Thursday, 24 October

1.   "They say, ‘If a man divorces his wife, And she goes from him And becomes another man’s, May he return to her again?’ Would not that land be greatly polluted? But you have played the harlot with many lovers; Yet return to Me," says the LORD. 2.   "Lift up your eyes to the desolate heights and see: Where have you not lain with men ? By the road you have sat for them Like an Arabian in the wilderness; And you have polluted the land With your harlotries and your wickedness. 3.   Therefore the showers have been withheld, And there has been no latter rain. You have had a harlot’s forehead; You refuse to be ashamed. 4.   Will you not from this time cry to Me, ‘My father, You are the guide of my youth? 5.   Will He remain angry forever? Will He keep it to the end?’ Behold, you have spoken and done evil things, As you were able." 6.   The LORD said also to me in the days of Josiah the king: "Have you seen what backsliding Israel has done? She has gone up on every high mountain and under every green tree, and there played the harlot. 7.   "And I said, after she had done all these things , ‘Return to Me.’ But she did not return. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it. 8.   "Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the harlot also. 9.   "So it came to pass, through her casual harlotry, that she defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees. 10.   "And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not turned to Me with her whole heart, but in pretense," says the LORD. 11.   Then the LORD said to me, "Backsliding Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah. 12.   "Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say: ‘Return, backsliding Israel,’ says the LORD; ‘I will not cause My anger to fall on you. For I am merciful,’ says the LORD; ‘I will not remain angry forever. 13.   Only acknowledge your iniquity, That you have transgressed against the LORD your God, And have scattered your charms To alien deities under every green tree, And you have not obeyed My voice,’ says the LORD. 14.   "Return, O backsliding children," says the LORD; "for I am married to you. I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. 15.   "And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. 16.   "Then it shall come to pass, when you are multiplied and increased in the land in those days," says the LORD, "that they will say no more, ‘The ark of the covenant of the LORD.’ It shall not come to mind, nor shall they remember it, nor shall they visit it , nor shall it be made anymore. 17.   "At that time Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the LORD, and all the nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem. No more shall they follow the dictates of their evil hearts. 18.   "In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given as an inheritance to your fathers. 19.   "But I said: ‘How can I put you among the children And give you a pleasant land, A beautiful heritage of the hosts of nations?’ "And I said: ‘You shall call Me, "My Father," And not turn away from Me.’ 20.   Surely, as a wife treacherously departs from her husband, So have you dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel," says the LORD. 21.   A voice was heard on the desolate heights, Weeping and supplications of the children of Israel. For they have perverted their way; They have forgotten the LORD their God. 22.   "Return, you backsliding children, And I will heal your backslidings." "Indeed we do come to You, For You are the LORD our God. 23.   Truly, in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, And from the multitude of mountains; Truly, in the LORD our God Is the salvation of Israel. 24.   For shame has devoured The labor of our fathers from our youth––Their flocks and their herds, Their sons and their daughters. 25.   We lie down in our shame, And our reproach covers us. For we have sinned against the LORD our God, We and our fathers, From our youth even to this day, And have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God."

1.   "If you will return, O Israel," says the LORD, "Return to Me; And if you will put away your abominations out of My sight, Then you shall not be moved. 2.   And you shall swear, ‘The LORD lives,’ In truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; The nations shall bless themselves in Him, And in Him they shall glory." 3.   For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: "Break up your fallow ground, And do not sow among thorns. 4.   Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, And take away the foreskins of your hearts, You men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, Lest My fury come forth like fire, And burn so that no one can quench it , Because of the evil of your doings." 5.   Declare in Judah and proclaim in Jerusalem, and say: "Blow the trumpet in the land; Cry, ‘Gather together,’ And say, ‘Assemble yourselves, And let us go into the fortified cities.’ 6.   Set up the standard toward Zion. Take refuge! Do not delay! For I will bring disaster from the north, And great destruction." 7.   The lion has come up from his thicket, And the destroyer of nations is on his way. He has gone forth from his place To make your land desolate. Your cities will be laid waste, Without inhabitant. 8.   For this, clothe yourself with sackcloth, Lament and wail. For the fierce anger of the LORD Has not turned back from us. 9.   "And it shall come to pass in that day," says the LORD, " That the heart of the king shall perish, And the heart of the princes; The priests shall be astonished, And the prophets shall wonder." 10.   Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Surely You have greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, Saying, ‘You shall have peace,’ Whereas the sword reaches to the heart." 11.   At that time it will be said To this people and to Jerusalem, "A dry wind of the desolate heights blows in the wilderness Toward the daughter of My people––Not to fan or to cleanse–– 12.   A wind too strong for these will come for Me; Now I will also speak judgment against them." 13.   "Behold, he shall come up like clouds, And his chariots like a whirlwind. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us, for we are plundered!" 14.   O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, That you may be saved. How long shall your evil thoughts lodge within you? 15.   For a voice declares from Dan And proclaims affliction from Mount Ephraim: 16.   "Make mention to the nations, Yes, proclaim against Jerusalem, That watchers come from a far country And raise their voice against the cities of Judah. 17.   Like keepers of a field they are against her all around, Because she has been rebellious against Me," says the LORD. 18.   "Your ways and your doings Have procured these things for you. This is your wickedness, Because it is bitter, Because it reaches to your heart." 19.   O my soul, my soul! I am pained in my very heart! My heart makes a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, Because you have heard, O my soul, The sound of the trumpet, The alarm of war. 20.   Destruction upon destruction is cried, For the whole land is plundered. Suddenly my tents are plundered, And my curtains in a moment. 21.   How long will I see the standard, And hear the sound of the trumpet? 22.   "For My people are foolish, They have not known Me. They are silly children, And they have no understanding. They are wise to do evil, But to do good they have no knowledge." 23.   I beheld the earth, and indeed it was without form, and void; And the heavens, they had no light. 24.   I beheld the mountains, and indeed they trembled, And all the hills moved back and forth. 25.   I beheld, and indeed there was no man, And all the birds of the heavens had fled. 26.   I beheld, and indeed the fruitful land was a wilderness, And all its cities were broken down At the presence of the LORD, By His fierce anger. 27.   For thus says the LORD: "The whole land shall be desolate; Yet I will not make a full end. 28.   For this shall the earth mourn, And the heavens above be black, Because I have spoken. I have purposed and will not relent, Nor will I turn back from it. 29.   The whole city shall flee from the noise of the horsemen and bowmen. They shall go into thickets and climb up on the rocks. Every city shall be forsaken, And not a man shall dwell in it. 30.   "And when you are plundered, What will you do? Though you clothe yourself with crimson, Though you adorn yourself with ornaments of gold, Though you enlarge your eyes with paint, In vain you will make yourself fair; Your lovers will despise you; They will seek your life. 31.   "For I have heard a voice as of a woman in labor, The anguish as of her who brings forth her first child, The voice of the daughter of Zion bewailing herself; She spreads her hands, saying , ‘Woe is me now, for my soul is weary Because of murderers!’

1.   "Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem; See now and know; And seek in her open places If you can find a man, If there is anyone who executes judgment, Who seeks the truth, And I will pardon her. 2.   Though they say, ‘ As the LORD lives,’ Surely they swear falsely." 3.   O LORD, are not Your eyes on the truth? You have stricken them, But they have not grieved; You have consumed them, But they have refused to receive correction. They have made their faces harder than rock; They have refused to return. 4.   Therefore I said, "Surely these are poor. They are foolish; For they do not know the way of the LORD, The judgment of their God. 5.   I will go to the great men and speak to them, For they have known the way of the LORD, The judgment of their God." But these have altogether broken the yoke And burst the bonds. 6.   Therefore a lion from the forest shall slay them, A wolf of the deserts shall destroy them; A leopard will watch over their cities. Everyone who goes out from there shall be torn in pieces, Because their transgressions are many; Their backslidings have increased. 7.   "How shall I pardon you for this? Your children have forsaken Me And sworn by those that are not gods. When I had fed them to the full, Then they committed adultery And assembled themselves by troops in the harlots’ houses. 8.   They were like well–fed lusty stallions; Every one neighed after his neighbor’s wife. 9.   Shall I not punish them for these things ?" says the LORD. "And shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this? 10.   "Go up on her walls and destroy, But do not make a complete end. Take away her branches, For they are not the LORD’S. 11.   For the house of Israel and the house of Judah Have dealt very treacherously with Me," says the LORD. 12.   They have lied about the LORD, And said, " It is not He. Neither will evil come upon us, Nor shall we see sword or famine. 13.   And the prophets become wind, For the word is not in them. Thus shall it be done to them." 14.   Therefore thus says the LORD God of hosts: "Because you speak this word, Behold, I will make My words in your mouth fire, And this people wood, And it shall devour them. 15.   Behold, I will bring a nation against you from afar, O house of Israel," says the LORD. "It is a mighty nation, It is an ancient nation, A nation whose language you do not know, Nor can you understand what they say. 16.   Their quiver is like an open tomb; They are all mighty men. 17.   And they shall eat up your harvest and your bread, Which your sons and daughters should eat. They shall eat up your flocks and your herds; They shall eat up your vines and your fig trees; They shall destroy your fortified cities, In which you trust, with the sword. 18.   "Nevertheless in those days," says the LORD, "I will not make a complete end of you. 19.   "And it will be when you say, ‘Why does the LORD our God do all these things to us?’ then you shall answer them, ‘Just as you have forsaken Me and served foreign gods in your land, so you shall serve aliens in a land that is not yours.’ 20.   "Declare this in the house of Jacob And proclaim it in Judah, saying, 21.   ‘Hear this now, O foolish people, Without understanding, Who have eyes and see not, And who have ears and hear not: 22.   Do you not fear Me?’ says the LORD. ‘Will you not tremble at My presence, Who have placed the sand as the bound of the sea, By a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass beyond it? And though its waves toss to and fro, Yet they cannot prevail; Though they roar, yet they cannot pass over it. 23.   But this people has a defiant and rebellious heart; They have revolted and departed. 24.   They do not say in their heart, "Let us now fear the LORD our God, Who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season. He reserves for us the appointed weeks of the harvest." 25.   Your iniquities have turned these things away, And your sins have withheld good from you. 26.   ‘For among My people are found wicked men ; They lie in wait as one who sets snares; They set a trap; They catch men. 27.   As a cage is full of birds, So their houses are full of deceit. Therefore they have become great and grown rich. 28.   They have grown fat, they are sleek; Yes, they surpass the deeds of the wicked; They do not plead the cause, The cause of the fatherless; Yet they prosper, And the right of the needy they do not defend. 29.   Shall I not punish them for these things ?’ says the LORD. ‘Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?’ 30.   "An astonishing and horrible thing Has been committed in the land: 31.   The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule by their own power; And My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?

1.   Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: 2.   Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3.   as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4.   by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5.   But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6.   to knowledge self–control, to self–control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7.   to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8.   For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9.   For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. 10.   Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11.   for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 12.   For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. 13.   Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you , 14.   knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. 15.   Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease. 16.   For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17.   For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." 18.   And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. 19.   And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; 20.   knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21.   for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.