Old-Testament war, violence, and killing was necessary for God to build the House of David and usher in His Son Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World…

But is war, violence, and killing necessary in the modern times of the New Testament and covenant of love?

What of a Third Testament of The Holy Spirit whereby all human beings are Splendid Spiritual Beings living a human life versus human beings trying to live a spiritual life? Is there conviction and authority from God to proceed as such in the world today?

I think so… evidence God’s Word through the prophet Nathan to King David of Israel and David’s responsive prayer:

The word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying: Go, and say to my servant David:

I took thee out of the pastures from following the sheep to be ruler over my people Israel, and I have been with thee wheresoever thou hast walked, and have slain all thy enemies from before thy face: and I have made thee a great man, like unto the name of the great ones that are on earth… and I will plant thee… (you) shall be disturbed no more…neither shall the children of iniquity… I will give you rest from thy enemies… (and) the Lord will make thee a house… and when thy days shall be fulfilled and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers… I will establish his kingdom…  (You David) shall build a house to my name, and I will establish the throne of your kingdom for ever. If (you) commit any iniquity, I will correct you with the rod of men, but my mercy I will not take away from you, as I took it away from Saul, who I removed from my face… And thy house shall be faithful, and thy kingdom for ever before thy face, and thy throne shall be firm for ever.”

According to all these words and according to all this vision, so did Nathan the prophet speak to David.

David went in and sat before the Lord and (offered this prayer and thanksgiving):

Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me this far? For thou knowest thy servant O Lord God… Therefore thou art magnified, O Lord God, because there is none like to thee… and what nation is there upon the earth, as thy people Israel, whom (you) God went to redeem for a people to himself… For thou has confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be an everlasting people: and thou, O Lord God, art become their God… The Lord of hosts is God over Israel. And the house of thy servant David shall be establish before (you) the Lord… that it may endure for ever before thee… and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant (David) be blessed forever.

The Lord preserved David in all his enterprises, whithersoever he went… and King David dedicated them (vessels of gold, silver, and brass of all nations which he had subdued) to the Lord… and the Lord preserved David in all enterprises he went about. And David reigned over all Israel and David did judgment and justice to all his people.

David was victorious in all his battles with the Lord’s favor and blessing.

David showed great kindness to the living son of Jonathan—Misphiboseth:

And David said: Is there any one, think you, left of the house of Saul, that I may show kindness to him for Jonathan’s sake?

There is a son of Jonathan left, who is lame of feet—Misphiboseth…

David to Misphiboseth: Fear not, for I will surely show thee mercy for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and I will restore the lands of Saul thy father, and thou shalt eat bread at my table always… Misphiboseth dwelt in Jerusalem: because he ate always of the king’s table: and he was lame of both feet.

David’s kindness was misinterpreted through fear by the princes of the children of Ammon. The Syrians were hired to fight David and lost big-time and learned a lesson to never help the children of Ammon anymore. This all started by a misinterpretation of David’s kindness:

I will show kindness to Hanon the son of Nass, as his father showed kindness to me.

The princes of the children of Ammon: and hath not David rather sent his servants to thee to search, and spy into the city, and overthrow it?

Hanon took the servants of David, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut away half of their garments even to the buttocks, and sent them away.

And the children of Ammon seeing that they had done injury to David, sent and hired the Syrians… then the Syrians seeing that they had fallen before Israel, gathered themselves together… And when this was told David, he gathered all of Israel together, and passed over the Jordan… and David slew of the Syrians the men of seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen… and they made peace with Israel: and served them, and all the Syrians were afraid to help the children of Ammon any more.

And it came to pass at the return of the year, at the time when kings go forth to war… evidently there was an annual season for war back in biblical times versus our somewhat cyclic modern day approach to war…

David saw from the roof of his house a woman washing herself, over against him: and the woman was very beautiful… that she was Bethsabee… the wife of Urias the Hethite… and David sent messengers, and took her, and she came in to him, and he slept with her… and she returned to her house having conceived.

David to Joan: Set ye Urias in the front of the battle, where the fight is strongest: and leave ye him, that he may be wounded and die… and Urias the Hethite was killed… and Bethsabee mourned for him. And the mourning being over. David sent and brought her into his house, and she became his wife, and she bore him a son…

And this thing which David had done, was displeasing to the Lord.

Go figure that, sort of broke a few of the Ten Commandments, didn’t David?

So lo and behold we have our first parable from God:

There are two men in one city, the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had exceedingly many sheep and oxen. But the poor man had nothing at all but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up, and which had grown up in his house together with his children, eating of his bread, and drinking of his cup, and sleeping in his bosom: and it was unto him as a daughter.

And when a certain stranger was come to the rich man, he spared to take of his own sheep and oxen, to make a feast for that stranger, who was come to him, but took the poor man’s ewe, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.

As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this is a child of death. He shall restore the ewe fourfold, because he did this thing, and had no pity.

And Nathan said to David: Thou art the man.

Thus said the Lord God of Israel (to David):

Why therefore hast thou despised the word of the Lord, to do evil in my sight?

Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thy house, and I will take thy wives before thy eyes and give them to thy neighbor, and he shall lie with thy wives in sight of the sun. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing in the sight of all Israel, and in the sight of the sun.

I don’t think God ever did this to David but it sure makes you think! First that sin usually originates in secrecy and then becomes public. Perhaps there should be a commandment that says “one should not do anything in private that one would be embarrassed about if it became public, or in other words make sure that one’s motives are as pure as one’s behavior.”

David to Nathan the prophet: I have sinned against the Lord.

Nathan the prophet to David: The Lord also hath taken away thy sin: thou shalt not die. Nevertheless, because thou hast given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, for this thing, the child, that is born to thee, shall surely die.

And David besought the Lord for the child: and David kept a fast, and going in by himself lay upon the ground.

And it came to pass on the seventh day that the child died. David went into the house of the Lord: and worshiped, and then he came into his own house. And David comforted Bethsabee his wife, and went in unto her, and slept with her: and she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon, and the Lord loved him… and called his name, Amiable to the Lord, because the Lord loved him

War and David; sin & God’s first parable… and now Solomon too!

Day 105: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; War and David; Sin & God’s First Parable.

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Second Book of Kings Chapters 6-12

Bible Notes:

This Book tells of King David’s reign. By many successful wars he consolidated his kingdom and made Jerusalem his capital. His serious sins endangered the kingdom; but after he had repented, he conquered his enemies.

2 Kings Chapter 6: David takes the ark from Cariathiarim; Oza smitten for touching the ark; The ark taken to the home of Obededom; The ark is brought to Jerusalem; Michol despises David; The ark is put in the tabernacle; Michol is childless.

And David again gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand… to fetch the ark of God… and took it out of the house of Abinadab… David and all of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of instruments made of wood, on harps and lutes and timbrels and cornets and cymbals.

Oza put forth this hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it: because the oxen kicked and made it lean aside. And the indignation of the Lord was enkindled against Oza, and he struck him for his rashness; and he died there before the ark of God.

And David was afraid of the Lord that day, saying; How shall the ark of the Lord come to me? And he would not have the ark of the Lord brought in to himself into the city of David… and the ark of the Lord abode in the house of Obededom the Gethite for three months.

David went, and brought away the ark of God out of the house of Obededom into the city of David with joy… and set it in its place in the midst of the tabernacle… And David and all the house of Israel brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord with joyful shouting, and with the sound of trumpet.

Michol the daughter of Saul, looking out through a window, saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.

And David returned to bless his own house…

Michol to David: How glorious was the king of Israel to day, uncovering himself before the handmaids of his servants, and was naked, as if one of the buffoons should be naked…

David to Michol: Before the Lord, who chose me rather than thy father… I will both play and make myself meaner than I have done; and I will be little in my own eyes: and with the handmaids of whom thou speakest, I shall appear more glorious.

Therefore Michol the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.

2 Kings Chapter 7: Nathan, the prophet, instructs David; David not to build a house for the ark; David’s prayer and thanksgiving.

And Nathan the prophet said to the king: Go, do all that is in thy heart because the Lord is with thee.

The word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying: Go, and say to my servant David:

I took thee out of the pastures from following the sheep to be ruler over my people Israel, and I have been with thee wheresoever thou hast walked, and have slain all thy enemies from before thy face: and I have made thee a great man, like unto the name of the great ones that are on earth… and I will plant thee… (you) shall be disturbed no more…neither shall the children of iniquity… I will give you rest from thy enemies… (and) the Lord will make thee a house… and when thy days shall be fulfilled and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers… I will establish his kingdom…  (You David) shall build a house to my name, and I will establish the throne of your kingdom for ever. If (you) commit any iniquity, I will correct you with the rod of men, but my mercy I will not take away from you, as I took it away from Saul, who I removed from my face… And thy house shall be faithful, and thy kingdom for ever before thy face, and thy throne shall be firm for ever.”

According to all these words and according to all this vision, so did Nathan the prophet speak to David.

David went in and sat before the Lord and (offered this prayer and thanksgiving):

Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me this far? For thou knowest thy servant O Lord God… Therefore thou art magnified, O Lord God, because there is none like to thee… and what nation is there upon the earth, as thy people Israel, whom (you) God went to redeem for a people to himself… For thou has confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be an everlasting people: and thou, O Lord God, art become their God… The Lord of hosts is God over Israel. And the house of thy servant David shall be establish before (you) the Lord… that it may endure for ever before thee… and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant (David) be blessed forever.

2 Kings Chapter 8: Victories of David; David dedicates the booty to the Lord; David’s chief officers.

David took the bridle of tribute out of the hand of the Philistines… Moab was made to serve David under tribute… and David slew of the Syrians… and Syria served David under tribute… after taking Syria in the valley of the saltpits, killing eighteen thousand… all Edom was made to serve David…

The Lord preserved David in all his enterprises, whithersoever he went… and King David dedicated them (vessels of gold, silver, and brass of all nations which he had subdued) to the Lord… and the Lord preserved David in all enterprises he went about. And David reigned over all Israel and David did judgment and justice to all his people.

2 Kings Chapter 9: David’s kindness to Miphiboseth; Siba is appointed Miphiboseth’s farmer.

And David said: Is there any one, think you, left of the house of Saul, that I may show kindness to him for Jonathan’s sake?

There is a son of Jonathan left, who is lame of feet—Misphiboseth…

David to Misphiboseth: Fear not, for I will surely show thee mercy for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and I will restore the lands of Saul thy father, and thou shalt eat bread at my table always… Misphiboseth dwelt in Jerusalem: because he ate always of the king’s table: and he was lame of both feet.

2 Kings Chapter 10: Hanon abuses David’s ambassadors; Defeat of the Ammonites; David defeats the Syrians.

I will show kindness to Hanon the son of Nass, as his father showed kindness to me.

The princes of the children of Ammon: and hath not David rather sent his servants to thee to search, and spy into the city, and overthrow it?

Hanon took the servants of David, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut away half of their garments even to the buttocks, and sent them away.

And the children of Ammon seeing that they had done injury to David, sent and hired the Syrians… then the Syrians seeing that they had fallen before Israel, gathered themselves together… And when this was told David, he gathered all of Israel together, and passed over the Jordan… and David slew of the Syrians the men of seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen… and they made peace with Israel: and served them, and all the Syrians were afraid to help the children of Ammon any more.

2 Kings Chapter 11: Joab besieges Rabba; David commits adultery with Bethsabee; Urias refuses to rest in his own house; David secures the death of Urias; David learns of the death of Urias; David encourages Joab; David marries Bethsabee.

And it came to pass at the return of the year, at the time when kings go forth to war…

David saw from the roof of his house a woman washing herself, over against him: and the woman was very beautiful… that she was Bethsabee… the wife of Urias the Hethite… and David sent messengers, and took her, and she came in to him, and he slept with her… and she returned to her house having conceived.

David to Joan: Set ye Urias in the front of the battle, where the fight is strongest: and leave ye him, that he may be wounded and die… and Urias the Hethite was killed… and Bethsabee mourned for him. And the mourning being over. David sent and brought her into his house, and she became his wife, and she bore him a son…

And this thing which David had done, was displeasing to the Lord.

2 Kings Chapter 12: Nathan’s parable of the ewe lamb; Nathan accuses David; David admits his crime; The child dies; Birth of Solomon; David recaptures Rabbath.

A parable from God:

There are two men in one city, the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had exceedingly many sheep and oxen. But the poor man had nothing at all but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up, and which had grown up in his house together with his children, eating of his bread, and drinking of his cup, and sleeping in his bosom: and it was unto him as a daughter.

And when a certain stranger was come to the rich man, he spared to take of his own sheep and oxen, to make a feast for that stranger, who was come to him, but took the poor man’s ewe, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.

As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this is a child of death. He shall restore the ewe fourfold, because he did this thing, and had no pity.

And Nathan said to David: Thou art the man.

Thus said the Lord God of Israel (to David):

Why therefore hast thou despised the word of the Lord, to do evil in my sight?

Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thy house, and I will take thy wives before thy eyes and give them to thy neighbor, and he shall lie with thy wives in sight of the sun. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing in the sight of all Israel, and in the sight of the sun.

David to Nathan the prophet: I have sinned against the Lord.

Nathan the prophet to David: The Lord also hath taken away thy sin: thou shalt not die. Nevertheless, because thou hast given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, for this thing, the child, that is born to thee, shall surely die.

And David besought the Lord for the child: and David kept a fast, and going in by himself lay upon the ground.

And it came to pass on the seventh day that the child died. David went into the house of the Lord: and worshiped, and then he came into his own house. And David comforted Bethsabee his wife, and went in unto her, and slept with her: and she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon, and the Lord loved him… and called his name, Amiable to the Lord, because the Lord loved him

 

 

The gospel is simple, the resurrection so powerful, what is there to add other than my personal experience celebrating Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving every day, TROML-style!

Why not look for something brand new, or new to me in each day (Christmas)? Why not look to restore, resurrect something every day (Easter)? This could be a small part of your being that has gone dormant, something no one else would see or know except you or something easily seen, felt, or recognized by others. And certainly as ‘attitude of gratitude,’ goes a long way and then a bit further (Thanksgiving).

The gospel is referring to the resurrection of our being, our soul for all of eternity. This can start now with a small step of surrender to Christ and even a slight change in attitude and perspective.

Here is the resurrection of our Lord in the Gospel of John without further comment:

Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and she saw the stone taken away from the tomb. She ran therefore and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them:

“They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”

The other disciple (Peter and John come to the tomb) ran on before, faster than Peter, and came first to the tomb. And stooping down he saw the linen clothes lying there, yet he did not enter. Simeon Peter therefore came following him, and he went into the tomb, and saw the linen clothes lying there, and the handkerchief which had been about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but folded in a place by itself…

And he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.

The disciples therefore went away again to their home.

But Mary was standing outside weeping at the tomb. So, as she wept, she stooped down and looked into the tomb, and saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been laid.

The two angels to Mary: “Woman, why art thou weeping?”

Mary: “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.”

When she had said this she turned round and behold Jesus standing there, and she did not know that it was Jesus.

Jesus said to Mary: “Woman, why art thou weeping? Whom dost thou seek?”

She, thinking he was the gardener, said to him, “Sir, if thou hast removed him, tell me where thou hast laid him and I will take him away.”

Jesus said to her. “Mary!”

Turning, she said to him, “Rabbi!” (that is to say Master).

Jesus said to Mary: “Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father, but go to my brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

Mary Magdalene came, and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord, and these things he said to me.”

 

When it was late that same day… though the doors where the disciples gathered had been closed for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst and said to them, “Peace be with you!”

And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore rejoiced at the sight of the Lord. He therefore said to them again, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I also send you.”

When he had said this, he breathed upon them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.”

Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

And after eight days, his disciples were again inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors being closed, and stood in their midst, and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Bring here thy finger, and see my hands, and bring here thy hand, and put it in my side, and be not unbelieving, but believing.”

Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

Jesus said to him, “Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed. Blessed are they who have not seen, and yet have believed.

Many other signs also Jesus worked in the sight of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.

After these things, Jesus manifested himself again at the sea of Tiberias. There were together Simon Peter and Thomas… Nathanael… and two others of his disciples.

Simon Peter: “I am going fishing.”

They said to him: “We also are going with thee.”

But when day was breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Then Jesus said to them, “Young men, have you any fish?”

They answered him, “No.”

Jesus: “Cast the net to the right of the boat and you will find them.”

They cast therefore, and now they were unable to draw it up for the great number of fishes.

The disciple whom Jesus loved said therefore to Peter, “It is the Lord.”

Simon Peter, therefore hearing that it was the Lord… threw himself into the sea…

Jesus: “Bring here some of the fishes that you caught just now.”

Simon Peter, large fishes, one hundred and fifty-three in number…

And Jesus came and took the bread, and gave it to them, and likewise the fish. This is now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he had risen from the dead.

Jesus to Simon Peter: “Simon, son of John, dost thou love me more than these do?”

Simon Peter: “Yes, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee.”

Jesus: “Feed my lambs. Simon, son of John, dost thou love me?”

Simon Peter: “Yes, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee.”

Jesus: “Feed my lambs. Simon, son of John, dost thou love me?” (A third time.)

Peter was grieved because Jesus said to him for the third time, “Dost thou love me?”

 

Peter: “Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee.”

Jesus: “Feed my sheep.”

Jesus: “Amen, amen, I say to thee, when thou wast young thou didst gird thyself and walk where thou wouldst. But when thou art old thou will stretch forth thy hands, and another will gird thee, and lead thee where thou wouldst not.”

Now this he said to signify by what manner of death he should glorify God. And having spoken thus, he said to him. “Follow me.”

The disciple who Jesus loved, the one who, at supper… said “Lord, who is it that will betray thee?”

Peter to Jesus: “Lord, and what of this man?”

Jesus” “If I wish him to remain until I come, what is it to thee? Do thou follow me?”

This saying therefore went abroad among the brethren, that that disciple was not to die. But Jesus had not said to him, “He is not to die”; but rather, “If I wish his to remain until I come, what is it to thee?”

This is the disciple who bears witness concerning these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his witness is true.

There are, however, many other things that Jesus did; but if every one of these should be written, not even the world itself, I think, Could hold the books that would have to be written. Amen.

The tomb is empty, Christ has risen, Alleluia!!!

Day 106: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; The Tomb is Empty, Christ has Risen, Alleluia!!!

Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Gospel of Saint John Chapters 20-21 (END).

Bible Notes:

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John

Saint John, the disciple and Apostle whom Jesus loved, was the brother of James and the son of the fisherman Zebedee and Salome.

First a disciple of John the Baptist, he was called to follow Christ.

The purpose of his Gospel he states as follows: “these are written that you may believe the Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God: and that believing you may have life in his name.”

John Chapter 20:  Mary Magdalene sees the stone taken away; Peter and John come to the tomb; The two angels; Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene; Christ appears to the disciples; Thomas does not believe; Christ appears again; The evangelist’s epilogue.

Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and she saw the stone taken away from the tomb. She ran therefore and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them:

“They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”

The other disciple (Peter and John come to the tomb) ran on before, faster than Peter, and came first to the tomb. And stooping down he saw the linen clothes lying there, yet he did not enter. Simeon Peter therefore came following him, and he went into the tomb, and saw the linen clothes lying there, and the handkerchief which had been about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but folded in a place by itself…

And he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.

The disciples therefore went away again to their home.

But Mary was standing outside weeping at the tomb. So, as she wept, she stooped down and looked into the tomb, and saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been laid.

The two angels to Mary: “Woman, why art thou weeping?”

Mary: “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.”

When she had said this she turned round and behold Jesus standing there, and she did not know that it was Jesus.

Jesus said to Mary: “Woman, why art thou weeping? Whom dost thou seek?”

She, thinking he was the gardener, said to him, “Sir, if thou hast removed him, tell me where thou hast laid him and I will take him away.”

Jesus said to her. “Mary!”

Turning, she said to him, “Rabbi!” (that is to say Master).

Jesus said to Mary: “Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father, but go to my brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

Mary Magdalene came, and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord, and these things he said to me.”

When it was late that same day… though the doors where the disciples gathered had been closed for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst and said to them, “Peace be with you!”

And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore rejoiced at the sight of the Lord. He therefore said to them again, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I also send you.”

When he had said this, he breathed upon them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.”

Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

And after eight days, his disciples were again inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors being closed, and stood in their midst, and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Bring here thy finger, and see my hands, and bring here thy hand, and put it in my side, and be not unbelieving, but believing.”

Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

Jesus said to him, “Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed. Blessed are they who have not seen, and yet have believed.

Many other signs also Jesus worked in the sight of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.

John Chapter 21:  The manifestation in Galilee; The meal on the shore; The primacy of Peter; The manner of Peter’s death; Peter asks about John; Second epilogue.

After these things, Jesus manifested himself again at the sea of Tiberias. There were together Simon Peter and Thomas… Nathanael… and two others of his disciples.

Simon Peter: “I am going fishing.”

They said to him: “We also are going with thee.”

But when day was breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Then Jesus said to them, “Young men, have you any fish?”

They answered him, “No.”

Jesus: “Cast the net to the right of the boat and you will find them.”

They cast therefore, and now they were unable to draw it up for the great number of fishes.

The disciple whom Jesus loved said therefore to Peter, “It is the Lord.”

Simon Peter, therefore hearing that it was the Lord… threw himself into the sea…

Jesus: “Bring here some of the fishes that you caught just now.”

Simon Peter, large fishes, one hundred and fifty-three in number…

And Jesus came and took the bread, and gave it to them, and likewise the fish. This is now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he had risen from the dead.

Jesus to Simon Peter: “Simon, son of John, dost thou love me more than these do?”

Simon Peter: “Yes, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee.”

Jesus: “Feed my lambs. Simon, son of John, dost thou love me?”

Simon Peter: “Yes, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee.”

Jesus: “Feed my lambs. Simon, son of John, dost thou love me?” (A third time.)

Peter was grieved because Jesus said to him for the third time, “Dost thou love me?”

Peter: “Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee.”

Jesus: “Feed my sheep.”

Jesus: “Amen, amen, I say to thee, when thou wast young thou didst gird thyself and walk where thou wouldst. But when thou art old thou will stretch forth thy hands, and another will gird thee, and lead thee where thou wouldst not.”

Now this he said to signify by what manner of death he should glorify God. And having spoken thus, he said to him. “Follow me.”

The disciple who Jesus loved, the one who, at supper… said “Lord, who is it that will betray thee?”

Peter to Jesus: “Lord, and what of this man?”

Jesus” “If I wish him to remain until I come, what is it to thee? Do thou follow me?”

This saying therefore went abroad among the brethren, that that disciple was not to die. But Jesus had not said to him, “He is not to die”; but rather, “If I wish his to remain until I come, what is it to thee?”

This is the disciple who bears witness concerning these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his witness is true.

There are, however, many other things that Jesus did; but if every one of these should be written, not even the world itself, I think, Could hold the books that would have to be written. Amen.

 

And it came to pass after this, that Amnon the son of David loved the sister of  Absalom the son of David, who was very beautiful, and her name was Thamar… so that he fell sick for the love of her…

A friend named Jonadab said to Amnon: Lie down upon thy bed, and feign thyself sick: and when thy father shall come to visit thee, say to him: Let my sister Thamar, I pray thee, to give me to eat, and to make me a mess, that I may eat it at her hand.

Amnon to Thamar: Bring the mess into the chamber… come lie with me, my sister…

Thamar to Ammon: Do not so, my brother, do not force me: for no such thing must be done in Israel. Do not thou this folly. For I shall not be able to bear my shame, and thou shall be as one of the fools in Israel: but rather speak to the king, and he will not deny me to thee.

But Amnon would not hearken to her prayers, but being stronger overpowered her and lay with her.

No more explicit or worse sin in the Bible, only to be exceeded by the following:

Then Amnon hated her with an exceeding great hatred: so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her before.

Amnon to Thamar: Arise, and get thee gone.

Thamar to Amnon: This evil which now thou dost against me, in driving me away, is greater than that which thou didst before.

A brother defends his sister’s honor (same though different mother from Amnon)

Absalom to Thamar: Hath thy brother Amnon lain with thee? But now, sister, hold thy peace, he is thy brother: and afflict not thy heart for this thing.

And when King David heard of these things he was exceedingly grieved: and he would not afflict the spirit of his son Amnon, for he loved him, because he was his firstborn.

Absalom hated Amnon because he had ravished his sister.

Absalom to his servants: Strike Amnon, and kill him; fear not for it is I that command you: take courage, and be valiant men. And the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded them.

Absalom fled, and went to… Gessur… and King David ceased to pursue after Absalom, because he was comforted concerning the death of Amnon.

Lust, then revenge, what is next in this part of the Story of David?

A fellow named Joab, uses a wise woman to show David his heart in that we all want to reconcile with our children no matter the deed, theirs or ours.

King David to Joab: Behold, I am appeased and have granted thy request: Go there fore and fetch back the boy Absalom… let him return into his house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his house, and saw not the king’s face.

King David tried to keep his son Absalom at a distance but that did not work over time:

Absalom to Joab: I beseech thee therefore that I may see the face of the king: and if he be mindful of my iniquity, let him kill me.

So Joab going in to the king, told his all: and Absalom was called for, and he went in to the king: and prostrated himself on the ground before him: and the king kissed Absalom.

And Absalom, once close to his father the king conspires to overthrow him and lures away David’s counselor who is evidently God to the people of Israel. Absalom and Achitopel move away to be able to organize and return to Jerusalem with a hero, godly and kingly welcome:

Absalom, moreover when any man came to him to salute him, he put forth his hand and took him, and kissed him. And this he did to all Israel that came for judgment, to be heard by the king, and he enticed the hearts of the men of Israel.

Absalom to King David: For thy servant made a vow… saying: If the Lord shall bring me again into Jerusalem, I will offer sacrifice to the Lord.

King David to Absalom: Go in peace.

And Absalom arose, and went to Hebron

And Absalom sent spies into all the tribes of Israel, saying: As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, say ye: Absalom reigneth in Hebron. Now there went with Absalom two hundred men out of Jerusalem that were called, going with simplicity of heart, and knowing nothing of the design.

Absalom also sent for Achitopel… David’s counselor.

And while he was offering sacrifices, there was a strong conspiracy, and the people running together increased with Absalom.

And there came a messenger to David, saying: All Israel with their whole heart followeth Absalom. And David said to his servants, that were with him in Jerusalem: Arise and let us flee: for we shall not escape else from the face of Absalom.

I am amazed that the king would abdicate in this situation without a fight but later we shall see there might have been a pent up hatred of David by people who remembered the reign of his father Saul.

David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet…

And when David was come to the top of the mountain, where he was about to adore the Lord, behold Chusai… came to meet him… I am thy servant, O king: as I have been thy father’s servant, so I will be thy servant: thou shalt defeat the counsel of Achitopel…

King David to Chusai: you shall send by them (Sadoc and Abiathar, the priests and their two sons) to me everything that you shall hear.

Then Chusai the friend of David went into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.

Here is where this biblical story gets a little hard to believe but then again is there any sin that is not a surprise in the world we live in today?

Semei cursed King David: Come out, come out, thou man of blood, and thou man of Belial. The Lord hath repay thee for all the blood of the house of Saul: because thou hast usurped the kingdom in his stead, and the Lord hath given the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and behold thy evils press upon thee, because thou art a man of blood.

King David: Let him alone and let him curse: for the Lord hath bid him curse David… Perhaps the Lord may look upon my affliction, and the Lord may render me good for the cursing of this day.

But Absalom and all his people came into Jerusalem, and Achitopel was with him.

Chusai to Achitopel: God save thee, O king, God save thee, O king… for I will be his, whom the Lord hath chosen, and all this people, and all Israel, and with him I abide. Besides this, whom shall I serve? Is it not the king’s son? As I have served thy father, so will I serve thee also.

Achitopel to Absalom: Go in to the concubines of thy father, whom he hath left to keep the house, that when all Israel shall hear that thou hast disgraced thy father, their hands may be strengthened with thee.

So they spread a tent for Absalom on top of the house, and he went in to his father’s concubines before all Israel.

Now the counsel of Achitopel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man should consult God…

Amazing a seemingly traitor; a powerless curser who is left along to live and to curse in hopes of the Lord will be favorable to the powerful curse; and a public rape to the nth degree presumably under the auspices of Achitopel’s god?

Sodom and Gomorrah here we come—a biblical rape, Absalom deposes his father King David, and now all of Israel watches a mass public rape?

Day 107: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Biblical rape, a Son Deposes a Father, and All of Israel Watches…

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Second Book of Kings Chapters 13-16

Bible Notes:

This Book tells of King David’s reign. By many successful wars he consolidated his kingdom and made Jerusalem his capital. His serious sins endangered the kingdom; but after he had repented, he conquered his enemies.

2 Kings Chapter 13: Amnon loves Thamar; Ammon ravishes Thamar; Amnon angrily sends Thamar away; Thamar sorrows in Absalom’s house; David grieves for the sin of Amnon; Amnon accompanies Absalom to Baalhasor; Absalom causes Amnon to be slain; David hears rumor of many murders; David learns the truth; Absalom flees to Gessur.

And it came to pass after this, that Amnon the son of David loved the sister of Absalom the son of David, who was very beautiful, and her name was Thamar… so that he fell sick for the love of her…

A friend named Jonadab said to Amnon: Lie down upon thy bed, and feign thyself sick: and when thy father shall come to visit thee, say to him: Let my sister Thamar, I pray thee, to give me to eat, and to make me a mess, that I may eat it at her hand.

Amnon to Thamar: Bring the mess into the chamber… come lie with me, my sister…

Thamar to Ammon: Do not so, my brother, do not force me: for no such thing must be done in Israel. Do not thou this folly. For I shall not be able to bear my shame, and thou shall be as one of the fools in Israel: but rather speak to the king, and he will not deny me to thee.

But Amnon would not hearken to her prayers, but being stronger overpowered her and lay with her.

Then Amnon hated her with an exceeding great hatred: so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her before.

Amnon to Thamar: Arise, and get thee gone.

Thamar to Amnon: This evil which now thou dost against me, in driving me away, is greater than that which thou didst before.

Absalom to Thamar: Hath thy brother Amnon lain with thee? But now, sister, hold thy peace, he is thy brother: and afflict not thy heart for this thing.

And when King David heard of these things he was exceedingly grieved: and he would not afflict the spirit of his son Amnon, for he loved him, because he was his firstborn.

Absalom hated Amnon because he had ravished his sister.

Absalom to his servants: Strike Amnon, and kill him; fear not for it is I that command you: take courage, and be valiant men. And the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded them.

Absalom fled, and went to… Gessur… and King David ceased to pursue after Absalom, because he was comforted concerning the death of Amnon.

2 Kings Chapter 14: The plan of Joab to restore Absalom; The woman of Thecua pleads for her son; The woman of Thecua pleads for Absalom; David discovers the intrigue of Joab; David allows Absalom to return; Children born to Absalom; Reconciliation of David and Absalom.

And Joab the son of Sarvia, understanding that the king’s heart was turned to Absalom… fetched from thence a wise woman… feign thyself to be a mourner… and thou shalt go to the king… and Joab put words in her mouth…

David: as the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth

Wise woman to King David: Why hast thou thought such a thing against the people of God, and why hath the king spoken this word, to sin, and not bring home again his own exile? We all die, and like waters that return no more, we fall down into the earth: neither will God have a soul perish, but recalleth, meaning that he that is cast off should not altogether perish. O King… for thy servant Joab, he commanded me, and he put all these words into the mouth of thy handmaid… but thou, my lord, O king, art wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to understand all things upon earth.

King David to Joab: Behold, I am appeased and have granted thy request: Go there fore and fetch back the boy Absalom… let him return into his house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his house, and saw not the king’s face.

Absalom to Joab: I beseech thee therefore that I may see the face of the king: and if he be mindful of my iniquity, let him kill me.

So Joab going in to the king, told his all: and Absalom was called for, and he went in to the king: and prostrated himself on the ground before him: and the king kissed Absalom.

2 Kings Chapter 15: Absalom wins the affection of Israel; Absalom goes to Hebron; Absalom’s conspiracy; David flees from Jerusalem; Ethai’s loyalty to David; David returns the ark to Jerusalem; David ascends mount Olivet; David learns of Achitopel’s conspiracy; Chusai sent to spy on Absalom.

Absalom, moreover when any man came to him to salute him, he put forth his hand and took him, and kissed him. And this he did to all Israel that came for judgment, to be heard by the king, and he enticed the hearts of the men of Israel.

Absalom to King David: For thy servant made a vow… saying: If the Lord shall bring me again into Jerusalem, I will offer sacrifice to the Lord.

King David to Absalom: Go in peace.

And Absalom arose, and went to Hebron

And Absalom sent spies into all the tribes of Israel, saying: As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, say ye: Absalom reigneth in Hebron. Now there went with Absalom two hundred men out of Jerusalem that were called, going with simplicity of heart, and knowing nothing of the design.

Absalom also sent for Achitopel… David’s counselor.

And while he was offering sacrifices, there was a strong conspiracy, and the people running together increased with Absalom.

And there came a messenger to David, saying: All Israel with their whole heart followeth Absalom. And David said to his servants, that were with him in Jerusalem: Arise and let us flee: for we shall not escape else from the face of Absalom.

King David to Servant Ethai: return thou, and take back thy brethren with thee, and the Lord will show thee mercy, and truth, because thou hast shown grace and fidelity.

Ethai to King David: as the Lord liveth, and as my lord the king liveth: in what place soever thou shall be, my lord, O king, either in death, or in life, there will be thy servant be.

King David to Ethai: Come, and pass over. And Ethai… passed, and all the men that were with him, and the rest of the people.

All the people marched that way that looketh to the dessert. And Sadoc the priest also came, and all the Levites with him carrying the ark of the covenant of God.

King David to Sadoc: Carry back the ark of God into Jerusalem: if I shall find grace in the sight of the Lord, he will bring me again, and he will show me it, and his tabernacle.

David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet…

Infatuate, O Lord, I beseech thee, the counsel of Achitopel…

And when David was come to the top of the mountain, where he was about to adore the Lord, behold Chusai… came to meet him… I am thy servant , O king: as I have been thy father’s servant, so I will be thy servant: thou shalt defeat the counsel of Achitopel…

King David to Chusai: you shall send by them (Sadoc and Abiathar, the priests and their two sons) to me everything that you shall hear.

Then Chusai the friend of David went into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.

2 Kings Chapter 16: Miphiboseth’s possessions given to Siba; Semei curses David; David refuses to have Semei killed; Chusai promises to support Absalom; Absalom defiles his father’s wives.

And the wine to drink if any man be faint in the desert

Semei cursed King David: Come out, come out, thou man of blood, and thou man of Belial. The Lord hath repay thee for all the blood of the house of Saul: because thou hast usurped the kingdom in his stead, and the Lord hath given the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and behold thy evils press upon thee, because thou art a man of blood.

King David: Let him alone and let him curse: for the Lord hath bid him curse David… Perhaps the Lord may look upon my affliction, and the Lord may render me good for the cursing of this day.

But Absalom and all his people came into Jerusalem, and Achitopel was with him.

Chusai to Achitopel: God save thee, O king, God save thee, O king… for I will be his, whom the Lord hath chosen, and all this people, and all Israel, and with him I abide. Besides this, whom shall I serve? Is it not the king’s son? As I have served thy father, so will I serve thee also.

Achitopel to Absalom: Go in to the concubines of thy father, whom he hath left to keep the house, that when all Israel shall hear that thou hast disgraced thy father, their hands may be strengthened with thee.

So they spread a tent for Absalom on top of the house, and he went in to his father’s concubines before all Israel.

Now the counsel of Achitopel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man should consult God…

 

 

 

WOW, through the four gospels in the New Testament and onward to the Acts of the Apostles…

Saint Luke, the author of the third Gospel, wrote also this history of the primitive Church. Opening with the story of the Ascension and Pentecost, this book records the important events of the early Church: the mass conversions after Pentecost; the persecution by Herod; the conversion of Saint Paul; his three missionary journeys; his arrest and final trip to Rome

Am I a witness of his resurrection? Are you?

I am excited to learn more about the disciples now turned apostles!

How can their example impact my heart through Christ and the rest of my life here and beyond too!

Saint Luke wrote and told us more about the times after the gospels… In the former book, O Theophilus, I spoke of it all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day he was taken up, after he had given commandments through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. To them also he showed himself alive after his passion by many proofs, during forty days appearing to them and speaking of the kingdom of God. And while eating with them, he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, “of which you have heard,” said Jesus, “by my mouth: for John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence.”

Disciples: “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom of Israel?”

Jesus: “It is not for you to know the times or dates which the Father has fixed by his own authority; but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be witnesses for me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and even to the very ends of the earth.”

And when he had said this, he was lifted up before their eyes, and a cloud took him out of sight.

Two men in white garments: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up to heaven? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven, shall come in the same way as you have seen him going up to heaven.”

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. And when they had entered the city, they mounted to the upper room where  were staying Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James (the son of Alpheus), and Simon (the Zealot), and Jude (the brother of James, which one?)—numbered Eleven in total.

All these with one mind continued steadfastly in prayer with the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

In those days Peter stood up in the middle of the brethren (now the number of persons met together was about a hundred and twenty) and he said:

“Brethren, the Scripture must be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit declared before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was guide of those who arrested Jesus; inasmuch as he had been numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry. And indeed bought a field with the price of his iniquity and, being hanged, burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out… became known to all the residents of Jerusalem… the Field of Blood… for it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let their habitation become desolate and let there be none to dwell in it.’

And, ‘His ministry let another take.’

Peter: “Therefore, of these men who have been in our company all the time that the Lord Jesus moved among us, from John’s baptism until the day that he was taken up from us, of these one must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”

And they put forth two: Joseph and Matthias. And they prayed and said:

“Thou, Lord, who knoweth the hearts of all, show which of these two thou hast chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas fell away to go to his own place.”

And they drew lots between them, and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

WOW, all this from 120 believers! Christ’s ascension but with the promise of The Holy Spirit. One hundred twenty believers with The Holy Spirit and the example of love left behind by Jesus and God’s Will and Power!

Matthias is the Twelfth Apostle!

Then The Holy Spirit came, and there was a spiritual awakening, and Peter stood up, rose to the occasion, and like Christ, used the occasion as the first biblical evangelical service to convert three-thousand souls:

And when the days of Pentecost were drawing to a close, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a violent wind blowing, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them parted tongues as of fire, which settled upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in foreign tongues, even as the Holy Spirit prompted them to speak.

Now there were staying at Jerusalem devout Jews from every nation under heaven. And when this sound was heard, the multitude gathered and were bewildered in mind, because each heard them speaking in his own language. But they were all amazed and marveled, saying:

“Behold, are not all these that are speaking Galileans? And how have we heard each his own language in which he was born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phyrgia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cryene, and visitors from Rome. Jews also and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians, we have heard them speaking in their own language of the wonderful works of God.” (Counted total of 17 different peoples by location and languages spoken).

And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another:

“What does this mean?”

But others said in mockery:

“They are full of new wine.”

But Peter, standing up with the Eleven (why not twelve as Matthais had been added?), lifted up his voice and spoke out to them:

“Men of Judea and all you who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. These men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says the Lord, that I will pour forth of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. And moreover upon my servants and upon my handmaids in those days will I pour forth of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth beneath, blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the day the Lord comes, the great and manifest day. And it shall come to pass, that whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’”

“Men of Israel, hear these words, Jesus of Nazareth was a man approved by God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did through him in the midst of you, as you yourselves know. Him, when delivered up by the settled purpose and fore-knowledge of God, you have crucified and slain by the hands of wicked men. But God has raised him up, having loosed the sorrows of hell, because it was not possible that he should be held fast by it.”

“For David’s says with reference to him, ‘I saw the Lord before me always, because he is at my right hand, lest I be moved. This is why my heart has made merry and my tongue has rejoiced; moreover my flesh also will rest in hope, because thou wilt not abandon my soul to hell, neither wilt thou let thy Holy One undergo decay. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou wilt fill me with joy in thy presence.’”

“Brethren, Let me say to you freely of the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this very day.”

“Therefore, since he was a prophet and knew that God ‘had sworn to him an oath that of the fruit of his loins one should sit upon his throne,’ he, foreseeing it, spoke of the resurrection of Christ. For neither was he abandoned to hell, nor did his flesh undergo decay. This Jesus God has raised up, and we are all witnesses of it. Therefore, exalted by the right hand of God, and receiving from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured forth this Spirit which you see and hear. For David did not ascend into heaven, but he says himself, “The Lord said to my Lord: Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thy enemies thy footstool.’ Therefore, let all the house of Israel know most assuredly that God has made both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

Now on hearing this they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles:

“Brethren, what shall we do?”

 

 

 

 

Peter: “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For to you is the promise and to your children and to all who are far off, even to all whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

And with very many other words Peter bore witness, and exhorted them, saying:

“Save yourselves from this perverse generation.”

Now they who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

And they continued steadfastly in the teaching of the apostles and in the communion of the breaking of the bread and in the prayers.

And fear came upon every soul; many wonders also and signs were done by means of the apostles in Jerusalem, and great fear came upon all.  

And all who believed were together and held all things in common, and would sell their possessions and goods and distribute them among all according as anyone had need.

And continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread in their houses, they took their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and being in favor with all the people.

And day by day the Lord added to their company such as were to be saved.

To this day there are over two billion believers in Christ… which is meaningless unless you are one of them!

The Acts of the Apostles are to witness to Christ and to save your soul!

Day 108: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; The Acts of the Apostles are to Witness to Christ and to Save Your Soul!

Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Acts of The Apostles Chapters 1-2.

Bible Notes:

Saint Luke, the author of the third Gospel, wrote also this history of the primitive Church. Opening with the story of the Ascension and Pentecost, this book records the important events of the early Church: the mass conversions after Pentecost; the persecution by Herod; the conversion of Saint Paul; his three missionary journeys; his arrest and final trip to Rome

Acts Chapter 1:  Appearances of the risen Christ; Promise of the Holy Spirit; The Ascension; Return to Jerusalem; The fate of Judas; Need for a successor; Manner of his selection; Matthias chosen.

In the former book, O Theophilus, I spoke of it all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day he was taken up, after he had given commandments through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. To them also he showed himself alive after his passion by many proofs, during forty days appearing to them and speaking of the kingdom of God. And while eating with them, he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, “of which you have heard,” said Jesus, “by my mouth: for John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence.”

Disciples: “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom of Israel?”

Jesus: “It is not for you to know the times or dates which the Father has fixed by his own authority; but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be witnesses for me in Jerusalem and in all Hudea and Samaria and even to the very ends of the earth.”

And when he had said this, he was lifted up before their eyes, and a cloud took him out of sight.

Two men in white garments: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up to heaven? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven, shall come in the same way as you have seen him going up to heaven.”

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. And when they had entered the city, they mounted to the upper room where  were staying Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James (the son of Alpheus), and Simon (the Zealot), and Jude (the brother of James, which one?)—numbered Eleven in total.

All these with one mind continued steadfastly in prayer with the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

In those days Peter stood up in the middle of the brethren (now the number of persons met together was about a hundred and twenty) and he said:

“Brethren, the Scripture must be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit declared before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was guide of those who arrested Jesus; inasmuch as he had been numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry. And indeed bought a field with the price of his iniquity and, being hanged, burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out… became known to all the residents of Jerusalem… the Field of Blood… for it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let their habitation become desolate and let there be none to dwell in it.’

And, ‘His ministry let another take.’

Peter: “Therefore, of these men who have been in our company all the time that the Lord Jesus moved among us, from John’s baptism until the day that he was taken up from us, of these one must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”

And they put forth two: Joseph and Matthias. And they prayed and said:

“Thou, Lord, who knoweth the hearts of all, show which of these two thou hast chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas fell away to go to his own place.”

And they drew lots between them, and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Wiki: “Theophilos”, as it appears therein, means friend of God or (be)loved by God or loving God in the Greek language.

Disciple—one of the 12 personal followers of Christ; one of the 70 followers sent forth by Christ. Luke 10:1 (72 in my Bible!); any other professed follower of Christ in His lifetime; any follower of Christ; (initial capital letter) a member of the Disciples of Christ; a person who is a pupil or an adherent of the doctrines of another; follower: a disciple of Freud.

Apostle—any of the early followers of Jesus who carried the Christian message into the world; (sometimes initial capital letter) any of the original 12 disciples called by Jesus to preach the gospel: Simon Peter, the brothers James and John, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alpheus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, Judas Iscariot; the first or the best-known Christian missionary in any region or country; Eastern Church. One of the 70 disciples of Jesus (72 in my Bible); he title of the highest ecclesiastical official in certain Protestant sects; (among the Jews of the Christian epoch) a title borne by persons sent on foreign missions; one of the 12 administrative officials of the Mormon Church.

Acts Chapter 2:  Descent of the Holy Spirit; All nations understand; Peter’s discourse; Christ’s death and Resurrection; David’s prophecy of Resurrection; But David died and was buried; David’s prophecy concerned Christ; Three thousand converts after Peter’s sermon; Fervor of the early church.

And when the days of Pentecost were drawing to a close, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a violent wind blowing, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them parted tongues as of fire, which settled upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in foreign tongues, even as the Holy Spirit prompted them to speak.

Now there were staying at Jerusalem devout Jews from every nation under heaven. And when this sound was heard, the multitude gathered and were bewildered in mind, because each heard them speaking in his own language. But they were all amazed and marveled, saying:

“Behold, are not all these that are speaking Galileans? And how have we heard each his own language in which he was born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phyrgia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cryene, and visitors from Rome. Jews also and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians, we have heard them speaking in their own language of the wonderful works of God.” (Counted total of 17 different peoples by location and languages spoken).

And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another:

“What does this mean?”

But others said in mockery:

“They are full of new wine.”

But peter, standing up with the Eleven (why not twelve as Matthais had been added?), lifted up his voice and spoke out to them:

“Men of Judea and all you who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. These men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says the Lord, that I will pour forth of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. And moreover upon my servants and upon my handmaids in those days will I pour forth of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth beneath, blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the day the Lord comes, the great and manifest day. And it shall come to pass, that whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’”

“Men of Israel, hear these words, Jesus of Nazareth was a man approved by God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did through him in the midst of you, as you yourselves know. Him, when delivered up by the settled purpose and fore-knowledge of God, you have crucified and slain by the hands of wicked men. But God has raised him up, having loosed the sorrows of hell, because it was not possible that he should be held fast by it.”

“For David’s says with reference to him, ‘I saw the Lord before me always, because he is at my right hand, lest I be moved. This is why my heart has made merry and my tongue has rejoiced; moreover my flesh also will rest in hope, because thou wilt not abandon my soul to hell, neither wilt thou let thy Holy One undergo decay. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou wilt fill me with joy in thy presence.’”

“Brethren, Let me say to you freely of the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this very day.”

“Therefore, since he was a prophet and knew that God ‘had sworn to him an oath that of the fruit of his loins one should sit upon his throne,’ he, foreseeing it, spoke of the resurrection of Christ. For neither was he abandoned to hell, nor did his flesh undergo decay. This Jesus God has raised up, and we are all witnesses of it. Therefore, exalted by the right hand of God, and receiving from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured forth this Spirit which you see and hear. For David did not ascend into heaven, but he says himself, “The Lord said to my Lord: Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thy enemies thy footstool.’ Therefore, let all the house of Israel know most assuredly that God has made both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

Now on hearing this they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles:

“Brethren, what shall we do?”

Peter: “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For to you is the promise and to your children and to all who are far off, even to all whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

And with very many other words Peter bore witness, and exhorted them, saying:

“Save yourselves from this perverse generation.”

Now they who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

And they continued steadfastly in the teaching of the apostles and in the communion of the breaking of the bread and in the prayers.

And fear came upon every soul; many wonders also and signs were done by means of the apostles in Jerusalem, and great fear came upon all.  

And all who believed were together and held all things in common, and would sell their possessions and goods and distribute them among all according as anyone had need.

And continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread in their houses, they took their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and being in favor with all the people.

And day by day the Lord added to their company such as were to be saved.

Wiki: “As of 2010, Christianity was by far the world’s largest religion, with an estimated 2.2 billion adherents, nearly a third (31 percent) of all 6.9 billion people on Earth.

 

Rebellious son, in the extreme extent, versus father for the kingship of Israel… Chusai was loyal to King David as vowed…

Achitophel to Absalom: I will choose me twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night. And coming upon him (for he is now weary, and weak handed) I will defeat him: and when all the people is put to flight that is with him, I will kill the king who will be left alone.

And his saying pleased Absalom, and all the ancients of Israel.

Absalom: Call Chusai the Arachite, and let us hear what he also saith.

Absalom to Chusai: Achitophel hath spoken after this manner: shall we do it or not? What counsel dost thou give?

Chusai to Absalom: The counsel that Achitophel hath given this time is not good… Thou knowest thy father, and the men that are with him, that they are very valiant, and bitter in their mind, as  bear raging in the wood when her whelps are taken away: and thy father is a warrior, and will not lodge with his people… perhaps he now lieth in pits…But this seemeth to me to be good counsel: let all Israel be gathered to thee… and thou shall be in the midst of them… and we shall come upon him in what place soever he shall be found: and we shall cover him, as the dew falleth upon the ground…

 

And Absalom, and all the men of Israel said: The counsel of Chusai the Arachite is better than the counsel of Achitophel: and by the will of the Lord the profitable counsel of Achitophel was defeated, that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom.

And Chusai said to Sadoc and Abiathar the priests… now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying: Tarry not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but without delay pass over: lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that is with him… And Jonathan and Achimaas stayed by the fountain Rogel: and there went a maid and told them: and they went forward to carry the message to King David…

But Achitophel seeing that his counsel was not followed… putting his house in order… hanged himself…

This was a Godsend for King David. Absalom’s original plan, courtesy of Achitophel would have likely decimated David, but God intervened with the selection of Chusai’s delayed tactics which gave David time to cross the Jordan regroup. Than it gets interesting and complicated: does David want to win and be king again or see his opposing son in battle win and live?

But David came to the camp, and Absalom passed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him… Now Absalom appointed Amasa in Joab’s stead over the army… And Israel camped with Absalom in the land of Galaad.

And David reviewed his people… and sent forth a third of the people under the hand of Joab, a third under Abisai, and a third under Ethai… I also will go forth with you… for thou alone art accounted for ten thousand… it is better that thou (King David) shouldst be in the city to succor us… What seemeth good to you, that will I do.

King David commanded: Save me the boy Absalom.

And the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim. And the people of Israel were defeated there by David’s army, and a great slaughter was made that day of twenty thousand men… and there were many more of the people whom the forest consumed, than whom the sword devoured that day.

And it happened that Absalom met the servants of David, riding on a mule: and as the mule went under a thick and large oak, his head stuck in the oak: and while he hung between the heaven and the earth, the mule on which he rode passed on.

And one saw this and told Joab…

Joab: Not as thou wilt, but I will set upon him in thy sight. So he took three lances in his hand, and thrust them into the heart of Absalom: and whilst he yet panted for life, sticking on the oak, ten young men, armorbearers of Joab, ran up, and striking him slew him.

Odd sort of way for a king to die: to be entangled by his head in an oak tree and let helpless to die with no servants to protect him!

And Joab sounded the trumpet, and kept back the people from pursuing after Israel in their flight, being willing to spare the multitude.

Now Absalom had reared up for himself, in his lifetime, a pillar, which is in the king’s valley: for he said: I have no son, and this shall be the monument of my name. And he called the pillar by his own name, and it is called the hand of Absalom, to this day.

Chusai to King David: Let the enemies of my lord, the king, and all that rise against him unto evil, be as the young man is (dead).

King David weeping: My son Absalom, Absalom my son! Would to God that I might die for thee, Absalom, my son, my son Absalom.

Now this is not a good form of leadership. Enemies are enemies and bad is bad not good.

And the victory was turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard that day: The king grieveth for his son.

Joab to King David: Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, that have saved thy life… Thou lovest them that hate thee, and thou hatest them that love thee… I not plainly that if Absalom had lived, and all we had been slain, then it would have pleased thee…

And all the people were at strife in all the tribes of Israel… But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in the battle: how long are you silent, and bring not back the king?

And the king returned and came as far as the Jordan, and all Juda came as far as Galgal to meet the king, and to bring him over the Jordan…

Forgiveness was requested and granted to Semei and Miphiboseth for cursing and not showing up in battle for the embattled king. Berzellai was allowed to go home in his old age while his servant Chamaam went with King David to Jerusalem.

But there seemed to be some dissention in the tribes of Israel:

Men of Israel to King David: Why have our brethren (of Juda) stolen thee away…

And all of the men of Juda answered the men of Israel: Because the king is nearer to me; why art thou angry for this matter?

This created a situation for another Absalom-like rebel to emerge and threaten David’s crown. Not so fast this time. Not only did David take care of Seba with the help of a wise old lady but Amasa was killed by Joab for not meeting a deadline regarding Seba. Sadly the ten concubines lived their lives out as though they were widows. What did they do wrong? Nothing, the sin being a male-dominated society back in biblical times. Thank God for the changes there!

Seba: We have no part in David, nor inheritance in the son of Isai: return to thy dwellings, O Israel.

And all Israel departed from David, and followed Seba… but the men of Juda stuck to their king from the Jordan unto Jerusalem.

At Jerusalem, King Davis took the ten woman his concubines, which he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, allowing them provisions: and he went not in unto them, but they were shut up unto the day of their death living in widowhood.

King to Amasa: Assemble to me all the men of Juda, against the third day, and be thou here present.

But Amasa tarried beyond the set time which the king had appointed him.

Now will Seba… do us more harm than did Absalom?

But Amasa did not take notice of the sword, which Joab had, and he struck him in the side… and he died.

Now he had passed through all the tribes of Israel unto Abela…

Wise woman to Joab: A saying was used in the old proverb: They that inquire, let them inquire in Abela: and so they made an end. Behold his head shall be thrown to thee from the wall.

So she went to all the people and spoke to them wisely: and they cut off the head of Seba and cast it out to Joab.

And Joab sounded the trumpet, and they departed from the city, every one to their home: and Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

King David is king again though Israel seems divided…

Day 109: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; King David is King Again though Israel seems Divided…

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Second Book of Kings Chapters 17-20.

Bible Notes:

This Book tells of King David’s reign. By many successful wars he consolidated his kingdom and made Jerusalem his capital. His serious sins endangered the kingdom; but after he had repented, he conquered his enemies.

2 Kings Chapter 17: Achitophel plans to pursue David; Chusai opposes Achitophel’s plan; Chusai informs David of the plan; Achitophel hangs himself; Absalom appoints Amasa his commander; Provisions for David’s army.

Achitophel to Absalom: I will choose me twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night. And coming upon him (for he is now weary, and weak handed) I will defeat him: and when all the people is put to flight that is with him, I will kill the king who will be left alone.

And his saying pleased Absalom, and all the ancients of Israel.

Absalom: Call Chusai the Arachite, and let us hear what he also saith.

Absalom to Chusai: Achitophel hath spoken after this manner: shall we do it or not? What counsel dost thou give?

Chusai to Absalom: The counsel that Achitophel hath given this time is not good… Thou knowest thy father, and the men that are with him, that they are very valiant, and bitter in their mind, as  bear raging in the wood when her whelps are taken away: and thy father is a warrior, and will not lodge with his people… perhaps he now lieth in pits…But this seemeth to me to be good counsel: let all Israel be gathered to thee… and thou shall be in the midst of them… and we shall come upon him in what place soever he shall be found: and we shall cover him, as the dew falleth upon the ground…

And Absalom, and all the men of Israel said: The counsel of Chusai the Arachite is better than the counsel of Achitophel: and by the will of the Lord the profitable counsel of Achitophel was defeated, that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom.

And Chusai said to Sadoc and Abiathar the priests… now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying: Tarry not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but without delay pass over: lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that is with him… And Jonathan and Achimaas stayed by the fountain Rogel: and there went a maid and told them: and they went forward to carry the message to King David…

But Achitophel seeing that his counsel was not followed… putting his house in order… hanged himself…

But David came to the camp, and Absalom passed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him… Now Absalom appointed Amasa in Joab’s stead over the army… And Israel camped with Absalom in the land of Galaad.

2 Kings Chapter 18: David’s army prepares to fight; David commands mercy for Absalom; David defeats Absalom’s army; Absalom caught in a tree; Joab kills Absalom; Absalom’s pillar; David learns of the death of Absalom; David mourns for Absalom.

And David reviewed his people… and sent forth a third of the people under the hand of Joab, a third under Abisai, and a third under Ethai… I also will go forth with you… for thou alone art accounted for ten thousand… it is better that thou (King David) shouldst be in the city to succor us… What seemeth good to you, that will I do.

Succor—help; relief; aid; assistance; a person or thing that gives help, relief, aid, etc.; to help or relieve.

King David commanded: Save me the boy Absalom.

And the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim. And the people of Israel were defeated there by David’s army, and a great slaughter was made that day of twenty thousand men… and there were many more of the people whom the forest consumed, than whom the sword devoured that day.

And it happened that Absalom met the servants of David, riding on a mule: and as the mule went under a thick and large oak, his head stuck in the oak: and while he hung between the heaven and the earth, the mule on which he rode passed on.

And one saw this and told Joab…

Joab: Not as thou wilt, but I will set upon him in thy sight. So he took three lances in his hand, and thrust them into the heart of Absalom: and whilst he yet panted for life, sticking on the oak, ten young men, armorbearers of Joab, ran up, and striking him slew him.

And Joab sounded the trumpet, and kept back the people from pursuing after Israel in their flight, being willing to spare the multitude.

Now Absalom had reared up for himself, in his lifetime, a pillar, which is in the king’s valley: for he said: I have no son, and this shall be the monument of my name. And he called the pillar by his own name, and it is called the hand of Absalom, to this day.

Joab to Chusai: Go, and tell the king what thou hast seen…

Then Achimaas running by a nearer way passed Chusai…

Achimaas to King David: I know nothing else…

Chusai to King David: Let the enemies of my lord, the king, and all that rise against him unto evil, be as the young man is (dead).

King David weeping: My son Absalom, Absalom my son! Would to God that I might die for thee, Absalom, my son, my son Absalom.

2 Kings Chapter 19: The people mourn with David; Joab urges David to rejoice; The Israelites invite David to return; David returns; David forgives Semei; David pardons Miphiboseth; Chamaam joins David; Strife between Juda and Israel.

And the victory was turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard that day: The king grieveth for his son.

Joab to King David: Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, that have saved thy life… Thou lovest them that hate thee, and thou hatest them that love thee… I not plainly that if Absalom had lived, and all we had been slain, then it would have pleased thee…

And all the people were at strife in all the tribes of Israel… But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in the battle: how long are you silent, and bring not back the king?

And the king returned and came as far as the Jordan, and all Juda came as far as Galgal to meet the king, and to bring him over the Jordan…

Semei to King David: Impute not to me, my lord, the iniquity, nor remember the injuries of thy servant on the day that thou, my lord, the king, wentest out of Jerusalem, nor lay it up in thy heart, O King. For I thy servant acknowledge my sin…

King David to Semei: Thou shalt not die. And he swore unto him.

Miphiboseth to King David: My lord, O king, my servant despised me: for I thy servant spoke to him to saddle me as ass, that I might get on and go with the king: for I thy servant am lame…

King David to Miphiboseth: Why speakest thou any more? What I have said is determined: thou and Siba divide the possessions.

 Miphiboseth answered King David: Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is returned peaceably into his house.

Berzellai was of a great age, that is to say, fourscore years old…

King David to Berzellai: Come with me that thou mayest rest secure with me in Jerusalem…

Berzellai to King David: Why should thy servant be a burden to my lord, the king? I beseech thee to let thy servant return, and die in my own city, and be buried by the sepulcher of my father, and of my mother… but there is my servant Chamaam, let him go with thee…

King David to Berzellai: Let Chamaam go over with me, and I will do for him whatsoever shall please thee, and all that thou shalt ask of me, thou shalt obtain.

Men of Israel to King David: Why have our brethren (of Juda) stolen thee away…

And all of the men of Juda answered the men of Israel: Because the king is nearer to me; why art thou angry for this matter?

2 Kings Chapter 20: Seba’s rebellion; Joab kills Amasa; Joab pursues Seba to Abela; A woman appeals to Joab; The woman agrees to have Seba killed; Chief officers of David.

Seba: We have no part in David, nor inheritance in the son of Isai: return to thy dwellings, O Israel.

And all Israel departed from David, and followed Seba… but the men of Juda stuck to their king from the Jordan unto Jerusalem.

At Jerusalem, King Davis took the ten woman his concubines, which he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, allowing them provisions: and he went not in unto them, but they were shut up unto the day of their death living in widowhood.

King to Amasa: Assemble to me all the men of Juda, against the third day, and be thou here present.

But Amasa tarried beyond the set time which the king had appointed him.

Now will Seba… do us more harm than did Absalom…

But Amasa did not take notice of the sword, which Joab had, and he struck him in the side… and he died.

Now he had passed through all the tribes of Israel unto Abela…

Wise woman to Joab: A saying was used in the old proverb: They that inquire, let them inquire in Abela: and so they made an end. Behold his head shall be thrown to thee from the wall.

So she went to all the people and spoke to them wisely: and they cut off the head of Seba and cast it out to Joab.

And Joab sounded the trumpet, and they departed from the city, every one to their home: and Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

Boldness to believe, boldness to be the change in the world that is needed, back in biblical times and now in modern times.

Time is the dynamic we all fail to truly understand and conquer. Time in the briefness of our lives and in our common human life experience of birth—growth—decline—and death… tis the truth whether we see it, believe it, or deny it.

So far the Acts of the Apostles is a beautiful flashback summary of the gospels looking back to how God had glorified Christ for all time and passed along our hope for eternal salvation. But it is more especially if one sees the transition from God—to Jesus—to the Apostles—to the five thousand early believes in Jerusalem—to you and me.

‘Times of refreshment’ shall come from the presence of the Lord. Is the Lord present in your life? In your heart? In your actions and behavior—words and deeds?

The boldness of Peter and John is evident in this part of the Scriptures:

Now Peter and John were going up into the temple at the ninth hour of prayer. And a certain man, who had been lame from his mother’s womb, was being carried by, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple called the Beautiful, that he might ask alms of those going into the temple.

But Peter, gazing upon him with John, said: “Look at us.”

And he looked at them earnestly, hoping to receive something from them.

But Peter said: “Silver and gold I have none; but what I have, that I give thee. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, arise and walk.”

To whom have we ever said “I believe and I need your help? “Money and power I have none; but what I have, that I give thee. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, let’s resurrect ourselves for the rest of our lives.”

And taking him by his right hand, he raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles became strong. And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and went with them into the temple, walking and leaping and praising God.

And they were filled with wonder and amazement… greatly wondering…

Peter: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by any power or holiness of our own we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his Son Jesus, whom you indeed delivered up and dis owned before the face of Pilate, when he had decided that he should be released. But you disowned the Holy and Just One, and asked that a murderer should be granted to you; but the author of life you killed, whom God has raised up from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. And it is his name, by means of faith in his name, that has made strong this man whom you behold and recognize; moreover it is the faith that comes through Jesus that has given him the perfect health you all see.”

I pray for the perfect health, free of sugar addiction and binge eating, but I also must be bold in my abstinence to change me and my habits and thereby, from the inside-out, change, for the glory of God, into the spiritual entity God so desires me to be.

Peter: “and now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But in this way God fulfilled what he had announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, namely, that his Christ should suffer. Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out in order that, when times of refreshment shall come from the presence of the Lord, he may send him who has been preached to you, Jesus Christ.”

Don’t we all need ‘times of refreshment’ spiritually, mentally, and emotionally?

As much as our heated body is frequently refreshed with cool water or the splash of a waterfall, so too must our spirit be refreshed. We are spiritual beings living a human life.

Is it déjà vu all over again?

Miracles; challenging the establishment, the law; being arrested… and crucified too?

Now while they were speaking to the people, the priests and the officer of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, being grieved because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in the case of Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they set hands upon them and placed them in custody till the next day; for it was already evening. But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to be five thousand.

Rulers, Elders, Scribes: “By what authority or in what name have you done this?”

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them:

“Rulers of the people and elders, if we are on trial today about a good work done to a cripple, as to how this man has been cured, be it known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God has raised from the dead, even in this name does he stand here before you, sound. This is ‘The stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the corner stone,’ Neither is there salvation in any other. For there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.

The corner stone of faith in Jesus Christ had been set.

Now seeing the boldness of Peter, and John, and finding that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they began to marvel, and to recognize them as having been with Jesus.

“What shall we do with these men? For that indeed an evident miracle has been done by them manifest to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But lest it spread further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more about this name to any man.”

And summoning them, they charged them not to speak or to teach at all in the name of Jesus.

 

Peter and John answered and said to them:

“Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, decide for yourselves. For we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

But they, after threatening them, let them go, not finding any way of punishing them, because of the people for all were glorifying what had come to pass. For the man upon whom this miraculous cure had been done was more than forty years old.

Nor after their dismissal, they can to their companions… lifted up their voice with one accord to God and said:

“Lord, it is thou who didst make heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in them, who didst say by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of our father David, thy servant, ‘Why did the Gentiles rage and the peoples plan vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers assembled together against the Lord and against his Christ.’ For of a truth there assembled together in this city against thy holy servant Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do what thy hand and thy counsel decreed to be done. And now Lord, take note of their threats, and grant to thy servants to speak thy word with all boldness, while thou stretchest forth thy hand to cures and signs and wonders to be wrought by the name of thy holy servant Jesus.”

And when they had prayed, the place where they had assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and spoke of God with boldness.

Amen! Alleluia!

Boldness to believe and act accordingly like the Apostles… begins inside me…

Day 110: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Boldness to Believe and Act Accordingly like the Apostles…

Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Acts of The Apostles Chapters 3-4.

Bible Notes:

Saint Luke, the author of the third Gospel, wrote also this history of the primitive Church. Opening with the story of the Ascension and Pentecost, this book records the important events of the early Church: the mass conversions after Pentecost; the persecution by Herod; the conversion of Saint Paul; his three missionary journeys; his arrest and final trip to Rome

Acts Chapter 3:  Peter cures a lame beggar; The cure causes great amazement; Another discourse by Peter; Peter urges repentance.

Now Peter and John were going up into the temple at the ninth hour of prayer. And a certain man, who had been lame from his mother’s womb, was being carried by, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple called the Beautiful, that he might ask alms of those going into the temple.

But Peter, gazing upon him with John, said: “Look at us.”

And he looked at them earnestly, hoping to receive something from them.

But Peter said: “Silver and gold I have none; but what I have, that I give thee. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, arise and walk.”

And taking him by his right hand, he raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles became strong. And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and went with them into the temple, walking and leaping and praising God.

And they were filled with wonder and amazement… greatly wondering…

Peter: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by any power or holiness of our own we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his Son Jesus, whom you indeed delivered up and dis owned before the face of Pilate, when he had decided that he should be released. But you disowned the Holy and Just One, and asked that a murderer should be granted to you; but the author of life you killed, whom God has raised up from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. And it is his name, by means of faith in his name, that has made strong this man whom you behold and recognize; moreover it is the faith that comes through Jesus that has given him the perfect health you all see.”

Peter: “and now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But in this way God fulfilled what he had announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, namely, that his Christ should suffer. Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out in order that, when times of refreshment shall come from the presence of the Lord, he may send him who has been preached to you, Jesus Christ. For heaven indeed must receive him until the times of the restoration of all things, of which God has spoken by the mouth of his holy prophets who have been from of old. For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God shall raise up to you a prophet from among your brethren, as he raised up me: to him you shall hearken in all things that he shall speak to you. And it shall be that every soul that will not hearken to the prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.’ And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel onwards, have also announced these days. You are the children of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in thy offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ To you first God, raising up his Son, has sent him to bless you, that everyone may turn from his wickedness.”

 

Acts Chapter 4:  Peter and John arrested; They are questioned about their preaching; Peter’s answer; Peter and John ordered to be silent; They refuse to comply; Thanksgiving for their dismissal; Manner of life of Christians.

Now while they were speaking to the people, the priests and the officer of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, being grieved because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in the case of Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they set hands upon them and placed them in custody till the next day; for it was already evening. But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to be five thousand.

Rulers, Elders, Scribes, Annas the high priest, Caiphas, John, and Alexander and as many as belonged to the high-priest family:

“By what authority or in what name have you done this?”

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them:

“Rulers of the people and elders, if we are on trial today about a good work done to a cripple, as to how this man has been cured, be it known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God has raised from the dead, even in this name does he stand here before you, sound. This is ‘The stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the corner stone,’ Neither is there salvation in any other. For there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.

Now seeing the boldness of Peter, and John, and finding that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they began to marvel, and to recognize them as having been with Jesus.

“What shall we do with these men? For that indeed an evident miracle has been done by them manifest to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But lest it spread further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more about this name to any man.”

And summoning them, they charged them not to speak or to teach at all in the name of Jesus.

Peter and John answered and said to them:

“Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, decide for yourselves. For we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

But they, after threatening them, let them go, not finding any way of punishing them, because of the people for all were glorifying what had come to pass. For the man upon whom this miraculous cure had been done was more than forty years old.

Nor after their dismissal, they can to their companions… lifted up their voice with one accord to God and said:

“Lord, it is thou who didst make heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in them, who didst say by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of our father David, thy servant, ‘Why did the Gentiles rage and the peoples plan vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers assembled together against the Lord and against his Christ.’ For of a truth there assembled together in this city against thy holy servant Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do what thy hand and thy counsel decreed to be done. And now Lord, take note of their threats, and grant to thy servants to speak thy word with all boldness, while thou stretchest forth thy hand to cures and signs and wonders to be wrought by the name of thy holy servant Jesus.”

And when they had prayed, the place where they had assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and spoke of God with boldness.

Now the multitude of the believers were of one heart and one soul, and not one of them said that anything he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave testimony to the resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord: and great grace was in them all. Nor was there anyone among them in want. For those who owned lands or houses would sell them and bring the price of what they sold and lay it at the feet of the apostles, and distribution was made to each, according as any one had need. Now Joseph, who by the apostles… sold the field that he had, and brought the price and laid it at the feet of the apostles.

King David’s Canticle of Thanksgiving to the Lord… and not his last words as stated in Scripture. These are the last chapters of Second Kings and David is alive and forgiven in the end. This Book of second Kings tells of King David’s reign. By many successful wars he consolidated his kingdom and made Jerusalem his capital. His serious sins endangered the kingdom; but after he had repented, he conquered his enemies.

And in the end the Lord conquered David I presume, as He conquers all of our hearts.

Before the canticle, chapter 21 addresses retribution apparently within the grace and wishes of God:

 And there was a famine in the days of David for three years successively: and David consulted the oracle of the Lord.

And the Lord said: It is for Saul, and his bloody house, because he slew the Gabaonites.

King David to the Gabaonites: What shall I do for you? And what shall be the atonement for you, that you may bless the inheritance of the Lord?

Gabaonites: The man that crushed us (Saul) and oppressed us unjustly, we must destroy in such a manner that there be not so much as one left of his stock in all the coasts of Israel. Let seven men of his children be delivered unto us, that we may crucify then to the Lord in Gabaa of Saul, once the chosen of the Lord.

King David: I will give them.

And the king spared Miphiboseth the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the oath of the Lord, that had been between David and Jonathan the son of Saul… and (King David) gave them into the hands of the Gabaonites: and they crucified them on a hill before the Lord… and God showed mercy again to the land after these things.

Here in its entirety is the Canticle of Thanksgiving to the Lord by King David with words and phrases in bold that struck a chord with me:

And David spoke to the Lord the words of this canticle, in the day that the Lord delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul, and he said:

“The Lord is my rock, and my strength, and my savior. God is my strong one, in him I will trust: my shield, and the horn of my salvation: he lifeth me up, and is my refuge: my savior, thou wilt deliver me from Iniquity. I will call on the Lord who is worthy to be praised: and I shall be saved from my enemies.”

“For the pangs of death have surrounded me” the floods of Belai have made me afraid. The cords of hell compassed me: the snares of death prevented me. In my distress I will call upon the Lord and I will cry to my God: and he will hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry shall come to his ears.”

“The earth shook and trembled, the foundations of the mountains were moved, and shaken, because he was angry with them. A smoke went up from his nostrils, and a devouring fire out of his mouth: coals were kindled in it. He bowed the heavens, and came down; and darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon the cherubims, and flew: and slid upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness a covering round about him: dropping waters out of the clouds of the heavens. By the brightness before him, the coals of fire were kindled. The Lord shall thunder from heaven: and the most high shall give forth his voice. He shot arrows and scattered them: lighting, and consumed them. And the overflowings of the sea appeared, and the foundations of the world were laid open at the rebuke of the Lord, at the blast of spirit of his wrath.”

“He sent from on high, and took me, and drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my most mighty enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me. He prevented me in the day of my affliction, and the Lord became my stay. And he brought me forth into a large place, he delivered me, because I pleased him.”

“The Lord will reward me according to my justice: and according to the cleanness of my hands he will render me. Because I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all his judgments are in my sight: and his precepts I have not removed from me. And I shall be perfect with him: and shall keep myself from iniquity. And the Lord will recompense me according to my justice: and according to the cleanness of my hands in the sight of his eyes. With the holy one thou will be holy: and with the valiant perfect. With the elect thou wilt be elect: and with the perverse thou wilt be perverted. And the poor people thou wilt save: and with thy eyes thou wilt humble the haughty. For thou art my lamp, O Lord: and thou, O Lord, wilt enlighten my darkness. For in thee I will run girded: in my God I will leap over the wall.”

“God, his way is immaculate, the word of the Lord is tried by fire: he is the shield of all that trust in him. Who is God but the Lord: and who is strong but our God? God who hath girded me with strength, and made my way perfect. Making my feet like the feet of harts, and setting me upon high places. He teacheth my hands to war: and maketh my arms like a bow of brass. Thou hast given me the shield of my salvation: and thy mildness hath multiplied me. Thou shalt enlarge my steps under me: and my ankles shall not fail. I will pursue after my enemies, and crush them: and will not return again till I consume them. I will consume them and break them into pieces, so that they shall not rise: they shall fall under my feet. Thou hast girded me with strength to battle: thou hast made them that resisted me to bow under me. My enemies thou hast made to turn their back to me: them, that hated me, and I shall destroy them. They shall cry, and there shall be none to save: to the Lord, and he shall not hear them. I shall beat them as small as the dust of the earth: I shall crush them and spread them abroad like the mire of the streets.”

“Thou will save me from the contradictions of my people: thou wilt keep me to be the head of the Gentiles: the people which I know not, shall serve me, the sons of the stranger will resist me, at the hearing of the ear they will obey me. The strangers are melted away, and shall be straitened in their distresses. The Lord liveth, and my God is blessed: and the strong God of my salvation shall be exalted. God who giveth me revenge, and bringest down people under me, who bringest me forth from my enemies, and liftest me up from them that resist me: from the wicked man thou shalt deliver me. Therefore I will give thanks to thee, O Lord, among the Gentiles, and will sing to thy name. Giving great salvation to his king, and showing mercy to David his anointed, and to his seed forever.  

WOW, written in biblical times over two thousand years ago! Seems like to could have been written in these modern times… and darkness was under his feet… we think of darkness as alternating in day and night. We know the sun is always shining and the earth always revolving and orbiting around the sun. But to be God and have darkness under his feet? Wow, and lightness too?

“He sent from on high, and took me, and drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my most mighty enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me. He prevented me in the day of my affliction, and the Lord became my stay. And he brought me forth into a large place, he delivered me, because I pleased him.”

David was not an angel. His sins were many and made public, same as, but more numerous than Moses. So what can I learn from their examples? Stay in relationship with God, have Jesus and love in my heart, and keep communicating with my Lord and Savior for He never wanders far from me and my life’s journey; it is I that wander from Him. Be honest, be truthful to self and others; make amends when needed and keep moving forward, higher towards the light; every day is a new day and live only that day, that moment as much as I can in peace, joy, unity, and freedom! TROML Baby!

Now these were David’s last words except they weren’t and those that impacted me again in bold and italicized type:

“The man to whom it was appointed concerning the Christ of the God of Jacob, the excellent psalmist of Israel said: The spirit of the Lord hath spoken by me and his word by my tongue. The God of Israel said to me, the strong one of Israel spoke, the ruler of men, the just ruler in the fear of God. As the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, shineth in the morning without clouds, and as the grass springeth out of the earth by rain. Neither is my house so great with God, that he should make with me an eternal covenant, firm in all things and assured. For he is my salvation, and all my will: neither is he there aught thereof that springeth not up. But transgressors shall all of them be plucked up as thorns: which are not taken away with hands. And if a man will touch them, he must be armed with iron and with the staff of a lance: but they shall be set on fire and burnt to nothing.”

Neither is my house so great with God, that he should make with me an eternal covenant, firm in all things and assured. None of us get a free pass, not me or you; no matter how mighty and powerful nor how weak and humble. I, like you, have to be as strong as possible and work as hard as possible via the spirit of the Lord!

And the anger of the Lord was again kindled against Israel, and stirred up David among them, saying: Go, number Israel and Juda… and having gone through the whole land, after nine months and twenty days they came to Jerusalem…there was found of Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword: and of Juda five hundred thousand fighting men.

But David’s heart struck him, after the people were numbered: and David said to the Lord:

I have sinned very much in what I have done: but I pray thee, O Lord, to take away the iniquity of thy servant, because I have done exceedingly foolishly.

The word of the Lord came to Gad the prophet and the seer of David, saying:

I give thee thy choice of three things, choose one of them which thou wilt, that I may do it to thee… Either seven years of famine… or thou shall flee three months before thy adversaries, and they will pursue thee… or for three days there will be a pestilence in thy land.

David to God: I am in a great strait: but it is better that I should fall into the hands of the Lord (for his mercies are many) than into the hands of men.

Thinking David did not want to flee three months before thy adversaries and the Lord chose between the remaining two options:

And the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel… and there died… seventy thousand men…

David to the Lord: It is I: I am he that have sinned, I have done wickedly: these are thy sheep, what have they done? Let thy hand, I beseech thee, be turned against me, and against my father’s house.

(The Lord to) Gad to David: Go up,  and build an altar to the Lord… and build an altar to the Lord, that the plague, which rageth among the people, may cease… and David built there an altar to the Lord, and offered holocausts and peace offerings: and the Lord became merciful to the land, and the plagues was stayed from Israel.

There was an ebb and flow to David’s sinning, humble repentance, and the Lord’s forgiveness; hence King David’s Canticle of Thanksgiving to the Lord as an example to be used in prayer and meditation by all…

Day 111: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; King David’s Canticle of Thanksgiving to the Lord but Not his Last Words…

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Second Book of Kings Chapters 21-24 (END)

Bible Notes:

This Book tells of King David’s reign. By many successful wars he consolidated his kingdom and made Jerusalem his capital. His serious sins endangered the kingdom; but after he had repented, he conquered his enemies.

2 Kings Chapter 21: Famine; The Gabaonites seek revenge; Seven sons of Saul crucified; Respha’s kindness to the dead; Burial of Saul, Jonathan, and seven sons; Four Philistine giants slain.

And there was a famine in the days of David for three years successively: and David consulted the oracle of the Lord.

And the Lord said: It is for Saul, and his bloody house, because he slew the Gabaonites.

King David to the Gabaonites: What shall I do for you? And what shall be the atonement for you, that you may bless the inheritance of the Lord?

Gabaonites: The man that crushed us (Saul) and oppressed us unjustly, we must destroy in such a manner that there be not so much as one left of his stock in all the coasts of Israel. Let seven men of his children be delivered unto us, that we may crucify then to the Lord in Gabaa of Saul, once the chosen of the Lord.

King David: I will give them.

And the king spared Miphiboseth the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the oath of the Lord, that had been between David and Jonathan the son of Saul… and (King David) gave them into the hands of the Gabaonites: and they crucified them on a hill before the Lord… and God showed mercy again to the land after these things.

And the Philistines made war again with Israel… and David growing faint… Abisai… rescued him…

David’s men swore to David: Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, lest thou put out the lamp of Israel.

2 Kings Chapter 22: David’s canticle of thanksgiving; Introduction; David’s distress; The power of God; David freed from his enemies; The justice of God; God’s goodness to David; Protection against David’s enemies.

And David spoke to the Lord the words of this canticle, in the day that the Lord delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul, and he said:

“The Lord is my rock, and my strength, and my savior. God is my strong one, in him I will trust: my shield, and the horn of my salvation: he lifeth me up, and is my refuge: my savior, thou wilt deliver me from Iniquity. I will call on the Lord who is worthy to be praised: and I shall be saved from my enemies.”

“For the pangs of death have surrounded me” the floods of Belai have made me afraid. The cords of hell compassed me: the snares of death prevented me. In my distress I will call upon the Lord and I will cry to my God: and he will hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry shall come to his ears.”

“The earth shook and trembled, the foundations of the mountains were moved, and shaken, because he was angry with them. A smoke went up from his nostrils, and a devouring fire out of his mouth: coals were kindled in it. He bowed the heavens, and came down; and darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon the cherubims, and flew: and slid upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness a covering round about him: dropping waters out of the clouds of the heavens. By the brightness before him, the coals of fire were kindled. The Lord shall thunder from heaven: and the most high shall give forth his voice. He shot arrows and scattered them: lighting, and consumed them. And the overflowings of the sea appeared, and the foundations of the world were laid open at the rebuke of the Lord, at the blast of spirit of his wrath.”

“He sent from on high, and took me, and drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my most mighty enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me. He prevented me in the day of my affliction, and the Lord became my stay. And he brought me forth into a large place, he delivered me, because I pleased him.”

“The Lord will reward me according to my justice: and according to the cleanness of my hands he will render me. Because I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all his judgments are in my sight: and his precepts I have not removed from me. And I shall be perfect with him: and shall keep myself from iniquity. And the Lord will recompense me according to my justice: and according to the cleanness of my hands in the sight of his eyes. With the holy one thou will be holy: and with the valiant perfect. With the elect thou wilt be elect: and with the perverse thou wilt be perverted. And the poor people thou wilt save: and with thy eyes thou wilt humble the haughty. For thou art my lamp, O Lord: and thou, O Lord, wilt enlighten my darkness. For in thee I will run girded: in my God I will leap over the wall.”

“God, his way is immaculate, the word of the Lord is tried by fire: he is the shield of all that trust in him. Who is God but the Lord: and who is strong but our God? God who hath girded me with strength, and made my way perfect. Making my feet like the feet of harts, and setting me upon high places. He teacheth my hands to war: and maketh my arms like a bow of brass. Thou hast given me the shield of my salvation: and thy mildness hath multiplied me. Thou shalt enlarge my steps under me: and my ankles shall not fail. I will pursue after my enemies, and crush them: and will not return again till I consume them. I will consume them and break them into pieces, so that they shall not rise: they shall fall under my feet. Thou hast girded me with strength to battle: thou hast made them that resisted me to bow under me. My enemies thou hast made to turn their back to me: them, that hated me, and I shall destroy them. They shall cry, and there shall be none to save: to the Lord, and he shall not hear them. I shall beat them as small as the dust of the earth: I shall crush them and spread them abroad like the mire of the streets.”

“Thou will save me from the contradictions of my people: thou wilt keep me to be the head of the Gentiles: the people which I know not, shall serve me, the sons of the stranger will resist me, at the hearing of the ear they will obey me. The strangers are melted away, and shall be straitened in their distresses. The Lord liveth, and my God is blessed: and the strong God of my salvation shall be exalted. God who giveth me revenge, and bringest down people under me, who bringest me forth from my enemies, and liftest me up from them that resist me: from the wicked man thou shalt deliver me. Therefore I will give thanks to thee, O Lord, among the Gentiles, and will sing to thy name. Giving great salvation to his king, and showing mercy to David hi anointed, and to his seed forever.  

2 Kings Chapter 23: The last words of David; David’s valiant men; Endurance of Eleazar; Bravery of Semma; The three who got water for David; Valor of Abisai; Deeds of Banaias; Other valiant men.

Now these were David’s last words:

“The man to whom it was appointed concerning the Christ of the God of Jacob, the excellent psalmist of Israel said: The spirit of the Lord hath spoken by me and his word by my tongue. The God of Israel said to me, the strong one of Israel spoke, the ruler of men, the just ruler in the fear of God. As the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, shineth in the morning without clouds, and as the grass springeth out of the earth by rain. Neither is my house so great with God, that he should make with me an eternal covenant, firm in all things and assured. For he is my salvation, and all my will: neither is he there aught thereof that springeth not up. But transgressors shall all of them be plucked up as thorns: which are not taken away with hands. And if a man will touch them, he must be armed with iron and with the staff of a lance: but they shall be set on fire and burnt to nothing.”

These are the names of the valiant men of David…Jesbaham sitting in the chair was the wisest chief among the three… After his was Eleazar… and after him was Semma…

Moreover also before this the three who were princes among the thirty…And David was then in a hold: and there was a garrison of the Philistines then in Bethlehem… And David longed, and said: O that some man would get me a drink of the water out of the cistern, that is in Bethlehem, by the gate… And the three valiant men broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the cistern of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and brought it up to David: but he would not drink, but offered it to the Lord, saying: The Lord be merciful to me, that I may not do this: shall I drink the blood of these men that went, and the peril of their lives? Therefore he would not drink. These things do these three mighty men… Abisai… was chief among three… but to the three first he attained not…Banaias… and he was removed among the three valiant men, who were the most honorable among the thirty: but he attained not to the first three: and David made him of his privy council… Asael… was one of the thirty…

2 Kings Chapter 24: David commands Joab to take a census; The number of fighting men; David asked to choose his punishment; Pestilence sent upon Israel; End of the Pestilence.

And the anger of the Lord was again kindled against Israel, and stirred up David among them, saying: Go, number Israel and Juda… and having gone through the whole land, after nine months and twenty days they came to Jerusalem…there was found of Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword: and of Juda five hundred thousand fighting men.

But David’s heart struck him, after the people were numbered: and David said to the Lord:

I have sinned very much in what I have done: but I pray thee, O Lord, to take away the iniquity of thy servant, because I have done exceedingly foolishly.

The word of the Lord came to Gad the prophet and the seer of David, saying:

I give thee thy choice of three things, choose one of them which thou wilt, that I may do it to thee… Either seven years of famine… or thou shall flee three months before thy adversaries, and they will pursue thee… or for three days there will be a pestilence in thy land.

David to God: I am in a great strait: but it is better that I should fall into the hands of the Lord (for his mercies are many) than into the hands of men.

And the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel… and there died… seventy thousand men…

David to the Lord: It is I: I am he that have sinned, I have done wickedly: these are thy sheep, what have they done? Let thy hand, I beseech thee, be turned against me, and against my father’s house.

(The Lord to) Gad to David: Go up,  and build an altar to the Lord… and build an altar to the Lord, that the plague, which rageth among the people, may cease… and David built there an altar to the Lord, and offered holocausts and peace offerings: and the Lord became merciful to the land, and the plagues was stayed from Israel.

 

 

A man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a piece of land and by fraud kept back part of the price of the land, with the connivance of his wife, and bringing a part only, laid it at the feet of the apostles.

Peter: “Ananias, why has Satan tempted thy heart, that thou shouldst lie to the Holy Spirit and by fraud keep back part of the price of the land? …Why hast thou conceived this thing in thy heart? Thou hast not lied to men, but to God.”

And Ananias hearing these words, fell down and expired. And great fear came upon all who heard it.

About three hours later his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in.

Peter to Sapphira: “Tell me, did you sell the land for so much?”

Sapphira: “Yes, for so much.”

Peter to Sapphira: “Why have you agreed to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold the feet of those who have buried thy husband are at the door, and they will carry thee out.”

And she fell down immediately at his feet and expired. And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard this.

I am fearful of that judgment too! Back in those days being in Jesus’ church meant giving up everything of value, everything! This is the New Testament too; post Jesus; human life preaching love and forgiveness, not harshly applying the letter of the Law.

Confused a bit; but certainly in a spiritual sense there can be none higher than God, Jesus, and The Holy Spirit.

Basically, in my opinion, Jesus was multiplied by twelve… and the battle lines and resistance to change that Jesus confronted so too did the Twelve Apostles:

Now by the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people… so they carried the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and pallets that, when Peter passed, his shadow at least might fall on some of them… bringing sick and those troubled with unclean spirits, and they were all cured.

…The Party of the Sadducees, and being filled with jealousy seized the apostles and put them in the public prison. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison and led them out, and said:

“Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.”

Officers to the Sanhedrin: “The prison indeed we found securely locked, and the guards standing before the doors, but on opening it we found no one inside.”

Someone to the Sanhedrin and the officers: “Behold, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.”

Then the captain went off with the officers and brought them without violence, for they feared the people lest they should be stoned.

Sanhedrin: “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, and behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and want to bring this man’s blood upon us.”

Peter and the apostles answered: “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you put to death, hanging him on a tree. Him God exalted with his right hand to be Prince and Savior, to grant repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to all who obey him.”

But there stood up one in the Sanhedrin, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law respected by all the people, and he ordered that the men be put outside for a little while.

Gamaliel to the rest of the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do to these men. For some time ago there rose up Theodas, claiming to be somebody… but he was slain, and all his followers were dispersed and he was brought to nothing. After him rose up Judas the Galilean…he was perished, and all his followers were scattered abroad. So I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone. For if this plan or work is of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow it. Else perhaps you may find yourselves fighting even against God.”

And the Sanhedrin agreed with Gamaliel and calling in the apostles and having them scourged, they charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then let them go…

So the apostles departed from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus. And they did not for a single day cease teaching and preaching in the temple and from house to house the good news of Jesus as the Christ.

I think this is the tipping point moment for the Apostles; the opposite of Pandora coming out of the box; the Holy Spirit, through the Disciples coming into the world and never to be contained again!

“Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.”

Powerful, all the words of this life… what are the words of my life, your life?

“Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.”

Here is the beginning of saga of Stephen… There arose a murmuring among the Hellenists against the Hebrews that their widows were being neglected in the daily ministration.

Interesting, back in the days when government administration was ‘ministration,’ perhaps ‘mini’ in size… though with problems too!

There arose a murmuring among the Hellenists against the Hebrews that their widows were being neglected in the daily ministration.

The Twelve to the multitude of disciples: “It is not desirable that we should forsake the word of God and serve at tables. Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, that we may put them in charge of the work. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

And the plan met the approval of the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man of faith and of the Holy Spirit and Philip and Prochorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenas and Nicholas, a proselyte from Antioch.

These they set before the apostles, and after they had prayed they laid their hands upon them. And the word of the Lord continued to spread, and the number of the disciples increased rapidly in Jerusalem: a large number also of the priests accepted the faith.

Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was working great wonders and signs among the people. But there arose some… disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit who spoke. Then they bribed men to say they had heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and against God.

And they brought forward false witnesses to say:

“This man never ceases speaking words against the Holy Place and the Law: for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the traditions which Moses handed down to us.”

Then all who sat in the Sanhedrin, gazing upon him, saw his face as though it were the face of an angel.

After they had prayed they laid their hands upon them.

Powerful, and tender—an angel in court, imagine that!

The fear is lessening as I continue to read, understand and grow in Scriptures—The Word of God!

 

Day 112: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; A Great Fear Came Upon All Who Heard This & Me Too!

Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Acts of The Apostles Chapters 5-6.

Bible Notes:

Saint Luke, the author of the third Gospel, wrote also this history of the primitive Church. Opening with the story of the Ascension and Pentecost, this book records the important events of the early Church: the mass conversions after Pentecost; the persecution by Herod; the conversion of Saint Paul; his three missionary journeys; his arrest and final trip to Rome

Acts Chapter 5:  Ananias punished for lying; Sapphira, his wife, also dies; Miracles; Apostles arrested and liberated; Apostles again seized; Sanhedrin questions the Apostles; Peter’s answer; Gamaliel defends the Apostles; Apostles scourged and released.

A man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a piece of land and by fraud kept back part of the price of the land, with the connivance of his wife, and bringing a part only, laid it at the feet of the apostles.

Connivance—tacit encouragement or assent (without participation) to wrongdoing by another; the consent by a person to a spouse’s conduct, especially adultery, that is later made the basis of a divorce proceeding or other complaint.

Peter: “Ananias, why has Satan tempted thy heart, that thou shouldst lie to the Holy Spirit and by fraud keep back part of the price of the land? …Why hast thou conceived this thing in thy heart? Thou hast not lied to men, but to God.”

And Ananias hearing these words, fell down and expired. And great fear came upon all who heard it.

About three hours later his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in.

Peter to Sapphira: “Tell me, did you sell the land for so much?”

Sapphira: “Yes, for so much.”

Peter to Sapphira: “Why have you agreed to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold the feet of those who have buried thy husband are at the door, and they will carry thee out.”

And she fell down immediately at his feet and expired. And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard this.

Now by the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people… so they carried the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and pallets that, when Peter passed, his shadow at least might fall on some of them… bringing sick and those troubled with unclean spirits, and they were all cured.

…The Party of the Sadducees, and being filled with jealousy seized the apostles and put them in the public prison. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison and led them out, and said:

“Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.”

Officers to the Sanhedrin: “The prison indeed we found securely locked, and the guards standing before the doors, but on opening it we found no one inside.”

Someone to the Sanhedrin and the officers: “Behold, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.”

Then the captain went off with the officers and brought them without violence, for they feared the people lest they should be stoned.

Sanhedrin: “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, and behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and want to bring this man’s blood upon us.”

Peter and the apostles answered: “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you put to death, hanging him on a tree. Him God exalted with his right hand to be Prince and Savior, to grant repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to all who obey him.”

But there stood up one in the Sanhedrin, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law respected by all the people, and he ordered that the men be put outside for a little while.

Gamaliel to the rest of the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do to these men. For some time ago there rose up Theodas, claiming to be somebody… but he was slain, and all his followers were dispersed and he was brought to nothing. After him rose up Judas the Galilean…he was perished, and all his followers were scattered abroad. So I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone. For if this plan or work is of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow it. Else perhaps you may find yourselves fighting even against God.”

And the Sanhedrin agreed with Gamaliel and calling in the apostles and having them scourged, they charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then let them go…

Scourge—a whip or lash, especially for the infliction of punishment or torture; to whip with a scourge; lash.

So the apostles departed from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus. And they did not for a single day cease teaching and preaching in the temple and from house to house the good news of Jesus as the Christ.

Acts Chapter 6:  The seven deacons; Bribing Stephen’s accusers; Stephen arrested.

There arose a murmuring among the Hellenists against the Hebrews that their widows were being neglected in the daily ministration.

The Twelve to the multitude of disciples: “It is not desirable that we should forsake the word of God and serve at tables. Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, that we may put them in charge of the work. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

And the plan met the approval of the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man of faith and of the Holy Spirit and Philip and Prochorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenas and Nicholas, a proselyte from Antioch.

Proselyte—a person who has changed from one opinion, religious belief, sect, or the like, to another; convert.

These they set before the apostles, and after they had prayed they laid their hands upon them. And the word of the Lord continued to spread, and the number of the disciples increased rapidly in Jerusalem: a large number also of the priests accepted the faith.

Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was working great wonders and signs among the people. But there arose some… disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit who spoke. Then they bribed men to say they had heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and against God.

And they brought forward false witnesses to say:

“This man never ceases speaking words against the Holy Place and the Law: for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the traditions which Moses handed down to us.”

Then all who sat in the Sanhedrin, gazing upon him, saw his face as though it were the face of an angel.

This Third Book of Kings opens with the death of King David. Solomon, his son, succeeded him. King Solomon ruled wisely, beautified Jerusalem, and built the Temple. But later he encouraged idolatry. After his death his kingdom split into two hostile sections, Israel in the North and Juda in the South.

Actually it opens with a sign of those times and not of these times:

Now King David was old, and advanced in years: and when he was covered with clothes, he was not warm. His servants therefore said to him: Let us seek for our lord the king a young virgin, and let her stand before the king, and cherish him, and sleep in his bosom, and warm our lord the king… they found Abisag a Sunamitess and brought her to the king. And the damsel was exceedingly beautiful, and she slept with the king: and served him, but the king did not know her.

So King David was old and it was time to pick a successor, actually remember to pick a successor and not one who exalted themselves!

And Adonias the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying: I will be king.

So Bethsabee went in to the king into the chamber: now the king was very old, and Abisag the Sunamitess ministered to him.

King David to Bethsabee: What is your will?

Bethsabee: My lord, thou didst swear to thy handmaid by the Lord thy God, saying: Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne. And behold now Adonias reigneth, and thou, my lord the king, knowest nothing of it… Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king sleepeth with his father, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.

Nathan the prophet came…

King David answered: As the Lord liveth, who hath delivered my soul out of all distress, even as I swore to thee by the Lord the God of Israel, saying: Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead, so will I do this day.

Bethsabee: May my lord David live forever.

And let Sadoc the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there (in Gihon) king over Israel: and you shall sound the trumpet, and shall say: God save King Solomon.

And all the multitude went up after him, and the people played with pipes, and rejoiced with a great joy, and the earth rang with the noise of their cry.

Jonathan to Adonias: for our lord King David hath appointed Solomon king. Moreover Solomon sitteth upon the throne of the kingdom. And the king’s servants going in have blessed our lord King David saying: May God make the name of Solomon greater than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne.

King David: Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, who hath given this day one to sit on my throne, my eyes seeing it.

And Adonias fearing Solomon, arose, and went, and took hold of the horn of the altar, saying: Let king Solomon swear to me this day, that he will not kill his servant with the sword.

And Solomon said: If he be a good man, there shall not so much as one hair of his head fall to the ground, but if evil be found in him, he shall die.

Solomon to Adonias: Go to thy house.

So King David picked Solomon as the next king after being reminded by Solomon’s mother that he had promised to do so. Solomon was not David’s oldest son for he had many wives and this left an awkward position especially after Adonias, the oldest assumed the kingship would be his and it was not!

David had some advice for Solomon and a list of three things he wanted Solomon to take care of for him…

And the days of David drew nigh that he should die, and he charged his son Solomon, saying:

I am going the way of all flesh: take thou courage, and show thyself a man And keep charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and observe his ceremonies, and his precepts, and judgments, and testimonials, as it is written in the law of Moses: that thou mayst understand all thou dost, and whithersoever thou shalt turn thyself, that the Lord may confirm his words, which he hath spoken of me, saying: If  thy children shall take heed to their ways, and shall walk before me in truth, with all their heart, and with all their soul, there shall not be taken away from thee a man on the throne of Israel.

David to Solomon (Commandment 1): Thou knowest also what Joab… hath done to me, what he did to the two captains of the army of Israel… whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace… do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoary head go down to hell in peace.

David to Solomon (Commandment 2): But show kindness to the sons of Berzellai the Galaadite, and let them eat at thy table: for they met me when I fled from the face of Absalom thy brother.

David to Solomon (Commandment 3): Thou hast also with thee Semei… who cursed me with a grievous curse, when I went to camp… I swore to him by the Lord saying: I will not kill thee with a sword; do not thou hold him guiltless. For thou are a wise man, and knowest what to do with him, and thou shalt bring down his grey hairs with blood to hell.

Adonias to Bethsabee, Solomon’s mother: I pray to thee speak to King Solomon (for he cannot deny thee any thing) to give me Abisag the Sunamitess to wife.

Bethsabee: Well, I will speak for thee to the king.

And a throne was set for the king’s mother, and she sat on his right hand…

Bethsabee to King Solomon: I desire one small petition of thee, do not put me to confusion… Let Abisag the Sunamitess be given to Adonias thy brother to wife.

King Solomon to Bethsabee his mother: Why dost thou ask Abisag the Sunamitess for Adonias? Ask for him also the kingdom: for he is my elder brother…

Then King Solomon swore by the Lord saying: So and so may God do to me, and add more, if Adonias hath not spoken this word against his own life… Adonias shall be put to death this day… And King Solomon sent by the hand of Banaias… who slew him, and he died.

And the king said also to Abiathar the priest: Go to Anathoth to thy lands, for indeed thou art worthy of death: but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou didst carry the ark of the Lord God before David my father, and hast endured trouble in all the trouble my father endured. So Solomon cast out Abiathar, from being the priest of the Lord, that the word of the Lord might be fulfilled, which he spoke concerning the house of Heli in Silo.

Solomon following up on David’s Commandment 1:  And the news came to Joab, because Joab had turned after Adonias… and Joab fled into the tabernacle of the Lord and laid hold on the horn of the altar.

Solomon sent Banaias: Go, kill him… because he murdered two men, just and better than himself: and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing it… so Banaias… went up, and setting upon him slew him, and he was buried in his house in the desert.

Solomon following up on David’s Commandment 3: The king also sent and called for Semei, and said to him: Build thee a house in Jerusalem, and dwell there: and go not out from thance any wither. For on what day soever thou shall go out… know that thou shall be put to death.

Semei to King Solomon: The saying is good: as my lord the king hath said, so will thy servant do.

And it came to pass after three years, that the servants of Semei ran away to Achis to Geth… And Semei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Achis to Geth…

King Solomon to Semei: Thou knowest all the evil, of which thy heart is conscious, which thou didst to my father: the Lord hath returned thy wickedness upon thy own head, and King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord for ever.

So the king commanded Banaias… and he went out and struck him, and he died.  

Evidently promises only last a lifetime and dreams do turn into reality!

King Solomon made affinity with Pharao the king of Egypt: for he took his daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the Lord, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.

But yet the people sacrificed in the high places: for there was no temple built to the name of the Lord until that day.

 

And the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream that night, saying:

Ask what thou wilt that I should give thee.

And Solomon said:

Thou hast shown great mercy to thy servant David my father, even as he walked before thee in truth, and justice, and with an upright heart with thee: and thou hast kept thy great mercy for him, and hast given him a son to sit on the throne, as it is this day. And now, O Lord God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a child, and know not how to go out and come in. And thy servant is in the midst of the people, which thou hast chosen, an immense people, which cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore to thy servant an understanding heart, to judge thy people, and discern between good and evil. For who shall be able to judge this people, thy people which is so numerous?

And the word was pleasing to the Lord that Solomon had asked such a thing. And the Lord said to Solomon:

Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life or riches, nor the lives of thy enemies, but hast asked for thyself wisdom to discern judgment, behold I have done for thee according to thy words, and have given thee a wise and understanding heart, insomuch that there hath been no one like thee before thee, nor shall arise after thee. Yea and the things also which thou didst not ask, I have given thee: wit, riches and glory, so that no one hath been like thee among the kings in all days heretofore. And if thou walk in my ways, and keep my precepts, and my commandments, as thy father walked, I will lengthen thy days.

And Solomon awaked, and perceived that it was a dream and when he was come to Jerusalem, he stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered holocausts, and sacrificed victims of peace offerings, and made a great feast for all his servants.

There came two women that were harlots, to the king…

First Woman: Lord, I and this woman dwelt in one house, and I was delivered of a child with her in the chamber. And the third day, after that I was delivered, she also was delivered, and we were together, and no other person with us in the house, only we two. And this women’s child died in the night: for in her sleep she overlaid him. And rising in the dead time of night, she took my child from my side, while I thy handmaid was asleep, and laid it in her bosom: and had her dead child in my bosom.  And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold it was dead: but considering him more diligently when it was clear day, I found that it was not mine which I bore.

Second Woman: It is not so as thou sayest, but thy child is dead, and mine is alive… Thou liest for my child liveth, and thy child is dead.

King Solomon: Bring me a sword… Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.

But the woman whose child was alive, said to the king (for her bowels were moved upon her child), I beseech thee, my lord, give her the child alive, and do not kill it.

But the other women said: let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.

King Solomon: Give the living child to this woman, and let it not be killed, for she is the mother thereof. And all of Israel heard the judgment which the king had judged, and they feared the king, seeing that the wisdom of God was in him to do judgment.

Interesting story and it would be nice to know which woman was which!

King David appoints his son Solomon to be king and then dies while Solomon carries out his vengeful wishes and demonstrates his God-given wisdom!

Day 113: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; King David Appoints Son Solomon to Be King & Then Dies.

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Third Book of Kings Chapters 1-3.

Bible Notes:

This Book opens with the death of King David. Solomon, his son, succeeded him. King Solomon ruled wisely, beautified Jerusalem, and built the Temple. But later he encouraged idolatry. After his death his kingdom split into two hostile sections, Israel in the North and Juda in the South.

3 Kings Chapter 1: Abisog brought to David; Adonias plans to get the throne; Nathan advises the mother of Solomon; Bethsabee seeks to make Solomon king; Nathan intervenes; David pledges the throne to Solomon; Solomon anointed king; Adonias deserted by his followers; Adonias asks mercy of Solomon.

Now King David was old, and advanced in years: and when he was covered with clothes, he was not warm. His servants therefore said to him: Let us seek for our lord the king a young virgin, and let her stand before the king, and cherish him, and sleep in his bosom, and warm our lord the king… they found Abisag a Sunamitess and brought her to the king. And the damsel was exceedingly beautiful, and she slept with the king: and served him, but the king did not know her.

And Adonias the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying: I will be king.

So Bethsabee went in to the king into the chamber: now the king was very old, and Abisag the Sunamitess ministered to him.

King David to Bethsabee: What is your will?

Bethsabee: My lord, thou didst swear to thy handmaid by the Lord thy God, saying: Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne. And behold now Adonias reigneth, and thou, my lord the king, knowest nothing of it… Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king sleepeth with his father, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.

Nathan the prophet came…

King David answered: As the Lord liveth, who hath delivered my soul out of all distress, even as I swore to thee by the Lord the God of Israel, saying: Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead, so will I do this day.

Bethsabee: May my lord David live forever.

 And let Sadoc the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there (in Gihon) king over Israel: and you shall sound the trumpet, and shall say: God save King Solomon.

And all the multitude went up after him, and the people played with pipes, and rejoiced with a great joy, and the earth rang with the noise of their cry.

Jonathan to Adonias: for our lord King David hath appointed Solomon king. Moreover Solomon sitteth upon the throne of the kingdom. And the king’s servants going in have blessed our lord King David saying: May God make the name of Solomon greater than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne.

King David: Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, who hath given this day one to sit on my throne, my eyes seeing it.

And Adonias fearing Solomon, arose, and went, and took hold of the horn of the altar, saying: Let king Solomon swear to me this day, that he will not kill his servant with the sword.

And Solomon said: If he be a good man, there shall not so much as one hair of his head fall to the ground, but if evil be found in him, he shall die.

Solomon to Adonias: Go to thy house.

3 Kings Chapter 2: David instructs Solomon; Solomon receives three commandments; Death and burial of David; Adonias seeks Abisog for his wife; Adonias executed; Abiathar removed from priesthood; Joab executed; Banaias and Sadoc promoted; Semei executed.

And the days of David drew nigh that he should die, and he charged his son Solomon, saying:

I am going the way of all flesh: take thou courage, and show thyself a man And keep charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and observe his ceremonies, and his precepts, and judgments, and testimonials, as it is written in the law of Moses: that thou mayst understand all thou dost, and whithersoever thou shalt turn thyself, that the Lord may confirm his words, which he hath spoken of me, saying: If  thy children shall take heed to their ways, and shall walk before me in truth, with all their heart, and with all their soul, there shall not be taken away from thee a man on the throne of Israel.

David to Solomon (Commandment 1): Thou knowest also what Joab… hath done to me, what he did to the two captains of the army of Israel… whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace… do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoary head go down to hell in peace.

David to Solomon (Commandment 2): But show kindness to the sons of Berzellai the Galaadite, and let them eat at thy table: for they met me when I fled from the face of Absalom thy brother.

David to Solomon (Commandment 3): Thou hast also with thee Semei… who cursed me with a grievous curse, when I went to camp… I swore to him by the Lord saying: I will not kill thee with a sword; do not thou hold him guiltless. For thou are a wise man, and knowest what to do with him, and thou shalt bring down his grey hairs with blood to hell.

Adonias to Bethsabee, Solomon’s mother: I pray to thee speak to King Solomon (for he cannot deny thee any thing) to give me Abisag the Sunamitess to wife.

Bethsabee: Well, I will speak for thee to the king.

And a throne was set for the king’s mother, and she sat on his right hand…

Bethsabee to King Solomon: I desire one small petition of thee, do not put me to confusion… Let Abisag the Sunamitess be given to Adonias thy brother to wife.

King Solomon to Bethsabee his mother: Why dost thou ask Abisag the Sunamitess for Adonias? Ask for him also the kingdom: for he is my elder brother…

Then King Solomon swore by the Lord saying: So and so may God do to me, and add more, if Adonias hath not spoken this word against his own life… Adonias shall be put to death this day… And King Solomon sent by the hand of Banaias… who slew him, and he died.

And the king said also to Abiathar the priest: Go to Anathoth to thy lands, for indeed thou art worthy of death: but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou didst carry the ark of the Lord God before David my father, and hast endured trouble in all the trouble my father endured. So Solomon cast out Abiathar, from being the priest of the Lord, that the word of the Lord might be fulfilled, which he spoke concerning the house of Heli in Silo.

Solomon following up on David’s Commandment 1:  And the news came to Joab, because Joab had turned after Adonias… and Joab fled into the tabernacle of the Lord and laid hold on the horn of the altar.

Solomon sent Banaias: Go, kill him… because he murdered two men, just and better than himself: and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing it… so Banaias… went up, and setting upon him slew him, and he was buried in his house in the desert.

Solomon following up on David’s Commandment 3: The king also sent and called for Semei, and said to him: Build thee a house in Jerusalem, and dwell there: and go not out from thance any wither. For on what day soever thou shall go out… know that thou shall be put to death.

Semei to King Solomon: The saying is good: as my lord the king hath said, so will thy servant do.

And it came to pass after three years, that the servants of Semei ran away to Achis to Geth… And Semei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Achis to Geth…

King Solomon to Semei: Thou knowest all the evil, of which thy heart is conscious, which thou didst to my father: the Lord hath returned thy wickedness upon thy own head, and King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord for ever.

So the king commanded Banaias… and he went out and struck him, and he died.  

3 Kings Chapter 3: Solomon marries Pharao’s daughter; Solomon sacrifices to Gabaon; Solomon asks God for wisdom; The Lord promises wisdom, riches, and glory to Solomon; Controversy between two mothers; Solomon’s wise judgment.

King Solomon made affinity with Pharao the king of Egypt: for he took his daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the Lord, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.

But yet the people sacrificed in the high places: for there was no temple built to the name of the Lord until that day.

Gabaon…  for that was the great high place…

And the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream that night, saying:

Ask what thou wilt that I should give thee.

And Solomon said:

Thou hast shown great mercy to thy servant David my father, even as he walked before thee in truth, and justice, and with an upright heart with thee: and thou hast kept thy great mercy for him, and hast given him a son to sit on the throne, as it is this day. And now, O Lord God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a child, and know not how to go out and come in. And thy servant is in the midst of the people, which thou hast chosen, an immense people, which cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore to thy servant an understanding heart, to judge thy people, and discern between good and evil. For who shall be able to judge this people, thy people which is so numerous?

And the word was pleasing to the Lord that Solomon had asked such a thing. And the Lord said to Solomon:

Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life or riches, nor the lives of thy enemies, but hast asked for thyself wisdom to discern judgment, behold I have done for thee according to thy words, and have given thee a wise and understanding heart, insomuch that there hath been no one like thee before thee, nor shall arise after thee. Yea and the things also which thou didst not ask, I have given thee: wit, riches and glory, so that no one hath been like thee among the kings in all days heretofore. And if thou walk in my ways, and keep my precepts, and my commandments, as thy father walked, I will lengthen thy days.

And Solomon awaked, and perceived that it was a dream and when he was come to Jerusalem, he stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered holocausts, and sacrificed victims of peace offerings, and made a great feast for all his servants.

 There came two women that were harlots, to the king…

First Woman: Lord, I and this woman dwelt in one house, and I was delivered of a child with her in the chamber. And the third day, after that I was delivered, she also was delivered, and we were together, and no other person with us in the house, only we two. And this women’s child died in the night: for in her sleep she overlaid him. And rising in the dead time of night, she took my child from my side, while I thy handmaid was asleep, and laid it in her bosom: and had her dead child in my bosom.  And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold it was dead: but considering him more diligently when it was clear day, I found that it was not mine which I bore.

Second Woman: It is not so as thou sayest, but thy child is dead, and mine is alive… Thou liest for my child liveth, and thy child is dead.

King Solomon: Bring me a sword… Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.

But the woman whose child was alive, said to the king (for her bowels were moved upon her child), I beseech thee, my lord, give her the child alive, and do not kill it.

But the other women said: let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.

King Solomon: Give the living child to this woman, and let it not be killed, for she is the mother thereof. And all of Israel heard the judgment which the king had judged, and they feared the king, seeing that the wisdom of God was in him to do judgment.

 

 

 

And the high priest said, “Are these things so?”

Then Stephen, basically offering a review of the Old Testament books of Genesis and the Exodus, said:

“Brethren and fathers hear. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he settled in Haran, and said to him, ‘Go forth from thy country and from thy kindred, and come into the land that I will show thee.’ And he went forth from the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. From there, after the death of his father, God removed him into this land where you now dwell.” (Genesis Chapter 12)

And he gave him the covenant of circumcision, and so Abraham begot Isaac and circumcised him on the eight day; and Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs…

“Out of jealousy the patriarchs sold Joseph into Egypt, but God was with him (Genesis Chapter 37)

“Now when the time of the promise drew near that God had made to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt till “another king arose in Egypt who knew nothing of Joseph.’ At this time Moses was born, and he was acceptable to God (Exodus Chapter 2)

“When forty years had passed, there appeared to Moses in the desert of Mount Sinai an angel in a flame of fire in a bush… Then the Lord said to him… “I have seen the oppression of my people in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and I have come down to deliver the, And now comes, I will send thee to Egypt” (Exodus Chapter 3)

“Our fathers had in the desert the tent of the testimony, as God arranged when he told Moses to make it according to the model that he had seen…” (Exodus Chapter 25)

Where is Stephen going with this?

But Solomon built God a house. Yet not in houses made by hands does the Most High dwell, even as the prophet says, ‘The heaven is my throne, and the earth a footstool for my feet. What house will you build me, says the Lord, or what shall be the place of my resting? Did not my hand make all this?’

Ah, for me, this is a strange coincidence in that I have been reading the Bible alternating days of Old Testament and New Testament. These chapters 7 & 8 of the Acts of the Apostles—But Solomon built God a house—is the current reading in the New Testament and lo and behold in the Old Testament I am reading the Third Book of Kings chapter 3 where Solomon first references—until he made an end of building his own house, and the house of the Lord, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.

Is this a strange coincidence or is the Old and New Testaments interweaving before me in a novel way to give glory to God?

Stephen, wrongly accused, went on to finish his discourse in front of the elders, the Scribes, and the Sanhedrin:

“Stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ear, you always oppose the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so you do also. Which of the prophets have not our fathers persecuted? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you have now been the betrayers and murderers, you who received the Law as an ordinance of angels and did not keep it.”

So Stephen went to the heart of God in the form of the temporary, movable ‘tent of testimony,’ and Solomon’s more permanent Temple. Then onward, from the Old to the New Testament and His Son, mine and yours, our Savior Jesus Christ. And who was responsible for his death…

Now as they heard these things, they were cut to the heart and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God and he said: “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But the cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed upon him all together. And they cast him out of the city and stoned him… And while they were stoning Stephen he prayed and said:

“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit… Lord, do not lay this sin against them.”

And with these words he fell asleep. And Saul (of Tarsus not King Saul) approved of his death.

Now there broke out on that day a great persecution against the Church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered abroad throughout the land of Judea and Samaria… Saul was harassing the Church; entering house after house, and dragging out men and women, he committed them to prison.

Now those who were scattered abroad went about preaching the word. And Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached the Christ to them. And the crowds with one accord gave heed to what was said by Philip, listening to him and seeing the miracles that he worked. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, went out of many possessed persons, and many paralytics and cripples were cured. So there was great joy in that city.

 

Now a man named Simon had previously been practicing sorcery… and astounding the people of Samaria… saying. “This man is the power of God, which is called great,”… and they gave heed to him because for a long time he had bewitched them with his sorceries…but when they believed Philip as he preached the kingdom of God… Simon himself believed, and after his baptism attached himself to Philip.

Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John… they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. But when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give me also this power, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

But Peter said to Simon:

“Thy money go to destruction with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money. Thou hast no part or lot in this matter; for thy heart is not right before God. Repent therefore of this wickedness of thine and pray to God, that perhaps this thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee: for I see thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.”

Simon answered, “do you pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may happen to me.”

Neither sorcery nor money will endear you to the Lord. Only what is simple and free—one’s heart—can save us and our souls!

But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, “arise and go south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” And Philip arose and went. And behold, and Ethiopian, a eunuch, a minister of Candace, queen of Ethiopia, who was in charge of all her treasures, had come to Jerusalem to worship… and reading the prophet Isaias.

And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and keep close to this carriage.”

Philip to the Ethiopian: “Dost thou then understand what thou art reading?”

Ethiopian to Philip: “Why, how can I, unless someone shows me?”

And he asked Philip to get up and sit with him.

Then Philip opened his mouth and beginning from this scripture, preached Jesus to him.

Ethiopian to Philip: “See, here is water: what is there to prevent my being baptized?”

Philip to the Ethiopian: “If thou dost believe with all thy heart, thou mayest.”

Ethiopian to Philip: “I believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of God.”

But when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but he went on his way rejoicing.

These things are so; Martyr Stephen; the Old & New Testaments intertwine, the disciples are scattered and converting Christians just like Christ had showed them how in His days on this earth…

Day 114: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; These Things Are So; Martyr Stephen; Old & New Intertwine…

Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Acts of The Apostles Chapters 7-8.

Bible Notes:

Saint Luke, the author of the third Gospel, wrote also this history of the primitive Church. Opening with the story of the Ascension and Pentecost, this book records the important events of the early Church: the mass conversions after Pentecost; the persecution by Herod; the conversion of Saint Paul; his three missionary journeys; his arrest and final trip to Rome

Acts Chapter 7:  Stephen’s discourse, the patriarchs; Joseph; Moses’ early life; Moses and the burning bush; Moses and the exodus; The Temple; Conclusion of Stephen’s discourse; Stephen’s martyrdom.

And the high priest said, “Are these things so?”

Then Stephen said, “Brethren and fathers hear. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he settled in Haran, and said to him, ‘Go forth from thy country and from thy kindred, and come into the land that I will show thee.’ And he went forth from the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. From there, after the death of his father, God removed him into this land where you now dwell (Genesis Chapter 12)…

And he gave him the covenant of circumcision, and so Abraham begot Isaac and circumcised him on the eight day; and Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs…

“Out of jealousy the patriarchs sold Joseph into Egypt, but God was with him (Genesis Chapter 37)

“Now when the time of the promise drew near that God had made to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt till “another king arose in Egypt who knew nothing of Joseph.’ At this time Moses was born, and he was acceptable to God (Exodus Chapter 2)

“When forty years had passed, there appeared to Moses in the desert of Mount Sinai an angel in a flame of fire in a bush… Then the Lord said to him… “I have seen the oppression of my people in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and I have come down to deliver the, And now comes, I will send thee to Egypt” (Exodus Chapter 3)

“Our fathers had in the desert the tent of the testimony, as God arranged when he told Moses to make it according to the model that he had seen…” (Exodus Chapter 25)

But Solomon built God a house. Yet not in houses made by hands does the Most High dwell, even as the prophet says, ‘The heaven is my throne, and the earth a footstool for my feet. What house will you build me, says the Lord, or what shall be the place of my resting? Did not my hand make all this?’

Strange coincidence in that I have been reading the Bible alternating days of Old Testament and New Testament. These chapters 7 & 8 of the Acts of the Apostles—But Solomon built God a house—is the current reading in the New Testament and lo and behold in the Old Testament I am reading the Third Book of Kings chapter 3 where Solomon first references—until he made an end of building his own house, and the house of the Lord, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.

Strange coincidence or is the Old and New Testaments interweaving before me in a novel way to give glory to God?

Stephen, wrongly accused, went on to finish his discourse in front of the elders, the Scribes, and the Sanhedrin:

“Stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ear, you always oppose the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so you do also. Which of the prophets have not our fathers persecuted? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you have now been the betrayers and murderers, you who received the Law as an ordinance of angels and did not keep it.”

Now as they heard these things, they were cut to the heart and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God and he said: “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But the cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed upon him all together. And they cast him out of the city and stoned him… And while they were stoning Stephen he prayed and said:

“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit… Lord, do not lay this sin against them.”

And with these words he fell asleep. And Saul (of Tarsus not King Saul) approved of his death.

Acts Chapter 8:  Persecution; Philip preaches in Samaria; Conversion of Simon, the sorcerer; Peter and John sent to Samaria; Simon condemned by Peter; Philip meets the Ethiopian eunuch; He asks Philip to explain the Scriptures; Philip converts the Ethiopian.

Now there broke out on that day a great persecution against the Church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered abroad throughout the land of Judea and Samaria… Saul was harassing the Church; entering house after house, and dragging out men and women, he committed them to prison.

Now those who were scattered abroad went about preaching the word. And Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached the Christ to them. And the crowds with one accord gave heed to what was said by Philip, listening to him and seeing the miracles that he worked. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, went out of many possessed persons, and many paralytics and cripples were cured. So there was great joy in that city.

Now a man named Simon had previously been practicing sorcery… and astounding the people of Samaria… saying. “This man is the power of God, which is called great,”… and they gave heed to him because for a long time he had bewitched them with his sorceries…but when they believed Philip as he preached the kingdom of God… Simon himself believed, and after his baptism attached himself to Philip.

Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John… they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. But when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give me also this power, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

But Peter said to Simon:

“Thy money go to destruction with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money. Thou hast no part or lot in this matter; for thy heart is not right before God. Repent therefore of this wickedness of thine and pray to God, that perhaps this thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee: for I see thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.”

Simon answered, “do you pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may happen to me.”

But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, “arise and go south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” And Philip arose and went. And behold, and Ethiopian, a eunuch, a minister of Candace, queen of Ethiopia, who was in charge of all her treasures, had come to Jerusalem to worship… and reading the prophet Isaias.

And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and keep close to this carriage.”

Philip to the Ethiopian: “Dost thou then understand what thou art reading?”

Ethiopian to Philip: “Why, how can I, unless someone shows me?”

And he asked Philip to get up and sit with him.

Then Philip opened his mouth and beginning from this scripture, preached Jesus to him.

Ethiopian to Philip: “See, here is water: what is there to prevent my being baptized?”

Philip to the Ethiopian: “If thou dost believe with all thy heart, thou mayest.”

Ethiopian to Philip: “I believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of God.”

But when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but he went on his way rejoicing.