Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

To the Director: A Davidic Psalm.

A Prayer for Victory

The Fire Cloud over the Tent

¹⁵ On the same morning^[a] that the tent was set up, a cloud covered the tent, that is, the Tent of Testimony, and in the evening fire appeared over the tent until morning. ¹⁶ It was so continuously—there was a cloud covering by day, and a fire cloud appeared at night. ¹⁷ Whenever the cloud above the tent ascended, the Israelis would travel and encamp in the place where the cloud settled. ¹⁸ According to whatever the Lord said,^[b] the Israelis would travel. According to whatever the Lord said, they would camp as long as the cloud remained over the Tent of Meeting.

¹⁹ When the cloud over the tent remained for a longer time, the Israelis did what the Lord had instructed and didn’t travel. ²⁰ There were times when the cloud remained over the tent for a number of days. They camped in accordance with the Lord’s instructions and they traveled in accordance with the Lord’s instructions. ²¹ There were times when the cloud remained from evening until morning, but when the cloud ascended in the morning, they would journey. Whether by day or by night, they would travel whenever the cloud ascended. ²² Whether for two days, a month, or for longer periods, whenever the cloud would remain above the tent, the Israelis would remain in camp, not traveling. But whenever it ascended, then they would travel. ²³ According to what the Lord said, they would remain in camp, and according to what the Lord said, they would travel. They kept the commands that the Lord had given through Moses.

The Vision of God’s Throne

4 After these things, I saw a door standing open in heaven. The first voice that I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.” ² Instantly I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne in heaven with a person seated on the throne. ³ The person sitting there looked like jasper and carnelian, and there was a rainbow around the throne that looked like an emerald. ⁴ Around the throne were 24 other thrones, and on these thrones sat 24 elders wearing white robes and gold victor’s crowns on their heads. ⁵ Flashes of lightning, noises, and peals of thunder came from the throne. Burning in front of the throne were seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God.

⁶ In front of the throne was something like a sea of glass as clear as crystal. In the center of the throne and on each side of the throne were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. ⁷ The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature was like an ox, the third living creature had a face like a human, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. ⁸ Each of the four living creatures had six wings and were full of eyes inside and out. Without stopping day or night they were saying,