Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
God Decides Right from Wrong
50 The Powerful One, God, the Lord, has spoken. And He calls the earth from where the sun rises to where the sun goes down. 2 God shines from Zion, perfect in beauty. 3 May our God come and not keep quiet. A fire burns before Him, and around Him is a powerful storm. 4 He calls the heavens above, and the earth, that He may judge His people: 5 “Gather My holy ones to Me, those who have made an agreement with Me by their gifts given on an altar.” 6 And the heavens will tell how right and good He is, for God Himself is judge.
7 “Listen, O My people, and I will speak. O Israel, I will speak against you. I am God, your God. 8 I do not speak sharp words to you for your gifts given on an altar. And your burnt gifts are always before Me.
22 “Now think about this, you who forget God, or I will tear you in pieces and there will be no one to save you. 23 He who gives a gift of thanks honors Me. And to him who makes his way right, I will show him the saving power of God.”
Punishment against Israel
8 The Lord sends word against Jacob, and it falls on Israel. 9 And all the people will know it, that is, Ephraim and the people of Samaria. They say with a proud spirit in their hearts, 10 “The clay blocks have fallen down, but we will build again with smooth stones. The sycamore trees have been cut down, but we will put cedar trees in their place.” 11 So the Lord brings men from Rezin to fight against them. He makes those who hate them move to action. 12 The Syrians on the east and the Philistines on the west swallow Israel with an open mouth. Even with this, the Lord’s anger does not turn away. His hand is still held out.
13 Yet the people do not return to Him Who punished them. They do not look to the Lord of All. 14 So the Lord will cut off the head and tail from Israel, both palm branch and river-grass in one day. 15 The leaders and men of honor are the head, and the tail is the false preachers who teach lies. 16 For those who lead these people are leading them from the right way, and those who are led by them are going the wrong way. 17 So the Lord is not pleased with their young men. He does not have pity on their children who have no parents or on their women whose husbands have died. Every one of them is without God and does sinful things. Every mouth speaks foolish words. Even with all this, His anger does not turn away. His hand is still held out.
9 I am telling the truth because I belong to Christ. The Holy Spirit tells my heart that I am not lying. 2 I have much sorrow. The pain in my heart never leaves. 3 I could even wish that I might be kept from being with Christ if that would help my people to be saved from the punishment of sin. They are of my own flesh and blood. 4 They are Jews and are the people God chose for Himself. He shared His shining-greatness with them and gave them His Law and a way to worship. They have His promises. 5 The early preachers came from this family. Christ Himself was born of flesh from this family and He is over all things. May God be honored and thanked forever. Let it be so.
6 I am not saying that God did not keep His promises. Not all the Jews are people God chose for Himself. 7 Not all of Abraham’s family are children of God. God told Abraham, “Only the family of Isaac will be called your family.”(A) 8 This means that children born to Abraham are not all children of God. Only those that are born because of God’s promise to Abraham are His children. 9 This was the promise God made: “About this time next year I will come, and Sarah will have a son.” (B)
Copyright © 1969, 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.