10 May 2014

Today's Readings and Stuff --- Saturday, 10 May 2014

looking at the sky with some concern.  Great-nephew is supposed to be having a T-ball game today.  But the sky looks awfully chancy and we've already had some rain.  Had a bit of hail come through yesterday afternoon, in fact, and more is predicted for today.  Since I seriously doubt that the local township part has a ground crew with tarps on the field, I suspect that the grounds are wet.  And the fields -- I believe the park has four fields -- are all of them double booked, one game has to be completed before the next can get underway.  With storms in the offing, we may or may not have any games played today.  Or they may go through smoothly.  We shall see. 
But it does make any planning for the day difficult. 
Started hauling the warm weather clothing out of storage yesterday.  Found that a couple of cats had gotten into one of the boxes and "marked" it as their lair during the winter months.  A white polo shirt of mine in particular.  Found with a whole lot of suspicious yellowish stains.  And. like a few other items on that top layer or so, covered in cat hair.  I am not a "pet person" and never will be, and this sort of thing confirms that attitude.  But I have no vote in the matter.  So  yours truly spent some time washing clothes and spraying on a whole lot of pet odor remover and stain pre-treatment.  This is one of those things that I do as Dear Wife's joints and ear conditions rule out much stretching and any bending whatever.  So I "got" to do it all.  And we are beginning the effort of packing up the winter wear and stuff to make room. 
Dear Wife spent much of yesterday getting underway on some sewing projects.  She's quite talented in this regard, did a lot of it when she was a few years younger (especially when in high school, but also when the Beloved Daughters were small)  and is getting back into it with intents to make some outfits for the great-nieces.  Bought on-line some appropriate patterns, dragged me to the fabric store yesterday to get a new cutter and thread and fabric and elastic and ...   well, if this saves money it is a mystery to me how it does.  But it gives her a sense of value and usefulness, and that is worth a lot.  And it also keeps nephew's wife from dressing the little one like a lady of the evening.  We've seen that tendency in several parts of the country and have a real problem with it.  This is one response, a low key one.  We shall see.

---------------------------

The Old Testament reading today is chapters 21 and 22 of 1st Kings.
The people of Israel had demanded that the Lord appoint a king, so that they could be like that nations around them.  They got that wish all right.  Their kings were, in the main, at least as vile and wicked as the nations around.  So the Lord removed His hand of protection.  Sounds like our nation, and the results will be the same.  Or worse, perhaps.


1
And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.
2
And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.
3
And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.
4
And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.
5
But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread?
6
And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard.
7
And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.
8
So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth.
9
And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people:
10
And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.
11
And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them.
12
They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.
13
And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.
14
Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.
15
And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead.
16
And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.
17
And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
18
Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it.
19
And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.
20
And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD.
21
Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel,
22
And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin.
23
And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.
24
Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.
25
But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.
26
And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.
27
And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.
28
And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
29
Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house.


1
And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel.
2
And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.
3
And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we be still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria?
4
And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramothgilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.
5
And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.
6
Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
7
And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire of him?
8
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
9
Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah.
10
And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, having put on their robes, in a void place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.
11
And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.
12
And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the king's hand.
13
And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good.
14
And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak.
15
So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
16
And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the LORD?
17
And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.
18
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?
19
And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.
20
And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.
21
And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him.
22
And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.
23
Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.
24
But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?
25
And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.
26
And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;
27
And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.
28
And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the LORD hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you.
29
So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead.
30
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.
31
But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel.
32
And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of Israel. And they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out.
33
And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.
34
And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.
35
And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot.
36
And there went a proclamation throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his own country.
37
So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria.
38
And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armor; according unto the word of the LORD which he spake.
39
Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
40
So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.
41
And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.
42
Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.
43
And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the LORD: nevertheless the high places were not taken away; for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places.
44
And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.
45
Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he showed, and how he warred, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
46
And the remnant of the sodomites, which remained in the days of his father Asa, he took out of the land.
47
There was then no king in Edom: a deputy was king.
48
Jehoshaphat made ships of Tharshish to go to Ophir for gold: but they went not; for the ships were broken at Eziongeber.
49
Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not.
50
And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.
51
Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel.
52
And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin:
53
For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the LORD God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.




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The New Testament reading is verses 1-21 in the 3rd chapter in the Gospel of John.

This contains possibly the best-known verse in all the Bible, with the possible exception of the most misused one ("judge not"), John 3:16

1
There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2
The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
8
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
9
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
10
Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
11
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
12
If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
13
And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
14
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21
But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

09 May 2014

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Friday, 09 May, 2014

up a bit early, heading over to Dr. office in a bit for some "blood work" preparatory to an appoinment set for Monday.  Doc has me on some meds, esp a statin, to address the high levels of "bad" cholesterol, meaning low-density lipoprotein,  My late father had a similar issue, though he lived into his 90's.  My uncle (mom's brother) died of a heart attack at an age of about 48.  So I do take the matter seriously.  So Ive had to do a "fast" since about 9:00 p.m. last evening.    And we shall see.
Yesterday we got up to a temp of about 79 degrees.  Hot for here, I guess.  Cool for some places we've lived -- I see that the little town we lived in, back in west Arkansas where daughter and son-in-law have a house, hit 92 last week.    So there is a definite climate change here.
We shall see what the day holds.


The Old Testament reading today is chapters 19 and 20 of 1st Kings.  In some ways, this reminds me of the time of the judges -- every king does what is right in his own eyes.  The prophets try to push things back in the way of the Lord, and generally have a rough time as a result.  Sounds a lot like our world.  And Elijah has found a successor, Elisha.
The name Elijah means "My God is Yahweh"   אֱלִיָּהוּ
The name Elisha means "My God is salvation" אֱלִישָׁע

1
And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
2
Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.
3
And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.
4
But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
5
And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.
6
And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.
7
And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.
8
And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
9
And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?
10
And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
11
And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:
12
And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
13
And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?
14
And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
15
And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:
16
And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.
17
And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.
18
Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.
19
So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.
20
And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?
21
And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.


1
And Benhadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together: and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses, and chariots; and he went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against it.
2
And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city, and said unto him, Thus saith Benhadad,
3
Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children, even the goodliest, are mine.
4
And the king of Israel answered and said, My lord, O king, according to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have.
5
And the messengers came again, and said, Thus speaketh Benhadad, saying, Although I have sent unto thee, saying, Thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children;
6
Yet I will send my servants unto thee to morrow about this time, and they shall search thine house, and the houses of thy servants; and it shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put it in their hand, and take it away.
7
Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief: for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I denied him not.
8
And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken not unto him, nor consent.
9
Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Benhadad, Tell my lord the king, All that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I will do: but this thing I may not do. And the messengers departed, and brought him word again.
10
And Benhadad sent unto him, and said, The gods do so unto me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me.
11
And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him, Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off.
12
And it came to pass, when Ben-hadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants, Set yourselves in array. And they set themselves in array against the city.
13
And, behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into thine hand this day; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.
14
And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, Thou.
15
Then he numbered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty two: and after them he numbered all the people, even all the children of Israel, being seven thousand.
16
And they went out at noon. But Benhadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings that helped him.
17
And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Benhadad sent out, and they told him, saying, There are men come out of Samaria.
18
And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.
19
So these young men of the princes of the provinces came out of the city, and the army which followed them.
20
And they slew every one his man: and the Syrians fled; and Israel pursued them: and Benhadad the king of Syria escaped on an horse with the horsemen.
21
And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.
22
And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said unto him, Go, strengthen thyself, and mark, and see what thou doest: for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee.
23
And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.
24
And do this thing, Take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains in their rooms:
25
And number thee an army, like the army that thou hast lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot: and we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. And he hearkened unto their voice, and did so.
26
And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Benhadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel.
27
And the children of Israel were numbered, and were all present, and went against them: and the children of Israel pitched before them like two little flocks of kids; but the Syrians filled the country.
28
And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the LORD, Because the Syrians have said, The LORD is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
29
And they pitched one over against the other seven days. And so it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined: and the children of Israel slew of the Syrians an hundred thousand footmen in one day.
30
But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and there a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left. And Benhadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber.
31
And his servants said unto him, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, I pray thee, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: peradventure he will save thy life.
32
So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Thy servant Benhadad saith, I pray thee, let me live. And he said, Is he yet alive? he is my brother.
33
Now the men did diligently observe whether any thing would come from him, and did hastily catch it: and they said, Thy brother Benhadad. Then he said, Go ye, bring him. Then Benhadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot.
34
And Ben-hadad said unto him, The cities, which my father took from thy father, I will restore; and thou shalt make streets for thee in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. Then said Ahab, I will send thee away with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and sent him away.
35
And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbor in the word of the LORD, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man refused to smite him.
36
Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slay thee. And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and slew him.
37
Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him.
38
So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face.
39
And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king: and he said, Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver.
40
And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it.
41
And he hasted, and took the ashes away from his face; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets.
42
And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people.
43
And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased, and came to Samaria.


====================

The New Testament reading is chapter 2 in the Gospel of John

1
And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:
2
And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.
3
And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.
4
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.
5
His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.
6
And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.
7
Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.
8
And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.
9
When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,
10
And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.
11
This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
12
After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days.
13
And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
14
And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:
15
And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;
16
And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.
17
And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.
18
Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
19
Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
20
Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
21
But he spake of the temple of his body.
22
When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
23
Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.
24
But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,
25
And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in ma

08 May 2014

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Thursday, 08 May, 2014

back home.  Feeling mostly over the effects of all the drugs the dentist filled me up with the other day, but the last few days are rather a blur for me.  Probably just as well.  Got up late, went by a local Perkins' for brunch, then to the fabric store so that Dear Wife can get some material to make some duds for great-nieces.  Great stuff.  I don't think many guys go there.  Then off to WallyWorld to get some fill-in items, then home.  Helped wife and niece fill some special bags with potting soil and seed potatoes -- they have visions of growing their own potatoes, to go with the beans, tomatoes, peppers, and some herbs that are already planted or about to be transplanted.
Doctor office called and I have to go in tomorrow morning for some "blood work" to go with the office visit scheduled for Monday morning.  So we shall see.

================

The Old Testament reading is chapters 16, 17, and 18 of 1st Kings.
Soem big names here.  Like Ahab.  And Jezebel.  And, especially, Elijah.  Here is the account of the confrontation between Elijah and the priests of Baal.  It ended poorly for the Baal people -- Elijah too them down to the Kishon brook, and slaughtered them there. All of them. Wickedness has consequences.  In the eternal sense, surely.  Sometimes in the here and now also.


1
Then the word of the LORD came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying,
2
Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee prince over my people Israel; and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins;
3
Behold, I will take away the posterity of Baasha, and the posterity of his house; and will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
4
Him that dieth of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth of his in the fields shall the fowls of the air eat.
5
Now the rest of the acts of Baasha, and what he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
6
So Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah: and Elah his son reigned in his stead.
7
And also by the hand of the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of the LORD against Baasha, and against his house, even for all the evil that he did in the sight of the LORD, in provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam; and because he killed him.
8
In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, two years.
9
And his servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him, as he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza steward of his house in Tirzah.
10
And Zimri went in and smote him, and killed him, in the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his stead.
11
And it came to pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he slew all the house of Baasha: he left him not one that pisseth against a wall, neither of his kinsfolk, nor of his friends.
12
Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake against Baasha by Jehu the prophet.
13
For all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his son, by which they sinned, and by which they made Israel to sin, in provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities.
14
Now the rest of the acts of Elah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
15
In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign seven days in Tirzah. And the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines.
16
And the people that were encamped heard say, Zimri hath conspired, and hath also slain the king: wherefore all Israel made Omri, the captain of the host, king over Israel that day in the camp.
17
And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah.
18
And it came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the palace of the king's house, and burnt the king's house over him with fire, and died.
19
For his sins which he sinned in doing evil in the sight of the LORD, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to make Israel to sin.
20
Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his treason that he wrought, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
21
Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri.
22
But the people that followed Omri prevailed against the people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned.
23
In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel, twelve years: six years reigned he in Tirzah.
24
And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver, and built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Samaria.
25
But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the LORD, and did worse than all that were before him.
26
For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin, to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities.
27
Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he showed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
28
So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.
29
And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years.
30
And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.
31
And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.
32
And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.
33
And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.
34
In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.


I Kings 17
1
And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
2
And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,
3
Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
4
And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.
5
So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
6
And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.
7
And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.
8
And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,
9
Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.
10
So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.
11
And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.
12
And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
13
And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.
14
For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.
15
And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.
16
And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.
17
And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him.
18
And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?
19
And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.
20
And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?
21
And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again.
22
And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.
23
And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth.
24
And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.


1
And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, show thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.
2
And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria.
3
And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly:
4
For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)
5
And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.
6
So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.
7
And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah?
8
And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.
9
And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?
10
As the LORD thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not.
11
And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.
12
And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the LORD shall carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the LORD from my youth.
13
Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the LORD, how I hid an hundred men of the LORD's prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?
14
And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me.
15
And Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself unto him to day.
16
So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
17
And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?
18
And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.
19
Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table.
20
So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.
21
And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
22
Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men.
23
Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under:
24
And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.
25
And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under.
26
And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.
27
And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.
28
And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.
29
And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.
30
And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down.
31
And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:
32
And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.
33
And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.
34
And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.
35
And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.
36
And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.
37
Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.
38
Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
39
And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.
40
And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.
41
And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.
42
So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,
43
And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.
44
And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down that the rain stop thee not.
45
And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.
46
And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.




=================================

The New Testament reading is verses 29-51 of the 1st chapter in the Gospel of John.


29
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
30
This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
31
And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
32
And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
33
And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
34
And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
35
Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;
36
And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
37
And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
38
Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?
39
He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.
40
One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.
41
He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
42
And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
43
The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.
44
Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
45
Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
46
And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
47
Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
48
Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
49
Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
50
Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.
51
And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.