Reading from Tuesday, December 28

Only four to go, yo.

Reading for December 28
Zechariah 12:1-13:9
More specific prophecies about Jesus.

¹⁰ “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit^[a] of grace and supplication. They will look on^[b] me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.

And...

 ¹ “On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.

Some seriously hopeful images there. Again, remember the original audience who would be reading this. 

Revelation 19:1-21

The second half of this chapter opens with a description of the 'future Jesus' for lack of a better phrase.

¹² His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. ¹³ He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. [...] ¹⁵ Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.”^[a] He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. ¹⁶ On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:

 KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

I think this is the guy the Jews were expecting when the humble carpenter's son came around claiming his own divinity. I don't think anyone would have denied that this guy was holy. He's freaking terrifying. 

Then we have the big final battle between Jesus and Satan. It's pretty epic. Check it out.

 ¹⁹ Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. ²⁰ But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. ²¹ The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh. 

Damn. I know its complete blasphemy here, but can I get a hell yeah?

Psalm 147:1-20
This was my image of God for pretty much my whole life up until this point.

³ He heals the brokenhearted
   and binds up their wounds.
⁴ He determines the number of the stars
   and calls them each by name.
⁵ Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
   his understanding has no limit.

While I still believe he is those things, he is so much more complex than even that. 

Proverbs 31:1-7
Hmm...interesting perspective on alcohol consumption...

 ⁴ It is not for kings, Lemuel—
   it is not for kings to drink wine,
   not for rulers to crave beer,
⁵ lest they drink and forget what has been decreed,
   and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.
⁶ Let beer be for those who are perishing,
   wine for those who are in anguish!
⁷ Let them drink and forget their poverty
   and remember their misery no more.