Today's Readings and Stuff -- Tuesday, 17 April, 2018

Two weeks from tomorrow, the calendar shows to be May.  MAY!  Yet, as I went across the back yard earlier to let Niece's dog outside to "do his business", I was walking through a snow fall.  SNOW!  In late April!!  So much for those noxious lies about "catastrophic global warming", revealed, for the umpteenth time, as the lies and nonsense that they really are, and always were.  And, yet, inexplicably, there are those -- I heard again from some just last evening -- we continue to believe that nonsense.  Blind followers of Al Gore and the Dumbocrap Party, in the main.  Or some of the "Bernie-bots".  Yes, they really do believe this, and some quite openly call for imprisonment or execution of anyone who disagrees.

But it is snowing, and is expected to be nasty today and tomorrow.  I'd say that Niece and the family chose the time to go to Florida for the week, quite well.  Thursday's predicted "high" 39°, Friday's 43°.  But "up" to 58° by Sunday, the day that crew is planning to be getting home from their Florida vacation.  Yes, I hate Ohio.



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 Today, another transition. 
Transitions, big ones (and sometimes the not so big ones too) can be trying times.  Moses led the people out of Egypt, and through the Exodus.  Joshua was with him during that, and took over afterwards in the entrance into and taking of the Promised Land.  And now he has died.  What now?  Well, they thought that they needed a leader, and Caleb, one of the only two faithful spies at Jericho, came to the forefront.  For a while.
But it wasn't long until the people strayed, seriously strayed.  As in, ignored or forgot just about everything that the Lord had commanded through Moses and Joshua.  With bad results.  That's how things work.  Sneer at the Lord, or ignore His commands, and don't be surprised when Real Bad Things happen.  And they still do.

Judges 1

1  Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the Lord, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them?

2  And the Lord said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand.

3  And Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot. So Simeon went with him.

4  And Judah went up; and the Lord delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand: and they slew of them in Bezek ten thousand men.

5  And they found Adoni–bezek in Bezek: and they fought against him, and they slew the Canaanites and the Perizzites.

6  But Adoni–bezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes.

7  And Adoni–bezek said, Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table: as I have done, so God hath requited me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died.

8  Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had taken it, and smitten it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire.

9  And afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites, that dwelt in the mountain, and in the south, and in the valley.

10  And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron: (now the name of Hebron before was Kirjath–arba:) and they slew Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.

11  And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir before was Kirjath–sepher:

12  And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjath–sepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.

13  And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.

14  And it came to pass, when she came to him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted from off her ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wilt thou?

15  And she said unto him, Give me a blessing: for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the nether springs.

16  And the children of the Kenite, Moses' father in law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which lieth in the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people.

17  And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. And the name of the city was called Hormah.

18  Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Ashkelon with the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof.

19  And the Lord was with Judah; and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron.

20  And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses said: and he expelled thence the three sons of Anak.

21  And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem unto this day.

22  And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Beth–el: and the Lord was with them.

23  And the house of Joseph sent to descry Beth–el. (Now the name of the city before was Luz.)

24  And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said unto him, Shew us, we pray thee, the entrance into the city, and we will shew thee mercy.

25  And when he shewed them the entrance into the city, they smote the city with the edge of the sword; but they let go the man and all his family.

26  And the man went into the land of the Hittites, and built a city, and called the name thereof Luz: which is the name thereof unto this day.

27  Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants of Beth–shean and her towns, nor Taanach and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns: but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.

28  And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out.

29  Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them.

30  Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites dwelt among them, and became tributaries.

31  Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho, nor the inhabitants of Zidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob:

32  But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: for they did not drive them out.

33  Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Beth–shemesh, nor the inhabitants of Beth–anath; but he dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth–shemesh and of Beth–anath became tributaries unto them.

34  And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain: for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley:

35  But the Amorites would dwell in mount Heres in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim: yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became tributaries.

36  And the coast of the Amorites was from the going up to Akrabbim, from the rock, and upward

Judges 2

1  And an angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.

2  And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?

3  Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.

4  And it came to pass, when the angel of the Lord spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.

5  And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there unto the Lord.

6  And when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land.

7  And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord, that he did for Israel.

8  And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being an hundred and ten years old.

9  And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath–heres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash.Timnath–heres: also called, Timnath–serah

10  And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.

11  And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim:

12  And they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the Lord to anger.

13  And they forsook the Lord, and served Baal and Ashtoreth.

14  And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.

15  Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the Lord was against them for evil, as the Lord had said, and as the Lord had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed.

16  Nevertheless the Lord raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.

17  And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the Lord; but they did not so.

18  And when the Lord raised them up judges, then the Lord was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the Lord because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.

19  And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.

20  And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice;

21  I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died:

22  That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the Lord to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.

23  Therefore the Lord left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua

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Psalm 77

To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of Asaph.

 

1  I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.of: or, for

2  In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.

3  I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.

4  Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

5  I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.

6  I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.

7  Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more?

8  Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore?for evermore: Heb. to generation and generation?

9  Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.

10  And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.

11  I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.

12  I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.

13  Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?

14  Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people.

15  Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.

16  The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled.

17  The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad.

18  The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook.

19  Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known.

20  Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

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Today, John 9.  I do wish that I knew what became of the man whose sight Jesus gave.  What did he do during the rest of his life?  I doubt that he was one of the crowd crying "Crucify Him!".  Did he go forth and spread the Good News?
Jesus has stepped into many of our lives.  Do we go forth afterwards and proclaim Him?

John 9

1  And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.

2  And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?

3  Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

4   I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

5   As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

6  When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,

7  And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

8  The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?

9  Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he.

10  Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?

11  He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.

12  Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not.

13  They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind.

14  And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.

15  Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.

16  Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.

17  They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.

18  But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight.

19  And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?

20  His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:

21  But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.

22  These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.

23  Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.

24  Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.

25  He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.

26  Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?

27  He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?

28  Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples.

29  We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.

30  The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.

31  Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.

32  Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.

33  If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.

34  They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.

35  Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?

36  He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?

37  And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.

38  And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

39  And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

40  And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?

41  Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.