2 Samuel 23, Galatians 3, Ezekiel 30, Psalm 78:38~72

2 Samuel 23,

1 These are the last words of David: "The oracle of David son of Jesse, the oracle of the man exalted by the Most High, the man anointed by the God of Jacob, Israel's singer of songs:
 
2 "The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me; his word was on my tongue.
 
3 The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me: 'When one rules over men in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God,
 
4 he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings the grass from the earth.'
 
5 "Is not my house right with God? Has he not made with me an everlasting covenant, arranged and secured in every part? Will he not bring to fruition my salvation and grant me my every desire?
 
6 But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns, which are not gathered with the hand.
 
7 Whoever touches thorns uses a tool of iron or the shaft of a spear; they are burned up where they lie."
 
8 These are the names of David's mighty men: Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter.
 
9 Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty men, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim for battle. Then the men of Israel retreated,
 
10 but he stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead.
 
11 Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel's troops fled from them.
 
12 But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the LORD brought about a great victory.
 
13 During harvest time, three of the thirty chief men came down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.
 
14 At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.
 
15 David longed for water and said, "Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!"
 
16 So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the LORD.
 
17 "Far be it from me, O LORD, to do this!" he said. "Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?" And David would not drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.
 
18 Abishai the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three. He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three.
 
19 Was he not held in greater honor than the Three? He became their commander, even though he was not included among them.
 
20 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, who performed great exploits. He struck down two of Moab's best men. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.
 
21 And he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear.
 
22 Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty men.
 
23 He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.
 
24 Among the Thirty were: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,
 
25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
 
26 Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,
 
27 Abiezer from Anathoth, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
 
28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
 
29 Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin,
 
30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the ravines of Gaash,
 
31 Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
 
32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan
 
33 son of Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite,
 
34 Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
 
35 Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
 
36 Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, the son of Hagri,
 
37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,
 
38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite
 
39 and Uriah the Hittite. There were thirty-seven in all.

Galatians 3,

1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.
 
2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?
 
3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?
 
4 Have you suffered so much for nothing-if it really was for nothing?
 
5 Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?
 
6 Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."
 
7 Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham.
 
8 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you."
 
9 So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
 
10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law."
 
11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith."
 
12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them."
 
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."
 
14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
 
15 Brothers, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case.
 
16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed," meaning one person, who is Christ.
 
17 What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise.
 
18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.
 
19 What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator.
 
20 A mediator, however, does not represent just one party; but God is one.
 
21 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.
 
22 But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.
 
23 Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed.
 
24 So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.
 
25 Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.
 
26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus,
 
27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
 
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
 
29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise

Ezekiel 30,

1 The word of the LORD came to me:
 
2 "Son of man, prophesy and say: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: " 'Wail and say, "Alas for that day!"
 
3 For the day is near, the day of the LORD is near-a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations.
 
4 A sword will come against Egypt, and anguish will come upon Cush. When the slain fall in Egypt, her wealth will be carried away and her foundations torn down.
 
5 Cush and Put, Lydia and all Arabia, Libya and the people of the covenant land will fall by the sword along with Egypt.
 
6 " 'This is what the LORD says: " 'The allies of Egypt will fall and her proud strength will fail. From Migdol to Aswan they will fall by the sword within her, declares the Sovereign LORD.
 
7 " 'They will be desolate among desolate lands, and their cities will lie among ruined cities.
 
8 Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I set fire to Egypt and all her helpers are crushed.
 
9 " 'On that day messengers will go out from me in ships to frighten Cush out of her complacency. Anguish will take hold of them on the day of Egypt's doom, for it is sure to come.
 
10 " 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: " 'I will put an end to the hordes of Egypt by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.
 
11 He and his army-the most ruthless of nations-will be brought in to destroy the land. They will draw their swords against Egypt and fill the land with the slain.
 
12 I will dry up the streams of the Nile and sell the land to evil men; by the hand of foreigners I will lay waste the land and everything in it. I the LORD have spoken.
 
13 " 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: " 'I will destroy the idols and put an end to the images in Memphis. No longer will there be a prince in Egypt, and I will spread fear throughout the land.
 
14 I will lay waste Upper Egypt, set fire to Zoan and inflict punishment on Thebes.
 
15 I will pour out my wrath on Pelusium, the stronghold of Egypt, and cut off the hordes of Thebes.
 
16 I will set fire to Egypt; Pelusium will writhe in agony. Thebes will be taken by storm; Memphis will be in constant distress.
 
17 The young men of Heliopolis and Bubastis will fall by the sword, and the cities themselves will go into captivity.
 
18 Dark will be the day at Tahpanhes when I break the yoke of Egypt; there her proud strength will come to an end. She will be covered with clouds, and her villages will go into captivity.
 
19 So I will inflict punishment on Egypt, and they will know that I am the LORD.' "
 
20 In the eleventh year, in the first month on the seventh day, the word of the LORD came to me:
 
21 "Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt. It has not been bound up for healing or put in a splint so as to become strong enough to hold a sword.
 
22 Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt. I will break both his arms, the good arm as well as the broken one, and make the sword fall from his hand.
 
23 I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries.
 
24 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan before him like a mortally wounded man.
 
25 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall limp. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon and he brandishes it against Egypt.
 
26 I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries. Then they will know that I am the LORD."

Psalm 78:38~72

38 Yet he was merciful; he forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time he restrained his anger and did not stir up his full wrath.
 
39 He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return.
 
40 How often they rebelled against him in the desert and grieved him in the wasteland!
 
41 Again and again they put God to the test; they vexed the Holy One of Israel.
 
42 They did not remember his power-the day he redeemed them from the oppressor,
 
43 the day he displayed his miraculous signs in Egypt, his wonders in the region of Zoan.
 
44 He turned their rivers to blood; they could not drink from their streams.
 
45 He sent swarms of flies that devoured them, and frogs that devastated them.
 
46 He gave their crops to the grasshopper, their produce to the locust.
 
47 He destroyed their vines with hail and their sycamore-figs with sleet.
 
48 He gave over their cattle to the hail, their livestock to bolts of lightning.
 
49 He unleashed against them his hot anger, his wrath, indignation and hostility-a band of destroying angels.
 
50 He prepared a path for his anger; he did not spare them from death but gave them over to the plague.
 
51 He struck down all the firstborn of Egypt, the firstfruits of manhood in the tents of Ham.
 
52 But he brought his people out like a flock; he led them like sheep through the desert.
 
53 He guided them safely, so they were unafraid; but the sea engulfed their enemies.
 
54 Thus he brought them to the border of his holy land, to the hill country his right hand had taken.
 
55 He drove out nations before them and allotted their lands to them as an inheritance; he settled the tribes of Israel in their homes.
 
56 But they put God to the test and rebelled against the Most High; they did not keep his statutes.
 
57 Like their fathers they were disloyal and faithless, as unreliable as a faulty bow.
 
58 They angered him with their high places; they aroused his jealousy with their idols.
 
59 When God heard them, he was very angry; he rejected Israel completely.
 
60 He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent he had set up among men.
 
61 He sent the ark of his might into captivity, his splendor into the hands of the enemy.
 
62 He gave his people over to the sword; he was very angry with his inheritance.
 
63 Fire consumed their young men, and their maidens had no wedding songs;
 
64 their priests were put to the sword, and their widows could not weep.
 
65 Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, as a man wakes from the stupor of wine.
 
66 He beat back his enemies; he put them to everlasting shame.
 
67 Then he rejected the tents of Joseph, he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim;
 
68 but he chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which he loved.
 
69 He built his sanctuary like the heights, like the earth that he established forever.
 
70 He chose David his servant and took him from the sheep pens;
 
71 from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance.
 
72 And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.