This Bible Book is the beautiful story of the young Gentile widow Ruth, who went with Noemi, her mother-in-law, to Bethlehem. There she met and married Booz, a Jew. From that marriage was born Obed, the grandfather of David. Thus Christ, who was of the family of David, had Gentile ancestors.

I thought the short book of Ruth was going to be a love story emerging out of tragedy! But a nearer kinsman refuses to marry Ruth, and why the initial detour from Booz? In the end it is a love story, a virtuous one between Ruth and Booz.

It was a love story for me too! Between me and The Bible, The Word of God as we get closer to the birth of Jesus, having now progressed to the time of his grandfather!

A bit bizarre. Why is this Bible Book significant? Other than Christ, who was of the family of David, it revealed that he had Gentile ancestors; namely his paternal great grandmother Ruth, the Moabitess, from the land of Moab.

This biblical fact confirms a scientific fact that indeed our DNA shows we all come from the same gene pool and the same origin.

I witnessed the ‘All from One, Unity Amid Diversity’ exhibit while visiting South Africa in January, 2016. I found it fascinating, educational, and revealing as much as the Book of Ruth.

‘Who am I?’ is a big question most of us are fixated on at least on a few occasions in our lives. What do I want to be and do after I am done with school? Who am I now that my father and mother have passed from this earth? Who am I now that I find myself single again after a divorce?

More questions like ‘Who are you?’ and ‘Who are they?’ are just as important as we grow and see more of the world and its people. Ultimately it comes around to ‘Who are we?’ as we are more alike as a human being than different and the reality is that we all share the same home—planet Earth—for a very brief time in its history. Civilization and Earth will continue on long after our own individual demise.

We are all one people because we come from one people.

Though each one of us is unique.

Humans are a part of nature, not apart from nature.

God worked this tale of Ruth through a famine, so that a certain man of Bethlehem Juda, Elimelech, would be driven to relocate to Moab with his wife and two sons. He dies. The two sons die after getting married and one of the wives Ruth, a widow, and returns to Bethlehem with her widowed mother-in-law Noemi. Kinsmen law applies and Ruth ends up marrying Booz, a Jew, and their son Obed is the future grandfather of David through his son Isai (Jesse).

Phew, that’s a lot of changes happening in the lives of these people!

Flexibility or Divinity?

Divinity.

He was named Elimelech, and his wife, Noemi: and his two sons, the one Mahalon, and the other Chelion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem Juda.

And Elimelech the husband of Noemi died, and she remained with her sons.

And they took wives of the women of Moab, of which one was called Orpha, and the other Ruth.

And they both died, to wit, Mahalon and Chelion: and the woman was left alone, having lost both her sons and her husband.

For she had heard that the Lord had looked upon his people, and had given them food.

We will go on with thee to thy people.

I am now spent with age, and not fit for wedlock.

And the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.

Ruth stuck close to her mother-in-law.

For whithersoever thou shalt go, I will go: and where thou shalt dwell, I also will dwell. Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.

So they went together and came to Bethlehem.

Call me not Noemi (that is, beautiful), but call me Mara (that is, bitter), for the Almighty hath quite filled me with bitterness. I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me back empty.

Booz: If she would even reap with you, hinder her not, and let some of your handfuls of purpose, and leave them, that she may gather them without shame, and let no man rebuke her when she gathereth them.

Noemi: Blessed be he (Booz) that hath had pity on thee. Blessed be he (Booz) of the Lord, because the same kindness which he showed to the living, he hath also to the dead. The man (Booz) is our kinsman.

Booz to Ruth: Fear not therefore, but whatsoever thou shalt say to me I will do to thee.

Booz to Ruth: Neither do I deny myself to be next to kin, but there is another nearer than I. Rest thou this night: and when morning is come, if he will take thee by the right of kindred, all is well: but if he will not, I will undoubtedly take thee, as the Lord liveth: sleep till the morning… he measured six measures of barley, and laid it upon her.

Noemi to Ruth: Wait my daughter, till we see what end the thing will have.

Booz to nearer kinsman: For there is no nearer kinsman besides thee, who art first, and me, who am second.

Nearer kinsman to Booz: I yield up my right of next akin: for I must not cut off the posterity of my own family. Do thou make use of my privilege, which I profess I do willingly forego.

Now this was the former times was the manner in Israel between kinsman… the man put off his shoe and gave it to his neighbor, this was a testimony of cessation of right in Israel.

Booz therefore took Ruth, and married her and went in unto her, and the Lord gave her to conceive and to bear a son. And Noemi taking the child laid it in her bosom, and she carried it, and was a nurse unto it.

There is a son born to Noemi: and they have called his name Obed: he is father of Isai, the father of David.

Note:  Isai name is frequently written Jesse. Since Christ belonged to the family of Davis, He is referred to as from the root of Jesse.

Ruth’s short Biblical Book reveals that we are all descendants of each other and have more in common, 99.9% more than differences, so let’s love each other spiritually!

Let’s commit to tolerance, unity, collaboration and conservation and ‘join the face of humanity’ as the ‘All from One, Unity Amid Diversity’ exhibit suggests!

Day 91: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Ruth’s Journey to Our Unity: Jesus is from House of David: Both Jews & Gentiles!

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Book of Ruth Chapters 1-4 (ALL)

Bible Notes:

This Book is the beautiful story of the young Gentile widow Ruth, who went with Noemi, her mother-in-law, to Bethlehem. There she met and married Booz, a Jew. From that marriage was born Obed, the grandfather of David. Thus Christ, who was of the family of David, had Gentile ancestors.

Ruth Chapter 1: Elimelech is driven by famine into Moab; Elimelech dies in Moab; His two sons marry and die in Moab; Noemi decides to return to Bethlehem; Ruth decides to go with Noemi.

In the days of one of the judges, when the judges ruled, there came a famine in the land.

He was named Elimelech, and his wife, Noemi: and his two sons, the one Mahalon, and the other Chelion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem Juda.

And Elimelech the husband of Noemi died, and she remained with her sons.

And they took wives of the women of Moab, of which one was called Orpha, and the other Ruth.

And they both died, to wit, Mahalon and Chelion: and the woman was left alone, having lost both her sons and her husband.

For she had heard that the Lord had looked upon his people, and had given them food.

We will go on with thee to thy people.

I am now spent with age, and not fit for wedlock.

And the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.

Ruth stuck close to her mother-in-law.

For whithersoever thou shalt go, I will go: and where thou shalt dwell, I also will dwell. Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.

So they went together and came to Bethlehem.

Call me not Noemi (that is, beautiful), but call me Mara (that is, bitter), for the Almighty hath quite filled me with bitterness. I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me back empty.

Ruth Chapter 2: Ruth gleans in the field of Booz; Booz notices Ruth; Booz shows favor to Ruth; Ruth gleans until the end of harvest.

Now her husband Elinelech had a kinsman, a powerful man, and very rich, whose name was Booz.

Wheresoever I shall find grace with a householder that will be favorable to me.

And she desired leave to glean the ears of corn that remain.

All hath been told me…

Booz: If she would even reap with you, hinder her not, and let some of your handfuls of purpose, and leave them, that she may gather them without shame, and let no man rebuke her when she gathereth them.

Noemi: Blessed be he (Booz) that hath had pity on thee. Blessed be he (Booz) of the Lord, because the same kindness which he showed to the living, he hath also to the dead. The man (Booz) is our kinsman.

Ruth Chapter 3: Noemi instructs Ruth; Ruth lies at the feet of Booz; Booz acknowledges his duty to Ruth; Booz allows another to claim Ruth.

Noemi to Ruth: (Booz) is our near kinsman… and thou shalt go in, and lift up the clothes wherewith he is covered towards his feet, and shalt lay down there: and he will tell thee what thou must do.

Booz to Ruth: Fear not therefore, but whatsoever thou shalt say to me I will do to thee.

Booz to Ruth: Neither do I deny myself to be next to kin, but there is another nearer than I. Rest thou this night: and when morning is come, if he will take thee by the right of kindred, all is well: but if he will not, I will undoubtedly take thee, as the Lord liveth: sleep till the morning… he measured six measures of barley, and laid it upon her.

Noemi to Ruth: Wait my daughter, till we see what end the thing will have.

Ruth Chapter 4: A nearer kinsman refuses to marry Ruth; Booz marries Ruth; Ruth bears Obed; David is descended from Ruth.

Booz to nearer kinsman: For there is no nearer kinsman besides thee, who art first, and me, who am second.

Nearer kinsman to Booz: I yield up my right of next akin: for I must not cut off the posterity of my own family. Do thou make use of my privilege, which I profess I do willingly forego.

Now this was the former times was the manner in Israel between kinsman… the man put off his shoe and gave it to his neighbor, this was a testimony of cessation of right in Israel.

Booz therefore took Ruth, and married her and went in unto her, and the Lord gave her to conceive and to bear a son. And Noemi taking the child laid it in her bosom, and she carried it, and was a nurse unto it.

There is a son born to Noemi: and they have called his name Obed: he is father of Isai, the father of David.

Note:  Isai name is frequently written Jesse. Since Christ belonged to the family of Davis, He is referred to as from the root of Jesse.

Gentile–of or relating to any people not Jewish; Christian, as distinguished from Jewish; heathen or pagan; of or relating to a tribe, clan, people, nation, etc.

 

Gospel of Saint John, Chapter 8, a chapter of sin… and freedom proposed, almost explained but certainly guaranteed!

Jesus: “I go and you will seek me, and in your sin you will die. Where I go you cannot come.”

Jesus: “You are from below, I am from above. You are of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sin.”

Jesus: “Neither will I condemn thee. Go thy way, and from now on sin no more.”

Jesus: “Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits a sin is a slave of sin… I speak what I have seen with the Father; and you do what you have seen with your father.”

‘Generational’ sin in many forms, including addictions of all kind, can be very subtle and passed along from generation-to-generation. What we have seen with our fathers and mothers can seem normal to us even though it is far from normal. Some things can become so familiar to us that we take them and their existence for granted without ever really thinking about challenging ourselves to learn how to remove sin from ourselves and as a testimony to future generations.

Ironically, suicidal sin is referenced here in this chapter of the Bible in terms of Jesus possibly taking his own life. This is new to me as the only talk of suicide I was aware of previously in the Bible was that of Judas Iscariot, the disciple of Christ who took his life after betraying Jesus. And, oh yes, those sheep that ran off the cliff to their deaths in the ocean below after Jesus exorcised demons from them. Perhaps suicidal death of devils is not sin?

The Jews therefore kept saying, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I go you cannot come’?”

Is the worse sin of all suicide? I don’t know, not mine to judge but like a natural death there is isolation with suicide and no more human ability to interact, to love one  another as we know love to be. Perhaps the worse sin of all is a self-inflicted sense of isolation, while we are still living, with no love present either in the giving or the receiving. That would be and is tragic for so many people, myself included at desperate, thankfully brief moments in my life. Let desperation pass and let your recovery and return back to a full life begin with you as the song ‘Let there be peace on earth’ I sung as a child rings true to me—“and let it begin with me…” Make peace with yourself, please!  

Want to come out of isolation? Jesus, himself could do nothing, accomplish nothing, without his relationship to God, his Father. Not only can we emerge from isolation, it is possible, very probable, 100% guaranteed with Christ that we will never be alone again in this world or the next.

Jesus: “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that of myself I do nothing; but that I preach only what the Father has taught me. And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, because I do always the things that are pleasing to him.”

Jesus: “If you will abide in my word, you shall be my disciple indeed, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Key point being that we must abide in the word, the Bible.

Jesus: “I am the light of the world. He who follows me does not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.” Key point is that we have a right, an innate right, to live a life of light. So get plugged in and live a life of brightness and prosperity!

There is a light of life, we all are all Sinners but can sin no more with Christ’s redemption… there is freedom now and eternally ahead!

 

Day 92: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Light of Life, We are all Sinners but Sin No More… There is Freedom Ahead!

Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Gospel of Saint John Chapter 8.

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 8:  An adulteress brought to Jesus; Her accusers leave; Jesus tells her to sin no more; Christ, the light of the world; His testimony is true; Necessity of belief in Jesus; He is the Son of God; The Jews claim descent from Abraham; They are slaves to sin; They do nit the works of Abraham; The are the children of the devil; The Jews claim Christ has a devil; Christ is from eternity.

Scribes & Pharisees: “Master, this woman has just now been caught in adultery. And in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such persons. What therefore, dost thou say?”

Jesus: “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her.”

But hearing this, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest.

Jesus: “Woman where are they? Has no one condemned thee?”

Woman: “No one, Lord.”

Jesus: “Neither will I condemn thee. Go thy way, and from now on sin no more.”

Jesus: “I am the light of the world. He who follows me does not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Pharisees: “Thou bearest witness to thyself. Thy witness is not true.”

Jesus: “Even if I hear witness to myself, my witness is true, because I know where I came from and where I go. But you do not know where I came from or where I go. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. And even if I do judge, my judgment is true, because I am not alone, but with me is he who sent me, the Father. And in your Law it is written that the witness of two persons is true. It is I who bear witness to myself, and he who sent me, the Father, bears witness to me.”

Pharisees: “Where is thy father?”

Jesus: “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would then know my Father also.”

And no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.

Jesus: “I go and you will seek me, and in your sin you will die. Where I go you cannot come.”

The Jews therefore kept saying, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I go you cannot come’?”

Jesus: “You are from below, I am from above. You are of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sin.”

Pharisees/Jews: “Who art thou?”

Jesus: “Why do I speak to you at all! I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you; but he who sent me is true, and the things that I heard from him, these I speak to the World.”

Jesus: “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that of myself I do nothing; but that I preach only what the Father has taught me. And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, because I do always the things that are pleasing to him.”

Jesus: “If you will abide in my word, you shall be my disciple indeed, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Jews: “We are children of Abraham, and we have never yet been slaves to anyone. How sayest thou, ‘You shall be free.’

Jesus: “Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits a sin is a slave of sin. But the slave does not abide in the house forever; the son abides there forever. If therefore the son makes you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are the children of Abraham; but you seek to kill me because my word takes no hold among you. I speak what I have seen with the Father; and you do what you have seen with your father.”

Jews: “We have not been born of fornication; we have one Father, God.”

Jesus: “If God were your Father, you would surely love me. For from God I came forth and have come; for neither have I come of myself, but he sent me. Why do you not understand my speech? Because you cannot listen to my word. The father from whom you are is the devil, and the desires of your father it is your will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has not stood in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie he speaks from his very nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I speak the truth you do not believe me. He who is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear is that you are not of God.”

Jews: “Are we not right in saying that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?”

Jesus: “I have not a devil, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is one who seeks and who judges. Amen, amen, I say to you, if anyone keep my word, he will never see death.”

Jews: “Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets, and thou sayest, ‘If anyone keep my word he will never taste death.’ Art thou greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who dost thou make thyself?

Jesus: “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say he is your God. And you do not know him, but I know him. And if I say that I do not know him, I shall be like you, a liar. But I know him, and I keep his word. Abraham your father rejoiced that he was to see my day. He saw it and was glad.”

Jews: “Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?

Jesus: “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I am.

 

The First Book of Kings—this and the following Book are also called the Books of Samuel, because they tell of Samuel and the two kings, Saul and David, whom he anointed. After the history of Heli and Samuel, the last of the Judges, this book records the beginning of the Jewish monarchy and the rule of the first king, Saul.

Back then nations would go to war, win and realize they lost, and then do it again. Perhaps this pattern is based upon the individual sufferings, promises to do good and relapses of an individual man? For like a person, so goes the nation?

Right now we are doing the same things!

How will this ever stop in the world today?

How will this ever stop within each human being today?

The only way is to learn how to change human hearts and the only One who can do that is Jesus through his beautiful cycle of mercy, forgiveness, and love.

It seems as though if one can do this, be saved by and be with Christ, than one’s world changes and if one world changes, many can do the same thing until the whole wide world is changed and Christ returns again.

Though the books are labeled Kings, Heli and Samuel were the last of the Judges.

 

Here is the story and it starts with a woman who was not able to have children of her own, well, at least not initially, before the Lord intervened.

And Anna made a vow, saying: “O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt look down on the affliction of thy servant, and wilt be mindful of me, and not forget thy handmaid, and wilt give to thy servant a man child: I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.”

Not sure the meaning of “no razor will come to his head?”

Anna conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel: because she had asked him of the Lord.

Anna’s song of thanksgiving: my horn exalted in my God… for the Lord is a God of all knowledge, and to him are thoughts prepared… for the poles of the earth are the Lord’s, and upon them he hath set the world… He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness, because no man shall prevail by his own strength.

No man shall prevail by his own strength… make a note of that!

Heli, the Judge to his sons, the priests: Do not so, my sons: for it is no good report that I hear, that you make the people of the Lord to transgress. If one man shall sin against another, God may be appeased in his behalf: but if a man shall sin against the Lord, who shall pray for him? And they hearkened not to the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them (and He did, stay tuned).

But if a man shall sin against the Lord, who shall pray for him?… don’t do that!

God: Far be this from me: but whosoever shall glorify me, him will I glorify; but they that despise me, shall be despised.

And I will raise me up a faithful priest, who shall do according to my heart, and my soul, and I will build him a faithful house, and he shall walk all days before my anointed.

Again, again the third time, and the Lord came and stood; and he called, as he had called the other times: Samuel, Samuel.

Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord; neither had the word of the Lord been revealed to him.

And he arose up and went to Heli. And said: Here I am: for thou didst call me.

The Heli understood that the Lord called the child…

And Samuel said: Speak; Lord, for thy servant heareth.

And the Lord called Samuel. And he answered: “Here I am.”

Lord to Samuel: Behold I do a thing in Israel: and whosoever shall hear it, both his ears will tingle. In that day I will raise up against Heli all the things I have spoken concerning his house: I will begin, and I will make an end. I will judge his house for ever, for iniquity; because he knew that his sons did wickedly, and did not chastise them.’

Heli to Samuel: What is the word that the Lord hath spoken to thee? I beseech thee hide it not from me.

So Samuel told him all the words, and did not hide then from him. And he answered: It is the Lord: let him do what is good in his sight.

And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and not one of his words fell to the ground… Samuel was a faithful prophet of the Lord.

Was not Heli a faithful servant to the Lord? He could have pretended to be God but did not. Instead he redirected Samuel to the Lord. Was not the judgment he rendered to his sons to not sin against the Lord a chastisement? At what point is a father not responsible for the behavior of his sons?

And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight: and Israel went out to war against the Philistines and camped by the Stone of help (before it was deemed the Stone of help later by Samuel?)

And when they joined battle, Israel turned their backs to the Philistines, and they were slain in that fight here and there in the fields about four thousand men.

Let us fetch unto us the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Silo, and let it come in the midst of us, that it may save us from the hand of our enemies.

And the Philistines understood that the ark of the Lord was come into camp. And the Philistines were afraid, saying God is come into the camp. And sighing they said: Woe to us… Woe to us… Who shall deliver us from the hand of these high gods? These are the gods that struck Egypt with all the plagues in the desert. Take courage and behave like men, ye Philistines: lest you come to be servants to the Hebrews, as they have served you: take courage and fight.

So the Philistines fought, and Israel was overthrown… and there was an exceedingly great slaughter, for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen. And the ark of God was taken: and the two sons of Heli, Ophini and Phinees, were slain.

Heli: For his heart was fearful for the ark of God. Now Heli was ninety and eight years old… he fell from his stool backwards by the door, and broke his neck, and died. For he was an old man, and far advanced in years: and he judged Israel forty years.

And the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the temple of Dagon, and set it by Dagon… they found Dagon lying upon his face on the earth before the ark of the Lord…

Emerods in their secret parts and a multitude of mice…

The ark of the God of Israel shall not stay with us; for his hand is heavy upon us and Dagon is our god.

And the Gentiles consulted together… send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, and not kill us and our people.

Now the ark of God was in the land of the Philistines seven months.

If you send back the ark of the God of Israel, send it not away empty, but render unto him what you owe for sin, and then you shall be healed: and you shall know why his hand departeth not from you.

According to the number of the provinces of the Philistines you shall make five golden emerods, and five golden mice.

And these are the golden emerods, which the Philistines returned for sin to the Lord

The first indulgences of the Bible?

And it came to pass, that from the day the ark of the Lord abode in Cariathiarim days were multiplied (for it now was the twentieth year), and all the house of Israel rested following the Lord.

And Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying: If you turn to the Lord with all your heart, put away strange gods from among you… and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

We have sinned against the Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel…

And they said to Samuel: Cease not to cry to the Lord our God for us, that he may save us out of the hand of the Philistines… the Philistines began the battle against Israel: but the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and terrified them, and they were overthrown before the face of Israel.

And Samuel took a stone, and laid it… and called the place, the Stone of help. And he said: Thus far the Lord hath helped us. And the Philistines were humbled, and they did not come any more into the borders of Israel… And he delivered Israel from the hands of the Philistines, and there was peace between Israel and the Ammorrhites.

Peace, joy, unity, and freedom… why not all ye people and nations of the world?

Day 93: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; XXX.

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The First Book of Kings Chapters 1-7

Bible Notes:

This and the following Book are also called the Books of Samuel, because they tell of Samuel and the two kings, Saul and David, whom he anointed. After the history of Heli and Samuel, the last of the Judges, this book records the beginning of the Jewish monarchy and the rule of the first king, Saul.

1 Kings Chapter 1: Elcana and his two wives; Anna grieves for her barrenness; Anna prays for a son; Birth of Samuel; Samuel is presented to the Lord.

There was a man… and his name was Elcana… and he had two wives, the name of one was Anna, and the name of the other was Phenenna.

And the two sons of Heli, Ophni and Phinees, were there priests of the Lord

Elcana: to adore and to offer sacrifice to the Lord of hosts… but to Anna he gave one portion with sorrow, because he loved Anna. And the Lord had shut up her womb. And why dost thou afflict thy heart? Am not I better to thee than ten children?

And Anna made a vow, saying: “O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt look down on the affliction of thy servant, and wilt be mindful of me, and not forget thy handmaid, and wilt give to thy servant a man child: I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.”

Anna: I have poured out my soul before the Lord… for out of abundance of sorrow and grief have I spoken until now…

Heli to Anna: “Go in peace; and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition, which thou hast asked of him.

Anna: Would to God thy handsmaid may find grace in thy eyes.

Anna conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel: because she had asked him of the Lord.

Note: The name Samuel is a Hebrew baby name. In Hebrew the meaning of the name Samuel is: Name of God; asked of God; heard by God. Samuel was the prophet who anointed Saul and David as kings of Israel in the Old Testament.

Anna: Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord all the days of his life.

1 Kings Chapter 2: Anna’s song of thanksgiving; Wickedness of the sons of Heli; Samuel serves the Lord; Anna is rewarded with other children; Heli gently admonishes his sons; Prophecy against the house of Heli.

Anna’s song of thanksgiving: my horn exalted in my God… for the Lord is a God of all knowledge, and to him are thoughts prepared… for the poles of the earth are the Lord’s, and upon them he hath set the world… He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness, because no man shall prevail by his own strength.

Now the sons of Heli were children of Belial, not knowing the Lord…

Wherefore the sin of the young men was exceedingly great before the Lord: because they withdrew men from the sacrifice of the Lord.

And the Lord visited Anna, and she conceived, and bore three sons and two daughters: and the child Samuel became great before the Lord.

Heli to his sons: Do not so, my sons: for it is no good report that I hear, that you make the people of the Lord to transgress. If one man shall sin against another, God may be appeased in his behalf: but if a man shall sin against the Lord, who shall pray for him? And they hearkened not to the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them.

Heli to his sons: Do not so, my sons: for it is no good report that I hear, that you make the people of the Lord to transgress. If one man shall sin against another, God may be appeased in his behalf: but if a man shall sin against the Lord, who shall pray for him? And they hearkened not to the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them.

And thou hast rather honored thy sons than me…

Far be this from me: but whosoever shall glorify me, him will I glorify; but they that despise me, shall be despised.

And I will raise me up a faithful priest, who shall do according to my heart, and my soul, and I will build him a faithful house, and he shall walk all days before my anointed.

1 Kings Chapter 3: The Lord calls Samuel four times; God foretells the destruction of Heli; Samuel repeats God’s message to Heli; All Israel knows that Samuel is a prophet.

Now the child Samuel ministered to the Lord before Heli, and the word of the Lord was precious in those days, there was no manifest vision.

And the Lord called Samuel. And he answered: “Here I am.”

Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord; neither had the word of the Lord been revealed to him.

And he arose up and went to Heli. And said: Here I am: for thou didst call me.

The Heli understood that the Lord called the child…

Again, again the third time, and the Lord came and stood; and he called, as he had called the other times: Samuel, Samuel.

And Samuel said: Speak; Lord, for thy servant heareth.

Lord to Samuel: Behold I do a thing in Israel: and whosoever shall hear it, both his ears will tingle. In that day I will raise up against Heli all the things I have spoken concerning his house: I will begin, and I will make an end. I will judge his house for ever, for iniquity; because he knew that his sons did wickedly, and did not chastise them.’

Heli to Samuel: What is the word that the Lord hath spoken to thee? I beseech thee hide it not from me.

So Samuel told him all the words, and did not hide then from him. And he answered: It is the Lord: let him do what is good in his sight.

And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and not one of his words fell to the ground… Samuel was a faithful prophet of the Lord.

1 Kings Chapter 4: Philistines defeat the Israelites; The ark is brought into the camp; The Philistines capture the ark; Hali breaks his neck and dies; Birth of Ichabod.

And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight: and Israel went out to war against the Philistines and camped by the Stone of help.

And when they joined battle, Israel turned their backs to the Philistines, and they were slain in that fight here and there in the fields about four thousand men.

Let us fetch unto us the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Silo, and let it come in the midst of us, that it may save us from the hand of our enemies.

And the Philistines understood that the ark of the Lord was come into camp. And the Philistines were afraid, saying God is come into the camp. And sighing they said: Woe to us… Woe to us… Who shall deliver us from the hand of these high gods? These are the gods that struck Egypt with all the plagues in the desert. Take courage and behave like men, ye Philistines: lest you come to be servants to the Hebrews, as they have served you: take courage and fight.

So the Philistines fought, and Israel was overthrown… and there was an exceedingly great slaughter, for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen. And the ark of God was taken: and the two sons of Heli, Ophini and Phinees, were slain.

Heli: For his heart was fearful for the ark of God. Now Heli was ninety and eight years old… he fell from his stool backwards by the door, and broke his neck, and died. For he was an old man, and far advanced in years: and he judged Israel forty years.

Heli’s daughter-in-law the wife of Phinees, was big with child… she bowed herself and fell in labor… Fear not, for thou hast born a son. She answered then not, nor gave heed to them. And she called the child Ichabod, saying ‘The glory is departed from Israel, because the ark of God was taken.

1 Kings Chapter 5: The Philistines set the ark in their temple; Dagon falls down before the ark; Emerods and mice afflict the Philistines; The ark is sent to Accaron.

And the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the temple of Dagon, and set it by Dagon… they found Dagon lying upon his face on the earth before the ark of the Lord…

Emerods in their secret parts and a multitude of mice…

The ark of the God of Israel shall not stay with us; for his hand is heavy upon us and Dagon is our god.

And the Gentiles consulted together, and made themselves seats of skin.

Therefore they sent the ark of God into Accaron…

Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, and not kill us and our people.

1 Kings Chapter 6: The Philistines decide to return the ark; The ark is taken to Bethsames; The Bethsames rejoice to see the ark; The offerings of the Philistines; Many slain for looking into the ark.

Now the ark of God was in the land of the Philistines seven months.

If you send back the ark of the God of Israel, send it not away empty, but render unto him what you owe for sin, and then you shall be healed: and you shall know why his hand departeth not from you.

According to the number of the provinces of the Philistines you shall make five golden emerods, and five golden mice.

And you shall take the ark of the Lord, and lay it on a cart… and send it away that it may go… and you shall look: and if it go up by way of his own coasts towards Bethsames, then he hath done us this great evil: but if not, we shall know that it is not his hand hath touched us, but it hath happened by chance.

Taking two kine… yoked them to the cart…  and the kine took the straight way that leadeth to Bethsames… and the cart came into the field of Josue a Bethsamite, and stood there.

And the Levites…

And these are the golden emerods, which the Philistines returned for sin to the Lord

And to the great Abel the Stone whereon they set down the ark of the Lord, which was till this day in the field of Josue the Bethsamite.

But he (God) slew of the men of Bethsames because they had seen the ark of the Lord: and he slew of the people seventy men, and fifty thousand of the common people.

And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Cariathiarim, saying: The Philistines have brought back the ark of the Lord, come ye down and fetch it up to you.

1 Kings Chapter 7: The ark is taken to the house of Abinadab; The Israelites repent; Israel defeats the Philistines; Summary of Samuel’s judgeship.

And it came to pass, that from the day the ark of the Lord abode in Cariathiarim days were multiplied (for it now was the twentieth year), and all the house of Israel rested following the Lord.

And Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying: If you turn to the Lord with all your heart, put away strange gods from among you… and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

We have sinned against the Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel…

And they said to Samuel: Cease not to cry to the Lord our God for us, that he may save us out of the hand of the Philistines… the Philistines began the battle against Israel: but the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and terrified them, and they were overthrown before the face of Israel.

And Samuel took a stone, and laid it… and called the place, the Stone of help. And he said: Thus far the Lord hath helped us. And the Philistines were humbled, and they did not come any more into the borders of Israel… And he delivered Israel from the hands of the Philistines, and there was peace between Israel and the Ammorrhites.

Jesus gives sight to a man blind from birth and uses the miracle to enlighten us on His law based on love. This is a drastically different perspective and reality than the Old Testament way, Moses’ way, based on law. This incorrect judgment is why He was sent into the world. To detect these sins of judgment, the basic sin of judging others, is really what blindness to the New Testament of Love is all about.

Interesting, as the parable plays out there is division among the Pharisees as to how to interpret this situation. Some said “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath. Give glory to God! We ourselves know that this man is a sinner.”

Others said ‘How can a man who is a sinner work these signs?” Not all Pharisees were bad, some were good too. I try to avoid the sin of all-or-nothing thinking and judgmentalism but it is difficult, especially in the heat of the moment, in the heat of a competitive situation.

This parable goes even deeper with the man of age whose sight has come to him for the first time challenging the Pharisees directly.

Man with sight being questioned a second time: “I have told you already, and you have heard. Why would you hear again? Would you also become his disciples?”

Pharisees: “Thou art his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God spoke to Moses; but as for this man, we do not know where he is from.”

Man with sight: “Why, herein is the marvel, that you do not know where he is from, and yet he opened my eyes. Not we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshipper of God, and does his will, him he hears. Not from the beginning of the world has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”

Pharisees: “Thou wast altogether born in sins, and thou dost teach us?

A bit of pride setting in there to justify and rationalize the denial of the Pharisees.

Why, herein is the marvel, I love that phrase!

No different than judge me rightfully as my employer by the work I do and the results and not on the color of my skin, my sex, or anything else that superficially makes me different that you.

There is also a little white lie being told by the parents that Jesus lets slide. They knew who cured their son but pretended not to in fear of the Pharisees. So they were cute in their testimony, or lack of testimony, to the Pharisees.

Parents: “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but how he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we ourselves do not know. Ask him; he is of age, let him speak for himself.”

Pharisees: “Are we also blind?”

Jesus to the Pharisees: “If you were blind you would not have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.

We are all blinded by sin at times. That is why abstinence, in whatever form or format is needed, in needed to stop letting our ego impersonate our soul.

In the next chapter, Jesus uses the parable of the sheepfold to declare himself the Good Shepherd of us believers. Although he tells the Pharisees, they do not believe him, that he is the Son of God, that He and the Father are one.

Jesus: “Amen, amen, I say to you, he who enters not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up another way, is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To this man the gatekeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them forth. And when he has let out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. But a stranger they will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.”

Jesus again: “Amen, amen, I say to you. I am the door of the sheep. All whoever have come are thieves and robbers; but the sheep have not heard them. I am the door. If anyone enter by me he shall be safe, and shall go in and out, and shall find pastures. The thief comes only to steal, and slay, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it more abundantly.”

Jesus: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. But the hireling, who is not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees. And the wolf snatches and scatters the sheep; but the hireling flees because he is a hireling, and has no concern for the sheep.

Jesus again: “I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, even as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for my sheep. And other sheep I have that are not of this fold. Them also I bring, and they shall bear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down myself. I have the power to lay it down, and I have the power to take it up again. Such is the command I have received from the Father.”

Jews: “How long dost thou keep us in suspense? If thou art the Christ, tell us openly.”

Jesus: “I tell you and you do not believe. The works that I do in the name of my Father, these bear witness concerning me. But you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give them everlasting life: and they shall never perish, neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch anything out of the hand of the Father. I and the Father are one.”

Jesus: “Many good works I have shown you from my Father. For which of these works do you stone me?”

Jews: “Not for a good work do we stone thee, but for blasphemy, and because thou, being a man, makest thyself God.”

Jesus: Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said you are gods’? If he called them gods to whom the word of God was addressed (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of him whom the Father has made holy and sent into the world, ‘Thou blasphemest,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? If I do not perform the works of my Father, do not believe in me. But if I do perform them, and if you are not willing to believe me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in me and I in the Father.”

They sought therefore to seize him; and he went forth out of their hands.

Jews beyond the Jordan: “John (the Baptist) indeed worked no sign. All things, however, that John said of this man were true.” And many believed in him.

Can we see beyond our own ego impersonating our own soul?

Are we blind or do we see the Son of God in Ourselves and in Jesus?  

Day 94: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Are we blind or do we see the Son of God in Ourselves and in Jesus?  

Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Gospel of Saint John Chapters 9 & 10.

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 9:   Christ questioned about the blind man; Cure of the blind man; He describes his cure; The Pharisees learn of the cure; The blind man’s parents are questioned; The Pharisees again question the cured man; He professes his faith; Jesus accuses the Pharisees.

Disciples: “Rabbi, who has sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?

Jesus: “Neither has this man sinned, nor his parents, but the works of God were to be made manifest in him. I must do the works of him that sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world I am the light of the world.”

Jesus to the blind man: “Go wash in the pool of Siloe.”

So he went away, and washed, and returned seeing.

Neighbors: “Is not this he who used to sit and beg? It is he. By no means, he only resembles him.”

Yet the blind man declared, “I am he.”

Neighbors: “How were your eyes open?”

Man with sight: The man who is called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes, and he said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloe and wash.’ And I went and washed, and I see.”

Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”

But others said: ‘How can a man who is a sinner work these signs?”

And there was division among them.

Pharisees to the man with sight: “What dost thou say of him who opened thy eyes?

But he said: “He is a prophet.”

Parents: “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but how he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we ourselves do not know. Ask him; he is of age, let him speak for himself.”

These things his parents said because they feared the Jews

Pharisees to man with sight: “Give glory to God! We ourselves know that this man is a sinner.”

Man with sight: “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that whereas I was blind, now I see.”

Pharisees: “What did he do to thee? How did he open thy eyes?”

Man with sight: “I have told you already, and you have heard. Why would you hear again? Would you also become his disciples?”

Pharisees: “Thou art his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God spoke to Moses; but as for this man, we do not know where he is from.”

Man with sight: “Why, herein is the marvel, that you do not know where he is from, and yet he opened my eyes. Not we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshipper of God, and does his will, him he hears. Not from the beginning of the world has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”

Pharisees: “Thou wast altogether born in sins, and thou dost teach us?

Jesus to man with sight: “Dost thou believe in the Son of God?”

Man with sight: “Who is he, Lord, that I may believe in him?”

Jesus to man with sight: “Thou has both seen him, and he it is who speaks with thee.”

Man with sight: “I believe, Lord.” And falling down, he worshipped him.

Jesus to the Pharisees: “For judgment have I come into this world, that they who so not see may see, and they who see may become blind.”

Pharisees: “Are we also blind?”

Jesus to the Pharisees: “If you were blind you would not have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.

John Chapter 10:   The parable of the sheepfold; Christ explains the parable; Parable of the good shepherd; Dissension among the Jews; Jesus claims to be Christ; The Jews wish to stone him; Jesus’ defense; Jesus in Perea.

Jesus: “Amen, amen, I say to you, he who enters not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up another way, is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To this man the gatekeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them forth. And when he has let out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. But a stranger they will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.”

Jesus again: “Amen, amen, I say to you. I am the door of the sheep. All whoever have come are thieves and robbers; but the sheep have not heard them. I am the door. If anyone enter by me he shall be safe, and shall go in and out, and shall find pastures. The thief comes only to steal, and slay, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it more abundantly.”

Jesus: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. But the hireling, who is not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees. And the wolf snatches and scatters the sheep; but the hireling flees because he is a hireling, and has no concern for the sheep.

“I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, even as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for my sheep. And other sheep I have that are not of this fold. Them also I bring, and they shall bear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down myself. I have the power to lay it down, and I have the power to take it up again. Such is the command I have received from the Father.”

Division among the Jews: “He has a devil and is mad. Why do you listen to him? versus “These are not the words of one who has a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?”

Jews: “How long dost thou keep us in suspense? If thou art the Christ, tell us openly.”

Jesus: “I tell you and you do not believe. The works that I do in the name of my Father, these bear witness concerning me. But you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give them everlasting life: and they shall never perish, neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch anything out of the hand of the Father. I and the Father are one.”

Jesus: “Many good works I have shown you from my Father. For which of these works do you stone me?”

Jews: “Not for a good work do we stone thee, but for blasphemy, and because thou, being a man, makest thyself God.”

Jesus: Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said you are gods’? If he called them gods to whom the word of God was addressed (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of him whom the Father has made holy and sent into the world, ‘Thou blasphemest,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? If I do not perform the works of my Father, do not believe in me. But if I do perform them, and if you are not willing to believe me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in me and I in the Father.”

They sought therefore to seize him; and he went forth out of their hands.

Jews beyond the Jordan: “John (the Baptist) indeed worked no sign. All things, however, that John said of this man were true.” And many believed in him.

 

We all want freedom in the outside world. Sometimes difficult to achieve, sometimes easy to lose.

But do we ever think of the freedom to be gained through an inward journey that neutralizes our ego and releases out soul and out light?

What country on earth would want to go from the freedom of democracy to requesting a king or dictator?

Funny thing, but we do that every day, even sometimes twice or more a day. We let an addiction dictate out lifestyle when we could be saved by the power and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Internal freedom trumps external freedom any day of the week ‘here and now’ or ‘there and then.’

See beyond what seems to be…

Or be happening… Samuel could see the big picture. Why go for a new relationship with a king? Why not repair the existing relationship with God? Why go down a road that the best case is bondage? Why not begin a spiritual journey the will result in unlimited peace, joy, unity, and freedom; guaranteed?

Samuel: He (the king) will take your sons… and will make them his horsemen, his running footmen, appoint them to be his tribunes, and centurions, and to plough his fields… Your daughters also will he take… to be his cooks and bakers…And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your best oliveyards, and give them to his servants… Moreover he will take the tenth of your corn… Your flocks he will also tithe, and you shall be his servants.

And you shall cry out in that day from the face of the king, whom you have chosen to yourselves: and the Lord will not hear you in that day, because you desired unto yourselves a king.

Nay, but there shall be a king over us.

Lord to Samuel: “Hearken to their voice, and make them a king.

Unfortunately, the Lord sometimes gives us what we ask for.

Lord to Samuel: “Behold the man, of whom I spoke to thee, this man shall reign over my people.

Saul’s journey to being a king started with a journey looking for his father’s missing asses (donkeys).

Samuel to Saul: I am the seer (prophet)… and I will… tell thee all that is in thy heart… as for the asses… be not solicitous, because they are found.

Saul: “Am not I a son of Jemini of the least tribe of Israel, and my kindred the last among all the families of the tribe of Benjamin?

The Cinderella ‘rags to riches’ story in the Bible!

So when Saul turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave unto him another heart… and the spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he prophesied in the midst of them… therefore it became a proverb: Is Saul also among the prophets?

Samuel to Israel: “Surely you see him whom the Lord hath chosen, that there is none like him (he was higher than any of the people from the shoulders and upward) among all the people. And all the people cried and said: God save the king.”

Did the people really pick Saul because he was really tall, heads and shoulders above anyone else?

And there you have it the first biblical ‘God save the king, or queen in today’s world!’

The spirit of the Lord came upon Saul… follow Saul and Samuel… the fear of the Lord fell upon the people… children of Israel three hundred thousand… men of Juda thirty thousand… and he slew the Ammonites… and the rest were scattered so that two of them were not left together.

So God was with Saul in the battle with the Israelites. Favored nation status in effect.

But underlying that is the fact that the Israelites chose to have a king versus the Lord.

Samuel: I will call upon the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain: and you shall know and see that you yourselves have done a great evil in the sight of the Lord, in desiring a king over you.

People to Samuel: Pray for thy servants to the Lord thy God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for a king.

Samuel: Fear not, you have done all this evil: but yet depart not from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart.

Samuel to the People: Therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in truth and with your whole heart, for you have seen the great works which he hath done among you. But if you will still do wickedly, both you and your king shall perish together.

Perish together? Not a good foreboding.

Why chose a King over the Lord, in Biblical Times or Now?

Day 95: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Why chose a King over the Lord, in Biblical Times or Now?

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The First Book of Kings Chapters 8-13

Bible Notes:

This and the following Book are also called the Books of Samuel, because they tell of Samuel and the two kings, Saul and David, whom he anointed. After the history of Heli and Samuel, the last of the Judges, this book records the beginning of the Jewish monarchy and the rule of the first king, Saul.

1 Kings Chapter 8: The sons of Samuel, The people desire a king; Samuel explains the rights of a king; Samuel is commanded to make a king.

And it came to pass when Samuel was old, that he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel… and his sons walked not in his ways: but they turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

Lucre—monetary reward or gain; money.

Ancients of Israel to Samuel: make us a king, to judge us, as all nations have (displeased Samuel).

Lord to Samuel: “Hearken to the voice of the people in all that they say to thee. For they have not rejected thee, but me, that I should not reign over them… as they have forsaken me, and served strange gods, so do they also unto thee…yet testify to them, and foretell them the right of the king, that shall reign over them.”

Samuel: He (the king) will take your sons… and will make them his horsemen, his running footmen, appoint them to be his tribunes, and centurions, and to plough his fields… Your daughters also will he take… to be his cooks and bakers…And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your best oliveyards, and give them to his servants… Moreover he will take the tenth of your corn… Your flocks he will also tithe, and you  shall be his servants.

And you shall cry out in that day from the face of the king, whom you have chosen to yourselves: and the Lord will not hear you in that day, because you desired unto yourselves a king.

Nay, but there shall be a king over us.

Lord to Samuel: “Hearken to their voice, and make them a king.

1 Kings Chapter 9: Description of Saul; Saul vainly seeks his father’s asses; Saul and Samuel meet; The Lord reveals that Saul is to be king; Samuel entertains Saul; Samuel accompanies Saul on his way.

Cis, valiant and strong… and he had a son whose name was Saul, a choice and godly man, and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he appeared above all the people.

And the asses of Cis, Saul’s father were lost.

Cis to his son Saul: Arise, go, and seek the asses.

Behold there is a man of God in this city, a famous man: all that he saith. Cometh certainly to pass… come let us go to the seer. For he that is now called a prophet, in time past was called a seer.

Lord to Samuel: “Behold the man, of whom I spoke to thee, this man shall reign over my people.

Samuel to Saul: I am the seer… and I will… tell thee al that is in thy heart… as for the asses… be not solicitous, because they are found.

Saul: “Am not I a son of Jemini of the least tribe of Israel, and my kindred the last among all the families of the tribe of Benjamin?

Samuel to Saul: but stand thou still a while, that I may tell thee the word of the Lord.

1 Kings Chapter 10: Samuel anoints Saul; Samuel’s prophecies; Samuel’s prophecies fulfilled; Saul conceals his appointment as king; The people assemble to choose a king; Saul is publically chosen king; Saul returns home to Gabaa.

Samuel to Saul: Behold, the Lord hath anointed thee to be prince over his inheritance, and thou shalt deliver his people out of the hands of his enemies, that are round about them.

After that thou shalt come to the hill of God… thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place… and the spirit of the Lord shall come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shall be changed into another man… do whatsoever thy hand shall find, for the Lord is with thee.

So when Saul turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave unto him another heart… and the spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he prophesied in the midst of them… therefore it became a proverb: Is Saul also among the prophets?

But of the matter of the kingdom of which Samuel had spoken to him, he told him not.

Samuel relating the words of God: “But you this day have rejected your God, who only hath saved you out of all your evils and your tribulations: and you have said: Nay: but set a king over us.

Now therefore stand before the Lord by your tribes, and by your families. And the lot fell on the tribe of Benjamin… and the lot fell on… Saul.

Samuel: “Surely you see him whom the Lord hath chosen, that there is none like him (he was higher than any of the people from the shoulders and upward) among all the people. And all the people cried and said: God save the king.”

1 Kings Chapter 11: The Ammonites besiege Jabes Galaad; Saul saves Jabes Galaad; Saul is acknowledged as king by all.

And it came to pass about a month after this that Nass, the Ammonite came up and began to fight against Jabes Galaad.

Jabes to Nass: Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.

Nass to Jabes: On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may pluck out all your right eyes.

The spirit of the Lord came upon Saul… follow Saul and Samuel… the fear of the Lord fell upon the people… children of Israel three hundred thousand… men of Juda thirty thousand… and he slew the Ammonites… and the rest were scattered so that two of them were not left together.

Saul: “No man shall be killed this day, because the Lord this day hath wrought salvation to Israel… and all the people went to Galgal, and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Galgal…

 1 Kings Chapter 12: Samuel’s integrity is recognized by all; Samuel recalls God’s favors; Samuel warns Israel to be faithful to God; God sends thunder and rain; Samuel comforts the people.

Israel to Samuel: Thou hast not wronged us, nor oppressed us, nor taken ought at any man’s hand.

Samuel to Israel: Nay, but a king shall reign over us: whereas the Lord your God was your king. Now therefore your king is here, whom you have chosen and desired: Behold the Lord hath given you a king… But if you will not hearken to the voice of the Lord, but will rebel against his words, the hand of the Lord shall be upon you, and upon your fathers. (Why not mention children?)

Samuel: I will call upon the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain: and you shall know and see that you yourselves have done a great evil in the sight of the Lord, in desiring a king over you.

People to Samuel: Pray for thy servants to the Lord thy God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for a king.

Samuel: Fear not, you have done all this evil: but yet depart not from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart.

Samuel to the People: Therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in truth and with your whole heart, for you have seen the great works which he hath done among you. But if you will still do wickedly, both you and your king shall perish together.

1 Kings Chapter 13: Saul calls Israel to war; The Israelites are terrified; Saul sins; Samuel declares God’s punishment; Saul’s army encamps in Gabaa; Strategy of the Philistines.

Saul was a child of one year when he began to reign, and he reigned two years over Israel.

And a multitude of people besides, like the sand on the sea shore for number.

Saul, was yet in Galgal, all the people that followed him were greatly afraid… Because I saw that the people slipt from me, and thou wast not come according to the days appointed…

Samuel to Saul: Thou hast done foolishly, and hast not kept the commandments of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee.

 

 

Chapter Eleven of the Gospel of Saint John is one of the most narrative story-telling in the Bible. There are so many words to describe the moments in detail that one feels as though they are there with the Jews, Disciples and Jesus.

They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” And Jesus wept.

When he had said this, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus come forth!” And at once he who had been dead came forth, bound feet and hands with bandages, and his face was tied up with a cloth.

Chief priests and the Pharisees: “What are we doing? For this man is working many signs. If we let him alone as he is, all will believe in him and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

But one of them, Caiphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all; nor do you reflect that it is expedient for us that one man die for the people, instead of the whole nation perishing.”

So much splendid detail though yet there is some confusion and projected human nature (our type of human nature) onto Jesus.

Now Bethany was close to Jerusalem, some fifteen stadia distance… and stadia—an ancient Greek and Roman unit of length, the Athenian unit being equal to about 607 feet (185 meters)—that’s as close as 30 football fields!

Jesus therefore came and found him already four days in the tomb… the two days Jesus stayed in the same place plus a day of travel for messenger to come to Jesus and a day for Jesus to come to Lazarus?

It is our human nature to project our own perspective on others, usually in a limiting way to them and upon deeper reflection, us too

Martha to Jesus: “Lord, if thou hadst been here my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever thou shalt ask of God, God will give it to thee.”

Of course Jesus would only ask meaningful, important things of God and God would surely grant them to His Son. After all, God The Father, Jesus The Son, and The Holy Spirit are One and know each other more intimately than we could ever imagine.

Are they One God of different time periods? God, present in the Old Testament, at a time of lawlessness transforming into lawfulness through Moses? Jesus, present in the New Testament, transforming lawfulness into obedience to love? The Holy Spirit, of the Third Testament that is coming where all human beings in all countries come to understanding and prioritizing that we are spiritual beings living as a human being and not human beings living a spiritual life? Is there a revelation of the Holy Triumvirate to come?

We have to ask God, or better yet listen for God, yet Jesus is God so there is no need for him to do so or for us to project our own limitations on God or other human beings.

It seems as though it was God’s intention to set up one last big miracle, the precursor to Jesus’ resurrection and life-after-death. I am not God and don’t think like he does but this was the last straw, the tipping point with those in power.

There was fear, disguised as self-centeredness, of the chief priests and Pharisees:

Chief priests and the Pharisees: “What are we doing? For this man is working many signs. If we let him alone as he is, all will believe in him and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

This is near the ‘beginning’ of Christ (His resurrection, His Church, and near the end of his human life).

Disciples: “Rabbi, just now the Jews were seeking to stone thee; and dost thou go there again?”

After the Lazarus miracle, Jesus therefore no longer went about openly among the Jews, but withdrew to the district near the desert, to a town called Ephrem; and there he stayed with his disciples.

Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand; and many from the country went up to Jerusalem before the Passover, in order to purify themselves. And they were looking for Jesus. And as they stood in the temple they were saying to one another…

”What do you think, that Jesus is not coming to the feast?”

Jesus: “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If a man walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if he walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”

How do we turn on the light within each of us?

Day 96: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Lazarus Came Forth; How do we turn on the light within each of us?

Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Gospel of Saint John Chapter 11.

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 11:  Christ hears of Lazarus’ illness; Christ decides to go to Judea; Christ says that Lazarus is dead; Martha meets Christ; Martha’s faith; Mary’s faith; Jesus mourns for Lazarus; Lazarus restored to life; The Jews plot against Jesus; The words of Caiphas; Jesus withdraws to Ephrem; The last Passover.

Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Now it was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his fee dry with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. The sisters therefore sent to him, saying “Lord, behold he whom thou lovest is sick.”

Jesus: “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that through it the Son of God may be glorified.”

Jesus remained two more days in the same place.

Jesus to his disciples: “Let us go to Judea.”

Disciples: “Rabbi, just now the Jews were seeking to stone thee; and dost thou go there again?”

Jesus: “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If a man walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if he walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”

Jesus: “Lazarus, our friend, sleeps. But I go that I may wake him from sleep.”

Disciples: “Lord if he sleeps, he will be safe,”

Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought he was speaking of the repose of sleep.

Repose—Noun: the state of reposing or being at rest; rest; sleep; verb: to lie dead:

His body will repose in the chapel for two days.

Jesus: “Lazarus is dead; and I rejoice on your account that I was not there, that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

Thomas, the Twin: “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

Jesus therefore came and found him already four days in the tomb.

??? Two days Jesus stayed in the same place plus a day of travel for messenger to and Jesus from where he was???

Now Bethany was close to Jerusalem, some fifteen stadia distance…

Stadia—an ancient Greek and Roman unit of length, the Athenian unit being equal to about 607 feet (185 meters)—that’s close 30 football fields!

Martha to Jesus: “Lord, if thou hadst been here my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever thou shalt ask of God, God will give it to thee.”

Jesus to Martha: “Thy brother shall rise.”

Martha: “I know that he will rise at the resurrection, on the last day.”

Jesus to Martha: “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, even if he die, shall live; and whoever lives and believes in me, shall never die. Dost thou believe this?”

Martha: “Yes Lord, I believe that you art the Christ, the Son of God, who hast come into the world.”

Martha to Mary: “The Master is here and calls thee.”

As soon as she heard this, Mary rose up quickly and came to Jesus… they followed her, saying “She is going to the tomb to weep there.”

Mary came to where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell at his feet, and said to him, “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother would not have died,”

When, therefore, Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her weeping, he groaned in spirit and was troubled, and said “Where have you laid him?”

They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” And Jesus wept.

Jews: “See how much he loved him.”

Some of the Jews: “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that this man should not die?”

Jesus: “Take away the stone.”

Martha: “Lord, by this time he is already decayed, for he is dead four days.”

Jesus: “Have I not told thee that if thou believe thou shalt behold the glory of God?”

Jesus: “Father, I give thee thanks that thou hast heard me. Yes, I knew that thou always hearest me: but because of the people who stand round, I spoke, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.”

When he had said this, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus come forth!”

And at once he who had been dead came forth, bound feet and hands with bandages, and his face was tied up with a cloth.

Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

Many therefore of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen what he did, believed in him.

Chief priests and the Pharisees: “What are we doing? For this man is working many signs. If we let him alone as he is, all will believe in him and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

But one of them, Caiphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all; nor do you reflect that it is expedient for us that one man die for the people, instead of the whole nation perishing.”

This, however, he said not of himself; but being high priest that year he prophesized that Jesus was to die for the nation. And not only for the nation, but that he might gather into one the children of God who were scattered abroad. So from this day forth their plan was to put Jesus to death.

Jesus therefore no longer went about openly among the Jews, but withdrew to the district near the desert, to a town called Ephrem; and there he stayed with his disciples.

Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand; and many from the country went up to Jerusalem before the Passover, in order to purify themselves. And they were looking for Jesus. And as they stood in the temple they were saying to one another,”What do you think, that he is not coming to the feast?”

 

WOW, what an interesting story, I am definitely sitting on the edge of my seat wondering what will happen to Jonathan and his armorbearer! But that is only the beginning, the teaser, for what is to come in this part of First Kings!

Not it came to pass one day… Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man that bore his armor: Come let us go over to the garrison of the Philistines which is on the other side of yonder place…And the people knew not whither Jonathan was gone… the young man that bore his armor… garrison of the uncircumcised, it may be the Lord will do for us, because it is easy for the Lord to save either by many, or by few. And his armorbearer said to him: Do all that pleaseth the mind: go whither thou wilt, and I will be with thee wheresoever thou hast a mind… because the Lord hath delivered them into our hands… the Hebrews… Let us go up, follow me: for the Lord hath delivered them into the hands of Israel… the first slaughter… was of about twenty men… and it happened as a miracle from God.

Jonathan walked into his enemies’ hands and the Lord delivered the enemy into his hands! Truly a miracle from God and one I did not know about or fully understand as it involves killing of human beings for what purpose? We human beings, or is it nations, are still doing this 2,000-plus years later.

I thought when I read “do all that pleaseth the mind,” this story would end tragically for Jonathan with the message being do first what The Holy Spirit is calling you to do and then use your mind to implement God’s Will.

Then there was the story of Saul’s son Jonathan eating some honey breaking an oath his father had said but did not hear. The people of Israel saved Jonathan through praying to God for wisdom. Saul warred with the Philistines all the days of his kingdom of Israel—nobody found peace with their neighbors in Saul’s time.

Saul got a little too big for his britches, at least from the perspective of the Lord. Instead of completely annihilating Amalec as the Lord had commanded he took King Agag captive and took the spared the best sheep for a sacrifice to the Lord. Pretty much did the job but not completely as the Lord had directed.

Saul rationalized his conduct well, as we all do, but the Lord held him accountable as an example for us to learn from:

Doth the Lord desire holocausts and victims, and not rather that the voice of the Lord be obeyed? For obedience is better than sacrifice: and to hearken rather than offer… Because it is like the sin of witchcraft, to rebel: and like the crime of idolatry, to refuse to obey. Forasmuch therefore as thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, the Lord hath also rejected thee from being king.

What is it exactly that one is supposed to learn from this, in Old-Testament-style of violence and an authoritative, do not question me, God? How can we apply this knowledge to our lives today where we live in the New-Testament-style of love? Or beyond today, as spiritual beings first, and human beings second?

There was repentance by Saul but no forgiveness by the Lord. There was repentance by the Lord for making Saul king.

Saul to Samuel: I have sinned because I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words, fearing the people, and obeying their voice. But now bear, I beseech thee, my sin, and return with me, that I may adore the Lord.

Samuel to Saul: I will not return with thee, because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.

So Samuel turned again after Saul: and Saul adored the Lord. And Samuel said: Bring hither to me Agag the king of Amalec. Agag said: Doth bitter death separate in this manner? Samuel said: As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Galgal.

And Samuel saw Saul no more till the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul, because the Lord repented that he had made him king over Israel.

The moral of the story? If you are to be a leader at home or at the office, remember to fear the Lord and versus fearing the children or the subordinates. Obey God’s voice and no one else’s when it is in conflict with God. But above all act in accordance with love and our commonality, our unity, of us all being spiritual beings first in life and beyond.

And then the story gets better as the Lord uses Samuel to identify the king to replace Saul and this person is David and comes to be Saul’s armorbearer and play the harp for him to ward off the evil spirit of the Lord.

Evil spirit of the Lord, yes three times references in this passage of the Bible as

And what are the specifications when the Lord chooses a new king?

Lord said to Samuel: Look not on his countenance, nor on the height of his stature: because I have rejected him, nor do I judge according to the look of man: for man seeth those things that appear. But the Lord beholdeth the heart.

For man seeth those things that appear but the Lord beholdeth the heart…

There remained yet a young one (David), who keepeth the sheep. Now he was ruddy and beautiful to behold, and of a comely face. And the Lord said: Arise, and anoint him, for this is he… and the spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward.

But the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him. .. seek out a man skillful in playing the harp, that when the evil spirit from the Lord is upon thee, he may play with his hand, and thou mayst bear it more easily.

Saul to his servants: Provide me then some man that can play well, and bring him to me.

One servant to Saul: Behold I have seen a son of Isai the Bethlehemite, a skillful player, and one of great strength, and a man fit for war, and prudent in his words, and a comely person: and the Lord is with him.

And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and Saul loved him exceedingly, and made him his armorbearer.

So whensoever the evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul, David took his harp, and played with his hand, and Saul was refreshed, and was better, for the evil spirit departed from him.

Plays right into the modern day corporate catch phrase of ‘keep your friends close and your enemies even closer!’

And the war saga between Saul and the Philistines continued. It would be decided by a fight in the valley in between the armies between David and Goliath:

Choose a man of you, and let him come down and fight hand to hand. If he be able to fight with me, and kill me, we will be servants to you: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, you shall be servants, and shall serve us.

Now the Philistine (Goliath) came out morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.

David: For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?

And the words which David spoke were heard, and were rehearsed before Saul.

Saul to David: for thou are but a boy, but he is a warrior from his youth.

David to Saul: I caught them (a lion and a bear) by the throat and strangles and killed them. For I thy servant have killed both a lion and a bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall also be one of them… who hath dared to curse the army of the living God?

Saul to David: Go, and the Lord be with thee.

Began to try if he could walk in armor: for he was not accustomed to it… and he laid them off, and he took his staff… and choose five smooth stones out of the brook… and he took a sling in his hand and went forth against the Philistine.

Goliath to David: Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with a staff?

David to Goliath: Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, which thou hast defied.

David made haste and ran to the fight to meet Goliath… took a stone, and cast it with the sling, and fetching it about struck Goliath in the forehead, and the stone was fixed in his forehead, and he fell on his face on the earth. And David prevailed over the Philistine, with a sling and a stone, and he struck, and slew the Philistine.

A boy killed a giant warrior with a sling and a smooth stone out of the brook.

And it came to pass… the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul… it also came to pass that the battle between Saul and David for the kingdom of Israel had begun. David, accosted with evil spirits from the Lord and knowing the Lord was with David and not him, turned to trickery and gamesmanship to be rid of David’s threat to his kingship.

Now when David returned after he slew Goliath, the women came out of all the cities in Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with timbrels of joy, and cornets. And the women sung as they played, and they said: Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

Saul: What can he have more but the kingdom? And Saul did not look at David with a good eye from that day forward… the evil spirit from God came upon Saul… and Saul feared David, because the Lord was with him, and was departed from himself… Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hands of the Philistines be upon him.

David: Doth it seem to you a small matter to be the king’s son-in-law? But I am a poor man, and of small ability (biggest understatement of the Bible after all he killed Goliath and the Lord was with him!)

The king desired not any dowry, but only a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king’s enemies. Now Saul thought to deliver David into the hands of the Philistines. Saul therefore gave him Michol his daughter to wife.

And Saul saw, and understood that the Lord was with David… And Saul became David’s enemy continually.

Day 97: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Israel Kings: Samuel to Saul to David who kills Goliath; the Lord looks to Our Hearts.

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The First Book of Kings Chapters 14-18

Bible Notes:

This and the following Book are also called the Books of Samuel, because they tell of Samuel and the two kings, Saul and David, whom he anointed. After the history of Heli and Samuel, the last of the Judges, this book records the beginning of the Jewish monarchy and the rule of the first king, Saul.

1 Kings Chapter 14: Jonathan advances toward the Philistines; Jonathan miraculously conquers; The flight of the Philistines; Jonathan violates Saul’s oath; The sin of the Israelites; Jonathan is saved by the people; Summary of Saul’s reign; Saul’s family.

Not it came to pass one day… Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man that bore his armor: Come let us go over to the garrison of the Philistines which is on the other side of yonder place…And the people knew not whither Jonathan was gone… the young man that bore his armor… garrison of the uncircumcised, it may be the Lord will do for us, because it is easy for the Lord to save either by many, or by few. And his armorbearer said to him: Do all that pleaseth the mind: go whither thou wilt, and I will be with thee wheresoever thou hast a mind… because the Lord hath delivered them into our hands… the Hebrews… Let us go up, follow me: for the Lord hath delivered them into the hands of Israel… the first slaughter… was of about twenty men… and it happened as a miracle from God.

 Saul: Bring the ark of the Lord… And there were with Saul about ten thousand men. And the Lord saved Israel that day.

Saul: Cursed be the man that shall eat food till evening, till I be revenged of my enemies… came into a forest… there was honey on the ground… For the people feared the oath. But Jonathan had not heard when his father adjured the people…he carried his hand (with homey) to his mouth, and his eyes were enlightened… My father had troubled the land: you have seen yourselves that my eyes are enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey… And the people were wearied exceedingly… And falling upon the spoils… and the people ate them (sheep, oxen, calves) with the blood… And they told Saul that the people had sinned against the Lord, eating with blood. And he said: You have transgressed: roll here to me now a great stone… bring me every man his ox and his ram, and slay them upon this stone… and Saul built an altar to the Lord…as the Lord liveth who is the savior of Israel, if it was done by Jonathan my son, he shall surely die… O Lord God of Israel, give a sign, by which we may know, what the meaning is… This must not be… So the people delivered Jonathan, that he should not die.

And Saul having his kingdom established over Israel, fought against all his enemies… And there was a great war against the Philistines all the days of Saul.

1 Kings Chapter 15: Samuel tells Saul to destroy Amalec; Saul allows King Agag to live; The Lord rebukes Saul through Samuel; Saul’s humiliation; Samuel slays Agag; God repents that he made Saul king.

Samuel to Saul: thus said the Lord of hosts… now therefore go, and smite Amalec… and Saul took Agag the king of Amalec alive… the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying: It repenteth me that I have made Saul king: for he hath forsaken me, and hath not executed my commandments… Saul erected a triumphant arch… Saul was offering a holocaust to the Lord… Saul said to Samuel: Bless be thou of the Lord, I have fulfilled the word of the Lord… for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the herds that they might be sacrificed to the Lord thy God… and hast thou done evil in the sight of the Lord? Saul: Yea, I have hearkened to the voice of the Lord… as the firstfruits of those things that were slain, to offer sacrifice to the Lord their God… Doth the Lord desire holocausts and victims, and not rather that the voice of the Lord be obeyed? For obedience is better than sacrifice: and to hearken rather than offer… Because it is like the sin of witchcraft, to rebel: and like the crime of idolatry, to refuse to obey. Forasmuch therefore as thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, the Lord hath also rejected thee from being king.

Saul to Samuel: I have sinned because I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words, fearing the people, and obeying their voice. But now bear, I beseech thee, my sin, and return with me, that I may adore the Lord.

Samuel to Saul: I will not return with thee, because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.

So Samuel turned again after Saul: and Saul adored the Lord. And Samuel said: Bring hither to me Agag the king of Amalec. Agag said: Doth bitter death separate in this manner? Samuel said: As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Galgal.

And Samuel saw Saul no more till the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul, because the Lord repented that he had made him king over Israel.

1 Kings Chapter 16: Samuel sent to anoint a new king; Samuel anoints David; An evil spirit troubles Saul; Saul sends for David; David becomes Saul’s armorbearer.

Lord to Samuel: How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, whom I have rejected from reigning over Israel? Come, that I may send thee to Isai the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

Samuel: How shall I go? For Saul will hear of it, and he will kill me.

Lord to Samuel: thou shalt say: I am come to sacrifice to the Lord

Is thy coming hither peaceable?

Lord said to Samuel: Look not on his countenance, nor on the height of his stature: because I have rejected him, nor do I judge according to the look of man: for man seeth those things that appear. But the Lord beholdeth the heart.

There remained yet a young one, who keepeth the sheep. Now he was ruddy and beautiful to behold, and of a comely face. And the Lord said: Arise, and anoint him, for this is he… and the spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward.

But the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him. .. seek out a man skillful in playing the harp, that when the evil spirit from the Lord is upon thee, he may play with his hand, and thou mayst bear it more easily.

Saul to his servants: Provide me then some man that can play well, and bring him to me.

One servant to Saul: Behold I have seen a son of Isai the Bethlehemite, a skillful player, and one of great strength, and a man fit for war, and prudent in his words, and a comely person: and the Lord is with him.

Saul: Send me David, who is in the pastures.

Isai sent gifts ‘by the hand of David his son’ to Saul.

And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and Saul loved him exceedingly, and made him his armorbearer.

So whensoever the evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul, David took his harp, and played with his hand, and Saul was refreshed, and was better, for the evil spirit departed from him.

1 Kings Chapter 17: War with the Philistines; The challenge of Goliath; David returns to his father’s house; David is sent to the camp of the army; David hears Goliath’s challenge; Eliab is angry with David; David offers to fight Goliath; David prepares for the fight; David and Goliath taunt each other; David slays Goliath; The Israelites defeat the Philistines; Saul takes notice of David.

And there went out a man baseborn from the camp of the Philistines named Goliath…

Choose a man of you, and let him come down and fight hand to hand. If he be able to fight with me, and kill me, we will be servants to you: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, you shall be servants, and shall serve us.

Now the Philistine (Goliath) came out morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.

David: For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?

And the words which David spoke were heard, and were rehearsed before Saul.

Saul to David: for thou are but a boy, but he is a warrior from his youth.

David to Saul: I caught them (a lion and a bear) by the throat and strangles and killed them. For I thy servant have killed both a lion and a bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall also be one of them… who hath dared to curse the army of the living God?

Saul to David: Go, and the Lord be with thee.

Began to try if he could walk in armor: for he was not accustomed to it… and he laid them off, and he took his staff… and choose five smooth stones out of the brook… and he took a sling in his hand and went forth against the Philistine.

Goliath to David: Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with a staff?

David to Goliath: Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, which thou hast defied.

David made haste and ran to the fight to meet Goliath… took a stone, and cast it with the sling, and fetching it about struck Goliath in the forehead, and the stone was fixed in his forehead, and he fell on his face on the earth. And David prevailed over the Philistine, with a sling and a stone, and he struck, and slew the Philistine.

1 Kings Chapter 18: The friendship of Jonathan and David; Saul’s envy of David; Saul attempts to kill David; Saul appoints David a captain; Saul tries to trick David; David slays two hundred Philistines; Saul’s hatred for David increases.

And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

Now when David returned after he slew Goliath, the women came out of all the cities in Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with timbrels of joy, and cornets. And the women sung as they played, and they said: Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

Saul: What can he have more but the kingdom? And Saul did not look at David with a good eye from that day forward… the evil spirit from God came upon Saul… and Saul feared David, because the Lord was with him, and was departed from himself… Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hands of the Philistines be upon him.

David: Doth it seem to you a small matter to be the king’s son-in-law? But I am a poor man, and of small ability (biggest understatement of the Bible after all he killed Goliath and the Lord was with him!)

The king desired not any dowry, but only a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king’s enemies. Now Saul thought to deliver David into the hands of the Philistines. Saul therefore gave him Michol his daughter to wife.

And Saul saw, and understood that the Lord was with David… And Saul became David’s enemy continually.

We all Must Learn to Love Life or be Condemned for Life Everlasting!

It is right there in the Bible. Certainly we know this in our hearts if we are able to come out of denial, justification, or rationalization about the meaning of life and our purpose in the world during our brief visit here.

He who loves his life, loses it; and he who hates his life in this world, keeps it unto life everlasting.

But Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Amen, amen, I say to you, unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it brings forth much fruit. He who loves his life, loses it; and he who hates his life in this world, keeps it unto life everlasting. If anyone serves me, let him follow me, and where I am there also my servant be. If anyone serves me, my Father will honor him. Now my soul is troubled. And what shall I say?  Father, save me from this hour! No, this is why I came to this hour. Father glorify thy name!”

He who loves his life, loses it; and he who hates his life in this world, keeps it unto life everlasting.

But how do you learn to love life and experience life on a blissful spiritual level? To the nonbelievers, how do we convince ourselves to believe in the light and become sons of light?

Jesus therefore said to them: “Yet a little while the light is among you. Walk while you have the light, that darkness may not overtake you. He who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”

Now though he had worked so many signs in their presence, they did not believe him, that the word which the prophet Isaias spoke may be fulfilled. “Lord, who has believed our report, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” This is why they could not believe, because Isaias said again, “he has blinded their eyes, and hardened their hearts, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their mind, and be converted, and I heal them.”

And yet, even among the rulers, many believed in him; but because of the Pharisees they did not acknowledge it, lest they should be put out of the synagogue. For they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God.

I believe it is a personal, meditative, and prayerful journey within for each one of us. There is no stamp of belief one can easily apply and become a believer and to love life no matter what so that the love itself becomes our everlasting life whether walking on this earth or in the heavens above. That journey within finds our soul and releases the light of our soul so that we walk in the light as Jesus alluded to. We have to love the glory of God—the light inside each of us—more than we love the glory of man. We become spiritual beings living a human life of peace, joy, unity, and freedom here—spiritual love—and an everlasting life of love beyond.

Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with ointment and Jesus washed the feet of his disciples to show that our time in the light with Jesus may be brief and that we must seize any opportunity we have to seek Him. That journey of seeking is saturated with humility, the humility Jesus demonstrated by washing the feet of His disciples, including his betrayer Judas Iscariot. As Peter learned and accepted, there is no other way, certainly not through position and power alone in this world.

Jesus: “Amen, amen, I say to you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed shall you be if you do them.”

 

A new commandment I give you, that you love one another: that as I have loved you, you also love one another. By this will all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Peter: “Lord, where art thou going?”

Jesus answered, “Where I am going thou canst not follow me now, but thou shalt follow later.”

Peter: “Why can I not follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thee.”

Jesus answered him, “Wilt thou lay down thy life for me? Amen, amen, I say to thee, the cock will not crow before thou dost deny me thrice.”

We may not be able to go to be with Jesus of our own free will and power but we can end up in the same place as Jesus—heaven—even if we deny him as Peter did.

We are all on a journey through life but be sure to take that inward journey, too, to find you own light within—Jesus’ light within you!

We all must learn to love life or be condemned for life everlasting!

 

Day 98: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; We all Must Learn to Love Life or be Condemned for Life Everlasting!

Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Gospel of Saint John Chapter 12-13.

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 12:  The supper at Bethany; The anointing of Jesus’ feet; A great crowd gathers; Triumphal entry into Jerusalem; The Pharisees are worried; Certain Gentiles seek to meet Jesus; Christ’s hour has come; Unbelief of the Jews; Fear of those who believed; Christ, the light of the world.

Jesus therefore, six days before the Passover , came to Bethany…Mary therefore took a pound of ointment, genuine nard of great value, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and with her hair wiped his feet dry.

Then one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, he who was about to betray him, said “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denari, and given to the poor?” Now he said this, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and holding the purse, used to take what was put in it.

Jesus therefore said “Let her be—that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”

But the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also. For on his account many of the Jews began to leave them and to believe in Jesus.

The great crowd which had come to the feast… took the branches of palms and went forth to meet him. And they cried out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the king of Israel!”… as it is written, “Fear not, daughter of Sion; behold, my king comes, sitting upon the colt of an ass.”

The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “Do you see that we avail nothing? Behold, the entire world has gone after him!”

Now there were certain Gentiles… these therefore approached Philip… “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”

But Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Amen, amen, I say to you, unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it brings forth much fruit. He who loves his life, loses it; and he who hates his life in this world, keeps it unto life everlasting. If anyone serves me, let him follow me, and where I am there also my servant be. If anyone serves me, my Father will honor him. Now my soul is troubled. And what shall I say?  Father, save me from this hour! No, this is why I came to this hour. Father glorify thy name!”

There therefore came a voice from heaven, “I have both glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”

Others said,”An angel has spoken to him.”

Jesus: “Not for me did this voice come, but for you. Now is the judgment of the world; now will the prince of the world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from earth, will draw all things to myself.”

The crowd answered: “We have heard from the Law that the Christ abides forever. And how canst thou say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”

Jesus therefore said to them: “Yet a little while the light is among you. Walk while you have the light, that darkness may not overtake you. He who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”

These things Jesus spoke, and he went away and hid himself from them.

Now though he had worked so many signs in their presence, they did not believe him, that the word which the prophet Isaias spoke may be fulfilled. “Lord, who has believed our report, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” This is why they could not believe, because Isaias said again, “he has blinded their eyes, and hardened their hearts, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their mind, and be converted, and I heal them.”

And yet, even among the rulers, many believed in him; but because of the Pharisees they did not acknowledge it, lest they should be put out of the synagogue. For they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God.

But Jesus cried out and, and said, “He who believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. And he who sees me, sees him who sent me. I have come a light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. And it anyone hears my words, and does not keep them, it is not I who judge him; for I have not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects me, and does not accept my words, has one to condemn him. The word that I have spoken will condemn him on the last day. For I have not spoken on my own authority, but he who sent me, the Father, has commanded me what I should say, and what I should declare. And I know that his commandment is everlasting life. The things, therefore, that I speak, I speak as the Father has bidden me.

John Chapter 13:  Washing of the feet at the Last Supper; Peter objects; Need for humility; The betrayer leaves the Supper; The new commandment of love; Peter’s denials predicted.

Jesus, knowing the hour had come for him to pass out of this world to the Father… and during supper, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot… to betray him, Jesus…. Rose from supper and laid aside his garments, and taking a towel girded himself. Then he poured water into the basin and began to wash the feet of his disciples, and to dry them with the towel with which he was girded.

Peter: “Lord, dost thou was my feet?”

Jesus: “What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shall know hereafter.”

Peter: “Thou shalt never wash my feet!”

Jesus: “If I do not wash thee, thou shalt have no part with me.”

Peter: “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”

Jesus “He who has bathed needs only to wash, and he is clean all over. And you are clean, but not all.”

For Jesus knew who it was that would betray him. This is why he said, “You are not all clean.”

Jesus: “Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Master and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If, therefore, I the Lord and Master have washed your feet, you also ought to wash the feet of one another. For I have given you an example, that as I have done to you, so you also should do. Amen, amen, I say to you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed shall you be if you do them. I do not speak of you all/ I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scriptures may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me.’ I tell you now before it comes to pass, that when it has come to pass you may believe that I am he. Amen, amen, I say to you, he who receives anyone I send, receives me; and he who receives me, receives him who sent me.

When Jesus had said these things he was troubled in spirit, and said solemnly, “Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”

The disciples therefore looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking.

Peter: “Who is it of whom he speaks? Lord, who is it?”

Jesus answered, “It is he for whom I shall dip the bread, and give it to him.”

And when he had dipped the bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot… and after the morsel, Satan entered into him.

And Jesus said to Judas Iscariot: “What thou dost, do quickly.”

But none of those at the table understood why he said this to him.

When, therefore, Judas Iscariot had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified with him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and will glorify him at once. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and, as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I go you cannot come,’ so to you also I say it now. A new commandment I give you, that you love one another: that as I have loved you, you also love one another. By this will all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Peter: “Lord, where art thou going?”

Jesus answered, “Where I am going thou canst not follow me now, but thou shalt follow later.”

Peter: “Why can I not follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thee.”

Jesus answered him, “Wilt thou lay down thy life for me? Amen, amen, I say to thee, the cock will not crow before thou dost deny me thrice.”

The saga of King Saul trying to kill David, the slayer of Goliath, the Philistine, continues fueled by Saul’s jealousy over his loyal subject David’s popularity.

Saul’s own son, who loved David exceedingly, patched things up at first. Saul was appeased, swearing that “as the Lord liveth David shall not be slain,” until the evil spirit of the Lord came upon him and he tried to kill David with a spear but missed. David’s wife Michol helped him escape, allegedly under a threat that David would kill her if she didn’t.

So Saul sent officers to take David: and when they saw a company of prophets prophesying, and Samuel presiding over them, the spirit of the Lord came also upon them, and they likewise began to prophesy… Saul sent other messengers: but they also prophesied… and again Saul sent messengers the third time: and they prophesied also…

Saul became exceedingly angry and went also himself… and the spirit of the Lord came upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied… and he stripped himself also of his garments, and prophesied with the rest before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and night. This gave occasion to a proverb: What! Is Saul too among the prophets?

The saga continues with Jonathan pledging his support to David:  “Whatsoever thy soul shall say to me, I will do for thee.”

Jonathan therefore made a covenant with the house of David: and the Lord required it at the hands of David’s enemies. And Jonathan swore again to David, because he loved him: for he loved him as his own soul.

Then Saul became angry at Jonathan… therefore fetch David to me: for he is the son of death… so Jonathan rose from the table in great anger… for he was grieved for David, because his father had put him to confusion.

After secretly signaling David to leave for his own safety, Jonathan once again pledged that: “The Lord be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever.”

David fled, first to Achimelech the priest who was surprised David came alone: “Why are thou alone and no men with thee?”

David was deceitful and lied a good lie to Achimelech: “The king hath commanded me a business, and said: Let no man know the thing for which thou art sent by me…”

The priest therefore gave David hallowed bread: for there was no bread there, but only the loaves of proposition. I believe this also may be a sin committed by the future King of Israel?

Then David asked Achimelech for a weapon: “Hast thou here at hand a spear, or a sword?” And in an odd twist of faith, the only weapon Achimelech has he gives to David: Lo, here is the sword of Goliath the Philistine whom thou slowest…

And David arose and fled that day from the face of Saul: and came to Achis the king of Gath whose servants wondered: “Is this not David the king of the land?”

And David changed his countenance before them… and he stumbled against the doors of the gate, and his spittle ran down upon his beard… and King Achis questioned his servants: “You saw the man was mad: why have you brought him to me?”

Now why on earth would David pretend to be mad?

David fled to the cave of Odollam and when his brethren, and all his father’s house… and under the affliction of mind gathered themselves unto David: and David became their prince, and there were with him about four hundred men.

And David left his father and mother under the eyes of the king of Moab, and they abode with him all the days that David was in the hold.

And Gad the prophet said to David: Abode not in the hold, depart, and go into the land of Juda.

And Doug the Edomite, the chief among the servants of Saul said “I saw David with Achimelech…

Then the king sent to call for Achimelech the priest… and they came all of them to the king and Saul said to Achimelech: “Why have conspired against me, thou and David?  And thou hast given him bread and a sword, and hast consulted the Lord for him, that he should rise up against me, continuing a traitor to this day.

Achimelech lied to Saul: Far be this from me: let not the king suspect such a thing against his servant, or any one in all my father’s house: for thy servant knew nothing of this matter, either little or great.

King Saul did not believe Achimelech and said: Dying thou shall die, Achimelech, thou and all thy father’s house.

 

King Saul to his messengers: Turn, and kill the priests of the Lord, for their hand is with David… and the King’s servants would not put forth their hands against the priests of the Lord.

King to Doug the Edomite: Turn thou and fall upon the priests. And Doug the Edomite turned, and fell upon the priests and slew in that day eighty-five men that wore the linen ephod.

But one of the sons of Achimelech… escaped, and fled to David and told him that Saul had slain the priests of the Lord. Saul realized his role in this tragedy: I have been the occasion of the death of all the souls of thy father Achimelech’s house. Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life, seeketh thy life also, and with me thou shall be saved.

The game of ‘cat and mouse’ continued into the mountains and deserts with both Saul and David feeling that the Lord had delivered the other into his hands.

And Saul sought him always: but the Lord delivered him not into his hands.

And Jonathan… went to David… and strengthened his hands with God: and he said to David: “Fear not: for the hand of my father Saul shall not find thee, and thou shalt reign over Israel, and I shall be next to thee, yea, and my father knoweth this. And the two made a covenant before the Lord.

And Saul went on this side of the mountain and David and his men were on the other side of the mountain… wherefore Saul returned, leaving the pursuit of David, and went to meet the Philistines. I guess no bear went over the mountain to see what he could see or who was on the other side of the mountain?

Saul therefore took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek after Israel. And there was a cave, into which Saul went, to ease nature: now David and his men lay hid in the inner part of the cave. And the servants of David said to him: “Behold the day, of which the Lord said to thee: I will deliver thy enemy unto thee, that thou mayst do to him as it shall seem good in thy eyes.”

To ease nature…

Then David arose, and secretly cut off the hem of Saul’s robe.

David to his men: “The Lord be merciful unto me, that I may do no such thing to my master the Lord’s anointed, as to lay my hand upon him, because he is the Lord’s anointed.”

David to Saul: My lord the king… I will not put out my hand against my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed… Reflect and see that there is no evil in my hand, nor iniquity, neither have I sinned against thee: but thou list in wait for my life, to take it away.

The Lord judge between me and thee and the Lord revenge me of thee: but my hand shall not be upon thee. As also it is said in the old proverb: From the wicked shall wickedness come forth: therefore my hand shall not be upon thee.

Saul to David: Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. Thou are more just than I: for thou hast done good to me, and I have rewarded thee with evil… the Lord has reward thee for this good turn, for what thou hast done to me this day. And now as I know that thou shalt surely be king, and have the kingdom of Israel in thy hand; swear to me by the Lord, that thou wilt not destroy my seed after me, nor take away my name from the house of my father. And David swore to Saul.

This is truly an amazing story of forgiveness and make up but is it too good to believe? Is this going to be the first orderly transfer of power in biblical times? We will see…

Far be it for me to say but King Saul was an evil man to kill 85 priests.

Day 99: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Far be it for Me to Say but King Saul was an Evil Man to Kill 85 Priests.

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The First Book of Kings Chapters 19-24

Bible Notes:

This and the following Book are also called the Books of Samuel, because they tell of Samuel and the two kings, Saul and David, whom he anointed. After the history of Heli and Samuel, the last of the Judges, this book records the beginning of the Jewish monarchy and the rule of the first king, Saul.

1 Kings Chapter 19: Jonathan reveals Saul’s murderous plans; Jonathan reconciles Saul and David; Saul again attempts to kill David; Michol tricks Saul and saves David; David flees; Saul pursues him; Saul prophesies.

And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, the son of Saul loved David exceedingly. And Jonathan told David, saying: Saul my father seeketh to kill thee…

And Jonathan spoke good things of David to Saul his father; and said to him: Sin not, O king, against thy servant, David, because he hath not sinned against thee, and his works are very good towards thee.

And when Saul heard this he was appeased with the words pf Jonathan, and swore; As the Lord liveth he shall not be slain.

And the evil spirit from the Lord came upon Saul…

David played (the harp with) his hand. And Saul endeavored to nail David to the wall with his spear. And David slipped away out of the presence of Saul; and the spear missed him, and was fastened to the wall, and David fled and escaped into the night.’

(His wife Michol) let him down through a window. And he went and fled away and escaped… and Michol answered Saul (as to why she deceived him) and Michol answered Saul: Because he said to me: Let me go, or else I will kill thee.

So Saul sent officers to take David: and when they saw a company of prophets prophesying, and Samuel presiding over them, the spirit of the Lord came also upon them, and they likewise began to prophesy… Saul sent other messengers: but they also prophesied… and again Saul sent messengers the third time: and they prophesied also…

Saul became exceedingly angry and went also himself… and the spirit of the Lord came upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied… and he stripped himself also of his garments, and prophesied with the rest before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and night. This gave occasion to a proverb: What! IS Saul too among the prophets?

Prophesy—to foretell or predict; to indicate beforehand; to declare or foretell by or as if by divine inspiration; to utter in prophecy or as a prophet; to make inspired declarations of what is to come; to speak as a mediator between God and humankind or in God’s stead; Archaic: to teach religious subjects.

1 Kings Chapter 20: David and Jonathan consult; Jonathan renews his pledge to David; Jonathan’s method of signaling David; Saul seeks to kill Jonathan; Jonathan signals to David; Jonathan sends David away.

David to Jonathan: But truly as the Lord liveth, and thy soul liveth, there is but one step (as I may say) between me and death.

Jonathan to David:  Whatsoever thy soul shall say to me, I will do for thee.

Jonathan therefore made a covenant with the house of David: and the Lord required it at the hands of David’s enemies. And Jonathan swore again to David, because he loved him: for he loved him as his own soul.

Then Saul became angry at Jonathan… therefore fetch David to me: for he is the son of death… so Jonathan rose from the table in great anger… for he was grieved for David, because his father had put him to confusion.

Jonathan to the little boy and David: Behold the arrow is there further beyond thee… Make haste speedily, stand not… and when the boy was gone, David rose out of his place… and kissing one another, they wept together, but David more…

Jonathan to David: The Lord be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And David arose, and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.

1 Kings Chapter 21: Achimelech gives holy bread to David; David takes Goliath’s sword; David feigns madness before King Achis.

And David came to… Achimelech the priest: and Achimelech was astonished at David’s coming: “Why are thou alone and no men with thee?”

David to Achimelech: The king hath commanded me a business, and said: Let no man know the thing for which thou art sent by me…

The priest therefore gave David hallowed bread: for there was no bread there, but only the loaves of proposition.

David to Achimelech: Hast thou here at hand a spear, or a sword?

Achimelech to David: Lo, here is the sword of Goliath the Philistine whom thou slowest…

And David arose and fled that day from the face of Saul: and came to Achis the king of Gath.

Is this not David the king of the land?

And David changed his countenance before them… and he stumbled against the doors of the gate, and his spittle ran down upon his beard…

King Achis: “You saw the man was mad: why have you brought him to me?”

1 Kings Chapter 22: Many  join David at Odollam; David’s parents dwell with the king of Moab; David goes to the forest of Haret; Saul accuses his servants of conspiring; Doeg accuses Achimelech of feeding David; Saul orders the splaying of the priests; Abiathar escapes and informs David.

David therefore went from thence and fled to the cave of Odollam. And when his brethren, and all his father’s house… and under the affliction of mind gathered themselves unto David: and David became their prince, and there were with him about four hundred men.

And David left his father and mother under the eyes of the king of Moab, and they abode with him all the days that David was in the hold.

And Gad the prophet said to David: Abode not in the hold, depart, and go into the land of Juda.

Saul: my son Jonathan hath raised up with my servant David against me, plotting against me to this day.

And Doug the Edomite, the chief among the servants of Saul said “I saw David with Achimelech…

Then the king sent to call for Achimelech the priest… and they came all of them to the king.

Saul to Achimelech: “Why have conspired against me, thou and David?  And thou hast given him bread and a sword, and hast consulted the Lord for him, that he should rise up against me, continuing a traitor to this day.

Achimelech to Saul: Far be this from me: let not the king suspect such a thing against his servant, or any one in all my father’s house: for thy servant knew nothing of this matter, either little or great.

King Saul to Achimelech: Dying thou shall die, Achimelech, thou and all thy father’s house.

King Saul to his messengers: Turn, and kill the priests of the Lord, for their hand is with David… and the King’s servants would not put forth their hands against the priests of the Lord.

King to Doug the Edomite: Turn thou and fall upon the priests. And Doug the Edomite turned, and fell upon the priests and slew in that day eighty-five men that wore the linen ephod.

But one of the sons of Achimelech… escaped, and fled to David and told him that Saul had slain the priests of the Lord.

Saul: I have been the occasion of the death of all the souls of thy father Achimelech’s house. Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life, seeketh thy life also, and with me thou shall be saved.

1 Kings Chapter 23: David plans to help Ceila; David consults the Lord and conquers; Saul prepares to besiege David in Ceila; God warns David; David escapes to Ziph; Jonathan encourages David; The Ziphites conspire to betray David; David narrowly escapes Saul.

And the Lord said to David: Go, and thou shall smite the Philistines… for I will deliver the Philistines into thy hand.

Saul: The Lord hath delivered David into thy hand…

Lord to David: Saul will come down… and Ceila will deliver you up!

David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departing from Celia…

And Saul sought him always: but the Lord delivered him not into his hands.

And Jonathan… went to David… and strengthened his hands with God: and he said to David: “Fear not: for the hand of my father Saul shall not find thee, and thou shalt reign over Israel, and I shall be next to thee, yea, and my father knoweth this. And the two made a covenant before the Lord.

And Saul went on this side of the mountain and David and his men were on the other side of the mountain… wherefore Saul returned, leaving the pursuit of David, and went to meet the Philistines.

1 Kings Chapter 24: Saul falls into David’s hands; David spares Saul; David pleads his innocence; Saul acknowledges David’s innocence.

Saul therefore took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek after Israel. And there was a cave, into which Saul went, to ease nature: now David and his men lay hid in the inner part of the cave. And the servants of David said to him: “Behold the day, of which the Lord said to thee: I will deliver thy enemy unto thee, that thou mayst do to him as it shall seem good in thy eyes.”

Then David arose, and secretly cut off the hem of Saul’s robe.

David to his men: “The Lord be merciful unto me, that I may do no such thing to my master the Lord’s anointed, as to lay my hand upon him, because he is the Lord’s anointed.”

David to Saul: My lord the king… I will not put out my hand against my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed… Reflect and see that there is no evil in my hand, nor iniquity, neither have I sinned against thee: but thou list in wait for my life, to take it away.

The Lord judge between me and thee and the Lord revenge me of thee: but my hand shall not be upon thee. As also it is said in the old proverb: From the wicked shall wickedness come forth: therefore my hand shall not be upon thee.

Saul to David: Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. Thou are more just than I: for thou hast done good to me, and I have rewarded thee with evil… the Lord has reward thee for this good turn, for what thou hast done to me this day. And now as I know that thou shalt surely be king, and have the kingdom of Israel in thy hand; swear to me by the Lord, that thou wilt not destroy my seed after me, nor take away my name from the house of my father. And David swore to Saul.