Genesis 3:8-24 Psalm 49:1-9 Proverbs 1:24-28 Matthew 1:18-25 Audio Bible Reading Plan

Genesis 3:8-24:
After eating the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve hear God walking in the garden and hide from His presence. God calls to Adam, who admits he hid because he was naked. Upon questioning, Adam reveals that Eve gave him the fruit, and Eve blames the serpent for deceiving her. God then curses the serpent to crawl on its belly and enmity is placed between it and the woman's offspring. Eve is punished with pain in childbirth and a complex relationship with her husband, who will rule over her. Adam is told that the ground is cursed because of him, and he will toil all his life for food until he returns to the ground from which he was taken. They are both clothed by God with garments of skins and then expelled from the Garden of Eden to prevent them from eating from the tree of life and living forever in their fallen state. Cherubim and a flaming sword are placed to guard the way to the tree of life.

Psalm 49:1-9:
This psalm addresses both the wealthy and the poor, warning against trusting in riches. It emphasizes that no amount of wealth can redeem a man’s soul or pay to God the price of his life, highlighting the folly of those who rely on their wealth and boast of their great riches. The psalmist asserts that one cannot secure a lasting legacy or avoid seeing decay through wealth, reinforcing the theme that material riches offer no ultimate advantage in the face of death.

Proverbs 1:24-28:
Wisdom continues her reproach of those who disregard her. She recounts how she called out and extended her hand, but was ignored. As a result, she warns that she will laugh when disaster strikes those who rejected her counsel and refused to fear the Lord. Wisdom will mock when calamity overtakes them like a storm, and they will call on her, but she will not answer. They will seek her earnestly but will not find her, illustrating the consequences of ignoring wisdom's call.

Matthew 1:18-25:
This passage describes the circumstances of Jesus’ birth. Mary, betrothed to Joseph, is found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit before they come together. Joseph, a righteous man, plans to divorce her quietly to avoid public disgrace, but an angel appears to him in a dream. The angel explains that Mary’s child is conceived by the Holy Spirit and instructs Joseph to name the baby Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins. This event fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy of a virgin bearing a son named Immanuel, meaning "God with us." Reassured, Joseph takes Mary as his wife.