Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

A Prayer for the King

For the director of music. A song of David.

The Cloud Above the Tent

¹⁵ On the day the Holy Tent was set up, a cloud covered it. (The Holy Tent was also called the Tent of the Agreement.) From dusk until dawn the cloud above the Tent looked like fire. ¹⁶ The cloud stayed above the Tent. At night it looked like fire. ¹⁷ When the cloud moved from its place over the Tent, the Israelites moved. Wherever the cloud stopped, the Israelites camped. ¹⁸ So the Israelites moved at the Lord’s command. And they camped at his command. While the cloud stayed over the Tent, they stayed in place. ¹⁹ Sometimes the cloud stayed over the Tent for a long time. The Israelites obeyed the Lord and did not move. ²⁰ Sometimes the cloud was over it only a few days. At the Lord’s command the people camped. And at his command they moved. ²¹ Sometimes the cloud stayed only from dusk until dawn. When the cloud lifted the next morning, the people moved. When the cloud lifted, day or night, the people moved. ²² The cloud might stay over the Tent for two days, a month or a year. As long as it stayed, the people would camp. But when the cloud lifted, they moved. ²³ At the Lord’s command the people camped. And at his command they moved. They obeyed the Lord’s order that he commanded through Moses.

John Sees Heaven

4 After this I looked, and there before me was an open door in heaven. And I heard the same voice that spoke to me before. It was the voice that sounded like a trumpet. The voice said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.” ² Then the Spirit took control of me. There before me was a throne in heaven. Someone was sitting on the throne. ³ The One who sat on the throne looked like precious stones, like jasper and carnelian. All around the throne was a rainbow the color of an emerald. ⁴ Around the throne there were 24 other thrones. There were 24 elders^[a] sitting on the 24 thrones. The elders were dressed in white, and they had golden crowns on their heads. ⁵ Lightning flashes and noises of thunder came from the throne. Before the throne there were seven lamps burning. These lamps are the seven spirits of God. ⁶ Also before the throne there was something that looked like a sea of glass. It was clear like crystal.

Around the throne, on each side, there were four living things. These living things had eyes all over them, in front and in back. ⁷ The first living thing was like a lion. The second was like a calf. The third had a face like a man. The fourth was like a flying eagle. ⁸ Each of these four living things had six wings. The living things were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day and night they never stop saying: