1 Corinthians 15:35-58; 2 Kings 11; Micah 2

1 Corinthians 15:35-58

35 But someone will say, "How are the dead raised? What kind of body will they have when they come?"

36 Foolish one! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.

37 And as for what you sow-you are not sowing the future body, but only a seed, perhaps of wheat or another grain.

38 But God gives it a body as He wants, and to each of the seeds its own body.

39 Not all flesh is the same flesh; there is one flesh for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish.

40 There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is different from that of the earthly ones.

41 There is a splendor of the sun, another of the moon, and another of the stars; for star differs from star in splendor.

42 So it is with the resurrection of the dead: Sown in corruption, raised in incorruption;

43 sown in dishonor, raised in glory; sown in weakness, raised in power;

44 sown a natural body, raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

45 So it is written: The first man Adam became a living being ; the last Adam became a life-giving Spirit.

46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual.

47 The first man was from the earth and made of dust; the second man is from heaven.

48 Like the man made of dust, so are those who are made of dust; like the heavenly man, so are those who are heavenly.

49 And just as we have borne the image of the man made of dust, we will also bear the image of the heavenly man.

50 Brothers, I tell you this: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, and corruption cannot inherit incorruption.

51 Listen! I am telling you a mystery: We will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed,

52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.

53 Because this corruptible must be clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal must be clothed with immortality.

54 Now when this corruptible is clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal is clothed with immortality, then the saying that is written will take place: Death has been swallowed up in victory.

55 O Death, where is your victory? O Death, where is your sting?

56 Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

58 Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord's work, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

2 Kings 11

1 When Athaliah, Ahaziah's mother, saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to annihilate all the royal heirs.

2 Jehosheba, [who was] King Jehoram's daughter and Ahaziah's sister, secretly rescued Joash son of Ahaziah from the king's sons who were being killed and [put] him and his nurse in a bedroom. So he was hidden from Athaliah and was not killed.

3 Joash was in hiding with Jehosheba in the Lord's temple six years while Athaliah ruled over the land.

4 Then, in the seventh year, Jehoiada sent [messengers] and brought in the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, and the guards. He had them come to him in the Lord's temple, where he made a covenant with them and put them under oath. He showed them the king's son

5 and commanded them, "This is what you are to do: one third of you who come on duty on the Sabbath are to provide protection for the king's palace.

6 A third are to be at the Sur gate and a third at the gate behind the guards. You are to take turns providing protection for the palace.

7 Your two divisions that go off duty on the Sabbath are to provide protection for the Lord's temple.

8 You must completely surround the king with weapons in hand. Anyone who approaches the ranks is to be put to death. You must be with the king in all his daily tasks."

9 So the commanders of hundreds did everything Jehoiada the priest commanded. They each brought their men-those coming on duty on the Sabbath and those going off duty-and went to Jehoiada the priest.

10 The priest gave to the commanders of hundreds King David's spears and shields that were in the Lord's temple.

11 Then the guards stood with their weapons in hand surrounding the king-from the right side of the temple to the left side, by the altar and by the temple.

12 He brought out the king's son, put the crown on him, gave him the testimony,and made him king. They anointed him and clapped their hands and cried, "Long live the king!"

13 When Athaliah heard the noise from the guard [and] the crowd, she went out to the people at the Lord's temple.

14 As she looked, there was the king standing by the pillar according to the custom. The commanders and the trumpeters were by the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Athaliah tore her clothes and screamed "Treason! Treason!"

15 Then Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders of hundreds in charge of the army, "Take her out between the ranks, and put anyone who follows her to death by the sword," for the priest had said, "She is not to be put to death in the Lord's temple."

16 So they arrested her, and she went out by way of the Horses' Entrance to the king's palace, where she was put to death.

17 Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord, the king, and the people that they would be the Lord's people and [another one] between the king and the people.

18 So all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They broke its altars and images into pieces, and they killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, at the altars. Then [Jehoiada] the priest appointed guards for the Lord's temple.

19 He took [with him] the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, the guards, and all the people of the land, and they brought the king from the Lord's temple. They entered the king's palace by way of the guards' gate. Then Joash sat on the throne of the kings.

20 All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet, for they had put Athaliah to death by the sword in the king's palace.

21 Joash was seven years old when he became king.

Micah 2

1 Woe to those who dream up wickedness and prepare evil [plans]on their beds! At morning light they accomplish it because the power is in their hands.

2 They covet fields and seize them; they also take houses. They deprive a man of his home, a person of his inheritance.

3 Therefore, the Lord says: I am now planning a disaster against this nation; you cannot free your necks from it. Then you will not walk so proudly because it will be an evil time.

4 In that day one will take up a taunt against you, and lament mournfully, saying: We are totally ruined! He measures out the allotted land of my people. How He removes [it] from me! He allots our fields to traitors.

5 Therefore, there will be no one in the assembly of the Lord to divide the land by casting lots.

6 "Stop your preaching," they preach. "They should not preach these things; shame will not overtake us."

7 House of Jacob, should it be asked: "Is the Spirit of the Lord impatient? Are these the things He does?" Don't My words bring good to the one who walks uprightly?

8 But recently My people have risen up like an enemy: You strip off the splendid robe from those who are passing through confidently, like those returning from war.

9 You force the women of My people out of their comfortable homes, and you take My blessing from their children forever.

10 Get up and leave, for this is not your place of rest, because defilement brings destruction- a grievous destruction!

11 If a man of spirit comes and invents lies: "I will preach to you about wine and beer," he would be just the preacher for this people!

12 I will indeed gather all of you, Jacob; I will collect the remnant of Israel. I will bring them together like sheep in a pen, like a flock in the middle of its fold. It will be noisy with people.

13 One who breaks open [the way] will advance before them; they will break out, pass through the gate, and leave by it. Their King will pass through before them, the Lord as their leader.