Reading from Monday, September 13

What it is, kids?

Reading for September 13
Isaiah 12:1-14:32
There is a stark contrast of messages in this - admittedly very long - reading. Chapter 12 is a song of praise that reminds us that there is a savior coming and that even though God's anger has been against us in the past, we are no longer subject to it - at least for now:

¹ In that day you will say:
       "I will praise you, O LORD.
       Although you were angry with me,
       your anger has turned away
       and you have comforted me.

But then it goes into a section of predictions of the violent destruction of many nations - the one that seems to get the most attention from God's "hand of judgment" is Babylon.

 ¹⁹ Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms,
       the glory of the Babylonians' ^[b] pride,
       will be overthrown by God
       like Sodom and Gomorrah.

Now - not knowing anything about history, I looked up Babylon on Wikipedia - here's what it says:

In 689 BC, its walls, temples and palaces were razed, and the rubble was thrown into the Arakhtu, the sea bordering the earlier Babylon on the south.

The timelines match too - it's believed that Isaiah made these predictions somewhere in the BC 700s. Pretty neat when history and the Bible match. Sure these could have been written after the fact, but where would my faith be if I believed that?

2 Corinthians 13:1-14
So closes the most pointless book in the Bible. I think I found less value in 2 Corinthians than in the first chapter of 1 Chronicles.

Boom.

Bible insult.

Psalm 57:1-11
I think I singled this verse out in the last go-around, but I liked it so much, here it is again:

⁷ My heart is steadfast, O God,
       my heart is steadfast;
       I will sing and make music.

Proverbs 23:9-11
Again...OK...

 ⁹ Do not speak to a fool,
       for he will scorn the wisdom of your words.
 ¹⁰ Do not move an ancient boundary stone
       or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
 ¹¹ for their Defender is strong;
       he will take up their case against you.