Ezekiel 27-29
1 Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyre, 3 and you shall say to Tyre, situated at the entrance of the sea and market of the peoples on many coastlands, ‘Thus says the Lord to Tyre: “You say, ‘I clothed myself with beauty.’ 4 In the heart of the sea, your sons clothed you with beauty for Beelim. 5 Cedar from Senir was used by you in building. Boards of cypress timber were obtained from Lebanon to make masts of pinewood, 6 and they made your oars out of wood from Bashan. They made your sacred objects from ivory, and your groves of houses out of wood from the coastlands of Cyprus. 7 Your couch was made of fine embroidered linen from Egypt, to cover you with splendor, and to clothe you with blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah. They were your coverings. 8 Your rulers were the inhabitants of Sidon, and the Aradians were your oarsmen. Your skilled men, O Tyre, were your pilots. 9 The elders of Byblos and their wise men were in you. These men strengthened your counsel. All the ships of the sea and their oarsmen were yours, even to the far west.
10 “Persians, Lydians, and Libyans were in your army. Your warriors hung shields and helmets in you, and they gave you glory. 11 The sons of the Aradians and your army were upon your walls. There were guards in your towers, and they hung their quivers on the walls all around your harbors. These sons completed your beauty.
12 “Those from Carthage were your merchants because of the abundance of all your strength. They furnished your marketplace with silver, gold, iron, tin, and lead. 13 Greece and all the extended regions, these busied themselves in the trade of human lives and of vessels of copper for your markets. 14 The house of Togarmah furnished your marketplace with horses and horsemen. 15 The sons of Rodians were your traders. From the coastlands they multiplied your trade in ivory. 16 To those who brought in the goods, you paid them wages in return from the abundant market of your mixed goods: myrrh and embroidered works from Tharsis, and even people as merchandise. Ramoth and Chorchor also traded with you. 17 Judah and the sons of Israel, these traded with you. They traded in your marketplace the sale of wheat, myrrh, cassia, fine honey, oil, and resin. 18 Damascus was a merchant in your marketplace because of the abundance of all your power: wine from Helbon and wool from Miletos. They also provided wine for your marketplace. 19 From Asel, there came wrought iron and wheels for your market of mixed goods. 20 Dedan was your merchant, with choice animals for chariots. 21 Arabia and all the rulers of Kedar, these were your traders, bringing camels, rams, and lambs in which they traded with you. 22 The merchants of Sheba and Raamah traded with you. They traded for your wares the choicest spices, all kinds of precious stones, and gold. 23 Harran and Canneh also traded with you. Assyria and Chilmad were merchants in your marketplace, 24 as they brought trade in blue cloth, in choice treasures bound with ropes, and in cypress wood. 25 The ships of Tarshish were your merchants in abundance, with your market of mixed goods, and you were filled and heavily loaded in the heart of the sea.
26 “Your oarsmen brought you into many waters, but the south wind broke you to pieces in the heart of the sea. 27 Your armies and the profits from your markets of mixed goods, your oarsmen and pilots, your counselors and merchandisers from your market of mixed goods, all your men of war who are in you, and the entire company in your midst will fall in the heart of the sea in the day of your fall. 28 At the sound of your cry, your pilots will be greatly afraid. 29 All who handle the oar, the mariners, and all the pilots of the sea will disembark from their ships and stand on the shore. 30 They will cry out in pain over you. They will cry out bitterly, put dust on their heads, and spread ashes under themselves. 31 Their sons will take up a song of grief and a lamentation for you, saying, 32 ‘How great a profit did you find from the sea? The nations were filled from your abundance and the kings of the earth were enriched from your market of mixed goods. 33 Now you are broken to pieces in the sea, in the depth of water. Your market of mixed goods and all your assembly fell in your midst, along with all your oarsmen. 34 All the inhabitants of the coastlands are shocked over you. Their kings are greatly astonished, and their faces are covered with tears. 35 The merchants from the nations hiss at you, for destruction has come about, and you will be no more forever.’ ” ’ ”
The King of Tyre Is Overthrown
1 Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “As for you, son of man, say to the ruler of Tyre, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Because your heart is lifted up, and you say, ‘I am God, and I live in the dwelling of God, in the heart of the sea,’ yet you are a man and not God, though you set your heart as the heart of God. 3 Are you wiser than Daniel? Or have not your wise men instructed you with their understanding? 4 Have you gained wisdom by your own understanding? Have you gained power for yourself by your own knowledge or discernment, and obtained gold and silver by yourself for your treasuries? 5 By your abundant understanding and trade you increased your power, and your heart was lifted up in your power.” 6 Therefore thus says the Lord: “Since you set your heart as the heart of God, 7 instead of this, behold, I shall bring foreigners against you, the plague of the nations. They will unsheathe their swords against the beauty of your knowledge and bring down your beauty in destruction. 8 They will bring you down, and you will die the death of the slain in the heart of the sea. 9 Will you still say, ‘I am God,’ before those who slay you? But you are a man and not God. 10 You shall perish by the hands of foreigners among the multitude of the uncircumcised, for I have spoken,” says the Lord.’ ”
Lamentation for the Ruler of Tyre
11 Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 12 “Son of man, take up a lamentation for the ruler of Tyre, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord and Master: “You are a seal of resemblance and crown of beauty. 13 You were the luxury of the paradise of God, adorned with every good stone: sardius, topaz, emerald, and diamond, sapphire, jasper, silver, and gold, stone of Liguria, agate, and amethyst, chrysolite, beryl, and onyx. You filled your treasuries and your storehouses with gold from the very day you were created. 14 I appointed you to be with the cherub. I set you on the holy mountain of God. You were in the midst of the stones of fire. 15 You were blameless in your days from the day you were created, until wrongs were found in you. 16 By the abundance of your trade, you filled your secret rooms with lawlessness; thus you sinned. So you were cast wounded from the mountain of God, and the cherub brought you out from the midst of the stones of fire. 17 Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty. Your knowledge was corrupted with your beauty. Because of the multitude of your sins I cast you to the ground. Before kings I set you forth as an example. 18 Because of the multitude of your sins and the wrongdoings of your trade, you desecrated your sanctuaries; therefore, I will bring fire from your midst which will devour you, to turn you into ashes upon your land in the sight of all who see you. 19 All who know you among the nations shall groan over you. You destroyed yourself, and you shall be present no more forever.” ’ ”
Judgment on Sidon
20 Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 21 “Son of man, set your face toward Sidon, and prophesy against her, 22 and say, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Behold, I am against you, O Sidon, and I shall be glorified in you. Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I execute judgments in you and am sanctified in you. 23 Blood and death shall be in your streets, and those wounded by the sword shall fall on every side. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
24 “Thus there will no longer be in the house of Israel a thorn of bitterness or a painful thorn from all who are around them, who dishonor them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
Israel Will Have Hope
25 ‘Thus says the Lord and Master: “I shall bring Israel from the nations where they were scattered, and I shall be sanctified among them in the sight of the peoples and of the nations. Then they will dwell in their own land which I gave to My servant Jacob. 26 So they will dwell there in hope, build houses, and plant vineyards; yes, they will dwell in hope when I execute judgment on all those who dishonor them. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God, and the God of their fathers.” ’ ”
Judgment on Egypt
1 In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, set your face toward Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him and against all Egypt. 3 Speak and say, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Behold, I am against you, O Pharaoh king of Egypt, O great dragon who lies in the midst of his rivers and says, ‘The rivers are mine, for I made them.’ 4 But I shall put hooks in your jaws and join the fish of your rivers to your wings, and I shall bring you and all the fish of your river up from the midst of your river. 5 Then I will quickly cast down you and all the fish of your river. You will fall to the surface of the plain, and you will not be gathered and buried. I will give you as food to the wild animals of the field and to the birds of the heavens. 6 Then all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the Lord, because they were a staff made of reed to the house of Israel. 7 For when they took hold of you with their hand, you broke it, and when every hand conquered them and they rested their hand on you, you crushed it and broke all their backs.”
8 ‘Therefore thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will bring a sword against you, and destroy man and cattle from you. 9 Thus the land of Egypt shall be destroyed and become a desert. Then they will know that I am the Lord, because you say, ‘The rivers are mine, and I made them.’ 10 Therefore, behold, I am against you and against all your rivers, and I shall turn the land of Egypt into a desert, to the sword and to destruction, from Migdol to Syene, as far as the borders of Ethiopia. 11 Neither foot of man nor foot of cattle will pass through it, and it will be uninhabited for forty years. 12 I shall make the land of Egypt a destruction in the midst of a land laid waste, and her cities will be laid waste for forty years. I shall scatter Egypt among the nations and disperse them like chaff throughout the countries.”
13 ‘Yet, thus says the Lord: “At the end of forty years, I shall gather the Egyptians from the nations where they were scattered. 14 I shall bring back the captives of the Egyptians and cause them to dwell in the land of Pathros, in the land from which they were taken; but they will be a lowly dominion. 15 Alongside all the dominions, it will not be exalted any longer among the nations, for I shall make them to be very small, so as not to be great among the nations. 16 So they shall no longer be to the house of Israel as an expectation to remind them to follow after their lawlessness. Then they will know that I am the Lord.” ’ ”
Babylon Will Plunder Egypt
17 Again it came to pass in the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, that the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 18 “Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon caused his army to labor strenuously against Tyre. Every head was made bald, and every shoulder rubbed raw; yet there was no reward to him nor his army serving against Tyre, for the labor they expended on it. 19 Therefore thus says the Lord and Master: ‘Behold, I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will plunder it and carry off her spoil. It will be the wages for his army. 20 As compensation for his service in which he served against Tyre, I will give him the land of Egypt,’ says the Lord and Master.
21 “In that day a horn shall spring forth for all the house of Israel, and I will give you an open mouth in the midst of them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
Psalm 135:16–26
16 To Him who led His people through the wilderness,
For His mercy endures forever;
To Him who drew water from the hard rock,
For His mercy endures forever;
17 To Him who struck down great kings,
For His mercy endures forever,
18 And killed mighty kings,
For His mercy endures forever,
19 Sihon king of the Amorites,
For His mercy endures forever,
20 And Og king of Bashan,
For His mercy endures forever,
21 And who gave their land as an inheritance,
For His mercy endures forever,
22 An inheritance for Israel His servant,
For His mercy endures forever.
23 For in our humiliation the Lord remembered us,
For His mercy endures forever;
24 And He redeemed us from our enemies,
For His mercy endures forever;
25 Who gave food to all flesh,
For His mercy endures forever.
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven,
For His mercy endures forever;
Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
For His mercy endures forever.
Proverbs 29:7–12
7 A righteous man understands how to judge on behalf of the poor,
But the ungodly man will not consider such knowledge;
For he has no understanding heart for a poor man.
8 Pestilent men burn down a city,
But wise men turn away wrath.
9 A wise man judges people fairly,
But when a worthless man is angry, he laughs at them, and does not fear.
10 Bloodthirsty men will hate a holy man,
But the upright will seek his soul.
11 A man without discernment brings forth his whole mind,
But a wise man distributes his in part.
12 When a king obeys an unrighteous word,
All those under him are lawless.
Revelation 6
1 Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.”
2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
Second Seal: Conflict on Earth
3 When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.”
4 Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.
Third Seal: Scarcity on Earth
5 When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand.
6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.”
Fourth Seal: Widespread Death on Earth
7 When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.”
8 So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.
Fifth Seal: The Cry of the Martyrs
9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.
10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.
Sixth Seal: Cosmic Disturbances
12 I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood.
13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind.
14 Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.
15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains,
16 and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!
17 “For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”