Daily Devotions · October 2
Reading for October 2
Read the whole Bible in a year, a few chapters a day.
Zechariah 13–14 · Psalm 147 · Luke 15
Zechariah 13–14 · Psalm 147 · Luke 15, Berean Standard Bible
Zechariah 13
“On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the people of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity. 2 And on that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, I will erase the names of the idols from the land, and they will no longer be remembered. I will also remove the prophets and the spirit of impurity from the land. 3 And if anyone still prophesies, his father and mother who bore him will say to him, ‘You shall not remain alive, because you have spoken falsely in the name of the LORD.’ When he prophesies, his father and mother who bore him will pierce him through. 4 And on that day every prophet who prophesies will be ashamed of his vision, and he will not put on a hairy cloak in order to deceive. 5 He will say, ‘I am not a prophet; I work the land, for I was purchased as a servant in my youth.’ 6 If someone asks him, ‘What are these wounds on your chest?’ he will answer, ‘These are the wounds I received in the house of my friends.’ 7 Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, against the man who is My Companion, declares the LORD of Hosts. Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn My hand against the little ones. 8 And in all the land, declares the LORD, two-thirds will be cut off and perish, but a third will be left in it. 9 This third I will bring through the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are My people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’”
Zechariah 14
Behold, a day of the LORD is coming when your plunder will be divided in your presence. 2 For I will gather all the nations for battle against Jerusalem, and the city will be captured, the houses looted, and the women ravished. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be removed from the city. 3 Then the LORD will go out to fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle. 4 On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half the mountain moving to the north and half to the south. 5 You will flee by My mountain valley, for it will extend to Azal. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with Him. 6 On that day there will be no light, no cold or frost. 7 It will be a unique day known only to the LORD, without day or night; but when evening comes, there will be light. 8 And on that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it toward the Eastern Sea and the other half toward the Western Sea, in summer and winter alike. 9 On that day the LORD will become King over all the earth—the LORD alone, and His name alone. 10 All the land from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem will be turned into a plain, but Jerusalem will be raised up and will remain in her place, from the Benjamin Gate to the site of the First Gate to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the royal winepresses. 11 People will live there, and never again will there be an utter destruction. So Jerusalem will dwell securely. 12 And this will be the plague with which the LORD strikes all the peoples who have warred against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they stand on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. 13 On that day a great panic from the LORD will come upon them, so that each will seize the hand of another, and the hand of one will rise against the other. 14 Judah will also fight at Jerusalem, and the wealth of all the surrounding nations will be collected—gold, silver, and apparel in great abundance. 15 And a similar plague will strike the horses and mules, camels and donkeys, and all the animals in those camps. 16 Then all the survivors from the nations that came against Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD of Hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. 17 And should any of the families of the earth not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of Hosts, then the rain will not fall on them. 18 And if the people of Egypt will not go up and enter in, then the rain will not fall on them; this will be the plague with which the LORD strikes the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. 19 This will be the punishment of Egypt and of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. 20 On that day, HOLY TO THE LORD will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, and the cooking pots in the house of the LORD will be like the sprinkling bowls before the altar. 21 Indeed, every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the LORD of Hosts, and all who sacrifice will come and take some pots and cook in them. And on that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD of Hosts.
Psalm 147
Hallelujah! How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and lovely to praise Him! 2 The LORD builds up Jerusalem; He gathers the exiles of Israel. 3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. 4 He determines the number of the stars; He calls them each by name. 5 Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit. 6 The LORD sustains the humble, but casts the wicked to the ground. 7 Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make music on the harp to our God, 8 who covers the sky with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass to grow on the hills. 9 He provides food for the animals, and for the young ravens when they call. 10 He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man. 11 The LORD is pleased with those who fear Him, who hope in His loving devotion. 12 Exalt the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion! 13 For He strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses the children within you. 14 He makes peace at your borders; He fills you with the finest wheat. 15 He sends forth His command to the earth; His word runs swiftly. 16 He spreads the snow like wool; He scatters the frost like ashes; 17 He casts forth His hail like pebbles. Who can withstand His icy blast? 18 He sends forth His word and melts them; He unleashes His winds, and the waters flow. 19 He declares His word to Jacob, His statutes and judgments to Israel. 20 He has done this for no other nation; they do not know His judgments. Hallelujah!
Luke 15
Now all the tax collectors and sinners were gathering around to listen to Jesus. 2 So the Pharisees and scribes began to grumble: “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the pasture and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, 6 comes home, and calls together his friends and neighbors to tell them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep!’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who do not need to repent. 8 Or what woman who has ten silver coins and loses one of them does not light a lamp, sweep her house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she calls together her friends and neighbors to say, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.” 11 Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger son said to him, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 After a few days, the younger son got everything together and journeyed to a distant country, where he squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent all he had, a severe famine swept through that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. 16 He longed to fill his belly with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him a thing. 17 Finally he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have plenty of food, but here I am, starving to death! 18 I will get up and go back to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21 The son declared, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate. 25 Meanwhile the older son was in the field, and as he approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has returned,’ he said, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has him back safe and sound.’ 28 The older son became angry and refused to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look, all these years I have served you and never disobeyed a commandment of yours. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours returns from squandering your wealth with prostitutes, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ 31 ‘Son, you are always with me,’ the father said, ‘and all that is mine is yours. 32 But it was fitting to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain.
How to SOAP
Grab a journal and a pen. Read the chapters above and watch for the verse that stops you. Then take it through four steps.
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Scripture
Write out the verse that stood out to you.
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Observation
What is it saying? Who is speaking, and to whom?
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Application
What does it mean for your life today? Be specific.
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Prayer
Talk to God about it. Ask Him to help you live it.
Why daily devotions?
Devotions are time set aside each day to read God's Word and let Him speak. The point isn't checking off chapters. It's meeting with Him.
Ten or fifteen minutes is enough to start. Pick a time and a place and keep the appointment. Mornings work well for a lot of us, before the phone and the day start talking.
Missed a day? Don't start over. Read today's chapters and keep going.