John 20:19-31; 2 Chronicles 32; Psalms 88

John 20:19-31

19 In the evening of that first day of the week, the disciples were [gathered together] with the doors locked because of their fear of the Jews. Then Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, "Peace to you!"

20 Having said this, He showed them His hands and His side. So the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you."

22 After saying this, He breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit.

23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain [the sins of] any, they are retained."

24 But one of the Twelve, Thomas (called "Twin"), was not with them when Jesus came.

25 So the other disciples kept telling him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "If I don't see the mark of the nails in His hands, put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe!"

26 After eight days His disciples were indoors again, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them. He said, "Peace to you!"

27 Then He said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and observe My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Don't be an unbeliever, but a believer."

28 Thomas responded to Him, "My Lord and my God!"

29 Jesus said, "Because you have seen Me, you have believed. Those who believe without seeing are blessed."

30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples that are not written in this book.

31 But these are written so that you may believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and by believing you may have life in His name.

2 Chronicles 32

1 After these faithful deeds, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and entered Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities and intended to break into them.

2 Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he planned war on Jerusalem,

3 so he consulted with his officials and his warriors about stopping up the waters of the springs that were outside the city, and they helped him.

4 Many people gathered and stopped up all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land; they said, "Why should the kings of Assyria come and find plenty of water?"

5 Then Hezekiah strengthened his position by rebuilding the entire broken-down wall and heightening the towers and the other outside wall. He repaired the supporting terraces of the city of David, and made an abundance of weapons and shields.

6 He set military commanders over the people and gathered the people in the square of the city gate. Then he encouraged them, saying,

7 "Be strong and courageous! Don't be afraid or discouraged before the king of Assyria or before all the multitude with him, for there are more with us than with him.

8 He has only human strength,but we have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles." So the people relied on the words of King Hezekiah of Judah.

9 After this, while Sennacherib king of Assyria with all his armed forces besieged Lachish, he sent his servants to Jerusalem against King Hezekiah of Judah and against all those of Judah who were in Jerusalem, saying,

10 "This is what King Sennacherib of Assyria says: 'What are you trusting in, you who remain under the siege of Jerusalem?

11 Isn't Hezekiah misleading you to give you over to death by famine and thirst when he says, "The Lord our God will deliver us from the power of the king of Assyria"?

12 Didn't Hezekiah himself remove His high places and His altars and say to Judah and Jerusalem: "You must worship before one altar, and you must burn incense on it"?

13 " 'Don't you know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? Have any of the national gods of the lands been able to deliver their land from my power?

14 Who among all the gods of these nations that my fathers utterly destroyed was able to deliver his people from my power, that your God should be able to do the same for you?

15 So now, don't let Hezekiah deceive you, and don't let him mislead you like this. Don't believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver his people from my power or the power of my fathers. How much less will your gods deliver you from my power!' "

16 His servants said more against the Lord God and against His servant Hezekiah.

17 He also wrote letters to mock the Lord God of Israel, saying against Him: Just like the national gods of the lands that did not deliver their people from my power, so Hezekiah's God will not deliver His people from my power.

18 Then they called out loudly in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall to frighten and discourage them in order that he might capture the city.

19 They spoke against the God of Jerusalem like they had spoken against the gods of the peoples of the land, which were made by human hands.

20 King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz prayed about this and cried out to heaven,

21 and the Lord sent an angel who annihilated every brave warrior, leader, and commander in the camp of the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria returned with shame to his land. He went to the temple of his god, and there some of his own children cut him down with the sword.

22 So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the power of King Sennacherib of Assyria and from the power of all others. He gave them rest on every side.

23 Many were bringing an offering to the Lord to Jerusalem and valuable gifts to King Hezekiah of Judah, and he was exalted in the eyes of all the nations after that.

24 In those days Hezekiah became sick to the point of death, so he prayed to the Lord, and He spoke to him and gave him a miraculous sign.

25 However, because his heart was proud, Hezekiah didn't respond according to the benefit that had come to him. So there was wrath upon him, upon Judah, and upon Jerusalem.

26 Then Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart-he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem-so the Lord's wrath didn't come on them during Hezekiah's lifetime.

27 Hezekiah had abundant riches and glory, and he made himself treasuries for silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields, and every desirable item.

28 He made warehouses for the harvest of grain, wine, and oil, and stalls for all kinds of cattle, and pens for flocks.

29 He made cities for himself, and he acquired herds of sheep and cattle in abundance, for God gave him abundant possessions.

30 This same Hezekiah blocked the outlet of the water of the Upper Gihon and channeled it smoothly downward and westward to the city of David. Hezekiah succeeded in everything he did.

31 When the ambassadors of Babylon's rulers were sent to him to inquire about the miraculous sign that happened in the land, God left him to test him and discover what was in his heart.

32 As for the rest of the events of Hezekiah's [reign] and his deeds of faithful love, note that they are written about in the Visions of the Prophet Isaiah son of Amoz, and in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

33 Hezekiah rested with his fathers and was buried on the ascent to the tombs of David's descendants. All Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem paid him honor at his death. His son Manasseh became king in his place.

Psalms 88

1 Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out before You day and night.

2 May my prayer reach Your presence; listen to my cry.

3 For I have had enough troubles, and my life is near Sheol.

4 I am counted among those going down to the Pit. I am like a man without strength,

5 abandoned among the dead. I am like the slain lying in the grave, whom You no longer remember, and who are cut off from Your care.

6 You have put me in the lowest part of the Pit, in the darkest places, in the depths.

7 Your wrath weighs heavily on me; You have overwhelmed me with all Your waves. Selah

8 You have distanced my friends from me; You have made me repulsive to them. I am shut in and cannot go out.

9 My eyes are worn out from crying. Lord, I cry out to You all day long; I spread out my hands to You.

10 Do You work wonders for the dead? Do departed spirits rise up to praise You? Selah

11 Will Your faithful love be declared in the grave, Your faithfulness in Abaddon?

12 Will Your wonders be known in the darkness, or Your righteousness in the land of oblivion?

13 But I call to You for help, Lord; in the morning my prayer meets You.

14 Lord, why do You reject me? Why do You hide Your face from me?

15 From my youth, I have been afflicted and near death. I suffer Your horrors; I am desperate.

16 Your wrath sweeps over me; Your terrors destroy me.

17 They surround me like water all day long; they close in on me from every side.

18 You have distanced loved one and neighbor from me; darkness is my [only] friend.