Day 1 (Monday)
4 Kingdoms 23:31-37; 24:1-20; 25:1-21 (Last Kings of Judah)
Last time, we saw the reforming work of Josiah, the last righteous king of Judah, in which he finally overthrew the altars at Bethel which Jeroboam had built for the perverted worship of Yahweh, the God of Israel, in which he made golden calves at Bethel and at Dan, and told Israel that they were the god that had brought the people out of Egypt. This was, of course, a repetition of the great sin with the golden calf at Mount Sinai long before, and was the beginning of the path to the destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel. This time, however, we will see Josiah’s sons and grandsons utterly fail to follow his example, and will see the southern kingdom of Judah carried off into captivity in its turn.
Reign and Captivity of Jehoahaz, Reign of Jehoiakim
31 Jeho′ahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamu′tal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 32 And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done. [Pharaoh Neco removed him and replaced him with his brother Jehoiakim.] 36 Jehoi′akim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zebi′dah the daughter of Pedai′ah of Rumah. 37 And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done. … Chapter 24 In his days Nebuchadnez′zar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoi′akim became his servant three years; then he turned and rebelled against him.
2 And the Lord sent against him bands of the Chalde′ans, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the Ammonites, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the Lord which he spoke by his servants the prophets. 3 Surely this came upon Judah at the command of the Lord, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manas′seh, according to all that he had done, 4 and also for the innocent blood that he had shed; for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the Lord would not pardon. …
6 So Jehoi′akim slept with his fathers, and Jehoi′achin his son reigned in his stead. … 8 Jehoi′achin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Nehush′ta the daughter of Elna′than of Jerusalem. 9 And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father had done.
Capture of Jerusalem
10 At that time the servants of Nebuchadnez′zar king of Babylon came up to Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. 11 And Nebuchadnez′zar king of Babylon came to the city, while his servants were besieging it; 12 and Jehoi′achin the king of Judah gave himself up to the king of Babylon, himself, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his palace officials. The king of Babylon took him prisoner in the eighth year of his reign, 13 and carried off all the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king’s house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold in the temple of the Lord, which Solomon king of Israel had made, as the Lord had foretold.
14 He carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valor, ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and the smiths; none remained, except the poorest people of the land. 15 And he carried away Jehoi′achin to Babylon; the king’s mother, the king’s wives, his officials, and the chief men of the land, he took into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon. 16 And the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon all the men of valor, seven thousand, and the craftsmen and the smiths, one thousand, all of them strong and fit for war. 17 And the king of Babylon made Mattani′ah, Jehoi′achin’s uncle, king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedeki′ah.
Zedekiah Reigns over Judah
18 Zedeki′ah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamu′tal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 19 And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that Jehoi′akim had done. 20 For because of the anger of the Lord it came to the point in Jerusalem and Judah that he cast them out from his presence.
The Fall and Captivity of Judah
And Zedeki′ah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
25 1 And in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnez′zar king of Babylon came with all his army against Jerusalem, and laid siege to it; and they built siegeworks against it round about. 2 So the city was besieged till the eleventh year of King Zedeki′ah. 3 On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine was so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land.
4 Then a breach was made in the city; the king with all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, by the king’s garden, though the Chalde′ans were around the city. And they went in the direction of the Arabah. 5 But the army of the Chalde′ans pursued the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him. 6 Then they captured the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, who passed sentence upon him. 7 They slew the sons of Zedeki′ah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedeki′ah, and bound him in fetters, and took him to Babylon.
8 In the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month—which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnez′zar, king of Babylon—Nebu′zarad′an, the captain of the bodyguard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 9 And he burned the house of the Lord, and the king’s house and all the houses of Jerusalem; every great house he burned down. 10 And all the army of the Chalde′ans, who were with the captain of the guard, broke down the walls around Jerusalem. 11 And the rest of the people who were left in the city and the deserters who had deserted to the king of Babylon, together with the rest of the multitude, Nebu′zarad′an the captain of the guard carried into exile. 12 But the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and plowmen.
13 And the pillars of bronze that were in the house of the Lord, and the stands and the bronze sea that were in the house of the Lord, the Chalde′ans broke in pieces, and carried the bronze to Babylon. 14 And they took away the pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the dishes for incense and all the vessels of bronze used in the temple service, 15 the firepans also, and the bowls. What was of gold the captain of the guard took away as gold, and what was of silver, as silver. 16 As for the two pillars, the one sea, and the stands, which Solomon had made for the house of the Lord, the bronze of all these vessels was beyond weight. 17 The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and upon it was a capital of bronze; the height of the capital was three cubits; a network and pomegranates, all of bronze, were upon the capital round about. And the second pillar had the like, with the network.
18 And the captain of the guard took Serai′ah the chief priest, and Zephani′ah the second priest, and the three keepers of the threshold; 19 and from the city he took an officer who had been in command of the men of war, and five men of the king’s council who were found in the city; and the secretary of the commander of the army who mustered the people of the land; and sixty men of the people of the land who were found in the city. 20 And Nebu′zarad′an the captain of the guard took them, and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 21 And the king of Babylon smote them, and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was taken into exile out of its land.
Reading 17 – 1366 words
Discussion questions:
1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should note how this account specifies how all the things that Solomon had established in the Temple are taken away by the Chaldeans. This is the end to which all of Solomon’s prayers that God would protect and preserve the house that he had built for the name of the Lord, because Solomon and his descendants were not, in fact, faithful to the Lord. This is not, of course, the end of the story of God’s people. They will return from exile and rebuild the Temple, and there is a whole additional story that is found in the books of Maccabees about how they sought to restore faithfulness, but nonetheless, far too many of the people of God followed after other gods for the 400 years between the return from exile and the Lord’s Incarnation. But this destruction of the Temple and the leading away into captivity is an inflection point in the history of God’s people and their relationship with Him, a clear confirmation that God is not bound to a particular building or place, because He is the True God, the God above all gods, and those who are called by His Name must be actually faithful to Him, or He will give them over to the evils that they have chosen instead of Him.)
2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?
3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?
4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )
5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?
Day 2 (Wednesday)
Feast of the Transfiguration
Over these summer months we have been reading sermons from St. Gregory the Theologian. In these final weeks of August, since we celebrate two great feasts of the Church earlier in the month, we will take the final two weeks of this year to reflect on some elements of the services for the feast of Transfiguration (August 6th) and Koimisis (August 15th). For the Feast of Transfiguration, we should note that, in addition to the hymns we select here, the three readings that are read in the Church during the Great Vespers service are all central texts of the Christian Faith, as Moses encounters God face to face on Mount Sinai in the book of Exodus, and as Elijah has a similar encounter on Mount Horeb, when God was not in the wind or the earthquake or the fire, but in the still small voice. These readings were selected because they showed us the previous times that Moses and Elijah had met the Lord on the mountain, and how those meetings were fulfilled when He was transfigured and revealed His glory to them and to His disciples on Mount Tabor. The hymns will make frequent reference to these realities.
Feast of Transfiguration
Kekragaria Doxastikon
Prefiguring Your Resurrection, O Christ God, You took Your three Disciples with You, Peter, James, and John, and You went up Mount Tabor. As You were transfigured, O Savior, Mount Tabor was covered in light. O Logos, Your Disciples threw themselves to the ground, unable to look at the form which no one can see. Angels served with fear and trembling, the heavens were in awe, and the earth shuddered; for they saw here on earth the Lord of glory.
Idiomelon 2 of the Vespers Aposticha
When David, that ancestor of God, foresaw in the Spirit a long time ago that You, the Only-begotten Son, would visit mankind in the flesh, he invited all creation to celebrate. And he cried out prophetically, “Tabor and Hermon shall greatly rejoice in Your name.” And now, O Savior, as You mount that Mountain with Your Disciples, and as You are transfigured there, You have made our nature that was darkened in Adam to shine brightly again, transforming it into the glory and radiance of Your Divinity. Therefore we cry out to You: O Creator of all, glory to You, O Lord.
Hymn 3 from the 4th Ode of the 1st Canon
Those with whom You spoke in days of old in fiery clouds, darkness, and the slightest breeze, stood before You like servants, Christ our Master, and talked with You: Glory to Your power, O Lord!
Hymn 1 from the 4th Ode of the 2nd Canon
Lightning flashes of divinity proceeded from Your flesh: Therefore the chosen prophets and apostles sang and cried aloud: Glory to Your power, O Lord!
Hymn 2 from the 4th Ode of the 2nd Canon
Master, You preserved the bush unharmed, although it was united to the fire, and You revealed Your flesh shining with divine brightness to Moses who sang and cried aloud: Glory to Your power, O Lord!
Hymn 3 from the 4th Ode of the 2nd Canon
The visible sun was eclipsed by the rays of Your divinity when it saw You transfigured on Mount Tabor, my Jesus. Glory to Your power, O Lord!
Hymn 4 from the 4th Ode of the 2nd Canon
You were revealed as an immaterial fire not burning the material substance of the body, when You appeared to Moses, the apostles, and Elijah, Master: You are One in two perfect natures.
Kontakion of the Feast
Upon the mountain were You transfigured, and Your disciples beheld Your glory as far as they were able, O Christ our God; so that when they would see You crucified they might understand that Your Passion was deliberate, and declare to the world that in truth You are the Father’s radiance.
Second Hymn of the Ainoi
O God the Word, who exist before the ages, * who cover yourself with light as with a garment, O Lord, * with Your Disciples as witnesses You were transfigured, * O Logos, shining more brightly than the sun. * Moses and Elias stood by You betokening * that You are truly the Lord of both the dead and living; * and they gave glory to Your ineffable * plan of salvation by becoming man, * whereby You in Your mercy have saved the world, * in Your great condescension, * for it was perishing because of sin.
Discussion questions:
1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should note how the Church understands the Feast of Transfiguration in multiple ways, as bringing together the Old Testament and the New, as showing the Lord’s dominion over the living, the dead, and the saints reigning in glory all together, bringing them before the Transfigured Lord upon the mountain, where His Divinity is revealed to them blazing through the veil of His humanity. The point of this, then, is simultaneously to express the truth of His Incarnation, the fullness of His Divinity and of His Humanity, and also to emphasize who it is that He is saving by means of His Incarnation, the entirety of humanity waiting upon Him from all ages and times.)
2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?
3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?
4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )
5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?
Day 3 (Friday)
Acts 27:39-44, 28:1-16 (Shipwreck on Malta, Paul Arrives at Rome)
Last time we saw St. Paul aboard the ship in its last throes, after being driven before the storm for many days. He assured them that, if they trusted the Lord, not one of them would die, and then they ate a meal and threw the remainder of the provisions overboard, in preparation for what Paul had told them would be coming. This time, we will see the wreck of the ship, and the fulfillment of God’s promise to these people through Paul.
The Shipwreck
39 In the morning they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach, on which they planned to run the ship ashore, if they could. 40 So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea. At the same time they loosened the ropes that tied the steering-oars; then hoisting the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach. 41 But striking a reef, they ran the ship aground; the bow stuck and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the force of the waves.
42 The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, so that none might swim away and escape; 43 but the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and make for the land, 44 and the rest to follow, some on planks and others on pieces of the ship. And so it was that all were brought safely to land.
Paul on the Island of Malta
28 After we had reached safety, we then learned that the island was called Malta. 2 The natives showed us unusual kindness. Since it had begun to rain and was cold, they kindled a fire and welcomed all of us around it. 3 Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood and was putting it on the fire, when a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand.
4 When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “This man must be a murderer; though he has escaped from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. 6 They were expecting him to swell up or drop dead, but after they had waited a long time and saw that nothing unusual had happened to him, they changed their minds and began to say that he was a god.
7 Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. 8 It so happened that the father of Publius lay sick in bed with fever and dysentery. Paul visited him and cured him by praying and putting his hands on him. 9 After this happened, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. 10 They bestowed many honors on us, and when we were about to sail, they put on board all the provisions we needed.
Paul Arrives at Rome
11 Three months later we set sail on a ship that had wintered at the island, an Alexandrian ship with the Twin Brothers as its figurehead. 12 We put in at Syracuse and stayed there for three days; 13 then we weighed anchor and came to Rhegium. After one day there a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. 14 There we found believers and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. 15 The believers from there, when they heard of us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage.
16 When we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him.
Reading 51 – 589 words
Discussion questions:
1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should note first how God’s promise to those aboard the ship was fulfilled, and then how Paul shows forth himself the promise of the Lord from Mark 16:17-18, as he “picks up a serpent with his hand…and it does not hurt him.” Then, we see that even on this small island of Malta, Paul is preaching and healing, and many blessings come to the people of the island through him. Then finally, we see that even in southern Italy and its towns, there are Faithful, followers of the Lord, who give hospitality to Paul as he approaches Rome. And finally, of course, we see Paul arrive in Rome, as his requested audience with Caesar, or Caesar’s representative, is not a matter of pressing imperial business, so he has leisure to live by himself, effectively under house arrest, as it seems, but still free to teach and preach to at least some degree, as we will see more of next time.)
2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?
3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?
4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )
5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?