Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Our Eyes Look to the Lord Our God

A Song of ^(A)Ascents.

The Lord Raises Up Judges

^16 (A)Then the Lord raised up judges, ^(B)who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them. ¹⁷ Yet they did not listen to their judges, for ^(C)they whored after other gods and bowed down to them. ^(D)They soon turned aside from the way in which their fathers had walked, who had obeyed the commandments of the Lord, and they did not do so. ¹⁸ Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, ^(E)the Lord was with the judge, and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge. ^(F)For the Lord was moved to pity by ^(G)their groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them. ¹⁹ But ^(H)whenever the judge died, they turned back and were more corrupt than their fathers, going after other gods, serving them and bowing down to them. They did not drop any of their practices or their stubborn ways. ^20 (I)So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he said, “Because this people ^(J)have transgressed my covenant that I commanded their fathers and have not obeyed my voice, ^21 (K)I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations that Joshua left when he died, ²² in order ^(L)to test Israel by them, whether they will take care to walk in the way of the Lord as their fathers did, or not.” ²³ So the Lord left those nations, not driving them out quickly, and he did not give them into the hand of Joshua.

⁸ The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people ^(A)with fire. ⁹ They were scorched by the fierce heat, and ^(B)they cursed^[a] the name of God who had power over these plagues. ^(C)They did not repent ^(D)and give him glory.

¹⁰ The fifth angel poured out his bowl on ^(E)the throne of the beast, and ^(F)its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish ¹¹ and cursed ^(G)the God of heaven for their pain and ^(H)sores. ^(I)They did not repent of their deeds.

¹² The sixth angel poured out his bowl on ^(J)the great river Euphrates, and ^(K)its water was dried up, ^(L)to prepare the way for the kings ^(M)from the east. ¹³ And I saw, coming out of the mouth of ^(N)the dragon and out of the mouth of ^(O)the beast and out of the mouth of ^(P)the false prophet, three ^(Q)unclean spirits like ^(R)frogs. ¹⁴ For they are ^(S)demonic spirits, ^(T)performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, ^(U)to assemble them for battle on ^(V)the great day of God the Almighty. ¹⁵ (“Behold, ^(W)I am coming like a thief! ^(X)Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, ^(Y)that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”) ¹⁶ And ^(Z)they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called ^(AA)Armageddon.

The Seventh Bowl

¹⁷ The seventh angel poured out his bowl into ^(AB)the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, ^(AC)“It is done!” ¹⁸ And there were ^(AD)flashes of lightning, rumblings,^[b] peals of thunder, and ^(AE)a great earthquake ^(AF)such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. ^19 (AG)The great city ^(AH)was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God ^(AI)remembered ^(AJ)Babylon the great, ^(AK)to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. ²⁰ And ^(AL)every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found. ²¹ And ^(AM)great hailstones, about one hundred pounds^[c] each, fell from heaven on people; and ^(AN)they cursed God for ^(AO)the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe.