side by side on the table sat

mene, mene, tekel, upharsin

If Amos eighth century prophet of doom had been writing about football, this would be The Day in Gainesville and Ann Arbor

Thus says the Lord, the God of hosts, the Lord: In all the squares there shall be wailing; and in all the streets they shall say, “Alas! alas!” They shall call the farmers to mourning, and those skilled in lamentation, to wailing; in all the vineyards there shall be wailing, for I will pass through the midst of you, says the Lord. Alas for you who desire the day of the Lord! Why do you want the day of the Lord? It is darkness, not light; as if someone fled from a lion, and was met by a bear; or went into the house and rested a hand against the wall, and was bitten by a snake. Is not the day of the Lord darkness, not light, and gloom with no brightness in it? (Amos 5:16-20)
If John of Patmos had written The Apocalypse, the Book of Revelation, about the sixty minutes of football, this would be the day, not of salvation and everlasting peace, but of being tossed into the lake of fire. "They will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say, “Alas, alas, the great city, Babylon, the mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.'” Revelation 18:10.

For today, as the Lord says in tomorrow’s reading from the Gospel according to Matthew, “... two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left.” 

Flee for the hills. 

Of today’s Iron Bowl, Bleacher Report has conflicting prophecies, one of a tsunami of terrible destruction when the Tide rolls in. The other, Brian Pedersen prophesies Auburn 30 Alabama 28. Likely which, if that should happen, then, μὴ γένοιτο, Ohio State would rise to number 2, μὴ γένοιτο, face FSU in the BCS championship bowl and, μὴ γένοιτο, for once in a lifetime I would be forced to be a Seminole fan, μὴ γένοιτο. 

Or to pray for the resurrection of Eugene Fields chanting "The Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat."

Candorville by Darrin Bell


Finally, let the reader understand, the most ominous signs of gathering doom are that two Athletic Directors have issued statements of strong support for their Head Coaches, in The Swamp for Will Muschamp, at the Big House for Brady Hoke. Anyone who can’t read the handwriting on the wall doesn’t know his Bible as well as I. mene, mene, tekel, upharsin - numbered, numbered, weighed, divided.

Alas, Babylon.

TW+