Today’s Bible Reading

November 29

Old Testament I
2 Chronicles 29
2 Chronicles 29 records the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah, who began his reign at the age of 25 and reigned for 29 years. Hezekiah was a righteous king who sought to restore the worship of God in the temple and throughout the kingdom.

In the first year of his reign, Hezekiah ordered the priests and Levites to purify and consecrate the temple, which had been neglected and defiled by his father, Ahaz. They removed all the idolatrous items and cleansed the temple with water and blood. Then they began to restore the temple furnishings and prepare for the worship services.

Hezekiah also called for a great assembly of the leaders and people of Judah to re-establish the covenant with God and renew their commitment to follow Him. The people responded enthusiastically and brought offerings and sacrifices to the temple.

The king also sent messengers throughout the kingdom to invite the people of Israel and Judah to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. Many responded, and the Passover was celebrated with great joy and feasting for seven days.

Hezekiah's reforms brought about a great revival of faith and worship in Judah, and the people experienced a renewed sense of God's presence and blessing. The chapter ends by noting that Hezekiah continued to serve the Lord faithfully throughout his reign, and his legacy was one of reform and faithfulness to God.

Old Testament II
Ezekiel 45
Ezekiel 45 is a chapter in the book of Ezekiel in the Old Testament of the Bible. This chapter contains a vision that God showed to the prophet Ezekiel regarding the division of the land of Israel among the twelve tribes.

In this vision, God instructs Ezekiel to set aside a portion of the land as a holy district. This district is to be 25,000 cubits long and 20,000 cubits wide, and it is to be divided into two parts. The first part is to be for the sanctuary, which is to be located at the center of the district. The second part is to be for the priests, who are to live in the area around the sanctuary.

In addition to the holy district, God also instructs Ezekiel to set aside a portion of the land for the prince of Israel. This portion is to be located on either side of the holy district, and it is to be 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 cubits wide.

The chapter also contains instructions for the prince regarding his duties and responsibilities. He is to provide offerings and sacrifices for the people, and he is to ensure that justice is administered fairly.

Overall, Ezekiel 45 emphasizes the importance of holiness and justice in the land of Israel. It also highlights the role of the priests and the prince in maintaining these principles.

New Testament
John 21
John 21 is the final chapter of the Gospel of John, and it recounts an appearance of Jesus to his disciples after his resurrection. The chapter opens with the disciples fishing on the Sea of Tiberias, where Jesus appears to them on the shore. The disciples do not initially recognize Jesus, but when he tells them to cast their net on the right side of the boat, they catch a large number of fish.

Peter recognizes that it is Jesus and jumps out of the boat to swim to him. The other disciples follow in the boat, and when they reach the shore, they find that Jesus has prepared breakfast for them. After they eat, Jesus speaks to Peter, asking him three times if he loves him. Each time Peter answers affirmatively, Jesus tells him to feed his sheep.

Jesus then predicts Peter's future, telling him that when he is old, he will stretch out his hands and someone else will dress him and lead him where he does not want to go, signifying the kind of death Peter would suffer.

The chapter ends with Jesus telling Peter to follow him, and Peter turning to see John, another disciple, following them. Peter asks Jesus what will happen to John, and Jesus replies that it is not Peter's concern, but that he should follow him. The chapter concludes with the assurance that the disciple who recorded these things is the one who testified of them and that they are true.