Today's Readings and Stuff -- Saturday, 28 April 2018

G'day, as  the Aussies say it.

We are fast approaching the end of April, preparing for May.  We're now roughly SIX WEEKS into "spring".  Yet, the weathercasters tell us that tonight we may see a low temperature below freezing.! 😢

But we will get through.  I guess.
Meanwhile, we have a very cold rain falling here  in this "pocket", and the temperature, shortly after noon, is in the low 40's, and that is likely to be the so-called "high".  I hate the weather here.  Always have, always will.

I didn't really do a thorough job of checking the "body count" from last night's "festivities".  In all too many regions, and this is one, Friday and Saturday nights are normally to be marked by excess use of alcohol and "recreational pharmaceuticals".  Which, run in parallel with violence, including homicides, and illicit sexual encounters.  Which latter, in turn, often leads to future violence.  I've been in a position to witness all the above, on too many occasions, and in too many parts of the country and certainly in this area. 
I have been told that referring to this is somehow "intolerant", or "racist", or any of a number of other labels that get thrown around to be a counter-argument to these "inconvenient facts". But it is still true.  I've certainly been roundly accused of worse things.
But it's not a recipe for a successful area and culture.

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Our reading for the day is chapters 1 and 2 in the book of Ruth.
Ruth always strikes me as incredibly important, yet often overlooked.  I have been planning for several years to create a real commentary / study on this book.  Haven't gotten to it yet, there is still some stuff working its way through the mind, but it deserves attention.
I exchanged some messages a week or so ago, with a fellow that I know in central Alabama, who is a bi-vocational pastor in a predominantly black congregation in a solidly black small town.  A good guy, even if we don't always agree.  He was telling me that he uses the book of Ruth as the basis text for at least one study group in the church that is for women.  He describes it as a message of empowerment to those ladies.  That's not exactly my first take on it, but it's not wrong either.
The text means a lot to Dear Wife and to me:  verses 16 and 17 of chapter 1 were part of the text at our wedding.  That is not precisely how those words were originally used, but they also fit for a wedding. 
I do not believe in coincidences.  I believe fully that "the Lord works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform".  Nor do I believe that bad circumstances necessarily mean the Lord is exacting judgment.  Did Elimelech, Mahlon, and Chilion commit some grave sin, leading to their deaths?  I don't know, none of us do.  Was the famine part of a judgment against the people?  I don't know.  What I do see is that somehow, in some way, those people made the true God known to a Moabite, who would not have seen such a witness in any other way.  And I do know that the Lord knew all of this well before the events.  As a result, as we shall see, the world was changed.  Watch and see.

Ruth 1

1  Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Beth–lehem–judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.

2  And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Beth–lehem–judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.

3  And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.

4  And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years.

5  And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.

6  Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread.

7  Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.

8  And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's house: the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.

9  The Lord grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.

10  And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.

11  And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?

12  Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons;

13  Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.

14  And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.

15  And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.

16  And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:

17  Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

18  When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her

19  So they two went until they came to Beth–lehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Beth–lehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?

20And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.

21  I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?

22  So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Beth–lehem in the beginning of barley harvest.

 

 

Ruth 2

1  And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.

2  And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter.

3  And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.

4  And, behold, Boaz came from Beth–lehem, and said unto the reapers, The Lord be with you. And they answered him, The Lord bless thee.

5  Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this?

6  And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab:

7  And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house.

8  Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens:

9  Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn.

10  Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?

11  And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore.

12  The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.

13  Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens.

14  And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left.

15  And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not

16  And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.

17  So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley.

18  And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed.

19  And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz.

20  And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the Lord, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.

21  And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.

22  And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field.

23  So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law.

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Friday, 27 April 2018

yes, this got messed up.  I was so weary yesterday (Thursday) from all of our activities that I forgot that I'd gotten up early (VERY) and already posted.  So, originally, this post was one of the two labeled as being for yesterday.  Yes, my brain wasn't working well.  Too much running around inside that empty skull.  My apologies.
So there are some things that pertained to yesterday's running around, not today's.
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Just a note:  the injection/infusion into her knees that was performed yesterday  (Thursday) was the first of three.  So, for the ensuing two weeks, we're set to be going to the rheumatologist, same day, same time, same station.  In normal circumstances (if there is such a thing), she's detailed to "watch" the kids the same afternoon.  

Had a meeting a few  hours ago with a friend from many years ago.  We met back around 1972 or so, maintained some contact as acquaintances, and became friends about 5 years thereafter.  He was, for several years, married to another friends cousin before she sought alternatives, four or five times.  We'd maintained good relations, though both of us were relocating re-re-relocating several times into several parts of the country.  He's retired now, after a major heart attack, and the diabetes hasn't helped.  He comes into town a few times a year, and this "pass" we've had opportunity to meet for coffee twice.  Makes it nice.  And I needed the break from rearranging the furniture in our place: I'm downright weary from it as I have to move everything myself. 

Just got done with load of dishes (by hand) and started a load of laundry, hoping that the new "safety switch" further "assisted" with a nail clipper jammed in there, will enable proper function.  I'd had a very kind offer to come assist, which meant and means a great deal to me.  But, among other things, Wife doesn't like visitors of any kind, ever: she barely handles it when her own sister stops by for 5 minutes or so, every 6 or 8 weeks.  So, I have to honor her wishes, and her.  No matter what.

We have two windows open, for a little bit, to air the place out.  Be closing them again soon.  Tonight's low temperature is predicted for 41°, with tomorrow's "high" only 45° with a low of 31°.  And we're almost into May!!  But next week, the first 3 days of May shows predictions into the 70's, which sounds much better.


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Today, chapter 21 of the book of the Judges, completing it.
I've mentioned on occasion that I find Judges to be a bit grim, a bit depressing, but also a warning as the hopes and plans of great men (and women) like Moses, Caleb, Joshua, and many others, foundered on the shoals of the sin to be found in the DNA of all of us.  The results, as we've been seeing in the text, as well as on the news today, is not supportive of those who somehow still regard all people as being essentially good.  Which is not true.  In the coming weeks, we will observe in the texts, the alternative routes to the situation.  Which will, in the main, fail.  Human strength does not and can not overcome spiritual rot.  As we are observing in the world around us.  And I note, to my sorrow, that it can and probably will get far worse. 

Judges 21

 1  Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.

2 And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;

3  And said, O Lord God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel?

4  And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.

5  And the children of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the congregation unto the Lord? For they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to the Lord to Mizpah, saying, He shall surely be put to death.

6  And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.

7  How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the Lord that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?

8  And they said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpah to the Lord? And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabesh–gilead to the assembly.

9  For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh–gilead there.

10  And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh–gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children.

11  And this is the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that hath lain by man.

12  And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh–gilead four hundred young virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male: and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.

13  And the whole congregation sent some to speak to the children of Benjamin that were in the rock Rimmon, and to call peaceably unto them.

14  And Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh–gilead: and yet so they sufficed them not.

15  And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.

16  Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?

17  And they said, There must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.

18  Howbeit we may not give them wives of our daughters: for the children of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin.

19  Then they said, Behold, there is a feast of the Lord in Shiloh yearly in a place which is on the north side of Beth–el, on the east side of the highway that goeth up from Beth–el to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah

20  Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards;

21  And see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

22  And it shall be, when their fathers or their brethren come unto us to complain, that we will say unto them, Be favourable unto them for our sakes: because we reserved not to each man his wife in the war: for ye did not give unto them at this time, that ye should be guilty.

23  And the children of Benjamin did so, and took them wives, according to their number, of them that danced, whom they caught: and they went and returned unto their inheritance, and repaired the cities, and dwelt in them.

24  And the children of Israel departed thence at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from thence every man to his inheritance.

25  In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

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Psalm 85

To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah.

 

1   Lord, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob.

2  Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah.

3  Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger.

4  Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease.

5  Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?

6  Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?

7  Shew us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us thy salvation.

8  I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.

9  Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.

10  Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

11  Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

12  Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase.

13  Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.

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Today, John 17.  This is Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane, just before the soldiers come to haul him off.  Which He knew.  This prayer to the Father is significant, of course, and deserving of our attention and meditation.
But note something else.  As the storm is about to hit, He is praying.  Not for Himself, but for His followers.   That includes us!  And I believe that this very moment, He is at the right hand of the Father, interceding on our behalf.  Spend some  time on that !

John 17

1  These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:

2  As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

4   I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.

7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.

8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.

9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.

11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.

12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.

26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Thursday, 26 April 2018

Happy almost-Friday.  If the Lord so wills, a week from now we shall be well into the month of May, which is my favorite month of the entire year.  Too bad it doesn't last about 345 days or so.  Oh, well.

We've been doing some extensive cleaning and de-junking of our place.  Which means hauling  out a lot of just plain trash, but also pitching or giving away or whatever, stuff we no longer need nor want.  So, for example, I found a used-but-usable copy of a small kid's book, "Inside, Outside, Upside Down", that we'd read to our kids.  Since the youngest is 28 now, and we will have no grandchildren, we donated it to the Niece Next Door for her kids.  Perhaps it will get some use.  Not much good to us.
But when you're doing these things, you come across items that make you stop and, perhaps, get a bit sad.  One of the things that I found yesterday afternoon was the little program from my mother's funeral just over 11 years ago.  It's something that has been on my mind for the last week or two, and finding that program brought it home.  And, in that program, I noticed one of the hymns sung that day as we prepared to bury my mother.  Lift Your Glad Voices.  A remember that Jesus has conquered the grave!  That's worth an Amen, I think.  There have been a number of recordings of that, but this one that I have linked is, I think, most like what we sang that day.



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Today, chapters 19 and 20 of the book of the Judges.  This is always a bit discouraging.  I rather doubt that the situation described here and elsewhere in the Judges, is what Moses, Joshua, and Caleb had hoped would be the situation once they had reached the Promised Land.
But I don't think that it is a good thing that a Levite, a member of the priestly tribe, had a concubine.

Judges 19

1  And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Beth–lehem–judah

2  And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Beth–lehem–judah, and was there four whole months.

3  And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, and to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of asses: and she brought him into her father's house: and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.

4  And his father in law, the damsel's father, retained him; and he abode with him three days: so they did eat and drink, and lodged there.

5  And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the damsel's father said unto his son in law, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way.

6  And they sat down, and did eat and drink both of them together: for the damsel's father had said unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry.

7  And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there again.

8  And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart: and the damsel's father said, Comfort thine heart, I pray thee. And they tarried until afternoon, and they did eat both of them.

9  And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father in law, the damsel's father, said unto him, Behold, now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and to morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home

10  But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Jebus, which is Jerusalem; and there were with him two asses saddled, his concubine also was with him.

11  And when they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.

12  And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger, that is not of the children of Israel; we will pass over to Gibeah.

13  And he said unto his servant, Come, and let us draw near to one of these places to lodge all night, in Gibeah,

14  And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin.

15  And they turned aside thither, to go in and to lodge in Gibeah: and when he went in, he sat him down in a street of the city: for there was no man that took them into his house to lodging.

16  And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even, which was also of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah: but the men of the place were Benjamites.

17  And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city: and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou?

18  And he said unto him, We are passing from Beth–lehem–judah toward the side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I: and I went to Beth–lehem–judah, but I am now going to the house of the Lord; and there is no man that receiveth me to house.

19  Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man which is with thy servants: there is no want of any thing.

20  And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.

21  So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.

22  Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, and beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him.

23  And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and said unto them, Nay, my brethren, nay, I pray you, do not so wickedly; seeing that this man is come into mine house, do not this folly.

24Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing.

25  But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning: and when the day began to spring, they let her go.

26  Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man's house where her lord was, till it was light.

27  And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went out to go his way: and, behold, the woman his concubine was fallen down at the door of the house, and her hands were upon the threshold.

28  And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going. But none answered. Then the man took her up upon an ass, and the man rose up, and gat him unto his place.

29  And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, together with her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel.

30  And it was so, that all that saw it said, There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt unto this day: consider of it, take advice, and speak your minds.

Judges 20

1  Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beer–sheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the Lord in Mizpah.

2  And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword.

3  (Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpah.) Then said the children of Israel, Tell us, how was this wickedness?

4  And the Levite, the husband of the woman that was slain, answered and said, I came into Gibeah that belongeth to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge.

5  And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round about upon me by night, and thought to have slain me: and my concubine have they forced, that she is dead.

6  And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel: for they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel.

7  Behold, ye are all children of Israel; give here your advice and counsel.

8  And all the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any of us go to his tent, neither will we any of us turn into his house.

9  But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up by lot against it;

10  And we will take ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and an hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch victual for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel.

11  So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man.knit…: Heb. fellows

12  And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you?

13  Now therefore deliver us the men, the children of Belial, which are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel:

14  But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.

15  And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men.

16  Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair breadth, and not miss.

17  And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword: all these were men of war.

18  And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the Lord said, Judah shall go up first.

19  And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah.

20  And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah.

21  And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men.

22  And the people the men of Israel encouraged themselves, and set their battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in array the first day.

23  (And the children of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until even, and asked counsel of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the Lord said, Go up against him.)

24  And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day.

25  And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword.

26  Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the Lord, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.

27  And the children of Israel enquired of the Lord, (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,

28  And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the Lord said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.

29  And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah.

30  And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times.

31  And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite of the people, and kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel.

32  And the children of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before us, as at the first. But the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them from the city unto the highways.

33  And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Baal–tamar: and the liers in wait of Israel came forth out of their places, even out of the meadows of Gibeah.

34  And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore: but they knew not that evil was near them.

35  And the Lord smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and an hundred men: all these drew the sword.

36  So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten: for the men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted unto the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah.

37  And the liers in wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the liers in wait drew themselves along, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.

38  Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers in wait, that they should make a great flame with smoke rise up out of the city.

39  And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle.

40  But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the flame of the city ascended up to heaven.

41  And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed: for they saw that evil was come upon them.

42  Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and them which came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them.

43  Thus they inclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them, and trode them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the sunrising.

44  And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were men of valour.

45  And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them.

46  So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valour.

47  But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months.

48  And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of every city, as the beast, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the cities that they came to.

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My desire is that verse 2 will describe me.

Psalm 84

To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm for the sons of Korah.

 

1    How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts!for the sons:

2  My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.

3  Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God.

4  Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.

5  Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.

6  Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.

7  They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.

8  O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah.

9  Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed.

10  For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

11  For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

12  O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.

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Today, John16.  Remember that this is being said at the conclusion of the Last Supper.  Judas has already gone, to commit his betrayal.  Jesus knew this, and knew what the next hours would bring.  So our reading and medication on this merits an intensity.

John 16

1  These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.

2  They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

3  And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.

4  But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.

5  But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?

6  But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.

7  Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

8  And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

9  Of sin, because they believe not on me;

10   Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

11  Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

12  I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

14  He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

16 A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.

17  Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?

18  They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.

19  Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me?

20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.

22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.

23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.

26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:

27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.

28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.

29  His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.

30  Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.

31  Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?

32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.