Mark 6:1-29; 2 Samuel 15; Daniel 9

Mark 6:1-29

1 He went away from there and came to His hometown, and His disciples followed Him.

2 When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were astonished. "Where did this man get these things?" they said. "What is this wisdom given to Him, and how are these miracles performed by His hands?

3 Isn't this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And aren't His sisters here with us?" So they were offended by Him.

4 Then Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his household."

5 So He was not able to do any miracles there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.

6 And He was amazed at their unbelief. Now He was going around the villages in a circuit, teaching.

7 He summoned the Twelve and began to send them out in pairs and gave them authority over unclean spirits.

8 He instructed them to take nothing for the road except a walking stick: no bread, no traveling bag, no money in their belts.

9 They were to wear sandals, but not put on an extra shirt.

10 Then He said to them, "Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that place.

11 If any place does not welcome you and people refuse to listen to you, when you leave there, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them."

12 So they went out and preached that people should repent.

13 And they were driving out many demons, anointing many sick people with oil, and healing.

14 King Herod heard of this, because Jesus' name had become well known. Some said, "John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that's why supernatural powers are at work in him."

15 But others said, "He's Elijah." Still others said, "He's a prophet-like one of the prophets."

16 When Herod heard of it, he said, "John, the one I beheaded, has been raised!"

17 For Herod himself had given orders to arrest John and to chain him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, whom he had married.

18 John had been telling Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife!"

19 So Herodias held a grudge against him and wanted to kill him. But she could not,

20 because Herod was in awe of John and was protecting him, knowing he was a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard him he would be very disturbed, yet would hear him gladly.

21 Now an opportune time came on his birthday, when Herod gave a banquet for his nobles, military commanders, and the leading men of Galilee.

22 When Herodias' own daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, "Ask me whatever you want, and I'll give it to you."

23 So he swore oaths to her: "Whatever you ask me I will give you, up to half my kingdom."

24 Then she went out and said to her mother, "What should I ask for?" "John the Baptist's head!" she said.

25 Immediately she hurried to the king and said, "I want you to give me John the Baptist's head on a platter-right now!"

26 Though the king was deeply distressed, because of his oaths and the guests he did not want to refuse her.

27 The king immediately sent for an executioner and commanded him to bring John's head. So he went and beheaded him in prison,

28 brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother.

29 When his disciples heard about it, they came and removed his corpse and placed it in a tomb.

2 Samuel 15

1 After this, Absalom got himself a chariot, horses, and 50 men to run before him.

2 He would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone had a grievance to bring before the king for settlement, Absalom called out to him and asked, "What city are you from?" If he replied, "Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel,"

3 Absalom said to him, "Look, your claims are good and right, but the king does not have anyone to listen to you."

4 He added, "If only someone would appoint me judge in the land. Then anyone who had a grievance or dispute could come to me, and I would make sure he received justice."

5 When a person approached to bow down to him, Absalom reached out his hand, took hold of him, and kissed him.

6 Absalom did this to all the Israelites who came to the king for a settlement. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

7 When four years had passed, Absalom said to the king, "Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a vow I made to the Lord.

8 For your servant made a vow when I lived in Geshur of Aram, saying: If the Lord really brings me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the Lord in Hebron."

9 "Go in peace," the king said to him. So he went to Hebron.

10 Then Absalom sent messengers throughout the tribes of Israel with this message: "When you hear the sound of the ram's horn, you are to say, 'Absalom has become king in Hebron!' "

11 Two hundred men from Jerusalem went with Absalom. They had been invited and were going innocently, for they knew nothing about the whole matter.

12 While he was offering the sacrifices, Absalom sent for David's adviser Ahithophel the Gilonite, from his city of Giloh. So the conspiracy grew strong, and the people supporting Absalom continued to increase.

13 Then an informer came to David and reported, "The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom."

14 David said to all the servants with him in Jerusalem, "Get up. We have to flee, or we will not escape from Absalom! Leave quickly, or he will overtake us, heap disaster on us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword."

15 The king's servants said to him, "Whatever my lord the king decides, we are your servants."

16 Then the king set out, and his entire household followed him. But he left behind 10 concubines to take care of the palace.

17 So the king set out, and all the people followed him. They stopped at the last house

18 while all his servants marched past him. Then all the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and the Gittites-600 men who came with him from Gath-marched past the king.

19 The king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why are you also going with us? Go back and stay with the king since you're both a foreigner and an exile from your homeland.

20 Besides, you only arrived yesterday; should I make you wander around with us today while I go wherever I can? Go back and take your brothers with you. May the Lord show you kindness and faithfulness."

21 But in response, Ittai vowed to the king, "As surely as the Lord lives and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king is, whether it means life or death, your servant will be there!"

22 "March on," David replied to Ittai. So Ittai the Gittite marched past with all his men and the children who were with him.

23 Everyone in the countryside was weeping loudly while all the people were marching past. As the king was crossing the Kidron Valley, all the people were marching past on the road that leads to the desert.

24 Zadok was also there, and all the Levites with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. They set the ark of God down, and Abiathar offered [sacrifices] until the people had finished marching past.

25 Then the king instructed Zadok, "Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the Lord's eyes, He will bring me back and allow me to see both it and its dwelling place.

26 However, if He should say, 'I do not delight in you,' then here I am-He can do with me whatever pleases Him."

27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, "Look, return to the city in peace and your two sons with you: your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan.

28 Remember, I'll wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me."

29 So Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and stayed there.

30 David was climbing the slope of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he ascended. His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. Each of the people with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they ascended.

31 Then someone reported to David: "Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom." "Lord," David pleaded, "please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!"

32 When David came to the summit where he used to worship God, there to meet him was Hushai the Archite with his robe torn and dust on his head.

33 David said to him, "If you go away with me, you'll be a burden to me,

34 but if you return to the city and tell Absalom, 'I will be your servant, my king! Previously, I was your father's servant, but now I will be your servant,' then you can counteract Ahithophel's counsel for me.

35 Won't Zadok and Abiathar the priests be there with you? Report everything you hear from the king's palace to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.

36 Take note: their two sons, Zadok's son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan, are there with them. Send me everything you hear through them."

37 So Hushai, David's personal adviser, entered Jerusalem just as Absalom was entering the city.

Daniel 9

1 In the first year of Darius, who was the son of Ahasuerus, was a Mede by birth, and was ruler over the kingdom of the Chaldeans-

2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the books according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet that the number of years for the desolation of Jerusalem would be 70.

3 So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and petitions, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: Ah, Lord-the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps His gracious covenant with those who love Him and keep His commandments-

5 we have sinned, done wrong, acted wickedly, rebelled, and turned away from Your commandments and ordinances.

6 We have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, leaders, fathers, and all the people of the land.

7 Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but this day public shame belongs to us: the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, and all Israel-those who are near and those who are far, in all the countries where You have dispersed them because of the disloyalty they have shown toward You.

8 Lord, public shame belongs to us, our kings, our leaders, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You.

9 Compassion and forgiveness belong to the Lord our God, though we have rebelled against Him

10 and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by following His instructions that He set before us through His servants the prophets.

11 All Israel has broken Your law and turned away, refusing to obey You. The promised cursewritten in the law of Moses, the servant of God, has been poured out on us because we have sinned against Him.

12 He has carried out His words that He spoke against us and against our rulers by bringing on us so great a disaster that nothing like what has been done to Jerusalem has ever been done under all of heaven.

13 Just as it is written in the law of Moses, all this disaster has come on us, yet we have not appeased the Lord our God by turning from our injustice and paying attention to Your truth.

14 So the Lord kept the disaster in mind and brought it on us, for the Lord our God is righteous in all He has done. But we have not obeyed Him.

15 Now, Lord our God, who brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and made Your name [renowned] as it is this day, we have sinned, we have acted wickedly.

16 Lord, in keeping with all Your righteous acts, may Your anger and wrath turn away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; for because of our sins and the injustices of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people have become an object of ridicule to all those around us.

17 Therefore, our God, hear the prayer and the petitions of Your servant. Show Your favor to Your desolate sanctuary for the Lord's sake.

18 Listen, my God, and hear. Open Your eyes and see our desolations and the city called by Your name. For we are not presenting our petitions before You based on our righteous acts, but based on Your abundant compassion.

19 Lord, hear! Lord, forgive! Lord, listen and act! My God, for Your own sake, do not delay, because Your city and Your people are called by Your name.

20 While I was speaking, praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my petition before Yahweh my God concerning the holy mountain of my God-

21 while I was praying, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the first vision, came to me in my extreme weariness, about the time of the evening offering.

22 He gave me this explanation: "Daniel, I've come now to give you understanding.

23 At the beginning of your petitions an answer went out, and I have come to give it, for you are treasured [by God]. So consider the message and understand the vision:

24 Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city- to bring the rebellion to an end, to put a stop to sin, to wipe away injustice, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy place.

25 Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince will be seven weeks and 62 weeks. It will be rebuilt with a plaza and a moat, but in difficult times.

26 After those 62 weeks the Messiah will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the coming prince will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come with a flood, and until the end there will be war; desolations are decreed.

27 He will make a firm covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and offering. And the abomination of desolation will be on a wing of the temple until the decreed destruction is poured out on the desolator."