Formation Journal Reading Plan

4:1 But in the latter days, it will happen that the mountain of Yahweh’s temple will be established on the top of the mountains, and it will be exalted above the hills; and peoples will stream to it.

4:2 Many nations will go and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For out of Zion will go forth the law, and the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem;

4:3 and he will judge between many peoples, and will decide concerning strong nations afar off. They will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they learn war any more.

4:4 But they will sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and no one will make them afraid: For the mouth of Yahweh of Armies has spoken.

4:5 Indeed all the nations may walk in the name of their gods; but we will walk in the name of Yahweh our God forever and ever.

4:6 “In that day,” says Yahweh, “I will assemble that which is lame, and I will gather that which is driven away, and that which I have afflicted;

4:7 and I will make that which was lame a remnant, and that which was cast far off a strong nation: and Yahweh will reign over them on Mount Zion from then on, even forever.”

4:8 You, tower of the flock, the hill of the daughter of Zion, to you it will come, yes, the former dominion will come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.

4:9 Now why do you cry out aloud? Is there no king in you? Has your counselor perished, that pains have taken hold of you as of a woman in travail?

4:10 Be in pain, and labor to bring forth, daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail; for now you will go forth out of the city, and will dwell in the field, and will come even to Babylon. There you will be rescued. There Yahweh will redeem you from the hand of your enemies.

4:11 Now many nations have assembled against you, that say, “Let her be defiled, and let our eye gloat over Zion.”

4:12 But they don’t know the thoughts of Yahweh, neither do they understand his counsel; for he has gathered them like the sheaves to the threshing floor.

4:13 Arise and thresh, daughter of Zion; for I will make your horn iron, and I will make your hoofs brass; and you will beat in pieces many peoples: and I will devote their gain to Yahweh, and their substance to the Lord of the whole earth.

5:1 Now you shall gather yourself in troops, daughter of troops. He has laid siege against us. They will strike the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek.

5:2 But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, out of you one will come forth to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.

5:3 Therefore he will abandon them until the time that she who is in labor gives birth. Then the rest of his brothers will return to the children of Israel.

5:4 He shall stand, and shall shepherd in the strength of Yahweh, in the majesty of the name of Yahweh his God: and they will live, for then he will be great to the ends of the earth.

5:5 He will be our peace when Assyria invades our land, and when he marches through our fortresses, then we will raise against him seven shepherds, and eight leaders of men.

5:6 They will rule the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in its gates. He will deliver us from the Assyrian, when he invades our land, and when he marches within our border.

5:7 The remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples, like dew from Yahweh, like showers on the grass, that don’t wait for man, nor wait for the sons of men.

5:8 The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the animals of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep; who, if he goes through, treads down and tears in pieces, and there is no one to deliver.

5:9 Let your hand be lifted up above your adversaries, and let all of your enemies be cut off.

5:10 “It will happen in that day,” says Yahweh, “That I will cut off your horses out of the midst of you, and will destroy your chariots.

5:11 I will cut off the cities of your land, and will tear down all your strongholds.

5:12 I will destroy witchcraft from your hand; and you shall have no soothsayers.

5:13 I will cut off your engraved images and your pillars out of your midst; and you shall no more worship the work of your hands.

5:14 I will uproot your Asherim out of your midst; and I will destroy your cities.

5:15 I will execute vengeance in anger, and wrath on the nations that didn’t listen.”

21:16 The man who wanders out of the way of understanding shall rest in the assembly of the dead.

21:17 He who loves pleasure shall be a poor man. He who loves wine and oil shall not be rich.

21:18 The wicked is a ransom for the righteous; the treacherous for the upright.

21:19 It is better to dwell in a desert land, than with a contentious and fretful woman.

21:20 There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man swallows it up.

21:21 He who follows after righteousness and kindness finds life, righteousness, and honor.

21:22 A wise man scales the city of the mighty, and brings down the strength of its confidence.

21:23 Whoever guards his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles.

21:24 The proud and haughty man, “scoffer” is his name; he works in the arrogance of pride.

21:25 The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.

21:26 There are those who covet greedily all day long; but the righteous give and don’t withhold.

21:27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination: how much more, when he brings it with a wicked mind!

21:28 A false witness will perish, and a man who listens speaks to eternity.

21:29 A wicked man hardens his face; but as for the upright, he establishes his ways.

21:30 There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against Yahweh.

21:31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle; but victory is with Yahweh.

8:1 When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

8:2 I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.

8:3 Another angel came and stood over the altar, having a golden censer. Much incense was given to him, that he should add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne.

8:4 The smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand.

8:5 The angel took the censer, and he filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it on the earth. There followed thunders, sounds, lightnings, and an earthquake.

8:6 The seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

8:7 The first sounded, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. One third of the earth was burnt up, and one third of the trees were burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

8:8 The second angel sounded, and something like a great burning mountain was thrown into the sea. One third of the sea became blood,

8:9 and one third of the living creatures which were in the sea died. One third of the ships were destroyed.

8:10 The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from the sky, burning like a torch, and it fell on one third of the rivers, and on the springs of the waters.

8:11 The name of the star is called “Wormwood.” One third of the waters became wormwood. Many people died from the waters, because they were made bitter.

8:12 The fourth angel sounded, and one third of the sun was struck, and one third of the moon, and one third of the stars; so that one third of them would be darkened, and the day wouldn’t shine for one third of it, and the night in the same way.

8:13 I saw, and I heard an eagle, flying in mid heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe! Woe! Woe for those who dwell on the earth, because of the other voices of the trumpets of the three angels, who are yet to sound!”