1Then Joshua summoned all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, including their elders, leaders, judges, and officers. So they came and presented themselves to God.2Joshua said to the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Long ago your ancestors, including Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River,* and they worshiped other gods. 3But I took your ancestor Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him into the land of Canaan. I gave him many descendants through his son Isaac. 4To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. To Esau I gave the mountains of Seir, while Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.

5“Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I brought terrible plagues on Egypt; and afterward I brought you out as a free people. 6But when your ancestors arrived at the Red Sea,* the Egyptians chased after you with chariots and charioteers. 7When your ancestors cried out to the Lord, I put darkness between you and the Egyptians. I brought the sea crashing down on the Egyptians, drowning them. With your very own eyes you saw what I did. Then you lived in the wilderness for many years.

8“Finally, I brought you into the land of the Amorites on the east side of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I destroyed them before you. I gave you victory over them, and you took possession of their land. 9Then Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, started a war against Israel. He summoned Balaam son of Beor to curse you, 10but I would not listen to him. Instead, I made Balaam bless you, and so I rescued you from Balak.11“When you crossed the Jordan River and came to Jericho, the men of Jericho fought against you, as did the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. But I gave you victory over them. 12And I sent terror* ahead of you to drive out the two kings of the Amorites. It was not your swords or bows that brought you victory.

13I gave you land you had not worked on, and I gave you towns you did not build—the towns where you are now living. I gave you vineyards and olive groves for food, though you did not plant them.14“So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. 15But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”

16The people replied, “We would never abandon the Lord and serve other gods. 17For the Lord our God is the one who rescued us and our ancestors from slavery in the land of Egypt. He performed mighty miracles before our very eyes. As we traveled through the wilderness among our enemies, he preserved us. 18It was the Lord who drove out the Amorites and the other nations living here in the land. So we, too, will serve the Lord, for he alone is our God.” 19Then Joshua warned the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord, for he is a holy and jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. 20If you abandon the Lord and serve other gods, he will turn against you and destroy you, even though he has been so good to you.”

21But the people answered Joshua, “No, we will serve the Lord!”22“You are a witness to your own decision,” Joshua said. “You have chosen to serve the Lord.”“Yes,” they replied, “we are witnesses to what we have said.”23“All right then,” Joshua said, “destroy the idols among you, and turn your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.”24The people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God. We will obey him alone.”25So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day at Shechem, committing them to follow the decrees and regulations of the Lord. 26Joshua recorded these things in the Book of God’s Instructions. As a reminder of their agreement, he took a huge stone and rolled it beneath the terebinth tree beside the Tabernacle of the Lord.

27Joshua said to all the people, “This stone has heard everything the Lord said to us. It will be a witness to testify against you if you go back on your word to God.”28Then Joshua sent all the people away to their own homelands.29After this, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of 110. 30They buried him in the land he had been allocated, at Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.31The people of Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him—those who had personally experienced all that the Lord had done for Israel.

32The bones of Joseph, which the Israelites had brought along with them when they left Egypt, were buried at Shechem, in the parcel of ground Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor for 100 pieces of silver. This land was located in the territory allotted to the descendants of Joseph.33Eleazar son of Aaron also died. He was buried in the hill country of Ephraim, in the town of Gibeah, which had been given to his son Phinehas.

Luke 21:1-28

1While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. 2Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins.3“I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. 4For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.”5Some of his disciples began talking about the majestic stonework of the Temple and the memorial decorations on the walls. But Jesus said, 6“The time is coming when all these things will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!”

7“Teacher,” they asked, “when will all this happen? What sign will show us that these things are about to take place?”8He replied, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and saying, ‘The time has come!’ But don’t believe them. 9And when you hear of wars and insurrections, don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place first, but the end won’t follow immediately.” 10Then he added, “Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11There will be great earthquakes, and there will be famines and plagues in many lands, and there will be terrifying things and great miraculous signs from heaven.

12“But before all this occurs, there will be a time of great persecution. You will be dragged into synagogues and prisons, and you will stand trial before kings and governors because you are my followers. 13But this will be your opportunity to tell them about me.* 14So don’t worry in advance about how to answer the charges against you, 15for I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply or refute you! 16Even those closest to you—your parents, brothers, relatives, and friends—will betray you. They will even kill some of you. 17And everyone will hate you because you are my followers.* 18But not a hair of your head will perish! 19By standing firm, you will win your souls.

20“And when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that the time of its destruction has arrived. 21Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. Those in Jerusalem must get out, and those out in the country should not return to the city. 22For those will be days of God’s vengeance, and the prophetic words of the Scriptures will be fulfilled. 23How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. For there will be disaster in the land and great anger against this people. 24They will be killed by the sword or sent away as captives to all the nations of the world. And Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the period of the Gentiles comes to an end.

25“And there will be strange signs in the sun, moon, and stars. And here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides. 26People will be terrified at what they see coming upon the earth, for the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 27Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and great glory. 28So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near!”

Psalm 89:38-52

38  But now you [the Lord] have rejected him [ David] and cast him off.
You are angry with your anointed king.

39  You have renounced your covenant
with him;
you have thrown his crown in the dust.

40  You have broken down the walls
protecting him
and ruined every fort defending him.

41  Everyone who comes along has robbed him,
and he has become a joke to his neighbors.

42  You have strengthened his enemies
and made them all rejoice.

43  You have made his sword useless
and refused to help him in battle.

44  You have ended his splendor
and overturned his throne.

45  You have made him old before his time
and publicly disgraced him.
Interlude

46  O Lord, how long will this go on?
Will you hide yourself forever?
How long will your anger burn
like fire?

47  Remember how short my life is,
how empty and futile this human existence!

48  No one can live forever; all will die.
No one can escape the power of
the grave.

Interlude

49  Lord, where is your unfailing love?
You promised it to David with a faithful pledge.

50  Consider, Lord, how your servants are disgraced!
I carry in my heart the insults of so many people.

51  Your enemies have mocked me, O Lord;
they mock your anointed king wherever he goes.

52  Praise the Lord forever!
Amen and amen!

Proverbs 13:20-23

20  Walk with the wise and become wise;
associate with fools and get in trouble.

21  Trouble chases sinners,
while blessings reward the righteous.

22  Good people leave an inheritance to their grandchildren,
but the sinner’s wealth passes to the godly.

23  A poor person’s farm may produce much food,
but injustice sweeps it all away.