Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

The Assurance of God’s Saving Work

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

The Cloud and the Fire^(A)

¹⁵ Now ^(B)on the day that the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud ^(C)covered the tabernacle, the tent of the Testimony; ^(D)from evening until morning it was above the tabernacle like the appearance of fire. ¹⁶ So it was always: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. ¹⁷ Whenever the cloud ^(E)was ^[a]taken up from above the tabernacle, after that the children of Israel would journey; and in the place where the cloud settled, there the children of Israel would pitch their tents. ¹⁸ At the ^[b]command of the Lord the children of Israel would journey, and at the command of the Lord they would camp; ^(F)as long as the cloud stayed above the tabernacle they remained encamped. ¹⁹ Even when the cloud continued long, many days above the tabernacle, the children of Israel ^(G)kept the charge of the Lord and did not journey. ²⁰ So it was, when the cloud was above the tabernacle a few days: according to the command of the Lord they would remain encamped, and according to the command of the Lord they would journey. ²¹ So it was, when the cloud remained only from evening until morning: when the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they would journey; whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud was taken up, they would journey. ²² Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud remained above the tabernacle, the children of Israel ^(H)would remain encamped and not journey; but when it was taken up, they would journey. ²³ At the command of the Lord they remained encamped, and at the command of the Lord they journeyed; they ^(I)kept the charge of the Lord, at the command of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

The Throne Room of Heaven^(A)

4 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing ^(B)open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a ^(C)trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”

² Immediately ^(D)I was in the Spirit; and behold, ^(E)a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. ^3 [a]And He who sat there was ^(F)like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; ^(G)and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. ^4 (H)Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, ^(I)clothed in white ^[b]robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. ⁵ And from the throne proceeded ^(J)lightnings, ^[c]thunderings, and voices. ^(K)Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are ^(L)the^[d] seven Spirits of God.

⁶ Before the throne there ^[e]was ^(M)a sea of glass, like crystal. ^(N)And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. ^7 (O)The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. ⁸ The four living creatures, each having ^(P)six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: