Daily Reader's Bible - Flipbook - Page 10
In a vision during the night, I saw a man sitting on a red horse that was standing among
some myrtle trees in a small valley. Behind
him were riders on red, brown, and white
horses. I asked the angel who was talking
with me, “My lord, what do these horses
mean?”
“I will show you,” the angel replied.
The rider standing among the myrtle trees
then explained, “They are the ones the LORD
has sent out to patrol the earth.”
Then the other riders reported to the angel
of the LORD, who was standing among the
myrtle trees, “We have been patrolling the
earth, and the whole earth is at peace.”
Upon hearing this, the angel of the LORD
prayed this prayer: “O LORD of Heaven’s
Armies, for seventy years now you have
been angry with Jerusalem and the towns of
Judah. How long until you again show mercy
to them?” And the LORD spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who talked with me.
Then the angel said to me, “Shout this message for all to hear: ‘This is what the LORD of
Heaven’s Armies says: My love for Jerusalem
and Mount Zion is passionate and strong. But I
am very angry with the other nations that are
now enjoying peace and security. I was only
a little angry with my people, but the nations
inflicted harm on them far beyond my intentions.
“‘Therefore, this is what the LORD says: I
have returned to show mercy to Jerusalem.
My Temple will be rebuilt, says the LORD of
Heaven’s Armies, and measurements will be
taken for the reconstruction of Jerusalem.’
“Say this also: ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: The towns of Israel will again
overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will
again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem as
his own.’”
Then I looked up and saw four animal
horns. “What are these?” I asked the angel who
was talking with me.
He replied, “These horns represent the nations that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”
Then the LORD showed me four blacksmiths. “What are these men coming to do?”
I asked.
The angel replied, “These four horns—these
nations—scattered and humbled Judah. Now
these blacksmiths have come to terrify those
nations and throw them down and destroy
them.”
When I looked again, I saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. “Where are you going?”
I asked.
He replied, “I am going to measure Jerusalem, to see how wide and how long it is.”
Then the angel who was with me went to
meet a second angel who was coming toward
him. The other angel said, “Hurry, and say to
that young man, ‘Jerusalem will someday be
so full of people and livestock that there won’t
be room enough for everyone! Many will live
outside the city walls. Then I, myself, will be
a protective wall of fire around Jerusalem,
says the LORD. And I will be the glory inside
the city!’”
2
BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO DELIGHT IN THE LAW
[PSALM 1]
Oh, the joys of those who do not
follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers.
But they delight in the law of the LORD,
meditating on it day and night.
They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
and they prosper in all they do.
1
But not the wicked!
They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.
They will be condemned at the time of judgment.
Sinners will have no place among the godly.
For the LORD watches over the path of the godly,
but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.
5
