sad

and cry out in pain.

15I, the LORD God, promise

to see that you are killed

and that my chosen servants use

your names as curse words.

But I will give new names

to my servants.

16I am God! I can be trusted.

Your past troubles are gone;

I no longer think of them.

When you pray for someone

to receive a blessing,

or when you make a promise,

you must do it in my name.

I alone am the God

who can be trusted.

Isaiah 63:1-65:16CEVOpen in Bible reader

1 Timothy 4

People will turn from their faith

1God's Spirit clearly says that in the last days many people will turn from their faith. They will be fooled by evil spirits and by teachings that come from demons. 2They will also be fooled by the false claims of liars whose consciences have lost all feeling. These liars 3will forbid people to marry or to eat certain foods. But God created these foods to be eaten with thankful hearts by his followers who know the truth. 4Everything God created is good. And if you give thanks, you may eat anything. 5What God has said and your prayer will make it fit to eat.

Paul's advice to Timothy

6If you teach these things to other followers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus. You will show that you have grown up on the teachings about our faith and on the good instructions you have obeyed. 7Don't have anything to do with worthless, senseless stories. Work hard to be truly religious. 8-9As the saying goes,

“Exercise is good

for your body,

but religion helps you

in every way.

It promises life

now and for ever.”

These words are worthwhile and should not be forgotten. 10We have put our hope in the living God, who is the Saviour of everyone, but especially of those who have faith. That's why we work and struggle so hard.

11Teach these things and tell everyone to do what you say. 12Don't let anyone make fun of you, just because you are young. Set an example for other followers by what you say and do, as well as by your love, faith, and purity.

13Until I arrive, be sure to keep on reading the Scriptures in worship, and don't stop preaching and teaching. 14Use the gift you were given when the prophets spoke and the group of church leaders blessed you by placing their hands on you. 15Remember these things and think about them, so everyone can see how well you are doing. 16Be careful about the way you live and about what you teach. Keep on doing this, and you will save not only yourself, but the people who hear you.

1 Timothy 4:1-16CEVOpen in Bible reader
Canadian Bible Societyv.4.26.9
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