Today's Readings and Stuff -- Wednesday, 13 June 2018

Mid-week already!  Nearing the mid-point of the year as well.   And, as bad from my standpoint, we are nearing the end of Spring, and approaching Summer.  The bad point of that is that it marks the longest "day" of the year, and from thence the "day" portion  of the 24 hour span begins to shorten, heading towards Winter, the shortest day.  Seems like a metaphor for Death.  Anyway, the "day" portion of Wednesday is 15 hours 6 minutes, gaining a mere 28 seconds by tomorrow.  And gaining even less the day thereafter.  A small thing, perhaps, to most.  But it's something that I watch, particularly since having retreated to the Frozen Lands.
Next-door Niece doesn't go in to work until around 4:30 p.m.  Husband is evidently not working his under-the-table job today, so the "sitting" with the kids (mostly the great-nephew) may not be an issue today or tomorrow.  So she's in "recovery mode" from yesterday.

================================
===================================
Today, chapters 11 and 12 of 2nd Kings.
This can be discouraging.  Should be, probably.   Plots and schemes, the pursuit of power, and some pretty awful conduct.  We see it today, of course:  the nature of un-regenerate people is the same now as it was a few thousand years ago.  And it's not always for high stakes like kingdoms and such.  I've seen conduct only slightly less awful for much lower stakes.  Most of us have.  I was watching earlier this very year some of the maneuvering within the royal house in Saudi-infested Arabia, with the current crown prince throwing a whole bunch of his brothers (or, properly, half-brothers, part of the result of plural marriage in these societies) into prison or at least into rough housing with guards preventing escape.

2nd Kings 11

1  And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal.

2  But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.

3  And he was with her hid in the house of the Lord six years. And Athaliah did reign over the land.

4  And the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the rulers over hundreds, with the captains and the guard, and brought them to him into the house of the Lord, and made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of the Lord, and shewed them the king's son.

5  And he commanded them, saying, This is the thing that ye shall do; A third part of you that enter in on the sabbath shall even be keepers of the watch of the king's house;

6  And a third part shall be at the gate of Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the guard: so shall ye keep the watch of the house, that it be not broken down.

7  And two parts of all you that go forth on the sabbath, even they shall keep the watch of the house of the Lord about the king.

8  And ye shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand: and he that cometh within the ranges, let him be slain: and be ye with the king as he goeth out and as he cometh in.

9  And the captains over the hundreds did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest commanded: and they took every man his men that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that should go out on the sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest.

10  And to the captains over hundreds did the priest give king David's spears and shields, that were in the temple of the Lord.

11  And the guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, round about the king, from the right corner of the temple to the left corner of the temple, along by the altar and the temple.

12  And he brought forth the king's son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, God save the king.

13  And when Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people into the temple of the Lord.

14  And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was, and the princes and the trumpeters by the king, and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets: and Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried, Treason, Treason.

15  But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the host, and said unto them, Have her forth without the ranges: and him that followeth her kill with the sword. For the priest had said, Let her not be slain in the house of the Lord.

16  And they laid hands on her; and she went by the way by the which the horses came into the king's house: and there was she slain.

17  And Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord and the king and the people, that they should be the Lord's people; between the king also and the people.

18  And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and brake it down; his altars and his images brake they in pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers over the house of the Lord.

19  And he took the rulers over hundreds, and the captains, and the guard, and all the people of the land; and they brought down the king from the house of the Lord, and came by the way of the gate of the guard to the king's house. And he sat on the throne of the kings.

20  And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was in quiet: and they slew Athaliah with the sword beside the king's house.

21  Seven years old was Jehoash when he began to reign.

2nd Kings 12

1  In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Zibiah of Beer–sheba.

2  And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him.

3  But the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.

4  And Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the dedicated things that is brought into the house of the Lord, even the money of every one that passeth the account, the money that every man is set at, and all the money that cometh into any man's heart to bring into the house of the Lord

5  Let the priests take it to them, every man of his acquaintance: and let them repair the breaches of the house, wheresoever any breach shall be found.

6  But it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house.

7  Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the other priests, and said unto them, Why repair ye not the breaches of the house? now therefore receive no more money of your acquaintance, but deliver it for the breaches of the house.

8  And the priests consented to receive no more money of the people, neither to repair the breaches of the house.

9  But Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid of it, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one cometh into the house of the Lord: and the priests that kept the door put therein all the money that was brought into the house of the Lord.

10  And it was so, when they saw that there was much money in the chest, that the king's scribe and the high priest came up, and they put up in bags, and told the money that was found in the house of the Lord.

11  And they gave the money, being told, into the hands of them that did the work, that had the oversight of the house of the Lord: and they laid it out to the carpenters and builders, that wrought upon the house of the Lord,

12  And to masons, and hewers of stone, and to buy timber and hewed stone to repair the breaches of the house of the Lord, and for all that was laid out for the house to repair it.

13  Howbeit there were not made for the house of the Lord bowls of silver, snuffers, basins, trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver, of the money that was brought into the house of the Lord:

14  But they gave that to the workmen, and repaired therewith the house of the Lord.

15  Moreover they reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they delivered the money to be bestowed on workmen: for they dealt faithfully.

16  The trespass money and sin money was not brought into the house of the Lord: it was the priests'.

17  Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath, and took it: and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem.

18  And Jehoash king of Judah took all the hallowed things that Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own hallowed things, and all the gold that was found in the treasures of the house of the Lord, and in the king's house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria: and he went away from Jerusalem.

19  And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

20  And his servants arose, and made a conspiracy, and slew Joash in the house of Millo, which goeth down to Silla.

21  For Jozachar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, smote him, and he died; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David: and Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.

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

Today, Psalm 118

Psalm 118

1  O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.

2  Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.

3  Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.

4  Let them now that fear the Lord say, that his mercy endureth for ever.

5  I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place.

6  The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?

7  The Lord taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me.

8  It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.

9  It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.

10  All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them.

11  They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.

12  They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.

13  Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but the Lord helped me.

14  The Lord is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.

15  The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly.

16  The right hand of the Lord is exalted: the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly.

17  I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.

18  The Lord hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death.

19  Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord:

20  This gate of the Lord, into which the righteous shall enter.

21  I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.

22  The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.

23  This is the Lord's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.

24  This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

25  Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord: O Lord, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.

26  Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord: we have blessed you out of the house of the Lord.

27  God is the Lord, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.

28  Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee.

29  O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

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

Today, a new  beginning.  Chapter 1 in the Epistle to the Romans.
I've related this before, but ......
About 10 years ago, the kids got me a study Bible for Christmas (or birthday, there's only a 10-day difference).  The commentator prefaced Romans with an account of a great preacher who, upon assuming the pulpit at a new charge, opened his Bible and preached Romans 1, verse 1.  Week 2, he preached Romans 1, verse 2, and did not quite finish.  Week 3, he took up in verse 2 and continued in verse 3.  For three and a half years, he preached from the Epistle to the Romans, every week.  And, as the commentary related, the church exploded.  The pews were filled, as were the balconies and the galleries, and more besides.  Yes, the Good News can, and sometimes does, have that effect.  Why should we be surprised?  God at work, after all. This is, as we used to say, Good Stuff.  Get into it.  How would you present what is here??
Look at verse 1.  Look hard.  See that first word?  The word is "Paul".  But that was not the name  his earthly father gave him, is it?  No, his original name was "Saul".  The name "Saul" implies importance and status.  ,  The name "Paul" is anything but:  it means "small" and connotes humility.  What changed?  He had an encounter with the Lord, didn't he?  Yes.  And it changed him, changed his nature and attitude, changed what he was.  Meeting the Lord changes people.  Changes us.  Changed me.  It's supposed to.  And it changed his motivations and life direction.  As it should all of us.  He was "called".  He was "separated".  And he boldly and consistently proclaimed Jesus Christ thereafter.  As we should.   That was a very contentious thing even to say.  Still is.  What does it mean to be "called"?  What does it mean to be "separated"?  What is the "gospel of God"?
See what I mean?  This one verse is the subject of many sermons.  And life-changes.

But read the rest of the passage as well.  The world he describes sounds very much like ours.

Romans 1

1  Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,

2  (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)

3  Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;

4  And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

5  By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:

6  Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:

7  To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

8  First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

9  For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;

10  Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.

11  For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;

12  That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

13  Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.

14  I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.

15  So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.

16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

17  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

19  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

23  And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

24  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

25  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

26  For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

27  And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

29  Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

30  Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

31  Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

32  Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.