Jeremiah

Although the Book of Jeremiah is the second of the major prophets, it is the longest book of prophecy in the Old Testament with 1,364 verses. In the book, Jeremiah gives us plenty of information about himself; this book contains more information about the author than any of the other prophetic books in the Old Testament.[1] We know that Jeremiah was from the town of Anathoth. Anathoth was a city of refuge (Number 35) in the land belonging to the Tribe of Benjamin.[2] This identifies Jeremiah as a Levite.

Esther 2: The Rise of Queen Esther

Everyone loves a cinderella story, and that's exactly what Esther is.

Introduction

Born with the name Hadassah, Esther is orphaned as a young child. She is raised by her first cousin, an Israelite from the tribe of Benjamin named Mordecai. Esther is known for her beauty and was obedient to Mordecai, a bit of a contrast to Vashti. This made her the perfect candidate for the king's new wife.
Top

A Royal Decree

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Ashton Mullins

After Vashti is ordered to leave the king's presence, and his wrath is appeased he "remembers Vashti." Most likely this means he missed her, or at least the presence of such a queen. Therefore he begins to search for a replacement. The king calls for all the virgins to be brought to him to find a new wife. A G-rated depiction of this would be like the ball in Cinderella, where all the eligible maidens (who should have also been virgins) were paraded before the prince at the ball. However, what actually happened was a little more like the bachelor. The women were housed in the palace and taken care of by the king's chamberlain. The women were given what ever they wished; however, once most women were given to the king, they were sent back as concubines. After having been with the king (likely having sex with the king as well), they were not only undesirable to society but viewed as belonging to the king. He kept them as concubines (i.e., lesser wives), since he had not found one he wished to make queen.

Before Esther joins the women, Mordecai charges her not to reveal herself as a Jew. Esther obeys Mordecai and never reveals her origin. After almost a year, she is chosen as the favored woman among the women. The king choses to make her his new wife. Esther went from an orphan of the people who had been taken captive to the queen of the most powerful empire of her time. That's what you call a true cinderella story!
Top >

Passing as a Persian

In every renaissance painting, the Jews are painted as very European. In Hollywood movies about the Bible, the stars are often of European descent. Most of the Jews I know support this depiction, but the Bible seems to tell us a different story. When the Jews were in Egypt, Moses successfully passed as an Egyptian. Two of the tribes (Manasseh and Ephraim) were the descendants of an Israelite father and Egyptian mother. The tribe of Judah was born of a Canaanite woman (Tamar). Moses married an Ethiopian. There was quite a bit of mixing with the Hamites early in the Israelites' history, and once they reached the promised land, they continued to intermarry with other nations. The Jews of today appear European because they were absorbed into the Roman empire. After the Roman's destroyed the Temple the Jews were dispersed throughout the empire and married into European families. Though, there are people who claim Jewish ancestry (and are recognized as Jews) in Africa and Asia. The fact that Esther was able to simple not tell that she was of Jewish ancestry means that she had to blend in with the Persians of that time. I think the fact that the Jews of the Bible were able to "pass" among so many nations speaks volumes to the fact that God does not judge us by race.
Top

Mordecai Looks Out for the King

When Mordecai learns of a plot against the king, he tells Esther who is able to inform the king now that she is queen. Not only does this earns them the trust and respect of Ahasuerus, it becomes the catalyst for Ahasuerus siding with the Jews over Haman later in the book.
Top

References

1 Kings 17-19: Elijah, Ahab & Jezebel

1 Kings 17-20 takes a break from a series of brief records which introduces many kings to focus on God's prophet, Elijah who lived during King Ahab's reign in the northern kingdom.

Introduction

1 Kings 17-20 takes a break from a series of brief records which introduces many kings to focus on God's prophet, Elijah who lived during King Ahab's reign in the northern kingdom. King Ahab marries the infamous Phoenician, princess Jezebel, and is often at odds with Elijah. While Ahab is definitely a familiar name, I would say that during my tenure in the church and over the course of my studies, Jezebel and Elijah have gotten more focus from the church. Ahab seems to fade into the background as a secondary character, but I think that's something worth discussing as well. In this post, I'll talk about all 3 people.
Top

Elijah, the Prophet

Outside of Daniel and Isaiah, Elijah might be one of the most well-known prophets of Israel. He performed amazing miracles and became the second person in human history to join God without ever dying (covered in 2 Kings).
Top

Was Elijah Even An Israelite?

When we are introduced to Elijah in 1 Kings 17:1, we are not told what Elijah's tribal affiliation is, but that he was a "Tishbite" and an inhabitant of Gilead. Gilead was located East of the Jordan, an spanned across the territories of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh.^[1] While it doesn't definitely prove that Elijah was a member of one of these tribes, it definitely increases the possibility. You may be surprised to know, there's actually a debate about whether Elijah was even an Israelite at all.^[2][3][4]

Unlike most important figures of the Bible, we aren't told a single thing about Elijah's ancestry. Up until this point, most people we meet are identified by tribe and/or father. When we meet Elijah's apprentice, Elisha, in 1 Kings 19, we are promptly told who his father is. For the kings, we are told who their father is and many times who their mother is as well. Samuel and Nathan's parentage are also given. This is not the case with Elijah. When you combine this information with the fact that the word inhabitant in 1 Kings 17:1 is translated from the word towshab, which means "sojourner, stranger or foreigner,"^[5] it becomes pretty suspicious. 1 Kings 17:1 is the only place the word is rendered "inhabitant" instead of stranger or foreigner. If translated as the rest of the occurrences, 1 Kings 17:1 would have said Elijah was a stranger in in Gilead, i.e. a Gentile who had made his home in Israel. ^[2][3]

Other scholars are adamant that Elijah was an Israel. They point out the fact that it is possible that "Tishbite" is a reference to a family line, negating the claim that we have no familial information on Elijah. Further, they point to Elijah name, which is of Hebrew origin and means "He is my Yah (God)."^[4] Some believe Elijah is the same Eliah mentioned in 1 Chronicles 8:27, and thus a Benjamite.^[6]

What makes it hard to gauge which argument is correct is the fact that both arguments suffer from faulty premises.

Those who believe Elijah must be a Gentile base the assumption almost solely on the word towshab in 1 Kings 17:1. While foreigner and stranger generally apply to non-Israelites, does sojourner? If Elijah is Eliah and a Benjamite via 1 Chronicles 8:27, He would originally have been from the southern kingdom and an outsider in another tribe's lands. The other complaint given is that Elijah doesn't follow Jewish law; he believes God can be worshipped anywhere and never makes an effort to go to Jerusalem to worship at the Temple. Elijah's assumption that he can worship anywhere doesn't have to be of foreign influence, however. The kings of Israel had already began putting this idea in their citizens' minds to keep them from returning to the southern kingdom. Besides, most of the Israelites weren't following the law themselves, how does that prove he was a Gentile?

Those who are adamant Elijah was not a Gentile assert that a Gentile couldn't have a Hebrew name, or that we aren't told of Elijah's circumcision and conversion to Judaism. As a Black person in the U.S., the assumption about the name baffles me. My real name is of French origin; I am neither French nor have I ever been to France. I know countless Asian Americans who have European names; these names were generally adopted when they arrived in the U.S. and are not their given names. Throughout the Bible we see God change people's names, but throughout life we see people change their own names. Furthermore, Elijah's parents could have been the ones to convert, and after converting, decided to give their son a Hebrew name. This is similar to how first generation Americans will sometimes give their children "American" names. The omission of an information about Elijah's conversion would be covered by the notion that his parents were the ones to convert; he would then have automatically been circumcised as a child, but he still wouldn't be Hebrew by blood. Of course, in the New Testament, when the apostles were introducing the Gentiles to the Word, they are explicitly told not to worry about circumcision (see Acts 15). The idea that this would have prevented the Israelites from listening to Elijah is interesting because Ahab wanted him dead. Most of the northern kingdom had already fallen into idolatry and those that hadn't weren't really in the position to reject anyone from their numbers. Plus, after Elijah rose a person from the dead, I'm sure they didn't care about the specifics of his lineage.

All in all, I think it could go either way. Both sides make valid points, there are just so many caveats and exceptions that it's hard to say one is more accurate than the other. The idea of Elijah being non-Israelites provides a nice symmetry to later events. For instance, when Moses and Elijah appear to Jesus, it would represent both the Jews and the Gentiles. It would add another layer of depth to the interpretation of the Word, for certain. However, I don't think the difference is so important that it changes the overall message of God.
Top

A Drought

Instead of a background story, we jump right into Elijah's first mission from God: he brings news to Ahab that God has pronounced a drought on Israel. Neither rain nor dew would fall in land until God said so, and considering the fact that Israel is located in the desert, this was probably a much bigger deal than it would have been in a place with more abundant water in the land. In water rich lands, it would take time to deplete the water resources before any effects of a drought could be felt, however in Israel, the effects would be almost immediate.
Top

Refuge

To protect Elijah from the effects, God sends him to a brook called Cherith which was near the Jordan. Scholars associate this brook with Wadi Qelt, though they are not certain that is a correct match.^[7] Once at the brook, Elijah is fed by ravens. People often associate ravens with death and evil because they are black, but this proves that God was not a respecter of color. God entrusts ravens to bring bread and meat to Elijah each day while he is in the wilderness. Interestingly, this means that the food was considered clean even though it had been in their beaks first--I highly doubt the ravens were able to wrap the food in a bag or cloth before carrying it away. Had the Pharisees thought about it, they would not have chastised Jesus about eating bread without washing his hands in Matthew 12. Two things that were never declared unclean--a living raven and bread or dirt and bread in Jesus' case--can't make each other unclean. This is also a reminder that unclean designated the status of whether we could eat the animal or not, animals such as mules, horses, and donkeys still played a critical role in farming; it was only when they died that they became unclean.

When the brook dried up, Elijah had to find another place of refuge. This time, God sends him to a widow in the city of Zarephath. Although she is struggling to feed her own family, she provides for Elijah as well. Elijah tells her that her supply will not falter until God sends rain to Israel, and as prophesied, they are able to eat until the rain falls.

It is interesting that God sends Elijah to the wilderness first and to the woman second. Once could easily question why not send Elijah to the woman from the get go. Sending Elijah first to the wilderness, where ravens provided for him, strengthened his faith in God. It is easy to assume a human is kind simply by nature and to attribute their generosity to luck or chance. However, ravens bringing you food is a miracle; it is much harder to look over God's glory in such an act. Just as Israel had to come through the wilderness where God proved Himself, this is where Elijah's journey began, too.
Top

Raising the Dead

One of Elijah's most miraculous moments was when he brought the widow's son back to life from the dead. Just when everything should have been returning back to normal because the drought had passed, the son of the widow fell ill. The woman thought this was some sort of punishment from God for her past sins brought on by Elijah. Troubled by the events, Elijah prayed for life to return to the young boy. God hears Elijah's request and grants life back into the boy's body. This is the first resurrection spoken of in the Bible, but it is not the only resurrection to be brought about by human hands.
Top

A Ray of Hope

Three years after Elijah's first encounter with Ahab, God sends Elijah back to tell them of the coming rain. When Elijah gets to Ahab in Samaria, a famine is ravaging the land. It makes sense that after a three year drought, there would be a shortage of food.

Before Elijah arrives, Ahab calls for a man named Obadiah. Obadiah was a God-fearing man and was trying to do right by God. When Ahab's wife Jezebel went after the prophets, Obadiah hid 100 of them in a cave and brought food and water to them. This must have been difficult during the famine. I'd wager Ahab didn't know about any of this, otherwise, I think Obadiah would have been on Ahab's bad side.

Ahab wanted Obadiah to search for water and grass for the livestock. Keeping the livestock alive would have been a top priority in the kingdom. Without rain, crops would have been almost impossible to grow leaving meat and animal products such as eggs or milk to be the only provisions left. If the animals died, the Israelites would have nothing.

When the two men split up in search of these resources, it is Obadiah who runs into Elijah. Elijah asks Obadiah to tell Ahab that he is present but Obadiah sees this as a death sentence on himself. Ahab had apparently been looking for Elijah unsuccessfully for some time. Obadiah was afraid Elijah would disappear, provoking the kings wrath. During this time it seems the queen (Jezebel) was purging the kingdom of people who worshipped the Lord, in favor of pagan worshippers. Elijah is not afraid to meet the king and queen however; he gives his word that he will remain.

Ahab is quick to blame the situation on Elijah, just as people today blame the troubles of the world on God and His people. Elijah quickly reminds Ahab that it is he and his line that have forsaken the commandments and brought God's wrath upon them. Elijah has Ahab gather everyone, including the false prophets of Baal and Asherah, to mount Carmel.
Top

A Challenge Issued

Elijah says the same thing the New Testament tells us: you can't follow two gods. Elijah gives Israel the same choice we have today, to follow God or to follow the false Baal. Elijah points out that he is the only prophet of the Lord left but Baal has 450 men claiming to be his prophets. Elijah challenges them to bring 2 bulls to be sacrificed, only, they would not put fire to them. The men of Baal were to call on Baal to enflame their bull, and Elijah would call on God to enflame his.

Then men of Baal cry out to their deity from morning until noon, but nothing happens. Elijah mocks the men by suggesting that their god is sleeping or out on an adventure. The men even resort to self harm to attract the false god's attention. As one can expect, Baal does not answer and no fire engulfs the bull.

When it is Elijah's turn, he creates a trench of water around the sacrifice. Following this, he prays to God. Elijah asks that God will show Himself to the people so that they may turn away from Baal and back to the true God. God answers Elijah's prayer and sets fire to the bull. When the people see this, they fall to the ground to worship God.
Top

End of the Drought

Elijah commands them to put the prophets of Baal to death. After this is carried out, rain returns to the land. Elijah sends Ahab ahead of the rain by chariot and he runs before the chariot with the help of God. This should have been seen as a friendly gesture, but it was not taken as such by Ahab or his wife.
Top

Conflict with Jezebel

Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Shyle Zacharias

When Jezebel hears that all of her pagan priests have been killed, she sets out to kill Elijah. Elijah flees to Beersheba, where he leaves his servant but continues himself into the wilderness. In the wilderness Elijah asks God to end his life. Elijah felt like he was no better than his fathers; an understandable feeling after you've killed 450 men. While Elijah is sleeping under a juniper tree, God sends an angel to wake him. The angel tells Elijah to rise and eat of the cake and water God has provided. Appearing twice, the angel persuades Elijah to eat informing him, that his journey is great. Elijah was sustained for 40 days and nights on this alone. We should never fear how we will survive when following the path the Lord has set for us; rest assured, He will provide.

After the 40 days, God speaks to Elijah while he is living in a cave. When God questions Elijah on why he is in the cave, Elijah explains his dilemma (which God already knows). God's question was likely to prompt Elijah into thinking about why he would hide away when the people really needed him. God places Elijah on the mountain, and he sends a wind, an earthquake, and fire. None of these acts of God "contain His Spirit," however. It is a still small voice that actually speaks to Elijah. This is evidence that while God is big and powerful, He is also peaceful and calm. He does not reveal himself only through destruction but by this still small voice as well. Once again, God questions Elijah about what he is doing there. Likely, God's message to Elijah was that He is all powerful; there is no need to hide when you are fighting on God's side of the war.
Top

Ahab

Although Ahab isn't particularly fond of Elijah, it is Jezebel who becomes angry and decrees that Elijah should be killed. Given the fact that Jezebel was both a pagan and a female, one would think she would not have held such power. For her to command such power, Ahab had to have given it to her. Either he acted as a puppet, commanding everything she asked, or he gave the order for his servants to follow her instruction.

While I see nothing wrong in a healthy partnership where the wife is able to express her opinions and thoughts, there is something amiss about a king who allows someone else to take control of his kingdom. Ahab's inability to be the "ultimate" authority in his kingdom stemmed from his lack of leadership skills. Likely, he had no leadership skills because God had not appointed him king. We will continue to see Jezebel usurp power and undermine Ahab's rule throughout the text. Perhaps if Ahab had married a different woman, or had stood his ground, he wouldn't have gone down in history as such a bad king. At least, he probably would have been more recognizable than his wife and arch enemy.
Top

Jezebel's Legacy

When I was little, my parents bought me horse who had already been named. Her name was Jezebel, though everyone in my family called her Jazzy or Jazabelle. We all thought it was crazy that she had been named Jezebel; that's almost as bad as naming your pet Lucifer! Jezebel clearly wasn't a positive figure in the Bible, but when I hear the name "Jezebel," I don't think of calculating and murderous, as Queen Jezebel proved to be, I think of a promiscuous woman.

In everyday speech, jezebel is used about the same way as "hussy." Urban dictionary lists the term to mean a variety of things, from beautiful to "whore."^<[8] Jezebel is also the name of a popular magazine that is targeted to women and specializes in "celebrities, sex, feminism, and issues relating to women's empowerment." Is it not odd that a magazine supposedly about women's empowerment, chose to name itself after the evilest woman in the Bible? Why not name it after Esther? Mariam? Deborah? They could have even named it after a famous woman who was from secular history, but they chose Jezebel. Why?

The question often comes back to how Jezebel got associated with sexuality and promiscuity; her evil deeds dealt with idolatry, not sex. I suspect it comes from a misinterpretation of 2 Kings 9:22, in which a reference is made to the whoredoms of Jezebel. However, this isn't a reference to sexual whoredom. The bible often uses this phrase when discussing idolatry. To bow to other gods is to commit adultery to the true God (remember, we are the bride of Christ). I'm pretty sure people misinterpreted this verse until suddenly Jezebel was a whore and her name became an insult meaning whore.
Top

Elijah Makes an Ally

God sends Elijah to Damascus, where he is instructed to anoint Hazael to be the king of Syria. Even though Syria was not God's chosen land, He was still in control of who should be king. The Bible focuses on God's chosen people, so we often forget that God is supereme over the whole world. This means God has always had a hand in what happened in other nations. Just because these nations were not chosen to preserve God's word does not mean He forgot about them or abandoned them. Remember many of the surrounding nations were also descendants of Abraham.

In addition to instructing Elijah on forming this alliance with Syria, God gives Elijah instructions for Israel. God appoints Jehu to be anointed king and replace Ahab. God says that Hazael will slay their enemies, but those not slain by him were to be slain by Jehu, and those not slain by Jehu, were to be slain by Elijah. Elijah was given a plan to ensure all of God's enemies were stamped out; if one person failed to do the job, there was another to carry out the task. To aid in this upcoming battle, God reveals that He has 7000 followers still in Israel. These 7000 had not succumbed to idolatry and had resisted the popular trend of bowing to Baal. I think it's safe to say, as long as we're still here, there is a sizable army of God still present in the world.
Top

The Next Prophet: Elisha

Also in Elijah's instructions from God, was the appoint of an apprentice to become the next prophet: Elisha. Elijah convinces Elisha to follow him. Elisha was the son of Shaphat. Elisha is eager to follow Elijah, who was likely well known and admired in circles that still worshiped God. In celebration of the honor, Elisha kills a set of oxen and the people of Elisha's town feast with them. After the feast, Elisha follows Elijah to become the next prophet according to God's command.
Top

References

1. M.G. Easton M.A., D.D. "Gilead". Illustrated Bible Dictionary, via BibleStudyTools.com. 1897; visited January 2017
2. Elijah Was A Gentile". Beware Deception. May 3, 2009
3. "1 Kings 17:1 Commentary". via BibleHub.com; visited January 2017
4. "Elijah was NOT a Gentile". OSY Ministries. 2011
5. "Strong's H8453: towshab. Blue Letter Bible; visited January 2017
6. Emil G. Hirsch, Eduard König, Solomon Schechter, Louis Ginzberg, M. Seligsohn, Kaufmann Kohler. "Elijah. Jewish Encyclopedia; visited January 2017
7. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 616. 2014
8. "Jezebel. Urban Dictionary; visited January 2017

1 Samuel 8-10: A King For Israel

How poetic is it that as Saul is confusedly searching for Samuel to assist in finding donkeys, Samuel is watching Saul and being told by God that this is Israel's king?

Introduction

When Samuel grows old, he appoints his sons as judges to follow in his footsteps. Unfortunately they turn out to be corrupt, which seems to be a common issue (I will discuss this within the post). This corruption, along with the desire to be like other nations, leads the Israelites to ask Samuel to appoint a king. Knowing that the Israelites were simply trying to copy other nations is a major clue that this isn't going to turn out well. It was recorded in the Books of Law that God wanted His people to be a peculiar people; they were meant to stand out. This call to stand out and be different applies to us as Christians as well.
Top

Parallels to Today

It is interesting to note the parallels of the story to today. We can find parallels to raising children, government, and our individual lives.
Top

Raising Children

In the Bible, and in modern day, we often see that the most devout believers have a tendency to raise rebellious children. Most of the people I knew growing up who were forced to go to church every week or their parents were preachers ended up rebelling against their parents beliefs. We see that Moses' sons were not worthy of following his footsteps and two of Aaron's sons were killed for their inability to carry out priestly duties. Earlier in 1 Samuel, we hear about the failure of Eli's sons, and now we learn about Samuel's sons being corrupt. This pattern, which clearly extends into today's society, leads me to ask how the idea of royalty by blood became a thing. Clearly, it is unlikely that children follow in the righteousness of their parents.

I have my own theories about why children tend to drift from faith rather than continue in their parents' footsteps when their parents are devout. The main problem, I think, is that devout people tend to convey heavily religious messages but not relational messages. What I mean is that the parents force their children to follow religious rules without explanation and without cultivating a relationship between God and the child. Simply telling children that God doesn't want you to do this and that isn't the way to inspire children to build a relationship with God. Instead, it makes our relationship with God sound like a checklist. Prayed, check. Didn't have premarital sex, check. Didn't get drunk, check. Wore modest clothes, check. However, our desire to follow God's law comes from our love for Him. This is confirmed in both the Old and New Testaments (Deuteronomy 11:1 and John 14:15). I think we forget to encourage the relationship and let the laws fall into place on their own, because it's easier to simply hold children to the standards we believe God to have. It's easier to teach a child to obey rules than to teach them to love. However, the moment they question a rule, everything falls apart. They have no relationship with God to solidify their faith, they don't understand God, and since they don't like the "rules," they don't like God. I have met so many people who despise all things related to God, simply because of their parents forced religion on them. Remember God is love, and you can't force love.
Top

Theocracy

God intended Israel to have a theocracy, with Him as their supreme ruler. This will be the way His Kingdom operates after the end of the world. The biggest difference between God's theocracy, and the religious dictatorships we see today is that God is perfect; He will rule in absolute justice, whereas mankind is corrupt and easily distracted. By rejecting God as King, the Israelites were saying they would rather have an imperfect and corruptible man lead them than God. Samuel warns the people of the dangers of conforming to the world around them, but the Israelites are apathetic to God's message.

While we may live in a democratic government, our life should be a theocracy. The majority shouldn't decide our morals and actions, God should. Like the Israelites, we often want to blend with the people around us. Their lifestyles often seem easier, more glamorous, and happier than our own. The grass may look greener on the other side of the fence, but there's a dynamite mine beneath that grass.
Top

Secular Governments

One of the hardest things, today, is reconciling our faith with a secular government. We are not to be of the world, but in order to survive, we have to live in this world. This means we generally have secular jobs, attend secular schools, and are expected to participate in secular civic duties, such as voting. Last year we saw controversy when Kim Davis refused to issue same-sex marriage licenses, as was required by her position.^[1] This is just like the case where Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) were told to bow to an idol by King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 3. In these moments you have to chose whether you will obey God or the government. This issue came up just this past election season when Dr. Ben Carson was asked whether Biblical law or the U.S. Constitution was higher in rank.^[2]

This issue is exactly what God was avoiding by having a theocracy. When God is the supreme ruler of the nation and His laws govern the land, there is never a conflict between the world we live in and the God we serve. However, once we removed God as the supreme leader, we opened the door to conflict.

Interestingly, when we get to the passages in the Bible on end time prophecy, we will see that there is a good reason God allowed Israel to drift into this direction. In the U.S., we live in a society made up of many religions and cultures. This makes it common for us to reduce the issue to a Christian versus "other" issue. We often see the religious right seek to place more "Christian" values into our government, which is staunchly opposed by the liberal left. People on the right want to ensure they are able to participate in society without compromising their faith. Those on the liberal left want to defend those of varying religions, often leading society to a more atheistic approach. What people neglect to remember is that even within Christianity, there are varying views. Man has corrupted religion to the point that it is dangerous for the government to side with one particular denomination (re: the dark ages and the Catholic Church).

God knew that eventually these problems would occur. As humans, we are imperfect, so we would have problems maintaining either form of government. As such, God has given us earthly rulers to govern us. We are to pray that they lead us in the right direction, and while we are to respect their authority, God's authority is always higher.
Top

Saul

1 Samuel 9 introduces us to Saul, the first king of Israel. Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin and came from a powerful family. His father's name was Kish, who was considered a mighty man. Saul's lineage can be found in 1 Samuel 9:1, tracing back to a man named Aphiah. Interestingly, Saul claims that his family is "least." Least could be in reference to power or to size. 1 Samuel 9:1 seems to call Kish a mighty man, but it could also be referencing Saul's ancestor Aphiah. If the latter is the case, Kish's lineage could have fallen from such stature and be considered "least." Similarly, Saul could be comparing his family to his near kinsmen. For example, Serena Williams may overshadow Venus Williams, and Venus may feel "least" but in the grand scheme of things, she is still considered great.

When Kish loses some of his donkeys one day, Saul and his servant set out to search for them. When they fail to find the livestock, Saul's servant suggests they find Samuel; presumably they are seeking Samuel out for a blessing and advice. The get directions on where to find Samuel from a few women, but when they reach their destination, Saul doesn't recognize Samuel. My study Bible makes a big deal about Saul not recognizing the famous Samuel, but I'm not sure this is justifiable. Today, it's virtually impossible to not know what someone looks like if you have an interest in them. The moment you google a person, their picture is likely to appear. Though, even today, it is possible to know of someone and not know what they look like, especially if you aren't idolizing the person (which you shouldn't be). In Saul's day, the camera hadn't been invented, yet. There was no internet, no newspapers, and no photographs of people. Thus, the question of Saul recognizing Samuel would have been dependent upon how often he saw Samuel and how "striking" Samuel's features were. We've all seen people that we remember their face but not their name, and we all have heard names that are familiar but we can't place their face. Given that Saul was looking for his father's donkeys, it seems that he had not yet moved out and started his own family. Thus, Saul's father, as head of the household, was likely in charge of taking sacrifices to the priest. Saul may have only seen Samuel once or twice in his life for all we know.

Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Jeff Miller

While Saul is trying to find Samuel, God points Saul out to Samuel. How poetic is it that as Saul is confusedly searching for Samuel to assist in finding donkeys, Samuel is watching Saul and being told by God that this is Israel's king? When they speak, Samuel assures Saul that the donkeys have been found and informs him that there are more important things to discuss. Saul is taken aback because he claims to be a nobody. This echoes the thoughts of some of the judges who were called. This could be a sign of his humbleness, a trait that is often praised by God, or it could be a reminder that anyone can be called into the service of the Lord. Samuel doesn't pay Saul's protestations any attention. Instead, he places Saul in a chief position, and then invites Saul to dine with him. After all of this, when the two men are alone, Samuel finally reveals the word of God to Saul.
Top

Instructions

Possibly to prove to Saul that he knows what he's talking about, Samuel gives Saul several instructions and pieces of information meant to guide him to the realization that he is to become king. Before giving this information, Samuel anoints Saul, a sign of God's divine appointment. Samuel's instructions include detailed specifics, that would be sure to impress anyone if they encountered such things directly after speaking to him. As is expected, these events are exactly what happen to Saul in 1 Samuel 10.

There are a total of three signs given to Saul to lead him to his destiny as king. The first is news of the donkeys and his father, which was to be received at Rachel's (Benjamin's mother) tomb. The second was reception of 2 loaves of bread from three men going to Bethel. The three men would be carrying 3 goats, 3 loaves of bread, and wine, but they would give Saul 2 of the loaves of bread. The final sign was the gift of prophesy. Saul was to meet a group of prophets. When thy began to prophesy, the Spirit of God would come over Saul, and he would begin prophesying too.

By themselves, each is fairly remarkable. The first sign would have been the easiest for Saul to write off as coincidence. The second and third signs would have been much harder to dismiss. Together, it's pretty much impossible to ignore Samuel's wisdom. These signs become even more remarkable when we look at them through a New Testament lens. The location of the first sign is a tomb, specifically the tomb of a beloved ancestor. The tomb represents death and morality, punishments for sin. The most famous tomb in the Bible is that of Jesus, who is the King of kings (Revelation 17:14). The second sign gifts Saul with 2 loaves of bread. The men could have given Saul some of the wine or one of the goats, but they chose to give him bread. In the New Testament we learn that Jesus is the bread of life (John 6:35); thus, after being reminded of sin and death, Saul is shown the path to life. Note, too, that he is greeted by 3 men. Finally, Saul receives a gift from the Spirit of God. After Jesus redeemed us, He sent the Holy Spirit to give us gifts and comfort us. The disciples received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (John 14:16-17, 26). The three signs mimic God's plan of salvation for us. First we fell into sin (death), so He sent His son to give us life (bread), and His son sent the Holy Spirit to give us guidance (prophecy).

As Samuel predicted, Saul becomes a changed man. People take notice of the changes that have come over Saul, just as people will notice changes that come over us when we choose to follow God. Saul confesses to his uncle that he has spoken to Samuel, but he does not share the news that he is to become Israel's king.
Top

Revelation

The public announcement of Saul's status as chosen king is given at Mizpeh by Samuel. All of the tribes are present for the announcement. Some of the Israelites were not satisfied with God's decision and caused dissension amongst the nation. Their discontent is likely due to Saul's timidness. When God chooses His leaders, there is never 100% agreement among mankind. We don't have all of the facts, so we often reason that someone else is better for the job. We also are biased with our own ambition, inflating our egos, and deflating our confidence in others. The only leader that will satisfy everyone is God, and technically, this is only true for believers. Many have already reject Him as their King and won't be present in His kingdom.
Top

References

1. Siemaszko, Corky. "Kentucky Clerk Kim Davis, Who Refused to Issue Marriage Licenses to Gays, Seeks to End Case". NBC News. June 21, 2016
2. Kumar, Anugrah. "Ben Carson Asked 'Gotcha' Question: Does the Bible Have Authority Over the Constitution?". Christian Post. August 3, 2015

1 Samuel 4-7: The Ark of the Covenant

1 Samuel 4-7 marks the first time the Israelites lost the Ark of the Covenant. We can learn a lot from this incident.

Introduction

The Ark of the Covenant was perhaps the holiest object the Israelites possessed. It was very important to them and their relationship with God. Today, we know that they eventually lose the Ark, but during Samuel's day, this was probably an unheard of course of action. Yet, in their haste to force God's hand, Israel did just that, lose the Ark of the Covenant.
Top

Warring with the Philistines

As was the case from the time the Philistines arrived, even unto today, the Israelites and the Philistines were involved in a conflict. When Samuel sent a message out to Israel, the people were inspired, so they rose up against the Philistines. We are told they heard the message of Samuel, but we aren't told that they consulted God before running off into battle. As seen in the books of Joshua and Judges, without the blessings of God, no battle is successful. In the first battle, the Israelites lost 4,000 men and were defeated. After this defeat, they thought to take the Ark of the Covenant with them to battle. Again, no actual consultation with God is mentioned. With the aid of Eli's son (big clue that this plan wasn't going to work), they took the ark to their camp. At the sight of the ark, the Israelites began to rejoice; their rejoicing was so loud they put fear into the hearts of the Philistines. The rejoicing signaled to the Philistines that God was with the Israelites. They knew that this was the God who had defeated Egypt. However, when the battle came, the Philistines successfully defeated Israel, killing 30,000 men. On top of that, they stole the ark and killed Eli's sons, fulfilling God's prophecy that Eli's sons would fall on the same day.
Top

The Aftermath

A Benjamite who fought in the battle escapes to tell the people of Shiloh (including Eli) about their defeat and loss. Eli, who was 98 at the time, falls and breaks his neck when he hears the news. He dies from the incident, having served Israel for 40 years. We are also told of the great sorrow of the wife of Eli's son Phinehas. She gives birth to a son shortly after and names him Ichabod because the glory of God (the Ark) has departed from them. Ichabod means "no glory."^[1] The rest of the town also goes into mourning.
Top

Relating to Today

The lesson of the passage is something we all struggle with today. We often want something, assume God also wants it for us, and rush into "battle" without God's approval. Though we don't have Ark of the Covenant, we may prepare for these "battles" with the Word, our church family, or symbols such as a cross, to no avail. The key ingredient that was missing was instruction from God. This passage touches on one of the trickiest parts about being human. The Israelites likely thought they were supposed to go to battle with the Philistines simply because God had previously ordered such a battle. However, this time, the timing wasn't right. We will see how God uses this failure to spread His glory and remind Israel that they need Him. We can also learn a lot from this incident.

Not only did Israel bypass God and simply do as they pleased, they elevated the Ark of the Covenant to an idol. The Israelites thought the sheer presence of the object would grant them victory, but it was actually the presence of God they needed. Do we do this today? Absolutely. There are people who think churches are safer than regular homes, who think crosses and holy water have power over sickness or demons. These people are imbuing objects with the power of God. Only faith and God's presence can manifest such power. You are much safer in an apartment with great faith, calling on the name of God, than in a church with little faith.

We have to work hard to make sure God stays the center of our faith.
Top

The Fall of Dagon

The Philistines took their spoils of war—the Ark of the Covenant (that's a major trophy!)—back to one of their major cities. In a the city, called Ashdod, they set the ark before one of their gods, Dagon. Dagon was a fish god, or possibly an agricultural god that had been made the head god of the Philistines pantheon.^[2][3] By showing this false god the ark and leaving it with him, the Philistines were declaring Dagon's defeat over the God of Israel (at least that's what they thought). It was almost like an offering. Of course we know that the Lord is the only God and He used the Philistines to show His power.

When the Philistines came back the next day, the statue of Dagon had fallen. They may have thought something of it, or they may have brushed it to the side, but they didn't make a big fuss; they simply propped the statue back up and continued their day. The day after that, they found the statue fallen again. This time the head and palms were cut off. God was making the statement to the Philistines that they may have beaten Israel but they had not beaten Him. After this, the people of the city neither approached the Ark or their false god. Even so, they did not return the Ark, and plagues from God spread in the city.
Top

Cities Afflicted

Knowing the plagues were a curse from God, but not wanting to admit defeat, the Philistines simply moved the Ark to Gath. I can't imagine that they didn't have an inkling the plagues would follow the Ark, so this says alot about their lack of loyalty to their own people. It was also a gamble, because nothing was to stop God from cursing both cities at the same time (after all, they still hadn't returned the Ark to Israel). The people of Gath probably didn't know what had occured in Ashdod. It's not like they had cable news or even a newspaper, word would have had to travel by mouth from someone who had journeyed from one city to the next. What they did know, however, was that this was the famous Ark of the Covenant that the God of Israel sat upon. It is unknown if God gave them a warning, like in Ashdod, but in the end, they also ended up with "emerods."

The word "emerods" made me think of hemerrhoids, which are definitely painful and still technically located on your "secret parts" as 1 Samuel 5:9 describes. The scholarly notion, however, is that emerods were some type of boils or tumors.^[3] Boils on the secret parts sounds like herpes, to me. I can imagine that the city would be quick in wanting to get rid of any of the three!

Like their neighbors, the people of Gath simply pass the ark along. This time, to a city called Ekron. Once again, God poured out His wrath and plagued the people. The people of Ekron finally came to the consensus that the Ark had to go or else they would all die.
Top

Retuning the Ark

The Philistines called upon "top-notch" diviners and priests to solve this problem of what to do with the Ark. It is difficult to tell if the events in the latter part of 1 Samuel 5, where the men of Ekron determine the Ark must go for them to live, and these events (discussed in 1 Samuel 6) are the same. If the events are not the same, it reads as though after determining what must happen, the men of Ekron did not trust their own instinct and sought out pagan priests and sorcerers to verify their conclusion. The Philistines were too proud to simply hand the Ark back over to Egypt, so even as they experienced death from its presence, they had to confer amongst each other about what to do with it. We behave like this ourselves sometimes, even today.

Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Marie Jeanne Iliescu

The Philistines devised a plan to return the Ark that was also a test of if they should return the ark. They loaded the Ark into a wagon with a trespass offering of gold mice and gold emerods; perhaps this was a statement to God of who the offering was from since these were the things plaguing them. They hitched the wagon to two cows that had never carried a load before; such cows would not know how to work together to pull the cart. The Philistines reasoned that if God was behind the actions, He would steer the cart where He wanted the Ark to go. God delivered, and after the Philistines hitched up the wagon, the cows ran straight for Israel's city of Bethshemesh.
Top

Relating to Today

We can be blind to our problems in this manner, too. We may want to keep something—a habit, relationship, or possession—and that something may be terrible for us, but instead of simply eliminating the object from our lives, we overthink the situation. Our overthinking is a method of searching for a way to justify keeping the object, despite what we know deep down. Sometimes it takes drastic measures (like emerods!) for us to wake up to God telling us to get something out of our life. We must remember that it is only after we obey that we can heal.
Top

Back in Israel

The wagon came to a halt in the field of a man named Joshua (not to be confused with Joshua who succeeded Moses). The Israelites rejoiced at the return of the Ark. They used the cows as an offering to God. The Philistines must have sent spies to see what happened with the Ark, because it is recorded that when they saw what occurred, they reported back to their people.

Possibly indicated by the fact that the Israelites made offerings with out journeying to Shiloh, the men in Bethshemesh had not learned to respect the law of God. Instead of returning the Ark to its rightful place immediately, they decided to take a peek inside. This resulted in the death of 50,070 men. God had already given instruction that they were not to touch the Ark, let alone look inside. Only the priests were supposed to move the Ark, and they even had instructions for how to move it!
Top

Wait...How Many People Died?

Scholars assert that the text has been altered in our English translated of 1 Samuel 6:19.^[3][4] The original text does not render the numerals in a traditional manner and omit the "and" joining 50,000 and 70. Some suggest only 70 men died. Scholars believe the city wasn't big enough to have a population of 50,000 people to smite. In attempt to understand the passage some have suggested 50,000 was the number of people in the city and 70 was the number of men killed.
Top

In the Right Hands

Those who where left called upon another city within the tribe of Judah to come get the Ark. There, the people sanctified a man named Eleazar to keep the Ark. The Ark was in this city for 20 years! No explanation is given for why they did not take the Ark to Shiloh. My guess would be that Shiloh was occupied by the Philistines at the time. The Israelites lament their defeat, while Samuel encourages them to give up their false gods and return to the true God. Eventually, they do.
Top

Battling the Philistines

When the Philistines head that God's people were gathering together,they took the opportunity to seek out a battle. The Israelites clung to God this time, offering a lamb and praying for help. God hears the prayers and protects the Israelites in tis battle. The Philistines are defeated and pursued as they flee, enabling the Israelites to take back their land. For the rest of the time Samuel was living, the Lord set His hand against the Philistines.
Top

References

1. Mike Campbell. "Ichabod". Behind the Name. 1996
2. "Who is Dagon in the Bible?". GotQuestions.org. 2016
3. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible. pg. 477. 2016
4. "1 Samuel 6:19 Commentary". Bible Hub. 2016

Judges 3: Othniel & Ehud

Judges 3 covers the victories of Othniel and Ehud, two of the first judges of Israel

Introduction

God expects the Israelites to prove themselves by defeating the Canaanites. Only when they believed in God and followed His ways would they be able to rise up against the more powerful armies. Throughout judges, the question is always "Will the people follow God or will they chase idols?".

Judges 3 follows two cycles of unrest in Israel. The first period of unrest is ended by Othniel, the nephew of Caleb whom we met in Joshua. The second judge to lead Israel is Ehud, from the tribe of Benjamin.
Top

Decisions and Consequences

Growing up, my dad's mantra was that in life we have choices, and we always have to live with the consequences of those choices. When it was time to make a decision about something, he would remind me of this and expect me to make the choice that had the best consequences. This is crucial when we make decisions concerning our walk with God. Each act should be proceeded with the question "how will this effect my relationship with God?" and the answer to that question should determine your actions.

The Israelites decided to live amongst the people of the land, despite God telling them to do the opposite. As a consequence, they began to intermarry with the Canaanites, which led to idol worship of Baal and Asherah. Note, that in the King James Version of the Bible, the word "groves" refers to a pole for worshiping Asherah. Naturally, this disobendience infuriates God. As retribution, God turns them over to Chushanrishathaim, a king from Mesopotamia. Under his rule they are forced into servitude for 8 years.
Top

Implications of Marriages

I've probably discussed this elsewhere on the blog, but just in case, I want to make a point about God's stance on marriage between the Israelites and the Canaanites. For a long time, people used verses like those condemning the intermarrying of the Israelites and Canaanites to justify anti-miscegenation laws. From these verses, people decided interracial dating was forbidden, but that isn't what God was stating here.

While there are several instances of people marrying within their own people (i.e. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc.), there are also examples of people marrying from other tribes/nations (i.e. Moses and Joseph). There was no such thing as "race" during the time period we're reading about. God did not consider color of skin or texture of hair to be a sign of someone's worth. This is confirmed in both the New and Old Testament with statements confirming that we were all created in God's image, that we all descend from Adam and Eve, and that we all have a chance to live in the Kingdom of God.

God's concern was with the heart of the people. We see this when Rahab is given sanctuary and the ability to live amongst the people of Israel. She isn't an Israelite, but she marries an Israelite and becomes an ancestor to Jesus! The reason God didn't want the Israelites to marry the Canaanites was not because they were descended from Ham and thus a "different race" or because the were "inferior." It all boiled down to idolatry and paganism. The Canaanites were deeply pagan and God didn't want that rubbing off on the Israelites. It's much easier to participate in drunken pagan rituals than to follow the more straight-laced commandments of God. Which is exactly what we see when these marriages take place.
Top

Othniel

Eventually, the Israelites plead to God for deliverance, just as they had in Egypt. God shows that He is merciful and loving when He calls upon an the first judge to deliver them: Othniel. This is the same Othniel that won the hand of Caleb's daughter. We are told that the Spirit of God—I assume this is the Holy Spirit—empowers Othniel to rise up and overthrow Chushanrishathaim. During Othniel's leadership, the Israelites experience 40 years of peace. Once Othniel dies, however, the Israelites fall back into idolatry.
Top

Ehud

Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Brian Lary

When the Israelites fall back into idolatry, the king of Moab, Elgon, partners with the Amorites and Amalekites to capture Jericho (known as the city of palm trees). Elgon keeps Israel in submission for 18 years; it is in this 18^th year that Ehud is raised up. Ehud was a left-handed man from the tribe of Benjamin. The Bible notes his left-handedness because during that time period left-handedness was seen as a handicap or disfigurement. Today, this seems like unnecessary detail, but the Israelites who witnessed Ehud's victories (and up until quite recently, anyone who read this passage), would have understood this as a show of God's ability to raise up someone no one expected to be victorious and make them victorious.

Ehud uses his atypical handedness to his advantage. When searching for a weapon, guards would check the left thigh, where a right handed person would find it more natural to retrieve a weapon. However, Ehud hid his weapon on his right thigh, allowing him access to the king while in possession of a weapon.

Using trickery to gain alone time with the king, Ehud claims to have a special gift or secret for the king. In the king's greed for the gift, he dismisses everyone else and brings about his own death. In possibly the most abrupt and modern-action-movie-esque moments of the Bible, Ehud rams the knife into the king's gut. Ehud stabs the king in such a manner that the dagger remains in the fat of the king and the "dirt" of his intestines spill out. "Dirt" most likely refers to whatever was in his intestines.^[1]

When Ehud escapes, he locks the door behind him. The king's servants return but assume the king has locked the door for privacy and do not enter or bother him. By the time the servants decide to open the door, the king is dead and Ehud has safely escaped to Seirath.
Top

Defeating Moab with Ephraim

Ehud blows a trumpet upon enter the tribe of Ephraim's territory. He calls them all to war and they are successful at killing about 10,000 men, subsequently defeating the reign of Moab. 80 years of peace follow Ehud's victory.
Top

An Observation

Othniel responds immediately to God's call and carries out his task diligently. Ehud, while dabbling in trickery, also carries out God's plan without any protestations. Most of the other judges are just like the Israelites and do not leap at the chance to serve God.
Top

Minor Judges

The closing verses of Judges 3 tell us about a minor judge who might have been acting during the same time as Othniel and Ehud or directly after: Shamgar. It is thought that perhaps Shamgar was actually a pagan. He is described as son of Anath, which suggests he worshipped the Canaanite goddess of war who was named Anath. The structure of his name is also not Hebrew, further implying he was a foreigner.^[1] Continuing the gory tone of the book, we are told that with God's help, Shamgar is able to defeat 600 Philistines with an ox goad. This is just another example of God raising up unexpected people to deliver Israel.
Top

References

1. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible. pg 417-420. 2014