2 Chronicles 19

• 1. When King Jehoshaphat of Judah arrived safely home to Jerusalem,
• 2. Jehu son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him. "Why should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD?" he asked the king. "What you have done has brought the LORD's anger against you.
• 3. There is some good in you, however, for you have removed the Asherah poles throughout the land, and you have committed yourself to seeking God."
• 4. So Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, but he went out among the people, traveling from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, encouraging the people to return to the LORD, the God of their ancestors.
• 5. He appointed judges throughout the nation in all the fortified cities,
• 6. and he gave them these instructions: "Always think carefully before pronouncing judgment. Remember that you do not judge to please people but to please the LORD. He will be with you when you render the verdict in each case that comes before you.
• 7. Fear the LORD and judge with care, for the LORD our God does not tolerate perverted justice, partiality, or the taking of bribes."
• 8. Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites and priests and clan leaders in Israel to serve as judges in Jerusalem for cases concerning both the law of the LORD and civil disputes.
• 9. These were his instructions to them: "You must always act in the fear of the LORD, with integrity and with undivided hearts.
• 10. Whenever a case comes to you from fellow citizens in an outlying town, whether a murder case or some other violation of God's instructions, commands, laws, or regulations, you must warn them not to sin against the LORD, so that his anger will not come against you and them. Do this and you will not be guilty.
• 11. "Amariah the high priest will have final say in all cases concerning the LORD. Zebadiah son of Ishmael, a leader from the tribe of Judah, will have final say in all civil cases. The Levites will assist you in making sure that justice is served. Take courage as you fulfill your duties, and may the LORD be with those who do what is right."

2 Chronicles 20

• 1. After this, the armies of the Moabites, Ammonites, and some of the Meunites declared war on Jehoshaphat.
• 2. Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, "A vast army from Edom is marching against you from beyond the Dead Sea. They are already at Hazazon-tamar." (This was another name for En-gedi.)
• 3. Jehoshaphat was alarmed by this news and sought the LORD for guidance. He also gave orders that everyone throughout Judah should observe a fast.
• 4. So people from all the towns of Judah came to Jerusalem to seek the LORD.
• 5. Jehoshaphat stood before the people of Judah and Jerusalem in front of the new courtyard at the Temple of the LORD.
• 6. He prayed, "O LORD, God of our ancestors, you alone are the God who is in heaven. You are ruler of all the kingdoms of the earth. You are powerful and mighty; no one can stand against you!
• 7. O our God, did you not drive out those who lived in this land when your people arrived? And did you not give this land forever to the descendants of your friend Abraham?
• 8. Your people settled here and built this Temple for you.
• 9. They said, `Whenever we are faced with any calamity such as war, disease, or famine, we can come to stand in your presence before this Temple where your name is honored. We can cry out to you to save us, and you will hear us and rescue us.'
• 10. "And now see what the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir are doing. You would not let our ancestors invade those nations when Israel left Egypt, so they went around them and did not destroy them.
• 11. Now see how they reward us! For they have come to throw us out of your land, which you gave us as an inheritance.
• 12. O our God, won't you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help."
• 13. As all the men of Judah stood before the LORD with their little ones, wives, and children,
• 14. the Spirit of the LORD came upon one of the men standing there. His name was Jahaziel son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite who was a descendant of Asaph.
• 15. He said, "Listen, King Jehoshaphat! Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says: Do not be afraid! Don't be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God's.
• 16. Tomorrow, march out against them. You will find them coming up through the ascent of Ziz at the end of the valley that opens into the wilderness of Jeruel.
• 17. But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the LORD's victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out there tomorrow, for the LORD is with you!"
• 18. Then King Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground. And all the people of Judah and Jerusalem did the same, worshiping the LORD.
• 19. Then the Levites from the clans of Kohath and Korah stood to praise the LORD, the God of Israel, with a very loud shout.
• 20. Early the next morning the army of Judah went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. On the way Jehoshaphat stopped and said, "Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed."
• 21. After consulting the leaders of the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the LORD and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang: "Give thanks to the LORD; his faithful love endures forever!"
• 22. At the moment they began to sing and give praise, the LORD caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves.
• 23. The armies of Moab and Ammon turned against their allies from Mount Seir and killed every one of them. After they had finished off the army of Seir, they turned on each other.
• 24. So when the army of Judah arrived at the lookout point in the wilderness, there were dead bodies lying on the ground for as far as they could see. Not a single one of the enemy had escaped.
• 25. King Jehoshaphat and his men went out to gather the plunder. They found vast amounts of equipment, clothing, and other valuables--more than they could carry. There was so much plunder that it took them three days just to collect it all!
• 26. On the fourth day they gathered in the Valley of Blessing, which got its name that day because the people praised and thanked the LORD there. It is still called the Valley of Blessing today.
• 27. Then they returned to Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat leading them, full of joy that the LORD had given them victory over their enemies.
• 28. They marched into Jerusalem to the music of harps, lyres, and trumpets and proceeded to the Temple of the LORD.
• 29. When the surrounding kingdoms heard that the LORD himself had fought against the enemies of Israel, the fear of God came over them.
• 30. So Jehoshaphat's kingdom was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.
• 31. So Jehoshaphat ruled over the land of Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.
• 32. Jehoshaphat was a good king, following the ways of his father, Asa. He did what was pleasing in the LORD's sight.
• 33. During his reign, however, he failed to remove all the pagan shrines, and the people never fully committed themselves to following the God of their ancestors.
• 34. The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat's reign, from beginning to end, are recorded in The Record of Jehu Son of Hanani, which is included in The Book of the Kings of Israel.
• 35. But near the end of his life, King Jehoshaphat of Judah made an alliance with King Ahaziah of Israel, who was a very wicked man.
• 36. Together they built a fleet of trading ships at the port of Ezion-geber.
• 37. Then Eliezer son of Dodavahu from Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat. He said, "Because you have allied yourself with King Ahaziah, the LORD will destroy your work." So the ships met with disaster and never put out to sea.

Revelation 8

• 1. When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence throughout heaven for about half an hour.
• 2. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and they were given seven trumpets.
• 3. Then another angel with a gold incense burner came and stood at the altar. And a great quantity of incense was given to him to mix with the prayers of God's people, to be offered on the gold altar before the throne.
• 4. The smoke of the incense, mixed with the prayers of the saints, ascended up to God from the altar where the angel had poured them out.
• 5. Then the angel filled the incense burner with fire from the altar and threw it down upon the earth; and thunder crashed, lightning flashed, and there was a terrible earthquake.
• 6. Then the seven angels with the seven trumpets prepared to blow their mighty blasts.
• 7. The first angel blew his trumpet, and hail and fire mixed with blood were thrown down upon the earth, and one-third of the earth was set on fire. One-third of the trees were burned, and all the grass was burned.
• 8. Then the second angel blew his trumpet, and a great mountain of fire was thrown into the sea. And one-third of the water in the sea became blood.
• 9. And one-third of all things living in the sea died. And one-third of all the ships on the sea were destroyed.
• 10. Then the third angel blew his trumpet, and a great flaming star fell out of the sky, burning like a torch. It fell upon one-third of the rivers and on the springs of water.
• 11. The name of the star was Bitterness. It made one-third of the water bitter, and many people died because the water was so bitter.
• 12. Then the fourth angel blew his trumpet, and one-third of the sun was struck, and one-third of the moon, and one-third of the stars, and they became dark. And one-third of the day was dark and one-third of the night also.
• 13. Then I looked up. And I heard a single eagle crying loudly as it flew through the air, "Terror, terror, terror to all who belong to this world because of what will happen when the last three angels blow their trumpets."

Zechariah 4

• 1. Then the angel who had been talking with me returned and woke me, as though I had been asleep.
• 2. "What do you see now?" he asked. I answered, "I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl of oil on top of it. Around the bowl are seven lamps, each one having seven spouts with wicks.
• 3. And I see two olive trees, one on each side of the bowl."
• 4. Then I asked the angel, "What are these, my lord? What do they mean?"
• 5. "Don't you know?" the angel asked. "No, my lord," I replied.
• 6. Then he said to me, "This is what the LORD says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the LORD Almighty.
• 7. Nothing, not even a mighty mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel's way; it will flatten out before him! Then Zerubbabel will set the final stone of the Temple in place, and the people will shout: `May God bless it! May God bless it!'"
• 8. Then another message came to me from the LORD:
• 9. "Zerubbabel is the one who laid the foundation of this Temple, and he will complete it. Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me.
• 10. Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel's hand. For these seven lamps represent the eyes of the LORD that search all around the world."
• 11. Then I asked the angel, "What are these two olive trees on each side of the lampstand,
• 12. and what are the two olive branches that pour out golden oil through two gold tubes?"
• 13. "Don't you know?" he asked. "No, my lord," I replied.
• 14. Then he said to me, "They represent the two anointed ones who assist the Lord of all the earth."

New Living Translation: 351 of 365 days.