Today's Readings -- 07 May 2011

This has been quite a week for us. Dear Wife is home from hospital, resting in bed right now. She is doing a bit better, certainly better than we saw the other day. But this is a hard road we travel, and we are not yet to the end.
Walk with us.

The Old Testament reading for the day is chapters 14 and 15 of 1st Kings.

I Kings 14

1	At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick.
2	And Jeroboam said to his wife, Arise, I pray thee, and disguise thyself, that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam; and get thee to Shiloh: behold, there is Ahijah the prophet, which told me that I should be king over this people.
3	And take with thee ten loaves, and cracknels, and a cruse of honey, and go to him: he shall tell thee what shall become of the child.
4	And Jeroboam's wife did so, and arose, and went to Shiloh, and came to the house of Ahijah. But Ahijah could not see; for his eyes were set by reason of his age.
5	And the LORD said unto Ahijah, Behold, the wife of Jeroboam cometh to ask a thing of thee for her son; for he is sick: thus and thus shalt thou say unto her: for it shall be, when she cometh in, that she shall feign herself to be another woman.
6	And it was so, when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the door, that he said, Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam; why feignest thou thyself to be another? for I am sent to thee with heavy tidings.
7	Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Israel,
8	And rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes;
9	But hast done evil above all that were before thee: for thou hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me behind thy back:
10	Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone.
11	Him that dieth of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat: for the LORD hath spoken it.
12	Arise thou therefore, get thee to thine own house: and when thy feet enter into the city, the child shall die.
13	And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him: for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.
14	Moreover the LORD shall raise him up a king over Israel, who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam that day: but what? even now.
15	For the LORD shall smite Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water, and he shall root up Israel out of this good land, which he gave to their fathers, and shall scatter them beyond the river, because they have made their groves, provoking the LORD to anger.
16	And he shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who did sin, and who made Israel to sin.
17	And Jeroboam's wife arose, and departed, and came to Tirzah: and when she came to the threshold of the door, the child died;
18	And they buried him; and all Israel mourned for him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by the hand of his servant Ahijah the prophet.
19	And the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he warred, and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
20	And the days which Jeroboam reigned were two and twenty years: and he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his stead.
21	And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess.
22	And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done.
23	For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree.
24	And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.
25	And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem:
26	And he took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.
27	And king Rehoboam made in their stead brazen shields, and committed them unto the hands of the chief of the guard, which kept the door of the king's house.
28	And it was so, when the king went into the house of the LORD, that the guard bare them, and brought them back into the guard chamber.
29	Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
30	And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days.
31	And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess. And Abijam his son reigned in his stead.

I Kings 15

1	Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah.
2	Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. and his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
3	And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father.
4	Nevertheless for David's sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem:
5	Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.
6	And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life.
7	Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.
8	And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead.
9	And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah.
10	And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
11	And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father.
12	And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.
13	And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron.
14	But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa's heart was perfect with the LORD all his days.
15	And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated, and the things which himself had dedicated, into the house of the LORD, silver, and gold, and vessels.
16	And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
17	And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.
18	Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Benhadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,
19	There is a league between me and thee, and between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; come and break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.
20	So Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelbethmaachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.
21	And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah.
22	Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted: and they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and king Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah.
23	The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Nevertheless in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.
24	And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead.
25	And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned over Israel two years.
26	And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.
27	And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon.
28	Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead.
29	And it came to pass, when he reigned, that he smote all the house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed, until he had destroyed him, according unto the saying of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite:
30	Because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin, by his provocation wherewith he provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger.
31	Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
32	And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
33	In the third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of Ahijah to reign over all Israel in Tirzah, twenty and four years.
34	And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.

The New Testament reading is verses 1-28 from the first chapter in the Gospel of John. When much younger, I committed much of this passage to memory, and that has been a blessing to me many times since then.

John1:1-28

1	In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2	The same was in the beginning with God.
3	All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4	In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5	And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
6	There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7	The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
8	He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9	That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
10	He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11	He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12	But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13	Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14	And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
15	John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
16	And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
17	For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
18	No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
19	And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
20	And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
21	And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.
22	Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
23	He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
24	And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.
25	And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?
26	John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;
27	He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
28	These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Today 06 May 2011

we're a bit disjointed here. Dear Wife was rushed to the hospital yesterday with chest pains and was admitted. It was not, fortunately, a heart attack, though it is a serious matter. She will be released this afternoon, but it has thrown things around here into some disarray.
Apologies. Hope to be on a more regular schedule soon.

Today's Readings -- 04 May 2011

Happy Wednesday. Another night tour is behind me. It does give me some time to cry out to the Lord, and also some reason to do so. I hope there's a higher purpose behind all of this. Would be a shame if something good didn't come of it.

This morning's reading is chapters 8 and 9 of 1st Kings. More of Solomon and the dedication of the Temple. Must have been quite a sight.

I Kings 8

1	Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.
2	And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.
3	And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.
4	And they brought up the ark of the LORD, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, even those did the priests and the Levites bring up.
5	And king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be told nor numbered for multitude.
6	And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubim.
7	For the cherubim spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and the staves thereof above.
8	And they drew out the staves, that the ends of the staves were seen out in the holy place before the oracle, and they were not seen without: and there they are unto this day.
9	There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.
10	And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD,
11	So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.
12	Then spake Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.
13	I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever.
14	And the king turned his face about, and blessed all the congregation of Israel: (and all the congregation of Israel stood;)
15	And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying,
16	Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my name might be therein; but I chose David to be over my people Israel.
17	And it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.
18	And the LORD said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart.
19	Nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house unto my name.
20	And the LORD hath performed his word that he spake, and I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.
21	And I have set there a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of the LORD, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.
22	And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven:
23	And he said, LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart:
24	Who hast kept with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him: thou spakest also with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day.
25	Therefore now, LORD God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel; so that thy children take heed to their way, that they walk before me as thou hast walked before me.
26	And now, O God of Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be verified, which thou spakest unto thy servant David my father.
27	But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?
28	Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee to day:
29	That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place.
30	And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest, forgive.
31	If any man trespass against his neighbor, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house:
32	Then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.
33	When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house:
34	Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers.
35	When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them:
36	Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance.
37	If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, blasting, mildew, locust, or if there be caterpillar; if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities; whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness there be;
38	What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house:
39	Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;)
40	That they may fear thee all the days that they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers.
41	Moreover concerning a stranger, that is not of thy people Israel, but cometh out of a far country for thy name's sake;
42	(For they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched out arm;) when he shall come and pray toward this house;
43	Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have builded, is called by thy name.
44	If thy people go out to battle against their enemy, whithersoever thou shalt send them, and shall pray unto the LORD toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house that I have built for thy name:
45	Then hear thou in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.
46	If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near;
47	Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness;
48	And so return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name:
49	Then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling place, and maintain their cause,
50	And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them:
51	For they be thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron:
52	That thine eyes may be open unto the supplication of thy servant, and unto the supplication of thy people Israel, to hearken unto them in all that they call for unto thee.
53	For thou didst separate them from among all the people of the earth, to be thine inheritance, as thou spakest by the hand of Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O LORD God.
54	And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven.
55	And he stood, and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying,
56	Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.
57	The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us:
58	That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers.
59	And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD, be nigh unto the LORD our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require:
60	That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else.
61	Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.
62	And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the LORD.
63	And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered unto the LORD, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD.
64	The same day did the king hallow the middle of the court that was before the house of the LORD: for there he offered burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings: because the brazen altar that was before the LORD was too little to receive the burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings.
65	And at that time Solomon held a feast, and all Israel with him, a great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt, before the LORD our God, seven days and seven days, even fourteen days.
66	On the eighth day he sent the people away: and they blessed the king, and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had done for David his servant, and for Israel his people.

I Kings 9

1	And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the LORD, and the king's house, and all Solomon's desire which he was pleased to do,
2	That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.
3	And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
4	And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:
5	Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.
6	But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:
7	Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people:
8	And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house?
9	And they shall answer, Because they forsook the LORD their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath the LORD brought upon them all this evil.
10	And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, when Solomon had built the two houses, the house of the LORD, and the king's house,
11	(Now Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar trees and fir trees, and with gold, according to all his desire,) that then king Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.
12	And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him; and they pleased him not.
13	And he said, What cities are these which thou hast given me, my brother? And he called them the land of Cabul unto this day.
14	And Hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of gold.
15	And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; for to build the house of the LORD, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.
16	For Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up, and taken Gezer, and burnt it with fire, and slain the Canaanites that dwelt in the city, and given it for a present unto his daughter, Solomon's wife.
17	And Solomon built Gezer, and Bethhoron the nether,
18	And Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land,
19	And all the cities of store that Solomon had, and cities for his chariots, and cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.
20	And all the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which were not of the children of Israel,
21	Their children that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy, upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of bondservice unto this day.
22	But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondmen: but they were men of war, and his servants, and his princes, and his captains, and rulers of his chariots, and his horsemen.
23	These were the chief of the officers that were over Solomon's work, five hundred and fifty, which bare rule over the people that wrought in the work.
24	But Pharaoh's daughter came up out of the city of David unto her house which Solomon had built for her: then did he build Millo.
25	And three times in a year did Solomon offer burnt offerings and peace offerings upon the altar which he built unto the LORD, and he burnt incense upon the altar that was before the LORD. So he finished the house.
26	And king Solomon made a navy of ships in Eziongeber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red sea, in the land of Edom.
27	And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon.
28	And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.

This evening, verses 39-56 of Luke 23. Jesus is crucified. Dead and buried in a borrowed tomb.
But, like Paul Harvey used to say, "... the rest of the story!" has to come. Worth waiting for.

Luke 23:39-56

39	And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
40	But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
41	And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
42	And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
43	And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
44	And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.
45	And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.
46	And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
47	Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.
48	And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.
49	And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.
50	And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just:
51	(The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.
52	This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.
53	And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.
54	And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.
55	And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.
56	And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.

Today's Readings -- 03 May 2011

Happy Tuesday.
I have been told that it is my duty to warn all, men especially, of the upcoming Mother's Day event on Sunday. Any man who neglects to pay proper obeisance to his mother, her mother, and of course his Dear One, can anticipate a year of frosty looks at best. Be warned.
duty done. mark that one off.

Short on pithy sayings today. And reading through the stories here can be discouraging. We know, from the perspective of several thousand years, how this turns out. Not good. What is more discouraging is to realize that our own civilization, the zone once known as "Christendom" is well down that same path, and will end no better. Yes, just like Solomon's construction of the Temple, there will be some points of light. Good. But he was already tied to wickedness through his relations with Egypt and others, and so are we. You'll see. Enjoy the high points, they are real and worthy. But beware of the bad foundations. They're real too.

Today, chapters 6 and 7 of 1st Kings

I Kings 6

1	And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD.
2	And the house which king Solomon built for the LORD, the length thereof was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits.
3	And the porch before the temple of the house, twenty cubits was the length thereof, according to the breadth of the house; and ten cubits was the breadth thereof before the house.
4	And for the house he made windows of narrow lights.
5	And against the wall of the house he built chambers round about, against the walls of the house round about, both of the temple and of the oracle: and he made chambers round about:
6	The nethermost chamber was five cubits broad, and the middle was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad: for without in the wall of the house he made narrowed rests round about, that the beams should not be fastened in the walls of the house.
7	And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.
8	The door for the middle chamber was in the right side of the house: and they went up with winding stairs into the middle chamber, and out of the middle into the third.
9	So he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar.
10	And then he built chambers against all the house, five cubits high: and they rested on the house with timber of cedar.
11	And the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying,
12	Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father:
13	And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.
14	So Solomon built the house, and finished it.
15	And he built the walls of the house within with boards of cedar, both the floor of the house, and the walls of the ceiling: and he covered them on the inside with wood, and covered the floor of the house with planks of fir.
16	And he built twenty cubits on the sides of the house, both the floor and the walls with boards of cedar: he even built them for it within, even for the oracle, even for the most holy place.
17	And the house, that is, the temple before it, was forty cubits long.
18	And the cedar of the house within was carved with knops and open flowers: all was cedar; there was no stone seen.
19	And the oracle he prepared in the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of the LORD.
20	And the oracle in the forepart was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof: and he overlaid it with pure gold; and so covered the altar which was of cedar.
21	So Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold: and he made a partition by the chains of gold before the oracle; and he overlaid it with gold.
22	And the whole house he overlaid with gold, until he had finished all the house: also the whole altar that was by the oracle he overlaid with gold.
23	And within the oracle he made two cherubim of olive tree, each ten cubits high.
24	And five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub: from the uttermost part of the one wing unto the uttermost part of the other were ten cubits.
25	And the other cherub was ten cubits: both the cherubim were of one measure and one size.
26	The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was it of the other cherub.
27	And he set the cherubim within the inner house: and they stretched forth the wings of the cherubim, so that the wing of the one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; and their wings touched one another in the midst of the house.
28	And he overlaid the cherubim with gold.
29	And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, within and without.
30	And the floors of the house he overlaid with gold, within and without.
31	And for the entering of the oracle he made doors of olive tree: the lintel and side posts were a fifth part of the wall.
32	The two doors also were of olive tree; and he carved upon them carvings of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubim, and upon the palm trees.
33	So also made he for the door of the temple posts of olive tree, a fourth part of the wall.
34	And the two doors were of fir tree: the two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding.
35	And he carved thereon cherubim and palm trees and open flowers: and covered them with gold fitted upon the carved work.
36	And he built the inner court with three rows of hewed stone, and a row of cedar beams.
37	In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of the LORD laid, in the month Zif:
38	And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it.

I Kings 7

1	But Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house.
2	He built also the house of the forest of Lebanon; the length thereof was an hundred cubits, and the breadth thereof fifty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits, upon four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams upon the pillars.
3	And it was covered with cedar above upon the beams, that lay on forty five pillars, fifteen in a row.
4	And there were windows in three rows, and light was against light in three ranks.
5	And all the doors and posts were square, with the windows: and light was against light in three ranks.
6	And he made a porch of pillars; the length thereof was fifty cubits, and the breadth thereof thirty cubits: and the porch was before them: and the other pillars and the thick beam were before them.
7	Then he made a porch for the throne where he might judge, even the porch of judgment: and it was covered with cedar from one side of the floor to the other.
8	And his house where he dwelt had another court within the porch, which was of the like work. Solomon made also an house for Pharaoh's daughter, whom he had taken to wife, like unto this porch.
9	All these were of costly stones, according to the measures of hewed stones, sawed with saws, within and without, even from the foundation unto the coping, and so on the outside toward the great court.
10	And the foundation was of costly stones, even great stones, stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits.
11	And above were costly stones, after the measures of hewed stones, and cedars.
12	And the great court round about was with three rows of hewed stones, and a row of cedar beams, both for the inner court of the house of the LORD, and for the porch of the house.
13	And king Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre.
14	He was a widow's son of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass: and he was filled with wisdom, and understanding, and cunning to work all works in brass. And he came to king Solomon, and wrought all his work.
15	For he cast two pillars of brass, of eighteen cubits high apiece: and a line of twelve cubits did compass either of them about.
16	And he made two chapiters of molten brass, to set upon the tops of the pillars: the height of the one chapiter was five cubits, and the height of the other chapiter was five cubits:
17	And nets of checker work, and wreaths of chain work, for the chapiters which were upon the top of the pillars; seven for the one chapiter, and seven for the other chapiter.
18	And he made the pillars, and two rows round about upon the one network, to cover the chapiters that were upon the top, with pomegranates: and so did he for the other chapiter.
19	And the chapiters that were upon the top of the pillars were of lily work in the porch, four cubits.
20	And the chapiters upon the two pillars had pomegranates also above, over against the belly which was by the network: and the pomegranates were two hundred in rows round about upon the other chapiter.
21	And he set up the pillars in the porch of the temple: and he set up the right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin: and he set up the left pillar, and called the name thereof Boaz.
22	And upon the top of the pillars was lily work: so was the work of the pillars finished.
23	And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other: it was round all about, and his height was five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.
24	And under the brim of it round about there were knops compassing it, ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about: the knops were cast in two rows, when it was cast.
25	It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east: and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward.
26	And it was an hand breadth thick, and the brim thereof was wrought like the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies: it contained two thousand baths.
27	And he made ten bases of brass; four cubits was the length of one base, and four cubits the breadth thereof, and three cubits the height of it.
28	And the work of the bases was on this manner: they had borders, and the borders were between the ledges:
29	And on the borders that were between the ledges were lions, oxen, and cherubim: and upon the ledges there was a base above: and beneath the lions and oxen were certain additions made of thin work.
30	And every base had four brazen wheels, and plates of brass: and the four corners thereof had undersetters: under the laver were undersetters molten, at the side of every addition.
31	And the mouth of it within the chapiter and above was a cubit: but the mouth thereof was round after the work of the base, a cubit and an half: and also upon the mouth of it were gravings with their borders, foursquare, not round.
32	And under the borders were four wheels; and the axletrees of the wheels were joined to the base: and the height of a wheel was a cubit and half a cubit.
33	And the work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel: their axletrees, and their naves, and their felloes, and their spokes, were all molten.
34	And there were four undersetters to the four corners of one base: and the undersetters were of the very base itself.
35	And in the top of the base was there a round compass of half a cubit high: and on the top of the base the ledges thereof and the borders thereof were of the same.
36	For on the plates of the ledges thereof, and on the borders thereof, he graved cherubim, lions, and palm trees, according to the proportion of every one, and additions round about.
37	After this manner he made the ten bases: all of them had one casting, one measure, and one size.
38	Then made he ten lavers of brass: one laver contained forty baths: and every laver was four cubits: and upon every one of the ten bases one laver.
39	And he put five bases on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house: and he set the sea on the right side of the house eastward over against the south.
40	And Hiram made the lavers, and the shovels, and the basins. So Hiram made an end of doing all the work that he made king Solomon for the house of the LORD:
41	The two pillars, and the two bowls of the chapiters that were on the top of the two pillars; and the two networks, to cover the two bowls of the chapiters which were upon the top of the pillars;
42	And four hundred pomegranates for the two networks, even two rows of pomegranates for one network, to cover the two bowls of the chapiters that were upon the pillars;
43	And the ten bases, and ten lavers on the bases;
44	And one sea, and twelve oxen under the sea;
45	And the pots, and the shovels, and the basins: and all these vessels, which Hiram made to king Solomon for the house of the LORD, were of bright brass.
46	In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarthan.
47	And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because they were exceeding many: neither was the weight of the brass found out.
48	And Solomon made all the vessels that pertained unto the house of the LORD: the altar of gold, and the table of gold, whereupon the shewbread was,
49	And the candlesticks of pure gold, five on the right side, and five on the left, before the oracle, with the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs of gold,
50	And the bowls, and the snuffers, and the basins, and the spoons, and the censers of pure gold; and the hinges of gold, both for the doors of the inner house, the most holy place, and for the doors of the house, to wit, of the temple.
51	So was ended all the work that king Solomon made for the house of the LORD. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated; even the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, did he put among the treasures of the house of the LORD.

Later, verses 27-38 of Luke 23

Luke 23:27-38

27	And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him.
28	But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.
29	For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.
30	Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.
31	For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?
32	And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.
33	And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
34	Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
35	And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.
36	And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,
37	And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.
38	And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.