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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Is it déjà vu all over again?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Peter and John answered and said to them:

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

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

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

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

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

Amen! Alleluia!

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

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

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

Bible Notes:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Peter and John answered and said to them:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

King David: I will give them.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bible Notes:

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

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

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

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

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

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

King David: I will give them.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now these were David’s last words:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

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

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

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

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

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

Sapphira: “Yes, for so much.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And they brought forward false witnesses to say:

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

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

After they had prayed they laid their hands upon them.

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

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

 

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

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

Bible Notes:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sapphira: “Yes, for so much.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And they brought forward false witnesses to say:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

King David to Bethsabee: What is your will?

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

Nathan the prophet came…

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

Bethsabee: May my lord David live forever.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Solomon to Adonias: Go to thy house.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

Ask what thou wilt that I should give thee.

And Solomon said:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bible Notes:

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

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

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

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

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

King David to Bethsabee: What is your will?

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

Nathan the prophet came…

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

Bethsabee: May my lord David live forever.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Solomon to Adonias: Go to thy house.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gabaon…  for that was the great high place…

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

Ask what thou wilt that I should give thee.

And Solomon said:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Where is Stephen going with this?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

But Peter said to Simon:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bible Notes:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Acts Chapter 8:  Persecution; Philip preaches in Samaria; Conversion of Simon, the sorcerer; Peter and John sent to Samaria; Simon condemned by Peter; Philip meets the Ethiopian eunuch; He asks Philip to explain the Scriptures; Philip converts the Ethiopian.

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

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

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

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

But Peter said to Simon:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A very wise King Solomon, in times of peace and prosperity for Israel, built a Temple to the Lord in Jerusalem per his father David’s wishes. He teamed up with King Hiram of what is now Lebanon who supplied the cedar trees used in the construction of the Temple:

And Solomon had under him all the kingdoms from the river to the land of the Philistines, even to the border of Egypt: and they brought him presents, and served him, all the days of his life.

And the provision of Solomon for each day… and he had peace on every side round about. And Juda and Israel dwelt without any fear, every one under his vine, and under his fig tree, from Dan to Bersabee, all the days of Solomon.

And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of chariot horses, and twelve thousand for the saddle…

And God gave to Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart as the sand that is on the sea shore. And the wisdom of Solomon surpassed the wisdom of all the Orientals, and of the Egyptians, and he was wiser than all men… and he was renowned in all nations round about. Solomon also spoke three thousand parables: and his poems were a thousand and five… And they came from all nations to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and from the kings of the earth, who heard of his wisdom.

And Hiram, king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon… for Hiram had always been David’s friend.

Solomon to Hiram: Thou knowest the will of David my father, and that he could not build a house to the name of the Lord his God, because of them that were round about him, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet. But now the Lord my God hath given me rest round about: and there is no adversary nor evil occurrence. Wherefore I purpose to build a temple to the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord spoke to David my father, saying: Thy son, whom I will set upon the throne in thy place, he shall build a house to my name. Give orders therefore that thy servants cut me down cedar trees out of Libanus, and let my servants be with thy servants: and I will give thee the hire of thy servants whatsoever thou wilt ask, for thou knowest how there is not among my people a man that has skill to hew wood like to the Sidonians.

Now when Hiram had heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced exceedingly, and said: Blessed be the Lord God this day, who hath given to David a very wise son over this numerous people… I have heard all thou hast desired of me: and I will do all thy desire concerning cedar trees and fir trees… So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees, and fir trees, according to all his desire.

And the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and they made a league together.

And King Solomon chose workmen out of all Israel, and the levy was of thirty thousand men… And he sent them to Libanus, ten thousand every month by turns, so that two months they were home… And Solomon had seventy thousand to carry burdens, and eighty thousand to hew stones in the mountain… And the king commanded, that they should bring great stones, costly stones, for the foundation of the temple, and should square them, and the masons of Solomon, and the masons of Hiram hewed them; and the Giblians prepared timber and stones to build the house.

And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel came out of the land if Egypt, in the fourth year of the reign of Solomon over Israel…he began to build a house to the Lord.

And the house, when it was in building, was built of stones hewed and made ready: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house when it was in building.

And the Lord was obviously very pleased with King Solomon:

And the word of the Lord came to Solomon, saying: This house which thou buildest, if thou will walk in my statues, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments, walking in them, I will fulfill my word to thee which I spoke to David thy father. And I will dwell in the midst of the children if Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.

And he made the oracle in the midst of the house, in the inner part, to set there the ark of the covenant of the Lord… And he covered it and overlaid it with most pure gold… and fastened on the plates with nails of gold. And there was nothing in the temple that was not covered with gold: the whole altar of the oracle he covered also with gold.

And he made in the oracle two cherubims of olive tree, of ten cubits in height. And he overlaid the cherubims with gold.

And the floor of the house he also overlaid with gold within and without… And he built the inner court with three rows of polished stones, and one row of beams of cedar.

And King Solomon sent, and brought Hiran from Tyre… an artificer in brass, and full of wisdom, and understanding, and skill to work all work in brass.

And he cast two pillars in brass (for the Temple)… And Hiram made caldrons, and shovels, and basins, and finished all the work of King Solomon in the temple of the Lord… All the vessels that Hiram made for King Solomon for the house of the Lord were of fine brass.

No cost was spared in terms of materials—cedar—stones—brass—gold!

And Solomon finished all the work that he made in the house of the Lord, and brought in the things that David his father had dedicated, the silver and the gold, and the vessels, and laid them up in the treasures of the house of the Lord.

In the fourth year was the house of the Lord founded… in the eleventh year… the house was finished in all works thereof, and in all appurtenances thereof: and he was seven years in building it.

Seven years to build the Temple and then thirteen to build his own house?

And Solomon built his own house in thirteen years, and brought it to perfection. He built also the house of the forest Libanus… He made also the porch of the throne, wherein is the seat of judgment… And in the midst of the porch, was a small house where he sat in judgment, of the like work.

He made also a house for the daughter of Pharao (Whom Solomon had taken to wife).

Wise King Solomon build a Temple to the name of the Lord His God… and his house and one for his wife too! Peace and prosperity in Israel under the wise King Solomon!

Day 115: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Wise King Solomon Builds a Temple to the Name of the Lord His God…

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Third Book of Kings Chapters 4-7

Bible Notes:

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

3 Kings Chapter 4: Solomon’s princes; Solomon’s governors; Extent of Solomon’s kingdom; Solomon’s daily provision; Solomon’s stables; Solomon’s wisdom.

And King Solomon reigned over all of Israel, and these were the princes which he had: Azarias; Alihoreph, and Ahia… the scribes;  Josaphat… the recorder;  Banaias over the army; Sadoc and Abiathat priests; Azarias, over them that were about the king; Zabud, the king’s friend; Abisar, governor of the house; Adoniram, over the tribute…

And Solomon had twelve governors over all of Israel, who provided victuals for the king and for his household: for every one provided necessaries, each man his month in the year… Benhur, Bendecar, Benhesed, Benabinadah, Hana, Bengaber, Abinadab, Achimaas, Baana, Josaphat, Semei, Gaber, over all that were in the land.

And Solomon had under him all the kingdoms from the river to the land of the Philistines, even to the border pf Egypt: and they brought him presents, and served him, all the days of his life.

And the provision of Solomon for each day… and he had peace on every side round about. And Juda and Israel dwelt without any fear, every one under his vine, and under his fig tree, from Dan to Bersabee, all the days of Solomon.

And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of chariot horses, and twelve thousand for the saddle…

And God gave to Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart as the sand that is on the sea shore. And the wisdom of Solomon surpassed the wisdom of all the Orientals, and of the Egyptians, and he was wiser than all men… and he was renowned in all nations round about. Solomon also spoke three thousand parables: and his poems were a thousand and five… And they came from all nations to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and from the kings of the earth, who heard of his wisdom.

3 Kings Chapter 5: Solomon asks King Hiram for help; Hiram supplies timber for the Temple; Solomon’s payment to Hiram; Numbers of Solomon’s workmen.

And Hiram, king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon… for Hiram had always been David’s friend.

Solomon to Hiram: Thou knowest the will of David my father, and that he could not build a house to the name of the Lord his God, because of them that were round about him, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet. But now the Lord my God hath given me rest round about: and there is no adversary nor evil occurrence. Wherefore I purpose to build a temple to the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord spoke to David my father, saying: Thy son, whom I will set upon the throne in thy place, he shall build a house to my name. Give orders therefore that thy servants cut me down cedar trees out of Libanus, and let my servants be with thy servants: and I will give thee the hire of thy servants whatsoever thou wilt ask, for thou knowest how there is not among my people a man that has skill to hew wood like to the Sidonians.

Now when Hiram had heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced exceedingly, and said: Blessed be the Lord God this day, who hath given to David a very wise son over this numerous people… I have heard all thou hast desired of me: and I will do all thy desire concerning cedar trees and fir trees… So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees, and fir trees, according to all his desire.

And the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and they made a league together.

And King Solomon chose workmen out of all Israel, and the levy was of thirty thousand men… And he sent them to Libanus, ten thousand every month by turns, so that two months they were home… And Solomon had seventy thousand to carry burdens, and eighty thousand to hew stones in the mountain… And the king commanded, that they should bring great stones, costly stones, for the foundation of the temple, and should square them, and the masons of Solomon, and the masons of Hiram hewed them; and the Giblians prepared timber and stones to build the house.

3 Kings Chapter 6: Dimensions of the Temple; The Lord approves the Temple; Interior of the Temple; The oracle of the Temple; The cherubims; Carvings on the walls; The doors of the Temple; The inner court of the Temple; The time of building the Temple.

And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel came out of the land if Egypt, in the fourth year of the reign of Solomon over Israel…he began to build a house to the Lord.

And the house, when it was in building, was built of stones hewed and made ready: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house when it was in building.

And the word of the Lord came to Solomon, saying: This house which thou buildest, if thou will walk in my statues, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments, walking in them, I will fulfill my word to thee which I spoke to David thy father. And I will dwell in the midst of the children if Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.

And he made the oracle in the midst of the house, in the inner part, to set there the ark of the covenant of the Lord… And he covered it and overlaid it with most pure gold… and fastened on the plates with nails of gold. And there was nothing in the temple that was not covered with gold: the whole altar of the oracle he covered also with gold.

Oracle—(especially in ancient Greece) an utterance, often ambiguous or obscure, given by a priest or priestess at a shrine as the response of a god to an inquiry; a shrine or place at which such responses were given: the oracle of Apollo at Delphi.

And he made in the oracle two cherubims of olive tree, of ten cubits in height. And he overlaid the cherubims with gold.

Cubit—an ancient linear unit based on the length of the forearm, from elbow to the tip of the middle finger, usually from 17 to 21 inches (43 to 53 cm).

And the floor of the house he also overlaid with gold within and without… And he built the inner court with three rows of polished stones, and one row of beams of cedar.

In the fourth year was the house of the Lord founded… in the eleventh year… the house was finished in all works thereof, and in all appurtenances thereof: and he was seven years in building it.

Appurtenance– something subordinate to another, more important thing; adjunct; accessory; apparatus; instruments.

3 Kings Chapter 7: Solomon’s palace; The house for Pharao’s daughter; Hiram, the workman; Pillars for the Temple; The molten sea or laver; Ten stands for the lavers; Ten lavers of brass; Other equipment for the Temple; David’s treasures brought into the Temple.

And Solomon built his own house in thirteen years, and brought it to perfection. He built also the house of the forest Libanus… He made also the porch of the throne, wherein is the seat of judgment… And in the midst of the porch, was a small house where he sat in judgment, of the like work.

He made also a house for the daughter of Pharao (Whom Solomon had taken to wife).

And King Solomon sent, and brought Hiran from Tyre… an artificer in brass, and full of wisdom, and understanding, and skill to work all work in brass.

And he cast two pillars in brass (for the Temple)… And Hiram made caldrons, and shovels, and basins, and finished all the work of King Solomon in the temple of the Lord… All the vessels that Hiram made for King Solomon for the house of the Lord were of fine brass.

And Solomon finished all the work that he made in the house of the Lord, and brought in the things that David his father had dedicated, the silver and the gold, and the vessels, and laid them up in the treasures of the house of the Lord.

 

The Lord performed a miracle in Saul transforming him from a persecutor of early Christians into a bold Christian himself proclaiming the Good News of Salvation. Ironically he became persecuted as a Christian, same as Christ and the Disciples now turning Apostles.

The Peter, in his Christ-like Glory, performed back-to-back miracles: first an eight-year paralytic named Aeneas and then he brought Tabitha back to life as much as Christ did Lazarus. But the real lasting miracle was performed through Cornelius, a Gentile and Peter, a Jew and it proved the unity of Christ in that the Holy Spirit sees a believer and nothing else, especially race!

As the outward miracles happened Jesus and Peter started looking deeply within to root truly life changing possibilities for each one of us!

Miracles, why not look inward for your own miracles? A change in perspective, a change in heart, some love, compassion and mercy to oneself can do wonders. Perhaps your miracle is a nonphysical one? To get outside of yourself and think differently; identify, accept and feel emotions but not let them rule you or your life; and finally find your own spirituality, your own Splendid Spiritual Self and live in peace, joy, unity, and freedom. There are still miracles today, through doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professional; some we understand scientifically and so we have no clue as to how they happened. Why not team up with God and make yourself one?

God, as illustrated in vivid detail in these passages, Combines dreams and visions with the interaction of others to enlighten our spiritual minds. Peter’s dream when he was hungry was not about food. Nor was it about eating common or uncommon food.

Actually there were two messages. The first was that I am the Lord your God and never question my intention, just follow my commands.

Here is the narrative from the Acts of the Apostles:

But Saul, still breathing threats of slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, that if he found any men of women belonging to this Way, he might bring them in bonds to Jerusalem. And as he went on his journey, it came to pass that he drew near to Damascus, when suddenly a light from heaven shone round about him; and falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him:

“Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute me?”

Saul: “Who art thou, Lord?”

Jesus: “I am Jesus, whom thou are persecuting.

And Saul trembling and amazed, said: “Lord, what wilt thou have me do?”

Lord: “arise and go into the city, and it will be told thee what thou must do.”

Now the men who journeyed with Saul stood speechless, hearing indeed this voice, but seeing no one. And Saul arose from the ground, but when his eyes were opened, he could see nothing. And leading him by the hand, thy brought him into Damascus. And for three days he could not see, and he neither ate nor drank.

Lord to Ananias in a vision: “Ananias.”

Ananias: “Here I am Lord.”

Lord” “Arise and go to the street called Straight and ask at the house of Judas for a man of Tarsus named Saul. For behold, he is praying.”

Ananias: “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to thy saints in Jerusalem. And here too he has authority from the high priests to arrest all who invoke thy name.”

Lord: “Go, for this man is a chosen vessel to me, to carry my name among nations and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

So Ananias departed and entered the house, and laying hands upon him, said:

“Brother Saul, the Lord has sent me—Jesus, who appeared to thee on thy journey—that thou mayest recover thy sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

And straightaway there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he recovered his sight, and arose, and was baptized. And after taking some food he regained his strength.

Now for some days he joined the disciples in Damascus, and straightaway in the synagogues he began to preach that Jesus is the Son of God. And all who heard him were amazed and said:

“Is not this he who used to make havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon his name, and who has come here for the purpose of taking them in bonds to the chief priests?”

But Saul grew all the stronger and confounded the Jews who were living in Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.

But as time grew on the Jews made a plot to kill Saul. But the plot became known to Saul. They were even guarding the gates both day and night in order to kill him; but his disciples took him by night and let him down over the wall, lowering him in a basket.

Now on his arrival at Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples, and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and he told them how on his journey he had seen the Lord, that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had acted boldly in the name of Jesus. And he moved freely among them in Jerusalem, acting boldly in the name of the Lord; he also spoke and disputed with the Hellenists; but they sought to kill him. When the brethren got to know this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.

Now throughout Judea and Galilee and Samaria the Church was in peace and was being built up, walking in fear of the Lord, and it was filled with the consolation of the Holy Spirit.

And it came to pass that Peter, while visiting all the saints, came to those living at Lydda, And he found there a certain man named Aeneas who had kept his bed eight years, being a paralytic. And Peter said to him:

“Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals thee; get up and make thy bed.”

And straightaway he got up. And all who lived in Lydda and in Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

Now at Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha; this woman had devoted herself to good works and acts of charity. But it happened that at this time she fell ill and died; and they washed her out and laid her in an upper room… But Peter, putting them (all the widows) all out, knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said”

“Tabitha arise.”

And she opened her eyes and, seeing Peter, she sat up. Then Peter gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and the widows, he gave her back to them alive. And it became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

The second message of unity was revealed later on when Peter was greeted by Cornelius:

Now there was in Caesarea a man named Cornelius, a centurion of the cohort called Italian; he was devout and God-fearing… he saw distinctly in a vision an angel of God come in to him and say to him:

“Cornelius.”

Cornelius: “What is it Lord?”

Lord via an Angel: “Thy prayers and thy alms have gone up and been remembered in the sight of God. And now send men to Joppa and fetch one Simon, surnamed Peter; he is lodging with Simon, a tanner, who has a house by the seaside.”

When the angel who was speaking to him had departed… now the next day… Peter went up to the roof to pray, about the sixth hour; but he got very hungry, and wanted something to eat. But while they were getting it ready, he fell into an ecstasy, and saw heaven standing open and a certain vessel coming down like a great sheet, let down by the four corners from heaven to the earth; and in it were all the four-footed beasts and creeping things of the earth, and birds of the air. And there came a great voice to him:

“Arise, Peter, kill and eat.”

Peter: “Far be it from me, Lord, for never did I eat anything common or unclean.”

Voice: “What God has cleansed, do not thou call common.”

But while Peter was pondering over the vision, the Spirit said to him:

“Behold, three men are looking for thee. Arise, therefore, go down and depart with them without any hesitation, for I have sent them.”

So Peter went down to the men and said:

“Behold I am the man you are asking for; what is the reason for your coming?”

The Men: “Cornelius, a centurion, a just and God-fearing man, to whom the whole nation of the Jews bears witness, has been directed by a holy angel to fetch thee to his house and to hear words from thee.”

And the next day he arose and started off with them… the following day he reached Caesarea… and as Peter entered, Cornelius me him and, falling at his feet, made obedience to him. But Peter raised him up, saying:

“Get up, I myself also am a man.”

Peter: “You know it is not permissible for a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; but God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean; therefore I came without hesitation when I was sent for. I ask, therefore, why you have sent for me.”

Cornelius: “Three days  ago, at this very hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, and behold, a man stood before me in shining garments… now, therefore, we are all present in thy sight to hear whatever has been commanded thee by the Lord.”

But Peter began, and said:

“Now I really understand that God is not a respecter of persons, but in every nation he who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. He sent his word to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (who is Lord of all). You know what took place throughout Judea; for he begun in Galilee after the baptism preached by John: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and he went about doing good and healing all who were in the power of the devil; for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all that he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem; and yet they killed him, hanging him from a tree. But God raised him on the third day and caused him to be plainly seen, not by all the people, but by witnesses designated beforehand by God, that is, by us, who ate and drank with him after he had risen from the dead. And he charged us to preach to the people and to testify that he it is who has been appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness, that through his name all who believe in him may receive forgiveness of sins.”

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came upon all who were listening to his message. And the faithful of the circumcision, who had come with Peter, were amazed, because on the Gentiles also the grace of the Holy Spirit had been poured forth; for they heard them speaking in tongues and magnifying God.

Then Peter answered: “Can anyone refuse the water to baptize these, seeing that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?”

And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

Unity within leads to unity outside which leads to all faiths coexisting in peace, joy, unity, and freedom!

Saul, You, Saul, Me; Peter teaches us as Christ did: Unity is the answer!

Day 116: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Saul, You, Saul, Me; Peter teaches us as Christ did: Unity is the answer!

Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Acts of The Apostles Chapters 9-10.

Bible Notes:

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

Acts Chapter 9:  The vision of Saul; Ananias sent by God to Saul; Ananias meets Saul, Saul is baptized; Saul preaches Christ; Saul escapes a plot to kill him; Saul meets the Apostles; Peter heals Aeneas; Peter raises Dorcas from the dead.

But Saul, still breathing threats of slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, that if he found any men of women belonging to this Way, he might bring them in bonds to Jerusalem. And as he went on his journey, it came to pass that he drew near to Damascus, when suddenly a light from heaven shone round about him; and falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him:

“Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute me?”

Saul: “Who art thou, Lord?”

Jesus: “I am Jesus, whom thou are persecuting.

And Saul trembling and amazed, said: “Lord, what wilt thou have me do?”

Lord: “arise and go into the city, and it will be told thee what thou must do.”

Now the men who journeyed with Saul stood speechless, hearing indeed this voice, but seeing no one. And Saul arose from the ground, but when his eyes were opened, he could see nothing. And leading him by the hand, thy brought him into Damascus. And for three days he could not see, and he neither ate nor drank.

Lord to Ananias in a vision: “Ananias.”

Ananias: “Here I am Lord.”

Lord” “Arise and go to the street called Straight and ask at the house of Judas for a man of Tarsus named Saul. For behold, he is praying.”

Ananias: “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to thy saints in Jerusalem. And here too he has authority from the high priests to arrest all who invoke thy name.”

Lord: “Go, for this man is a chosen vessel to me, to carry my name among nations and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

So Ananias departed and entered the house, and laying hands upon him, said:

“Brother Saul, the Lord has sent me—Jesus, who appeared to thee on thy journey—that thou mayest recover thy sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

And straightaway there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he recovered his sight, and arose, and was baptized. And after taking some food he regained his strength.

Now for some days he joined the disciples in Damascus, and straightaway in the synagogues he began to preach that Jesus is the Son of God. And all who heard him were amazed and said:

“Is not this he who used to make havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon his name, and who has come here for the purpose of taking them in bonds to the chief priests?”

But Saul grew all the stronger and confounded the Jews who were living in Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.

But as time grew on the Jews made a plot to kill Saul. But the plot became known to Saul. They were even guarding the gates both day and night in order to kill him; but his disciples took him by night and let him down over the wall, lowering him in a basket.

Now on his arrival at Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples, and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and he told them how on his journey he had seen the Lord, that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had acted boldly in the name of Jesus. And he moved freely among them in Jerusalem, acting boldly in the name of the Lord; he also spoke and disputed with the Hellenists; but they sought to kill him. When the brethren got to know this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.

Now throughout Judea and Galilee and Samaria the Church was in peace and was being built up, walking in fear of the Lord, and it was filled with the consolation of the Holy Spirit.

And it came to pass that Peter, while visiting all the saints, came to those living at Lydda, And he found there a certain man named Aeneas who had kept his bed eight years, being a paralytic. And Peter said to him:

“Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals thee; get up and make thy bed.”

And straightaway he got up. And all who lived in Lydda and in Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

Now at Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha; this woman had devoted herself to good works and acts of charity. But it happened that at this time she fell ill and died; and they washed her out and laid her in an upper room… But Peter, putting them (all the widows) all out, knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said”

“Tabitha arise.”

And she opened her eyes and, seeing Peter, she sat up. Then Peter gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and the widows, he gave her back to them alive. And it became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

Acts Chapter 10:  The vision of Cornelius; The vision of Peter; Peter goes with Cornelius’ servants; Peter meets Cornelius; Cornelius describes his vision; Peter’s discourse; Peter baptizes Cornelius and his family.

Now there was in Caesarea a man named Cornelius, a centurion of the cohort called Italian; he was devout and God-fearing… he saw distinctly in a vision an angel of God come in to him and say to him:

“Cornelius.”

Cornelius: “What is it Lord?”

Lord via an Angel: “Thy prayers and thy alms have gone up and been remembered in the sight of God. And now send men to Joppa and fetch one Simon, surnamed Peter; he is lodging with Simon, a tanner, who has a house by the seaside.”

When the angel who was speaking to him had departed… now the next day… Peter went up to the roof to pray, about the sixth hour; but he got very hungry, and wanted something to eat. But while they were getting it ready, he fell into an ecstasy, and saw heaven standing open and a certain vessel coming down like a great sheet, let down by the four corners from heaven to the earth; and in it were all the four-footed beasts and creeping things of the earth, and birds of the air. And there came a great voice to him:

“Arise, Peter, kill and eat.”

Peter: “Far be it from me, Lord, for never did I eat anything common or unclean.”

Voice: “What God has cleansed, do not thou call common.”

But while Peter was pondering over the vision, the Spirit said to him:

“Behold, three men are looking for thee. Arise, therefore, go down and depart with them without any hesitation, for I have sent them.”

So Peter went down to the men and said:

“Behold I am the man you are asking for; what is the reason for your coming?”

The Men: “Cornelius, a centurion, a just and God-fearing man, to whom the whole nation of the Jews bears witness, has been directed by a holy angel to fetch thee to his house and to hear words from thee.”

And the next day he arose and started off with them… the following day he reached Caesarea… and as Peter entered, Cornelius me him and, falling at his feet, made obedience to him. But Peter raised him up, saying:

“Get up, I myself also am a man.”

Peter: “You know it is not permissible for a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; but God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean; therefore I came without hesitation when I was sent for. I ask, therefore, why you have sent for me.”

Cornelius: “Three days  ago, at this very hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, and behold, a man stood before me in shining garments… now, therefore, we are all present in thy sight to hear whatever has been commanded thee by the Lord.”

But Peter began, and said:

“Now I really understand that God is not a respecter of persons, but in every nation he who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. He sent his word to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (who is Lord of all). You know what took place throughout Judea; for he begun in Galilee after the baptism preached by John: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and he went about doing good and healing all who were in the power of the devil; for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all that he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem; and yet they killed him, hanging him from a tree. But God raised him on the third day and caused him to be plainly seen, not by all the people, but by witnesses designated beforehand by God, that is, by us, who ate and drank with him after he had risen from the dead. And he charged us to preach to the people and to testify that he it is who has been appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness, that through his name all who believe in him may receive forgiveness of sins.”

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came upon all who were listening to his message. And the faithful of the circumcision, who had come with Peter, were amazed, because on the Gentiles also the grace of the Holy Spirit had been poured forth; for they heard them speaking in tongues and magnifying God.

Then Peter answered: “Can anyone refuse the water to baptize these, seeing that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?”

And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

 

 

I love reading the Old Testament. It gets a little horrific and monotonous in places but there is a thread of love, heart, and mercy throughout. The Old Testament is transformed through that same love, heart, and mercy of God to become the New Testament via His Son, Our Savior Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is present in the Old Testament and permeates the New Testament as well as us.

King Solomon brought the Ark of the Covenant from the City of David into Jerusalem

“Now in the ark there was nothing else but the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.

“A cloud filled the house of the Lord… for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord… and I (Solomon) stand in the room of David my father, and sit upon the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised: and have built a house to the name of the Lord the God of Israel

Solomon’s prayer: “Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee in heaven above, or on earth beneath: who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that have walked before thee with all their heart… whatsoever they shall pray for in this place, and hear them in the place of thy dwelling in heaven; and when thou hearest, show them mercy… and forgive the sin of thy people Israel… and show them the good way wherein they should walk… when a man shall know the wound of his own heart, and shall spread forth his hands in this house, then hear thou in heaven, in the place of thy dwelling, and forgive, and do so to every one according to his ways, as thou shalt see his heart…”

Solomon also prayed for strangers and nonbelievers to come to call upon the Lord:

“Moreover also the stranger, who is not of thy people Israel, when he shall come out of a far country for thy name’s sake… for when he shall come, and shall pray in this place, then hear thou in heaven… and do all those things, for which the stranger shall call upon thee: that all the people of the earth may learn to fear thy name, as do thy people Israel…”

Solomon also prayed for sinners captured by their enemies:

“But if they sin against thee (for there is no man who sinneth not) and thou being angry deliver them up to their enemies, so that they be led away captives into the land of their enemies far or near; then if they do penance in their hear in the place of captivity, and being converted make supplication to thee in their captivity saying: ‘We have sinned, we have done unjustly, we have committed wickedness, and return to thee with all their heart, and all their soul, in the land of their enemies… then hear thou in heaven… and do judgment for them. And forgive thy people, who have sinned against thee, and all their iniquities, by which they have transgressed against thee: and give them mercy before them that have made them captives, that they may have compassion on them.”

Solomon blesses all Israel with gratitude:

“The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers, and not leave us, nor cast us off, but may he incline our hearts to himself, that we may walk in all his ways, and keep his commandments, and his ceremonies, and all his judgments which he commanded our fathers…. that all the people of the earth may know, that the Lord he is God, and there is no other besides him. Let our hearts also be perfect with the Lord our God, that we may walk in his statues, and keep his commandments, as at this day.”

The queen of Saba came to validate the God-given wisdom of Solomon:

Having heard of the fame of Solomon in the name of the Lord, came to try him with hard questions… she came to king Solomon, and spoke to him all that she had in her heart… she no longer had any spirit in her, and she said to the king… ‘thy wisdom and thy works, exceed the fame which I heard… blessed be the Lord thy God, whom thou hast pleased, and who hath set thee upon the throne of Israel, because the Lord hath loved Israel for ever, and hath appointed thee king, to do judgment and justice.’

And King Solomon was rich and getting richer as other kings brought him gifts:

King Solomon also made a great throne of ivory: and overlaid it with the finest gold. Moreover all the vessels, out of which king Solomon drank, were of gold… and King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches, and wisdom. And all the earth desired to see Solomon’s face, to hear his wisdom, which God had given in his heart…

But the fall of King Solomon came because:

King Solomon loved many strange women besides the daughter of Pharao…

The Lord said to the children of Israel: “You shall not go in unto them, neither shall any of them come in to yours: for they will most certainly turn away your heart to follow their gods. And to these was Solomon joined with a most ardent love, and he had seven hundred wives as queens, and three hundred concubines: and the women turned away his heart. And when he was now old, his heart was turned away by women to follow strange gods; and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.

And the Lord was angry with Solomon… “because thou hast done this… I will divide and rend thy kingdom, and will give it to thy servant. Nevertheless in thy days I will not do it, for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. Neither will I take away the whole kingdom, but I will give one tribe to thy son for the sake of David my servant, and Jerusalem which I have chosen.

And the Lord raised up an adversary to Solomon, Adad the Edomite… and he was an adversary to Israel, all the days of Solomon: and this is the evil of Adad, and his hatred against Israel, and he reigned in Syria.

So it came to pass at that time, that Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, and the prophet Ahias the Silonite, clad in a new garment, found him in the way: and the two were alone in the field.

Ahias to Jeroboan: “Take to thee ten pieces: for this saith the Lord the God of Israel: Behold I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give thee ten tribes.”

And to his son I will give one tribe, that there may remain a lamp for my servant David before me always in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen, that my name might be there… and I will all for this afflict the seed of David, but yet not for ever.

And the rest of the words of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom: behold they are all written in the book of the words of the days of Solomon. And the days that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel, were forty years. And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father, and Roboam his son reigned in his stead.

But Solomon’s Prayer from the Old Testament remains with us and is still new today, a prayer of love, heart, and mercy for all who worship God instead of worshipping themselves, king or no king!

Day 117: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Solomon’s Prayer from the Old World but still New Today!.

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Third Book of Kings Chapters 8-11.

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

Bible Notes:

3 Kings Chapter 8: The ark is placed in the Temple; The glory of the Lord fills the Temple; Solomon blesses God; Solomon’s prayer; Solomon asks to be heard; May God forgive trespassers; Plea for forgiveness; Rain asked for the repentant; Rewards for prayers and supplications; May God hear also strangers; God’s help in wars; Prayers of the repentant; Solomon blesses all Israel; Solomon’s peace offering.

Then all the ancients of Israel with the princes of the tribes, and the heads of the families of the children of Israel were assembled to King Solomon in Jerusalem…

…and the priests took up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, that is, out of Sion… and the tabernacle of the covenant…

Now in the ark there was nothing else but the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.

…a cloud filled the house of the Lord… for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord.

…and I stand in the room of David my father, and sit upon the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised: and have built a house to the name of the Lord the God of Israel

Solomon’s prayer: “Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee in heaven above, or on earth beneath: who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that have walked before thee with all their heart… whatsoever they shall pray for in this place, and hear them in the place of thy dwelling in heaven; and when thou hearest, show them mercy… and forgive the sin of thy people Israel… and show them the good way wherein they should walk… when a man shall know the wound of his own heart, and shall spread forth his hands in this house, then hear thou in heaven, in the place of thy dwelling, and forgive, and do so to every one according to his ways, as thou shalt see his heart…”

Is it then to be thought that God should indeed dwell upon earth? For if heaven, and the heavens of heavens cannot contain thee, how much less this house which I have built?

“Moreover also the stranger, who is not of thy people Israel, when he shall come out of a far country for thy name’s sake… for when he shall come, and shall pray in this place, then hear thou in heaven… and do all those things, for which the stranger shall call upon thee: that all the people of the earth may learn to fear thy name, as do thy people Israel…”

“But if they sin against thee (for there is no man who sinneth not) and thou being angry deliver them up to their enemies, so that they be led away captives into the land of their enemies far or near; then of they do penance in their hear in the place of captivity, and being converted make supplication to thee in their captivity saying: ‘We have sinned, we have done unjustly, we have committed wickedness, and return to thee with all their heart, and all their soul, in the land of their enemies… then hear thou in heaven… and do judgment for them. And forgive thy people, who have sinned against thee, and all their iniquities, by which they have transgressed against thee: and give them mercy before them that have made them captives, that they may have compassion on them.”

Solomon blesses all Israel: “The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers, and not leave us, nor cast us off, but may he incline our hearts to himself, that we may walk in all his ways, and keep his commandments, and his ceremonies, and all his judgments which he commanded our fathers…. that all the people of the earth may know, that the Lord he is God, and there is no other besides him. Let our hearts also be perfect with the Lord our God, that we may walk in his statues, and keep his commandments, as at this day.”

…so the king, and the children of Israel dedicated the temple of the Lord.

 

3 Kings Chapter 9: The Lord talks with Solomon; Solomon and Hiram exchange gifts; Solomon builds and fortifies cities; Tribute exacted from foreigners; No Israelite slaves; Solomon’s religious practices; Solomon’s fleet brings gold.

…that the Lord appeared to him (Solomon) a second time, as he had appeared to him in Gabaon. And the Lord said to him: “I have heard thy prayer… I have sanctified this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever, and my eyes and my heart shall be there always… and if thou will walk before me… in simplicity of heart, and in uprightness… there shall not fail a man of thy race upon the throne of Israel… but if you and your children revolting shall turn away from following me… but will go and worship strange gods, and adore them, I will take Israel from the face of the land which I have given them; and the temple which I have sanctified in my name, I will cast out of my sight, and Israel shall be a proverb, and a byword among all people…”

And when twenty years were ended after Solomon had built the two houses, that is, the house of the Lord, and the house of the king… then Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee… and Hiram came out of Tyre, to see the towns which Solomon had given him, and they pleased him not… And he called them the land of Chabul to this day.

Pharao the king of Egypt came up and took Gazer… and gave it for a dowry to his daughter, Solomon’s wife.

 

3 Kings Chapter 10: The queen of Saba visits Solomon; She admires his wisdom and riches; Her gift to Solomon; The queen of Saba departs; Solomon’s gold; Solomon’s ivory throne; Solomon’s household vessels and furniture; Solomon’s chariots and horses.

And the queen of Saba, having heard of the fame of Solomon in the name of the Lord, came to try him with hard questions… she came to king Solomon, and spoke to him all that she had in her heart… she no longer had any spirit in her, and she said to the king… ‘thy wisdom and thy works, exceed the fame which I heard… blessed be the Lord thy God, whom thou hast pleased, and who hath set thee upon the throne of Israel, because the Lord hath loved Israel for ever, and hath appointed thee king, to do judgment and justice.’

King Solomon also made a great throne of ivory: and overlaid it with the finest gold.

Moreover all the vessels, out of which king Solomon drank, were of gold…

And King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches, and wisdom. And all the earth desired to see Solomon’s face, to hear his wisdom, which God had given in his heart…

 

3 Kings Chapter 11: Solomon falls into idolatry; The Lord threatens Solomon; Adad is Solomon’s enemy; Razon is Solomon’s enemy; Rebellion of Jeroboam; Prophecy of Ahias; Jerobaum flees; Death of Solomon.

And King Solomon loved many strange women besides the daughter of Pharao…

The Lord said to the children of Israel: “You shall not go in unto them, neither shall any of them come in to yours: for they will most certainly turn away your heart to follow their gods. And to these was Solomon joined with a most ardent love, and he had seven hundred wives as queens, and three hundred concubines: and the women turned away his heart. And when he was now old, his heart was turned away by women to follow strange gods; and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.

And the Lord was angry with Solomon… “because thou hast done this… I will divide and rend thy kingdom, and will give it to thy servant. Nevertheless in thy days I will not do it, for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. Neither will I take away the whole kingdom, but I will give one tribe to thy son for the sake of David my servant, and Jerusalem which I have chosen.

And the Lord raised up an adversary to Solomon, Adad the Edomite…

God also raised up against him (Solomon) an adversary, Razon…

And he was an adversary to Israel, all the days of Solomon: and this is the evil of Adad, and his hatred against Israel, and he reigned in Syria.

So it came to pass at that time, that Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, and the prophet Ahias the Silonite, clad in a new garment, found him in the way: and the two were alone in the field.

Ahias to Jeroboan: “Take to thee ten pieces: for this saith the Lord the God of Israel: Behold I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give thee ten tribes.”

And to his son I will give one tribe, that there may remain a lamp for my servant David before me always in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen, that my name might be there… and I will all for this afflict the seed of David, but yet not for ever.

And the rest of the words of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom: behold they are all written in the book of the words of the days of Solomon. And the days that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel, were forty years. And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father, and Roboam his son reigned in his stead.

I have to admit that I like reading The Bible; mostly for its wisdom and inspiration but also because I find that the wording and terminology are interesting and resonate, for some unknown reason, with me.

Phrases from today’s reading that stand out to me include the following: ‘I was praying and while in ecstasy’; ‘the Holy Spirit fell upon them’; ‘God has given repentance unto life’; ‘dispersed by the persecution’; ‘and the hand of the Lord was with them’; ‘believed and turned to the Lord’; ‘the king set hands on certain members of the Church’; and ‘but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’

The phrases resonate in my mind like a pin ball and hit a bumper that activates a light and a memory and invariably a question triggered by the expanse of time and what was then and what is now.

My memory is no longer crystal clear especially from the early days on my childhood. When I was a baby was I baptized in both water and The Holy Spirit? Or did The Holy Spirit come to me at my Confirmation? Should I be re-baptized via full immersion as an adult?

I do have a vision of walking out of the water complete and radiated with The Holy Spirit and continuing on completely as my Splendid Spiritual Self for the rest of my life and beyond to eternity.

I am aware that the various bibles translate and interpret the original Scriptures using different words. No interpretation or translation is perfect and absolutely correct with respect to original intention. I have and use the family Bible from my childhood.

Copyrighted by the Catholic Press, Inc. in 1950 and 1952, there is a handwritten ‘1952’ on the page where ‘presented to’ and ‘presented by’ were left blank. I think it was a gift to themselves and to our family by Mom and Dad. Most of the ‘Life of Our Family’ pages in the latter part have been filled out in my Mom’s handwriting.

I use this Bible because I like to think, actually I know that, it will reveal my whole spiritual life going back to my birth. I do utilize other Bible for translations along the way from time to time.

Spirituality and our Splendid Spiritual Selves are a growing entity.

I love reading the Acts of the Apostles mainly because I identify with their trials and tribulations in a secular world. Obviously to a much small degree in terms of intensity and life and death matters.

Though likely not in terms of the inward spiritual battles we all have and the quest for eternal life. After all the Apostles were human like us whereas Jesus was human too but of the divinity we all long for.

“And for a whole year they took part in meetings of the Church and taught a great multitude. And it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called “Christians.””

The disciples earned their stripes so to speak (another phrase that intrigues me in life that my father used), earned the right to be called “Christians.” It didn’t happen by being associated with Jesus but being disassociated from Jesus, on their own, sharing the Jesus legacy with the intent and objective to have others ‘believe and turn to the Lord’ as they had.

“Now at this time Herod the king set hands on certain members of the Church to persecute them. He killed James the brother of John with the sword, and seeing that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter…”

 

 

Death and imprisonment were the rewards for questioning the ways of those days. The persecution did not end with the death of Jesus rather it only had just begun.

But God, Jesus, and The Holy Spirit were more powerful and still are today even though it does not seem like it when you see the conflict there is among the nations and peoples of the world. Downright depressing.

The Good Guys (or Good Gals if you like) freed Peter from prison by miraculous means.

“When Herod had searched for him (Peter) and had not found him, he examined the guards and ordered them to be put to death…”

For some reason I remember a portion of the story that is not included here or maybe it was another imprisonment whereby Peter stayed imprisoned even though he was freed by an earthquake because he knew the fate of the guards were he to escape?

Yet it would not be the demise of Peter, it would be King Herod that would fall to the hands of The Almighty.

“…they (Tyrians and Sidonians) asked for peace, because their country depended on him (King Herod) for its food supply… And the people shouted, “It is the voice of a god, and not of man.” But immediately an angel of the Lord struck him (King Herod) down, because he had not given the honor to God; and he was eaten by worms, and died.”

Aren’t we all kings (and queens) in our own mind?

Better give the honor to God for all our blessings and fortune in life.

“But the word of the Lord continued to grow and spread…”

The Disciples of Christ carry The Word onward while King Herod perishes…

Day 118: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; The Disciples of Christ Carry The Word Onward; King Herod Perishes…

Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Acts of The Apostles Chapters 11-12.

Bible Notes:

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

Acts Chapter 11:  Many wonder about baptizing Gentiles; Peter’s explanation; Greek converts to Antioch; Alms sent to Christians in Judea.

…heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.

Then Peter began to explain… “I was praying… and while in ecstasy… And I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Arise, Peter, kill and eat.’ ‘What God has cleansed, do not thou call common.’ …and the Spirit bade me not to hesitate to go with them… But when I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as it did upon us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ Therefore, if God gave to them the same grace as he gave to us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that should be able to interfere with God? …Therefore to the Gentiles also God has given repentance unto life.”

Now those who had been dispersed by the persecution that had broken out over Stephen, went all the way to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to none except to Jews only. But some of them were Cyprians and Cyreneans, who on reaching Antioch began to speak to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number, believed and turned to the Lord… Now when he (Barnabas) came and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and exhorted them all to continue in the Lord with steadfast heart; for he was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith… And for a whole year they took part in meetings of the Church and taught a great multitude. And it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called “Christians.”

Some prophets from Jerusalem came down to Antioch, and one of them named Agabus got up and revealed through the Spirit that there would be a great famine all over the world. The famine occurred in the reign of Claudius. So the disciples, each according to his means, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. And this they did, sending it to the presbyters by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

 

Acts Chapter 12:  Peter in prison; His liberation by an angel; The angel leaves him; Peter announces his deliverance; Herod orders the guards killed; Herod’s death; The growth of the Church.

Now at this time Herod the king set hands on certain members of the Church to persecute them. He killed James the brother of John with the sword, and seeing that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also, during the days of the Unleavened Bread (Passover)… So Peter was being kept in prison; but prayer was being made to God for him by the Church without ceasing.

And behold, an angel of the Lord stood beside him… saying, “Get up quickly.” The chains dropped from his hands. And the angel said to him, “Gird thyself and put on thy sandals.” And he did so; and he (the angel) said to him, “Wrap thy cloak about thee and follow me.”

And he followed him out, without knowing that what was being done by the angel was real, for he thought he was having a vision… and came to the iron gate that leads into the city; and this opened to them of its own accord… and straightaway the angel left him. The Peter came to himself, and he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent an angel and rescued me from the power of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”

When he realized his situation, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was surnamed Mark where many had gathered together and were praying…When he knocked on the outer door, a maid named Rhoda came to answer it… in her joy she did not unlock the gate… “Thou art mad”…. “It is his angel.”… But Peter kept knocking; and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed. But he motioned to them with his hand to be quiet, and related how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Tell this to James ad to the brethren.” And he departed, and went to another place.

When Herod had searched for him (Peter) and had not found him, he examined the guards and ordered them to be put to death…

…they (Tyrians and Sidonians) asked for peace, because their country depended on him (King Herod) for its food supply… And the people shouted, “It is the voice of a god, and not of man.” But immediately an angel of the Lord struck him (King Herod) down, because he had not given the honor to God; and he was eaten by worms, and died.

But the word of the Lord continued to grow and spread. Now Barnabas and Saul, when they had fulfilled their mission, returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John, who was surnamed Mark.

Genesis’ “begats” to Third Kings where it seems “‘wicked’ reigns ad infinitum?

In Genesis… Adam lived a hundred and thirty years and begat a son Seth… Seth begat Enos… Enos begat Cainan… “begats” forever in Genesis…

In Three Kings… Roboam’s wicked reign in Juda… Abiam’s wicked reign in Juda… Nadab’s wicked reign in Israel… Baasa’s wicked reign… Amri’s wicked reign over Israel; Achab’s wicked reign over Israel… there was a lot of wickedness in the leaders of the Old Testament.

Fortunately God interceded and applied His Own Law to make the necessary changes.

Is a second ‘parable’ in The Old Testament found in this section of Three Kings?

Remember the first ‘parable’ in The Old Testament was told by Nathan to David after he had Bethsabee’s husband Urias sent to the front of the battle where he was killed.

Day 105: OT Second Kings C6-12; War and David; Sin & God’s First Parable

This first parable of the Old Testament resulted in forgiveness.

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

Nathan the prophet to David: The Lord also hath taken away thy sin: thou shalt not die.

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

 

In Three Kings, a man of God appears and foretells the birth of Christ in the house of David but also in doing so is warning Jeroboam to change his ways and treat the children of Israel, God’s chosen children, a little better.

A certain old prophet deceives the man of God. While not interfering with his prophecy, he tricks him into disobeying God and paying the price of his life for doing so.

This could be a parable about how deceitful people will appear to be your friend and sympathize with you with the result being your downfall. If God wants you to do something different He will tell you or minimally tell you to look for a sign through another human being.

While I am not sure for what reason or motive the certain old prophet did this other than to be lying down in the same sepulcher with a true man of God after he dies. Immortality is not achievable through pride or ego. Immortality is possible through God, His Son Jesus Christ, and The Holy Spirit in a meek and humble way by bearing whatever Cross you need to bear in your life experience.

I do know, for me, the take-away is to stay in constant prayer and communication with God The Father, Jesus Christ His Son, and The Holy Spirit for not only guidance and direction but to obtain the power behind the inspiration to power one’s self to fulfill one’s own individual prophecy.

Remember that this if The Old Testament, the time of law and only God’s love for His children in the world. The ‘covenant of law’ alone did not work so God sent His Only Son into the world to save the world which He did in Jesus’ Blood and in Jesus’ Name.

God The Father, Jesus His Son and now The Holy Spirit is present and inspiring the people of this world. So inspired by God, Jesus, and The Holy Spirit with the inspiration of other religions and spiritualties and no religion or spirituality at all… comes The Third Testament of the Splendid Spiritual Self through which we all do God’s Will.

 

And the rest of the words and all that was revealed through spiritual breakthroughs in life and others who inspired him, are thy not to be written in TROML Journals and culminated in The Third Testament of the Splendid Spiritual Self?

And there was war throughout our lifetimes both outside in the world and inside us between good and evil. Eventually we sleep with our mothers and fathers. There will be many memorials to Christ bearing our pursuit of eternity from the year of our birth to TROML Forever in cemeteries overlooking winding and flowing rivers.

And The Third Testament of the Splendid Spiritual Self will live on in hopes of achieving the spiritual redemption and salvation of the world through a unified means of law, love and the spirit. 

Glory to God!

For this we pray, Amen.

Day 119: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective;

A Second Parable of the Old Testament with Visions of a Third Testament.

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Third Book of Kings Chapters 12-16

Bible Notes:

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

3 Kings Chapter 12: The people ask for lighter burdens; Roboam consults old and young; Roboam refuses the people’s request; Revolt of ten tribes; God tells Roboam, not to fight the rebels; Jeroboam leads his people into idolatry.

Roboam the son of King Solomon…

Jeroboam the son of Nabat, who was yet in Egypt, a fugitive from the face of King Solomon, hearing of his death, returned out of Egypt.

Thy father (King Solomon) laid a grievous yoke upon us… of his most heavy yoke… make the yoke which thy father put upon us lighter?

What counsel do you give me?

Old men: grant their petition and they will be thy servants always…

Young men: I will add to your yoke.

So Jeroboam and all the people came to Roboam…

…but I will add to your yoke: my father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions… for the Lord was turned away from him (King Roboam), to make good his word… (behold I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give thee (Jeroboam) ten tribes…

What portion do we have in David?

And Israel revolted from the house of David (David-Solomon-Roboam), unto this day.

…and there was none that followed the house of David but the tribe of Juda only.

…and the tribe of Benjamin…

House of Israel (ten tribes) vs. the House of David (one tribes); 12^th tribe was Levi?

The Lord: “You shall not go up nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel…”

And Jeroboam said in his heart: Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David, if this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem: and the heart of this people will turn to their lord Roboam the king of Juda, and they will kill me, and return to him.

FEAR, LACK OF TRUST IN GOD???

Jeroboam made two golden calves… and he set one in Bethel, and the other in Dan… and this thing became an occasion of sin… and he made temples in high places, and priests of the lowest of the people, who were not of the sons of Levi… which he had devised of his own heart.

 

3 Kings Chapter 13: Prophecy of the birth of Jesus; Jeroboam’s hand writers; Restoration of Jerobaum’s hand; The prophet from Juda returns to Bethel; God is angry with the prophet from Juda; The prophet is slain by a lion; The prophet from Juda is buried in Bethel; Jerobaum continues to sin.

A man of God:

“O altar, altar, thus saith the Lord: Behold a child shall be born to the house of David, Josais by name, and he shall immolate upon thee the priests of the high priests, who now burn incense upon thee, and he shall burn men’s bones upon thee. And he gave a sign the same day saying: This shall be the sign: that the Lord hath spoken: Behold the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.”

The word of the man of God…

King Jeroboam: “Lay hold on him.” And his hand which he stretched forth against him withered: and he was not able to draw it back again to him.

King Jeroboam to the man of God: “Entreat the face of the Lord thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me.” And the man of God besought the face of the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored to him, and it became as it was before.

The Lord had commanded the man of God: “Thou shalt not eat bread nor drink water, nor return by the same way that thou camest.” So he departed by another way, and returned not by the way that he came into Bethel.

Now a certain old prophet said to the man of God: “art thou the man of God that camest from Juda?” He answered: “I am.”

The old prophet said to the man of God: “I also am a prophet kike unto thee: and an angel spoke to me in the word of the Lord, saying: “Bring him back with thee into thy house, that he may eat bread, and drink water.” He deceived him, and brought him back with him: so he ate bread and drank water in his house.

Lord to the man of God: “…thy body shall not be brought into the sepulcher of thy fathers.”

And when he was gone, a lion found him in the way, and killed him, and his body was cast in the way…

The old prophet: “It is the man of God that was disobedient to the mouth of the Lord…”

And he laid the dead body in his own sepulcher.

Old prophet: “When I am dead, bury me on the sepulcher wherein the man of God is buried: lay my bones besides his bones. For assuredly the word shall come to pass which he hath foretold in the word of the Lord against the altar that is in Bethel and against all the temples of the high places, that are in the cities of Samaria.

After these words Jeroboam came not back from his wicked way: but on the contrary he made the meanest of the people priests of the high places…

And for this cause did the house of Jeroboam sin, and was cut off and destroyed from the face of the earth.

 

3 Kings Chapter 14: Jeroboam’s wife consults the prophet, Ahias; He foretells the ruin of Jeroboam’s family; Death of Abia, son of Jeroboam; Death of Jeroboam; Roboam’s wicked reign in Juda; Sesac pillages Jerusalem; Abiam succeeds Roboam.

At that time Abia the son of Jeroboam fell sick. And Jeroboam said to his wife: Arisee, and change thy dress, that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Silo, where Ahias the prophet is… for he will tell thee what shall become of this child… but he (Ahias) could not see, for his eyes were dim by reason of his age.

And the Lord said to Ahias… thus and thus shalt thou speak to her. So when she was coming in, and made as if she were another woman… Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam: why dost thou feign thyself to be another?… Go, and tell Jeroboam… and thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and followed me with all his heart… and hast made thee strange gods and molten gods… therefore I will bring evils upon the house of Jeroboam… and I will sweep away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as dung is swept away till all be clean… for the Lord has spoken… the child shall die… for he only of Jeroboam shall be laid in a sepulcher, because in his regard there is found a good word from the Lord the God of Israel… And the Lord God shall strike Israel as a reed is shaken in the water; and he shall root up Israel out of this good land… And the Lord shall give up Israel for the sins of Jeroboam, who hath sinned, and made Israel to sin…

… the child died, and they buried him. And all Israel mourned for him according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke by the hand of his servant Ahias the prophet.

And the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he fought, and how he reigned, behold they are written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel. And the days that Jeroboam reigned, were two and twenty years: and he slept with his fathers: and Nadab his son reigned in his stead.

And Roboam the son of Solomon reigned in Juda: Roboam was one and forty years old when he began to reign; and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem the city, which the Lord chose out of all the tribes of Israel to put his name there.

And Juda did evil in the sight of the Lord, and provoked him above all that their fathers had done, in their sins which they committed. For they also built them altars, and statures, and groves upon every high hill and under every green tree. They were also the effeminate in the land and they did according to all the abominations of the people whom the Lord had destroyed before the face of the children of Israel.

Groves: I believe that “groves” in the true word of God are places where pagan altars and images are displayed, and heathen religious rituals are performed.  It is quite clear that many times these places are located outdoors in (or near) a “grove” of trees (http://www.learnthebible.org/groves.html)

Effeminate: (of a man or boy) having traits, tastes, habits, etc., traditionally considered feminine, as softness or delicacy.   (http://www.dictionary.com/browse/effeminate?s=t).

And in the fifth year of the reign of Roboam, Sesac king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem. And he took away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the king’s treasures, and carried all off; as also the shields of gold which Solomon had made.

Now the rest of the acts of Roboam, and all that he did, behold they are written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda. And there was war between Roboam and Jeroboam always. And Roboam slept with his fathers… and Abiam his son reigned in his stead.

 

3 Kings Chapter 15: Abiam’s wicked reign in Juda; Asa succeeds Abiam; Asa’s good reign; War between Asa and Baasa; Josaphat succeeds Asa; Nadab’s wicked reign in Israel; Baasa slays Nadab and becomes king; Baasa’s wicked reign.

Now in the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam… Abiam reigned over Juda. He reigned three years in Jerusalem… And he walked in all the sins of his father… and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father… because David had done that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and had not turned aside from any thing that he commanded him, all the days of his life, except the matter of Urias the Hethite. But there was war between Roboam and Jeroboam all the time of his life.

FLASHBACK to Day 105: OT Second Kings C6-12; War and David; Sin & God’s First Parable

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

END of FLASHBACK.

And the rest of the words of Abiam, and all that he did, are thy not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda? And there was war between Abiam and Jeroboam. And Abiam slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David, and Asa his son reigned in his stead.

So in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, reigned Asa king of Juda, and he reigned one and forty years on Jerusalem.

And Asa did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, as did David his father. And he took away all the effeminate out of the land, and he removed all the filth of the idols, which his fathers had made… but the high places he did not take away. Nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect with the Lord all his days, and he brought in the things which his father had dedicated…

And there was war between Asa, and Baasa king of Israel all their days… Then Asa took all the silver and gold that remained in the treasures of the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the king’s house, and delivered it into the hands of his servants; and sent them to Benadad… king of Syria, who dwelt in Damascus, saying… I desire thee to come, and break thy league with Baasa king of Israel, that he may depart from me. Benadad hearkening to king Asa, sent the captains of his army against the cities of Israel, and they smote…

But the rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his strength, and all that he did, and the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda? But in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet. And he slept with his fathers, and was buried with them in the city of David his father. And Josaphat his son reigned in his place.

But Hadab the son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel the second year of Asa king of Juda: and he reigned over Israel two years. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of his father, and in his sins, wherewith he made Israel to sin.

And Baasa the son of Ahias (the prophet?)… conspired against him (Nadab), and slew him in Gebbethon… So Baasa slew him (Nadab) in the third year of Asa king of Juda, and reigned in his place. And when he was king he cut off all the house of Jeroboam: he left not so much as one soul of his seed… Bit the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel? And there was war between Asa and Baasa, the king of Israel, all their days.

In the third year of Asa, king of Juda, Baasa the son of Ahias reigned over all Israel… four and twenty years. And he did evil before the Lord, and walked in the ways of Jeroboam, and in his sins, wherewith he made Israel to sin.

 

3 Kings Chapter 16: Jehu’s prophecy against Baasa; Ela succeeds Baasa as king of Israel; Zambri rebels against Ela; Zambri slays all of Baasa’s family; Zambri reigns seven days and kills himself; Amri gains the throne over Thebni; Amri builds Samaria; Amri’s wicked reign over Israel; Achab’s wicked reign over Israel; Josue’s curse fulfilled.

Then the word of the Lord came to Jehu… against Baasa, saying… Behold, I will cut down the posterity of Baasa, and the posterity of his house, and I will make thy house as the house of Jeroboam…

But the rest of the acts of Baasa and all that he did, and his battles, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel? So Baasa slept with his fathers… and Ela his son reigned in his stead. And when the word of the Lord came in the hand of Jehu, the son of Hanani the prophet, against Baasa… for this cause he (Ela?) slew him (Jehu), that is to say, Juhu the son on Hanani the prophet.

In the six and twentieth year of Asa king of Juda, Ela the son of Baasa reigned over Israel… two years. And his servant Zambri… rebelled against him: now Ela was drinking… and drunk in the house of Arsa… And Zambri rushing in, struck him and slew him in the seven and twentieth year of Asa king of Juda, and he reigned in his stead.

And when he (Zambri) was king and sat upon his throne, he slew all the house of Baasa, and he left not one thereof to piss against a wall… according to the word of the Lord, that he had spoken to Baasa in the hand of Jehu the prophet… But the rest of the acts of Ela, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?

In the seven and twentieth year of Asa, king of Juda, Zambri reigned seven days… And when they heard that Zambri had rebelled, and slain the king (Ela), all Israel made Armi their king, who was general over Israel in the camp that day… And Zambri seeing that the city was about to be taken, went into the palace and burnt himself with the king’s house: and he died in his sins, which he had sinned, doing evil before the Lord… But the rest of the acts of Zambri, and of his conspiracy and tyranny, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?

In the one and thirtieth year of the Asa king of Juda, Amri reigned over Israel twelve years: in Thersa he reigned six years. And he bought the hill of Samaria of Semer… and he built upon it, and he called the city which he built Samaria, after the name of Semer, the owner of the hill.

And Amri did evil in the sight of the Lord, and acted wickedly above all that were before him… And Amri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria, and Achab his son reigned in his stead.

Now Achab the son of Amri reigned in the eight and thirtieth year of Asa king of Juda… and reigned over Israel in Samaria two and twenty years… but he also took to wife Jezabel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians. And he went, and served Baal, and adored him… and Achab did more to provoke the Lord the God of Israel, than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho… according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke in the hand of Josue the son of Nun.