Today's Readings and Stuff -- Wednesday, 13 February 2019

Late and short today.  Wife wasn't doing very well last night, felt lousy and couldn't sleep, so we were doing the back and forth from the bed to the recliner and back again, plus some stuff to try to address her discomforts.  She came back to bed around 05:00 and slept until around 07:00 or so.  Not much rest there for her, or for me.  And we needed to be across the back yard around  08:00 to "watch" the Little Guy while mom at work, sis at kindergarten, and dad catching up on some stuff while he had been juggling jury duty and all-night work shifts.  So we did the thing.  Came home, Wife crashed on recliner for a couple hours.  Heating up something to eat now, then off to an early night I suspect.
Tomorrow is St. Valentine's Day in these parts.  I'd dug into the loose change jar and got her some chocolates to celebrate, but they were found before The Day, and the quantity is much reduced now.  But perhaps it will fulfill the requirement.
Oh, and tomorrow is the last day in the first half of February.  So we are making some sort of progress towards Spring.  In 25 days, 10 March, we will have the semi-annual "change the clocks" exercise.  ALWAYS results in people showing up for church at the wrong time.  Probably will happen again.  Be nice to see sunset at a later hour than the 5 p.m. or so that we had back in December.  And tomorrow's high and low temps are predicted to be above the freezing mark, which I regard as a good thing.

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these are provided in the CSB version, which does well in showing these dimensions in more familiar units.

Exodus 37

Making the Ark

1Bezalel  made the ark of acacia wood, 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high.  2He overlaid it with pure gold inside and out and made a gold molding all around it. 3He cast four gold rings for it, for its four feet, two rings on one side and two rings on the other side. 4He made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. 5He inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark for carrying the ark.

6He made a mercy seat of pure gold, 45 inches long and 27 inches wide.  7He made two cherubim of gold; he made them of hammered work at the two ends of the mercy seat, 8one cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end. At each end, he made a cherub of one piece with the mercy seat. 9They had wings spread out. They faced each other and covered the mercy seat with their wings. The faces of the cherubim were looking toward the mercy seat.

Making the Table

10He  constructed the table of acacia wood, 36 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 27 inches high.  11He overlaid it with pure gold and made a gold molding all around it. 12He made a three-inch  frame all around it and made a gold molding all around its frame. 13He cast four gold rings for it and attached the rings to the four corners at its four legs. 14The rings were next to the frame as holders for the poles to carry the table. 15He made the poles for carrying the table from acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. 16He also made the utensils that would be on the table out of pure gold: its plates and cups, as well as its bowls and pitchers for pouring drink offerings.

Making the Lampstand

17Then  he made the lampstand out of pure hammered gold. He made it all of one piece: its base and shaft, its ornamental cups, and its calyxes  and petals. 18Six branches extended from its sides, three branches of the lampstand from one side and three branches of the lampstand from the other side. 19There were three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a calyx and petals, on the first branch, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a calyx and petals, on the next branch. It was this way for the six branches that extended from the lampstand. 20On the lampstand shaft there were four cups shaped like almond blossoms with its calyxes and petals. 21For the six branches that extended from it, a calyx was under the first pair of branches from it, a calyx under the second pair of branches from it, and a calyx under the third pair of branches from it. 22Their calyxes and branches were of one piece.  All of it was a single hammered piece of pure gold. 23He also made its seven lamps, snuffers, and firepans of pure gold. 24He made it and all its utensils of 75 pounds  of pure gold.

Making the Altar of Incense

25He  made the altar of incense out of acacia wood. It was square, 18 inches long and 18 inches wide; it was 36 inches high.  Its horns were of one piece.  26He overlaid it, its top, all around its sides, and its horns with pure gold. Then he made a gold molding all around it. 27He made two gold rings for it under the molding on two of its sides; he put these on opposite sides of it to be holders for the poles to carry it with. 28He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.

29He also made the holy anointing oil and the pure, fragrant, and expertly blended incense. 

Exodus 38

Making the Altar of Burnt Offering

1Bezalel  constructed the altar of burnt offering from acacia wood. It was square, 7 1/2 feet long and 7 1/2 feet wide,  and was 4 1/2 feet  high. 2He made horns for it on its four corners; the horns were of one piece.  Then he overlaid it with bronze.

3He made all the altar’s utensils: the pots, shovels, basins, meat forks, and firepans; he made all its utensils of bronze. 4He constructed for the altar a grate of bronze mesh under its ledge,  halfway up from the bottom. 5At the four corners of the bronze grate he cast four rings as holders for the poles. 6Also, he made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with bronze. 7Then he inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar in order to carry it with them. He constructed the altar with boards so that it was hollow.

Making the Bronze Basin

8He made the bronze basin and its stand from the bronze mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 

Making the Courtyard

9Then  he made the courtyard. The hangings on the south side of the courtyard were of finely spun linen, 150 feet in length,  10including their 20 posts and 20 bronze bases. The hooks and bands  of the posts were silver. 11The hangings on the north side were also 150 feet in length,  including their 20 posts and 20 bronze bases. The hooks and bands  of the posts were silver. 12The hangings on the west side were 75 feet in length, including their 10 posts and 10 bases. The hooks and bands of the posts were silver. 13The hangings on the east toward the sunrise were also 75 feet in length.  14The hangings on one side of the gate were 22 1/2 feet,  including their three posts and three bases. 15It was the same for the other side. The hangings were 22 1/2 feet,  including their three posts and three bases on both sides of the courtyard gate. 16All the hangings around the courtyard were of finely spun linen. 17The bases for the posts were bronze; the hooks and bands  of the posts were silver; and the plating for the tops of the posts was silver. All the posts of the courtyard were banded with silver.

18The screen for the gate of the courtyard was embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen. It was 30 feet  long, and like the hangings of the courtyard, 7 1/2 feet high.  19It had four posts, including their four bronze bases. Their hooks were silver, and the bands  as well as the plating of their tops were silver. 20All the tent pegs for the tabernacle and for the surrounding courtyard were bronze.

Inventory of Materials

21This is the inventory for the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the testimony,  that was recorded at Moses’ command. It was the work of the Levites under the direction of  Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.  22Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made everything that the Lord commanded Moses. 23With him was Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, a gem cutter, a designer, and an embroiderer with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and fine linen.

24All the gold of the presentation offering that was used for the project in all the work on the sanctuary, was 2,193 pounds, according to the sanctuary shekel.  25The silver from those of the community who were registered was 7,544 pounds, according to the sanctuary shekel — 262/5 of an ounce  per man, that is, half a shekel according to the sanctuary shekel, from everyone 20 years old or more who had crossed over to the registered group, 603,550 men. 27There were 7,500 pounds  of silver used to cast the bases of the sanctuary and the bases of the veil — 100 bases from 7,500 pounds,  75 pounds  for each base.  28With the remaining 44 pounds  he made the hooks for the posts, overlaid their tops, and supplied bands  for them.

29The bronze of the presentation offering totaled 5,310 pounds.  30He made with it the bases for the entrance to the tent of meeting, the bronze altar and its bronze grate, all the utensils for the altar, 31the bases for the surrounding courtyard, the bases for the gate of the courtyard, all the tent pegs for the tabernacle, and all the tent pegs for the surrounding courtyard.

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Psalm 32

The Joy of Forgiveness

Davidic. A Maskil.

1How joyful is the one

whose transgression is forgiven,

whose sin is covered! 

2How joyful is the man

the Lord does not charge with sin 

and in whose spirit is no deceit! 

3When I kept silent, my bones became brittle

from my groaning all day long. 

4For day and night Your hand was heavy on me; 

my strength was drained 

as in the summer’s heat. Selah

5Then I acknowledged my sin to You

and did not conceal my iniquity.

I said,

“I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”

and You took away the guilt of my sin. Selah

6Therefore let everyone who is faithful pray to You

at a time that You may be found.  

When great floodwaters come,

they will not reach him. 

7You are my hiding place; 

You protect me from trouble. 

You surround me with joyful shouts of deliverance.Selah

8I will instruct you and show you the way to go; 

with My eye on you, I will give counsel. 

9Do not be like a horse or mule,

without understanding,

that must be controlled with bit and bridle

or else it will not come near you. 

10Many pains come to the wicked, 

but the one who trusts in the Lord

will have faithful love surrounding him. 

11Be glad in the Lord and rejoice,

you righteous ones;

shout for joy,

all you upright in heart. 

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Mark 4

The Parable of the Sower

1Again  He began to teach  by the sea, and a very large crowd gathered around Him. So He got into a boat on the sea and sat down, while the whole crowd was on the shore facing the sea. 2He taught them many things in parables,  and in His teaching  He said to them: 3“Listen! Consider the sower who went out to sow.  4As he sowed, this occurred: Some seed fell along the path,  and the birds came and ate  it up. 5Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn’t have much soil, and it sprang up right away,  since it didn’t have deep soil. 6When the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it didn’t have a root, it withered. 7Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it didn’t produce a crop. 8Still others fell on good ground and produced a crop that increased  30, 60, and 100 times what was sown.”  9Then He said, “Anyone who has ears to hear should listen! ” 

Why Jesus Used Parables

10When He was alone with the Twelve,  those who were around Him asked Him about the parables.  11He answered them, “The secret  of the kingdom of God  has been given to you, but to those outside,  everything comes in parables 12so that

they may look and look,

yet not perceive;

they may listen and listen,

yet not understand; 

otherwise, they might turn back —

and be forgiven.”   

The Parable of the Sower Explained

13Then  He said to them: “Don’t you understand this parable?  How then will you understand any of the parables? 14The sower sows  the word.  15These  are the ones along the path  where the word is sown: when they hear, immediately Satan  comes and takes away the word  sown in them.  16And these are  the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, immediately they receive it with joy. 17But they have no root in themselves; they are short-lived. When pressure  or persecution comes because of the word, they immediately stumble.  18Others are sown among thorns; these are the ones who hear the word, 19but the worries  of this age,  the seduction   of wealth,  and the desires  for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.  20But the ones sown on good ground are those who hear the word,  welcome it, and produce a crop:  30, 60, and 100 times what was sown.”

Using Your Light

21He  also said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed?  Isn’t it to be put on a lampstand?  22For nothing is concealed except to be revealed,  and nothing hidden except to come to light. 23If anyone has ears to hear, he should listen! ”  24Then He said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear. By the measure  you use,   it will be measured and added  to you. 25For to the one who has, it will be given, and from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.” 

The Parable of the Growing Seed

26“The kingdom of God  is like this,” He said. “A man scatters seed on the ground; 27he sleeps  and rises  — night  and day, and the seed sprouts and grows — he doesn’t know how. 28The soil produces a crop  by itself — first the blade, then the head, and then the ripe grain  on the head. 29But as soon as the crop is ready, he sends for the sickle, because the harvest  has come.”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

30And  He said: “How can we illustrate the kingdom of God,  or what parable  can we use to describe it? 31It’s like a mustard seed  that, when sown in the soil, is smaller than all the seeds on the ground. 32And when sown,  it comes up and grows taller than all the vegetables,  and produces large branches, so that the birds of the sky  can nest in its shade.”

Using Parables

33He would speak the word  to them with many parables like these, as they were able to understand.  34And He did not speak to them without a parable. Privately, however, He would explain everything to His own disciples. 

Wind and Wave Obey the Master

35On  that day, when evening had come, He told them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the sea.” 36So they left the crowd and took Him along since He was already in the boat. And other boats were with Him. 37A fierce windstorm  arose, and the waves  were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38But He was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him up  and said to Him, “Teacher! Don’t You care that we’re going to die? ” 

39He got up, rebuked  the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence!  Be still! ” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40Then He said to them, “Why are you fearful?  Do you still have no faith? ”

41And they were terrified  and asked one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey  Him! ”