Today's Readings and Stuff -- Saturday, 08 February 2020

Another quiet day here.  We're still mostly in recovery mode, I'm pretty well "there" and she seems to be headed in that direction.  So we shall see.  I guess.
Lots of thoughts and meditations on the state of the world, the state of our area, and, our own conditions and direction.  Not all of it is terribly encouraging.

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I put this here using the Holman CSB version, primarily because of its use of dimensional terms familiar to most readers: few of us measure in cubits for example.  Note the very specific directions given.  These constructions were to be performed precisely as directed, not any which way, no room for "creative approaches".


Exodus 27

The Altar of Burnt Offering

1“You  are to construct the altar of acacia wood. The altar must be square, 7 1/2 feet long, and 7 1/2 feet wide;  it must be 4 1/2 feet high.  2Make horns for it on its four corners; the horns are to be of one piece.  Overlay it with bronze.  3Make its pots for removing ashes, and its shovels, basins, meat forks, and firepans; make all its utensils of bronze. 4Construct a grate for it of bronze mesh, and make four bronze rings on the mesh at its four corners. 5Set it below, under the altar’s ledge,  so that the mesh comes halfway up  the altar. 6Then make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze. 7The poles are to be inserted into the rings so that the poles are on two sides of the altar when it is carried. 8Construct the altar with boards so that it is hollow. They are to make it just as it was shown to you on the mountain. 

The Courtyard

9“You  are to make the courtyard for the tabernacle. Make the hangings on the south of the courtyard out of finely spun linen, 150 feet  long on that side. 10There are to be 20 posts and 20 bronze bases. The hooks and bands  of the posts must be silver. 11Then make the hangings on the north side 150 feet  long. There are to be 20 posts and 20 bronze bases. The hooks and bands  of the posts must be silver. 12Make the hangings of the courtyard on the west side 75 feet  long, including their 10 posts and 10 bases. 13Make the hangings of the courtyard on the east side toward the sunrise 75 feet.  14Make the hangings on one side of the gate 22 1/2 feet,  including their three posts and their three bases. 15And make the hangings on the other side 22 1/2 feet,  including their three posts and their three bases. 16The gate of the courtyard is to have a thirty-foot  screen  embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen. It is to have four posts including their four bases.

17“All the posts around the courtyard are to be banded with silver and have silver hooks and bronze bases. 18The length of the courtyard is to be 150 feet, the width 75 feet at each end, and the height 7 1/2 feet,  all of it made of finely spun linen. The bases of the posts must be bronze. 19All the tools of the tabernacle for every use and all its tent pegs as well as all the tent pegs of the courtyard are to be made of bronze.

The Lampstand Oil

20“You are to command the Israelites to bring you pure oil from crushed olives for the light, in order to keep the lamp burning continually. 21In the tent of meeting outside the veil that is in front of the testimony,  Aaron and his sons are to tend the lamp  from evening until morning before the Lord. This is to be a permanent statute  for the Israelites throughout their generations.

Exodus 28

The Priestly Garments

1“Have your brother Aaron, with his sons, come to you from the Israelites to serve Me as priest — Aaron, his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.  2Make holy garments  for your brother Aaron, for glory and beauty. 3You are to instruct all the skilled craftsmen,   whom I have filled with a spirit of wisdom, to make Aaron’s garments for consecrating him to serve Me as priest. 4These are the garments that they must make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a specially woven tunic,  a turban, and a sash. They are to make holy garments for your brother Aaron and his sons so that they may serve Me as priests. 5They should use  gold; blue, purple, and scarlet yarn; and fine linen.

The Ephod

6“They  are to make the ephod of finely spun linen embroidered with gold, and with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn. 7It must have two shoulder pieces attached to its two edges so that it can be joined together. 8The artistically woven waistband that is on the ephod  must be of one piece,  according to the same workmanship of gold, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of finely spun linen.

9“Take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of Israel’s sons: 10six of their names on the first stone and the remaining six names on the second stone, in the order of their birth. 11Engrave the two stones with the names of Israel’s sons as a gem cutter engraves a seal. Mount them, surrounded with gold filigree settings. 12Fasten both stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the Israelites. Aaron will carry their names on his two shoulders before the Lord as a reminder.  13Fashion gold filigree settings 14and two chains of pure gold; you will make them of braided cord work, and attach the cord chains to the settings.

The Breastpiece

15“You  are to make an embroidered breastpiece for making decisions.  Make it with the same workmanship as the ephod; make it of gold, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of finely spun linen. 16It must be square and folded double, nine inches long and nine inches wide.  17Place a setting of gemstones  on it, four rows of stones:

The first row should be a row of carnelian, topaz, and emerald; 

18the second row, a turquoise,  a sapphire,  and a diamond; 

19the third row, a jacinth,  an agate, and an amethyst;

20and the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper.

They should be adorned with gold filigree in their settings. 21The 12 stones are to correspond to the names of Israel’s sons. Each stone must be engraved like a seal, with one of the names of the 12 tribes.

22“You are to make braided chains  of pure gold cord work for the breastpiece. 23Fashion two gold rings for the breastpiece and attach them to its two corners. 24Then attach the two gold cords to the two gold rings at the corners of the breastpiece. 25Attach the other ends of the two cords to the two filigree settings, and in this way attach them to the ephod’s shoulder pieces in the front. 26Make 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. 27Make two more gold rings and attach them to the bottom of the ephod’s two shoulder pieces on its front, close to its seam,  and above the ephod’s woven waistband. 28The craftsmen are to tie the breastpiece from its rings to the rings of the ephod with a cord of blue yarn, so that the breastpiece is above the ephod’s waistband and does not come loose from the ephod.

29“Whenever he enters the sanctuary, Aaron is to carry the names of Israel’s sons over his heart on the breastpiece for decisions, as a continual reminder before the Lord. 30Place the Urim and Thummim  in the breastpiece for decisions, so that they will also be over Aaron’s heart whenever he comes before the Lord. Aaron will continually carry the means of decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord.

The Robe

31“You  are to make the robe of the ephod entirely of blue yarn. 32There should be an opening at its top in the center of it. Around the opening, there should be a woven collar with an opening like that of body armor  so that it does not tear. 33Make pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn  on its lower hem and all around it. Put gold bells between them all the way around, 34so that gold bells and pomegranates alternate around the lower hem of the robe. 35The robe must be worn by Aaron whenever he ministers, and its sound will be heard when he enters the sanctuary before the Lord and when he exits, so that he does not die.

The Turban

36“You are to make a pure gold medallion and engrave it, like the engraving of a seal: 

HOLY TO THE LORD.

37Fasten it to a cord of blue yarn so it can be placed on the turban; the medallion is to be on the front of the turban. 38It will be on Aaron’s forehead so that Aaron may bear the guilt  connected with the holy offerings that the Israelites consecrate as all their holy gifts. It is always to be on his forehead, so that they may find acceptance with the Lord.

Other Priestly Garments

39“You are to weave the tunic from fine linen, make a turban of fine linen, and make an embroidered sash. 40Make tunics, sashes, and headbands for Aaron’s sons to give them glory and beauty.  41Put these on your brother Aaron and his sons; then anoint,  ordain,  and consecrate  them, so that they may serve Me as priests. 42Make them linen undergarments  to cover their naked bodies; they must extend from the waist  to the thighs. 43These must be worn by Aaron and his sons whenever they enter the tent of meeting or approach the altar to minister in the sanctuary area, so that they do not incur guilt  and die. This is to be a permanent statute  for Aaron and for his future descendants.

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Friday, 03 January 2019

First Friday of the year. Actually having a temperature above freezing.  I remember all too many occasions when were far below the zero point, and many many more that were below the freezing rpoint.  So we are grateful, very, and looking forward to the far-off return of decent weather.

Wife and I will be calling the doctor on Monday unless things change greatly.  Ive been suffering a horrible hacking cough for around two weeks now.  She's running a fever in addition to everything  else going on.

The readings today are ALL meaningful, very.  Every one has inspired books and sermons and lessons beyond count and more than a few meaningful hymns and spiritual songs. 

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Genesis 5

1This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;

2Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.

3And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:

4And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters:

5And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.

6And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos:

7And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters:

8And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died.

9And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan:

10And Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters:

11And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and he died.

12And Cainan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalaleel:

13And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters:

14And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died.

15And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared:

16And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters:

17And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five years: and he died.

18And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat Enoch:

19And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:

20And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died.

21And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah:

22And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:

23And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:

24And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

25And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech:

26And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters:

27And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.

28And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son:

29And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed.

30And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters:

31And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died.

32And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Genesis 6

1And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,

2That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

3And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

4There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.

5And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

6And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

7And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

8But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

9These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

10And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

11The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.

12And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

13And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

14Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.

15And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.

16A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.

17And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.

18But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee.

19And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female.

20Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive.

21And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them.

22Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.

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Psalm 3

A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.

1 Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me.

2Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.

3But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.

4I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.

5I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.

6I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.

7Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.

8Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.

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Matthew 3

1In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

2And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

3For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

4And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

5Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,

6And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

8Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

9And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

10And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

11I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

12Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

13Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

14But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

15And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

16And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

17And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.