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DECEMBER 19
9 Lest I be full and deny You, were burned up, and all green grass was
And say, “Who is the LORD?” burned up.
Or lest I be poor and steal, 8 Then the second angel sounded: And some-
And profane the name of my God. thing like a great mountain burning with fire
was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea
Revelation 8:1–13
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became blood. And a third of the living crea-
When He opened the seventh seal, there tures in the sea died, and a third of the ships
8 was silence in heaven for about half an were destroyed.
hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand 10 Then the third angel sounded: And a great
2
before God, and to them were given seven star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and
trumpets. Then another angel, having a gold- it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs
3
en censer, came and stood at the altar. He was of water. The name of the star is Wormwood.
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given much incense, that he should offer it A third of the waters became wormwood, and
with the prayers of all the saints upon the many men died from the water, because it was
golden altar which was before the throne. made bitter.
4 And the smoke of the incense, with the 12 Then the fourth angel sounded: And a
prayers of the saints, ascended before God third of the sun was struck, a third of the
5
from the angel’s hand. Then the angel took moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third
the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and of them were darkened. A third of the day did
threw it to the earth. And there were noises, not shine, and likewise the night.
thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake. 13 And I looked, and I heard an angel flying
6 So the seven angels who had the seven through the midst of heaven, saying with a
trumpets prepared themselves to sound. loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants
7 The first angel sounded: And hail and fire of the earth, because of the remaining blasts
followed, mingled with blood, and they were of the trumpet of the three angels who are
thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees about to sound!”
DAY 18:Why did Jonah run from his mission to Nineveh?
Jonah, though a prophet of Israel, is not remembered for his ministry in Israel, which could
explain why the Pharisees erringly claimed in Jesus’ day that no prophet had come from Galilee
(John 7:52).Rather,the book relates the account of his call to preach repentance to Nineveh and his
refusal to go.Nineveh,the capital of Assyria and infamous for its cruelty,was a historical nemesis of
Israel and Judah.The focus of this book is on that Gentile city,which was founded by Nimrod,great-
grandson of Noah (Gen. 10:6–12). Perhaps the largest city in the ancient world (1:2; 3:2,3; 4:11), it
was nevertheless destroyed about 150 years after the repentance of the generation in the time of
Jonah’s visit (612 B.C.), as Nahum prophesied (Nah. 1:1ff.).
Israel’s political distaste for Assyria, coupled with a sense of spiritual superiority as the recipient
of God’s covenant blessing, produced a recalcitrant attitude in Jonah toward God’s request for mis-
sionary service.Jonah was sent to Nineveh in part to shame Israel by the fact that a pagan city repent-
ed at the preaching of a stranger, whereas Israel would not repent though preached to by many
prophets. He was soon to learn that God’s love and mercy extends to all of His creatures (4:2,10,11),
not just His covenant people (Gen.9:27; 12:3; Lev.19:33,34; 1 Sam.2:10; Is.2:2; Joel 2:28–32).

The Lord from His holy temple.
December 19 3 For behold, the LORD is coming out of
His place;
He will come down
Micah 1:1–3:12 And tread on the high places of the
earth.
The word of the LORD that came to Micah of 4
1 Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and The mountains will melt under Him,
And the valleys will split
Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw con- Like wax before the fire,
cerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
Like waters poured down a steep place.
2 Hear, all you peoples! 5 All this is for the transgression of Jacob
Listen, O earth, and all that is in it! And for the sins of the house of Israel.
Let the Lord GOD be a witness What is the transgression of Jacob?
against you, Is it not Samaria?

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