Open Word

Semicontinuous (Track 1)

FIRST READING

Joshua 20:1-9

Verse 1. Then the LORD said to Joshua, Verse 2. “Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, Verse 3. so that anyone who kills another unintentionally or accidentally may flee there. These will be your refuge from the avenger of blood. Verse 4. When someone flees to one of these cities, stands at the entrance of the city gate, and states his case before its elders, they are to bring him into the city and give him a place to live among them. Verse 5. Now if the avenger of blood pursues him, they must not surrender the manslayer into his hand, because that man killed his neighbor accidentally without prior malice. Verse 6. He is to stay in that city until he stands trial before the assembly and until the death of the high priest serving at that time. Then the manslayer may return to his own home in the city from which he fled.” Verse 7. So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah. Verse 8. And beyond the Jordan, east of Jericho, they designated Bezer on the wilderness plateau from the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh. Verse 9. These are the cities appointed for all the Israelites and foreigners among them, so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood prior to standing trial before the assembly.

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 4:6-13

Verse 6. “I afflicted all your cities with cleanness of teeth and all your towns with lack of bread, yet you did not return to Me,” Verse 7. “I also withheld the rain from you when the harvest was three months away. I sent rain on one city but withheld it from another. One field received rain; another without rain withered. Verse 8. People staggered from city to city for water to drink, but they were not satisfied; yet you did not return to Me,” Verse 9. “I struck you with blight and mildew in your growing gardens and vineyards; the locust devoured your fig and olive trees, yet you did not return to Me,” Verse 10. “I sent plagues among you like those of Egypt; I killed your young men with the sword, along with your captured horses. I filled your nostrils with the stench of your camp, yet you did not return to Me,” Verse 11. “Some of you I overthrew as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were like a firebrand snatched from a blaze, yet you did not return to Me,” Verse 12. “Therefore, that is what I will do to you, O Israel, and since I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel! Verse 13. For behold, He who forms the mountains, who creates the wind and reveals His thoughts to man, who turns the dawn to darkness and strides on the heights of the earth— the LORD, the God of Hosts, is His name.”

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

Matthew 24:1-14

Verse 1. As Jesus left the temple and was walking away, His disciples came up to Him to point out its buildings. Verse 2. “Do you see all these things?” He replied. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” Verse 3. While Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?” Verse 4. Jesus answered, “See to it that no one deceives you. Verse 5. For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. Verse 6. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come. Verse 7. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. Verse 8. All these are the beginning of birth pains. Verse 9. Then they will deliver you over to be persecuted and killed, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. Verse 10. At that time many will fall away and will betray and hate one another, Verse 11. and many false prophets will arise and deceive many. Verse 12. Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold. Verse 13. But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. Verse 14. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.