RELIGION AND ART

The Lord said to Moses, "Go down once! Your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have acted perversely; they been quick to turn aside from the way that I commanded them; cast for themselves an image a calf, and worshiped it, sacrificed to it, saying, "These are gods, O Israel, who brought you out from the land of Egypt....... Ex. 32:7-14 Readings

Thus says the Lord: 'In a time of favour I have answered you, on a day of salvation I have helped you; I have kept you and given you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages; saying to the prisoner, "Come out", to those who are in darkness "Show yourselves." They shall feed along the ways, on the bare heights be their pasture; not hunger or thirst, neither scorching.... Readings

Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple; there, water was flowing from below the threshold of the temple towards the east (for the temple faced east); and the water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. R Then he brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east; and the water was coming out on the south side. Going on eastward with a cord in his hand, the man measured one thousand cubits, and then led me through the water; and it was ankle-deep. Again he measured one thousand, and led me through the water; and it was knee-deep. Again he measured one thousand, and led me through the water; and it was up to the waist. Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross, for the water had risen; it was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be crossed. He said to me, “Mortal, have you seen this?” Then he led me...

For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered of come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight. I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people; no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it, or the cry of distress, No more shall there be in it an infant that lives but a few days, or an old person who does not live out a lifetime; for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth, and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed. The shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.  Isa. 65:17-21 Reading s Psalm 142