Psalm 108^[a](A)(B)

A song. A psalm of David.

The Exile Symbolized

12 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people.^(A) They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people.^(B)

³ “Therefore, son of man, pack your belongings for exile and in the daytime, as they watch, set out and go from where you are to another place. Perhaps^(C) they will understand,^(D) though they are a rebellious people.^{(E) 4} During the daytime, while they watch, bring out your belongings packed for exile. Then in the evening, while they are watching, go out like those who go into exile.^{(F) 5} While they watch, dig through the wall^(G) and take your belongings out through it. ⁶ Put them on your shoulder as they are watching and carry them out at dusk. Cover your face so that you cannot see the land, for I have made you a sign^(H) to the Israelites.”

⁷ So I did as I was commanded.^(I) During the day I brought out my things packed for exile. Then in the evening I dug through the wall with my hands. I took my belongings out at dusk, carrying them on my shoulders while they watched.

⁸ In the morning the word of the Lord came to me: ⁹ “Son of man, did not the Israelites, that rebellious people, ask you, ‘What are you doing?’^(J)

¹⁰ “Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: This prophecy concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the Israelites who are there.’ ¹¹ Say to them, ‘I am a sign^(K) to you.’

“As I have done, so it will be done to them. They will go into exile as captives.^(L)

¹² “The prince among them will put his things on his shoulder at dusk^(M) and leave, and a hole will be dug in the wall for him to go through. He will cover his face so that he cannot see the land.^{(N) 13} I will spread my net^(O) for him, and he will be caught in my snare;^(P) I will bring him to Babylonia, the land of the Chaldeans,^(Q) but he will not see^(R) it, and there he will die.^{(S) 14} I will scatter to the winds all those around him—his staff and all his troops—and I will pursue them with drawn sword.^(T)

¹⁵ “They will know that I am the Lord, when I disperse them among the nations^(U) and scatter them through the countries. ¹⁶ But I will spare a few of them from the sword, famine and plague, so that in the nations where they go they may acknowledge all their detestable practices. Then they will know that I am the Lord.^(V)”

¹² The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates,^(A) and its water was dried up to prepare the way^(B) for the kings from the East.^{(C) 13} Then I saw three impure spirits^(D) that looked like frogs;^(E) they came out of the mouth of the dragon,^(F) out of the mouth of the beast^(G) and out of the mouth of the false prophet.^{(H) 14} They are demonic spirits^(I) that perform signs,^(J) and they go out to the kings of the whole world,^(K) to gather them for the battle^(L) on the great day^(M) of God Almighty.

¹⁶ Then they gathered the kings together^(Q) to the place that in Hebrew^(R) is called Armageddon.^(S)

¹⁷ The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air,^(T) and out of the temple^(U) came a loud voice^(V) from the throne, saying, “It is done!”^{(W) 18} Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder^(X) and a severe earthquake.^(Y) No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth,^(Z) so tremendous was the quake. ¹⁹ The great city^(AA) split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered^(AB) Babylon the Great^(AC) and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath.^{(AD) 20} Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found.^{(AE) 21} From the sky huge hailstones,^(AF) each weighing about a hundred pounds,^[a] fell on people. And they cursed God^(AG) on account of the plague of hail,^(AH) because the plague was so terrible.

The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast^(A)(B)

¹⁸ Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God^(C) like?^(D) What shall I compare it to? ¹⁹ It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree,^(E) and the birds perched in its branches.”^(F)

²⁰ Again he asked, “What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? ²¹ It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds^[a] of flour until it worked all through the dough.”^(G)

The Narrow Door

²² Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem.^{(H) 23} Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”

He said to them, ²⁴ “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door,^(I) because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. ²⁵ Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’

“But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’^(J)

²⁶ “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’

²⁷ “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’^(K)

²⁸ “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth,^(L) when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. ²⁹ People will come from east and west^(M) and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. ³⁰ Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”^(N)