Thursday in Easter

1Verse 1. Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the gate of the house of the LORD that faces east. And there at the entrance of the gate were twenty-five men. Among them I saw Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, who were leaders of the people. 2Verse 2. And the LORD said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who plot evil and give wicked counsel in this city. 3Verse 3. They are saying, ‘Is not the time near to build houses? The city is the cooking pot, and we are the meat.’ 4Verse 4. Therefore prophesy against them; prophesy, O son of man!” 5Verse 5. And the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me and told me to declare that this is what the LORD says: “That is what you are thinking, O house of Israel; and I know the thoughts that arise in your minds. 6Verse 6. You have multiplied those you killed in this city and filled its streets with the dead. 7Verse 7. Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: The slain you have laid within this city are the meat, and the city is the pot; but I will remove you from it. 8Verse 8. You fear the sword, so I will bring the sword against you, declares the Lord GOD. 9Verse 9. I will bring you out of the city and deliver you into the hands of foreigners, and I will execute judgments against you. 10Verse 10. You will fall by the sword, and I will judge you even to the borders of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD. 11Verse 11. The city will not be a pot for you, nor will you be the meat within it. I will judge you even to the borders of Israel. 12Verse 12. Then you will know that I am the LORD. For you have neither followed My statutes nor practiced My ordinances, but you have conformed to the ordinances of the nations around you.” 13Verse 13. Now as I was prophesying, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. Then I fell facedown and cried out in a loud voice, “Oh, Lord GOD, will You bring the remnant of Israel to a complete end?” 14Verse 14. Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 15Verse 15. “Son of man, your brothers — your relatives, your fellow exiles, and the whole house of Israel — are those of whom the people of Jerusalem have said, ‘They are far away from the LORD; this land has been given to us as a possession.’ 16Verse 16. Therefore declare that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary for them in the countries to which they have gone.’ 17Verse 17. Therefore declare that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you from the countries to which you have been scattered, and I will give back to you the land of Israel.’ 18Verse 18. When they return to it, they will remove all its detestable things and all its abominations. 19Verse 19. And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them; I will remove their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh, 20Verse 20. so that they may follow My statutes, keep My ordinances, and practice them. Then they will be My people, and I will be their God. 21Verse 21. But as for those whose hearts pursue detestable things and abominations, I will bring their conduct down upon their own heads, declares the Lord GOD.” 22Verse 22. Then the cherubim, with the wheels beside them, spread their wings, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them. 23Verse 23. And the glory of the LORD rose up from within the city and stood over the mountain east of the city. 24Verse 24. And the Spirit lifted me up and carried me back to Chaldea, to the exiles in the vision given by the Spirit of God. After the vision had gone up from me, 25Verse 25. I told the exiles everything the LORD had shown me.

1Verse 1. Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the One seated on the throne. It had writing on both sides and was sealed with seven seals. 2Verse 2. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3Verse 3. But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or look inside it. 4Verse 4. And I began to weep bitterly, because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or look inside it. 5Verse 5. Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed to open the scroll and its seven seals.” 6Verse 6. Then I saw a Lamb who appeared to have been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7Verse 7. And He came and took the scroll from the right hand of the One seated on the throne. 8Verse 8. When He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9Verse 9. And they sang a new song: “Worthy are You to take the scroll and open its seals, because You were slain, and by Your blood You purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. 10Verse 10. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign upon the earth.”