Wednesday, 15 Tevet 5784 / December 27, 2023
Day 361 Readings
Torah: Parshat Vayechi, 4th Portion (Bereshit (Genesis) 49:1-49:18)
Genesis 49:1-18
New American Standard Bible 1995
Israel’s Prophecy concerning His Sons
1 Then Jacob summoned his sons and said, “Assemble yourselves that I may tell you what will befall you in the [a]days to come.
2 “Gather together and hear, O sons of Jacob;And listen to Israel your father.
3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn;My might and the beginning of my strength,[b]Preeminent in dignity and [c]preeminent in power.4 “[d]Uncontrolled as water, you shall not have preeminence,Because you went up to your father’s bed;Then you defiled it—he went up to my couch.
5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers;Their swords are implements of violence.6 “Let my soul not enter into their council;Let not my glory be united with their assembly;Because in their anger they slew [e]men,And in their self-will they lamed [f]oxen.7 “Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; And their wrath, for it is cruel. I will [g]disperse them in Jacob, And scatter them in Israel.
8 “Judah, your brothers shall praise you;Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father’s sons shall bow down to you. 9 “Judah is a lion’s whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up.He [h]couches, he lies down as a lion ,And as a [i]lion, who [j]dares rouse him up? 10 “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,[k]Until Shiloh comes, And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. 11 “[l]He ties his foal to the vine,And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine;He washes his garments in wine,And his robes in the blood of grapes.12 “His eyes are [m]dull from wine,And his teeth [n]white from milk.
13 “Zebulun will dwell at the seashore;And he shall be [o]a haven for ships,And his flank shall be toward Sidon.
14 “Issachar is [p]a strong donkey, Lying down between the [q]sheepfolds. 15 “When he saw that a resting place was good And that the land was pleasant, He bowed his shoulder to bear burdens, And became a slave at forced labor.
16 “Dan shall judge his people, As one of the tribes of Israel. 17 “Dan shall be a serpent in the way, A horned snake in the path, That bites the horse’s heels, So that his rider falls backward. 18 “For Your salvation I wait, O Lord.
Bible Study Together
1 Chronicles 6:16-53
New American Standard Bible 1995
16 [a]The sons of Levi were [b]Gershom, Kohath and Merari. 17 These are the names of the sons of Gershom: Libni and Shimei. 18 The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. 19 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. And these are the families of the Levites according to their fathers’ households. 20 Of Gershom: Libni his son, Jahath his son, Zimmah his son, 21 Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son, Jeatherai his son. 22 The sons of Kohath were Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son, 23 Elkanah his son, Ebiasaph his son and Assir his son, 24 Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son and Shaul his son. 25 The sons of Elkanah were Amasai and Ahimoth. 26 As for Elkanah, the sons of Elkanah were Zophai his son and Nahath his son, 27 Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son. 28 The sons of Samuel were Joel the firstborn, and Abijah the second. 29 The sons of Merari were Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzzah his son, 30 Shimea his son, Haggiah his son, Asaiah his son.
31 Now these are those whom David appointed over the service of song in the house of the Lord, after the ark rested there. 32 They ministered with song before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, until Solomon had built the house of the Lord in Jerusalem; and they [c]served in their office according to their order. 33 These are those who [d]served with their sons: From the sons of the Kohathites were Heman the singer, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel, 34 the son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah, 35 the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai, 36 the son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah, 37 the son of Tahath, the son of Assir, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, 38 the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of Israel. 39 Heman’s brother Asaph stood at his right hand, even Asaph the son of Berechiah, the son of Shimea, 40 the son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah, the son of Malchijah, 41 the son of Ethni, the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah, 42 the son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah, the son of Shimei, 43 the son of Jahath, the son of Gershom, the son of Levi. 44 On the left hand were their [e]kinsmen the sons of Merari: Ethan the son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluch, 45 the son of Hashabiah, the son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah, 46 the son of Amzi, the son of Bani, the son of Shemer, 47 the son of Mahli, the son of Mushi, the son of Merari, the son of Levi. 48 Their [f]kinsmen the Levites were [g]appointed for all the service of the tabernacle of the house of God.
49 But Aaron and his sons [h]offered on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense, for all the work of the most holy place, and to make atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded. 50 These are the sons of Aaron: Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son, 51 Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son, 52 Meraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son, 53 Zadok his son, Ahimaaz his son.
Matthew 20:1-16
New American Standard Bible 1995
Laborers in the Vineyard
1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like [a]a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 When he had agreed with the laborers for a [b]denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the [c]third hour and saw others standing idle in the market place; 4 and to those he said, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ And so they went. 5 Again he went out about the [d]sixth and the ninth hour, and did [e]the same thing. 6 And about the [f]eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day long?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He *said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’
8 “When evening came, the [g]owner of the vineyard *said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last group to the first.’ 9 When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a [h]denarius. 10 When those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; [i]but each of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.’ 13 But he answered and said to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go, but I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye [j]envious because I am [k]generous?’ 16 So the last shall be first, and the first last.”
365 Daily Kingdom Living
Don’t Add Oil To Fire
Be sensitive to people who are going through hard times. Oftentimes, their aggression is simply a venting of their frustration, and not directed at you. You are called to be a peacemaker – so don’t react but face that emotionally charged situation with kindness and soft words.
Prayer: Lord, may Your gentleness be always in me. Help me to not focus on myself but see others with compassion. Where there is anger and strife, let my thoughts be good and pure so the words that come out from my mouth will help the situation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture
Zechariah 10
New American Standard Bible 1995
God Will Bless Judah and Ephraim
10 Ask rain from the Lord at the time of the spring rain—
The Lord who makes the [a]storm clouds;And He will give them showers of rain, vegetation in the field to each man.2 For the teraphim speak [b]iniquity,And the diviners see [c]lying visionsAnd tell false dreams;They comfort in vain.Therefore the people [d]wander like sheep,They are afflicted, because there is no shepherd.3 “My anger is kindled against the shepherds,And I will punish the [e]male goats;For the Lord of hosts has visited His flock, the house of Judah,And will make them like His majestic horse in battle.4 “From [f]them will come the cornerstone,From [g]them the tent peg,From [h]them the bow of battle,From [i]them every [j]ruler, all of them together.5 “They will be as mighty men,Treading down the enemy in the mire of the streets in battle;And they will fight, for the Lord will be with them;And the riders on horses will be put to shame.6 “I will strengthen the house of Judah,And I will save the house of Joseph,And I will [k]bring them back,Because I have had compassion on them;And they will be as though I had not rejected them,For I am the Lord their God and I will answer them.7 “Ephraim will be like a mighty man,And their heart will be glad as if from wine;Indeed, their children will see it and be glad,[l]Their heart will rejoice in the Lord.8 “I will whistle for them to gather them together,For I have redeemed them;And they will be as numerous as they [m]were before.9 “When I [n]scatter them among the peoples,They will remember Me in far countries,And they with their children will live and come back.10 “I will bring them back from the land of EgyptAnd gather them from Assyria;And I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon[o]Until no room can be found for them.11 “And they will pass through the sea of distressAnd He will strike the waves in the sea,So that all the depths of the Nile will dry up;And the pride of Assyria will be brought downAnd the scepter of Egypt will depart.12 “And I will strengthen them in the Lord,And in His name they will walk,” declares the Lord.
Zechariah 11
7 So I pastured the flock doomed to slaughter, [i]hence the afflicted of the flock. And I took for myself two staffs: the one I called [j]Favor and the other I called [k]Union; so I pastured the flock. 8 Then I annihilated the three shepherds in one month, for my soul was impatient with them, and their soul also [l]was weary of me. 9 Then I said, “I will not pasture you. What is to die, [m]let it die, and what is to be annihilated, [n]let it be annihilated; and [o]let those who are left eat one another’s flesh.” 10 I took my staff [p]Favor and cut it in pieces, to [q]break my covenant which I had made with all the peoples. 11 So it was [r]broken on that day, and [s]thus the afflicted of the flock who were watching me realized that it was the word of the Lord. 12 I said to them, “If it is good in your sight, give me my wages; but if not, [t]never mind!” So they weighed out thirty shekels of silver as my wages. 13 Then the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter, that magnificent price at which I was valued by them.” So I took the thirty shekels of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the Lord. 14 Then I cut in pieces my second staff [u]Union, to break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
Revelation 18
Babylon Is Fallen
1 After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illumined with his glory. 2 And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, “[a]Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a [b]prison of every unclean spirit, and a [c]prison of every unclean and hateful bird. 3 For all the nations [d]have drunk of the wine of the [e]passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the [f]wealth of her [g]sensuality.”
4 I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues; 5 for her sins have [h]piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. 6 Pay her back even as she has paid, and [i]give back to her double according to her deeds; in the cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her. 7 To the degree that she glorified herself and lived [j]sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as a queen and I am not a widow, and will never see mourning.’ 8 For this reason in one day her plagues will come, [k]pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for the Lord God who judges her is strong.
Lament for Babylon
9 “And the kings of the earth, who committed acts of immorality and lived [l]sensuously with her, will weep and lament over her when they see the smoke of her burning, 10 standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’
11 “And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargoes any more— 12 cargoes of gold and silver and precious [m]stones and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet, and every kind of citron wood and every article of ivory and every article made from very costly wood and [n]bronze and iron and marble, 13 and cinnamon and [o]spice and incense and perfume and frankincense and wine and olive oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep, and cargoes of horses and chariots and [p]slaves and [q]human lives. 14 The fruit [r]you long for has gone from you, and all things that were luxurious and splendid have passed away from you and men will no longer find them. 15 The merchants of these things, who became rich from her, will stand at a distance because of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, 16 saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, she who was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and [s]adorned with gold and precious [t]stones and pearls; 17 for in one hour such great wealth has been laid waste!’ And every shipmaster and every [u]passenger and sailor, and as many as make their living by the sea, stood at a distance, 18 and were crying out as they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What city is like the great city?’ 19 And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea became rich by her [v]wealth, for in one hour she has been laid waste!’ 20 Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you [w]saints and apostles and prophets, because God has [x]pronounced judgment for you against her.”
21 Then [y]a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “So will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence, and will not be found any longer. 22 And the sound of harpists and musicians and flute-players and trumpeters will not be heard in you any longer; and no craftsman of any craft will be found in you any longer; and the sound of a mill will not be heard in you any longer; 23 and the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer; and the voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer; for your merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery. 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and of [z]saints and of all who have been slain on the earth.”
Psalm 146
New American Standard Bible 1995
The Lord an Abundant Helper.
1 [a]Praise [b]the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! 2 I will praise the Lord while I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. 3 Do not trust in princes, In [c]mortal man, in whom there is no salvation. 4 His spirit departs, he returns to [d]the earth;In that very day his thoughts perish. 5 How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, Whose hope is in the Lord his God, 6 Who made heaven and earth, The sea and all that is in them; Who keeps [e]faith forever; 7 Who executes justice for the oppressed; Who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free.
8 The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; The Lord raises up those who are bowed down; The Lord loves the righteous; 9 The Lord [f]protects the [g]strangers; He [h]supports the fatherless and the widow, But He [i]thwarts the way of the wicked. 10 The Lord will reign forever, Your God, O Zion, to all generations.[j]Praise [k]the Lord!
Proverbs 30:32-33
New American Standard Bible 1995
32 If you have been foolish in exalting yourself Or if you have plotted evil, put your hand on your mouth. 33 For the [a]churning of milk produces butter,And pressing the nose brings forth blood;So the [b]churning of anger produces strife.