Today's Readings and Stuff -- Tuesday, 20 May 2014

Interesting week so far.
To dentist yesterday.  Dear Wife has been operating with just three teeth, all in the lower jaw, since JANUARY.  Had not been fun, but there was infection into the jaw bones, and was moving through into the bones around the sinus cavity and what could happen after that isn't good.   So they all - or almost all - had to come out.  Heavy-duty oral surgery.  Once the healing was well under way, nearly done, then they started doing fitting for dentures.  Dentists we found are wonderful, we just love them.  But this is definitely not one of those one-stop same-day operations.  We've been going in for fit and refit and all of that for quite some time.  Today, they installed the new "choppers".  She has a full set of the teeth, usable ones, for the first time in months and months.  And, frankly, she'd been in pain and discomfort for a full year or more before that.  I'd made several attempts to get her into the dentist when I was still working and we were living in Alabama.  My former employer has many merits, but keeping solemn commitments to employees is not chief among them.  Several times, we had to cancel dentist appointments barely an hour hence on a moment's notice.  Made her collateral damage in their bad management culture, and one of the reasons that I was willing to leave.
So she can eat real food again.
And they were doing something similar with me.  Like her, I've needed serious dental intervention for several years.  Bad work schedule, and low low pay (more broken promises on both) prevented it.  Meaning that the damage got worse than it should have, and the actions required is more drastic.  The dentists have been grinding and filling away.  Two weeks ago dentist went in and removed the roots of a tooth that had broken off two years ago.  Today, they cemented in a cap on the remaining stub of another that had broken last year.  And then they started doing "impressions".  I have been promised that I will have "partials", both upper and lower, in two weeks or less, and they should be good to go that very day. So we are seeing some daylight on this issue.
This could not have come to pass if we'd stayed where we were.  God is good.

And we learned ysterday afternoon that next-door niece and husband and child are going out of town on vacation starting this evening.  We will take care of their animals and mail and such and generally keep an eye on things.  They'd been planning to leave Wednesday morning some time, but some things changed and so did the plans.  So we'll be keeping an eye on things until Sunday some time.

Beloved Older Daughter called twice yesterday.  She's recovering at home from the surgery last Thursday.  No word yet from the pathologists on whether that "mass" was cancerous or not.  Beloved Younger Daughter and Esteemed Sons-in-Law had to leave.  Younger Daughter started back to college classes yesterday and both sons-in-law had to be at work yesterday as well.  Daughter still has a week of school (she's a teacher) to go and is hoping to be there at least a few days before end of term.  But she's also on some heavy pain killers and I think staying in bed is probably better.  We shall see.

==============================

The Old Testament reading for today is chapters 1 and 2 in 1st Chronicles.  Lots of names and family associations here, largely a genealogy.  But you will note also some names that seem familiar, ones that will appear elsewhere in Scripture.  Not just names like Noah and Abraham, but also the progenitors of the nations that were foes of the Hebrews throughout.  And some still are, today.  I'm sure that when these people, very real people all of them, they never imagined that their names and associations would still be relevant several thousand years later.  Just as we rarely consider the heritage we create with our words and actions.  Sobering, really.

I Chronicles 1

1	Adam, Sheth, Enosh,
2	Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jered,
3	Henoch, Methuselah, Lamech,
4	Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
5	The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.
6	And the sons of Gomer; Ashchenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.
7	And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
8	The sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.
9	And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabta, and Raamah, and Sabtecha. And the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.
10	And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be mighty upon the earth.
11	And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim,
12	And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (of whom came the Philistines,) and Caphthorim.
13	And Canaan begat Zidon his firstborn, and Heth,
14	The Jebusite also, and the Amorite, and the Girgashite,
15	And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite,
16	And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite.
17	The sons of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram, and Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Meshech.
18	And Arphaxad begat Shelah, and Shelah begat Eber.
19	And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg; because in his days the earth was divided: and his brother's name was Joktan.
20	And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah,
21	Hadoram also, and Uzal, and Diklah,
22	And Ebal, and Abimael, and Sheba,
23	And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan.
24	Shem, Arphaxad, Shelah,
25	Eber, Peleg, Reu,
26	Serug, Nahor, Terah,
27	Abram; the same is Abraham.
28	The sons of Abraham; Isaac, and Ishmael.
29	These are their generations: The firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth; then Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,
30	Mishma, and Dumah, Massa, Hadad, and Tema,
31	Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael.
32	Now the sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine: she bare Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. And the sons of Jokshan; Sheba, and Dedan.
33	And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Henoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these are the sons of Keturah.
34	And Abraham begat Isaac. The sons of Isaac; Esau and Israel.
35	The sons of Esau; Eliphaz, Reuel, and Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah.
36	The sons of Eliphaz; Teman, and Omar, Zephi, and Gatam, Kenaz, and Timna, and Amalek.
37	The sons of Reuel; Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah.
38	And the sons of Seir; Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah, and Dishon, and Ezar, and Dishan.
39	And the sons of Lotan; Hori, and Homam: and Timna was Lotan's sister.
40	The sons of Shobal; Alian, and Manahath, and Ebal, Shephi, and Onam. and the sons of Zibeon; Aiah, and Anah.
41	The sons of Anah; Dishon. And the sons of Dishon; Amram, and Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran.
42	The sons of Ezer; Bilhan, and Zavan, and Jakan. The sons of Dishan; Uz, and Aran.
43	Now these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the children of Israel; Bela the son of Beor: and the name of his city was Dinhabah.
44	And when Bela was dead, Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead.
45	And when Jobab was dead, Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his stead.
46	And when Husham was dead, Hadad the son of Bedad, which smote Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Avith.
47	And when Hadad was dead, Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his stead.
48	And when Samlah was dead, Shaul of Rehoboth by the river reigned in his stead.
49	And when Shaul was dead, Baalhanan the son of Achbor reigned in his stead.
50	And when Baalhanan was dead, Hadad reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Pai; and his wife's name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.
51	Hadad died also. And the dukes of Edom were; duke Timnah, duke Aliah, duke Jetheth,
52	Duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon,
53	Duke Kenaz, duke Teman, duke Mibzar,
54	Duke Magdiel, duke Iram. These are the dukes of Edom.

I Chronicles 2

1	These are the sons of Israel; Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun,
2	Dan, Joseph, and Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.
3	The sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah: which three were born unto him of the daughter of Shua the Canaanitess. And Er, the firstborn of Judah, was evil in the sight of the LORD; and he slew him.
4	And Tamar his daughter in law bore him Pharez and Zerah. All the sons of Judah were five.
5	The sons of Pharez; Hezron, and Hamul.
6	And the sons of Zerah; Zimri, and Ethan, and Heman, and Calcol, and Dara: five of them in all.
7	And the sons of Carmi; Achar, the troubler of Israel, who transgressed in the thing accursed.
8	And the sons of Ethan; Azariah.
9	The sons also of Hezron, that were born unto him; Jerahmeel, and Ram, and Chelubai.
10	And Ram begat Amminadab; and Amminadab begat Nahshon, prince of the children of Judah;
11	And Nahshon begat Salma, and Salma begat Boaz,
12	And Boaz begat Obed, and Obed begat Jesse,
13	And Jesse begat his firstborn Eliab, and Abinadab the second, and Shimma the third,
14	Nethaneel the fourth, Raddai the fifth,
15	Ozem the sixth, David the seventh:
16	Whose sisters were Zeruiah, and Abigail. And the sons of Zeruiah; Abishai, and Joab, and Asahel, three.
17	And Abigail bare Amasa: and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmeelite.
18	And Caleb the son of Hezron begat children of Azubah his wife, and of Jerioth: her sons are these; Jesher, and Shobab, and Ardon.
19	And when Azubah was dead, Caleb took unto him Ephrath, which bare him Hur.
20	And Hur begat Uri, and Uri begat Bezaleel.
21	And afterward Hezron went in to the daughter of Machir the father of Gilead, whom he married when he was threescore years old; and she bare him Segub.
22	And Segub begat Jair, who had three and twenty cities in the land of Gilead.
23	And he took Geshur, and Aram, with the towns of Jair, from them, with Kenath, and the towns thereof, even threescore cities. All these belonged to the sons of Machir the father of Gilead.
24	And after that Hezron was dead in Calebephratah, then Abiah Hezron's wife bare him Ashur the father of Tekoa.
25	And the sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron were, Ram the firstborn, and Bunah, and Oren, and Ozem, and Ahijah.
26	Jerahmeel had also another wife, whose name was Atarah; she was the mother of Onam.
27	And the sons of Ram the firstborn of Jerahmeel were, Maaz, and Jamin, and Eker.
28	And the sons of Onam were, Shammai, and Jada. And the sons of Shammai; Nadab and Abishur.
29	And the name of the wife of Abishur was Abihail, and she bare him Ahban, and Molid.
30	And the sons of Nadab; Seled, and Appaim: but Seled died without children.
31	And the sons of Appaim; Ishi. And the sons of Ishi; Sheshan. And the children of Sheshan; Ahlai.
32	And the sons of Jada the brother of Shammai; Jether, and Jonathan: and Jether died without children.
33	And the sons of Jonathan; Peleth, and Zaza. These were the sons of Jerahmeel.
34	Now Sheshan had no sons, but daughters. And Sheshan had a servant, an Egyptian, whose name was Jarha.
35	And Sheshan gave his daughter to Jarha his servant to wife; and she bare him Attai.
36	And Attai begat Nathan, and Nathan begat Zabad,
37	And Zabad begat Ephlal, and Ephlal begat Obed,
38	And Obed begat Jehu, and Jehu begat Azariah,
39	And Azariah begat Helez, and Helez begat Eleasah,
40	And Eleasah begat Sisamai, and Sisamai begat Shallum,
41	And Shallum begat Jekamiah, and Jekamiah begat Elishama.
42	Now the sons of Caleb the brother of Jerahmeel were, Mesha his firstborn, which was the father of Ziph; and the sons of Mareshah the father of Hebron.
43	And the sons of Hebron; Korah, and Tappuah, and Rekem, and Shema.
44	And Shema begat Raham, the father of Jorkoam: and Rekem begat Shammai.
45	And the son of Shammai was Maon: and Maon was the father of Bethzur.
46	And Ephah, Caleb's concubine, bare Haran, and Moza, and Gazez: and Haran begat Gazez.
47	And the sons of Jahdai; Regem, and Jotham, and Gesham, and Pelet, and Ephah, and Shaaph.
48	Maachah, Caleb's concubine, bare Sheber, and Tirhanah.
49	She bare also Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of Machbenah, and the father of Gibea: and the daughter of Caleb was Achsa.
50	These were the sons of Caleb the son of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah; Shobal the father of Kirjathjearim.
51	Salma the father of Bethlehem, Hareph the father of Bethgader.
52	And Shobal the father of Kirjathjearim had sons; Haroeh, and half of the Manahethites.
53	And the families of Kirjathjearim; the Ithrites, and the Puhites, and the Shumathites, and the Mishraites; of them came the Zareathites, and the Eshtaulites,
54	The sons of Salma; Bethlehem, and the Netophathites, Ataroth, the house of Joab, and half of the Manahethites, the Zorites.
55	And the families of the scribes which dwelt at Jabez; the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and Suchathites. These are the Kenites that came of Hemath, the father of the house of Rechab.

=================================

The New Testament reading is verses 32-53 of the 7th chapter in the Gospel of John.

John 7:32-53

32	The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him.
33	Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me.
34	Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.
35	Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?
36	What manner of saying is this that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come?
37	In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
38	He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
39	(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
40	Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.
41	Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?
42	Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?
43	So there was a division among the people because of him.
44	And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him.
45	Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him?
46	The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.
47	Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?
48	Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?
49	But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.
50	Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)
51	Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?
52	They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.
53	And every man went unto his own house.

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Monday, 19 May 2014

Off to the Dentist in just a bit, an hour perhaps.  Not really looking forward to it (who does?) but to be an improvement, then.

Was supposed to be down to about 37 degrees tonight.  Had to cover the tomato and pepper plants so they didn't freeze.  Sis-in-law and husband were over yesterday - yes, it was Sunday, they don't honor it - and got the tiller going long enough to till up niece's garden spot.  We've got some bean plants there are going in there also, not good candidates for growing in our small containers.  Nice to have a garden again, we hadn't been able to do that where we lived in Alabama.

So perhaps we'll address that upon our return.  Of course, our last dentist visit had me "out of it" for about two days, recovering from the trauma and the anesthesia.  Hopefully it own't be quite that bad today.  I have some things that need to be done around here and the combination of the weather and my health - and lack of fund$$ -- conspired to prevent that.  we shall see.

=======================

The Old Testament reading is chapters 23, 24, and 25 of 2nd Kings.  This completes our annual visit in the book of the Kings.

II Kings 23

1	And the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.
2	And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the LORD.
3	And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.
4	And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Bethel.
5	And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven.
6	And he brought out the grove from the house of the LORD, without Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and stamped it small to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of the children of the people.
7	And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that were by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the grove.
8	And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beersheba, and brake down the high places of the gates that were in the entering in of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on a man's left hand at the gate of the city.
9	Nevertheless the priests of the high places came not up to the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, but they did eat of the unleavened bread among their brethren.
10	And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech.
11	And he took away the horses that the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the entering in of the house of the LORD, by the chamber of Nathanmelech the chamberlain, which was in the suburbs, and burned the chariots of the sun with fire.
12	And the altars that were on the top of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the LORD, did the king beat down, and brake them down from thence, and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron.
13	And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile.
14	And he brake in pieces the images, and cut down the groves, and filled their places with the bones of men.
15	Moreover the altar that was at Bethel, and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, had made, both that altar and the high place he brake down, and burned the high place, and stamped it small to powder, and burned the grove.
16	And as Josiah turned himself, he spied the sepulchres that were there in the mount, and sent, and took the bones out of the sepulchres, and burned them upon the altar, and polluted it, according to the word of the LORD which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these words.
17	Then he said, What title is that that I see? And the men of the city told him, It is the sepulchre of the man of God, which came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that thou hast done against the altar of Bethel.
18	And he said, Let him alone; let no man move his bones. So they let his bones alone, with the bones of the prophet that came out of Samaria.
19	And all the houses also of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke the Lord to anger, Josiah took away, and did to them according to all the acts that he had done in Bethel.
20	And he slew all the priests of the high places that were there upon the altars, and burned men's bones upon them, and returned to Jerusalem.
21	And the king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the passover unto the LORD your God, as it is written in the book of this covenant.
22	Surely there was not holden such a passover from the days of the judges that judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah;
23	But in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, wherein this passover was holden to the LORD in Jerusalem.
24	Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD.
25	And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.
26	Notwithstanding the LORD turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal.
27	And the LORD said, I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there.
28	Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
29	In his days Pharaohnechoh king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates: and king Josiah went against him; and he slew him at Megiddo, when he had seen him.
30	And his servants carried him in a chariot dead from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own sepulchre. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made him king in his father's stead.
31	Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
32	And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.
33	And Pharaohnechoh put him in bands at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and put the land to a tribute of an hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold.
34	And Pharaohnechoh made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the room of Josiah his father, and turned his name to Jehoiakim, and took Jehoahaz away: and he came to Egypt, and died there.
35	And Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh; but he taxed the land to give the money according to the commandment of Pharaoh: he exacted the silver and the gold of the people of the land, of every one according to his taxation, to give it unto Pharaohnechoh.
36	Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Zebudah, the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah.
37	And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.

II Kings 24

1	In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him.
2	And the LORD sent against him bands of the Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servants the prophets.
3	Surely at the commandment of the LORD came this upon Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did;
4	And also for the innocent blood that he shed: for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the LORD would not pardon.
5	Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
6	So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead.
7	And the king of Egypt came not again any more out of his land: for the king of Babylon had taken from the river of Egypt unto the river Euphrates all that pertained to the king of Egypt.
8	Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother's name was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.
9	And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father had done.
10	At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged.
11	And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, and his servants did besiege it.
12	And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign.
13	And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had said.
14	And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valor, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths: none remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the land.
15	And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's mother, and the king's wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.
16	And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all that were strong and apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.
17	And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father's brother king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah.
18	Zedekiah was twenty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
19	And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done.
20	For through the anger of the LORD it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

II Kings 25

1	And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it; and they built forts against it round about.
2	And the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah.
3	And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land.
4	And the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between two walls, which is by the king's garden: (now the Chaldees were against the city round about:) and the king went the way toward the plain.
5	And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho: and all his army were scattered from him.
6	So they took the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him.
7	And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon.
8	And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which is the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem:
9	And he burnt the house of the LORD, and the king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great man's house burnt he with fire.
10	And all the army of the Chaldees, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down the walls of Jerusalem round about.
11	Now the rest of the people that were left in the city, and the fugitives that fell away to the king of Babylon, with the remnant of the multitude, did Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carry away.
12	But the captain of the guard left of the door of the poor of the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen.
13	And the pillars of brass that were in the house of the LORD, and the bases, and the brazen sea that was in the house of the LORD, did the Chaldees break in pieces, and carried the brass of them to Babylon.
14	And the pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away.
15	And the firepans, and the bowls, and such things as were of gold, in gold, and of silver, in silver, the captain of the guard took away.
16	The two pillars, one sea, and the bases which Solomon had made for the house of the LORD; the brass of all these vessels was without weight.
17	The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and the chapiter upon it was brass: and the height of the chapiter three cubits; and the wreathed work, and pomegranates upon the chapiter round about, all of brass: and like unto these had the second pillar with wreathed work.
18	And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door:
19	And out of the city he took an officer that was set over the men of war, and five men of them that were in the king's presence, which were found in the city, and the principal scribe of the host, which mustered the people of the land, and threescore men of the people of the land that were found in the city:
20	And Nebuzaradan captain of the guard took these, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah:
21	And the king of Babylon smote them, and slew them at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away out of their land.
22	And as for the people that remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, even over them he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, ruler.
23	And when all the captains of the armies, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, there came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan the son of Careah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of a Maachathite, they and their men.
24	And Gedaliah sware to them, and to their men, and said unto them, Fear not to be the servants of the Chaldees: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon; and it shall be well with you.
25	But it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him, and smote Gedaliah, that he died, and the Jews and the Chaldees that were with him at Mizpah.
26	And all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the armies, arose, and came to Egypt: for they were afraid of the Chaldees.
27	And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon in the year that he began to reign did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison;
28	And he spake kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon;
29	And changed his prison garments: and he did eat bread continually before him all the days of his life.
30	And his allowance was a continual allowance given him of the king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life.

========================================

The New Testament reading is verses 1-31 from the7th chapter in the Gospel of John.

John 7:1-31

1	After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.
2	Now the Jew's feast of tabernacles was at hand.
3	His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest.
4	For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world.
5	For neither did his brethren believe in him.
6	Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready.
7	The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.
8	Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast: for my time is not yet full come.
9	When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.
10	But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.
11	Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he?
12	And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people.
13	Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews.
14	Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.
15	And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?
16	Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
17	If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
18	He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.
19	Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?
20	The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee?
21	Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel.
22	Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man.
23	If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?
24	Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
25	Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill?
26	But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ?
27	Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is.
28	Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not.
29	But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.
30	Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.
31	And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?

Today's Readings and Stuff --- Sunday, 18 May 2014

lovely day.  Attendance at church services this morning was not great.  Dear Wife was sick all day yesterday and last night and most of today.  It's 6:00 p.m. and she just got out of bed about an hour ago.  Not doing real well.  She was supposed to "watch" great-niece tomorrow, but her illness, combined with an 8:15 dentist appointment, caused a change in plans.  She's on tap to have the little one Tuesday, while grandma up the road will have the Little One.  Eating some leftovers and tapping keys.  I wasn't doing too well myself.  Came back from church, lay down and crashed for about 3 hours.  Sister-in-law and husband showed up next door with a rototiller-type gizmo, digging up for veggie gardens.  I couldn't sleep through that, but Wife could. I went outside to show the flag and chatted some.
Eating some warmed-over leftovers while Dear Wife sits in recliner watching some old movies on the TV and trying to gain strength.  All the cats are in hiding -- would that it was a permanent condition.

Not too enthusiastic about the dentist appointment.  Dear Wife should be having the FINAL fitting of her dentures.  She's down to about 3 teeth, which does make things difficult.  Has been like that since January.  So the chance that she might actually have something by this time next month is very welcome.  I, on the other hand, am not so far along.  My dental care had been neglected for years, largely out of financial priority realities.  Got one that needs to come out tomorrow, not sure why it wasn't done last visit.  And some point along the line they'll be fitting me for some partials, or so I was told.  Timing, that I was not told.  Not really looking forward to making the drive home half-high from Novocaine, etc. but that is likely to be the case.  Dear Wife is legally blind, and I'm not going to have her driving.  Co-pilot, yes. 

==========================

The Old Testament passage for today is chapters 20, 21, and 22 of 2nd Kings.  This can be discouraging.

II Kings 20

1	In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.
2	Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying,
3	I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.
4	And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying,
5	Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.
6	And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.
7	And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.
8	And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the LORD the third day?
9	And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees?
10	And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.
11	And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.
12	At that time Berodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.
13	And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and showed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armor, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah showed them not.
14	Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from Babylon.
15	And he said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All the things that are in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not showed them.
16	And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD.
17	Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.
18	And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.
19	Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?
20	And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made a pool, and a conduit, and brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
21	And Hezekiah slept with his fathers: and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.

II Kings 21  

1	Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hephzibah.
2	And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.
3	For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
4	And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD said, In Jerusalem will I put my name.
5	And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.
6	And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
7	And he set a graven image of the grove that he had made in the house, of which the LORD said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:
8	Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers; only if they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them.
9	But they hearkened not: and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the children of Israel.
10	And the LORD spake by his servants the prophets, saying,
11	Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols:
12	Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle.
13	And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down.
14	And I will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies;
15	Because they have done that which was evil in my sight, and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came forth out of Egypt, even unto this day.
16	Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.
17	Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all that he did, and his sin that he sinned, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
18	And Manasseh slept with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.
19	Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah.
20	And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh did.
21	And he walked in all the way that his father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, and worshipped them:
22	And he forsook the LORD God of his fathers, and walked not in the way of the LORD.
23	And the servants of Amon conspired against him, and slew the king in his own house.
24	And the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.
25	Now the rest of the acts of Amon which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
26	And he was buried in his sepulchre in the garden of Uzza: and Josiah his son reigned in his stead.

II Kings 22 

1	Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath.
2	And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.
3	And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the LORD, saying,
4	Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which is brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people:
5	And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD: and let them give it to the doers of the work which is in the house of the LORD, to repair the breaches of the house,
6	Unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house.
7	Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully.
8	And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.
9	And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD.
10	And Shaphan the scribe showed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.
11	And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.
12	And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king's, saying,
13	Go ye, enquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.
14	So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her.
15	And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me,
16	Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read:
17	Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.
18	But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the LORD, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard;
19	Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD.
20	Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.

==============================

The New Testament passage is verses 45-71 of the 6th chapter of the Gospel of John.

John 6:45-71

45	It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
46	Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.
47	Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
48	I am that bread of life.
49	Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
50	This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
51	I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
52	The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
53	Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
54	Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
55	For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
56	He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
57	As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
58	This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
59	These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.
60	Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
61	When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
62	What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
63	It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
64	But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
65	And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
66	From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
67	Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
68	Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
69	And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
70	Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?
71	He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.