Today's Readings and Stuff -- Friday, 07 December 2018

Today is marked as Pearl Harbor Day.
A Bad day, and the echoes still reverberate.
Let me give an example of what I mean.  One of our sons-in-law is of Japanese descent.  His family had, back around 1890 or so, moved from the area around Mount Fujiyama in Japan to Hawaii.  Then parts relocated to Chicago.  (There is still an area in Chicago the locals call Japantown.  Lakeview area, say around Clark Street and Belmont Avenue).  When the Pearl Harbor attack occurred, President Franklin Roosevelt, a person for whom I have zero respect, imposed internment camps based upon racist lines, and our son-in-law's grandfather was one of those who were forcibly relocated from Chicago to a camp at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, near to Fort Smith and the Oklahoma-Arkansas line.  In the course of things, he met and eventually married the camp cook.  After the war and after FDR transitioned to Perdition, they stayed in the area, had kids who had kids.  One of whom, a grandson, was in our daughter's class in high school when we lived there.  And who eventually married her.  None of which could have happened without Pearl Harbor, 77 years ago today.  The Lord works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform.
What is also interesting is that, on that day, one of Wife's uncles, was on board the Battleship Arizona.  The first bomb that hit knocked him off the ship and into the water.  So he survived, but had a unique perspective on the rest of the episode.  He'd not been regularly attached to the ship:  he was a Marine, not a sailor.  But with the reports of potential saboteurs, some Marines had been detailed to be part of the ship's security, and he was fortunate to be topside on board when it all started.
So the whole thing has some meaning for us.

Snow again last night.  Not a great deal, but some.  We are now at 9 hours 18 minutes of "day", losing just under a minute by tomorrow.  Two weeks until official Winter.  Looking at the record, the average high temp for the day is 52° but our "high" is expected to be 32° of Global Warming (the record high, by the way, is 78° which sounds much better).  The low tonight is predicted to be 26° with the average being 36° and the record low being 19°.  The average low in our former home is 46°, which may explain in part my dislike for this stuff.




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Today, the completion of the book of Hosea.


Hosea 13

1When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died.

2And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves.

3Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney.

4Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.

5I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought.

6According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten me.

7Therefore I will be unto them as a lion: as a leopard by the way will I observe them:

8I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and will rend the caul of their heart, and there will I devour them like a lion: the wild beast shall tear them.

9O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.

10I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes?

11I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath.

12The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is hid.

13The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he is an unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children.

14I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.

15Though he be fruitful among his brethren, an east wind shall come, the wind of the Lord shall come up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels.

16Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up.

Hosea 14

1O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.

2Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.

3Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.

4I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.

5I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.

6His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.

7They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.

8Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found.

9Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.

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From this we get a powerful song of the day.
Hallelujah To The Lamb.  Has a great deal of meaning for me, having been part of singing it in places far from here.   And seeing tears on many faces, including some grizzled senior men.  Looking forward to doing so again in Glory.


Revelation chapter 7

1And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.

2And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,

3Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

4And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

5Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.

6Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.

7Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.

8Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

9After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

10And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

11And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

12Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

13And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?

14And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

15Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

16They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

17For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.