Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
A psalm by Asaph.
50 The Lord, the only true God, has spoken.
He has summoned the earth
from where the sun rises to where it sets.
2 God shines from Zion,
the perfection of beauty.
3 Our God will come and will not remain silent.
A devouring fire is in front of him
and a raging storm around him.
4 He summons heaven and earth to judge his people:
5 “Gather around me, my godly people
who have made a pledge to me through sacrifices.”
6 The heavens announce his righteousness
because God is the judge. Selah
Jeroboam’s Son Dies
14 At that time Abijah, son of Jeroboam, got sick. 2 Jeroboam told his wife, “Go to Shiloh, but disguise yourself so that people will not recognize you as my wife. The prophet Ahijah, who told me I would be king of these people, is there. 3 Take ten loaves of bread, some raisins,[a] and a jar of honey with you, and go to him. He will tell you what will happen to the boy.” 4 Jeroboam’s wife did this. She left, went to Shiloh, and came to the home of Ahijah.
Ahijah couldn’t see. His eyesight had failed because he was old. 5 However, the Lord had told Ahijah, “Jeroboam’s wife is coming to ask you about her son who is sick. When she comes, she will pretend to be someone else.” He also told Ahijah what to say to her.
6 Ahijah heard her footsteps when she came into the room. He said, “Come in. You’re Jeroboam’s wife. Why are you pretending to be someone else? I’ve been told to give you some terrible news. 7 Tell Jeroboam, ‘This is what the Lord God of Israel says: I picked you out of the people and made you a leader over my people Israel. 8 I tore the kingdom away from David’s heirs and gave it to you. But you have not been like my servant David. He obeyed my commands and faithfully followed me by doing only what I considered right. 9 You have done more evil things than everyone before you. You made other gods, metal idols, for yourself. You made me furious and turned your back to me.
10 “ ‘That is why I will bring disaster on Jeroboam’s house. I will destroy every male [b] in his house, whether slave or freeman in Israel. I will burn down Jeroboam’s house. It will burn like manure until it is gone. 11 If anyone from Jeroboam’s house dies in the city, dogs will eat him. If anyone dies in the country, birds will eat him.’ The Lord has said this!
12 “Get up, and go home. The moment you set foot in the city the child will die. 13 All Israel will mourn for him and bury him. He is the only one of Jeroboam’s family who will be ⌞properly⌟ buried. He was the only one in Jeroboam’s house in whom the Lord God of Israel found anything good. 14 The Lord will appoint a king over Israel. That king will destroy Jeroboam’s house. This will happen today. It will happen right now.
15 “The Lord will strike Israel like cattails which shake in the water. He will uproot Israel from this good land which he gave their ancestors. He will scatter them beyond the Euphrates River because they dedicated poles to the goddess Asherah and made the Lord furious. 16 So the Lord will desert Israel because of Jeroboam’s sins, the sins which he led Israel to commit.”
17 Jeroboam’s wife got up, left, and went to Tirzah. When she walked across the threshold of her home, the boy died. 18 All Israel buried him and mourned for him as the Lord had said through his servant, the prophet Ahijah.
God’s Mercy to Paul
12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord that he has trusted me and has appointed me to do his work with the strength he has given me. 13 In the past I cursed him, persecuted him, and acted arrogantly toward him. However, I was treated with mercy because I acted ignorantly in my unbelief. 14 Our Lord was very kind [a] to me. Through his kindness he brought me to faith and gave me the love that Christ Jesus shows people.
15 This is a statement that can be trusted and deserves complete acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and I am the foremost sinner. 16 However, I was treated with mercy so that Christ Jesus could use me, the foremost sinner, to demonstrate his patience. This patience serves as an example for those who would believe in him and live forever. 17 Worship and glory belong forever to the eternal king, the immortal, invisible, and only God. Amen.
Guidelines for the Church
18 Timothy, my child, I’m giving you this order about the prophecies that are still coming to you: Use these prophecies in faith and with a clear conscience to fight this noble war. 19 Some have refused to let their faith guide their conscience and their faith has been destroyed like a wrecked ship.[b] 20 Among these people are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan in order to teach them not to dishonor God.
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