Tag: Saul

Week 21

May 21 to 27, 2011¹

This is the “One Year Bible Challenge:” to read the entire Bible in one year. Assuming a normal reading level, this can be done by spending about 10-15 minutes per day, each and every day. It is NOT TOO LATE to join the Challenge! Start with today’s reading and keep reading with us through the end of this year. You’ll have to read a bit more at the beginning of next year to finish. See ReadTheWholeBible.COM for more information. If you would like details so you can join us, or if you have any other questions, please call Tom Truex. Or send an email by using the CONTACT form on K-Line.ORG.

Themes and stories: The Philistines prepared to attack Saul and the Israelite army. Meanwhile, David and his men loitered behind the lines of the Philistines. This made some of the Philistine commanders nervous, because they remembered that David had previously fought against them. They were afraid that David would turn against them during the battle. The Philistine King, Achish, found no fault with David, nor his loyalties. Nonetheless, the commanders prevailed upon Achish to send David away from the battle. Actually, this was probably the best thing that could have happened to David. It meant he would not be faced with fighting against Saul or the Israelites.

While David and his men were gone, the Amalekites had attacked their cities, including Ziklag. They burned down Ziklag, and took the women captive, including David’s two wives. David put on the ephod, which was a sort of ceremonial sacred vest.3 David pursued the Amalekites with 600 men. At one point, they had to leave 200 of these men behind, because they were too tired to move further. When David caught up with the Amalekites, they were eating, drinking and dancing, in celebration of the spoils they had taken in their raids. David attacked the Amalekites and killed all of them but 400, who escaped on camels. He recovered all the Amalekites had stolen, including his two wives. Some of David’s 400 men who had continued with David said that the 200 exhausted men who did not fight in the battle, should not recover anything but their wives and children. Specifically they did not want to share the spoils of war. David made them share with the 200 who’d stayed behind.

The Philistines fought against the Israelites. They killed Saul’s sons. Saul was wounded in battle, and told his armor-bearer to kill him with his sword. The armor-bearer refused, so Saul killed himself before the Philistines could kill him. The Philistines cut off Saul’s head and tacked his body to the city wall. Some of the Israelite men took the body of Saul and his son off the wall. They burned the bodies, and buried the bones.

2 Samuel. A young Amalekite man from Saul’s camp told David that Saul and his sons had been killed. He added that he came upon Saul as he lay dying, and Saul asked him to kill him. The young man claimed, “So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.” 2 Samuel 1:10 Obviously, the young man was lying. His story does not match what we read about the death of Saul. See 1 Samuel 31. David had the young man killed for “supposedly” killing the king, Saul. David wrote a song to lament the deaths of Saul and Jonathon.

David and his two wives moved to Hebron. The people of Judah anointed him as their king. But a competing faction made Mahanaim, son of Saul, king of part of the region. A civil war broke out. “There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David; and David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul became weaker and weaker. ” 2 Samuel 3:1 (RSV).

The commander of Saul’s army, Abner, was accused by one of Saul’s sons, Ishbaal, of impropriety with one of Saul’s concubines. Abner did not care for the suggestion, saying “Am I a dog’s head of Judah? This day I keep showing loyalty to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not given you into the hand of David; and yet you charge me today with a fault concerning a woman. ” 2 Samuel 8 (RSV). Abner made peace with David. For his part, David made Abner promise to bring him his wife Machal (Saul’s daughter) as a condition of peace. Michal hadn’t seen David for a long time, and had been given to another man as his wife. Her new husband was sad to lose her. Abner, as a commander of Saul’s army, was not popular with David’s followers. One of David’s commanders, Joab killed Abner. David’s men quashed the remaining forces in Saul’s army and became king over all of Israel.

David and his men marched into Jerusalem, and conquered it. He renamed it “The City of David.” David took more wives and concubines, and had more children.

When the Philistines heard that David was made king of all of Israel, they set out to look for him. David’s army defeated the Philistines. David brought the Ark to Jerusalem. He danced with all his might in celebration of the event. His wife, Michal, did not care for the dance. She told him, “How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants’ maids, as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!” 2 Samuel 6:20 (RSV).

David’s men attacked and subdued the surrounding nations. David located Saul’s grandson, Mephilosheth, and restored to him all that had belonged to Saul. David’s armies continued to make war with the other nations.

Then David met Bathsheba. 2 Samuel 11:1-5 (RSV).

[1] In the spring of the year, the time when kings go forth to battle, David sent Jo’ab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they ravaged the Ammonites, and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. [2] It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking upon the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. [3] And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bathshe’ba, the daughter of Eli’am, the wife of Uri’ah the Hittite?” [4] So David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. [5] And the woman conceived; and she sent and told David, “I am with child.”

In order to cover up his sin, David sent for Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, the Hittite. David figured he had better provide a conjugal visit, so that no one would know that Bathsheba’s child belonged to him. This plan was before DNA testing came into vogue. Uriah refused to sleep with his own wife while his men were suffering the hardships of war. David repeated this plan the next night, but this time saw to it that Uriah was drunk. The plan failed a second time. Uriah returned to battle. David commanded that he be sent to the worst part of the fighting. This plan worked. Uriah was killed in battle a short time latter. After a period of mourning, for her husband, Bathsheba married David.

David’s actions with regard to Bathsheba and Uriah displeased God. God sent his prophet, Nathan, to speak to David. Nathan chastised David for his behavior. Nathan also told David that his first child with Bathsheba would die. The baby died. “Then David comforted his wife, Bathshe’ba, and went in to her, and lay with her; and she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon.” 2 Samuel 12:24.

Discussion points: God himself called David “a man after his own heart.” How do we reconcile God’s proclamation with the terrible sins committed by David?
1 Samuel 13:13-14 (RSV) – [13] And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which he commanded you; for now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel for ever. [14] But now your kingdom shall not continue; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart; and the LORD has appointed him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.”
Acts 13:22 (RSV) – And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king; of whom he testified and said, `I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’

Psalms: Psalm 118:1 – 119:80
Proverbs: Proverbs 15:24 – 16:5

Themes and stories: About a week before the passover feast, Jesus visited Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. This was the same Lazarus who Jesus had raised from the dead.6 Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with very expensive perfume, and wiped them with her hair. Judas Iscariot complained that the perfume could have been sold, and the money given to the poor. Actually the perfume’s value was nearly a year’s wages for a laborer. Jesus told him, “[7] …Let her alone, let her keep it for the day of my burial. [8] The poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.” John 12:7-8 (RSV)
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John 12:12-13 – [12] The next day a great crowd who had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. [13] So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” Jesus rode on a donkey, as prophesied in Zechariah9:9 – “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” This was Palm Sunday.

Jesus explained why he must die. He used a grain of wheat as an illustration.

John 12:24-26 – “[24] Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. [25] He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. [26] If any one serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if any one serves me, the Father will honor him.”

Most people did not believe in Jesus, even after all the amazing things he said and the miracles he had performed. Jesus told his followers, “I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness.” John 12:46 (NRSV).

The devil put into the heart of Judas Iscariot to betray Jesus. During the passover supper, Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, as a showing of humility. Jesus then told them frankly that one of them would betray him. Jesus told Judas to go and do what he had to do. Judas left immediately, though none of the disciples realized what had happened.

Jesus predicted that Peter would deny him three times before the rooster crowed the next morning.

Jesus assured his disciples that there was room for all of them in heaven:  John 14:2 “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.”

Jesus also told them that the only way to God, was through Him. “[6] Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. [7] If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.” John 14:6-7 (KJV).

Jesus promised to give his disciples the Holy Spirit8: John 14:15-16 (Contemporary English Version) – “[15] Jesus said to his disciples: If you love me, you will do as I command. [16] Then I will ask the Father to send you the Holy Spirit who will help you and always be with you.”

Jesus likened God to a vinegrower. He removes every branch that does not bear fruit. He prunes the branches that bear fruit, so that they will bear more fruit. Jesus reminded his disciples to love one another. John 15:12-13 – “[12] This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. [13] Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

Jesus taught the disciples more about the Holy Spirit. He also told them to pray to God using Jesus’ name: John 16:23-24 – “[23] In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father, he will give it to you in my name. [24] Hitherto you have asked nothing in my name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”

Discussion points: Why was it that most of the people did not believe in Jesus, even though he had performed so many miracles right before them?

John 12: 37-43 (RSV) – [37] Though he had done so many signs before them, yet they did not believe in him; [38] it was that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Lord, who has believed our report, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” [39] Therefore they could not believe. For Isaiah again said, [40] “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart,lest they should see with their eyes and perceive with their heart, and turn for me to heal them.” [41] Isaiah said this because he saw his glory and spoke of him. [42] Nevertheless many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: [43] for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

The discussion notes ( PDF / TEXT ) for breakfast on Saturday, May 28, 2011 are now online — ”Nobody’s Perfect”. Most of our Old Testament reading this week involves David. He was paradoxically capable of shocking since, while the the person God called a “man after His own heart.” Discussion verses: 1 Samuel 13:13-14; Acts 13:22; and John 12: 37-43

A women’s study group meets in Davie, FL on the 2nd Friday morning of the month. Contact Janet Truex, or use the Contact tab at CONTACT form on ReadTheWholeBible.COM.