Day 365 – December 31, 2021

Jonah 3

The Repentance of Nineveh

1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying,

2 “Arise and go to Nineveh, the great city, and preach there according to the message I previously spoke to you.”†

3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, just as the Lord spoke. Nineveh was an exceedingly great city to God, a journey of about three days.

4 And Jonah began to enter into the city, going a day’s journey, where he proclaimed and said, “Yet three days and Nineveh shall be overthrown.”

5 And the men of Nineveh believed God. They proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least.†

6 Then the word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, and put on sackcloth, and sat upon ashes.†

7 And it was proclaimed and spoken in Nineveh by the king and by his great men, saying, “Let not the men, cattle, oxen, or sheep taste anything, eat, or drink water.”

8 So the men and the cattle were clothed with sackcloth, and they cried out fervently to God; and they each turned back from their evil ways and from the wrongdoings of their hands, saying,

9 “Who knows if God shall have a change of heart and turn from His fierce anger, that we should not perish?”

10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil ways. And God had a change of heart about the evil which He said He would do to them, and He did not do it.

Jonah 4

Jonah Is Grieved by the Lord’s Compassion

1 But Jonah was deeply grieved and was troubled.†

2 So he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, were these not my words when I was yet in my land? Therefore I saw the need to flee to Tarshish; because I knew You to be compassionate and merciful, longsuffering and abundant in mercy, and willing to change your heart concerning evils.

3 And now, Master, Lord, take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.”

4 And the Lord said to Jonah, “Are you exceedingly grieved?”†

5 Then Jonah went out of the city and seated himself opposite it. There he made for himself a tent and sat under its shade, until he might observe what would happen to the city.

6 And the Lord God commanded a gourd, and it came up over the head of Jonah to be a shade over his head, to shield him from his discomforts. Jonah rejoiced with great joy because of the gourd.

7 But early the next morning, God commanded a worm, and it smote the gourd, and the gourd withered up.

8 And when the sun rose, God commanded a burning east wind; and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah, and he grew faint and despaired of his life. And he said, “It is better for me to die than to live.”

9 Then God said to Jonah, “Are you exceedingly grieved on account of the gourd?” And he said, “I am exceedingly grieved, even unto death.”

10 And the Lord said, “You took pity on the gourd, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came up during the night and perished before the next night.

11 And shall I Myself not take pity upon Nineveh, the great city, in which dwell more than one hundred and twenty thousand people who do not know either their right hand or their left—and many livestock?”†

Psalms 150

1 Alleluia. Praise God in His saints; Praise Him in the firmament of His power; 

2 Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to the abundance of His greatness. 

3 Praise Him with the sound of a trumpet; Praise Him with the harp and lyre; 

4 Praise Him with timbrel and dance; Praise Him with strings and flute; 

5 Praise Him with resounding cymbals; Praise Him with triumphant cymbals; 

6 Let everything that breathes praise the Lord. Alleluia.

Psalms 151

1 This is a psalm written with David’s own hand, although outside the number, when he fought in single combat with Goliath. †I was small among my brothers And the youngest in my father’s house; I tended my father’s sheep. 

2 My hands built a musical instrument; My fingers tuned a lyre. 

3 And who shall tell my Lord? The Lord Himself, He Himself hears. 

4 He sent forth His Angel And took me from my father’s sheep; And he anointed me with his anointing oil. 

5 My brothers were handsome and tall, But the Lord took no pleasure in them. 

6 I went out to meet the foreigner, And he cursed me with his idols; 

7 But I drew his own sword and beheaded him, And removed disgrace from the children of Israel.

Proverbs of Solomon 31

26 She runs her household carefully, And she does not eat the bread of idleness. 

27 She opens her mouth wisely and lawfully, And her charity raises her children, and they become rich, And her husband praises her, 

28 “Many daughters acquire riches; many do mighty things, But you excel and surpass all.” 

29 Desires to please are deceitful, and the beauty of a wife is vain; For a wise wife is blessed, And let her in fear praise the Lord. 

30 Give to her from the fruits of her hands, And let her husband praise her at the gates.

Revelation 22

Paradise Regained

1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.†

2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.†

3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.

4 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.†

5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.†

The Angel’s Testimony

6 Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place.

7 “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”†

8 Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things.†

Christ’s Testimony

9 Then he said to me, “See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”

10 And he said to me, “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.†

11 He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.”

12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.†

13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”

14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.†

15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”†

The Church’s Testimony

17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.†

18 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book;†

19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!†

Benediction

21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.†