ZECHARIAH 3

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A Vision of Joshua the High Priest  3:1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?” 3 Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. 4 And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.” 5 And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord was standing by.
    6 And the angel of the Lord solemnly assured Joshua, 7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my charge, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here. 8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign: behold, I will bring my servant the Branch. 9 For behold, on the stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with seven eyes, I will engrave its inscription, declares the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day. 10 In that day, declares the Lord of hosts, every one of you will invite his neighbor to come under his vine and under his fig tree.”

ZECHARIAH 4

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A Vision of a Golden Lampstand  4:1 And the angel who talked with me came again and woke me, like a man who is awakened out of his sleep. 2 And he said to me, “What do you see?” I said, “I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it, and seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it. 3 And there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.” 4 And I said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?” 5 Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.” 6 Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. 7 Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain. And he shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’”
    8 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 9 “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. 10 For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.
    “These seven are the eyes of the Lord, which range through the whole earth.” 11 Then I said to him, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?” 12 And a second time I answered and said to him, “What are these two branches of the olive trees, which are beside the two golden pipes from which the golden oil is poured out?” 13 He said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.” 14 Then he said, “These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.”

PROVERBS 19

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19:1

Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity

than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool. 2

Desire without knowledge is not good,

and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way. 3

When a man’s folly brings his way to ruin,

his heart rages against the Lord. 4

Wealth brings many new friends,

but a poor man is deserted by his friend. 5

A false witness will not go unpunished,

and he who breathes out lies will not escape. 6

Many seek the favor of a generous man,

and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts. 7

All a poor man’s brothers hate him;

how much more do his friends go far from him!

He pursues them with words, but does not have them. 8

Whoever gets sense loves his own soul;

he who keeps understanding will discover good. 9

A false witness will not go unpunished,

and he who breathes out lies will perish. 10

It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury,

much less for a slave to rule over princes. 11

Good sense makes one slow to anger,

and it is his glory to overlook an offense. 12

A king’s wrath is like the growling of a lion,

but his favor is like dew on the grass. 13

A foolish son is ruin to his father,

and a wife’s quarreling is a continual dripping of rain. 14

House and wealth are inherited from fathers,

but a prudent wife is from the Lord. 15

Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep,

and an idle person will suffer hunger. 16

Whoever keeps the commandment keeps his life;

he who despises his ways will die. 17

Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord,

and he will repay him for his deed. 18

Discipline your son, for there is hope;

do not set your heart on putting him to death. 19

A man of great wrath will pay the penalty,

for if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again. 20

Listen to advice and accept instruction,

that you may gain wisdom in the future. 21

Many are the plans in the mind of a man,

but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. 22

What is desired in a man is steadfast love,

and a poor man is better than a liar. 23

The fear of the Lord leads to life,

and whoever has it rests satisfied;

he will not be visited by harm. 24

The sluggard buries his hand in the dish

and will not even bring it back to his mouth. 25

Strike a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence;

reprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge. 26

He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother

is a son who brings shame and reproach. 27

Cease to hear instruction, my son,

and you will stray from the words of knowledge. 28

A worthless witness mocks at justice,

and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity. 29

Condemnation is ready for scoffers,

and beating for the backs of fools.

PSALM 148

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Praise the Name of the Lord148:1

Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord from the heavens;

praise him in the heights! 2

Praise him, all his angels;

praise him, all his hosts!
3

Praise him, sun and moon,

praise him, all you shining stars! 4

Praise him, you highest heavens,

and you waters above the heavens!
5

Let them praise the name of the Lord!

For he commanded and they were created. 6

And he established them forever and ever;

he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.
7

Praise the Lord from the earth,

you great sea creatures and all deeps, 8

fire and hail, snow and mist,

stormy wind fulfilling his word!
9

Mountains and all hills,

fruit trees and all cedars! 10

Beasts and all livestock,

creeping things and flying birds!
11

Kings of the earth and all peoples,

princes and all rulers of the earth! 12

Young men and maidens together,

old men and children!
13

Let them praise the name of the Lord,

for his name alone is exalted;

his majesty is above earth and heaven. 14

He has raised up a horn for his people,

praise for all his saints,

for the people of Israel who are near to him.

Praise the Lord!