Wednesday, 1 Tevet 5784 / December 13, 2023
Day 347 Readings
Torah: Mikeitz, 4th Portion Bereshit (Genesis) 41:53-42:18
53 When the seven years of plenty which had taken place in the land of Egypt came to an end, 54 and the seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said, then there was famine in all the lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. 55 So when all the land of Egypt suffered famine, the people cried out to Pharaoh for bread; and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, you shall do.” 56 When the famine was spread over the entire face of the earth, then Joseph opened all [a]the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians; and the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. 57 Then the people of all the earth came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe in all the earth.
Joseph’s Brothers Sent to Egypt
42 Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, “Why are you staring at one another?” 2 Then he said, “Look, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down there and buy some for us from [b]that place, so that we may live and not die.” 3 So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. 4 But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “I am afraid that harm may happen to him.” 5 So the sons of Israel came to buy grain among those who were coming, because the famine was also in the land of Canaan.
6 Now Joseph was the ruler over the land; he was the one who sold grain to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. 7 When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he disguised himself to them and spoke to them harshly. He said to them, “Where have you come from?” And they said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.”
8 But Joseph had recognized his brothers, although they did not recognize him. 9 And Joseph remembered the dreams which he [c]had about them, and he said to them, “You are spies; you have come to look at the [d]undefended parts of our land.” 10 And they said to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food. 11 We are all sons of one man; we are honest men, your servants are not spies.” 12 Yet he said to them, “No, but you have come to look at the [e]undefended parts of our land!” 13 But they said, “Your servants are twelve brothers in all, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no longer alive.” 14 Yet Joseph said to them, “It is as I said [f]to you, you are spies; 15 by this you will be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here! 16 Send one of you and have him get your brother, while you remain confined, so that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. But if not, by the life of Pharaoh, you are certainly spies!” 17 So he put them all together in prison for three days.
18 Now Joseph said to them on the third day, “Do this and live, for I fear God:
Bible Study Together
2 Samuel 2
New American Standard Bible
David Made King over Judah
2 Then it came about afterward that David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up to one of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord said to him, “Go up.” So David said, “Where shall I go up?” And He said, “To Hebron.” 2 So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the [a]widow of Nabal the Carmelite. 3 And David brought up his men who were with him, each with his household; and they settled in the cities of Hebron. 4 Then the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.” 5 So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said to them, “May you be blessed of the Lord because you have [b]shown this kindness to Saul your lord, and have buried him. 6 And now may the Lord [c]show kindness and truth to you; and I also will [d]show this goodness to you, because you have done this thing. 7 Now then, let your hands be strong and be [e]valiant, since Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”
2 Samuel 3
The House of David Strengthened
1 Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David; and David became steadily stronger, while the house of Saul became steadily weaker.
Luke 17:11-37
New American Standard Bible
Ten Men with Leprosy Healed
11 While He was on the way to Jerusalem, He was passing [a]between Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as He entered a village, ten men with leprosy who stood at a distance met Him; 13 and they raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were going, they were cleansed. 15 Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, 16 and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan. 17 But Jesus responded and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine—where are they? 18 [b]Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?” 19 And He said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has [c]made you well.”
Second Coming Foretold
20 Now He was questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, and He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with [d]signs that can be observed; 21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is [e]in your midst.”
22 And He said to the disciples, “The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. 23 And they will say to you, ‘Look there,’ or, ‘Look here!’ Do not leave, and do not run after them. 24 For just like the lightning, when it flashes out of one part [f]of the sky, shines to the other part [g]of the sky, so will the Son of Man be in His day. 25 But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. 26 And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so will it also be in the days of the Son of Man: 27 people were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, and they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 [h]It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, and they were building; 29 but on the day that Lot left Sodom, it rained fire and [i]brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 It will be [j]just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day, the one who will be on the [k]housetop, [l]with his goods in the house, must not go down to take them out; and likewise the one in the field must not turn back. 32 Remember Lot’s wife. 33 Whoever strives to [m]save his [n]life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will keep it. 34 I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left. 35 There will be two women grinding at the same place; one will be taken and the other will be left. 36 [[o]Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left.”] 37 And responding, they *said to Him, “Where, Lord?” And He said to them, “Where the body is, there also the [p]vultures will be gathered.”
376 Daily Kingdom Living
Fooled By Pride
If you think your marble-floored home in the up-scale part of town or the fancy luxurious car you own will save you, think again. If you think the money you so proudly made carries weight, think again. God’s campaign against pride is a great leveller. Obadiah here prophecies against the descendants of Esau for their arrogance, but he might as well be addressing the book to 21st Century to your city as well.
Prayer: Dear Lord, change our pride to humility and thankfulness. When I stop to think of all you’ve given me, I stand in awe. You are the source of all blessings. My health, my strength, my mind, my family, my job – they are all linked to your great love and mercy. Thank you, my provider. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture
Obadiah
New American Standard Bible
Edom Will Be Humbled
1 The vision of Obadiah.
This is what the Lord [a]God says concerning Edom—
We have heard a report from the Lord,And a messenger has been sent among the nations saying,“Arise, and let’s go up against her for battle”—2 “Behold, I will make you small among the nations;You are greatly despised.3 The arrogance of your heart has deceived you,The one who lives in the clefts of [b]the rock,On the height of his dwelling place,Who says in his heart,‘Who will bring me down to earth?’4 Though you make your home high like the eagle,Though you set your nest among the stars,From there I will bring you down,” declares the Lord. 5 “If thieves came to you,If [c]robbers by night—Oh how you will be ruined!—Would they not steal only [d]until they had enough?If grape-pickers came to you, Would they not leave some gleanings? 6 Oh how Esau will be searched,And his hidden treasures searched out! 7 All the people [e]allied with you Will send you to the border,And the people at peace with you Will deceive you and overpower you. They who eat your bread Will set an ambush for you. (There is no understanding [f]in him.) 8 Will I not on that day,” declares the Lord,“Eliminate wise men from Edom,And understanding from the mountain of Esau? 9 Then your warriors will be filled with terror, Teman,So that everyone will be eliminated from the mountain of Esau by murder.
10 “Because of violence to your brother Jacob, Shame will cover you, And you will be eliminated forever. 11 On the day that you stood aloof,On the day that strangers carried off his wealth,And foreigners entered his gateAnd cast lots for Jerusalem—You too were as one of them.12 Do not [g]gloat over your brother’s day,The day of his misfortune.And do not rejoice over the sons of JudahOn the day of their destruction;Yes, do not [h]boastOn the day of their distress.13 Do not enter the gate of My peopleOn the day of their disaster. You indeed, do not [i]gloat over their catastropheOn the day of their disaster.And do not lay a hand on their wealth On the day of their disaster. 14 Do not stand at the crossroadsTo eliminate their survivors; And do not hand over their refugeesOn the day of their distress.
The Day of the Lord and the Future
15 “For the day of the Lord is near for all the nations.Just as you have done, it will be done to you.Your dealings will return on your own head. 16 For just as you drank on My holy mountain,All the nations will drink continually.They will drink [j]to the last drop,And become as if they had never existed.17 But on Mount Zion there will be those who escape, And it will be holy. And the house of Jacob will [k]possess their [l]property.18 Then the house of Jacob will be a fire,And the house of Joseph a flame; But the house of Esau will be like stubble.And they will set [m]them on fire and consume [n]them, So that there will be no survivor of the house of Esau, ”For the Lord has spoken.19 Then those of the [o]Negev will [p]possess the mountain of Esau,And those of the [q]Shephelah the Philistine plain; Also, they will [r]possess the territory of Ephraim and the territory of Samaria, And Benjamin the territory of Gilead. 20 And the exiles of this army of the sons of Israel,Who are among the Canaanites as far as Zarephath,And the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad,Will [s]possess the cities of the Negev. 21 [t]The deliverers will ascend Mount Zion To judge the mountain of Esau,And the kingdom will be the Lord’s.
Revelation 4
New American Standard Bible
Scene in Heaven
1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.” 2 Immediately I was in the [a]Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and someone was sitting on the throne. 3 And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a [b]rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads.
The Throne and Worship of the Creator
5 Out from the throne *came flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are [c]the seven spirits of God; 6 and before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal; and in the [d]center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second creature like a calf, the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. 8 And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night [e]they do not cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who [f]is to come.”
9 And when the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and they will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
11 “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they [g]existed, and were created.”
Psalm 132
New American Standard Bible
Prayer for the Lord’s Blessing upon the Sanctuary.
A Song of Ascents.
1 Remember, Lord, in David’s behalf,All his affliction; 2 How he swore to the Lord And vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob, 3 “I certainly will not [a]enter my house,Nor [b]lie on my bed; 4 I will not give sleep to my eyes Or slumber to my eyelids, 5 Until I find a place for the Lord,[c]A dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
6 Behold, we heard about it in Ephrathah,We found it in the field of [d]Jaar.7 Let’s go into His [e]dwelling place;Let’s worship at His footstool.8 Arise, Lord, to Your resting place,You and the ark of Your strength.9 May Your priests be clothed with righteousness,And may Your godly ones sing for joy.
10 For the sake of Your servant David,Do not turn away the face of Your anointed.11 The Lord has sworn to David A truth from which He will not turn back:“I will set upon your throne one from the fruit of your body.12 If your sons will keep My covenantAnd My testimony which I will teach them,Their sons also will sit upon your throne forever.”
13 For the Lord has chosen Zion;He has desired it as His dwelling place.14 “This is My resting place forever;Here I will dwell, for I have desired it.15 I will abundantly bless her food;I will satisfy her needy with bread.16 I will also clothe her priests with salvation,And her godly ones will sing aloud for joy.17 I will make the horn of David spring forth there;I have prepared a lamp for My anointed.18 I will clothe his enemies with shame,But upon himself his crown will gleam.”
Proverbs 29:23
New American Standard Bible
23 A person’s pride will bring him low,But a humble spirit will obtain honor.