Aliens in This World

Apparently the old feasts of the Old Testament prophets St. Haggai and St. Hosea were celebrated on July 4.

I’m not sure if this sounds like a good patriotic theme or a downer. I mean, hey, lots of the overthrow of kings and peoples, and lots of promises of good futures. OTOH, lots of complaints about the sins of we the people. Oops.

For example, here’s Haggai:

“And now thus saith the Lord of hosts: Set your hearts to consider your ways. You have sowed much, and brought in little: you have eaten, but have not had enough…and he that hath earned wages, put them into a bag with holes.”

But here’s also Haggai:

“….take courage, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord of hosts; and perform, for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts. The word that I covenanted with you when you came out of the land of Egypt, and my spirit shall be in the midst of you; fear not. For thus saith the Lord of hosts: Yet one little while, and I will move the heaven and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land. And I will move all nations, and the Desire of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts.”

And here’s our buddy Hosea of the happy marital life:

“Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel, for the Lord shall enter into judgment with the inhabitants of the land: for there is no truth, and there is no mercy, and there is no knowledge of God in the land.
Cursing, and lying, and killing, and theft, and adultery have overflowed, and blood hath touched blood.”

But here he is again:

“I will not execute the fierceness of my wrath: I will not return to destroy Ephraim: because I am God, and not man: the holy one in the midst of thee, and I will not enter into the city… And they shall fly away like a bird out of Egypt, and like a dove out of the land of the Assyrians: and I will place them in their own houses, saith the Lord.”