Friday in Season after Pentecost

Semicontinuous (Track 1)

FIRST READING

Joshua 8:30-35

Verse 30. At that time Joshua built an altar on Mount Ebal to the LORD, the God of Israel, Verse 31. just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses: “an altar of uncut stones on which no iron tool has been used.” And on it they offered burnt offerings to the LORD, and they sacrificed peace offerings. Verse 32. And there in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua inscribed on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written. Verse 33. All Israel, foreigners and citizens alike, with their elders, officers, and judges, stood on both sides of the ark of the covenant of the LORD facing the Levitical priests who carried it. Half of the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded earlier, to bless the people of Israel. Verse 34. Afterward, Joshua read aloud all the words of the law— the blessings and the curses— according to all that is written in the Book of the Law. Verse 35. There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua failed to read before the whole assembly of Israel, including the women, the little ones, and the foreigners who lived among them.

PSALM

Psalm 78:1-7

A Maskil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my instruction; listen to the words of my mouth.

I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the beginning,

that we have heard and known and our fathers have relayed to us.

We will not hide them from their children but will declare to the next generation the praises of the LORD and His might and the wonders He has performed.

For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers to teach to their children,

that the coming generation would know them— even children yet to be born— to arise and tell their own children

that they should put their confidence in God, not forgetting His works, but keeping His commandments.

Complementary (Track 2)

FIRST READING

Amos 3:1-12

Verse 1. Hear this word that the LORD has spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt: Verse 2. “Only you have I known from all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.” Verse 3. Can two walk together without agreeing where to go? Verse 4. Does a lion roar in the forest when he has no prey? Does a young lion growl in his den if he has caught nothing? Verse 5. Does a bird land in a snare where no bait has been set? Does a trap spring from the ground when it has nothing to catch? Verse 6. If a ram’s horn sounds in a city, do the people not tremble? If calamity comes to a city, has not the LORD caused it? Verse 7. Surely the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets. Verse 8. The lion has roared — who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken — who will not prophesy? Verse 9. Proclaim to the citadels of Ashdod and to the citadels of Egypt: “Assemble on the mountains of Samaria; see the great unrest in the city and the acts of oppression in her midst.” Verse 10. “For they know not how to do right,” declares the LORD. “They store up violence and destruction in their citadels.” Verse 11. Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: “An enemy will surround the land; he will pull down your strongholds and plunder your citadels.” Verse 12. This is what the LORD says: “As the shepherd snatches from the mouth of the lion two legs or a piece of an ear, so the Israelites dwelling in Samaria will be rescued having just the corner of a bed or the cushion of a couch.

PSALM

Psalm 70

For the choirmaster. Of David. To bring remembrance. Make haste, O God, to deliver me! Hurry, O LORD, to help me!

May those who seek my life be ashamed and confounded; may those who wish me harm be repelled and humiliated.

May those who say, “Aha, aha!” retreat because of their shame.

May all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; may those who love Your salvation always say, “Let God be magnified!”

But I am poor and needy; hurry to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay.

SECOND READING

Revelation 9:13-21

Verse 13. Then the sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God Verse 14. saying to the sixth angel with the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” Verse 15. So the four angels who had been prepared for this hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind. Verse 16. And the number of mounted troops was two hundred million; I heard their number. Verse 17. Now the horses and riders in my vision looked like this: The riders had breastplates the colors of fire, sapphire, and sulfur. The heads of the horses were like the heads of lions, and out of their mouths proceeded fire, smoke, and sulfur. Verse 18. A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke, and sulfur that proceeded from their mouths. Verse 19. For the power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; indeed, their tails were like snakes, having heads with which to inflict harm. Verse 20. Now the rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the works of their hands. They did not stop worshiping demons and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk. Verse 21. Furthermore, they did not repent of their murder, sorcery, sexual immorality, and theft.