Today's Readings and Stuff -- Saturday, 06 February 2021

 Looking outside at all the cold and grey and snow.  Seeing a projected low of 18° tonight and a "high: of 23° for tomorrow.  Ick!  Projections are for no temps above freezing for the next 10 days  and next Sunday's low to be at -3°.  Double Ick!  

But, as I type this, there is still some light outside, which was not the case a month ago.  And a "day" of 10 hours 20 minutes, a great improvement as well.  So there is some cause for hope.

Too bad "global warming of human cause" is as gigantic a lie as we've seen in a good while.

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EXODUS 39

Making the Priestly Garments

1They made specially woven  garments for ministry in the sanctuary, and the holy garments for Aaron from the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 

Making the Ephod

2Bezalel  made the ephod of gold, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of finely spun linen. 3They hammered out thin sheets of gold, and he  cut threads from them to interweave with the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and the fine linen in a skillful design. 4They made shoulder pieces for attaching it; it was joined together at its two edges. 5The artistically woven waistband that was on the ephod was of one piece with the ephod, according to the same workmanship of gold, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of finely spun linen, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

6Then they mounted the onyx stones surrounded with gold filigree settings, engraved with the names of Israel’s sons as a gem cutter engraves a seal. 7He fastened them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the Israelites, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Making the Breastpiece

8He  also made the embroidered breastpiece with the same workmanship as the ephod of gold, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of finely spun linen. 9They made the breastpiece square and folded double, nine inches long and nine inches wide.  10They mounted four rows of gemstones  on it. The first row was a row of carnelian, topaz, and emerald;  11the second row, a turquoise,  a sapphire,  and a diamond;  12the third row, a jacinth,  an agate, and an amethyst; 13and the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They were surrounded with gold filigree in their settings.

14The 12 stones corresponded to the names of Israel’s sons. Each stone was engraved like a seal with one of the names of the 12 tribes.

15They made braided chains of pure gold cord for the breastpiece. 16They also fashioned two gold filigree settings and two gold rings and attached the two rings to its two corners. 17Then they attached the two gold cords to the two gold rings on the corners of the breastpiece. 18They attached the other ends of the two cords to the two filigree settings and, in this way, attached them to the ephod’s shoulder pieces in front. 19They made two other gold rings and put them at the two other corners of the breastpiece on the edge that is next to the inner border of the ephod. 20They made two more gold rings and attached them to the bottom of the ephod’s two shoulder pieces on its front, close to its seam,  above the ephod’s woven waistband. 21Then they tied the breastpiece from its rings to the rings of the ephod with a cord of blue yarn, so that the breastpiece was above the ephod’s waistband and did not come loose from the ephod. They did just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Making the Robe

22They  made the woven robe of the ephod entirely of blue yarn. 23There was an opening in the center of the robe like that of body armor  with a collar around the opening so that it would not tear. 24They made pomegranates of finely spun blue, purple, and scarlet yarn  on the lower hem of the robe. 25They made bells of pure gold and attached the bells between the pomegranates, all around the hem of the robe between the pomegranates, 26a bell and a pomegranate alternating all around the lower hem of the robe  to be worn for ministry. They made it just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

The Other Priestly Garments

27They made the tunics of fine woven linen for Aaron and his sons. 28They also made the turban and the ornate headbands  of fine linen, the undergarments,  29and the sash of finely spun linen of embroidered blue, purple, and scarlet yarn. They did just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Making the Holy Diadem

30They also made a medallion, the holy diadem, out of pure gold and wrote on it an inscription like the engraving on a seal: 

HOLY TO THE LORD.

31Then they attached a cord of blue yarn to it in order to mount it on the turban, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Moses’ Inspection of the Tabernacle

32So all the work for the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, was finished. The Israelites did everything just as the Lord had commanded Moses.  33Then they brought the tabernacle to Moses: the tent with all its furnishings, its clasps, its planks, its crossbars, and its posts and bases; 34the covering of ram skins dyed red and the covering of manatee skins;  the veil for the screen; 35the ark of the testimony with its poles and the mercy seat; 36the table, all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence; 37the pure gold lampstand, with its lamps arranged and all its utensils, as well as the oil for the light; 38the gold altar; the anointing oil; the fragrant incense; the screen for the entrance to the tent; 39the bronze altar with its bronze grate, its poles, and all its utensils; the basin with its stand; 40the hangings of the courtyard, its posts and bases, the screen for the gate of the courtyard, its ropes and tent pegs, and all the equipment for the service of the tabernacle, the tent of meeting; 41and the specially woven  garments for ministering in the sanctuary, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons to serve as priests. 42The Israelites had done all the work according to everything the Lord had commanded Moses.  43Moses inspected all the work they had accomplished. They had done just as the Lord commanded. Then Moses blessed them. 

EXODUS 40

Setting up the Tabernacle

1The Lord spoke to Moses: 2“You are to set up the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, on the first day of the first month.   3Put the ark  of the testimony there and screen off the ark with the veil. 4Then bring in the table and lay out its arrangement; also bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps. 5Place the gold altar for incense in front of the ark of the testimony. Put up the screen for the entrance to the tabernacle. 6Position the altar of burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting. 7Place the basin  between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. 8Assemble the surrounding courtyard and hang the screen for the gate of the courtyard.

9“Take the anointing oil and anoint  the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it along with all its furnishings so that it will be holy. 10Anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils; consecrate the altar so that it will be especially holy. 11Anoint the basin and its stand and consecrate it.

12“Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the tent of meeting and wash them with water.  13Clothe Aaron with the holy garments,  anoint him, and consecrate him, so that he can serve Me as a priest. 14Have his sons come forward and clothe them in tunics. 15Anoint them just as you anointed their father, so that they may also serve Me as priests. Their anointing will serve to inaugurate a permanent priesthood for them throughout their generations.” 

16Moses did everything just as the Lord had commanded him. 17The tabernacle was set up in the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month.   18Moses set up the tabernacle: he laid its bases, positioned its planks, inserted its crossbars, and set up its posts. 19Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent on top of it, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

20Moses took the testimony  and placed it in the ark, and attached the poles to the ark. He set the mercy seat on top of the ark. 21He brought the ark into the tabernacle, put up the veil for the screen, and screened off the ark of the testimony, just as the Lord had commanded him.

22Moses placed the table in the tent of meeting on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil. 23He arranged the bread on it before the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded him. 24He also put the lampstand in the tent of meeting opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle 25and set up the lamps before the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded him.

26Moses also installed the gold altar in the tent of meeting, in front of the veil, 27and burned fragrant incense on it, just as the Lord had commanded him. 28He put up the screen at the entrance to the tabernacle. 29Then he placed the altar of burnt offering at the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, and offered the burnt offering and the grain offering on it, just as the Lord had commanded him.

30He set the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing. 31Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and feet from it. 32They washed whenever they came to the tent of meeting and approached the altar, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

33Next Moses set up the surrounding courtyard for the tabernacle and the altar and hung a screen for the gate of the courtyard. So Moses finished the work. 

The Lord’s Glory

34The cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.  35Moses was unable to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud rested on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

36The Israelites set out whenever the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle throughout all the stages of their journey.  37If the cloud was not taken up, they did not set out until the day it was taken up.  38For the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and there was a fire inside the cloud by night, visible to the entire house of Israel throughout all the stages of their journey.

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MATTHEW 24

Destruction of the Temple Predicted

1As Jesus left and was going out of the temple complex,  His disciples  came up and called His attention to the temple buildings. 2Then He replied to them, “Don’t you see all these things? I assure you: Not one stone will be left here on another that will not be thrown down! ”

Signs of the End of the Age

3While He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached Him privately and said, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what is the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age? ” 

4Then Jesus replied to them: “Watch out that no one deceives  you. 5For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will deceive many.  6You are going to hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, because these things must take place, but the end is not yet. 7For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines   and earthquakes in various places.  8All these events are the beginning of birth pains. 

Persecutions Predicted

9“Then they will hand you over for persecution,  and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of My name.  10Then many will take offense, betray one another and hate one another. 11Many false prophets  will rise up and deceive many. 12Because lawlessness  will multiply, the love of many will grow cold. 13But the one who endures to the end will be delivered.  14This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world  as a testimony to all nations.  And then the end will come. 

The Great Tribulation

15“So when you see the abomination that causes desolation,   spoken of by the prophet Daniel,  standing in the holy place”  (let the reader understand ), 16“then those in Judea must flee to the mountains! 17A man on the housetop  must not come down to get things out of his house.  18And a man in the field must not go back to get his clothes. 19Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days! 20Pray that your escape may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 21For at that time there will be great tribulation,  the kind that hasn’t taken place from the beginning of the world until now and never will again! 22Unless those days were limited, no one would  survive.  But those days will be limited because of the elect. 

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Friday, 05 February 2021

Wow!  All the way up to 10 hours 16 minutes of "day".  Doesn't sound all that much, but it's a noticeable improvement from just six weeks ago.  The awareness that our last place of residence will see 55° today doesn't improve my mood.  Not with it going to 14° tonight and a "high" of 27° tomorrow.  But ....  I recall a few years ago when the "high" was in the single digits and the lows were like -14°.  So we haven't been down quite that far.  Yet.

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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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MATTHEW 23

23“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of  mint, dill, and cumin,  yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law — justice,  mercy, and faith. These things should have been done without neglecting the others. 24Blind guides!  You strain out a gnat, yet gulp down a camel!

25“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed  and self-indulgence!  26Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup,  so the outside of it  may also become clean.

27“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs,  which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every impurity. 28In the same way, on the outside you seem righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

29“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, 30and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we wouldn’t have taken part with them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’  31You, therefore, testify against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ sins!  

33“Snakes! Brood of vipers! How can you escape being condemned to hell?   34This is why I am sending you prophets,  sages, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues  and hound from town to town. 35So all the righteous blood shed on the earth will be charged to you,  from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah,  son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.  36I assure you: All these things will come on this generation! 

Jesus’ Lamentation over Jerusalem

37“Jerusalem, Jerusalem!  She who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks  under her wings, yet you were not willing!  38See, your house is left to you desolate.  39For I tell you, you will never see Me again until you say, ‘He who comes in the name of the Lord is the blessed One’! ”