2 Chronicles 24

JUDAH’S KING JOASH
Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beer-sheba.
2 Throughout the time of the priest Jehoiada, Joash did what was right in the Lord’s sight. 3 Jehoiada acquired two wives for him, and he was the father of sons and daughters.

REPAIRING THE TEMPLE
4 Afterward, Joash took it to heart to renovate the Lord’s temple. 5 So he gathered the priests and Levites and said, “Go out to the cities of Judah and collect silver from all Israel to repair the temple of your God as needed year by year, and do it quickly.”

However, the Levites did not hurry. 6 So the king called Jehoiada the high priest and said, “Why haven’t you required the Levites to bring from Judah and Jerusalem the tax imposed by the Lord’s servant Moses and the assembly of Israel for the tent of the testimony? 7 For the sons of that wicked Athaliah broke into the Lord’s temple and even used the sacred things of the Lord’s temple for the Baals.”

8 At the king’s command a chest was made and placed outside the gate of the Lord’s temple. 9 Then a proclamation was issued in Judah and Jerusalem that the tax God’s servant Moses imposed on Israel in the wilderness be brought to the Lord. 10 All the leaders and all the people rejoiced, brought the tax, and put it in the chest until it was full. 11 Whenever the chest was brought by the Levites to the king’s overseers, and when they saw that there was a large amount of silver, the king’s secretary and the high priest’s deputy came and emptied the chest, picked it up, and returned it to its place. They did this daily and gathered the silver in abundance. 12 Then the king and Jehoiada gave it to those in charge of the labor on the Lord’s temple, who were hiring stonecutters and carpenters to renovate the Lord’s temple, also blacksmiths and coppersmiths to repair the Lord’s temple.

13 The workmen did their work, and through them the repairs progressed. They restored God’s temple to its specifications and reinforced it. 14 When they finished, they presented the rest of the silver to the king and Jehoiada, who made articles for the Lord’s temple with it ​— ​articles for ministry and for making burnt offerings, and ladles and articles of gold and silver. They regularly offered burnt offerings in the Lord’s temple throughout Jehoiada’s life.

JOASH’S APOSTASY
15 Jehoiada died when he was old and full of days; he was 130 years old at his death. 16 He was buried in the city of David with the kings because he had done what was good in Israel with respect to God and his temple.

17 However, after Jehoiada died, the rulers of Judah came and paid homage to the king. Then the king listened to them, 18 and they abandoned the temple of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and served the Asherah poles and the idols. So there was wrath against Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. 19 Nevertheless, he sent them prophets to bring them back to the Lord; they admonished them, but the people would not listen.

20 The Spirit of God enveloped Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood above the people and said to them, “This is what God says, ‘Why are you transgressing the Lord’s commands so that you do not prosper? Because you have abandoned the Lord, he has abandoned you.’ ” 21 But they conspired against him and stoned him at the king’s command in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple. 22 King Joash didn’t remember the kindness that Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had extended to him, but killed his son. While he was dying, he said, “May the Lord see and demand an account.”

ARAMEAN INVASION OF JUDAH
23 At the turn of the year, an Aramean army attacked Joash. They entered Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the leaders of the people among them and sent all the plunder to the king of Damascus. 24 Although the Aramean army came with only a few men, the Lord handed over a vast army to them because the people of Judah had abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors. So they executed judgment on Joash.

JOASH ASSASSINATED
25 When the Arameans saw that Joash had many wounds, they left him. His servants conspired against him, and killed him on his bed, because he had shed the blood of the sons of the priest Jehoiada. So he died, and they buried him in the city of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings.

26 Those who conspired against him were Zabad, son of the Ammonite woman Shimeath, and Jehozabad, son of the Moabite woman Shimrith. 27 The accounts concerning his sons, the many divine pronouncements about him, and the restoration of God’s temple are recorded in the Writing of the Book of the Kings. His son Amaziah became king in his place.

Revelation 11

THE TWO WITNESSES
Then I was given a measuring reed like a rod, with these words: “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count those who worship there.
2 But exclude the courtyard outside the temple. Don’t measure it, because it is given to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. 3 I will grant my two witnesses authority to prophesy for 1,260 days, dressed in sackcloth.” 4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5 If anyone wants to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and consumes their enemies; if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way. 6 They have authority to close up the sky so that it does not rain during the days of their prophecy. They also have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every plague whenever they want.

THE WITNESSES MARTYRED
7 When they finish their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war on them, conquer them, and kill them. 8 Their dead bodies will lie in the main street of the great city, which figuratively is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. 9 And some of the peoples, tribes, languages, and nations will view their bodies for three and a half days and not permit their bodies to be put into a tomb. 10 Those who live on the earth will gloat over them and celebrate and send gifts to one another because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.

THE WITNESSES RESURRECTED
11 But after three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet. Great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” They went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies watched them. 13 At that moment a violent earthquake took place, a tenth of the city fell, and seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake. The survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

14 The second woe has passed. Take note: The third woe is coming soon!

THE SEVENTH TRUMPET
15 The seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying,

The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom

of our Lord and of his Christ,

and he will reign forever and ever.

16 The twenty-four elders, who were seated before God on their thrones, fell facedown and worshiped God, 17 saying,

We give you thanks, Lord God, the Almighty,

who is and who was,

because you have taken your great power

and have begun to reign.

18 The nations were angry,

but your wrath has come.

The time has come

for the dead to be judged

and to give the reward

to your servants the prophets,

to the saints, and to those who fear your name,

both small and great,

and the time has come to destroy

those who destroy the earth.

19 Then the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant appeared in his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder, an earthquake, and severe hail.

Zechariah 7

DISOBEDIENCE AND FASTING
In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is Chislev.
2 Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer, Regem-melech, and their men to plead for the Lord’s favor 3 by asking the priests who were at the house of the Lord of Armies as well as the prophets, “Should we mourn and fast in the fifth month as we have done these many years? ”

4 Then the word of the Lord of Armies came to me: 5 “Ask all the people of the land and the priests: When you fasted and lamented in the fifth and in the seventh months for these seventy years, did you really fast for me? 6 When you eat and drink, don’t you eat and drink simply for yourselves? 7 Aren’t these the words that the Lord proclaimed through the earlier prophets when Jerusalem was inhabited and secure, along with its surrounding cities, and when the southern region and the Judean foothills were inhabited? ”

8 The word of the Lord came to Zechariah: 9 “The Lord of Armies says this: ‘Make fair decisions. Show faithful love and compassion to one another. 10 Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the resident alien or the poor, and do not plot evil in your hearts against one another.’ 11 But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder; they closed their ears so they could not hear. 12 They made their hearts like a rock so as not to obey the law or the words that the Lord of Armies had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. Therefore intense anger came from the Lord of Armies. 13 Just as he had called, and they would not listen, so when they called, I would not listen, says the Lord of Armies. 14 I scattered them with a windstorm over all the nations that had not known them, and the land was left desolate behind them, with no one coming or going. They turned a pleasant land into a desolation.”

Psalm 135

THE LORD IS GREAT
Hallelujah!
Praise the name of the Lord.
Give praise, you servants of the Lord
2 who stand in the house of the Lord,
in the courts of the house of our God.
3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;
sing praise to his name, for it is delightful.
4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself,
Israel as his treasured possession.
5 For I know that the Lord is great;
our Lord is greater than all gods.
6 The Lord does whatever he pleases
in heaven and on earth,
in the seas and all the depths.
7 He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth.
He makes lightning for the rain
and brings the wind from his storehouses.
8 He struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
both people and animals.
9 He sent signs and wonders against you, Egypt,
against Pharaoh and all his officials.
10 He struck down many nations
and slaughtered mighty kings:
11 Sihon king of the Amorites,
Og king of Bashan,
and all the kings of Canaan.
12 He gave their land as an inheritance,
an inheritance to his people Israel.
13 Lord, your name endures forever,
your reputation, Lord,
through all generations.
14 For the Lord will vindicate his people
and have compassion on his servants.
15 The idols of the nations are of silver and gold,
made by human hands.
16 They have mouths but cannot speak,
eyes, but cannot see.
17 They have ears but cannot hear;
indeed, there is no breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them are just like them,
as are all who trust in them.
19 House of Israel, bless the Lord!
House of Aaron, bless the Lord!
20 House of Levi, bless the Lord!
You who revere the Lord, bless the Lord!
21 Blessed be the Lord from Zion;
he dwells in Jerusalem.
Hallelujah!

Psalm 136

GOD’S LOVE IS ETERNAL
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
‘His faithful love endures forever’.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods.
‘His faithful love endures forever’.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords.
‘His faithful love endures forever’.
4 He alone does great wonders.
‘His faithful love endures forever’.
5 He made the heavens skillfully.
‘His faithful love endures forever’.
6 He spread the land on the waters.
‘His faithful love endures forever’.
7 He made the great lights:
‘His faithful love endures forever’.
8 the sun to rule by day,
‘His faithful love endures forever’.
9 the moon and stars to rule by night.
‘His faithful love endures forever’.
10 He struck the firstborn of the Egyptians
‘His faithful love endures forever’.
11 and brought Israel out from among them
‘His faithful love endures forever’.
12 with a strong hand and outstretched arm.
‘His faithful love endures forever’.
13 He divided the Red Sea
‘His faithful love endures forever’.
14 and led Israel through,
‘His faithful love endures forever’.
15 but hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea.
‘His faithful love endures forever’.
16 He led his people in the wilderness.
‘His faithful love endures forever’.
17 He struck down great kings
‘His faithful love endures forever’.
18 and slaughtered famous kings —
‘His faithful love endures forever’.
19 Sihon king of the Amorites
‘His faithful love endures forever’.
20 and Og king of Bashan —
‘His faithful love endures forever’.
21 and gave their land as an inheritance,
‘His faithful love endures forever’.
22 an inheritance to Israel his servant.
‘His faithful love endures forever’.
23 He remembered us in our humiliation
‘His faithful love endures forever’.
24 and rescued us from our foes.
‘His faithful love endures forever’.
25 He gives food to every creature.
‘His faithful love endures forever’.
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven!
‘His faithful love endures forever’.

— 2 Chronicles 24, Revelation 11, Zechariah 7, Psalm 135-136 (CSB)