To the End of the Earth, Wars?--June 26, 2022

[From June 28, 2020 archive]

 

Amorites laid waste to Moabites

with fire until all of them perished;

then the Israelites killed the Amorites

(and the Bashanites for good measure).

 

O God of our Lord Jesus Christ,

 

have we learned nothing since then?

Do we still not know who you are, 

or how to be still before you,

or of your power to heal?

 

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 67; 150; 46; 93

Numb. 21:4-9, 21-35

Acts 17:12-21, 17:23-24

Luke 13:10-17

 

Selected Verses 

Ps. 46:9-10

[The LORD] makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
          he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear;
          he burns the shields with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God!
          I am exalted among the nations,
          I am exalted in the earth.”

 

Num 21:29-30

“…Woe to you, O Moab!  You are undone, O people of Chemosh!  He has made his sons fugitives, and his daughters captives, to an Amorite king, Sihon.  So their posterity perished from Heshbon to Dibon, and we laid waste until fire spread to Medeba.  …”  [Amorite ballad singers]

 

Acts 17:23

“…For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’  What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.  …”  [Paul, to the Athenians]

 

Luke 13:13

When [Jesus] laid his hands on [the woman crippled for 18 years], immediately she stood up straight and began praising God.