Today's Readings and Stuff -- Saturday, 27 December 2014

Last Saturday in December, last month of the year.  Lord willing, a week from now we will be in the year 2015.  It seems impossible, somehow.  My parents were born nearly a century ago, in 1918.  Seems like a glimpse into unimaginable antiquity, now.  A very different era.  They've both gone on before us, I expect to see them again, some day, but not on this earth.  Meanwhile, my children, their husbands, cousins, friends, and, often, THEIR kids, will (Lord willing) some day think of the time of my birth, and theirs too sometimes, as a glimpse into unimaginable antiquity too.  As I, ah, mature, I get more and more introspective at this time, and increasingly less optimistic about the future.  We have no grandchildren and I doubt much that we shall.  And there are times I am glad of that.  I don't think that the world of our grandchildren will be a good one.

Yet we have a Hope.  That is worth a lot.  This time of year we also recall that, some 2000 years ago, in a dark and hopeless world, Hope arrived in the form of a baby.  My Catholic friends tell me that Despair is a Sin.  Perhaps that is true.

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The Old Testament reading for the day is chapters 4, 5, and 6 of the book of Zechariah.  The name of the prophet means "Yahweh has remembered".  Worth noting.

Zechariah 4 

1	And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep.
2	And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof:
3	And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.
4	So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?
5	Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.
6	Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
7	Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.
8	Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
9	The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you.
10	For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.
11	Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?
12	And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves?
13	And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.
14	Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the LORD of the whole earth.

Zechariah 5 

1	Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll.
2	And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I answered, I see a flying roll; the length thereof is twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits.
3	Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it.
4	I will bring it forth, saith the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.
5	Then the angel that talked with me went forth, and said unto me, Lift up now thine eyes, and see what is this that goeth forth.
6	And I said, What is it? And he said, This is an ephah that goeth forth. He said moreover, This is their resemblance through all the earth.
7	And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah.
8	And he said, This is wickedness. And he cast it into the midst of the ephah; and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof.
9	Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came out two women, and the wind was in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork: and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven.
10	Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah?
11	And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base.

Zechariah 6

1	And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass.
2	In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses;
3	And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses.
4	Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these, my lord?
5	And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the LORD of all the earth.
6	The black horses which are therein go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grisled go forth toward the south country.
7	And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth.
8	Then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, these that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country.
9	And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
10	Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah, which are come from Babylon, and come thou the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah;
11	Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest;
12	And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD:
13	Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
14	And the crowns shall be to Helem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the temple of the LORD.
15	And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the LORD, and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.

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The New Testament reading is chapter 18 of the Revelation.

Revelation 18

1	And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
2	And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
3	For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
4	And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
5	For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
6	Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.
7	How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
8	Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
9	And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
10	Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
11	And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:
12	The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
13	And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
14	And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
15	The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
16	And saying, Alas, alas that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
17	For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
18	And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
19	And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
20	Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
21	And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.
22	And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;
23	And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
24	And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.