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Daily Light's Evening Reading
How wilt thou do in the swellings of Jordan?—JER. 12:5.
For Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest.
The priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.
We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.—When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee.
Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
Josh. 3:15.Josh. 3:17.Heb. 2:9.Psa. 23:4. -Isa. 43:2.Rev. 1:17,18.
Spurgeon's Evening Reading
“And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.”
Genesis 29:26
We do not excuse Laban for his dishonesty, but we scruple not to learn from the custom which he quoted as his excuse. There are some things which must be taken in order, and if we would win the second we must secure the first. The second may be the more lovely in our eyes, but the rule of the heavenly country must stand, and the elder must be married first. For instance, many men desire the beautiful and well-favoured Rachel of joy and peace in believing, but they must first be wedded to the tender-eyed Leah of repentance. Every one falls in love with happiness, and many would cheerfully serve twice seven years to enjoy it, but according to the rule of the Lord’s kingdom, the Leah of real holiness must be beloved of our soul before the Rachel of true happiness can be attained. Heaven stands not first but second, and only by persevering to the end can we win a portion in it. The cross must be carried before the crown can be worn. We must follow our Lord in his humiliation, or we shall never rest with him in glory.
My soul, what sayest thou, art thou so vain as to hope to break through the heavenly rule? Dost thou hope for reward without labour, or honour without toil? Dismiss the idle expectation, and be content to take the ill-favoured things for the sake of the sweet love of Jesus, which will recompense thee for all. In such a spirit, labouring and suffering, thou wilt find bitters grow sweet, and hard things easy. Like Jacob, thy years of service will seem unto thee but a few days for the love thou hast to Jesus; and when the dear hour of the wedding feast shall come, all thy toils shall be as though they had never been—an hour with Jesus will make up for ages of pain and labour.
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Jesus, to win thyself so fair, Thy cross I will with gladness bear: Since so the rules of heaven ordain, The first I'll wed the next to gain. |
Old Testament Chapter a Day - 2 Samuel 16
16. David and Ziba
David’s Adversaries
16
When David had passed a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of donkeys saddled, carrying two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred bunches of raisins, one hundred of summer fruits, and one skin of wine.2The king said to Ziba, “Why have you brought these?” Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine is for those to drink who faint in the wilderness.”3The king said, “And where is your master’s son?” Ziba said to the king, “He remains in Jerusalem; for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give me back my grandfather’s kingdom.’ ”4Then the king said to Ziba, “All that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.” Ziba said, “I do obeisance; let me find favor in your sight, my lord the king.”
Shimei Curses David
5 When King David came to Bahurim, a man of the family of the house of Saul came out whose name was Shimei son of Gera; he came out cursing.6He threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David; now all the people and all the warriors were on his right and on his left.7Shimei shouted while he cursed, “Out! Out! Murderer! Scoundrel!8The Lord has avenged on all of you the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, disaster has overtaken you; for you are a man of blood.”
9 Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head.”10But the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’ ”11David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Let him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord has bidden him.12It may be that the Lord will look on my distress, and the Lord will repay me with good for this cursing of me today.”13So David and his men went on the road, while Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, throwing stones and flinging dust at him.14The king and all the people who were with him arrived weary at the Jordan; and there he refreshed himself.
The Counsel of Ahithophel
15 Now Absalom and all the Israelites came to Jerusalem; Ahithophel was with him.16When Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”17Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?”18Hushai said to Absalom, “No; but the one whom the Lord and this people and all the Israelites have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will remain.19Moreover, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? Just as I have served your father, so I will serve you.”
20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give us your counsel; what shall we do?”21Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s concubines, the ones he has left to look after the house; and all Israel will hear that you have made yourself odious to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.”22So they pitched a tent for Absalom upon the roof; and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.23Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the oracle of God; so all the counsel of Ahithophel was esteemed, both by David and by Absalom.
New Testament in Four Years - Colossians 1:18-20
1. Supremacy of Christ
18He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.19For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,20and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.Psalm a Day - Psalm 104:19-35
104. Psalm 104
19
You have made the moon to mark the seasons;
the sun knows its time for setting.
20
You make darkness, and it is night,
when all the animals of the forest come creeping out.
21
The young lions roar for their prey,
seeking their food from God.
22
When the sun rises, they withdraw
and lie down in their dens.
23
People go out to their work
and to their labor until the evening.
24
O Lord, how manifold are your works!
In wisdom you have made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
25
Yonder is the sea, great and wide,
creeping things innumerable are there,
living things both small and great.
26
There go the ships,
and Leviathan that you formed to sport in it.
27
These all look to you
to give them their food in due season;
28
when you give to them, they gather it up;
when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
29
When you hide your face, they are dismayed;
when you take away their breath, they die
and return to their dust.
30
When you send forth your spirit, they are created;
and you renew the face of the ground.
31
May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
may the Lord rejoice in his works—
32
who looks on the earth and it trembles,
who touches the mountains and they smoke.
33
I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
34
May my meditation be pleasing to him,
for I rejoice in the Lord.
35
Let sinners be consumed from the earth,
and let the wicked be no more.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
Praise the Lord!