Today's Readings and Stuff -- Thursday, 11 February 2021

This is rather brief.  I will shortly be amplifying last evening's post.

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LEVITICUS 13

Skin Diseases

1The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: 2“When a person has a swelling,  scab,  or spot on the skin of his body, and it becomes a disease on the skin  of his body, he is to be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons, the priests. 3The priest will examine the infection  on the skin of his body. If the hair in the infection has turned white and the infection appears to be deeper than the skin of his body, it is a skin disease. After the priest examines him, he must pronounce him unclean. 4But if the spot on the skin of his body is white and does not appear to be deeper than the skin, and the hair in it has not turned white, the priest must quarantine the infected person for seven days.  5The priest will then reexamine him on the seventh day. If he sees that the infection remains unchanged and has not spread on the skin, the priest must quarantine him for another seven days. 6The priest will examine him again on the seventh day. If the infection has faded and has not spread on the skin, the priest is to pronounce him clean;  it is a scab. The person is to wash his clothes and will become clean. 7But if the scab spreads further on his skin after he has presented himself to the priest for his cleansing,  he must present himself again to the priest. 8The priest will examine him, and if the scab has spread on the skin, then the priest must pronounce him unclean; he has a skin disease.

9“When a skin disease develops on a person, he is to be brought to the priest. 10The priest will examine him. If there is a white swelling on the skin that has turned the hair white, and there is a patch of raw flesh in the swelling, 11it is a chronic disease on the skin of his body, and the priest must pronounce him unclean.  He need not quarantine him, for he is unclean. 12But if the skin disease breaks out all over the skin so that it covers all the skin of the infected person from his head to his feet so far as the priest can see, 13the priest will look, and if the skin disease has covered his entire body, he is to pronounce the infected person clean.  Since he has turned totally white, he is clean. 14But whenever raw flesh appears on him, he will be unclean. 15When the priest examines the raw flesh, he must pronounce him unclean. Raw flesh is unclean; it is a skin disease. 16But if the raw flesh changes  and  turns white, he must go to the priest. 17The priest will examine him, and if the infection has turned white, the priest must pronounce the infected person clean; he is clean.

18“When a boil appears on the skin  of one’s body  and it heals, 19and a white swelling or a reddish-white spot develops where the boil was, the person must present himself to the priest. 20The priest will make an examination, and if the spot seems to be beneath the skin and the hair in it has turned white, the priest must pronounce him unclean; it is a skin disease that has broken out in the boil. 21But when the priest examines it, if there is no white hair in it, and it is not beneath the skin but is faded, the priest must quarantine him seven days. 22If it spreads further on the skin, the priest must pronounce him unclean; it is an infection. 23But if the spot remains where it is and does not spread, it is only the scar from the boil. The priest is to pronounce him clean.

24“When there is a burn on the skin of one’s body produced by fire, and the patch made raw by the burn becomes reddish-white or white, 25the priest is to examine it. If the hair in the spot has turned white and the spot appears to be deeper than the skin, it is a skin disease that has broken out in the burn. The priest must pronounce him unclean; it is a skin disease. 26But when the priest examines it, if there is no white hair in the spot and it is not beneath the skin but is faded, the priest must quarantine him seven days. 27The priest will reexamine him on the seventh day. If it has spread further on the skin, the priest must pronounce him unclean; it is a skin disease. 28But if the spot has remained where it was and has not spread on the skin but is faded, it is the swelling from the burn. The priest is to pronounce him clean, for it is only the scar from the burn.

29“When a man or woman has an infection on the head or chin, 30the priest must examine the infection. If it appears to be deeper than the skin,  and the hair in it is yellow and sparse, the priest must pronounce the person unclean. It is a scaly outbreak,  a skin disease of the head or chin. 31When the priest examines the scaly infection, if it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, and there is no black hair in it, the priest must quarantine the person with the scaly infection for seven days. 32The priest will reexamine the infection on the seventh day. If the scaly outbreak has not spread and there is no yellow hair in it and it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, 33the person must shave himself  but not shave the scaly area. Then the priest must quarantine the person who has the scaly outbreak for another seven days. 34The priest will examine the scaly outbreak on the seventh day, and if it has not spread on the skin and does not appear to be deeper than the skin, the priest is to pronounce the person clean. He is to wash his clothes, and he will be clean. 35But if the scaly outbreak spreads further on the skin after his cleansing, 36the priest is to examine the person. If the scaly outbreak has spread on the skin, the priest does not need to look for yellow hair; the person is unclean. 37But if as far as he can see, the scaly outbreak remains unchanged and black hair has grown in it, then it has healed; he is clean. The priest is to pronounce the person clean.

38“When a man or a woman has white spots on the skin of the body, 39the priest is to make an examination. If the spots on the skin of the body are dull white, it is only a rash  that has broken out on the skin; the person is clean.

40“If a man loses the hair of his head, he is bald,  but he is clean. 41Or if he loses the hair at his hairline, he is bald on his forehead, but he is clean. 42But if there is a reddish-white infection on the bald head or forehead, it is a skin disease breaking out on his head or forehead.  43The priest is to examine him, and if the swelling of the infection on his bald head or forehead is reddish-white, like the appearance of a skin disease on his body, 44the man is afflicted with a skin disease;  he is unclean. The priest must pronounce him unclean; the infection is on his head.

45“The person afflicted with an infectious skin disease is to have his clothes torn  and his hair hanging loose, and he must cover his mouth  and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean! ’ 46He will remain unclean as long as he has the infection; he is unclean. He must live alone in a place outside the camp. 

Contaminated Fabrics

47“If a fabric is contaminated with mildew — in wool or linen fabric, 48in the warp or woof of linen or wool, or in leather or anything made of leather — 49and if the contamination is green or red in the fabric, the leather, the warp, the woof, or any leather article, it is a mildew contamination and is to be shown to the priest. 50The priest is to examine the contamination and quarantine the contaminated fabric for seven days. 51The priest is to reexamine the contamination on the seventh day. If it has spread in the fabric, the warp, the woof, or the leather, regardless of how it is used, the contamination is harmful mildew; it is unclean.  52He is to burn the fabric, the warp or woof in wool or linen, or any leather article, which is contaminated. Since it is harmful mildew it must be burned up.

53“When the priest examines it, if the contamination has not spread in the fabric, the warp or woof, or any leather article, 54the priest is to order whatever is contaminated to be washed and quarantined for another seven days. 55After it has been washed, the priest is to reexamine the contamination. If the appearance of the contaminated article has not changed, it is unclean. Even though the contamination has not spread, you must burn up the fabric. It is a fungus  on the front or back of the fabric.

56“If the priest examines it, and the contamination has faded after it has been washed, he must cut the contaminated section out of the fabric, the leather, or the warp or woof. 57But if it reappears in the fabric, the warp or woof, or any leather article, it has broken out again. You must burn up whatever is contaminated. 58But if the contamination disappears from the fabric, the warp or woof, or any leather article, which have been washed, it is to be washed again, and it will be clean.

59“This is the law concerning a mildew contamination in wool or linen fabric, warp or woof, or any leather article, in order to pronounce it clean or unclean.” 

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Matthew 26:20-54

(Note Psalms 116, 117, 118.  They were probably the hymn or hymns referred to here at the end of the meal)

MATTHEW 26

20When evening came, He was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21While they were eating, He said, “I assure you: One of you will betray Me.” 

22Deeply distressed, each one began to say to Him, “Surely not I, Lord? ”

23He replied, “The one who dipped his hand with Me in the bowl — he will betray Me. 24The Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him,  but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”

25Then Judas, His betrayer, replied, “Surely not I, Rabbi? ” 

“You have said it,” He told him.

The First Lord’s Supper

26As they were eating,  Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples,  and said, “Take and eat it; this is My body.”  27Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. 28For this is My blood that establishes the covenant;  it is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins.  29But I tell you, from this moment I will not drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it in a new way  in My Father’s kingdom  with you.” 30After singing psalms,  they went out to the Mount of Olives. 

Peter’s Denial Predicted

31Then Jesus said to them, “Tonight all of you will run away  because of Me, for it is written:

I will strike the shepherd,

and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.  

32But after I have been resurrected, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” 

33Peter told Him, “Even if everyone runs away because of You, I will never run away! ”

34“I assure you,” Jesus said to him, “tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times! ” 

35“Even if I have to die with You,” Peter told Him, “I will never deny You! ” And all the disciples said the same thing.

The Prayer in the Garden

36Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane,   and He told the disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37Taking along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.  38Then He said to them, “My soul is swallowed up in sorrow  — to the point of death.  Remain here and stay awake with Me.”  39Going a little farther,  He fell facedown and prayed, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.” 

40Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping. He asked Peter, “So, couldn’t you  stay awake with Me one hour? 41Stay awake and pray, so that you won’t enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

42Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, “My Father, if this  cannot pass  unless I drink it, Your will be done.”  43And He came again and found them sleeping, because they could not keep their eyes open. 

44After leaving them, He went away again and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more. 45Then He came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting?  Look, the time is near. The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.  46Get up; let’s go! See, My betrayer is near.”

The Judas Kiss

47While He was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, suddenly arrived.  A large mob, with swords and clubs, was with him from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48His betrayer had given them a sign: “The One I kiss, He’s the One; arrest Him! ” 49So he went right up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi! ” and kissed Him.

50“Friend,”  Jesus asked him, “why have you come? ” 

Then they came up, took hold of Jesus, and arrested Him. 51At that moment one of those with Jesus reached out his hand and drew his sword. He struck the high priest’s slave and cut off his ear. 

52Then Jesus told him, “Put your sword back in its place because all who take up a sword will perish by a sword.  53Or do you think that I cannot call on My Father, and He will provide Me at once with more than 12 legions  of angels?  54How, then, would the Scriptures be fulfilled  that say it must happen this way? ”

Wednesday, 10 February 22021

I hope to flesh this out in the morning..  Hope to.  We shall see.  Some heavy thoughts and unavoidable "got to do" stuff ate the day.  

Watchman duty as specified in Scripture, and our failed duties in that matter, is among those thoughts.

I've tagged some songs here that struck me, hard, while going over these passages and looking at our world.  Hit me hard.  The last one shown, "Alabaster Box", is one of those that is inspired by the reading in Matthew today, one that I had long sort of skimmed over.  Which was a mistake.  It's come to mean a lot, so much so that it was in my mind all night long in a mostly sleepless night.  Put yourself in that woman's place.  But the same applies to the others shown.  Esther, another of those books frequently skipped over, is important.  She was "just a girl", sure.  But uniquely placed to accomplish much as the Lord directed.  And, finally, "Almost Persuaded" is a quote that could describe the attitude of so many around us who are dying without the Lord, a truly tragic thing.  There are some passaged describing the duties and role of the watchmen upon the cities' walls, and the condemnation due them should they sleep or slumber or fail to sound the alarm.  Sounds like all too much of Western Christendom.

For Such A Time As This

Almost Persuaded

Alabaster Box

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Leviticus 10 - 12

LEVITICUS 10

Nadab and Abihu

1Aaron’s sons Nadab  and Abihu  each took his own firepan,  put fire in it, placed incense on it,  and presented unauthorized  fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them to do. 2Then fire came from the Lord  and burned them to death before the Lord.  3So Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord meant when He said:

I will show My holiness  

to those who are near Me, 

and I will reveal My glory  

before all the people.”

But Aaron remained silent.

4Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan,  sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel,  and said to them, “Come here and carry your relatives away from the front of the sanctuary to a place outside the camp.”  5So they came forward and carried them in their tunics outside the camp, as Moses had said.

6Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar,  “Do not let your hair hang loose  and do not tear your garments,  or else you will die, and the Lord will become angry  with the whole community. However, your brothers, the whole house of Israel, may mourn  over that tragedy when the Lord sent the fire. 7You must not go outside the entrance to the tent of meeting or you will die, for the Lord’s anointing oil  is on you.” So they did as Moses said.

Regulations for Priests

8The Lord spoke to Aaron: 9“You and your sons are not to drink wine  or beer  when you enter the tent of meeting, or else you will die; this is a permanent statute  throughout your generations. 10You must distinguish  between the holy and the common,  and the clean and the unclean,  11and teach the Israelites all the statutes  that the Lord has given to them through Moses.”

12Moses spoke to Aaron and his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar: “Take the grain offering that is left over from the fire offerings  to the Lord, and eat it prepared without yeast beside the altar, because it is especially holy. 13You must eat it in a holy place because it is your portion  and your sons’ from the fire offerings to the Lord, for this is what I was commanded. 14But you and your sons and your daughters may eat the breast of the presentation offering and the thigh of the contribution in any ceremonially clean place, because these portions have been assigned to you and your children from the Israelites’ fellowship sacrifices. 15They are to bring the thigh of the contribution and the breast of the presentation offering, together with the offerings of fat portions made by fire, to wave as a presentation offering before the Lord. It will belong permanently  to you and your children, as the Lord commanded.”

16Later, Moses inquired about the male goat of the sin offering, but it had already been burned up. He was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s surviving sons, and asked, 17“Why didn’t you eat the sin offering in the sanctuary area?  For it is especially holy, and He has assigned it to you to take away the guilt  of the community  and make atonement for them before the Lord. 18Since its blood was not brought inside the sanctuary, you should have eaten it in the sanctuary area, as I commanded.” 

19But Aaron replied to Moses, “See, today they presented their sin offering and their burnt offering before the Lord. Since these things have happened to me, if I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been acceptable in the Lord’s sight? ” 20When Moses heard this, it was acceptable to him. 

LEVITICUS 11

Clean and Unclean Land Animals

1The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: 2“Tell the Israelites: You may eat  all these kinds of land animals.  3You may eat any animal with divided hooves and that chews the cud. 4But among the ones that chew the cud or have divided hooves you are not to eat these:

the camel,  though it chews the cud,

does not have divided hooves — it is unclean for you;

5the hyrax,   though it chews the cud,

does not have hooves — it is unclean for you;

6the hare, though it chews the cud,

does not have hooves — it is unclean for you;

7the pig, though it has divided hooves,

does not chew the cud — it is unclean for you.

8Do not eat any of their meat or touch their carcasses — they are unclean for you. 

Clean and Unclean Aquatic Animals

9“This is what you may eat from all that is in the water: You may eat everything in the water that has fins and scales, whether in the seas or streams. 10But these are to be detestable to you: everything in the seas or streams that does not have fins and scales among all the swarming things and other living creatures  in the water. 11They are to remain detestable to you; you must not eat any of their meat, and you must detest their carcasses. 12Everything in the water that does not have fins and scales will be detestable to you.

Unclean Birds

13“You are to detest these birds. They must not be eaten because they are detestable:

the eagle,   the bearded  vulture,

the black vulture,  14the kite, 

any kind of falcon,  

15every kind of raven, 16the ostrich, 

the short-eared owl,  the gull, 

any kind of hawk, 

17the little  owl, the cormorant, 

the long-eared owl,  

18the white  owl, the desert owl,  

the osprey,  19the stork, 

any kind of heron, 

the hoopoe, and the bat.

Clean and Unclean Flying Insects

20“All winged insects that walk on all fours are to be detestable to you. 21But you may eat these kinds of all the winged insects that walk on all fours: those that have jointed legs above their feet for hopping on the ground. 22You may eat these:

any kind of locust,  katydid, cricket, and grasshopper.

23All other winged insects that have four feet are to be detestable to you.

Purification after Touching Dead Animals

24“These will make you unclean. Whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean  until evening, 25and whoever carries any of their carcasses must wash his clothes and will be unclean until evening.  26All animals that have hooves but do not have a divided hoof and do not chew the cud are unclean for you. Whoever touches them becomes unclean. 27All the four-footed animals  that walk on their paws are unclean for you. Whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean until evening, 28and anyone who carries their carcasses must wash his clothes and will be unclean until evening. They are unclean for you.

29“These creatures that swarm  on the ground are unclean for you:

the weasel,  the mouse, 

any kind of large lizard, 

30the gecko, the monitor lizard, 

the common lizard,  the skink, 

and the chameleon. 

31These are unclean for you among all the swarming creatures. Whoever touches them when they are dead will be unclean until evening. 32When any one of them dies and falls on anything it becomes unclean — any item of wood, clothing, leather, sackcloth,  or any implement used for work. It is to be rinsed with water and will remain unclean until evening; then it will be clean. 33If any of them falls into any clay pot, everything in it will become unclean; you must break it. 34Any edible food  coming into contact with that unclean water will become unclean, and any drinkable liquid in any container will become unclean. 35Anything one of their carcasses falls on will become unclean. If it is an oven or stove, it must be smashed; it is unclean and will remain unclean for you. 36A spring or cistern containing water will remain clean, but someone who touches a carcass in it will become unclean. 37If one of their carcasses falls on any seed that is to be sown, it is clean; 38but if water has been put on the seed and one of their carcasses falls on it, it is unclean for you.

39“If one of the animals that you use for food dies,  anyone who touches its carcass will be unclean until evening. 40Anyone who eats some of its carcass must wash his clothes and will be unclean until evening. Anyone who carries its carcass must wash his clothes and will be unclean until evening.

Unclean Swarming Creatures

41“All the creatures that swarm on the earth are detestable; they must not be eaten. 42Do not eat any of the creatures that swarm on the earth, anything that moves on its belly or walks on all fours or on many feet,  for they are detestable. 43Do not become contaminated by any creature that swarms; do not become unclean or defiled by them. 44For I am Yahweh your God,  so you must consecrate yourselves  and be holy because I am holy.  You must not defile yourselves by any swarming creature that crawls on the ground. 45For I am Yahweh, who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God,  so you must be holy because I am holy. 

46“This is the law concerning animals, birds, all living creatures that move in the water, and all creatures that swarm on the ground, 47in order to distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between the animals  that may be eaten and those that may not be eaten.”

LEVITICUS 12

Purification after Childbirth

1The Lord spoke to Moses: 2“Tell the Israelites: When a woman becomes pregnant and gives birth to a male child,  she will be unclean seven days, as she is during the days of her menstrual impurity.  3The flesh of his foreskin  must be circumcised  on the eighth day.  4She will continue in purification  from her bleeding  for 33 days. She must not touch any holy thing or go into the sanctuary until completing her days of purification. 5But if she gives birth to a female child, she will be unclean for two weeks as she is during her menstrual impurity. She will continue in purification from her bleeding for 66 days.

6“When her days of purification are complete, whether for a son or daughter, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting a year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin  offering. 7He will present them before the Lord and make atonement on her behalf; she will be clean from her discharge of blood. This is the law for a woman giving birth, whether to a male or female. 8But if she doesn’t have sufficient means   for a sheep, she may take two turtledoves or two young pigeons,  one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin  offering. Then the priest will make atonement on her behalf, and she will be clean.”

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Matthew. 26:1-19

MATTHEW 26

The Plot to Kill Jesus

1When Jesus had finished saying all this,  He told His disciples, 2“You know  that the Passover takes place after two days, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.” 

3Then the chief priests  and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,  4and they conspired to arrest Jesus in a treacherous way and kill Him.  5“Not during the festival,” they said, “so there won’t be rioting among the people.”

The Anointing at Bethany

6While Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon,  a man who had a serious skin disease, 7a woman approached Him with an alabaster jar of very expensive fragrant oil. She poured it on His head as He was reclining at the table. 8When the disciples  saw it, they were indignant. “Why this waste? ” they asked. 9“This might have been sold for a great deal and given to the poor.”

10But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a noble thing for Me. 11You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.  12By pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she has prepared Me for burial. 13I assure you: Wherever this gospel  is proclaimed in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her.”

14Then  one of the Twelve — the man called Judas Iscariot — went to the chief priests  15and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you? ” So they weighed out 30 pieces of silver for him.  16And from that time he started looking for a good opportunity to betray Him.

Betrayal at the Passover

17On the first day of Unleavened Bread  the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do You want us to prepare the Passover so You may eat it? ”

18“Go into the city to a certain man,” He said, “and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My time is near; I am celebrating the Passover at your place  with My disciples.’ ”  19So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.