Formation Journal Reading Plan

Exodus 9

9:1 Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, and tell him, ‘This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: “Let my people go, that they may serve me.
9:2 For if you refuse to let them go, and hold them still,
9:3 behold, the hand of Yahweh is on your livestock which are in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the herds, and on the flocks with a very grievous pestilence.
9:4 Yahweh will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt; and nothing shall die of all that belongs to the children of Israel.”’”
9:5 Yahweh appointed a set time, saying, “Tomorrow Yahweh shall do this thing in the land.”
9:6 Yahweh did that thing on the next day; and all the livestock of Egypt died, but of the livestock of the children of Israel, not one died.
9:7 Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not so much as one of the livestock of the Israelites dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was stubborn, and he didn’t let the people go.
9:8 Yahweh said to Moses and to Aaron, “Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the sky in the sight of Pharaoh.
9:9 It shall become small dust over all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking out with boils on man and on animal, throughout all the land of Egypt.”
9:10 They took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward the sky; and it became a boil breaking out with boils on man and on animal.
9:11 The magicians couldn’t stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boils were on the magicians, and on all the Egyptians.
9:12 Yahweh hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he didn’t listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken to Moses.
9:13 Yahweh said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and tell him, ‘This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: “Let my people go, that they may serve me.
9:14 For this time I will send all my plagues against your heart, against your officials, and against your people; that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth.
9:15 For now I would have stretched out my hand, and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth;
9:16 but indeed for this cause I have made you stand: to show you my power, and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth;
9:17 as you still exalt yourself against my people, that you won’t let them go.
9:18 Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as has not been in Egypt since the day it was founded even until now.
9:19 Now therefore command that all of your livestock and all that you have in the field be brought into shelter. Every man and animal that is found in the field, and isn’t brought home, the hail shall come down on them, and they shall die.”’”
9:20 Those who feared the word of Yahweh among the servants of Pharaoh made their servants and their livestock flee into the houses.
9:21 Whoever didn’t respect the word of Yahweh left his servants and his livestock in the field.
9:22 Yahweh said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, on man, and on animal, and on every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.”
9:23 Moses stretched out his rod toward the heavens, and Yahweh sent thunder, hail, and lightning flashed down to the earth. Yahweh rained hail on the land of Egypt.
9:24 So there was very severe hail, and lightning mixed with the hail, such as had not been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.
9:25 The hail struck throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and animal; and the hail struck every herb of the field, and broke every tree of the field.
9:26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, there was no hail.
9:27 Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “I have sinned this time. Yahweh is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.
9:28 Pray to Yahweh; for there has been enough of mighty thunderings and hail. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.”
9:29 Moses said to him, “As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands to Yahweh. The thunders shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that you may know that the earth is Yahweh’s.
9:30 But as for you and your servants, I know that you don’t yet fear Yahweh God.”
9:31 The flax and the barley were struck, for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was in bloom.
9:32 But the wheat and the spelt were not struck, for they had not grown up.
9:33 Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands to Yahweh; and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured on the earth.
9:34 When Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants.
9:35 The heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he didn’t let the children of Israel go, just as Yahweh had spoken through Moses.

Psalm 48

48:1 A Song. A Psalm by the sons of Korah. Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised, in the city of our God, in his holy mountain.
48:2 Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion, on the north sides, the city of the great King.
48:3 God has shown himself in her citadels as a refuge.
48:4 For, behold, the kings assembled themselves, they passed by together.
48:5 They saw it, then they were amazed. They were dismayed. They hurried away.
48:6 Trembling took hold of them there, pain, as of a woman in travail.
48:7 With the east wind, you break the ships of Tarshish.
48:8 As we have heard, so we have seen, in the city of Yahweh of Armies, in the city of our God. God will establish it forever. Selah.
48:9 We have thought about your loving kindness, God, in the midst of your temple.
48:10 As is your name, God, so is your praise to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is full of righteousness.
48:11 Let Mount Zion be glad! Let the daughters of Judah rejoice, Because of your judgments.
48:12 Walk about Zion, and go around her. Number its towers.
48:13 Mark well her bulwarks. Consider her palaces, that you may tell it to the next generation.
48:14 For this God is our God forever and ever. He will be our guide even to death.

Matthew 22:1-22

22:1 Jesus answered and spoke again in parables to them, saying,
22:2 “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who made a marriage feast for his son,
22:3 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage feast, but they would not come.
22:4 Again he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner. My cattle and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the marriage feast!”’
22:5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his merchandise,
22:6 and the rest grabbed his servants, and treated them shamefully, and killed them.
22:7 When the king heard that, he was angry, and sent his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.
22:8 “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited weren’t worthy.
22:9 Go therefore to the intersections of the highways, and as many as you may find, invite to the marriage feast.’
22:10 Those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together as many as they found, both bad and good. The wedding was filled with guests.
22:11 But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who didn’t have on wedding clothing,
22:12 and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here not wearing wedding clothing?’ He was speechless.
22:13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and throw him into the outer darkness; there is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.’
22:14 For many are called, but few chosen.”
22:15 Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how they might entrap him in his talk.
22:16 They sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are honest, and teach the way of God in truth, no matter whom you teach, for you aren’t partial to anyone.
22:17 Tell us therefore, what do you think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”
22:18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test me, you hypocrites?
22:19 Show me the tax money.” They brought to him a denarius.
22:20 He asked them, “Whose is this image and inscription?”
22:21 They said to him, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
22:22 When they heard it, they marveled, and left him, and went away.