Daily Devotions · September 19
Reading for September 19
Read the whole Bible in a year, a few chapters a day.
Ezekiel 47–48 · Luke 2
Ezekiel 47–48 · Luke 2, Berean Standard Bible
Ezekiel 47
Then the man brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar. 2 Next he brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and there I saw the water trickling out from the south side. 3 As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and led me through ankle-deep water. 4 Then he measured off a thousand cubits and led me through knee-deep water. Again he measured a thousand cubits and led me through waist-deep water. 5 Once again he measured off a thousand cubits, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough for swimming—a river that could not be crossed on foot. 6 “Son of man, do you see this?” he asked. Then he led me back to the bank of the river. 7 When I arrived, I saw a great number of trees along both banks of the river. 8 And he said to me, “This water flows out to the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah. When it empties into the Dead Sea, the water there becomes fresh. 9 Wherever the river flows, there will be swarms of living creatures and a great number of fish, because it flows there and makes the waters fresh; so wherever the river flows, everything will flourish. 10 Fishermen will stand by the shore; from En-gedi to En-eglaim they will spread their nets to catch fish of many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea. 11 But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. 12 Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of all kinds will grow. Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. Each month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will be used for food and their leaves for healing.” 13 This is what the Lord GOD says: “These are the boundaries by which you are to divide the land as an inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel; Joseph shall receive two portions. 14 You are to divide it equally among them. Because I swore with an uplifted hand to give it to your forefathers, this land will fall to you as an inheritance. 15 This shall be the boundary of the land: On the north side it will extend from the Great Sea by way of Hethlon through Lebo-hamath to Zedad, 16 Berothah, and Sibraim (which is on the border between Damascus and Hamath), as far as Hazer-hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran. 17 So the border will run from the Sea to Hazar-enan, along the northern border of Damascus, with the territory of Hamath to the north. This will be the northern boundary. 18 On the east side the border will run between Hauran and Damascus, along the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel, to the Eastern Sea and as far as Tamar. This will be the eastern boundary. 19 On the south side it will run from Tamar to the waters of Meribath-kadesh, and along the Brook of Egypt to the Great Sea. This will be the southern boundary. 20 And on the west side, the Great Sea will be the boundary up to a point opposite Lebo-hamath. This will be the western boundary. 21 You are to divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel. 22 You shall allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the foreigners who dwell among you and who have children. You are to treat them as native-born Israelites; along with you, they shall be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. 23 In whatever tribe a foreigner dwells, you are to assign his inheritance there,” declares the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 48
“Now these are the names of the tribes: At the northern frontier, Dan will have one portion bordering the road of Hethlon to Lebo-hamath and running on to Hazar-enan on the border of Damascus with Hamath to the north, and extending from the east side to the west side. 2 Asher will have one portion bordering the territory of Dan from east to west. 3 Naphtali will have one portion bordering the territory of Asher from east to west. 4 Manasseh will have one portion bordering the territory of Naphtali from east to west. 5 Ephraim will have one portion bordering the territory of Manasseh from east to west. 6 Reuben will have one portion bordering the territory of Ephraim from east to west. 7 Judah will have one portion bordering the territory of Reuben from east to west. 8 Bordering the territory of Judah, from east to west, will be the portion you are to set apart. It will be 25,000 cubits wide, and the length of a tribal portion from east to west. In the center will be the sanctuary. 9 The special portion you set apart to the LORD shall be 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 cubits wide. 10 This will be the holy portion for the priests. It will be 25,000 cubits long on the north side, 10,000 cubits wide on the west side, 10,000 cubits wide on the east side, and 25,000 cubits long on the south side. In the center will be the sanctuary of the LORD. 11 It will be for the consecrated priests, the descendants of Zadok, who kept My charge and did not go astray as the Levites did when the Israelites went astray. 12 It will be a special portion for them set apart from the land, a most holy portion adjacent to the territory of the Levites. 13 Bordering the territory of the priests, the Levites shall have an area 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 cubits wide. The whole length will be 25,000 cubits, and the width 10,000 cubits. 14 They must not sell or exchange any of it, and they must not transfer this best part of the land, for it is holy to the LORD. 15 The remaining area, 5,000 cubits wide and 25,000 cubits long, will be for common use by the city, for houses, and for pastureland. The city will be in the center of it 16 and will have these measurements: 4,500 cubits on the north side, 4,500 cubits on the south side, 4,500 cubits on the east side, and 4,500 cubits on the west side. 17 The pastureland of the city will extend 250 cubits to the north, 250 cubits to the south, 250 cubits to the east, and 250 cubits to the west. 18 The remainder of the length bordering the holy portion and running adjacent to it will be 10,000 cubits on the east side and 10,000 cubits on the west side. Its produce will supply food for the workers of the city. 19 The workers of the city who cultivate it will come from all the tribes of Israel. 20 The entire portion will be a square, 25,000 cubits by 25,000 cubits. You are to set apart the holy portion, along with the city property. 21 The remaining area on both sides of the holy portion and of the property of the city will belong to the prince. He will own the land adjacent to the tribal portions, extending eastward from the 25,000 cubits of the holy district toward the eastern border, and westward from the 25,000 cubits to the western border. And in the center of them will be the holy portion and the sanctuary of the temple. 22 So the Levitical property and the city property will lie in the center of the area belonging to the prince—the area between the borders of Judah and Benjamin. 23 As for the rest of the tribes: Benjamin will have one portion extending from the east side to the west side. 24 Simeon will have one portion bordering the territory of Benjamin from east to west. 25 Issachar will have one portion bordering the territory of Simeon from east to west. 26 Zebulun will have one portion bordering the territory of Issachar from east to west. 27 And Gad will have one portion bordering the territory of Zebulun from east to west. 28 The southern border of Gad will run from Tamar to the waters of Meribath-kadesh, then along the Brook of Egypt and out to the Great Sea. 29 This is the land you are to allot as an inheritance to the tribes of Israel, and these will be their portions,” declares the Lord GOD. 30 “These will be the exits of the city: Beginning on the north side, which will be 4,500 cubits long, 31 the gates of the city will be named after the tribes of Israel. On the north side there will be three gates: the gate of Reuben, the gate of Judah, and the gate of Levi. 32 On the east side, which will be 4,500 cubits long, there will be three gates: the gate of Joseph, the gate of Benjamin, and the gate of Dan. 33 On the south side, which will be 4,500 cubits long, there will be three gates: the gate of Simeon, the gate of Issachar, and the gate of Zebulun. 34 And on the west side, which will be 4,500 cubits long, there will be three gates: the gate of Gad, the gate of Asher, and the gate of Naphtali. 35 The perimeter of the city will be 18,000 cubits, and from that day on the name of the city will be: THE LORD IS THERE.”
Luke 2
Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the whole empire. 2 This was the first census to take place while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And everyone went to his own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, since he was from the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to him in marriage and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her Child to be born. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. She wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And there were shepherds residing in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night. 9 Just then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! For behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11 Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord! 12 And this will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a great multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying: 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests!” 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the Baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 After they had seen the Child, they spread the message they had received about Him. 18 And all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, which was just as the angel had told them. 21 When the eight days before His circumcision had passed, He was named Jesus, the name the angel had given Him before He was conceived. 22 And when the time of purification according to the Law of Moses was complete, His parents brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord: “Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to the Lord”), 24 and to offer the sacrifice specified in the Law of the Lord: “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 Led by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. And when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for Him what was customary under the Law, 28 Simeon took Him in his arms and blessed God, saying: 29 “Sovereign Lord, as You have promised, You now dismiss Your servant in peace. 30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation, 31 which You have prepared in the sight of all people, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to Your people Israel.” 33 The Child’s father and mother were amazed at what was spoken about Him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to His mother Mary: “Behold, this Child is appointed to cause the rise and fall of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your soul as well.” 36 There was also a prophetess named Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, who was well along in years. She had been married for seven years, 37 and then was a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38 Coming forward at that moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the Child to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. 39 When Jesus’ parents had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40 And the Child grew and became strong. He was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him. 41 Every year His parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when He was twelve years old, they went up according to the custom of the Feast. 43 When those days were over and they were returning home, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but His parents were unaware He had stayed. 44 Assuming He was in their company, they traveled on for a day before they began to look for Him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they could not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for Him. 46 Finally, after three days they found Him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard Him were astounded at His understanding and His answers. 48 When His parents saw Him, they were astonished. “Child, why have You done this to us?” His mother asked. “Your father and I have been anxiously searching for You.” 49 “Why were you looking for Me?” He asked. “Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?” 50 But they did not understand the statement He was making to them. 51 Then He went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But His mother treasured up all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
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.
Your SOAP journal
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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.