AME Zion Universal Reading JUNE 28th 2021

Sunday School Zoom Link

What is Below The Waters

First Portion

Numbers Chapter 22

2Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.3Moab became terrified of the people, for they were numerous, and Moab became disgusted because of the children of Israel.4Moab said to the elders of Midian, "Now this assembly will eat up everything around us, as the ox eats up the greens of the field. Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.5He sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of his people, to call for him, saying, "A people has come out of Egypt, and behold, they have covered the "eye" of the land, and they are stationed opposite me.6So now, please come and curse this people for me, for they are too powerful for me. Perhaps I will be able to wage war against them and drive them out of the land, for I know that whomever you bless is blessed and whomever you curse is cursed."7So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian went, with magic charms in their hands, and they came to Balaam and conveyed Balak's message to him.8He said to them, "Lodge here for the night, and I will give you an answer when the Lord speaks to me." So the Moabite nobles stayed with Balaam.9God came to Balaam and said, "Who are these men with you?"10Balaam said to God, "Balak the son of Zippor the king of Moab has sent [them] to me, [saying]:11"Behold the people coming out of Egypt, a nation, has covered the 'eye' of the earth. Come and curse them for me, perhaps I will be able to fight against them and drive them out."12God said to Balaam, "You shall not go with them! You shall not curse the people because they are blessed."

Sunday

Matthew 14:22–33 (NLT): Jesus Walks on Water

22 Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home.

23 After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.

24 Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves.

25 About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water.

26 When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”

27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”

28 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”

29 “Yes, come,” Jesus said.

So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.

30 But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.

31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”

32 When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.

Second Portion

Numbers Chapter 22

13When Balaam arose in the morning, he said to Balak's nobles, "Return to your country, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you."14Moab's nobles arose and came to Balak and said, "Balaam refuses to come with us."15So Balak continued to send dignitaries, more and higher in rank than these.16They came to Balaam and said to him, "So said Balak the son of Zippor, 'Please do not hesitate to come to me.17For I will honor you greatly and do whatever you tell me to do. So please come and curse this people for me.'"18Balaam answered and said to Balak's servants, "Even if Balak gives me a house full of silver and gold, I cannot do anything small or great that would transgress the word of the Lord, my God.19Now, you too, please remain here overnight, and I will know what the Lord will continue to speak with me."20God came to Balaam at night and said to him, "If these men have come to call for you, arise and go with them, but the word I speak to you-that you shall do."

Monday

Isaiah 38:16–20 (NLT):

16 Lord, your discipline is good,

for it leads to life and health.

You restore my health

and allow me to live!

17 Yes, this anguish was good for me,

for you have rescued me from death

and forgiven all my sins.

18 For the dead cannot praise you;

they cannot raise their voices in praise.

Those who go down to the grave

can no longer hope in your faithfulness.

19 Only the living can praise you as I do today.

Each generation tells of your faithfulness to the next.

20 Think of it—the Lord is ready to heal me!

I will sing his praises with instruments

every day of my life

in the Temple of the Lord.

Third Portion

Numbers Chapter 22

21In the morning Balaam arose, saddled his she-donkey and went with the Moabite dignitaries.22God's wrath flared because he was going, and an angel of the Lord stationed himself on the road to thwart him, and he was riding on his she-donkey, and his two servants were with him.23The she-donkey saw the angel of the Lord stationed on the road with his sword drawn in his hand; so the she-donkey turned aside from the road and went into a field. Balaam beat the she-donkey to get it back onto the road.24The angel of the Lord stood in a path of the vineyards, with a fence on this side and a fence on that side.25The she-donkey saw the angel of the Lord, and she was pressed against the wall. She pressed Balaam's leg against the wall, and he beat her again.26The angel of the Lord continued going ahead, and he stood in a narrow place, where there was no room to turn right or left.27The she-donkey saw the angel of the Lord, and it crouched down under Balaam. Balaam's anger flared, and he beat the she-donkey with a stick.28The Lord opened the mouth of the she-donkey, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you that you have struck me these three times?"29Balaam said to the she-donkey, "For you have humiliated me; if I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now."30The she-donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your she-donkey on which you have ridden since you first started until now? Have I been accustomed to do this to you?" He said, "No."31The Lord opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road, with a sword drawn in his hand. He bowed and prostrated himself on his face.32The angel of the Lord said to him, "Why have you beaten your she-donkey these three times? Behold, I have came out to thwart you, for the one embarking on the journey has hastened against me.33When the she-donkey saw me, it turned aside these three times. Had she not turned aside before me, now also I would also have killed you and spared her [the she-donkey]."34Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, "I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing on the road before me. Now, if it displeases you, I will return."35The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, "Go with these men, but the word I will speak to you-that you shall speak." So Balaam went with Balak's dignitaries.36Balak heard that Balaam was coming; so he went out toward him to the city of Moab which is on the border of Arnon-at the extreme edge of the border.37Balak said to Balaam, "Did I not send to you to call for you? Why did you not come to me? Am I indeed incapable of honoring you?"38Balaam said to Balak, "Behold I have come to you, do I have any power to say anything? The word God puts into my mouth-that I will speak."

Tuesday

Matthew 14:1–12 (NLT): The Death of John the Baptist

When Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, heard about Jesus, 2 he said to his advisers, “This must be John the Baptist raised from the dead! That is why he can do such miracles.”

3 For Herod had arrested and imprisoned John as a favor to his wife Herodias (the former wife of Herod’s brother Philip). 4 John had been telling Herod, “It is against God’s law for you to marry her.” 5 Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of a riot, because all the people believed John was a prophet.

6 But at a birthday party for Herod, Herodias’s daughter performed a dance that greatly pleased him, 7 so he promised with a vow to give her anything she wanted. 8 At her mother’s urging, the girl said, “I want the head of John the Baptist on a tray!” 9 Then the king regretted what he had said; but because of the vow he had made in front of his guests, he issued the necessary orders. 10 So John was beheaded in the prison, 11 and his head was brought on a tray and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. 12 Later, John’s disciples came for his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus what had happened.

Fourth Portion

Numbers Chapter 22

39Balaam went with Balak, and they arrived at Kiryath Huzoth [a city of streets].40Balak slaughtered cattle and sheep and sent [some] to Balaam and to the dignitaries with him.41And in the morning Balak took Balaam and led him up to Bamoth Baal, and from there he saw part of the people.

Numbers Chapter 23

1Balaam said to Balak, "Build me seven altars here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams."2Balak did as Balaam had requested, and Balak and Balaam offered up a bull and a ram on [each] altar.3Balaam said to Balak, "Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps the Lord will happen to appear to me, and He will show me something that I can tell you," and he went alone.4God chanced upon Balaam, and he said to Him, "I have set up the seven altars, and I have offered up a bull and a ram on [each] altar."5The Lord placed something into Balaam's mouth, and He said, "Return to Balak and say as follows."6When he returned, Balak was standing next to his burnt offering, he and all the Moabite dignitaries.7He took up his parable and said, "Balak the king of Moab has brought me from Aram, from the mountains of the east [saying], 'Come, curse Jacob for me and come invoke wrath against Israel.'8How can I curse whom God has not cursed, and how can I invoke wrath if the Lord has not been angered?9For from their beginning, I see them as mountain peaks, and I behold them as hills; it is a nation that will dwell alone, and will not be reckoned among the nations.10Who counted the dust of Jacob or the number of a fourth of [or, of the seed of] Israel? May my soul die the death of the upright and let my end be like his."11Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them!"12He answered, saying, "What the Lord puts into my mouth that I must take care to say."

Wednesday

Matthew 14:13–21 (NLT): Jesus Feeds Five Thousand

13 As soon as Jesus heard the news, he left in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds heard where he was headed and followed on foot from many towns. 14 Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

15 That evening the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.”

16 But Jesus said, “That isn’t necessary—you feed them.”

17 “But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish!” they answered.

18 “Bring them here,” he said. 19 Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave the bread to the disciples, who distributed it to the people. 20 They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers. 21 About 5,000 men were fed that day, in addition to all the women and children!

Fifth Portion

Numbers Chapter 23

13Balak said to him, "Come with me to another place from where you will see them; however, you will see only a part of them, not all of them and curse them for me from there.14He took him to the field of the lookouts, to the peak of the mountain, and he built seven altars and offered up a bull and a ram on [each] altar.15He said to Balak, "Stand here next to your burnt offering and I will be chanced on here.16The Lord chanced upon Balaam and placed something into his mouth. He said, "Return to Balak and so you shall speak."17When he came to him, he was standing next to his burnt offering, and the Moabite dignitaries were with him, and Balak said to him, "What did the Lord speak?"18He took up his parable and said, "Arise, Balak, and hear; listen closely to me, son of Zippor.19God is not a man that He should lie, nor is He a mortal that He should relent. Would He say and not do, speak and not fulfill?20I have received [an instruction] to bless, and He has blessed, and I cannot retract it.21He does not look at evil in Jacob, and has seen no perversity in Israel; the Lord, his God, is with him, and he has the King's friendship.22God has brought them out of Egypt with the strength of His loftiness.23For there is no divination in Jacob and no soothsaying in Israel. In time it will be said to Jacob and Israel, 'What has God wrought?'24Behold, a people that rises like a lioness (See Malbim) and raises itself like a lion. It does not lie down until it eats its prey and drinks the blood of the slain."25Balak said to Balaam, "You shall neither curse them nor shall you bless them."26Balaam answered and said to Balak, "Have I not spoken to you, saying, 'Everything the Lord speaks that I shall do."

Thursday

John 6:22–29 (NLT): Jesus, the Bread of Life

22 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the far shore saw that the disciples had taken the only boat, and they realized Jesus had not gone with them. 23 Several boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the Lord had blessed the bread and the people had eaten. 24 So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went across to Capernaum to look for him. 25 They found him on the other side of the lake and asked, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”

26 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. 27 But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.”

28 They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?”

29 Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”

Sixth Portion

Numbers Chapter 23

27Balak said to Balaam, "Come now, I will take you to a different place. Perhaps it will please God, and you will curse them for me from there.28So Balak took Balaam to the peak of Peor, overlooking the wastelands.29Balaam said to Balak, "Build me seven altars here and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.30Balak did as Balaam told him, and offered up a bull and a ram on [each] altar.

Numbers Chapter 24

1Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel; so he did not go in search of omens as he had done time and time again, but turned his face toward the desert.2Balaam raised his eyes and saw Israel dwelling according to its tribes, and the spirit of God rested upon him.3He took up his parable and said, "The word of Balaam the son of Beor and the word of the man with an open eye.4The word of the one who hears God's sayings, who sees the vision of the Almighty, fallen yet with open eyes.5How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel!6They extend like streams, like gardens by the river, like aloes which the Lord planted, like cedars by the water.7Water will flow from his wells, and his seed shall have abundant water; his king shall be raised over Agag, and his kingship exalted.8God, Who has brought them out of Egypt with the strength of His loftiness He shall consume the nations which are his adversaries, bare their bones and dip His arrows [into their blood].9He crouches and lies like a lion and like a lioness; who will dare rouse him? Those who bless you shall be blessed, and those who curse you shall be cursed.10Balak's anger flared against Balaam, and he clapped his hands. Balak said to Balaam, "I called you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them these three times.11Now, hurry back to your place. I said I would honor you greatly, but the Lord has deprived you of honor."12Balaam said to Balak, "But I even told the messengers you sent to me, saying,13'If Balak gives me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot transgress the word of the Lord to do either good or evil on my own; only what the Lord speaks can I speak.'

Friday

Matthew 14:34–36 (NLT):

34 After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret. 35 When the people recognized Jesus, the news of his arrival spread quickly throughout the whole area, and soon people were bringing all their sick to be healed. 36 They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed.

Seventh Portion

Numbers Chapter 24

14And now, I am going to my people. Come, I will advise you...what this people will do to your people at the end of days."15He took up his parable and said, "The word of Balaam, son of Beor, the word of a man with an open eye.16The word of the one who hears God's sayings and perceives the thoughts of the Most High; who sees the vision of the Almighty, fallen yet with open eyes.17I see it, but not now; I behold it, but not soon. A star has gone forth from Jacob, and a staff will arise from Israel which will crush the princes of Moab and uproot all the sons of Seth.18Edom shall be possessed, and Seir shall become the possession of his enemies, and Israel shall triumph.19A ruler shall come out of Jacob, and destroy the remnant of the city."20When he saw Amalek, he took up his parable and said, "Amalek was the first of the nations, and his fate shall be everlasting destruction."21When he saw the Kenite, he took up his parable and said, "How firm is your dwelling place, and your nest is set in a cliff.22For if Kain is laid waste, how far will Assyria take you captive?"23He took up his parable and said, Alas! Who can survive these things from God?24Ships will come from the Kittites and afflict Assyria and afflict those on the other side, but he too will perish forever."25Balaam arose, went, and returned home, and Balak went on his way.

Numbers Chapter 25

1Israel settled in Shittim, and the people began to commit harlotry with the daughters of the Moabites.2They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and prostrated themselves to their gods.3Israel became attached to Baal Peor, and the anger of the Lord flared against Israel.4The Lord said to Moses, "Take all the leaders of the people and hang them before the Lord, facing the sun, and then the flaring anger of the Lord will be removed from Israel.5Moses said to the judges of Israel, "Each of you shall kill the men who became attached to Baal Peor.6Then an Israelite man came and brought the Midianite woman to his brethren, before the eyes of Moses and before the eyes of the entire congregation of the children of Israel, while they were weeping at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.7Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the kohen saw this, arose from the congregation, and took a spear in his hand.8He went after the Israelite man into the chamber and drove [it through] both of them; the Israelite man, and the woman through her stomach, and the plague ceased from the children of Israel.9Those that died in the plague numbered twenty four thousand.

Saturday

Mark 13:9–12 (NLT):

9 “When these things begin to happen, watch out! You will be handed over to the local councils and beaten in the synagogues. You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell them about me. 10 For the Good News must first be preached to all nations. 11 But when you are arrested and stand trial, don’t worry in advance about what to say. Just say what God tells you at that time, for it is not you who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

12 “A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed.

Maftir Portion

Numbers Chapter 25

7Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the kohen saw this, arose from the congregation, and took a spear in his hand.8He went after the Israelite man into the chamber and drove [it through] both of them; the Israelite man, and the woman through her stomach, and the plague ceased from the children of Israel.9Those that died in the plague numbered twenty four thousand.

Haftarah

Micah Chapter 5

6And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples-like dew sent by the Lord, like torrents of rain upon vegatation that does not hope for any man and does not wait for the sons of men.7And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples-like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep, which, if it passes through, treads down and tears in pieces, and no one [can] save anything.8Your hand shall be raised above your oppressors, and all your enemies shall be destroyed.9And it shall come to pass on that day, says the Lord, that I will cut your horses out of your midst, and I will destroy your chariots.10And I will destroy the cities of your land, and I will break down all your fortresses.11And I will destroy sorcery from your hand, and you will have no soothsayers.12And I will destroy your graven images and your monuments from your midst, and you shall no longer prostrate yourself to your handiwork.13And I will uproot your asherim from your midst, and I will destroy your enemies.14And in anger and fury I will execute vengeance upon the nations who have paid no heed.

Micah Chapter 6

1Hear now what the Lord says; Rise; contend with the mountains, and may the hills hear My voice.2Hear ye, O mountains, the controversy of the Lord; and you mighty ones, the foundations of the earth; for the Lord has a controversy with His people, and with Israel He shall contend.3O My people, what have I done, and how have I wearied you? Testify against Me.4For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.5My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab planned, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him. From Shittim to Gilgal, may you recognize the righteous deeds of the Lord.6With what shall I come before the Lord, bow before the Most High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with yearling calves?7Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with myriad streams of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?8He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the Lord demands of you; but to do justice, to love loving-kindness, and to walk discreetly with your God.