#Ezekiel 1:28

[tom4jc]

March 15, 2024 Memory Verse

[doulafaith]

Harmony

“He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the LORD and put their trust in him.” Psalm 40:3 I am sure many of us have witnessed two distinct ways of singing a song and playing an instrument; and one appears to be more of a gift or an acquired gift than the other. There is the soloist and musician who studies the notes and practices methodically until the…

[jaguar726]

Will you then say, “I am a god,”in the presence of those who kill you?

Daily Verse Reading – Ezekiel 28:1-10 A Prophecy Against the King of Tyre28 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, say to the ruler of Tyre, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “‘In the pride of your heartyou say, “I am a god;I sit on the throne of a godin the heart of the seas.”But you are a mere mortal and not a god,though you think you are as wise as a god.3 Are you wiser than…

[road-2nowhere]

[ "You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty." (Ezekiel 28:11-19). Many Christians believe the Devil was once a beautiful angel named Lucifer who defied God and fell from grace. This assumption that he is a fallen angel is often based on the book of Isaiah in the Bible, which says, "How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn!" (Isaiah 14:12-17). ]

Megadeth - So Far, So Good...So What! Tour Grugahalle, Essen, Germany. - May 20, 1988. ➙ [ 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 ]

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Jesus faces temptation alone in the desert

1-2 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit up into the desert, to be tempted by the devil. After a fast of forty days and nights he was very hungry.

3 “If you really are the Son of God,” said the tempter, coming to him, “tell these stones to turn into loaves.”

4 Jesus answered, “The scripture says ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God’.”

5-6 Then the devil took him to the holy city, and set him on the highest ledge of the Temple. “If you really are the Son of God,” he said, “Throw yourself down. For the scripture says—‘He shall give his angels charge concerning you,’ and ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone’.”

7 “Yes,” retorted Jesus, “and the scripture also says ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God’.”

8-9 Once again the devil took him to a very high mountain, and from there showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their magnificence. “Everything there I will give you,” he said to him, “if you will fall down and worship me.”

10 “Away with you, Satan!” replied Jesus, “the scripture says, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only you shall serve’.”

11 Then the devil let him alone, and the angels came to him and took care of him.

Jesus begins his ministry, in Galilee, and calls his first disciples

12-16 Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested he went back to Galilee. He left Nazareth and came to live in Capernaum, a lake-side town in the Zebulun-Naphtali territory. In this way Isaiah’s prophecy came true: ‘The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: the people who sat in darkness saw a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death, light has dawned’.

17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “You must change your hearts—for the kingdom of Heaven has arrived.”

18-19 While he was walking by the lake of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon (Peter) and Andrew, casting their large net into the water. They were fishermen, so Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will teach you to catch men!”

20 At once they left their nets and followed him.

21-22 Then he went further on and saw two more men, also brothers, James and John. They were aboard the boat with their father Zebedee repairing their nets, and he called them. At once they left the boat, and their father, and followed him.

Jesus teaches, preaches and heals

23-25 Jesus now moved about through the whole of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the good news about the kingdom, and healing every disease and disability among the people. His reputation spread throughout Syria, and people brought to him all those who were ill, suffering from all kinds of diseases and pains—including the devil-possessed, the insane and the paralysed. He healed them, and was followed by enormous crowds from Galilee, The Ten Towns, Jerusalem, Judea and from beyond the river Jordan. — Matthew 4 | J.B. Phillips New Testament (PHILLIPS) The New Testament in Modern English by J.B Phillips copyright © 1960, 1972 J. B. Phillips. Cross References: Exodus 17:2; Exodus 23:25; Exodus 34:28; Numbers 23:3; Deuteronomy 8:3; 1 Chronicles 29:2; Nehemiah 11:1; Psalm 91:11-12; Isaiah 9:1-2; Ezekiel 47:10; Matthew 3:2; Matthew 9:1; Matthew 9:35; Matthew 10:2; Matthew 11:2; Matthew 14:33; Matthew 26:53; Mark 1:12-13; Mark 3:7-8; Mark 10:28; Luke 5:11; 1 Corinthians 10:20

Matthew 4 Bible Commentary - Matthew Henry (concise)

[thieves-never-say-die]

Febuwhump 2025 masterlist

This is the first time I've completed a whole event! I had a blast (even if I burned myself out a bit lol oops). All fic links are below the cut.

Day 1: Vocal Cords. White Collar - Neal gets hurt on a job, and the injury interferes with a very important part of his identity.

Day 2: Holding Back Tears. White Collar - Post s3e16, Neal muses on the plane.

Day 3: Pinned Down. White Collar - Someone attacks Neal on his way to the Burke’s house.

Day 4: Alt 3 - Pick Who Dies. Leverage - Parker, Hardison, and Eliot are kidnapped together. Their captor asks Parker to make a choice.

Day 5: Not Trusting Reality. Leverage - During The Experimental Job, Parker sneaks in to give all the prisoners - including Eliot - jackets.

Day 6: Forced To Stay Awake. Leverage - Hardison is a genius who sometimes forgets he’s human. Good thing Eliot and Parker are there to remind him. Set during The King George Job.

Day 7: Alternate Timeline Self. Leverage/White Collar - Sterling and Hagan are identical twins who haven’t seen each other since they were ten.

Day 8: Bleeding Out. White Collar - Neal and Peter are kidnapped, and Peter is injured when they try to escape.

Day 9: Alt 8 - On The Run. White Collar - A look inside Neal’s mind when on the run pre-canon.

Day 10: Magic Exhaustion. The Librarians - Cassandra channels a bit too much magic during a case. There are consequences.

Day 11: Demonic Possession. The Librarians - Ezekiel can’t sleep, and he keeps losing time, ending up in strange places. He doesn’t think anything of it at first, until something more sinister happens.

Day 12: Used As Practice. Leverage - Moreau is experimenting with a new interrogation technique, and Eliot volunteers as a test subject.

Day 13: I Don't Trust Anyone Else. Leverage - Eliot gets injured during a job in season one. Parker is the only one around to help.

Day 14: Becoming The Monster. Leverage - A look through Eliot’s life, and what he sees in the mirror.

Day 15: Icarus. White Collar - Neal’s life, told through the myth of Icarus.

Day 16: Alt 6 - Emergency Surgery. White Collar - Neal gets injured during a case, only this injury has long-lasting repercussions.

Day 17: Alt 1 - Major Character Death. The Librarians - Ezekiel remembers And The Point of Salvation, but he doesn’t tell the rest of the team.

Day 18: Living Weapon. Leverage - Eliot doesn’t see himself the way the team sees him.

Day 19: Death Wish. The Librarians - Ezekiel doesn’t think anyone would mourn him if he died. An encounter with a magical creature shows him just how wrong he is.

Day 20: I Did Good, Right? White Collar - Neal calls in sick, and Peter goes to check on him.

Day 21: Put On Display. Leverage - A look into Eliot and Moreau's relationship pre-canon.

Day 22: Grab The Little One. White Collar - Peter and Mozzie are kidnapped together, and get on each other's nerves.

Day 23: Gunshot Wound. White Collar - Neal is sent undercover on a case that goes sideways.

Day 24: Forced To Beg. Leverage - Eliot and Hardison are kidnapped together. Rather than trying to break Eliot directly, their captor takes a different approach.

Day 25: Bound And Gagged. White Collar - Neal and Peter are kidnapped while undercover. Their captors don’t want to hurt Peter since he’s an FBI agent, but the same can’t be said for Neal. AKA Peter's POV of leave him alone.

Day 26: Concealing An Injury. White Collar - Neal has some bruises after getting shot in s4e10.

Day 27: Post-Victory Collapse. Leverage - Hardison gets kidnapped, and Eliot is injured while rescuing him.

Day 28: Recovery. White Collar - Neal recovers slowly from his injury. Chapter 2 of Day 1.

[girlbloggercher]

how to read the Bible

this is in order!

1. John

2. Mark

3. Matthew

4. Luke

5. Genesis

6. Exodus

7. Leviticus

8. Numbers

9. Dueteronomy

10. Romans

11. Galatians

12. Colossians

13. Proverbs

14. Ecclesiastes

15. Job

16. 1 Peter

17. 1 Corinthians

18. 2 Corinthians

19. Ephesians

20. Philippians

21. 1 Thessalonians

22. 2 Thessalonians

23. 1 Timothy

24. 2 Timothy

25. James

26. 2 Peter

27. 1 John

28. 2 John

29. 3 John

30. Jude

31. Psalms

32. Joshua

33. Judges

34. 1 Samuel

35. 2 Samuel

36. 1 Kings

37. 2 Kings

38. 1 Chronicles

39. 2 Chronicles

40. Ezra

41. Nehemiah

42. Jeremiah

43. Lamentations

44. Ezekiel

45. Joel

46. Amos

47. Obadiah

48. Nahum

49. Habakkuk

50. Zephaniah

51. Haggai

52. Zechariah

53. Malachi

54. Micah

55. Hosea

56. Luke

57. Esther

58. Jonah

59. Song of Solomon

60. Acts

61. Titus

62. Philemon

63. Hebrew

64. Isaiah

65. Daniel

66. Revelation

[radfemdaki]

top ten stupid bible sins

HEED TO THE WORD OF GOD PEOPLE!! LISTEN TO WHAT GOD HAS TO SAY TO HIS CHILDREN!

1: women's menstruation cycles/period

Leviticus 15: 19-23 on menstruation

“Whenever a woman has her menstrual period, she will be ceremonially unclean for seven days. Anyone who touches her during that time will be unclean until evening.   Anything on which the woman lies or sits during the time of her period will be unclean.  If any of you touch her bed, you must wash your clothes and bathe yourself in water, and you will remain unclean until evening.  If you touch any object she has sat on, you must wash your clothes and bathe yourself in water, and you will remain unclean until evening. 

2: women giving birth!

Leviticus 12: 1-8 on giving birth:

"Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,  “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘If a woman conceives, and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of her monthly period she shall be unclean.  In the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.  She shall continue in the blood of purification thirty-three days. She shall not touch any holy thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying are completed.  But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her period; and she shall continue in the blood of purification sixty-six days.  “‘When the days of her purification are completed, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the door of the Tent of Meeting, a year old lamb for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering:  and he shall offer it before Yahweh, and make atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the fountain of her blood. “‘This is the law for her who bears, whether a male or a female

(to be fair, in the context of healthcare periods/childbirth CAN be a very messy process with clothes but what why does she ned to be unclean for weeks when it's a normal process??)

3: if a woman grabs the balls of men who are fighting she is... put to death?

Deuteronomy 25:11-12:

11 If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes him by his private parts, 12 you shall cut off her hand. Show her no pity.

(sexual assault is never okay, what context does this ever happen, it's so oddly specific...)

4: DO NOT COOK A YOUNG GOAT IN ITS MOTHERS MILK

Exodus 23:19

“Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the LORD your God. “Do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.

(again, who is doing this?!)

5: women marrying their rapists:

Deuteronomy 22:28-29

If a man encounters a young woman, a virgin who is not engaged, takes hold of her and rapes her, and they are discovered, the man who raped her is to give the young woman’s father fifty silver shekels, and she will become his wife because he violated her. He cannot divorce her as long as he lives.

(reminder that women are seen as property!)

6: mixed fabrics

"Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, as of woollen and linen together."

(guess everyone's going to hell then...)

7: not hating your family Luke 14:26

If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters--yes, even their own life--such a person cannot be my disciple.

(nothing to say about this one but what happened to the love one another verse?)

8: thou shall not have... a haircut?

Ezekiel 44:2

Neither shall they shave their heads, nor suffer their locks to grow long; they shall only poll their heads.

9: to not eat pork

Deuteronomy 14:8

Do not eat any detestable thing. 4 These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, 5 the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope and the mountain sheep.[a]6 You may eat any animal that has a divided hoof and that chews the cud. 7 However, of those that chew the cud or that have a divided hoof you may not eat the camel, the rabbit or the hyrax. Although they chew the cud, they do not have a divided hoof; they are ceremonially unclean for you. 8 The pig is also unclean; although it has a divided hoof, it does not chew the cud. You are not to eat their meat or touch their carcasses

10: men who cut their dicks off aren't christian (i'm serious)

Deuteronomy 23:1

“If a man’s testicles are crushed or his penis is cut off, he may not be admitted to the assembly of the LORD.

(better for everyone then)

[whencyclopedia]

Garden of Eden

The Garden of Eden is the biblical earthly paradise created by God to be inhabited by his first human creation - Adam and Eve. Some claim that the name “Eden” derives from the Akkadian term edinu, which means 'plain'. In the biblical tradition, the garden is often alluded to by the biblical authors as a luxuriant place, which is why it is sometimes called the “Garden of God.” However, it is the biblical definition of the garden that is our concern here. Adam was the first man created by God in his image. After God saw the loneliness of Adam as "not good," God caused a deep sleep on Adam and created Eve (the first woman) out of Adam's rib as his helper (Genesis 2:20-23). To properly understand what the garden is to the narrator of Genesis, it is important to discern its location, the characters playing roles in it and what took place in it. All these contribute to our understanding of the biblical definition of the “Garden of Eden.”

The Eden narrative is narrated in the Bible's book of Genesis 2:4b-3: 24, which places the garden at the east side of Eden. Commonly, translations have the “Garden of Eden” with the construct element “of,” but the Hebrew text has 'gan-beeden', which is not in the construct form, and that the preposition “be” in 'beeden' is to be translated as “in.” Therefore, it is grammatically incorrect to translate 'gan-beeden' as “Garden of Eden,” but the “Garden in Eden.” The actual location of Eden is disputed amongst scholars, but a number of them have concluded that the garden is an extraterrestrial place – where the gods resided. The water from the garden was the water-source for the two great rivers: Tigris and Euphrates, which are well-known in ancient Mesopotamia for the production of irrigation systems in the surrounding area. Its location then should be placed somewhere in Mesopotamia.

Location & Features

The description of the garden in Genesis 2:10-14 states that the water from Eden watered four important areas: Pishon, which flows into the land of Havilah; Gihon, which flows into the land of Cush; Tigris, which flows into the eastern side of Assyria; and the fourth is Euphrates. The garden is also said to have “every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food.” Yet, two trees are singled out: the “Tree of Life” in the middle of the garden and the “Tree of Knowledge of good and evil.” However, the Genesis account is inconsistent at some point, Genesis 2:8-9; 3:1-3 has both trees in the midst of the garden, whereas Genesis 3:22-24 gives the possibility that both trees were planted on the east side of the garden where Adam was originally placed.

Even more, the description of the garden in the Genesis account is not identical with other biblical texts alluding to the garden. For example, in Ezekiel 28, the luxuriant materials found in the garden are not mentioned in Genesis 2:4b-3:24. For some of these reasons, the concept of a “garden” of a god(s) was a very common metaphor in the ancient Near East of where the god(s) resided. For the narrator of Genesis, the “Garden in Eden” was imaginatively constructed for an etiological (origin or cause of things) purpose, not as a divine residence, but of the first man and woman on earth – Adam and Eve. As generally accepted in modern scholarship, Genesis 1-11 is labeled as the “Primeval History,” which includes mythologies and legends that were very common not just in Israel, but throughout the ancient Near East. These myths and legends are not Israelite in origin but were adapted by the biblical writers for either polemical or rhetorical purposes.

Some of the crucial questions readers ought to ask to properly discern the “Garden in Eden” are: What is the purpose of the Eden narrative in the book of Genesis? What did the narrator seek to achieve? Importantly, to reach this goal, readers should not treat the “Garden in Eden” exclusively from the characters playing roles in the narrative, such as God, Adam, Eve, the serpent, the singled out trees: tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and especially the narrator's overall purpose. To focus exclusively on the "garden" without acknowledging these characters would only disrupt the plot of the narrative.

Continue reading...

[lola-andheruniverse]

Hey. Just wanted to say I absolutely love your recs. I was wondering, if by any chance, you had any recs of fics where Daryl comforts Carol. Specifically, if possible, I’m looking for a fic where he comforts her because of her claustrophobia but honestly, I’ll take any fic where Daryl comforts Carol that I can. TIA 😊

Hi, @roryelijah02! Thank you for your kind words and for sending me on a really fun fanfiction hunt. I hope you enjoy this "small" handful of recs (I totally overdid it, let's be honest 😄). Any inputs of mine are in bold. Caryl on, dear! Daryl comforting Carol because of her claustrophobia: 1. Claustrophobia by Sophiacharlotte [ FF.net ] Summary: caryl season 6 PWP (porn without plot). Daryl and Carol get stuck in a trunk while running from the herd. Rated: M Word count: 2.154 Published: October 28, 2015 (one-shot)

2. Hers to Love; His to Protect by CharlotteAshmore [ 9Lives | AO3 | FF.net ] Summary: It had become a festering ache beneath the surface of his skin, this need he had to protect her, to save her … because he was certain he was the only one who could in a world gone to hell. Rated: E Word count: 337.828 (70 chapters, little claustrophobia crisis in chapter 07) Published: June 25, 2018 (complete)

3. The Woodsong Fog by Lighteneverything [ 9Lives | AO3 ] Summary: On his third day of searching, Daryl finds Sophia. But when one element of the timeline changes, others must too. S2 and on ZA AU. Rated: E Word count: 212.192 (46 chapters of ?, major claustrophobia crisis in chapter 25) Published: January 26, 2024 (WIP) Daryl comforting Carol when Sophia was missing:

4. Sleepless by @rubinegoslay [ 9Lives ] Summary: Carol can't sleep and finds an unlikely source of comfort. Set in the early days of season two. Rated: G Word count: 883 Published: February 12, 2015 (one-shot) Daryl comforting Carol because of nightmares:

5. Insomnia by eyeslikewildflowers [ 9Lives | FF.net ] Summary: After finding Sophia in the barn, Carol is plagued by terrible nightmares. Daryl comforts her.  Rated: E Word count: 8171 (02 chapters) Published: December 19, 2016 (complete)

6. Tidal Nightmares by Perennials [ 9Lives ] Summary: Spoilers for season 9/10. Carol's nightmares eb and flow, like the tides of the ocean. In the wake of her son's death, the currents pull her further out into a dark abyss where she feels unable to escape. She seeks comfort in none other than her best friend. Rated: G Word count: 1.250 Published: March 29, 2020 (one-shot)

7. If it matters at all by @charlibubble [ 9Lives ] Summary: When he hears her crying, it triggers something inside of him that he can't fight. Comfort isn't romantic though. It is safe to hold her in his arms, in her bed, in the dead of night. That's what friends do. Friends. Partners. Lovers. Does it even matter anymore? Rated: E Word count: 7.655 Published: February 09, 2022 Daryl comforting Carol because of self-harm:

8. What Lies Beneath by @my-mt-heart [ 9Lives ] Summary: Imagine if Carol's downtime right before the Hilltop battle played out a little differently. She doesn't speak to Lydia. She doesn't sleep with Ezekiel. After her ex-husband escorts her through those gates and she makes eye contact with Daryl, she marches straight into the Barrington House, staying there until day turns to night. Alpha's horde, as she learned on her way up to one of the vacant bedrooms, is fast approaching, but unlike everybody else, she's not looking for comfort before facing possible death again. She just wants to hurt.  Rated: M Word count: 1.272 Published: December 21, 2020 (one-shot) Daryl comforting Carol after the end of the Whisperers War:

9. Two Lives by @tigereyes45 [ AO3 ] Summary: After the Whisperers War Carol finds herself alone on a hill. She watches the zombies struggling to make it up and feels nothing, until someone finds her. He always finds her in these moments. Rated: T Word count: 1.065 Published: December 27, 2019 (one-shot)

[apilgrimpassingby]

Demons of the Hebrew Bible

Since today is also the day for Lord of Spiritsposting, I've decided to make a post I considered yesterday - the demons of the Hebrew Bible. This will be a long post, so I'm inserting a "Keep Reading".

Azazel: Appears only once in Leviticus 16, as the being in the wilderness to whom the goat with the people's sins laid on it in the Day of Atonement ritual is given (this isn't sacrifice, because the animal isn't killed or offered on an altar, among other things). Becomes a Devil figure in some later Jewish literature like the Book of Enoch, and is associated with deserts, sin and goats - the name literally means "the goat that goes away" (an archaic translation gives us the word "scapegoat"), and the seemingly-random reference to goat demons in Leviticus 17:7 comes just after Azazel's appearance.

Deber: The most prominent of the gang, appearing (usually in conjunction with other figures on this list) in Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Amos, Habakkuk and the Pentateuch a total of 49 times, usually unleashed as punishment for some sin by Israel (compare "handing people over to Satan" in St. Paul's letters - 1 Corinthians 5:5, 1 Timothy 1:20). A nocturnal demon of pestilence and destruction associated with the underworld in Canaanite mythology.

Hereb: Rendered as "the sword" in English; the next most prominent one, appearing 29 times and, like Deber, in conjunction with the others. A demon of violence and destruction associated with blood-drinking (Isaiah 34:5, Jeremiah 46:10) and flesh-eating (Deuteronomy 32:42, Jeremiah 12:12) and probably the rider on a red horse from Revelation 6:3-4.

Lilit: Appears just once, Isaiah 34:14, where she's dwelling in some ruins. Usually translated as "screech owl" or "night bird", but some use "Lilith". In Mesopotamian mythology, the lili are a class of nocturnal female demons associated who kill babies and are associated with owls, so the translation as "screech owl" is acceptable. The Songs of the Sage from the Dead Sea Scrolls refer to liliyot (feminine plural) as a class of demons: "And I, the Instructor, proclaim His glorious splendour so as to frighten and to te[rrify] all the spirits of the destroying angels, spirits of the bastards, demons, liliths, howlers...

Livyatan: Usually anglicised as Leviathan, and appears five times: Job 3:8 and chapter 41, Psalms 74:12-14 and 104:26 and Isaiah 27:1. Based on those appearances, he's a multi-headed fire-breathing sea serpent immune to weapons who battles with Yahweh and (of course) always loses. The myth of a god fighting a sea serpent is a staple of world mythology. Likely correlates to the beast from the sea of Revelation 13:1-10, since Leviathan is paired with a beast from the earth (Behemoth; Job 40:15-24) - also compare Revelation 13:4 ("Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”) to Job 41:33-34 ("On earth there is not his like, a creature without fear. He sees everything that is high; he is king over all the sons of pride").

Nephilim: Famously appear in Genesis 6:1-4 as the warriors born of the sons of God and the daughters of men, understood in Second Temple Jewish texts such as the Book of Enoch and the Septuagint to be giants born of fallen angels and human women. They appear by the name Anakim or Rephaim in Genesis 14:5, 15:20, Deuteronomy 1:28, 2:10-11, 2:20-21, 3:11, 3;13, 9:2 and Joshua 11:21-22, 12:4, 13:12, 14:12, 14:15 and 15:8 and war with giants appears in 2 Samuel 21:16-22, 1 Chronicles 20:4-8 and, of course, 1 Samuel 17 (the David and Goliath story).

Qeteb: Appears just 4 times (Deuteronomy 32:24; Psalm 91:6; Isaiah 28:2; Hosea 13:14), together with Deber in the Psalms and Hosea appearances and together with Resheph in Deuteronomy; if there's any lesson from this post so far, it's that plague demons hunt in packs. A diurnal plague demon whose name is rendered in English as "destruction"; nothing more to be said.

Ra'av: The third most prominent one, appearing 35 times; a famine demon whose name is rendered in English as "famine" or "hunger" who is unleashed on Israel as punishment together with (surprise!) Hereb and either Deber or Resheph. Probably the rider on a black horse from Revelation 6:5-6.

Rephaim: The spirits of dead kings who dwell in the underworld not doing much, translated in the ESV as shades and appearing in Isaiah 14:9 and 26:14; the same imagery and concept is being used by Ezekiel 32:20-30.

Resheph: A demon of plague and conquest worshipped as a god in Canaanite and Egyptian culture, depicted as a bearded archer on a white horse. Appears just 6 times in the Hebrew Bible (Deuteronomy 32:24; Habakkuk 3:5 Psalm 78:48; Job 5:7, Song of Songs 8:6); the name is rendered as "plague" or "pestilence" or occasionally "fire" or "sparks" because the name literally means "burning". Probably the rider on a white horse from Revelation 6:2.

Sources and Further Reading

"Before Him Went Pestilence (Hab. 3:5) - Biblical Lexis and Semantic Field of Epidemics" by Jozef Jankovic for The Old Testament Society of South Africa

"A Land of Giants" by Frs. Andrew Stephen Damick and Stephen DeYoung on The Lord of Spirits

"War, Famine, Disease, Death and Hades" by Fr. Stephen DeYoung on The Whole Counsel of God

"Who is Azazel?" by Fr. Stephen DeYoung on The Whole Counsel of God

Who is Lilith - Ancient Development and Origins of the Demon Queen by Dr. Justin Sledge on ESOTERICA

Or in short - stop making it all about Lilith. Use some other Hebrew Bible demons.

[armandyke]

Would love to hear about the books u read in 2024, surprise bests, biggest disappointments?

I think I will do a multi part post over the coming weeks with reviews of all the books I read since I have about half of them written up already. For now I'll just say my two absolute favourite reads of the year were Botanical Daughter by Noah Medlock and Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova. Two very different books but both of them permanently altered my brain chemistry.

Below are my ratings for all the books I read and as I say, I'll try to post more in depth reviews over the next few weeks. My aim this year is to try and do proper reviews of the books I read as I'm reading them instead of having to go back several months later lmao.

Oh, and because it's something I'm always looking for specific recs for, I've highlighted the books with queer rep (that I remember) in pink, and the extreme horrors/books I advise checking trigger warnings for are marked with a lil skull.

1) Gone to see the River Man by Kristopher Triana (4⭐) 💀

2) Skeleton Crew by Stephen King (4⭐)

3) The Butcher by Laura Kat Young (5⭐)

4) The Hollow Places by T.Kingfisher (5⭐)

5) Salem’s Lot by Stephen King (4.5⭐)

6) The Shuddering by Ania Ahiborn (3.5⭐)

7) Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt (5⭐)

8) Nothing but Blackened Teeth by Cassandraw Khaw (3.5⭐)

9) Exquisite Corpse by Poppy Z Brite (4⭐) 💀

10) Good Girls Don’t Die by Christina Henry (1⭐)

11) The Devil Makes Three by Tori Bovalino (3.5⭐)

12) Starve Acre by Andrew Michael Hurley (4⭐)

13) The Dead of Winter curated by Cecily Grayford (3⭐)

14) Off Season by Jack Ketchum (3⭐) 💀

15) Brainwyrms by Alison Rumfitt (3.5⭐) 💀

16) Dead Inside by Chandler Morrison (4⭐) 💀

17) The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum (5⭐) 💀

18) Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman (4⭐)

19) Caraval by Stephanie Garber (2⭐)

20) The Grip of It by Jac Jemc (4⭐)

21) Thirteen Storeys by Jonathan Sims (5⭐)

22) Nod by Adrian Barnes (4⭐)

23) How to sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix (5⭐)

24) Among the Living by Tim Lebbon (2⭐)

25) 19 Claws and a Black Bird by Augustina Bazterrica (3⭐)

26) House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson (4.5⭐)

27) Song of Kali by Dan Simmons (DNF)

28) The Way of All Flesh by Ambrose Perry (DNF)

29) A House with Good Bones by T.Kingfisher (5⭐)

30) A Botanical Daughter by Noah Medlock (5⭐)

31) Cujo by Stephen King (5⭐)

32) The Dark Net by Benjamin Percy (3.5⭐)

33) The Dinner Guest by B P Walter (4.5⭐)

34) The Cloisters by Katy Hays (1⭐)

35) Diavola by Jennifer Thorne (5⭐)

36) Piranesi by Susanna Clarke (4.5⭐)

37) Nettle and Bone by T.Kingfisher (3.5⭐)

38) The Hatching (3.5⭐) Skitter (1⭐) and Zero Day (1⭐) by Ezekiel Boone

39) Come Closer by Sara Gran (4⭐)

40) Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison (5⭐)

41) The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden (DNF)

42) Wranglestone by Darren Charlton (3.5⭐)

43) Piñata by Leopoldo Gout (4⭐)

44) Everything the Darkness Eats by Eric LaRocca (1⭐) 💀

45) Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle (5⭐)

46) The Vampire Armand by Anne Rice (I didn't rate this because this was less like reading a book and more like studying for an exam)

47) The Ghost Woods by C.J Cooke (4.5⭐)

48) Dark Matter by Blake Crouch (3.5⭐)

49) Too Late by Colleen Hoover (DNF)

50) Alice by Christina Henry (1⭐)

51) The House of a Hundred Whispers by Graham Masterton (3.5⭐)

52) All the White Spaces by Ally Wilkes (4.5⭐)

53) Violent Faculties by Charlene Elsby (4⭐) 💀

54) Cuckoo by Gretchen Felker-Martin (3.5⭐) 💀

55) Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison (4.5⭐)

56) My Throat an Open Grave by Tori Bovalino (3.5⭐)

57) Bloom by Delilah S Dawson (4⭐)

58) Bored Gay Werewolf by Tony Santorella (DNF)

59) Out There Screaming curated by Jordan Peele (3.5⭐)

60) The Watchers by A.M Shine (4⭐)

61) Whalefall by Daniel Kraus (4.5⭐)

62) My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham (3.5⭐)

63) Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix (4.5⭐)

64) Incarcerat by Garth Marenghi (4⭐)

65) Feast While You Can by Onjuly Datta and Mikaella Clements (5⭐)

66) The Whistling by Rebecca Netley (4⭐)

67) Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield (4⭐)

68) Scuttle by Barnaby Walter (DNF)

69) Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova (5⭐)

70) Revival by Stephen King (4⭐)

71) Blight by Tom Carlisle (3.5⭐)

72) The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw (5⭐)

[jaguar726]

The center of the fire looked like glowing metal, 5 and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures

Daily Verse Reading – Ezekiel 1: 2-5; 24-28 Ezekiel 1:2-5 2 On the fifth of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin— 3 the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians.[a] There the hand of the Lord was on him. 4 I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the north—an immense cloud with flashing…

[thefundiemuseum]

2024 Wrap-Up: Babies

Duggar Family

Shockingly, we had just 1 Duggar grandbaby this year!

Brielle Grace was born to Jeremiah + Hannah (Wissmann) Duggar in late February. She is already slated to become a big sister.

Bates Family

The Bateses welcomed 5 grandkids this year, all of them boys. It's worth noting that we didn't see a grandBates from Jackson + Emerson, who had the rare experience of hitting their first anniversary without getting pregnant.

Miles Kelton was born to Josie + Kelton on February 21.

Weston Slade was born to Tori + Bobby on May 29.

William Daniel was born to Lawson + Tiffany on July 19.

Harvey Gray was born to Katie + Travis on September 29.

Graham Alan was born to Nathan + Esther on October 4.

Wissmann Family

There were 2 Wissmann grandkids this year, both girls.

The aforementioned Brielle Grace Duggar

Lila Ann Jerred was born to Susanna + Drew on April 1.

Keller Family

You know I love me some shitty baby names, and the Keller family delivers. It seems the Keller Reber family is doing an E theme, and we finally got an answer to how the Waller Keller family picks their names (D for girls, P for boys).

Josiah was born to Esther + John on January 17. (Here's hoping this is the last--though I wish we could see what wild choice they'd have made for another girl. Agatha? Eirene?)

Edelweiss Miracle was born to David + Hannah on March 16. What a mouthful. I love how bad this is.

Naomi Christine was born to Nathan + Nurie on July 14. "Naomi" was very predictable, but "Christine" was a pleasant surprise. I had been betting on "Naomi Jill." "Naomi Christine" is, in retrospect, much more pleasant.

Desiree Hope was born to Priscilla + David on July 19.

Maxwell-Bontrager-Bowers-Helferich Clan

Early in the year, Marlin Bontrager announced that he had 3 grandkids on the way. It looks like there were actually 5! Not everyone posts actively on socials, so I don't have names and birthdays for everyone.

Baby #1 was born to Taylor + Susanna (Helferich) Bontrager. Judging by the baby's age, it looks like a honeymoon baby.

Baby #4 was born to Mitchell + Bryn Bontrager in the spring.

Baby #4 was born to Carson + Carolina (Bowers) Bontrager. After Jubilee, Jemima, and Spurgeon, I am dying to know what they named their next kid.

Amelia Marie was born to Jeremiah + Allison (Bontrager) Helferich on August 28.

Watson Joe was born to John + Chelsy (Bontrager) Maxwell on December 3.

Morton Family

The Mortons are on their way to 60 grandkids.

Gabriel Lorenzo was born to Wesley + Rachael Morton on April 24.

Ezra Michael was born to Adeline + Michael Holloway on April 24.

Baby #2 was born to Edwin + Francesca in April.

Baby #5 was born to Andrew + Kennedy in August.

Thomas Ezekiel was born to Cleve + Lise on November 26.

Other Fundie Babies

Deitrich Johannes was born to Isaac + Arti Anderson on August 17.

Arrow Chosen was born to Karissa + Mandrae Collins on August 17.

Briggs Maverick was born to Sierra + Mark Dominguez.

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

The Ten Commandments

1 And God spake all these words, saying,

2 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

13 Thou shalt not kill.

14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.

15 Thou shalt not steal.

16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.

18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.

19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.

21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.

Laws About Altars

22 And the Lord said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.

23 Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.

24 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.

25 And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.

26 Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon. — Exodus 20 | King James Version (KJV) The King James Version Bible is in the public domain Cross References: Genesis 2:2; Exodus 6:6; Exodus 10:25; Exodus 14:13; Exodus 15:11; Exodus 19:25; Exodus 23:1; Exodus 28:42-43; Exodus 32:1; Exodus 32:8; Leviticus 19:11-12; Deuteronomy 4:33; Deuteronomy 5:22; Deuteronomy 27:5-6; Joshua 8:31; Ezekiel 43:17; Matthew 5:21; Matthew 5:27-28; Matthew 15:4; Matthew 19:18; Luke 3:14; Luke 13:14; Luke 23:56; John 9:2; Acts 4:24; Galatians 3:19; Hebrews 12:18-19; James 1:12

Exodus 20 Commentary - John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

Key Events in Exodus 20

The ten commandments are spoken by Jehovah

The people are afraid, but Moses comforts them

Idolatry is forbidden

Of what sort the altar should be

[talonabraxas]

Ezekiel's Wheel Talon Abraxas

Metaphysical meaning of Ezekiel (mbd)

Ezekiel, e-ze'-k1-el (Heb.)--God strengthens; God is strong; God is powerful; whom God makes strong.

One of the four major prophets. He was one of a colony of captive Jews by the river Chebar, in Babylon; it was there that he did his prophesying (The Book of Ezekiel).

Meta. That in us which relies on Spirit and encourages us to place our full trust in Jehovah, that the Lord Jehovah (the spiritual I AM in us) may become the keeper of our sheep (our spiritual thoughts). Ezekiel was an enthusiast. His mind was open and alive to things spiritual. He shows us how to demonstrate strength.

Ezekiel saw a vision (Ezek. 1:4-28) in which the glory and splendor of God were revealed to him. The power of God's presence threw him down upon his face, where he remained for a time. But God called him to stand up and commanded him to go to Israel and carry a message to the people there. God encouraged him and told him not to be afraid when trials came (Ezek. 2:1-6; 3:17-21).

Ezekiel means God strengthens. We may apply this story of Ezekiel's vision to our own development, for it is a symbol of what may happen in any one's spiritual growth. When we touch the God consciousness we realize the presence of a mighty power, and at first we fall down; that is, we become inactive, for we feel our insignificance and our inability to do anything but worship. We soon find, however, that we must go forth and carry the message to others. We must be busy. We do not always need to preach in order to carry the message. We may become living messages that will be more eloquent in God's cause than words could possibly be.

God strengthens the one who seeks Him in the inner chamber and finds Him there. God fills that one with an urge that he cannot suppress; he must go forth and carry the message of life to all living creatures.

There is a great work to be done among men. They must be shown that good is real and that evil is unreal. They must be taught that evil is an inharmonious state of mind, an unprofitable state of mind. Lasting health, happiness, and life eternal come only when one lives and thinks in harmony with the divine law of the universe.

There is a great work to be done among men, but there is a greater work to be done within man. Every thought of the mind and every organ and cell of the body must be taught and redeemed before heaven can be established in your earth.

The mind and the body must be taught and assured that they are filled with the life and substance of God. They must be redeemed from the old race thoughts of sin and sickness or they will die; if they die, their blood will be on your head because of your not telling them. God is life and He sends forth the message of life. It is for all who will accept it. An organ of the body that receives God's message is quickened and vitalized. All the cells and organs of the body must be taught the truth about themselves; they must be taught that they are a harmonious part of God's creation and that they are not subject to discord or sickness. Begin today. Find the Father within you and carry His message to every living creature.