a thread opens
Because Ephraim has made many altars to sin, altars shall be to him to sin.
The Vigil
Today’s scroll, one verse at a time — each linked to the last by the cross-references rather than by any model of you. The same vigil for everyone, and a different one tomorrow.
Is there iniquity in Gilead? surely they are vanity: they sacrifice young bulls in Gilgal; yes, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the fields.
from Hosea 8:11
All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of my house, I will love them no more: all their princes are revolters.
from Hosea 12:11
Though you, Israel, play the prostitute, yet let not Judah offend; and do not come to Gilgal, neither go up to Beth-aven, nor swear, The LORD lives.
from Hosea 9:15 · a strong link
The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us.
from Hosea 4:15
For, look, they have gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tabernacles.
from Hosea 10:8 · a strong link
a thread opens
As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
from I Corinthians 8:4 · a strong link
Thus says the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
from Deuteronomy 6:4 · a strong link
But now thus says the LORD that created you, O Jacob, and he that formed you, O Israel, Do not fear: for I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name; you are mine.
from Isaiah 44:6 · a strong link
The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying, Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love: therefore with loving devotion have I drawn you.
from Isaiah 43:1
a thread opens
By this we perceive the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
This is my commandment, That you love one another, as I have loved you.
from I John 3:16
But as for brotherly love you need not that I write to you: for you yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
from John 15:12
Let brotherly love continue.
from I Thessalonians 4:9
a thread opens
But the anointing which you have received of him remains in you, and you need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teaches you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it has taught you, you shall remain in him.
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
from I John 2:27
And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh:
from Hebrews 8:10 · a strong link
Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; look, all things have become new.
from Ezekiel 11:19 · a strong link
Therefore from now on we regard no one after the flesh: yes, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now from now on know we him no more.
from II Corinthians 5:17 · a strong link
Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
from II Corinthians 5:16
Which is his body, the fullness of him that fills all in all.
from Colossians 3:11
a thread opens
And God has set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, varieties of tongues.
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone;
from I Corinthians 12:28
To whom coming, as to a living stone, rejected indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
from Ephesians 2:20 · a strong link
The stone which the builders refused has become the head stone of the corner.
from I Peter 2:4
Jesus said to them, Did you never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same has become the cornerstone: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?
from Psalms 118:22 · a strong link
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, Look, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believes will not panic.
from Matthew 21:42 · a strong link
a thread opens
I know also, my God, that you try the heart, and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy your people, who are present here, to offer willingly to you.
But the LORD said to Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.
from I Chronicles 29:17
Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God tries the hearts and inmost thoughts.
from I Samuel 16:7 · a strong link
He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
from Psalms 7:9
Whom God has raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be held of it.
from Psalms 40:2
a thread opens
Clean out therefore the old leaven, so that you may be a new lump, as you are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us:
And I saw, and, look, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
from I Corinthians 5:7
But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
The place of the Scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb mute before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
from I Peter 1:19
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Hosea 8:11 along this chain. Today’s own vigil is laid separately.
Each verse follows the one before it along the chain a study Bible draws — a century old, public, and compiled by people arguing about Scripture rather than about how long you stay. Every card says which verse it came from and opens the chapter it belongs to. Today’s vigil is the same for every reader and is worked out from the date alone, so there is no account, no counter, and nothing stored in your browser or ours.
The text is the Lantern Modern Standard. The links are openbible.info’s cross-reference set (CC BY), the same apparatus behind the reader’s Echoes drawer. Read a whole book · Today’s table