Monday in Advent

1Verse 1. Then a shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit. 2Verse 2. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him— the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the LORD. 3Verse 3. And He will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what His eyes see, and He will not decide by what His ears hear, 4Verse 4. but with righteousness He will judge the poor, and with equity He will decide for the lowly of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth and slay the wicked with the breath of His lips. 5Verse 5. Righteousness will be the belt around His hips, and faithfulness the sash around His waist. 6Verse 6. The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the goat; the calf and young lion and fatling will be together, and a little child will lead them. 7Verse 7. The cow will graze with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. 8Verse 8. The infant will play by the cobra’s den, and the toddler will reach into the viper’s nest. 9Verse 9. They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the sea is full of water.

1Verse 1. Now Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath son of Levi, along with some Reubenites — Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth — conducted 2Verse 2. a rebellion against Moses, along with 250 men of Israel renowned as leaders of the congregation and representatives in the assembly. 3Verse 3. They came together against Moses and Aaron and told them, “You have taken too much upon yourselves! For everyone in the entire congregation is holy, and the LORD is in their midst. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?” 4Verse 4. When Moses heard this, he fell facedown. 5Verse 5. Then he said to Korah and all his followers, “Tomorrow morning the LORD will reveal who belongs to Him and who is holy, and He will bring that person near to Himself. The one He chooses He will bring near to Himself. 6Verse 6. You, Korah, and all your followers are to do as follows: Take censers, 7Verse 7. and tomorrow you are to place fire and incense in them in the presence of the LORD. Then the man the LORD chooses will be the one who is holy. It is you sons of Levi who have taken too much upon yourselves!” 8Verse 8. Moses also said to Korah, “Now listen, you sons of Levi! 9Verse 9. Is it not enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel and brought you near to Himself to perform the work at the LORD’s tabernacle, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them? 10Verse 10. He has brought you near, you and all your fellow Levites, but you are seeking the priesthood as well. 11Verse 11. Therefore, it is you and all your followers who have conspired against the LORD! As for Aaron, who is he that you should grumble against him?” 12Verse 12. Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, but they said, “We will not come! 13Verse 13. Is it not enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the wilderness? Must you also appoint yourself as ruler over us? 14Verse 14. Moreover, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey or given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you gouge out the eyes of these men? No, we will not come!” 15Verse 15. Then Moses became very angry and said to the LORD, “Do not regard their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them or mistreated a single one of them.” 16Verse 16. And Moses said to Korah, “You and all your followers are to appear before the LORD tomorrow— you and they and Aaron. 17Verse 17. Each man is to take his censer, place incense in it, and present it before the LORD— 250 censers. You and Aaron are to present your censers as well.” 18Verse 18. So each man took his censer, put fire and incense in it, and stood with Moses and Aaron at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 19Verse 19. When Korah had gathered his whole assembly against them at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the glory of the LORD appeared to the whole congregation.

7Verse 7. Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8Verse 8. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9Verse 9. Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace and not by foods of no value to those devoted to them. 10Verse 10. We have an altar from which those who serve at the tabernacle have no right to eat. 11Verse 11. Although the high priest brings the blood of animals into the Holy Place as a sacrifice for sin, the bodies are burned outside the camp. 12Verse 12. And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate, to sanctify the people by His own blood. 13Verse 13. Therefore let us go to Him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace He bore. 14Verse 14. For here we do not have a permanent city, but we are looking for the city that is to come. 15Verse 15. Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name. 16Verse 16. And do not neglect to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. 17Verse 17. Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch over your souls as those who must give an account. To this end, allow them to lead with joy and not with grief, for that would be of no advantage to you.