my burg

Bible reading for Nov 10 -- 11 Nov 10 -- Joel 2 and Psalm 142 Nov 11 -- Joel 3 and Psalm 143  ================   "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit. " (Joel 2:28-29)   REPENTANCE, AND OUTPOURING OF THE SPIRIT (ch 2). The pestilence is like the invasion of a mighty locust army (vv 1-11; cf Rev 9). Hosea calls for repentance from the people -- all people and all ages (vv 12-17). The Lord promises restoration (vv 18-27), and the coming age (the church age and beyond) would be marked by the Holy Spirit indwelling all believers, not just kings and prophets (vv 28-32; cf Acts 2). Following this outpouring would be another Day of the Lord, the final one, "great and awesome" (v 31; cf Matt 24; 1 Thess 5:2-3). And in preparation for that...

  Bible reading for September 29 -- 30 Sept 29 -- Ezekiel 32 and Psalm 80 Sept 30 -- Ezekiel 33 and Psalms 81-82 ================   "Son of man, wail over the multitude of Egypt, and send them down, her and the daughters of majestic nations, to the world below, to those who have gone down to the pit: 'Whom do you surpass in beauty? Go down and be laid to rest with the uncircumcised.'" (Ezekiel 32:18-19) ONCE MAJESTIC NATIONS (ch 32). As I am writing this, workers in our backyard are taking down a large tree, a beautiful ash, which has been dying from the emerald ash borer infestation. In the Bible empires and kingdoms are compared to large trees which provide beauty, shade, food, and shelter for God's creatures (cf 17:23). But these same trees can become proud, diseased, weak, and rotten, and so must be taken down. The previous chapter contains a lament for the mighty empire of Egypt. With irony (and personification) it is written that the trees of Eden "e...