Dec 9

2 Chronicles 9
Zephaniah 1
Luke 23
Jude 1

Daily Readings:

2 Chronicles 9

1 ¶  And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great company, and camels that bare spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

2  And Solomon told her all her questions: and there was nothing hid from Solomon which he told her not.

3  And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built,

4  And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel; his cupbearers also, and their apparel; and his ascent by which he went up into the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.

5  And she said to the king, It was a true report which I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom:

6  Howbeit I believed not their words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me: for thou exceedest the fame that I heard.

7  Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom.

8  Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on His throne, to be king for the LORD thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore made He thee king over them, to do judgment and justice.

9  And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices great abundance, and precious stones: neither was there any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave king Solomon.

1 talent = 75 lbs, 120 talents x 75 = 9000 lbs, 16 oz per 1 lbs, 9000 x 16 = 144,000 oz, as of Nov 2012 gold sells for $1,751.55/oz, therefore, 144,000 x 1,751.55 = $2,522,232,000.00 (2.5 Billion)

10  And the servants also of Huram, and the servants of Solomon, which brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees and precious stones.

11  And the king made of the algum trees terraces to the house of the LORD, and to the king’s palace, and harps and psalteries for singers: and there were none such seen before in the land of Judah.

12  And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which she had brought unto the king. So she turned, and went away to her own land, she and her servants.

13 ¶  Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and threescore and six talents of gold;

1 talent = 75 lbs, 666 talents x 75 = 49,950 lbs, 16 oz per 1 lbs, 49,950 x 16 = 799,200 oz, as of Nov 2012 gold sells for $1,751.55/oz, therefore, 799,200 x 1,751.55 = $1,399,838,760.00 (1.3 Trillion)

14  Beside that which chapmen and merchants brought. And all the kings of Arabia and governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon.

15  And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one target.

16  And three hundred shields made he of beaten gold: three hundred shekels of gold went to one shield. And the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.

17  Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold.

18  And there were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and stays on each side of the sitting place, and two lions standing by the stays:

19  And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps. There was not the like made in any kingdom.

20  And all the drinking vessels of king Solomon were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold: none were of silver; it was not any thing accounted of in the days of Solomon.

21  For the king’s ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram: every three years once came the ships of Tarshish bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.

22  And king Solomon passed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.

23  And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, that God had put in his heart.

24  And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, harness, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.

25  And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; whom he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.

26  And he reigned over all the kings from the river even unto the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt.

27  And the king made silver in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar trees made he as the sycomore trees that are in the low plains in abundance.

28  And they brought unto Solomon horses out of Egypt, and out of all lands.

29  Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer against Jeroboam the son of Nebat?

30  And Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.

31  And Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.

Zephaniah 1

1 ¶  The word of the LORD which came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.

2  I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the LORD.

3  I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumblingblocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the LORD.

4  I will also stretch out Mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests;

5  And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham;

6  And them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for Him.

7 ¶  Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, He hath bid His guests.

8  And it shall come to pass in the day of the LORD’S sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king’s children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel.

9  In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold, which fill their masters’ houses with violence and deceit.

10  And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and an howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills.

11  Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are cut down; all they that bear silver are cut off.

12  And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will He do evil.

13  Therefore their goods shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation: they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof.

14 ¶  The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.

15  That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,

16  A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.

17  And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.

18  Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD’S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of His jealousy: for He shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.

Luke 23

1 ¶  And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate.

2  And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.

3  And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it.

4  Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man.

5  And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place.

6  When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilaean.

7  And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time.

8  And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.

9  Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing.

10  And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him.

11  And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate.

12  And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves.

13 ¶  And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people,

14  Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him:

15  No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him.

16  I will therefore chastise him, and release him.

17  (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)

18  And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas:

19  (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.)

20  Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them.

21  But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.

22  And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go.

23  And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.

24  And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.

25  And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will.

26 ¶  And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.

27  And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him.

28  But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.

29  For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.

30  Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.

31  For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?

32 ¶  And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.

33  And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

34  Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

35  And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.

36  And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,

37  And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.

38  And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

39  And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

40  But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

41  And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

42  And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

43  And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

44 ¶  And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.

45  And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.

46  And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

47  Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.

48  And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.

49  And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.

50 ¶  And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just:

51  (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.

52  This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.

53  And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.

54  And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.

55  And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.

56  And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.

Jude 1

1 ¶  Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:

2  Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.

3 ¶  Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

4  For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

5  I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

6  And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

7  Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

8 ¶  Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.

9  Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

10  But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

11  Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

12  These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

13  Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

14  And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

15 ¶  To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

16  These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.

17  But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;

18  How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.

19  These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.

20  But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

21  Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

22  And of some have compassion, making a difference:

23  And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

24  Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

25  To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Mediation of the Day: from Charles J Rolls’ book, ‘His Glorious Name’

W15-W01 The Worm4 W15-W02 The Worm5

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