Genesis 9 Psalm 6 Proverbs 3:19-20 Matthew 4:1-11 Mark 1:12-13 Luke 4:1-13 Audio Bible Reading

Genesis 9:
After the flood, God blesses Noah and his sons, instructing them to be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. God establishes a covenant with Noah and his descendants, promising never to destroy all life with a flood again. As a sign of this covenant, God sets a rainbow in the clouds. The chapter also details Noah’s life after the flood, including his cultivation of a vineyard, his drunkenness, and the subsequent cursing of Canaan, the son of Ham, who dishonored Noah. This event leads to the declaration of future enmity between the descendants of Canaan and those of Shem and Japheth, Noah’s other sons.

Psalm 6:
Psalm 6 is a penitential psalm where David pleads for mercy from God in the midst of illness and distress. He asks for deliverance, fearing death and expressing deep sorrow. David appeals to God’s steadfast love, asking for healing because he is faint and anguished. The psalm ends with David confident that God has heard his weeping and accepted his prayer, and he warns his enemies that they will be ashamed and greatly troubled.

Proverbs 3:19-20:
These verses highlight God’s wisdom and understanding as the means by which He created the heavens and the earth. The text poetically describes how God’s knowledge formed the depths and the clouds and how the dew was established. This emphasizes that the natural world is a product of divine intelligence, underscoring wisdom's role in creation.

Matthew 4:1-11:
This passage describes the temptation of Jesus by the devil after fasting for forty days and nights in the wilderness. The devil challenges Him to turn stones into bread, to throw Himself down from the temple's pinnacle, and to worship the devil in exchange for all the kingdoms of the world. Jesus refutes each temptation with scripture, emphasizing reliance on God’s word, trust in God alone, and worship of only God. After the third temptation, the devil leaves, and angels come to attend Jesus.

Mark 1:12-13:
Immediately after His baptism, Jesus is driven by the Spirit into the wilderness where He is tempted by Satan for forty days. He is with wild animals, and angels minister to Him during this time. This brief account emphasizes the harshness of the environment and the spiritual battle that Jesus withstands as He prepares for His public ministry.

Luke 4:1-13:
Luke’s account of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness closely parallels that of Matthew. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus is led into the desert, where He fasts for forty days and is tempted by the devil. The devil tempts Jesus to turn a stone into bread, to gain authority over all kingdoms of the world, and to throw Himself down from the temple. Jesus responds to each temptation with scripture, asserting His obedience to God’s will. The devil departs after the temptations, waiting for another opportune time.