#aramean paganism

[tsalmu]

Baal Hadad, God of Storms and Fertility Stele from Tel Burna, Shephelah c. 1400 BCE Source: The Louvre

[catolinewsdailyreadings]

Saturday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

Readings of Saturday, June 22, 2024

Reading 1

2 CHR 24:17-25

After the death of Jehoiada, the princes of Judah came and paid homage to King Joash, and the king then listened to them. They forsook the temple of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and began to serve the sacred poles and the idols; and because of this crime of theirs, wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem. Although prophets were sent to them to convert them to the LORD, the people would not listen to their warnings. Then the Spirit of God possessed Zechariah, son of Jehoiada the priest. He took his stand above the people and said to them: "God says, 'Why are you transgressing the LORD's commands, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have abandoned the LORD, he has abandoned you.'" But they conspired against him, and at the king's order they stoned him to death in the court of the LORD's temple. Thus King Joash was unmindful of the devotion shown him by Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, and slew his son. And as Zechariah was dying, he said, "May the LORD see and avenge." At the turn of the year a force of Arameans came up against Joash. They invaded Judah and Jerusalem, did away with all the princes of the people, and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus. Though the Aramean force came with few men, the LORD surrendered a very large force into their power, because Judah had abandoned the LORD, the God of their fathers. So punishment was meted out to Joash. After the Arameans had departed from him, leaving him in grievous suffering, his servants conspired against him because of the murder of the son of Jehoiada the priest. He was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

Responsorial Psalm

PS 89:4-5, 29-30, 31-32, 33-34

R./ For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.

"I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant: Forever will I confirm your posterity and establish your throne for all generations." R./ For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.

"Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him, and my covenant with him stands firm. I will make his posterity endure forever and his throne as the days of heaven." R./ For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.

"If his sons forsake my law and walk not according to my ordinances, If they violate my statutes and keep not my commands." R./ For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.

"I will punish their crime with a rod and their guilt with stripes. Yet my mercy I will not take from him, nor will I belie my faithfulness." R./ For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.

Gospel

MT 6:24-34

Jesus said to his disciples: "No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? So do not worry and say, 'What are we to eat?' or 'What are we to drink?' or 'What are we to wear?' All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil."

[ancestorsofjudah]

1 Kings 20: 23-27. "The Discipline."

The war between Aram and Israel continues. The Israelites who have fallen down because their King Ahab was an idolater and a whore monger. He musters an army and surrounds the Arameans. As with all symbology and mythology in Judaism they are the elements of a consistent argument in favor of the evolution of mankind towards Mashiach, a universal way of governing civilization without strife.

The Melachim suggests a way to begin:

23 Meanwhile, the officials of the king of Aram advised him, “Their gods are gods of the hills. That is why they were too strong for us. But if we fight them on the plains, surely we will be stronger than they.

24 Do this: Remove all the kings from their commands and replace them with other officers.

25 You must also raise an army like the one you lost—horse for horse and chariot for chariot—so we can fight Israel on the plains. Then surely we will be stronger than they.” He agreed with them and acted accordingly.

26 The next spring Ben-Hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.

27 When the Israelites were also mustered and given provisions, they marched out to meet them. The Israelites camped opposite them like two small flocks of goats, while the Arameans covered the countryside.

The gods of Israel are the 12 Tribal Leaders. Each one represents an aspect of a skilled temperament. Melachim, Kings and Princes represent finely attuned spiritual insights regarding all the ways the experiences of God and mankind resonate between one another.

Baals "gods on the ground" do neither. They are what is called Ahab, "brotherhood of fathers", creatures of instinct. Instincts are not used to run governments or bring about advancements in cultures. These are the product of science.

The opening verse 23 compares man as a basic creature to one that has been cultivated using science. To argue ones principals on the plains is to risk failure, however.

God, Moses and the Israelites engaged in such a debate right after the Departure from Egypt, consequently, the journey was never completed, and just look at us now.

We need to consider the possibility good decisions can be made at this time and the world will finally enter into agreement about a State of Israel; not the land or the government but a state of bliss, one that results from our abandonment of the incorrect traditions of the past.

There are two flocks of goats - hairy boys- one on either side of the Arameans. The Gematria explains:

v. 23: the Number is 12741, יבזד‎א‎, Yablada, "The Great God, Ya, disdains the ignorance of destruction."

v. 24: 3928, גטבח‎, "a massacre".

Remember when God told Moses, "kill the complainers" and Moses said no, and God said yes?

v. 25: 11614, יאו‎‎אד‎‎, yoad, "the power comes from the writing."

v. 26: 4101, דא‎אֶפֶסא‎, daefsa, "understanding of the spreading darkness" = the Plague of Darkness. The Plague of Darkness was the result of the lack of belief in Mashiach. The absence of hope for Global Responsibiltiy is the cause of all that is going wrong on this world. Moses told the Israelites the Covenant included more than belief it included ownership of territory and dividends so that such a government would one day be possible.

This Argument did not conclude successfully in the ancient world and remains open.

The verse mentions Ben-Hadad in Aphek: God tells the Israelites they lack discipline such as the Israelites did just before the Exodus from Egypt.

v. 27: 12716, יבזאו‎‎, Yabazau, "God is coming to restore us to life."

"The verb ζαω (zao) means to live in the sense of to be alive. It mostly describes to live as opposed to die (θνησκω, thnesko), whereas to live in the sense of to live one's life is covered by the verb βιοω (bioo).

One's personal state of being alive is covered by the noun ψυχη (psuche), commonly translated with mind or soul, which opposite is νεκρος (nekros), a corpse.

The crucial difference between the pagan understanding of life and the Biblical one is that pagans imagine that living things can exist on their own, whereas the Bible sees the whole of the biosphere as one continuous entity and living things as nodes or ripples on an otherwise homogeneous ocean.

Just like one single ant or one single bee cannot exist and will die, so can no living thing exist on its own. This is why Eve is called the "mother of all life" (Genesis 3:20); she represents the entire biosphere."

Without the argument "are we alive or not?" and the implications of the presence of life within a strife free environment, all we have to look forward to is a plague of darkness.

Moses told the Israelites to take their lives back, their property, and lead the world out of the darkness and we are still waiting for them to do it.

And why does God call men goats? Because once they get hairy, they are kind of dumb and useless if they aren't herded around by someone smarter than them. A world populated by goats and but a few intelligent men is utterly devoid of possibilities.

This is why God said the Temple was outfitted with those nasty ass goat curtains. The goat skin hides the Holiest of Holies beneath it. It must be cut away if civilzation is to reach its apex and achieve Mashiach.

[princeofgod-2021]

LIGHT OF LIFE 397

John 1:4

UNDERSTANDING PROPHETIC MANDATES 31: CHANNEL FOR PROPHECY 4

Amo 3:7 CERTAINLY, THE ALMIGHTY LORD DOESN'T DO ANYTHING UNLESS HE FIRST REVEALS HIS SECRET TO HIS SERVANTS THE PROPHETS. GW

Now, there are indeed Pagans, appointed to carry out cogent spiritual Mandates.

They are commonly involved directly in its execution and it can be ugly.

Nebuchadnezzar was one of such.

Jer 40:2-3 THE CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD TOOK JEREMIAH ASIDE and said to him, "THE LORD YOUR GOD THREATENED TO BRING THIS DISASTER ON THIS PLACE. HE HAS CARRIED OUT HIS THREAT. The LORD did as he promised because you Israelites have sinned against him and refused to obey him. THAT IS WHY THIS HAS HAPPENED TO YOU. GW

Now that was Nebuchadnezzar’s Army Captain.

How on earth could such pagan know God’s mind and intent in such precise details and carry it out with such unflinching confidence?

Well, it is evident that his master told them those details. He was directly sent to Jeremiah by their King.

Jer 39:11-12 Now KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR OF BABYLON HAD ISSUED ORDERS CONCERNING JEREMIAH. He had passed them on through Nebuzaradan, the captain of his royal guard, “FIND JEREMIAH AND LOOK OUT FOR HIM. DO NOT DO ANYTHING TO HARM HIM, BUT DO WITH HIM WHATEVER HE TELLS YOU.” NET

There is no scriptural record that Jeremiah ever went to Babylon nor was popular enough to be mentioned there, talk less of his integrity being known to Nebu.

Jeremiah was a Prophet rejected by his own people, yet a Pagan King, by Prophecy, acknowledged his integrity.

Jer 40:1 I WAS LED AWAY IN CHAINS ALONG WITH THE PEOPLE OF JUDAH AND JERUSALEM WHO WERE BEING TAKEN TO BABYLONIA. Nebuzaradan was the officer in charge of the guard, and while we were stopped at Ramah, THE LORD HAD HIM SET ME FREE. CEV

Jeremiah was frequently locked up and in chains because of his [negative] Prophecies, but God sent pagans by prophecy, to acknowledge and give due respect for him.

Think about that.

Mat 13:57 And SO THEY REJECTED HIM. Jesus said to them, "A PROPHET IS RESPECTED EVERYWHERE EXCEPT IN HIS HOMETOWN AND BY HIS OWN FAMILY." GNB

We should know [also] that most pagans are used of God without instructing them through Prophecy.

They could be used based on declarations of God’s own [authentic] Prophets.

Jer 1:13-15 And the word of the Lord came to me a second time, saying, What do you see? And I said, I SEE A BOILING POT, AND ITS FACE IS FROM THE NORTH. THEN THE LORD SAID TO ME, OUT OF THE NORTH EVIL WILL COME, bursting out on all the people of the land. For see, I will send for all the families of the kingdoms of the north, says the Lord; and they will come, everyone placing his high seat at the way into Jerusalem, and against its walls on every side, and against all the towns of Judah. BBE

That was Jeremiah’s Prophecy, about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar, which was later confirmed - as we saw above - to Nebu himself.

But there were many sieges against Israel that indicated no prophetic communication with the “instruments”.

They were simply “moved” by God to engage.

2Ki 24:1-2 In the time of Jehoiakim, KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR OF BABYLON came to the country of Judah. Jehoiakim served Nebuchadnezzar for three years. THEN JEHOIAKIM TURNED AGAINST NEBUCHADNEZZAR AND BROKE AWAY FROM HIS RULE. THE LORD SENT GROUPS OF BABYLONIANS, ARAMEANS, MOABITES, AND AMMONITES TO FIGHT AGAINST JEHOIAKIM. HE SENT THEM TO DESTROY JUDAH. This happened just as the LORD had said. HE USED HIS SERVANTS THE PROPHETS TO SAY THOSE THINGS. ERV

God sent various Nations to finish off Judah.

Nebuchadnezzar had been there before, probably [then] without receiving any personal prophetic confirmations.

It is evident that God really only connects these pagans by direct Prophecies to them, where the event is ultimate: like the carrying away of all Judah into Captivity for 70 years.

2KI 24:3 ONLY BY THE WORD OF THE LORD DID THIS FATE COME ON JUDAH, to take them away from before his face; because of the sins of Manasseh and all the evil he did; BBE

We must note that ONLY by the WORD of the Lord does anything happen to His People.

If we walk before Him in RIGHTEOUSNESS, we would dwell in wealth and goodness.

Otherwise, we face the full brunt of His Prophetic Judgment.

It’s not our ruling through Politics that preserves us or the Economy, beloved.

Pro 16:6-7 FAITHFUL LOVE AND LOYALTY WILL REMOVE YOUR GUILT. Respect the LORD, and you will stay far away from evil. WHEN PEOPLE LIVE TO PLEASE THE LORD, EVEN THEIR ENEMIES WILL BE AT PEACE WITH THEM. ERV

Let’s all keep our focus on God and honour Him thoroughly. Then we would never have cause to be afraid of Negative Prophetic Mandates, from prophets or pagans.

May God keep us in the hollow of His hands, IN JESUS NAME.

Come back on Monday, for more of this insightful and enlightening Sub-Subtopic.

Keep Shinning!

Brother Prince

Friday, August 25, 2023

08055125517; 08023904307

[tpanan]

My Saturday Daily Blessings

June 18, 2022

Be still quiet your heart and mind, the LORD is here, loving you talking to you...........    

Saturday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time (Roman Rite Calendae) Lectionary 370, Cycle C

First Reading: 2 Chronicles 25:17-25

After the death of Jehoiada, the princes of Judah came and paid homage to King Joash, and the king then listened to them. They forsook the temple of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and began to serve the sacred poles and the idols; and because of this crime of theirs, wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem. Although prophets were sent to them to convert them to the LORD, the people would not listen to their warnings. Then the Spirit of God possessed Zechariah, son of Jehoiada the priest. He took his stand above the people and said to them: “God says, ‘Why are you transgressing the LORD’s commands, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have abandoned the LORD, he has abandoned you.’” But they conspired against him, and at the king’s order they stoned him to death in the court of the LORD’s temple.

Thus King Joash was unmindful of the devotion shown him by Jehoiada, Zechariah’s father, and slew his son. And as Zechariah was dying, he said, “May the LORD see and avenge.” At the turn of the year a force of Arameans came up against Joash. They invaded Judah and Jerusalem, did away with all the princes of the people, and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus. Though the Aramean force came with few men, the Lord surrendered a very large force into their power, because Judah had abandoned the LORD, the God of their fathers. So punishment was meted out to Joash. After the Arameans had departed from him, leaving him in grievous suffering, his servants conspired against him because of the murder of the son of Jehoiada the priest. He was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 89:4-5, 29-30, 31-32, 33-34

"For ever I will maintain my love for my servant."

Verse before the Gospel: 2 Corinthians 8:9

R: Alleluia, Alleluia

"Jesus Christ became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich."

R: Alleluia, Alleluia

**Gospel: Matthew 6:24-34

Jesus said to his disciples: “No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them.

If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.”

Meditation:

What does the expression "serving two masters" and "being anxious" have in common? They both have the same root problem - being divided within oneself. The root word for "anxiety" literally means "being of two minds." An anxious person is often "tossed to and fro" and paralyzed by fear, indecision, and insecurity. Fear of some bad outcome cripples those afflicted with anxiety. It's also the case with someone who wants to live in two opposing kingdoms - God's kingdom of light, truth, and goodness or Satan's kingdom of darkness, sin, and deception - following God's standards and way of happiness or following the world's standards of success and happiness.

Who is the master of your life? Who is the master in charge of your life? Our "master" is whatever governs our thought-life, shapes our ideals, and controls the desires of our heart and the values we choose to live by. We can be ruled by many different things - the love of money and possessions, the power of position and prestige, the glamor of wealth and fame, and the driving force of unruly passions, harmful desires, and addictive cravings. Ultimately the choice of who is our master boils down to two: God or "mammon". What is mammon? "Mammon" stands for "material wealth" or "possessions" or whatever tends to control our appetites and desires.

The antidote to fear, pride, and greed There is one master alone who has the power to set us free from slavery to sin, fear, pride, and greed, and a host of other hurtful desires. That master is the Lord Jesus Christ who alone can save us from all that would keep us bound up in fear and anxiety. Jesus used an illustration from nature - the birds and the flowers - to show how God provides for his creatures in the natural order of his creation. God provides ample food, water, light, and heat to sustain all that lives and breathes. How much more can we, who are created in the very image and likeness of God, expect our heavenly Father and creator to sustain not only our physical bodies, but our mind, heart, and soul as well? God our Father is utterly reliable because it is his nature to love, heal, forgive, and make whole again.

Jesus - our daily bread Jesus taught his disciples to pray with confidence to their heavenly Father: Give us this day our daily bread. What is bread, but the very staple of life and symbol of all that we need to live and grow. Anxiety is neither helpful nor necessary. It robs us of faith and confidence in God's help and it saps our energy for doing good. Jesus admonishes his followers to put away anxiety and preoccupation with material things and instead to seek first the things of God - his kingdom and righteousness. Anxiety robs the heart of trust in the mercy and goodness of God and in his loving care for us. God knows our needs even before we ask and he gives generously to those who trust in him. Who is your master - God or mammon?

Lord Jesus, free me from needless worries and help me to put my trust in you. May my first and only concern be for your glory and your kingdom of peace and righteousness. Help me to live each day and moment with trust and gratitude for your providential care for me.

Sources:

Lectionary for Mass for use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, copyright (c) 2001, 1998, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain (c) 1968, 1981, 1997, international committee on english in the liturgy, Inc All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner

**Meditations may be freely reprinted and translated into other languages for non-profit use only. Please cite copyright and original source. Copyright 2021 Daily Scripture Readings and Meditation, dailyscripture.net author Don Schwager

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

23rd June >> Mass Readings (USA)

 for

Saturday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

or

Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Saturday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical Colour: Green)

First Reading

2 Chronicles 24:17-25

They murdered Zechariah between the sanctuary and the altar (Matthew 23:35).

After the death of Jehoiada, the princes of Judah came and paid homage to King Joash, and the king then listened to them. They forsook the temple of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and began to serve the sacred poles and the idols; and because of this crime of theirs, wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem. Although prophets were sent to them to convert them to the LORD, the people would not listen to their warnings. Then the Spirit of God possessed Zechariah, son of Jehoiada the priest. He took his stand above the people and said to them: “God says, ‘Why are you transgressing the LORD’s commands, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have abandoned the LORD, he has abandoned you.’” But they conspired against him, and at the king’s order they stoned him to death in the court of the LORD’s temple. Thus King Joash was unmindful of the devotion shown him by Jehoiada, Zechariah’s father, and slew his son. And as Zechariah was dying, he said,“(May the LORD see and avenge.”

   At the turn of the year a force of Arameans came up against Joash. They invaded Judah and Jerusalem, did away with all the princes of the people, and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus. Though the Aramean force came with few men, the LORD surrendered a very large force into their power, because Judah had abandoned the LORD, the God of their fathers. So punishment was meted out to Joash. After the Arameans had departed from him, leaving him in grievous suffering, his servants conspired against him because of the murder of the son of Jehoiada the priest. He was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 89:4-5, 29-30, 31-32, 33-34

R/ For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.

“I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant: Forever will I confirm your posterity and establish your throne for all generations.”

R/ For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.

“Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him, and my covenant with him stands firm.I will make his posterity endure forever and his throne as the days of heaven.”

R/ For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.

“If his sons forsake my law and walk not according to my ordinances, If they violate my statutes and keep not my commands.”

R/ For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.

“I will punish their crime with a rod and their guilt with stripes. Yet my mercy I will not take from him, nor will I belie my faithfulness.”

R/ For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.

Gospel Acclamation

2 Corinthians 8:9

Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus Christ became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich.

Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Matthew 6:24-34

Do not worry about tomorrow.

Jesus said to his disciples: “No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

   “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

————————-

Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary

(Liturgical Colour: White)

First Reading

Genesis 3:9-15, 20

I will put enmity between your offspring and the offspring of the woman.

After the man, Adam, had eaten of the tree, the LORD God called to the man and asked him, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden; but I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself.” Then he asked, “Who told you that you were naked? You have eaten, then, from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!” The man replied, “The woman whom you put here with me– she gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate it.” The LORD God then asked the woman, “Why did you do such a thing?” The woman answered, “The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it.”    Then the LORD God said to the serpent:

“Because you have done this, you shall be banned    from all the animals    and from all the wild creatures;On your belly shall you crawl,    and dirt shall you eat    all the days of your life.I will put enmity between you and the woman,    and between your offspring and hers;He will strike at your head,    while you strike at his heel.”

The man called his wife Eve, because she became the mother of all the living.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

1 Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd

R/ My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

“My heart exults in the LORD, my horn is exalted in my God. I have swallowed up my enemies; I rejoice in my victory.”

R/ My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

“The bows of the mighty are broken, while the tottering gird on strength. The well-fed hire themselves out for bread, while the hungry batten on spoil. The barren wife bears seven sons, while the mother of many languishes.”

R/ My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

“The LORD puts to death and gives life; he casts down to the nether world;    he raises up again. The LORD makes poor and makes rich, he humbles, he also exalts.”

R/ My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

“He raises the needy from the dust; from the dung heap he lifts up the poor, To seat them with nobles and make a glorious throne their heritage.”

R/ My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

Gospel Acclamation

cf. Luke 1:28

Alleluia, alleluia.

Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you;

blessed are you among women.

Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23

For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

  Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse, Jesse the father of David the king.

  David became the father of Solomon, whose mother had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon became the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asaph. Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Uzziah. Uzziah became the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amos, Amos the father of Josiah. Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the Babylonian exile.

  After the Babylonian exile, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.

  Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son,

  and they shall name him Emmanuel,

which means “God is with us.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

[veale2006-blog]

The Truth About Easter and the Secret Worship of the Anunnaki

April 1,2018 Easter is an annual celebration observed throughout the Christian world. However, there are absolutely no verses in the Bible that authorize or endorse the keeping of this tradition.

Further – the Bible does not mention anything about Easter eggs, Easter baskets, Easter bunnies, or even Lent.

Where did the tradition of celebrating Easter originate?

Easter - Anunnaki Connections The name Easter actually comes from Ishtar / Easter who was worshiped as the moon goddess, the goddess of spring and fertility, and the Queen of Heaven. She is known by so many other names in other countries and cultures that she is often referred to as the goddess of one thousand names.

[Inanna is the Sumerian name of Ishtar, and definitely the most important one. Inanna was the granddaughter of Enlil, who in turn was Anu's son. Anu was the highest ranking Anunnaki and his name translated "Great Sky Father". Anu was revered as 'god of the Heavens' and he was the central figure of mankind's first religion. According to the Sumerian tablets, he only visited Earth twice].

The Babylonian Connections (John 8:44, II Corinthians 11:14, 1 Peter 5:8) Ishtar – the Babylonian goddess – is the one for whom Easter is named. Ishtar is but another name for Semiramis – the wife of Nimrod. This post-Flood festival was part of the false religion Mystery Babylon and was started by Nimrod and his wife Semiramis (also known as Ishtar).

They not only instituted the building of the Tower of Babel, they also established themselves as god and goddess to be worshiped by the people of Babylon. They are the co-founders of all the counterfeit religions that have ever existed.

Nimrod was worshiped as the Sun God. He was worshiped in numerous cultures and countries under a variety of names: Samas, Attis, Uti, Merodach/Marduk, Ninus, Bel/Baal, Moloch, Tammuz - the list is virtually endless. [He was also known as Dumuzi by the Sumerians and as RA by the Egyptians, as I have detailed in this article].

Millions of people are unknowingly worshiping and praying to this pagan goddess today. What is her present-day name?

The Babylonians celebrated the day of Ishtar / Easter as the return of the goddess of Spring – the re-birth or reincarnation of Nature and the goddess of Nature. Babylonian legend says that each year a huge egg would fall from heaven and would land in the area around the Euphrates River.

[The pope's ceremonial clothes copy those worn by the ancient priests of Dagon, and not by coincidence. According to the Sumerian tablets, when the Anunnaki god Enki first arrived on Earth, he landed his space ship on water. He later emerged from water wearing his 'scaly fish-suit' (astronaut's suit?). Thousands of years later, the ceremony of the fish god was still celebrated in Akkadia, Assyria and Babylon, by the priests of Dagon... and seemingly it still is today].

In her yearly re-birth, Ishtar would break out of this egg and if any of those celebrating this occasion happened to find her egg, Ishtar would bestow a special blessing on that person. Does this explain the origin of our modern-day tradition of Easter eggs and baskets and Easter egg hunts?

Other pagan rites that were connected with this celebration and which are part of our modern Easter tradition are Easter offerings to the Queen of Heaven (consisting of freshly cut flowers, hot buns decorated with crosses, and star-shaped cakes); new clothes to celebrate this festival (The pagan priests wore new clothes or robes and the Vestal Virgins wore new white dresses or robes and bonnets on their heads.); and sunrise services (to symbolically hasten the yearly arrival of Ishtar’s egg from heaven - the re-incarnation of the spring goddess).

[The Vatican is secretly perpetuating the ancient pagan rituals and the worship of their ancient "gods" - a.k.a. the Anunnaki. The shadow religion of the world's "elite" is Satanism and all the positions of power are occupied by Satanists].

Related: The Vatican City And Rome: Esoteric Beyond Belief;

The Satanic Connections Easter has its origins in the world of the occult. The Occult / Satanic calender is comprised of four periods of 13 weeks each. Occultists believe that numbers contain inherent power, and many base their lives on numerology. Numerology is also a key component of astrology – another system occultists follow closely. Thus the occult calendar is divided into 4 parts of 13 weeks each. Note that 13 x 4 = 52 weeks – our year.

In the occult system, the number 6 = man, the number 7 = divine perfection or god, and the number 13 = rebellion against authority and depravity. So, in the occult or satanic world, the number 13 represents the state of man’s having reached divine perfection, self-achieved perfection, and illumination.

According to 8th century scholar St. Bede (also known as the Venerable Bede / Bede, the Venerable), the name Easter is derived from the Scandinavian "Ostra" and the Teutonic "Ostern" or "Eastre" - both of whom were goddesses of mythology and were identified with spring and fertility.

Festivals for these goddesses were celebrated on the first day of the vernal equinox – March 21. Important parts of these pagan celebrations included the rabbit, red eggs, and gifts – all of which represented fertility. Easter is steeped in the Mysteries of ancient Babylon – an evil and idolatrous system.

Related: The Secret Worship of the Illuminati: The Statue of Liberty is Goddess Ishtar/Inanna;

The Satanic Ritual of Sacrificing Children Every year, the priests of Ishtar would impregnate young virgins on an altar dedicated to herself and her husband*. The children were born on Christmas (!!!), and the next year they were sacrificed in the Easter's Sunday at the sunrise service. The priests would take Ishtar's eggs and dye them in the blood of the sacrificed children.

*Inanna's husband was none other that the infamous god Moloch or Melekh, to whom children were - and still are - sacrificed in Satanic rituals. Satanism is the religious worship of the Anunnaki, and the human and animal sacrifices were/are part of the rituals.

If you're finding it hard to believe, then here is an excerpt of the Encyclopaedia Judaica, which identifies Ishtar/Inanna and her husband as the gods to whom children were sacrificed:

   "(...) The identification of Hadad-Baal with Moloch provides the background to Jeremiah 32:35, which fulminates against the bamot-altars of Baal in the valley of Ben-Hinnom where male and female children were burnt to Moloch, i.e., Baal-Hadad. Furthermore, a series of Assyrian-Aramean documents analyzed by K. Deller showed that Adadmilki or Adadšarru ("Adad the king") was actually the god to whom children, sometimes firstborn, were burned (see below).

   "The Assyrian material sheds new light on II Kings 17 where Adadmelech (to be read instead of Adrammelech) is the god to whom the Sepharvites burn/dedicate their children (verse 31). Adadmelech in this verse stands next to Anammelech who has been correctly related by scholars to Anath who bears the title 'Queen of Heaven,' the standard term for Ishtar in Akkadian (šarrat šamê; cf. Sumerian nin.anna.ak = Inanna). The pair Adad and Ishtar, or the 'king' and the 'queen,' are the ones to whom children are dedicated in the Assyrian-Aramean documents quoted above." - The Cult of Moloch, Jewish Library;

Most of the world's "elite" (active and former Presidents, Prime Ministers, Politicians, Judges, etc. and even Royalty), take part at this annual ritual. Notice the fish-god priests conducting the ritual.

More Inconsistencies Our traditional Good Friday to Sunday celebration however only accounts for Jesus’ being in the heart of the earth for two nights and one day. Were the facts of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection purposely distorted? Learn who is not telling the truth -- and why!

There are absolutely no verses anywhere in the Bible that authorize or endorse the keeping of an Easter celebration. Further, the Bible says nothing about the practice of observing Lent, dying Easter eggs, having Easter egg hunts, baskets of candy, bonnets – and so on. Easter has long been known to be a pagan festival. America’s founders knew this.

In the children’s book Easter Parade: Welcome Sweet Spring Time (pp 4-5) Steve Englehaty states:

   “When the puritans came to North America, they regarded the celebration of Easter – and the celebration of Christmas with suspicion. They knew that pagans had celebrated the return of spring long before Christians celebrated Easter. (...) For the first 200 years of European life in North America, only a few states - mostly in the South - paid much attention to Easter.

   “Not until after the Civil War did Americans begin celebrating this holiday... Easter first became an American tradition in the 1870’s... The original 13 colonies of America began as a Christian nation, with the cry of ‘No king but King Jesus’. The nation did not observe Easter within an entire century of its founding.”  

Most people accept traditions as fact because they have been part of our culture for so long.

Unfortunately, most of these traditions are dark and gory Satanic rituals.

Trust me, I am just as disgusted as you are (or should be), but the truth must be known.

Check out these videos: Easter Celebrates Killing Kids and Sex Gods. CHRISTIANS WATCH THIS! Michael Rood Interview. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3HpuZvNASU

Origin of Easter/Ishtar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzQslWHOqgE

Get Rid of Easter! (Pagan origins of Easter and Christmas Exposed) Part 1 of 8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EUAMyTYwno

Get Rid of Easter! (Pagan origins of Easter and Christmas Exposed) Part 2 of 8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnepcFOZY0M

Get Rid of Easter! (Pagan origins of Easter and Christmas Exposed) Part 3 of 8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kZtsskWP7Y

Get Rid of Easter! (Pagan origins of Easter and Christmas Exposed) Part 4 of 8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aNpq1MWB04

Get Rid of Easter! (Pagan origins of Easter and Christmas Exposed) Part 5 of 8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rwFkYFwJTs

Get Rid of Easter! (Pagan origins of Easter and Christmas Exposed) Part 6 of 8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esLKjcnAB6w

Get Rid of Easter! (Pagan origins of Easter and Christmas Exposed) Part 7 of 8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3GhJkPdLKM

Get Rid of Easter! (Pagan origins of Easter and Christmas Exposed) Part 8 of 8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpHKrtb-H4E

Have a blessed day and weekend. May Yeshua the Messiah bless you, Love, Debbie

[syriacorthodox]

October 16th is the commemoration of the dukhrono of St. Bartholomew the Apostle according to the Liturgical Calendar of the Syriac Orthodox Church. Mor Bartolmai Sleeho was born in the town of Kothine in Galilee. Bartholomew is also known as Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee. The Apostle Philip was a friend of Nathaniel. They were both awaiting the coming of the Messiah. It was at this time Jesus found Philip & asked him to follow Him (John 1:43). It was not accidental that he informed the matter to Nathaniel. “We have found him, of whom Moses in the Law & prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph” (John 1:45). The traditional belief of the Jews was that nothing good came out of Nazareth because there is no reference to Nazareth in the Old Testament. Philip asked Nathaniel ‘to come & see’ Jesus. The meeting between Jesus & Nathaniel caused the completion of faith & the anticipated waiting (John 1: 47 – 51). After Pentecost, Bartholomew preached in Yemen, Arabia, Asia Minor & Parthia in modern Iran. He was to be crucified with Philip in Hierapolis, Turkey but they were saved by an earthquake. He escaped to Greater Armenia. Later he reached Lycaonia near Caspian Sea. This place was known as Albanopolis or Urbanopolis (Derband, on the west coast of the Caspian Sea). Today it is known by the name Azerbaijan & lies partly in Iran & partly in the former Soviet Union. While he was travelling in Azerbaijan, Astyages the ruler captured him under the influence of the pagans. He was flayed alive & crucified upside down. Thus St. Bartholomew the Apostle attained the crown of martyrdom. St. Bartholomew is one of the patron saints of Armenia. Biography courtesy of, 'Martyrs, Saints and Prelates of the Syriac Orthodox Church' Oh Mor Bartolmai Sleeho! Plead for us before God's throne of grace. Amen. #syriacorthodox #syriacorthodoxchurch #syrianorthodox #syrianorthodoxchurch #syriac #orthodox #patriarch #antioch #malankara #jacobite #knanaya #suryoyo #suryoye #aramean #christian #jesus #church #bible #orientalorthodox #fathers #apostle #saint #assyrian

[dailychapel]

You are my rock, and I run to you today, believing that you will lift up my heavy arms, that you will fuel me for the tasks you've given me, and that your joy will completely consume the weakness of my life and make me strong again. I don't want to stay grounded, crippled by limitations and failed attempts. I'm tired of feeble efforts. Lord, I want to mount up with wings like an eagle and not just fly. I want to soar.

Renew my strength, Lord. Fill me with your supernatural power to overcome each obstacle in my path. With my eyes on you, Lord, with you walking beside me, working through me, I can make it. Thank you, Lord!

In Jesus's name, Amen

[Psa 64:1-10 NLT] 1 For the choir director: A psalm of David. O God, listen to my complaint. Protect my life from my enemies' threats. 2 Hide me from the plots of this evil mob, from this gang of wrongdoers. 3 They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their bitter words like arrows. 4 They shoot from ambush at the innocent, attacking suddenly and fearlessly. 5 They encourage each other to do evil and plan how to set their traps in secret. "Who will ever notice?" they ask. 6 As they plot their crimes, they say, "We have devised the perfect plan!" Yes, the human heart and mind are cunning. 7 But God himself will shoot them with his arrows, suddenly striking them down. 8 Their own tongues will ruin them, and all who see them will shake their heads in scorn. 9 Then everyone will be afraid; they will proclaim the mighty acts of God and realize all the amazing things he does. 10 The godly will rejoice in the LORD and find shelter in him. And those who do what is right will praise him.

[Deu 26:1-11 NLT] 1 "When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you as a special possession and you have conquered it and settled there, 2 put some of the first produce from each crop you harvest into a basket and bring it to the designated place of worship--the place the LORD your God chooses for his name to be honored. 3 Go to the priest in charge at that time and say to him, 'With this gift I acknowledge to the LORD your God that I have entered the land he swore to our ancestors he would give us.' 4 The priest will then take the basket from your hand and set it before the altar of the LORD your God. 5 "You must then say in the presence of the LORD your God, 'My ancestor Jacob was a wandering Aramean who went to live as a foreigner in Egypt. His family arrived few in number, but in Egypt they became a large and mighty nation. 6 When the Egyptians oppressed and humiliated us by making us their slaves, 7 we cried out to the LORD, the God of our ancestors. He heard our cries and saw our hardship, toil, and oppression. 8 So the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand and powerful arm, with overwhelming terror, and with miraculous signs and wonders. 9 He brought us to this place and gave us this land flowing with milk and honey! 10 And now, O LORD, I have brought you the first portion of the harvest you have given me from the ground.' Then place the produce before the LORD your God, and bow to the ground in worship before him. 11 Afterward you may go and celebrate because of all the good things the LORD your God has given to you and your household. Remember to include the Levites and the foreigners living among you in the celebration.

[Act 7:30-43 NLT] 30 "Forty years later, in the desert near Mount Sinai, an angel appeared to Moses in the flame of a burning bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight. As he went to take a closer look, the voice of the LORD called out to him, 32 'I am the God of your ancestors--the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.' Moses shook with terror and did not dare to look. 33 "Then the LORD said to him, 'Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. 34 I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groans and have come down to rescue them. Now go, for I am sending you back to Egypt.' 35 "So God sent back the same man his people had previously rejected when they demanded, 'Who made you a ruler and judge over us?' Through the angel who appeared to him in the burning bush, God sent Moses to be their ruler and savior. 36 And by means of many wonders and miraculous signs, he led them out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, and through the wilderness for forty years. 37 "Moses himself told the people of Israel, 'God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your own people.' 38 Moses was with our ancestors, the assembly of God's people in the wilderness, when the angel spoke to him at Mount Sinai. And there Moses received life-giving words to pass on to us. 39 "But our ancestors refused to listen to Moses. They rejected him and wanted to return to Egypt. 40 They told Aaron, 'Make us some gods who can lead us, for we don't know what has become of this Moses, who brought us out of Egypt.' 41 So they made an idol shaped like a calf, and they sacrificed to it and celebrated over this thing they had made. 42 Then God turned away from them and abandoned them to serve the stars of heaven as their gods! In the book of the prophets it is written, 'Was it to me you were bringing sacrifices and offerings during those forty years in the wilderness, Israel? 43 No, you carried your pagan gods--the shrine of Molech, the star of your god Rephan, and the images you made to worship them. So I will send you into exile as far away as Babylon.'

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

Lord Jesus Christ, send us out with confidence in your word, to tell the world of your saving acts, and bring glory to your name. Amen.

[tsalmu]

Bronze statue of Baal Hadad Ugarit, Syria c. 1200 BCE Source: The Louvre

[catolinewsdailyreadings]

Saturday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

Readings of Saturday, June 18, 2022

Reading 1

2 CHR 24:17-25

After the death of Jehoiada, the princes of Judah came and paid homage to King Joash, and the king then listened to them. They forsook the temple of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and began to serve the sacred poles and the idols; and because of this crime of theirs, wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem. Although prophets were sent to them to convert them to the LORD, the people would not listen to their warnings. Then the Spirit of God possessed Zechariah, son of Jehoiada the priest. He took his stand above the people and said to them: "God says, 'Why are you transgressing the LORD's commands, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have abandoned the LORD, he has abandoned you.'" But they conspired against him, and at the king's order they stoned him to death in the court of the LORD's temple. Thus King Joash was unmindful of the devotion shown him by Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, and slew his son. And as Zechariah was dying, he said, "May the LORD see and avenge." At the turn of the year a force of Arameans came up against Joash. They invaded Judah and Jerusalem, did away with all the princes of the people, and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus. Though the Aramean force came with few men, the LORD surrendered a very large force into their power, because Judah had abandoned the LORD, the God of their fathers. So punishment was meted out to Joash. After the Arameans had departed from him, leaving him in grievous suffering, his servants conspired against him because of the murder of the son of Jehoiada the priest. He was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

Responsorial Psalm

PS 89:4-5, 29-30, 31-32, 33-34

R./ For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.

"I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant: Forever will I confirm your posterity and establish your throne for all generations." R./ For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.

"Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him, and my covenant with him stands firm. I will make his posterity endure forever and his throne as the days of heaven." R./ For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.

"If his sons forsake my law and walk not according to my ordinances, If they violate my statutes and keep not my commands." R./ For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.

"I will punish their crime with a rod and their guilt with stripes. Yet my mercy I will not take from him, nor will I belie my faithfulness." R./ For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.

Gospel

MT 6:24-34

Jesus said to his disciples: "No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? So do not worry and say, 'What are we to eat?' or 'What are we to drink?' or 'What are we to wear?' All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil."

[dailyofficereadings]

Daily Office Readings September 24, 2019

Psalm 78

Psalm 78

God’s Goodness and Israel’s Ingratitude

A Maskil of Asaph.

1 Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. 2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, 3 things that we have heard and known, that our ancestors have told us. 4 We will not hide them from their children; we will tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.

5 He established a decree in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach to their children; 6 that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and rise up and tell them to their children, 7 so that they should set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; 8 and that they should not be like their ancestors, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

9 The Ephraimites, armed with[a] the bow, turned back on the day of battle. 10 They did not keep God’s covenant, but refused to walk according to his law. 11 They forgot what he had done, and the miracles that he had shown them. 12 In the sight of their ancestors he worked marvels in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan. 13 He divided the sea and let them pass through it, and made the waters stand like a heap. 14 In the daytime he led them with a cloud, and all night long with a fiery light. 15 He split rocks open in the wilderness, and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep. 16 He made streams come out of the rock, and caused waters to flow down like rivers.

17 Yet they sinned still more against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert. 18 They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved. 19 They spoke against God, saying, “Can God spread a table in the wilderness? 20 Even though he struck the rock so that water gushed out and torrents overflowed, can he also give bread, or provide meat for his people?”

21 Therefore, when the Lord heard, he was full of rage; a fire was kindled against Jacob, his anger mounted against Israel, 22 because they had no faith in God, and did not trust his saving power. 23 Yet he commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven; 24 he rained down on them manna to eat, and gave them the grain of heaven. 25 Mortals ate of the bread of angels; he sent them food in abundance. 26 He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens, and by his power he led out the south wind; 27 he rained flesh upon them like dust, winged birds like the sand of the seas; 28 he let them fall within their camp, all around their dwellings. 29 And they ate and were well filled, for he gave them what they craved. 30 But before they had satisfied their craving, while the food was still in their mouths, 31 the anger of God rose against them and he killed the strongest of them, and laid low the flower of Israel.

32 In spite of all this they still sinned; they did not believe in his wonders. 33 So he made their days vanish like a breath, and their years in terror. 34 When he killed them, they sought for him; they repented and sought God earnestly. 35 They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer. 36 But they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues. 37 Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not true to his covenant. 38 Yet he, being compassionate, forgave their iniquity, and did not destroy them; often he restrained his anger, and did not stir up all his wrath. 39 He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes and does not come again. 40 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved him in the desert! 41 They tested God again and again, and provoked the Holy One of Israel. 42 They did not keep in mind his power, or the day when he redeemed them from the foe; 43 when he displayed his signs in Egypt, and his miracles in the fields of Zoan. 44 He turned their rivers to blood, so that they could not drink of their streams. 45 He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them, and frogs, which destroyed them. 46 He gave their crops to the caterpillar, and the fruit of their labor to the locust. 47 He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycamores with frost. 48 He gave over their cattle to the hail, and their flocks to thunderbolts. 49 He let loose on them his fierce anger, wrath, indignation, and distress, a company of destroying angels. 50 He made a path for his anger; he did not spare them from death, but gave their lives over to the plague. 51 He struck all the firstborn in Egypt, the first issue of their strength in the tents of Ham. 52 Then he led out his people like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. 53 He led them in safety, so that they were not afraid; but the sea overwhelmed their enemies. 54 And he brought them to his holy hill, to the mountain that his right hand had won. 55 He drove out nations before them; he apportioned them for a possession and settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.

56 Yet they tested the Most High God, and rebelled against him. They did not observe his decrees, 57 but turned away and were faithless like their ancestors; they twisted like a treacherous bow. 58 For they provoked him to anger with their high places; they moved him to jealousy with their idols. 59 When God heard, he was full of wrath, and he utterly rejected Israel. 60 He abandoned his dwelling at Shiloh, the tent where he dwelt among mortals, 61 and delivered his power to captivity, his glory to the hand of the foe. 62 He gave his people to the sword, and vented his wrath on his heritage. 63 Fire devoured their young men, and their girls had no marriage song. 64 Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows made no lamentation. 65 Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, like a warrior shouting because of wine. 66 He put his adversaries to rout; he put them to everlasting disgrace.

67 He rejected the tent of Joseph, he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim; 68 but he chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which he loves. 69 He built his sanctuary like the high heavens, like the earth, which he has founded forever. 70 He chose his servant David, and took him from the sheepfolds; 71 from tending the nursing ewes he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel, his inheritance. 72 With upright heart he tended them, and guided them with skillful hand.

Footnotes:

Psalm 78:9 Heb armed with shooting

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

2 Kings 5:19-27

19 He said to him, “Go in peace.”

Gehazi’s Greed

But when Naaman had gone from him a short distance, 20 Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, thought, “My master has let that Aramean Naaman off too lightly by not accepting from him what he offered. As the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something out of him.” 21 So Gehazi went after Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he jumped down from the chariot to meet him and said, “Is everything all right?” 22 He replied, “Yes, but my master has sent me to say, ‘Two members of a company of prophets[a] have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim; please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.’” 23 Naaman said, “Please accept two talents.” He urged him, and tied up two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing, and gave them to two of his servants, who carried them in front of Gehazi.[b] 24 When he came to the citadel, he took the bags[c] from them, and stored them inside; he dismissed the men, and they left.

25 He went in and stood before his master; and Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” He answered, “Your servant has not gone anywhere at all.” 26 But he said to him, “Did I not go with you in spirit when someone left his chariot to meet you? Is this a time to accept money and to accept clothing, olive orchards and vineyards, sheep and oxen, and male and female slaves? 27 Therefore the leprosy[d] of Naaman shall cling to you, and to your descendants forever.” So he left his presence leprous,[e] as white as snow.

Footnotes:

2 Kings 5:22 Heb sons of the prophets

2 Kings 5:23 Heb him

2 Kings 5:24 Heb lacks the bags

2 Kings 5:27 A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

2 Kings 5:27 A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

1 Corinthians 5:1-8

Sexual Immorality Defiles the Church

5 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not found even among pagans; for a man is living with his father’s wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Should you not rather have mourned, so that he who has done this would have been removed from among you?

3 For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present I have already pronounced judgment 4 in the name of the Lord Jesus on the man who has done such a thing.[a] When you are assembled, and my spirit is present with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 you are to hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.[b]

6 Your boasting is not a good thing. Do you not know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? 7 Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch, as you really are unleavened. For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore, let us celebrate the festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Footnotes:

1 Corinthians 5:4 Or on the man who has done such a thing in the name of the Lord Jesus

1 Corinthians 5:5 Other ancient authorities add Jesus

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Matthew 5:27-37

Concerning Adultery

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.[a] 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell.[b]

Concerning Divorce

31 “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Concerning Oaths

33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.’ 34 But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one.[c]

Footnotes:

Matthew 5:29 Gk Gehenna

Matthew 5:30 Gk Gehenna

Matthew 5:37 Or evil

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

[the-christian-walk]

HIS NAME IS THE LORD

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com. In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

 “The Lord, the Lord Almighty—He touches the earth and it melts, and all who live in it mourn; the whole land rises like the Nile, then sinks like the river of Egypt; He builds His lofty palace in the heavens and sets its foundation on the earth; He calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the land—the Lord is his name.”

 “Are not you Israelites the same to me as the Cushites?” declares the Lord. “Did I not bring Israel up from Egypt, the Philistines from Caphtor and the Arameans from Kir?”

 “Surely the eyes of the Sovereign Lord are on the sinful kingdom. I will destroy it from the face of the earth. Yet I will not totally destroy the descendants of Jacob,” declares the Lord. “For I will give the command, and I will shake the people of Israel among all the nations as grain is shaken in a sieve, and not a pebble will reach the ground. All the sinners among my people will die by the sword, all those who say, ‘Disaster will not overtake or meet us.’”

 Amos 9:5-10

 This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

 As we go through life, I think we tend to forget about all the power that God possesses power that could either be brought to bear to defend and save us or leveraged against us in judgment. We seem to go through the motions each day, immersed in the glory and majesty of God’s creation, yet overlook or take for granted the clout of the Great Creator.

 It’s almost as if God thought we might go through periods of oversight because He gives us great passages in the Bible to serve as reminders as to who He is as well as what He has done and still can do. One such passage is at the heart of today’s devotion as we start to bring the Book of Amos to a close. Look again at the words from this book’s final chapter:

 “The Lord, the Lord Almighty—He touches the earth and it melts, and all who live in it mourn; the whole land rises like the Nile, then sinks like the river of Egypt; He builds His lofty palace in the heavens and sets its foundation on the earth; He calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the land—the Lord is his name.”

 “Are not you Israelites the same to me as the Cushites?” declares the Lord. “Did I not bring Israel up from Egypt, the Philistines from Caphtor and the Arameans from Kir?”

 “Surely the eyes of the Sovereign Lord are on the sinful kingdom. I will destroy it from the face of the earth. Yet I will not totally destroy the descendants of Jacob,” declares the Lord. “For I will give the command, and I will shake the people of Israel among all the nations as grain is shaken in a sieve, and not a pebble will reach the ground. All the sinners among my people will die by the sword, all those who say, ‘Disaster will not overtake or meet us.’” Amos 9:5-10

Why do I say that I think people tend to forget about the Lord’s incredible strength and might?

 Because who in their right mind would sin against Him if they truly remembered that He could touch the earth and melt it, cause the rivers to rise like the Nile which would rise as much as 25 feet at its flood stages every year, build a lofty, majestic palace in the heavens and set the foundation on the earth, or pours the waters of the sea over the face of the land.

 Who else can do such things?

 We’re told in the passage. His name is the Lord, the Lord God Almighty.

 So if the Lord can melt the earth, command the seas, and build heavenly dwellings, how in the world can anyone stand against Him?

 The answer is no one and yet the people of Israel decided to take on this omnipotent God, choosing to sin at will and worship false gods and idols in His plain sight. Once they had been His chosen people, set apart from all other nations but in the midst of their transgressions and blatant disrespect and disregard for the Lord, they had become no better that the pagan peoples around them, the Cushites, Philistines, and the Arameans.

 Indeed, the eyes of the Almighty, Sovereign Lord were fixed on the Israelites and ready to aim His judgment on them. He said so Himself, that He was going to destroy His people from the face of the earth. He promised to “give the command” and shake the Israelites “among all the nations” just as “grain is shaken in a sieve”, and as we know He did just that, ensuring the Israelites were hauled away from their homeland to live in foreign territories. The sinners, those who believed that no disaster could come upon them, would perish by the sword and see just how lethal it would be to take such a bold stance against the One who hated their iniquities, the One whose name was the Lord.

 Friends, this Lord who possessed the power to do all things in the day of Amos the prophet is the same Lord we serve today. He is still the Lord who can melt the earth and cause the waters to rise and fall. He is still living in the lofty palace He constructed in the heavens and that palace still has its foundation in the earth. He is still the Lord who expects His people to live in righteousness, to be set apart from the world and living in His holiness. And He is the same Lord who despises sin and will bring consequences on anyone who chooses wickedness in life, leveraging His power against the transgressor.

 In the end translation, God is God, the King of kings, and the Maker and Master of all things. He has no rival and no equal. No one can stand against Him.

 His name is the Lord and it’s high time every person in creation respect His power and authority.

 Or else.

 Amen.

 In Christ,

Mark PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com

[tsalmu]

Stele of Baalshamin - Zeus Kyrios Dura-Europos, aka Dura, Syria c. 31 CE Source: The Pantheon of Palmyra by Javier Teixidor, 1979

[tsalmu]

Phoenician Bowl with encircling Serpent Bernardini Tomb (Palestrina, Italy) c. 700 BCE The National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia Rome, Italy

[tsalmu]

El, Father of the Gods, and the King of Ugarit

Ugarit, Syria

13th century BCE

Top: Image from cover of "Stories from Ancient Canaan" by Michael David Coogan, 1978

Bottom: Ancient Near Eastern Pictures Relating to the Old Testament

James Pritchard, 1969