Today's Readings and Stuff == Wednesday, 11 December 2013

For those who gt up in the morning to go off to work, today is the middle of the "standard work week", whatever that is.  Until my recent semi-retirement, I spent 44 years in the work world, chasing a paycheck beginning in 1969.  A whole lot of people weren't born in 1969 yet.  That's not when I started working for money:  mowing lawns and picking fruit, both paid in cash as "casual labor" began well before that but doesn't show up on an IRS or Social Security record.  That was legal then, not sure about now.  Then again, lots of what we did then is now being done by illegal aliens, and the work habits we developed by these means are no longer open.  And it shows in the workforce, believe me it does.  I miss working, and am tired already of my four-month-long retirement and am in serious talks with several recruiters, a.k.a. known as "headhunters", looking for something to turn my hands to.  Just not willing to go back to 6 days per week of 11 and 12 hour days for 40 hours' pay as I was doing for the previous 5-1/2 years.  Would rather push carts around at Wal-Mart or the like.
     Dear Wife likes having me around to be a reassuring presence when, like now, she is not feeling well.  That counts for quite a lot, but we're also in bad shape financially and more income would be a very big help.  She was notified Monday that Social Security has -- FINALLY -- approved her application for Disability, but as of last evening that fact was still not posted to the on-line site and, while the attorney has received written notice, we have not received anything whatever.  So the amount, or the effective date, or the first CHECK is in limbo somewhere.  We could surely use the money right now, heating bills, medicine refills, gasoline, Christmas, and so forth, are issues staring at us at close range.
    It's colder than a pawnbroker's heart around here.  Going ot be worse over the next week, with lows in the single digits and many days predicted to have a high temperature below freezing.  Not quite my every dream come true.  The Lord has a purpose for all of this, I am convinced of that.  But the details or even the broad outlines of the matter are not appearing to me.  Yet.  Still.

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The Old Testament reading today is chapters 9, 10, and 11 from Hosea.  You may find verse 1 of chapter 11 familiar, we will see it again in the New Testament.  It applies both to Jesus, as Joseph and Mary leave their temporary exile in Egypt to escape Herod, but it also points back to the Exodus of the people led by Moses.

Hosea 9

1	Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor.
2	The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her.
3	They shall not dwell in the LORD's land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria.
4	They shall not offer wine offerings to the LORD, neither shall they be pleasing unto him: their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted: for their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the LORD.
5	What will ye do in the solemn day, and in the day of the feast of the LORD?
6	For, lo, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tabernacles.
7	The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred.
8	The watchman of Ephraim was with my God: but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God.
9	They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah: therefore he will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins.
10	I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time: but they went to Baalpeor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as they loved.
11	As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception.
12	Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them!
13	Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer.
14	Give them, O LORD: what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.
15	All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house, I will love them no more: all their princes are revolters.
16	Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb.
17	My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations.

Hosea 10

1	Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images.
2	Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images.
3	For now they shall say, We have no king, because we feared not the LORD; what then should a king do to us?
4	They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.
5	The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Bethaven: for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests thereof that rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, because it is departed from it.
6	It shall be also carried unto Assyria for a present to king Jareb: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.
7	As for Samaria, her king is cut off as the foam upon the water.
8	The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us.
9	O Israel, thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah: there they stood: the battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not overtake them.
10	It is in my desire that I should chastise them; and the people shall be gathered against them, when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows.
11	And Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn; but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to ride; Judah shall plow, and Jacob shall break his clods.
12	Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.
13	Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men.
14	Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people, and all thy fortresses shall be spoiled, as Shalman spoiled Betharbel in the day of battle: the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children.
15	So shall Bethel do unto you because of your great wickedness: in a morning shall the king of Israel utterly be cut off.

Hosea 11

1	When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
2	As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.
3	I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.
4	I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.
5	He shall not return into the land of Egypt, and the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to return.
6	And the sword shall abide on his cities, and shall consume his branches, and devour them, because of their own counsels.
7	And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him.
8	How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.
9	I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city.
10	They shall walk after the LORD: he shall roar like a lion: when he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west.
11	They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria: and I will place them in their houses, saith the LORD.
12	Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints.

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The New Testament reading is chapter 2 of the Revelation.  Again, I do not wish to comment on this.

Revelation 2

1	Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
2	I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
3	And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
4	Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
5	Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
6	But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.
7	He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
8	And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
9	I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
10	Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
11	He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
12	And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;
13	I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
14	But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
15	So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.
16	Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
17	He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
18	And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;
19	I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.
20	Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
21	And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.
22	Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
23	And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
24	But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.
25	But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.
26	And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
27	And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
28	And I will give him the morning star.
29	He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.